Grace. Scripture declares, comfort
ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably
to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished,
that her iniquity is pardoned. I pray that this message will
be comforting to God's people as the Holy Spirit applies it
to our lives. Turn again, if you would, to
Hebrews chapter eight. The name of the message is, If
Jehovah is your God. If Jehovah is your God. We'll read our text in context
and then we'll look at a small portion of verse 10. Hebrews
8, verses 9 to 11. As Brother John brought out,
the context of this chapter is the New Covenant. The New Covenant,
which is The new covenant of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, the covenant of grace, the everlasting
covenant which Christ shed his blood to ratify as our substitute
before God on Calvary's cross. Hebrews chapter 8 verses 9 to
11. Not according to the covenant
that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them,
by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because
they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith
the Lord. For this is the covenant that
I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith
the Lord. I will put my laws into their
mind and write them in their hearts, and I will be to them
a God, and they shall be to me a people." There's our text right
there. I will be to them a God, and
they shall be to me a people. And they shall not teach every
man his neighbor and every man his brother, saying, know the
Lord, for all shall know me from the least to the greatest. And
the reason being is we're taught of God. We're taught by God,
the Holy Spirit, the things of Christ. Hebrews 13 says this. In verse 20, now the God of peace
that bought again from the dead, our Lord Jesus Christ, the great
shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting
covenant. Now that's the covenant that's
spoken of here. The new covenant is actually
the everlasting covenant. It's the covenant made by God,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in eternity, in eternity. And Christ is the great shepherd
of the sheep. And this covenant is ratified
by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, who has redeemed us with
his own precious blood. Turn, if you would, to Exodus
chapter six. Israel in the Old Testament was
a pitcher of the church. God's elect both Jew and Gentile. which we see spoken of in our
text today. It is said of Israel of old in
the Old Testament. Now keep your finger in Hebrews
8, because we'll be going right back there. Exodus chapter 6,
verse 7. Look at this. And remember, Israel's
a picture of the church, the picture of God's elect. And I
will take you to me for a people. I will take you to me for a people. Are they seeking him? They're
his people by choice, right? By decree, they're his people. And I will take you to me for
a people, and I will bring you, and I will be to you a God, and
ye shall know that I am the Lord your God. Note there, and I will
be to you a God, and ye shall know that I am the Lord your
God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians."
So with that in mind, let's turn back to our text in Hebrews chapter
8. With that in mind. Now here's the new covenant spoken
of. And we know from our study this morning that God's people
are the Israel of God, Galatians chapter 6. Proclaim that very
clearly this morning when we were looking at that. Look at Hebrews chapter eight,
verse 10. For this is the covenant that
I will make with the house of Israel. After those days, saith
the Lord, I will put my laws into their mind and write them
in their hearts. And I will be to them a God and
they shall be to me a people. Now here's our text right here.
I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people. If Jehovah
is your God. If Jehovah, I pray that this
message will be a comfort to you, to God's saints. Note the
one saying this, the one saying, I will be to them a God, and
they shall be to me a people, is God himself. Jehovah, the
everlasting one, the one who dwells in eternity, says about
his covenant people, about the people he's chosen in Christ
before the foundation of the world, I will be to them a God,
and note, and they shall. And it's not our decision, is
it? This is God proclaiming this. Isn't it magnificent? This is
why Jonah cried, salvation's of the Lord, beloved. They shall be to me a people. God will give
his sheep. That's why as I say we have no
idea who God's sheep are doing no idea And we proclaim the gospel
of the free grace of God in Christ and the Lord draws his people
By the Holy Spirit turning them to the Redeemer They shall be
his people it never happened us I Wasn't looking for the Lord
were you He sought us out didn't he? And we are His people. We who believe, we're His people.
Based upon nothing in ourselves. All based upon the mercy and
grace of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Now the one proclaiming
this is God. God of all men, God of all angels,
God of all the devils, God of all the worlds, God of all the
universe, God of all things visible and invisible, The God of all
creation, the one who spoke it all into existence by the word
of his power, proclaims, I will be to them
a God, his covenant people, those spoken of in the everlasting
covenant. I will be to them a God, and
they shall be to me a people. Does it not give us hope? Because
we don't know who God's people are, right? And therefore, the
gospel goes forth, like Brother Bruce Crabtree, He said, it gives
us hope for our family members until they breathe their last
breath. Doesn't it? Because we don't know who the
Lord's people are, but He does, and He will bring His people
to Christ, just like He brought you and I. It's magnificent. So here before us, God makes
a promise to His covenant people. Think of this, too. This is a
promise to His covenant people. that he will be their God and
they will be his people. That he will be their all-sufficient
portion. That he will be their all-sufficient
portion. That he will be their all-sufficient
preserver. That he will be their all-sufficient
savior. They shall be to me a people.
They shall be. They will be the objects of my
love, God says. They will be taught by God the
Holy Spirit. They will reverently fear God,
not a slavish fear, but one of awe and wonder. And they will willingly serve
me. We do, don't we? Willingly, the unwilling are
made willing to flee to Christ and then willingly serve him. Think of this. You ever think
of this? I remember a preacher saying this a long time ago.
It's just stuck. You know, sometimes people say
things and they just stick with you. They just stick with you. He said, I don't have to pray,
I get to pray. I don't have to read my Bible,
I get to read my Bible. It's a privilege. It's a privilege
for us to gather here together, beloved, as saints of God. It's
a privilege, and not everyone is granted that privilege. And
it's not based upon anything of us, but simply the grace,
the sovereign, free grace of God and Christ bestowed upon
us. Do you see why Paul said, I've obtained mercy? Undeserving mercy. It's wonderful. It's wonderful. God himself,
think of this in the text, it says here, I will be to them
a God. God himself, the eternal one,
the self-existent one, will protect us, will guide us, will govern
us, will bless us, and will save us through the Lord Jesus Christ
in him. Why? Because we are his people
by his choosing. We are his people by purchase,
by the blood of Christ. We are his people by his decree.
We are his people by his will and his purpose. And we are set apart by him and
loved by him. with an everlasting love. All according to his good purpose
and grace. What a great God. What a great
God. And these people are his people
from eternity. And we know that that He is God
of all creation, that He's God of all nature and all providence,
and here He is proclaiming to His people that He will be their
God, as He is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Turn,
if you would, to John 17. John 17. And I'll read 1 John
1.3, which declares this. that which we have seen and heard
declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with
us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his
Son, Jesus Christ. Look at John 17, 21. That they
all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that
they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou
hast sent me. We are one in Christ. We are
loved in Christ, beloved. They shall be my people, he declares
in our text. Now let's see, there's a distinction
there. Not in the sense that all mankind are his people, but
his sons of God, recipients of his free grace, and mercy in
Christ. To know that we are loved by
God in a special way and chosen in Christ. God is telling us that we belong
to the family of God, the elect of God. Turn, if you would, to
Romans chapter eight. And this is not merely stated
as a fact, beloved, but as a privilege. A privilege. It's an immeasurable blessing
to be one of the people of God. And to know that He is our God.
And to know that we are His people. And to know that it's all based
upon His grace and mercy. It's incredible. Romans chapter 8, verses 14 to
17. For as many as are led by the
Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received
the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the
spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father, we're born
again by the Holy Spirit of God. The Spirit itself beareth witness
with our spirits that we are the children of God. And if children and heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs
with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him, that we may
be also glorified together. Turn, if you would, to 1 John
3. 1 John 3. Do you know that this love has been bestowed upon
us? that we should be called the
sons of God. 1 John 3, 1 to 3, and we know,
we know that not everyone receives this. But God has a people, and he
said in our text, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. It's magnificent. Look at 1 John
3, verses 1-3. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us. Now John's writing to believers
here. So think of this. Let's take this personally. Behold
what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us. We who believe. This has been
bestowed upon us. That we should be called the
sons of God. Is there anything in us that
would cause that? Not at all. It's simply by God's
free grace, sovereign grace, sovereign mercy. Therefore, the world knoweth
us not. They don't understand us. Because it knew him not. They
don't know him. And before we get on a high horse,
which I've not met many grace people who are on high horses.
Let us remember where we came from. We were right there, too.
And if it wasn't for the grace and mercy of God, we'd still
be there. Beloved, now are we the sons
of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be. Oh, one day
we'll be in glory without sin. As I said this morning, we're
not what we used to be. but we're not what we're gonna
be. Oh my. But we know that when he shall
appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself,
even as he is pure. See, the love of Christ constrains
us from sin, doesn't it? We don't love sin like we used
to. We hate it now. We hate it. So I pray that this
portion of scripture that we look at, that God the Holy Spirit
will comfort his people and will draw lost sinners to Christ as
you see your need, if the Lord wills for you to see your need
for Christ. So let's consider again, I will
be to them a God and they shall be to me a people. Now God has
purpose to have a people. God himself has purposed this.
And our text plainly says that. I will be to them a God. He has
purposed this. And what he has purposed shall
come to pass, beloved. What he decrees shall come to
pass. He's God. He's not like us. He doesn't think like us. He
doesn't act like us. He's holy. He's righteous. He's
sovereign. and whatever his will is, comes
to pass. So he has purpose to have a people,
those he loved in eternity, those he chose in Christ, and all our
present and future blessings are wrapped up in him, are wrapped
up in Christ, and in his holy and gracious purpose, and in
this precious promise here before us, I will be to them a God,
and they shall be to me a people. What a promise, beloved. What
a promise we have here before us. So let us consider some things
in light of this statement. If Jehovah is your God, as he
has stated in our text, that he is the God of his people and
that they shall be his people. If Jehovah is your God, then
all of his glorious attributes and perfections are engaged and
employed for your eternal welfare. Turn, if you would, to Psalm
121. All his glorious attributes and perfections are engaged and
employed for your eternal welfare, for the eternal welfare of his
people. You see how this message ties
right in with Sunday school, which we looked at what is important
to God, his people. His people are so important to
him. Look at Psalm 121. We're starting verse one. I will lift up mine eyes unto
the hills, from whence cometh my help. Where does our help
come from? The next verse, my help cometh
from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He made it. Despite what people say and think,
God made it all. God made it all. Scripture declares
it, it's so. The Lord, Jehovah, He made heaven
and earth. It didn't just come into existence
by some supposed bang. Well, the Lord said, let there
be light, and boom, there was light. But this fallacy that man have
made up, see, they're just trying to get God out of the way. But
it's the Lord. It's the Lord. which made heaven
and earth. And all those people who supposedly
shake their fists will one day stand in his presence and will
there acknowledge that he's Lord. But it'll be too late. Scripture declares that he's
the one who made heaven and earth. He will not, now look at this
about his people. He will not suffer thy foot to
be moved. He that keepeth thee will not
slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel
shall neither slumber nor sleep. His eye, beloved, is always upon
us, day and night, like a shepherd
watching over his sheep. Continuously, from the day we
were born, from the day we were conceived, till the day we die and go to
be in his presence. His eye is ever upon us. What a God. The Lord is thy keeper. The Lord is thy keeper. He's
the one who preserves us. He's the one who keeps us. The
Lord Jehovah is thy shade upon thy right hand. He's our rest. The sun shall not smite thee
by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee
from all evil. He shall preserve thy soul. And he keeps his people. He preserves
us. The Lord shall preserve thy going
out and thy coming in from this time forth and even forevermore. Even forevermore. That's our God. If Jehovah is your God, it's
so. If Jehovah is your God, he will
guide and conduct you through this weary wilderness. Turn,
if you would, to Job 19, Job 19. If Jehovah is your God, he
will guide and conduct you through this weary wilderness. In every
step of your journey towards the land of promise, will we
so see Christ face to face, face to face. If Jehovah is your God, Look at Job 19 verses 25 to 27. My, what a statement here. The
statement of a redeemed man. And remember, he's looking forward
to Christ. We look back, he's looking forward
to Christ. For I know that my Redeemer liveth. I know. Can we not say that?
We who are saved, can we not say, I know my Redeemer lives. He lives. Now each one of us
is going to be put in a grave and we're going to die. Our Lord rose from the grave. Now, we who believe our bodies
will be joined at the second coming of Christ, our souls,
which will be in the presence of God will one day we'll receive
our glorified bodies, but he's already risen. He's in glory,
beloved. He was raised for our justification. I know my Redeemer liveth. I
know he lives. And that he shall stand the latter
day upon the earth, and though the And though after my skin,
worms destroy this body, right? Yet in my flesh shall I see God.
To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Yet in my flesh shall I see God,
whom I shall see for myself. God's people will one day see
Christ face to face. It'll be glorious, beloved. In
mine eyes shall behold, and not another, though my reigns be consumed
within me, whom I shall see for myself, beloved. In mine eyes
shall behold, and not another, though my reigns be consumed
within me. I know, I know that my Redeemer lives. God's taught
me. Is it so with you? It is if Jehovah's
your God. My. If Jehovah's your God, then he
will lead you forth against all your enemies, as the Lord himself
is your shield and defender. Psalm 119, 114 says this, thou
art my hiding place. Thou art my hiding place. The
Lord is my hiding place. He's my hiding place against
the wrath and justice of God. He's my hiding place against
my sins. He's my hiding place against
the enemies, his enemies, which are my enemies. Thou art my hiding place and
my shield. I hope in thy word. I hope in
the promises, the promises of God, which says I will be to them
a God and they shall be to me a people. I hope not. If Jehovah is your God, then
all things are yours. Turn to 1 Corinthians chapter
3. All things are yours, present and to come. Life, death, all
things. We have all things in Christ.
He's the God-man, our Savior, our Redeemer, and our God. Look
at 1 Corinthians chapter 3, verse 21 to 23. Now look at this statement here.
Now, we know we live in a time where there's celebrities and
stuff, and even, unfortunately, some preachers can become celebrities,
and it should never be that way. People follow preachers rather
than following Christ, and it ought not to ever be that way,
never. Follow Christ and Him alone.
Look to Christ and Him alone. There's no other hope but Him.
And look what Paul writes here in 1 Corinthians 3.21. Let no
man glory in men. Don't ever glory in a man. Never. For all things are yours, whether
Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or of the world, or life, or
death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours.
And ye are Christ's. God's people are Christ's. We're
given to him by the Father. And Christ is God's. See, that's where we're to look
to, Christ and Him alone. We're to fix our eyes upon Christ,
wholly on Christ, and all things are yours, verse 21 and 22 proclaim. Think on this. You have all things
because you are Christ and Christ is God's. What security and comfort
for the believer is found here? What comfort for God's people?
What security? This is everlasting security,
beloved. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
sent, the sealed, the anointed of Jehovah. God's Christ, a man
of God's own choosing. And salvation is only found in
Him. It's nowhere else. And let us remember that Christ
and his church are one. Christ and his elect are one.
He's the head, we're the body. So let us consider this. If Jehovah
is your God, he chose you in Christ before the foundation
of the world, before there was ever any angels, before there
was ever any universe. Do you know that God was content
being God? Pink said this, God was perfectly
content being God in eternity. And he created all this and all
of us just to manifest his glory. And for his redemptive plan. He chose, if Jehovah's your God,
He chose you in Christ before the foundation of the world.
And Christ Himself, God, the Word, if Jehovah's your God, Christ
Himself, the Son of God, the Word, became a man to redeem
you, to purchase you with His own precious blood. He did that. If Jehovah's your
God. So, if Christ is mine, then all
is mine. Because let us consider this.
If Christ is mine, then his blood was shed to cleanse
all my sin. All. past, present, and future. All my sins. If Christ is mine,
then his perfect, spotless righteousness is imputed to me. If Christ is
mine. If Jehovah is your God, then
Christ is yours and you are justified in him. You stand before God,
even now here on earth, clothed in the righteousness
of Christ. If Christ is mine, then I'm sanctified
in Him. I'm holy in Him. He is the Almighty, the All-Sufficient,
Savior of His people, beloved. And consider the greatness of
His person. Consider the greatness of Christ,
beloved. Consider the glories of His salvation,
the infinite nature of His bloodshedding, His perfection. Think of the
greatness of His perfection. It's perfectly sinless, perfectly
spotless. Think of the infinite merit of
his work upon Calvary's cross. Enough for every child of God,
one commentator said, to live upon in time and to all eternity. Is it any wonder that Paul, by the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit, pens all are yours and ye are Christ's?
And Christ is God's. Christ is God's. Is it any wonder? If Jehovah is your God, then
His mercy will supply all your needs. If Jehovah is your God, then
His power will conquer all your foes. If Jehovah is your God, His wisdom
will direct all of your ways. If Jehovah is your God, His infinite
mercy and love will be displayed in all of its gracious dealings
with you all through your life and to your death. And then you'll see Him face
to face. If Jehovah is your God, then
His promises are honey to your soul. His word is a delight. His Son
is our Savior and our King. And His Spirit is your comforter
and your teacher. If Jehovah is your God, then He Himself is your everlasting
portion. Psalm 16 says, the Lord is the
portion of mine inheritance and of my cup. Thou maintainest my
allowance. He keeps us, beloved. Christ shed his blood for us.
Christ left the glories of heaven to redeem we, fallen sinners. And he did it willingly. And he purchased those whom God
has said, I will be their God. And they shall be my people. My. Psalm 119.57 says this, Thou
art my portion, O Lord. I have said that I will keep
Thy words. And in Lamentations 3.24 says
this, The Lord is my portion. He's my portion, saith my soul. Therefore will I hope in Him.
Hope's not in ourselves, is it? It's in Christ and Him alone. And in the latter, Part of this
verse says this, and they shall be to me a people.
Redeemed sinners purchased by Christ shall be his people. They shall be to me a people. They are his people by his divine
choice, beloved, and they are made willing They are made willing
to come to Christ. They yield themselves to his
authority. They lay down their arms before
him because the Holy Spirit has made them willing to come to
Christ. They shall be to me a people. And they are separated from this
world, from this evil world by God himself. And they are devoted
to his service. They're devoted to his service. And those who shall be his people
rest their eternal souls upon Christ in him alone for all their
protection, for all their happiness, for all their peace. And they are God's people. He
calls them his children. He calls them the sheep. of his
pastor. And they are the ones for whom
the great shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, shed his blood on Calvary's cross and died as
their substitute. They shall be to me a people. What a promise! Who is it based upon? You see how religion has it all
flipped the opposite way? Because they say that God's done
all he can do, and now the rest is up to you. Is that what this
verse sounds like? And I will be to them a God,
and they shall be my people. No, this is God doing all the
work, beloved. And that's why we proclaim salvation
is of the Lord. It's all his doing. They are his people. They are
his precious, purchased people. And oh, how God loves them. And
note again the sureness of this statement. They shall be to me
a people. The sureness of this statement. God has ordered in the covenant
of grace that this is sure based upon Christ in him alone. It's
based upon Christ and him alone. See, religion tells you salvation's
based upon you. The scriptures tell you salvation's
based upon Christ. They shall be to me a people. And this shall be accomplished,
beloved. His word is sure. And it's by God's decree that
this shall come to pass. God being God will do this. He will do as he says. As he is able to do all that
he decrees and wills. Now, there's some things we say
we do. Well, we'll do that, but we never get to it. But God, when he says something's
gonna come to pass, it's gonna come to pass. because all he decrees shall
come to pass, because he has all power. Now what strength
we as the people of God can draw from this text? We're weary pilgrims,
aren't we? We're going through this world,
and it's a world of woe. And we're weak. We're weak. And sometimes we're weary pilgrims. But God says to his people, I
will be to you a God, and you shall be my people. Oh, what
strength we can glean from that. And we just say, praise his mighty
name, don't we? What a merciful God. And now if you're here, a lost
sinner, may God graciously grant you
the privilege the privilege of having an interest in Christ.
And may you, by God's grace and mercy, be made willing to flee
to Christ, and may Jehovah be your God, to the saving of your
souls, in and through Christ Jesus and him alone. Amen. Gracious Heavenly Father, we
come before thy throne Oh, Lord, we who are your people marvel,
marvel at these wonderful, precious truths we've looked at today.
How you guide us. The steps of a good man are ordered
by the Lord, and we know the only way we are good is in and
through the Lord Jesus Christ and him alone. We have no merit
of our own before thy throne, but we come before thee based
upon the merit of Christ Jesus, our Savior, our Redeemer, and
our Lord. our great mediator. Oh, Lord,
we praise thee and thank thee for dying upon Calvary's cross
for our sins. We pray if it's your will that
you draw one of your lost sheep to thee. Oh, Lord, that you'd
use these messages for your glory and for your honor. Oh, and may
we as God's people leave this place praising your name and
giving thee thanks for the great things which thou has done for
us. In Jesus name, amen.