Open your Bibles if you would.
Psalm 89. Psalm 89. Psalm 89. The name of the message
is Blessed Covenant People. Blessed covenant people. Psalm 89, we'll be reading verses
1 to 18 to start. I will sing of the mercies of
the Lord forever. With my mouth will I make known
thy faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, mercy shall
be built up forever. Thy faithfulness shalt thou establish
in the very heavens. I have made a covenant with my
chosen. I have sworn unto David my servant. Thy seed will I establish
forever and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah. In the heavens shall praise thy
wonders, O Lord. Thy faithfulness also in the
congregation of the saints. For who in the heaven can be
compared unto the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty
can be likened unto the Lord? God is greatly to be feared in
the assembly of the saints, and to be head and reverence of all
them that are about Him. O Lord God of hosts, who is a
strong Lord like unto Thee, or to Thy faithfulness round about
Thee? Thou rulest the raging of the sea. When the waves thereof
arise, Thou stillest them. Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces
as one that is slain. Thou hast scattered Thine enemies
with Thy strong arm. The heavens are Thine. The earth
also is Thine. As for the world and the fullness
thereof, Thou hast founded them. North and the South thou hast
created them, Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name. Thou
hast a mighty arm, strong is thy right hand, and high is thy
right hand. Justice and judgment are the
habitation of thy throne. Mercy and truth shall go before
thy face. Blessed is the people that know
the joyful sound. They shall walk, O Lord, in the
light of thy countenance. In Thy name shall they rejoice
all the day, and in Thy righteousness shall they be exalted. For Thou
art the glory of their strength, and in Thy favor our horns shall
be exalted. For the Lord is our defense,
and the Holy One of Israel is our King." God's blessed covenant people. This psalm here declares before
us God's covenant promises made with the Lord Jesus Christ and
we will see how they are in Him and how they are certain and
how they are eternal. Let us note The following four
verses in this psalm. Look at verse 2. For I have said,
Mercy shall be built up forever, thy faithfulness shalt thou establish
in the very heavens. Look at verse 28. My mercy will
I keep for him forevermore, and my covenant shall stand fast
with him. And then look at verse 34. My
covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone
out of my lips. And then look at verse 37. It
shall be established forever as the moon and as a faithful
witness in heaven. See, love, this is all speaking
of God's covenant. And here we have plainly and
powerfully bought before us the fact the fact that God's covenant
promises are certain. And they cannot be broken. They're
certain and they cannot be broken. That which God decrees shall
come to pass. That's what God that that which
God decrees shall come to pass. Look at verse 34 again. My covenant. Will I not break nor alter the
thing that has gone out of my lips? This song is called by several
commentators the majestic covenant song. The majestic covenant song. And we see in this psalm, the
covenant mercies that we as believers have in Christ, that we as believers
have in Christ and the faithfulness of our surety and of our covenant
God who rules over them all. See, part of our security for
us, because we know how fickle we can be, part of our security
is knowing how secure we are in our covenant God, that he
never changes. And that brings us hope, doesn't
it? Because we all know we all struggle. We all struggle. We
struggle with unbelief. We struggle with doubt. We struggle
with all kinds of things, don't we? All the time, all of us do. but knowing that our God is a
covenant God, and that his covenant is sure, and his covenant is
established, and it's established by his word, by his oath, we'll
see that can bring the believer great peace in the midst of all
kinds of things that occur, and even just in everyday life, where
we can struggle through different things. So let us first consider
Some of the references to our great Savior, we're not going
to exhaust them all in this psalm, but let's consider some of them.
Some of the references to our great Savior, the Lord Jesus
Christ, in this psalm. And then we're considering the
covenant people who are blessed in Christ by these promises in
this psalm. Look at verse 1. Let's start
in verse 1. I will sing of the mercies of
the Lord forever. With my mouth will I make known
thy faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, Mercy shall
be built up forever. Thy faithfulness shalt thou establish
in the very heavens. I have made a covenant with my
chosen. I have sworn unto David my servant. Thy seed will I establish forever
and build up thy throne to all generations. Now note in verse
one, the mercies of the Lord. And we know that mercy only comes
to we who believe through Christ, right? There's no other way it
comes to us. It's only through Christ and
Christ alone. And note in verse two, mercy
shall be built up. The scriptures declare mercy
shall be built up. Christ is indeed the mercy built
up by Jehovah. Forever in him shall his covenant
people be blessed forever. And it's not just for the saints
who have gone before us and for us, but the saints who shall
come. It's built up upon. One commentator, Hawker, was
saying that it's built up as the mercy is built up in the
sense that mercy is shown to God's elect. as they're regenerated. And they have no idea that they're
the elect, but the Lord saves them through the preaching of
the gospel. It's wonderful. It's absolutely wonderful. Built
up by Jehovah forever in Christ. And His covenant people are only
blessed in Him. Think of this, there's not a single mercy for
any of the fallen race of Adam outside of Christ. Not a single drop of mercy outside
of Christ. And that's what it makes for
we who believe. That's what leaves us in awe
when we think that God had mercy upon us, that God chose us in
this wonderful covenant that we're going to look at, that
we're chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.
It just magnifies his glory and magnifies who he is even more
and more. Note the covenant God makes with
his people in Christ. Here we see David. I made a covenant
with my chosen. I have sworn unto David, my servant.
Thy seed will I establish forever and build up thy throne to all
generations. Note the covenant God makes with
his people in Christ. David is a picture of Christ.
And we know who the true David is spoken of. We know who the
true David is spoken of, the chosen one. That's Christ, beloved,
who is the servant of the father in redemption. And note this
covenant is with his seed and that seed shall be established.
Note in our text how the covenant here is confirmed. I want us
to look at this. Note how the covenant here is
confirmed. It's, I'm sorry, excuse me. It's confirmed first of all by
decree. By decree, look at this. I have
made a covenant with my chosen. So it's, It's confirmed by decree. It's confirmed by decree. And
in those it's also and that's in verse three. It's also confirmed
by promise. Look at in verse four. I will
establish forever. So it's by promise, so it's confirmed
by decree, it's confirmed by by promise, but look, it's also
confirmed by an oath. Look at verse three. I have sworn
this is God's speech. So this covenant is confirmed
by decree, I have made a covenant with my chosen, by promise I
establish forever, and by oath I have sworn. The covenant is
decreed by God, promised by God, and sealed by his word. And it's
all in Christ Jesus our Lord, all in him. And this is why, this is why
there is absolutely no comfort and no hope in free will, non-sovereign
grace gospel. There's no hope. There's no comfort
in it. Because God is the one who has
established this covenant. God's the one who's promised.
God's the one who by an oath has sworn that this covenant
shall stand and it's established. So there's no hope in a free
will gospel. The only hope we have is in the
the gospel of free grace in the Lord Jesus Christ, because it
is secure and it is established by God's covenant, by God's covenant
and by his decree, by his promise and by his oath. My, so we have
solid ground, beloved. God himself has told us that
he will never ever leave us. Never. My goodness. Look at verse 19. Then thou speakest in vision
to thy Holy One and saidest, I have laid help upon one that
is mighty. I have exalted one chosen of
the people. Now Christ alone is mighty to
pardon. Christ alone. He's mighty to
reconcile. He's mighty to justify, He's
mighty to save, He's mighty to redeem, He's mighty to bring
us to glory, and He alone is the one who's mighty, beloved.
Turn, if you would, to Isaiah 42. He alone is the one who is
mighty. And He's the one who's being
exalted and chosen by God of the people. Remember, Scripture
says, a body thou hast prepared for me. And then also put your
finger in Philippians chapter 2. So we're looking at an Old
Testament portion and then we'll see it in the New Testament too. So Isaiah 42 in Philippians chapter
2. He is the only one who's mighty.
He's chosen by God out of the people. Look at Isaiah 42.1.
Psalm 89, 19. Behold my servant whom I uphold,
mine elect and whom my soul delighteth. I have put my spirit upon him.
He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. So this is speaking
of Christ. Just like Psalm 89 19 is speaking
of Christ. Then look at look at over at
Philippians chapter 2 and remember Psalm 89 19. I'll read it. Then
thou speakest in the vision to thy holy one and said as I have
laid help upon one that is mighty. I have exalted one chosen other
people. So we saw that in Isaiah. Now
look at Philippians chapter 2 verses 5 to 11. Let this mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought
it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation. He was a servant and took upon
him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of man
and being found in fashion as a man. He humbled himself and
became obedient unto death. even the death of the cross.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name
which is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee
should bow of things in heaven and things on earth and things
under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Christ alone
is the Mighty One. Christ alone. Christ alone is
the Mighty Savior. He has finished the work. And
there is none to come after him. None to come out. Nothing needs
to be added. It's a perfect finished work. Perfect. And that's what we rest
in, don't we, as believers. We rest in his finished work. And Christ is beloved of God
and highly esteemed and valued by God. And we see him typified
both as king and prophet. Look at Psalm 89, verse 20. Psalm 89 verse 20. I have found
David, my servant, with my holy oil have I anointed him. Now
turn to Luke chapter 4 verse 18. And this is speaking of Christ,
beloved. This is speaking of Christ. With my holy oil, I anointed
him. This points right to Christ.
Look what he proclaimed in Luke 4, verse 18. The Spirit of the
Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel
to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives. Oh, my. In recovering of sight to the
blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. Good news,
beloved. Good news, broken hearted. When
the Lord is bringing us to himself, we become broken hearted over
our sin, don't we? We become broken hearted. And
look at this, preach deliverance to the captives. We were shut
up in the prison cell of sin. We couldn't get out. We couldn't
get out. He delivered us, beloved. And
recovering sight to the blind. Well, we were blind as bats before
the Lord saved us, weren't we? We had no idea who God was. Now we had a God of our imagination,
but we had no idea who God was until he showed us who he was,
until he revealed to us who he was, and to set at liberty them
that are bruised. Oh, he set his people free, didn't
he? Hallelujah. And that's what we
say, don't we? We're excited. We have freedom in Christ Jesus
our Lord. We're more free now than we've
ever been before. It's wonderful. Now we need never to doubt the
excellency and authority and certainty and sufficiency of
the gospel, because God Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the
heart of the gospel. It's good news for His covenant
people, because it proclaims what He has done for us. It's
good news. It's good news. Let's look at
verse 27 of Psalm 89. Look at this, and also I will
make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
Christ is the firstborn of every creature, and we know that from
our study in Colossians. I won't have you turn there,
but I'll read Colossians chapter one. If you want to turn there,
you can. Colossians 1, 15 to 18. But Christ is the firstborn
of every creature, and in all things, he has the preeminence.
And we know that from our study again. It says, who is the image
of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature? For by him
were all things created that are in heaven and that are in
earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions
or principalities or powers. All things were created by him
and for him. And he is before all things.
And by him, all things consist. And he is the head of the body,
the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he might have the pre. So we see how Old Testament
scriptures tie in with New Testament scriptures. It's wonderful. It's
wonderful. They point right to Christ. Look
at verse 29 of Psalm 89. His seed also will I make to
endure forever, and His throne as the days of heaven. Scripture
here declares, His seed also will I make to endure forever,
and His throne as the days of heaven. Turn, if you would, to
Luke chapter 1. Luke chapter 1. Our Lord's kingdom, beloved,
will never end. will never end, it's eternal. His throne and his kingdom will
never end, never be moved. Look what the angel proclaimed
to Mary here in Luke chapter one, verses 30 to 33. And the angel said unto her,
fear not Mary, there's two words that are very precious to the
believer, fear not. For thou hast found favor with
God, And behold, thou shall conceive in thy womb and bring forth a
son and shall call his name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be
called the son of the highest. And the Lord shall give unto
him the throne of his father, David. Look at this. And he shall
reign over the house of Jacob forever in of his kingdom. There
shall be no way. Again, we see Old Testament scripture
tying right in with New Testament scripture, beloved, tying right
in. It's wonderful. His seed also
will I make to endure forever in his throne is the days of
heaven. There be no end to our great
God and kings reign and rule. And then look at verse 36. In reference to Christ, his seed
shall endure forever and his throne as the sun before me.
Christ shall see a seed, he shall prolong his days and the pleasure
of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. His throne also is
perpetual and glorious, never ending. Forever, as one commentator
brings forth, it shall shine as the sun. Forever. Think of
this. Other kingdoms have risen and
fallen. Other kingdoms have risen and
fallen. They rise up and now they're ruins that people visit. Ancient Greece. Such a powerful
empire. You go visit the runes now. The
Roman Empire, so powerful, you can visit the runes. The Egyptian
Empire, so powerful, you can go visit the runes. So other
empires, other kingdoms have risen up. Kingdoms and thrones
have risen, and they're now in runes, but not the kingdom of
the Lord Jesus Christ. not the kingdom of the Lord.
The throne and kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ is an everlasting,
everlasting dominion, everlasting throne. It'll never pass away.
Turn, if you would, to Daniel chapter 7. Look at this. This
is wonderful. His kingdom will never be destroyed. Never. So that means no one can
come against our great God. Now, people, I was reading an
article today about Brother Henry Mahan had written it. I might
put it in the bulletin down the road. It was very sobering, but
it talked about the great, great last day. And he said, what will
people say? They'll have nothing to say at
all as they stand there before our great God and King. Where
will they be boasting about their righteousness then? No. Will
they be boasting about the things that they did? No. No, no, they
will hear the words depart from me. I never knew. Oh, my, what
a sobering thought. But but we. We who are redeemed. Will go into glory. It's amazing. It's incredible. All because
of what he's done. We will enter into his rest because
of what he's done. absolutely nothing of what we've
done. It's marvelous. And his kingdom will never and
never be destroyed. Listen, Daniel, chapter seven,
verses 13 to 14. I saw in the night visions and
behold, one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven
and came to the ancient days and they bought him near before
him. And there was given Him dominion
and glory and a kingdom that all people, nations, and languages
should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting
dominion which shall not pass away. It'll never pass away. Never. And His kingdom, that
which shall not be destroyed. It'll never pass away and it'll
never be destroyed. Therefore, we who are His sheep
will be forever secure in our great God and King. It's wonderful. You see the fallacy of people
who say you can lose your salvation. They don't know what salvation
is. They have no idea. The salvation that we as believers
have in Christ is sure because it's in Christ. It's in him. This covenant is established
by God's decree, by God's promise, and by God's oath. My, that just
makes my heart sing. It's wonderful. Look at verse three again. Look
at verse three. It says, I have made a covenant
with my chosen. I have sworn unto David, my servant. Now, God, the father, has made
a covenant with God, the son and God, the Holy Spirit. And
here before us, God, the father, is speaking of a covenant he's
made with David. But a greater than David is here
spoken. Greater than David is here spoken
of, and that's the Lord Jesus Christ. God the Father has made
with Christ the Mediator, the Word of God, a covenant which
shall stand fast, and there will be no canceling it or disannoying
it. It's sure. It's sure. Thomas Brooks, an old Puritan,
brings this forth. God the Father hath not only
made a covenant of grace with the saints in Christ, but he
has also made a covenant of redemption, as we call it for distinction's
sake, with Jesus Christ himself. My covenant shall stand fast
with him in Christ. Stands fast with Christ. And
think of this, we're in Christ. It's wonderful. It's wonderful. Just wonderful. Our God is a covenant God. We
know that. We know that from studying scripture.
Our God is a covenant God. Therefore, his covenant people
must be blessed. Those he chose in Christ before
the foundation of the world. Note in verses 15, 16, and 17,
the scriptures declare some truths about these covenant people and
how blessed they are. and that they will rejoice in
their covenant God, because He is our righteousness and our
strength. Look at verses 15, 16, and 17. Blessed is the people
that know the joyful sound. They shall walk, O Lord, in the
light of Thy countenance. In Thy name shall they rejoice
all the day, and in Thy righteousness shall they be exalted. For Thou
art the glory of their strength, and in Thy favor our horns shall
be exalted. So what are some things that
God's people know from these verses here? Well, let's look,
first of all, they know the joyful sound of the gospel, beloved.
They know the joyful sound of the gospel. Blessed are the people
that know the joyful sound. They shall walk, O Lord, in thy
light of thy countenance. Those spoken of in verse 15 here
are God's sheep, God's elect, God's sheep by covenant, chosen
by God in Christ. And they know the voice of the
shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, because God gives us God gives
us here and here and here. We saw that. He gives sight to
the blind. And they follow him with great
gladness and joy, and they delight in in the Savior. Scripture declares
this. My sheep hear my voice and I
know them and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal
life. He gives it to us. Not one of
us would have sought it. But he gives it to us. It's a
gift. And they shall never perish. Never. Neither shall any man
pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me
is greater than all. And no man is able to pluck them
out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. So God's
people have victory over their sin in and through the Lord Jesus
Christ. Through His shed blood and the
joyful sound that we know as pardon and peace with God. Pardon and peace with God. Through Christ. And what do we
love to hear more than anything? the gospel of our great Savior. Again, tell me about Christ.
I'll turn a sermon on, and if a man don't talk about Christ
within two or three minutes, I shut it off. You can tell what
a person preaches with very quickly, very, very quickly, very quickly. Look at this, these covenant
people who are blessed by God shall walk in the light of his
countenance. Look at verse 15. Blessed is
the people that know the joyful sound, so they've heard the gospel. God's given them hearing ears.
They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. They
once walked in darkness. They once walked in darkness.
They couldn't see a thing. But they've been translated into
the kingdom of light. Turn, if you would, to 2 Corinthians
4. They've been translated into the kingdom of light in and through
the Lord Jesus Christ by the quickening, regenerating power
of the Holy Spirit of God. And now, now, now they see beauty
in the one who they once despised. We know what that's like, brother.
We see beauty in Him. Beauty in Him. See, beauty in
the great Redeemer, the One who has delivered our souls from
darkness, the darkness of sin that we were in. Look at 2 Corinthians
4, verse 6, and look at, for God who commanded the light.
If God don't command the light, there's not going to be any light.
2 Corinthians 4, verse 6, for God
who commanded the light to shine out of the darkness, has shined
in our hearts to give the light and the knowledge of the glory
of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Oh, we walk in the light of his
countenance, beloved. We walk in the light of his countenance.
The darkened hearts of God's saved sheep have been illuminated. In our natural state, our hearts
were darkened, our eyes were blind, and we didn't have hearing
ears to hear the gospel. But we've been illuminated. We've had the scriptures illuminated
to us. We were generated by the Holy Spirit of God through the
preaching of the gospel, quickened by the Holy Spirit to again,
to see the glory, the beauty and the necessity. That's a key
to the necessity of our great redeemer. No one will ever come
to Christ unless God shows them their need. And we're all witnesses
to that, we who believe. Because God showed us our need,
didn't He? He revealed Himself through the
preaching of the Gospel. Also, let's note that they shall
rejoice in His name all the day. Look at verse 16. In thy name
shall they rejoice all the day, and in thy righteousness shall
they be exalted. And here we have brought forth
that believers shall rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ and
Him alone. We don't rejoice in anyone else. And we have every
reason to rejoice, don't we? We have every reason to rejoice
in Christ, because there's salvation in no other. We have every reason
to rejoice over the fact that he chose us in eternity. We have
every reason to rejoice in the fact that we once sat in darkness,
but now we're translated into his kingdom. We have, actually
we have many reasons to rejoice, but the flesh, the flesh, the
flesh, right? That's the spirit's willing,
but the flesh is weak. My, but think of this. We have no, there's salvation
in no other. He alone is all our salvation,
all our hope. And we who believe have no confidence
in the flesh. For we are the circumcision which
worship God in spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence
in the flesh. So we can rejoice in the fact
that God has brought us to that point where we no longer rejoice
in what we used to do. We rejoice in the one who's done
it all for us. Christ Jesus our Lord. All of
it. All of it. So God's people rejoice
in the wonderful Savior because he alone has redeemed them. And
He alone has justified them. He alone has saved them from
their sins. Therefore, they praise and exalt His holy name. Let us consider also that they
should be exalted in His righteousness. They shall be exalted in His
righteousness. Verse 16, In thy name shall they
rejoice all the day, and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
Verse 16. The perfect righteousness that
Jesus Christ worked out for us has been freely, eternally, and
fully imputed to the believer in Christ. Turn, if you would,
to Romans chapter 4. Romans chapter 4. Romans chapter 4, verses 5 to
8. Look at this wonderful truth. here before us. The believer
again is clothed in the Lord's righteousness. Look at this Romans
chapter 4 verses 5 to 8. But to him that worketh not,
but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted
for righteousness. Even as David also described
the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputed righteousness
without works. So note in verse five, but to
him that worketh not. It's not our works that save
us. It's his work. It's what he's done. Even as
David also described the blessedness of the man unto whom God appeared
to the righteousness without works, saying, blessed are they
whose iniquities are forgiven. How many of our iniquities? All
of them. All of them. And whose sins are
what? Covered. Oh, they're covered
by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. He bought
and paid everything God demanded. He bought and paid his people.
Paid for his people, didn't he? He purchased us with his own
profit. Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord will not impute sin. because our sins were imputed
to Christ. It's wonderful. It's absolutely
wonderful. And she'll be exalted in his
righteousness. Now, we know if you would, the
Jeremiah chapter twenty three and then put your finger in Philippians
chapter three to Jeremiah chapter twenty three. I know I have us
turning around quite a bit here. Jeremiah twenty three and Philippians
chapter three. The Lord Jesus Christ alone is
our righteous. We see that in the Old Testament,
and we're gonna see that in the New Testament. We'll see it in
both places here. Jeremiah 23, verses five to six. Behold, the days come, saith
the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous branch, and
a king shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and
justice in the earth. in his days Judah shall be saved
in Israel shall dwell safely and this is his name whereby
he shall be called the Lord our righteousness now turn if you
would the Philippians and I'm going to read again verse 16
here in thy name shall they rejoice all the day and in thy righteousness
shall they be exalted so we saw in Jeremiah there The Lord, our
righteousness, that's his name. He's the Lord, our rights. Look
again at Philippians chapter three. Look at verses seven to
nine. But what things were gained to
me, those I counted for loss. So all the things that Paul once
thought were gain, he now just sees them as nothing. Doubtless
and 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 count them but done that I may win Christ and
be found in him now Remember, what's his name the Lord our
righteousness? And remember this remember the
psalm And in thy righteousness shall
they be exalted and be found in Him, that's Christ, not having
mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which
is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of
God by faith. My, God's covenant people, those
He chose in eternity, and those who are taken from sin and misery, because that's what we were,
we were, oh boy, We were in a bad spot, weren't we? We were miserable. Now, we still struggle with sin.
We're not totally delivered from our sin, but one day we will
be. But those who are the recipients of God's grace and mercy in Christ
know that He alone, He alone saves. And He saves all who come
to God by Him. Wherefore, he is able also to
save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing
the ever live it to make intercession for them. Aren't you thankful
he made you willing to come to him? He's able to save him. He's mighty. He's a mighty savior and a mighty
redeemer. Let's now consider that those
who are God's covenant people look to the Lord Jesus Christ
alone is our glory and strength. Look at verse 17. For thou art the glory of their
strength. And this is still speaking of
the covenant people. And in thy favor, our horn shall
be exalted. We who believe have been taught
by God that without him, we can do nothing. Without him, we can
do nothing. We know nothing about him in
our natural state, but he proclaimed in John 15.5, I am the vine,
ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I
in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without me you
can do nothing. We're weak. We have no strength. We have no strength to save ourselves.
We're weak. And even after we're saved, we're
still really weak. And he is the one who keeps us.
He is the one who upholds us. There's no salvation out of Christ
in any spiritual strength or spiritual knowledge or spiritual
gifts that we enjoy and experience must be because of his grace
worked within us, worked within us. Turn, if you would, to Colossians
chapter one work within us. And again, we considered that
over in our study in Colossians. Look what it proclaims here.
So think of that. Any giftings that he's given
us, anything all comes from him. All comes from him. Colossians, chapter one, verses
twenty five to twenty nine, where have I made a minister according
to the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you to fulfill
the word of God? even the mystery which hath been
hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his
saints. Remember we read in Luke about
giving sight to the blind and liberty to those who were captive?
Manifest to his saints by the Holy Spirit of God, to whom God
would make known what is the riches of the glory of the mystery
among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory,
whom we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in
all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
Whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working, which
worketh in me, mine." Paul knew where all his strength came from.
Paul knew where his gift to preach came from. And every gospel preacher
will tell you, we've been called to God, and he enables us to
preach. It's all him, and it doesn't
matter what you're doing in the church. If you have a gift, it's
from the Lord. It's from him. It's from him,
and everyone has a gift of some kind, but it's from him. Now,
edification, we encourage one another, too, and there's all
kinds of different giftings. But it all comes from him. It
all comes from him. We can't get proud in what we
do. Because it all comes from Him. I love that last verse. Whereunto I also labor, striving
according to His working, which worketh in me mightily, mightily. Last, let us consider that the
Lord is our defense. Look at verse 18. For the Lord
is our defense, and the Holy One of Israel is our King. We are unable to defend ourselves
against our spiritual enemies, and there are too many of them,
and they're too powerful for us to even begin to fight. However,
our Lord defeated them all. Defeated them all. He alone won
the glorious victory for us. Turn, if you would, to Psalm
98. Psalm 98. He alone defeated sin by making
atonement for it. The sinless one dying for sinners.
Just one, dying for the unjust. Look at Psalm 98, verses 1 to
3. O sing unto the Lord a new song,
for He hath done marvelous things. His right hand and His holy arm
hath gotten Him the victory. The Lord hath made known His
salvation. He reveals it to His people. It's a revelation, beloved.
His righteousness hath He openly showed in the sight of the heathen.
He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house
of Israel and all the ends of the earth. She'll see the salvation
of our God. Oh, beloved, he honored the law
and fulfilled the law for us, for his covenant people, for
every single one of his elect. Christ hath redeemed us from
the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, for it is written,
Cursed is everyone that hangeth on the tree. He defeated Satan
by crushing his dominion and power. For as much then as the
children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise
took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that
hath the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them
who through fear of bondage were all their lifetime subject to
bondage. And he defeated death by rising
him by raising from the from the dead. I am he that liveth
and was dead. And behold, I am alive forevermore.
Amen. Have the keys of hell and of
death. What a savior and what covenant
promises we have in Christ, a sure covenant, a sure covenant. Gracious Heavenly Father, we
thank Thee for Your mercy and grace and goodness to us. We
who believe are amazed that You chose us
sinners, that You chose us in eternity by Your choice, by Your
decree. And we know that our salvation
is secure in Christ and Christ alone. And O Lord, we give You
all the glory and all the honor and praise. knowing that we are
eternally secure in the outside of you. And there is no hope.
There is no hope at all. There's no salvation. But, oh,
Lord, we who are thy redeemed, we who are born again, whom you've
translated from darkness to light. Marvel at thy salvation, that
great and wondrous salvation, the gift which we have. All by thy grace, all by thy
grace and mercy. We love you and praise you in
Jesus' name.