Just hang on, we'll get to quite a few here. Well, I guess if you want to turn to Ephesians 2, that'll be the first, yeah, that'll be a first text.

Years ago, two men and their wives were together and they went out to a very nice restaurant for supper. There, once there, they received exquisite service, fine treatment, and a very fancy meal. As they sat there admiring the upper class eatery, One man said that he used to live in this restored house, and it was not that nice at the time when he was there.

He was raised very poor, this man, and his parents would farm him out. Now, if you don't know, if your kids don't know what that means, that means, well, this, he was about eight or nine years old and his father, he had several, they had several children. His father couldn't afford to feed them. So they would take the boy and go to a neighbor's or a friend's or people in the community. And he, the boy would live in these places and do work so he could eat. That's how poor they were. He was raised very poor and his parents would farm him out, that's what that's called, farming out, because they couldn't feed him. So he would go out and earn his keep by doing things for other families in the area. I think he said, the article said he was about eight or nine years old.

The other man who was listening to the story asked, when you were that little coal miner's boy, Could you ever imagine that you would come back to this fancy home in a nice car, a nice car, eating such food, and on top of all that, able to pay for all of this? And the man said, no, it never entered my mind. But they all said this, they both agreed, they said, One said to another, and the other agreed, there are three things it is good for the believer to remember. Three things.

And Bruce hit the first one. I was making sure I was going to stop him if he started going. He was like, well, we won't need to hear the message. You can just go on home. Ephesians chapter 2. There are three things that when they were discussing the life of this earlier man. Three things remember. First, we are to remember what we were. Secondly, remember what we are now. And thirdly, who made the difference? Who made the difference?

Ephesians chapter 2, and Bruce hit on it, in verse 11, wherefore remember. Throughout the scriptures, we are called to remember. that we are simply sinners, sinners still. And if God withdraws from us, surely we will fall. He says, wherefore remember, verse 11, that you in time past Gentiles in the flesh who were called uncircumcision by that which is called a circumcision in the flesh made by hands, that at that time you were without Christ You were aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope without God in this world. Remember that. And every morning, every minute, we ought to remember what we were. Because that keeps us low. That keeps us reminded. Before we get mad, before we speak out of turn, We were born in trespasses and sins. We were, as the scripture says, without Christ, without God, strangers, unenlightened by nature, and without hope.

I'll give you a few examples of that. And you don't need to turn there. In Acts chapter four, it was noted of the apostles by the religious folks. They noticed that they were ignorant, and unlearned men, but they had been with Christ. Would it offend you if somebody came up to you and said, you know, you don't dress very well, you seem to be lower class, how would that offend you? And then, but you said, but there's something different. He said, well, it's the grace of God has made the difference.

We could look at Hosea, we don't turn there, Hosea chapter 3, there's this lady named Gomer. She's a miserable adulteress. The whole time she was provided for by Jehovah God. She didn't know it. She didn't know it. She was provided for. That's what I talked about this other day. Provenient grace. What the Lord has done for us that we have no idea He's done for us. When we were in a state of unregenerous.

Turn to John chapter 4. John chapter 4. Another example, this woman at the well. in conversation with the Lord, she thought she knew a few things, trying to, at Jacob's well in chapter four of John and starting verse six. Now Jacob's well was there, Jesus therefore being wearied with his journey, sat thus at the well, and it was about the sixth hour, and there cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water, and Jesus said unto her, give me to drink. So they have this conversation and Christ just goes right to the heart. You're here. Nobody else is here. There's a reason why. You're ashamed to be amongst other people. So you're by yourself.

And he says in verse 10, if you knew, Christ says, if you knew the gift of God and who it is that says to thee, give me to drink, you would have asked of him and he would have given the living water. And then she goes into this theological You know, this conversation. Oh, the woman said, you know, I have nothing to draw with. You have nothing to draw with. The well is deep. From whence comes this water? And are you greater than our father Jacob that gave us this well? And she's conversing all this. And the Lord just says, you don't have a husband. Thou had five husbands. The one whom you have now is not your husband. So, it gets right to the point.

She says, I perceive you're a prophet. She's just deflecting. And that's what people do when you, when you start to not press, but when you, the real issue is the heart. She, Oh, our father's verse 20 worship in this mountain. And you say, Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. And Jesus says under her woman, believe me the hour cometh. when you shall neither in this mountain nor at Jerusalem worship the Father. You worship you know not what. Can you tell somebody that goes to church? Yeah, you say you're worshiping, but you don't have a clue. As we say, you don't have a clue what you're worshiping, who you're worshiping. You don't know. We know what we worship for salvation to the Jews, but the hour cometh and now is when the true worshipers shall worship the father in spirit and truth for the father seeks such to worship God is spirit

Look at it happens in verse 28 once the Lord convicts her of her sin of who she is When he brings to her remembrance number one What she is? The woman, verse 28, left her water pot. Now that was very important. That's the reason why she came in that country. She left that which was very important to her. And so will everyone who names the name of Christ. They will leave the gods of this world, the money of this world, the friendship of this world, all these different things that at that point is so important She left her water pot and went her way into the city and said to the men, come see a man which told me all things that ever I did. He told me that ever I did. Is not this the Christ? Christ told her all things that she was. And she left all and went back and immediately began to witness or testify of the grace of God. So he, he brought it back to you.

We are number one, three things that are very important is a good for the believer to remember what we were, what we are outside of Christ. The second thing is we remember what we are now. back to Ephesians chapter 2 what we are now verse 13 but now Ephesians 2 verse 13 but now yes we were at that time were without Christ and it's good to remember this but we don't want to dwell on that is in usually depression, and then we get our eyes off Christ, and we try to remedy what the problem is.

But now, but now, in Christ Jesus, you who are sometimes far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Look at verses 18. For through him, Christ, we both have access by one spirit unto the Father. Now therefore you are no more strangers, or foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone in whom all the building fitly framed together grows up into a holy temple in the Lord in whom you also are built together for habitation of God through the spirit.

So it is important to remember what we were. It's important to remember, by the grace of God, what we are now. Now, by the blood and righteousness, the doing and dying, the living and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, we, us, his elect, his bride, his church, are spotless, we're fully pardoned, completely redeemed, risen up together with Christ in the heavenlies.

We haven't sang this in a while, but we have. O Savior, as my eyes behold the wonders of thy might untold, the heaven and glory's light arrayed, the vast creation thou hast made. And yet to think thou lovest me, my heart cries out. How can it be? As at the cross I humbly bow and gaze upon thy thorn-crowned brow, and view the precious bleeding form by cruel nails so bruised and torn, knowing that thy suffering was for me, in grief I cry, how can it be? How can it be? How can it be?

Was ever grace so full and free, From heights of bliss to depths of woe, In loving kindness thou didst go, From sin and shame to rescue me, O love divine. That's what we remember. We're not remembering, oh, did I fulfill the third commandment or the second commandment? No. We cry out, how can it be that He would save such a wretch as a worm as myself?

Look at Zechariah chapter 4. Zechariah chapter 4 and verse 7. Well, let's look at verse six in Zechariah four. Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, this is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, a type of Christ, saying, not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts, who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel, thou shalt become a plain, and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, grace. grace unto it.

Our mountain of sin and uncleanness is become a plain. That means it's taken away. It's done away. And we shout in remembrance of what we were and what we are now by free sovereign grace. We shout like he does here. Grace Grace unto it. And what is grace? Well, we heard that in Bible class. It's a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. Just the word grace. It's so abused today, but the believer, the saint knows, knows this grace is all by and through Christ and is for him. Well, John chapter 13, John chapter 13. I like this. This phrase. John chapter 13 verse 10. I like this phrase. Look at it with me. They're talking about being cleansed and Peter gets all excited and he wants the Lord to not only wash his feet but his whole body. He's getting a little overzealous here. And Jesus said unto him in verse 10 of John 13, He that is washed needs not save to but wash his feet. but is clean every wit. I've often wondered, what is that wit? Well, I've looked it up. But he is clean, that is worst. Every wit, that word wit means altogether or complete. Makes sense, doesn't it? We just don't talk that way. Every wit, that's what we remember what We are now in Christ.

And if you want to turn there, you can in Luke chapter 15. The prodigal son. Luke chapter 15 and starting in verse 21. This is what we are now. Luke 15, and the son said to his father, father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. That's remembering what we were. But, there's that word again, but the father said to his servants, bring forth the best robe, put it on him, put the ring on his hand, shoes on his feet, bring hither the fatted calf, kill it and let us eat and be Marry. The best robe, that's what we have on. We have the best ring, that's what he's put on us. Married to the beloved. We have the best shoes. Kill the fatted calf and eat and be merry. That's what we are now.

And I know life gets in the way. But that's one essential reason to come back and gather together, is to be reminded of what we were, but what we are now, what we are now.

And the third thing that these men, these two old men agreed that is good for the believer to remember, is to remember who made us to differ. Who made us to differ? Turn back to Ephesians chapter two. Ephesians chapter 2, verse 14, 15, and 16. But He is our peace, Christ, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall partitioned between us, Christ, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinance, for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace, that He, might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby." Who made the difference? Not me. Not you. Not the pastor. No, no, no, no. Christ. Christ Jesus made a difference.

Matter of fact, we, uh, you don't have Turner and Deuteronomy seven, the Lord, it says, uh, he's even told him in the old Testament, the Lord did not set his love upon you nor choose you because you were more in number than any people. You were the fewest of all people, but because the Lord loved you and because he would keep the oath, which he had sworn under your fathers at the Lord, brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations.

Who is this one that's made the difference? The Lord Jesus Christ, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. John chapter 15. And verse 16, John chapter 15, and verse 16, Who hath made the difference? Let us remember. Let us see what the Word says. Verse 16, He says, Christ is speaking, He says, You have not chosen Me, I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain that whatsoever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you. You did not choose. I've chosen you. He's made the difference.

And in Romans chapter 9, Romans chapter 9, verse 16, but I had something to do with this. No, no we didn't. Verse 16, so then, says the apostle to the Romans, it is not of him, male, female, boy or girl, that wills nor of him, male, female, boy or girl, that runs, but of God that shows mercy."

We keep coming back to the same answer, because that's the right answer. But of God. We are no better than any, but God. We cannot birth ourselves, but God. We start in the negative, spiritual. We're born in trespasses and sins, but God. We are born, conceived, brought forth, and trespassed the sins, but God, rich in mercy, full of compassion, completely able to save, redeem, and quicken, satisfied all things against us, and made us sons and daughters of the Most High God.

He will, He must receive all the glory and honor and praise for salvation, sanctification, and final glorification. Our brother David says it very well. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory for thy mercy and for thy truth's sake.

So let us remember three things. What we were. what we are now, and who made us to differ. And I can boldly say, as our Lord said to, as he was preaching, come unto me, come unto Christ. All ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me. Cry meek and lonely in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

Come unto him, and in your coming, he will not allow you to forget those three things. Bless his holy name.

Matt, would you close us please?