Well, we've been friends for
a long time. Brother Lowell and I were talking last night. I
first met him and many of you in 1972 over in Birmingham. And I think the first time I
was here to preach to you was in 1981. And I've been here once
or twice a year ever since. And I thank God for you. I appreciate
your love and intercessions on my behalf, our congregation in
Danville, for your generosity to me. and to the cause of Christ
around the world. I can't tell you how much I appreciate
you sending the gift you did to Brother Frank Hall, as we
said goodbye to him last week. He's gone down to Cornelius,
North Carolina, start to work there. And we are greatly honored,
greatly honored that God has called out from our midst several
men to preach the gospel of his grace, and honored that he sent
Larry here from our midst to you And so thankful, so thankful
for what he's done for you and look forward to what he shall
do for you as you labor together in the cause of Christ. John Newton, who wrote so many
of the good hymns that we sing, Amazing Grace, How Sweet the
Sound that Saved a Wretch Like Me, wrote another hymn that is
not in but one or two modern hymn books that I'm aware of.
Newton said, I asked the Lord that I might grow in faith and
love and every grace. Might more of his salvation know
and seek more earnestly his face. It was he who taught me thus
to pray. And he I trust has answered prayer,
but it has been in such a way as almost drove me to despair. I hoped. that in some favored
hour at once he'd answer my request and by his love's constraining
power subdue my sins and give me rest. Instead of this he made
me feel the hidden evils of my heart and let the angry powers
of hell assault my soul in every part, yet more With his own hand,
he seemed intent to aggravate my woe, crossed all the fair
designs I schemed, blasted my gourds, and laid me low. Lord,
why is this? I trembling cried. Will thou
pursue thy worm to death? Tis in this way, the Lord replied. I answer prayer for grace and
faith. These inward trials I employ
from self and pride to set thee free and break thy schemes of
earthly joy that thou may seek thine all in me. Turn with me,
if you will, to 1 Corinthians 15. 1 Corinthians chapter 15. I'll be working my way down to
our text in verse 10. 1 Corinthians 15, beginning at
verse 1. Moreover, brethren, I declare
unto you the gospel. The gospel. Now, read the scriptures
as they stand. I declare unto you the gospel. There is just one. There is just
one. Everything contrary to the gospel
is a false gospel. Everything that detracts from
the gospel is a false gospel. Everything that adds to the gospel
is a false gospel. I declare unto you the gospel,
the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received,
and wherein ye stand. This gospel, the gospel of the
grace of God, is the gospel which every saved sinner has received. It is the gospel every saved
sinner believes. Those who do not receive this
gospel are not saved. They're not born again. They're
not taught of God. They're not called of God, but
rather are yet lost in trespasses and in sins. If you have not
received the gospel, you don't know God. You may be religious,
you may be moral, you may be a missionary, a preacher, you
may be an evangelist, you may be many things, but you don't
know God if you haven't received the gospel. This is that gospel
wherein we who believe stand. We stand in this gospel having
access to God in the grace of God redeemed justified sanctified
Accepted and kept standing firm in the gospel look at verse 2
by which also you are saved. Salvation comes to sinners by
the preaching of the gospel. Of his own will begat he us with
the word of truth. Faith comes by hearing and hearing
by the word of God. Oh, how blessed are those people.
to whom God is pleased to send a man preaching the gospel. By this means God saves his elect. By this means God calls sinners
from death unto life. We're born again not of corruptible
seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth
and abideth forever. By this means, by the preaching
of the gospel, sinners are saved and sanctified. They're taught,
they're instructed, they're approved, they're guided, they're corrected.
God speaks to sinners by the gospel. One of you last night
asked me about dreams. And you may have dreams and visions
and all kinds of things. Don't pay any attention to them.
Don't pay, but they come true. Don't pay any attention to it.
Don't even investigate it. If you do, you're gonna get in
trouble. God speaks by his word. God speaks by his word. In time
past, we're told in Hebrews one, he spoke by the fathers, unto
the fathers by the prophets and by visions and so on. But in
this last day, God's spoken to us by his son and his word is
right here in front of you. By the preaching of the word,
God speaks to, instructs and guides his people and brings
sinners to life in Christ. This is that gospel by which
we are saved, but look what Paul says. If, only if you continue
in the gospel, only if you hold fast, keep in memory, the word
would better be translated, hold fast, steadfastly adhere to the
gospel. If you don't continue in the
gospel, your professed faith is but vanity. Your professed
faith is but a sham. Men come, make a profession of
faith, and they continue for a while. And we get excited,
and they do. And then after a while, they're gone. They're gone. They
depart from the gospel. Preachers, preachers preach the
gospel of God's free grace, and they continue for a while, maybe
for many years. And then they want to see things
happen. We've got to build the church.
We've got to make things happen so they start to twist things
and manipulate things and cut off the sharp edges of the gospel.
Those who depart from the gospel never knew the gospel. Those
who depart from Christ never knew Christ. They went out from
us because they were not of us. Had they been of us, they would
have remained with us unto this day. Look at verse three. For
I delivered unto you, first of all, that which I also received. Now he's about to tell us about
the gospel. Here it is. I delivered to you
this gospel that I preached to you, which you've received, wherein
you stand. This gospel by which you are
saved. I delivered to you, first of all, that which I also received. Now mark this next word. If you haven't marked it already,
underscore it, put a star or two or three beside it, because
this is the key. H-O-W. H-O-W, how that Christ
died for our sins according to the scriptures. The gospel is
more than a doctrine. The gospel is more than a set
of facts. The gospel is a person. It is
the declaration, the blessed announcement, the good news of
the redemption accomplished by the doing and dying of Jesus
Christ, the Son of God. The gospel is H-O-W, how that
Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. People have
the vain idea People have been taught since they were knee-high
to a grasshopper in religious circles all over the world in
every religious denomination called Christian since the beginning
of time, since the beginning of days when our Lord first sent
out his disciples. There have been false teachers
who come, and they would tell you that the gospel is the fact
that Christ died, was buried, and rose again according to Scripture. That is not the gospel. That
is not the gospel. If that's the gospel, then that
old man over in Rome dressed up in a Masonic order costume,
or that bunch of folks dressed, priests dressed in drag, they're
saved. If that's the gospel, because
they all believe it. If just the fact that Christ died, was
buried, rose again the third day according to the scriptures
is the gospel, then the Mormons are saved. Folks who deny that
Jesus is the Christ, they're saved. If the fact that Christ
died, was buried, rose again according to the scriptures is
true, then the Campbellites, folks who believe in baptismal
regeneration, they're all saved. In fact, if that's the fact,
then everybody who says, I believe that Jesus died, was buried,
rose again the third day according to the scriptures is saved. but
the fact is not the gospel. The gospel is the declaration
of how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. How did he die? How did he die? Let me give you three words.
The Lord Jesus died voluntarily. Nobody took his life from him.
He said, I lay down my life for the sheep. I had the power to
lay it down. I had the power to take it again.
This commandment have I received of my father. He died by his
own voluntary will because he set his face like a flint, as
you just read a little bit ago, going up to Jerusalem to accomplish
redemption. He died voluntarily, and he died
vicariously. The word vicarious simply means
substitutionarily. He died in somebody's place.
He died in the stead of somebody. Now, he did not die vicariously
for every person who ever lived. That is the most ridiculous,
ludicrous nonsense that's ever been perpetrated. To say that
Christ died for folks who were already in hell is absurd. It's
absurd. And there were multitudes already
in hell. To say that Christ died for sinners who yet go to hell
is absurd and blasphemous. For it declares that the blood
of Jesus Christ really doesn't make any difference at all in
the salvation of sinners. If Christ died for Judas as well
as for Peter, then his death didn't make any difference between
Judas and Peter. If he died as well for the Sodomites
who perished in Sodom as he did for Lot who was delivered from
Sodom, then his death didn't make any difference between Lot
and the Sodomites. If the Lord Jesus died for sinners
who perish under the wrath of God, as for sinners who are saved
and wind up in heaven, then the difference between those in heaven
and those in hell is not what he did, but what you do. And
that's blasphemy. That's will worship. That's idolatry. That's damning to your soul.
That's damning to your soul. What did the Savior say? He said,
I lay down my life for the sheep. I lay down my life for the sheep. Well, what about these other
folks? Listen to what the Savior said twice. John 17, verse 9,
verse 20. He said this twice. I pray not
for the world. What about those other folks?
I didn't pray for them. And you can bank on this, Michael. If
you didn't pray for them, you didn't die for them. I would heapsightedly
rather pray for you than die for you. If you didn't pray for
them, you didn't die for them. I pray not for the world, but
for them which thou hast given me. For they are thine and thine
are mine. I laid down my life for the sheep.
And there was a whole crowd of religious folks standing around
there. And they said, we don't like that. He said, I didn't
expect you to. You're not my sheep. You believe not because
you're not of my sheep. You're not of my sheep. As I
said to you, my sheep hear my voice. They receive my gospel. My sheep hear my voice. I give
them eternal life. They follow me and they shall
never perish. That's his word. That's his word.
Christ died voluntarily. Christ died vicariously in the
room instead of God's elect. That is to say, in the room and
stead of every sinner who in time is saved by his grace. And
third, Christ died victoriously. Oh, I like that. What does that
mean, preacher? Whatever it is he intended to
do, he did. Whatever it is he intended to
accomplish, he accomplished. Whatever it is he intended to
bring in, he brought in. Whoever it is he intended to
save, he saved. Whoever it is he intended to
redeem, he redeemed. Whoever sins he intended to put
away, their sins are put away. Why did he die? He died to satisfy
the justice of God, to save his people from their sins. And when
he died, he said, it is finished. This work is done. And to prove
it, yonder he sits. Seated at the right hand of the
majesty on high. Alright, that's how the Savior
died for our sins according to the scriptures. According to
all the prophecies of the Old Testament. According to all the
prophecies of the Old Testament. According to all the types and
ceremonies of the Old Testament law. particularly according to
all the sacrifices that were given in the Old Testament. Those sacrifices, did you ever
notice, with the giving of the law, every sacrifice that God
accepted was a sacrifice offered at the time God said offer it.
It was offered in the place where God said you'll bring it. It
was offered in the way God said do it. And it was always effectual. Notice particularly the Passover
sacrifice. Christ, our Passover, is sacrificed
for us. Where was his sacrifice? At Jerusalem.
No other place. At the door of the temple. No
other place. Where was his blood taken? It
was taken and sprinkled on the altar, and taken into the Holy
of Holies, and sprinkled on the mercy seat. And God said, when
he gave Moses' commandment to make that mercy seat, he said,
that's where I'll meet you. You know what our Savior's name
is? Christ our mercy saint. That's where God meets sinners.
The sacrifice was offered according to God's purpose by God's appointment
in God's place and God accepted it. So that when Aaron offered
the sacrifice The people came out, or Aaron came out of the
Holy of Holies and he put back on his gorgeous array and he
stood before the people as God's high priest and lifted up his
hands and he said now on the basis of this sacrifice the Lord
bless thee and keep thee. The Lord make his face to shine
upon thee and give thee peace. In other words, the sacrifice
was always effectual. That's how Christ died. By the
blood of Jesus Christ shed at Calvary, all the blessings of
God's grace flow to sinners freely, to all sinners for whom the Son
of God died, and that's God's salvation. This is how Christ
died for our sins according to the scriptures. And that he was
buried and rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
Robert Murray McShane, a great Scottish preacher who died when
he was just 29 years old. He said, Christ was made sin
for us and buried as one made sin for us. Bearing our sin in
his own body on the tree, he was slain. And he was buried
for three days out of sight. And on the third day, he was
raised without sin justified in the spirit. And so he accomplished
redemption for us, being raised again on the third day, just
as God said it would come to pass. Thou will not leave my
soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption.
It was repeated in the Old Testament prophets. On the third day, he's
gonna rise again and his people with him. On the third day, he's
coming out of the grave. Over and over again, God told
us that. And on the third day, Jesus Christ came out of the
grave. Then, having arisen the third
day, according to the scriptures, he sat down on the right hand
of the majesty on high, from henceforth expecting till his
enemies be made his footstool. Now look at verse 9. Here, beginning
at verse 9, going down through, or verse 5 rather, going through
verse 9, the Spirit of God tells us that the resurrection of Christ
is an indisputable fact of history, and that he was seen of Cephas,
of Peter, then of the 12. After that, he was seen of above
500 brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain unto
this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen
of James, then of all the apostles. Last of all, he was seen of me
also as one born out of due time, for I am the least of all the
apostles, that I not meet to be called an apostle, because
I persecuted the church of God." You read those verses of scripture,
and it stands evident. that the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead is an indisputable fact of history. It is an indisputable
fact of history. Now, folks laugh at us and say,
oh, you don't believe that stuff, do you? Yeah, I do. I sure do.
I rest my entire soul upon that fact. He who died in my stead
rose as my representative, ascended into heaven, and took his seat
on the throne of God, and yonder sits the God-man, my redeemer,
my high priest, my advocate, with the reigns of the universe. in his hands ruling the world
for my everlasting salvation. Now, look at verse 10. Here's
my text and my subject. But by the grace of God, I am
what I am. By the grace of God, I am what
I am. Paul said, I'm not fit to be
called an apostle. He said, I'm less than the least
of all saints. He said, I am the chief of sinners. Paul is saying, I don't deserve
anything from God. I don't deserve anything from
God except judgment, wrath, and damnation. You too. You too. That's all. You can't have. According to
this book, in the same conversation, God's mercy and your merit. You don't merit anything from
God. Not by who you are, not by what you do, not by what you
think, not by decision you make, not by your will, not by your
worth, not by your works. All you merit from God is everlasting
damnation. Because, Mike, you're nothing
but sin. That's all you are. And that's
all you can do. And that's all you can produce.
If you're saved, you're saved by free grace. Free grace. No room for merit if it's mercy. No room for work if it's grace. One pushes the other out the
door. There's no mixture, but preacher. It just stands for
reason that God expects us to do something. It stands for reason
to men who don't know God's reasoning. It stands for reason to folks
who reason after the flesh. We don't build our faith on what
stands to reason according to mom, dad, or the religious world.
We build our faith on what stands revealed in the book of God.
Paul said, I'm not worthy to be called an apostle. I'm less
than the least of all the saints. I am the chief of sinners. You
see, this man knew nothing of human merit and human worth.
He declares of himself as a sinner, saved by the grace of God. And
every sinner declares and acknowledges of themselves, by the grace of
God, I am what I am. For this saved sinner, there
was no creed or confession of faith more suitable to his experience. And the same is true of the one
speaking to you. Believers, all saved sinners,
gladly ascribe. You don't have to force them
to. They gladly ascribe the whole of their salvation to the free
grace of God. They always do. Amazing grace,
how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was
lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see. Now, let me make
three, maybe four statements, and I'll be done. First, understand
this is my doctrinal confession. This is my doctrinal confession.
I'm often asked by folks, what's my confession of faith? What's
my creed? Do I have any confession I've written out or received
by others? And I tell them, you don't have to work hard to find
out what I believe and preach. It's all, everything I've ever
written, everything I've ever preached is posted, unedited
on the webpage. Just go look at any of it. And just read one
sermon and you'll find out what I believe about everything. Just
read one of them, you'll find out what I believe about everything.
This is my confession of faith. By the grace of God, I am what
I am. You see, I know what I am. Not what I am by nature, but
what I am in Christ. This is what I am. God made me
to see something that only a saved man will ever see and acknowledge.
He made me to know I'm a sinner. Terry, over there, you sit with
your wife. I love you both dearly. And there's nothing in you but
sin. And the best deeds you perform are just sin. The best prayer
you ever prayed is fit for hell. Best thought you ever had is
fit for the wrath of God. Nothing else. Nothing else. Oh,
but you don't know what he does. Yeah, I do, too, because I do
the same thing. I'll do the same thing. His may look better than
mine. But it's the same thing. It's just sin. It's just sin.
Just corruption. I know I'm a sinner. I know I'm
a sinner saved by God's free grace. I know I'm a sinner washed
in the blood of Christ. A sinner to whom God will never
impute sin. He charged my sin on his son,
my substitute. He'll never charge it to me again.
Complete atonement thou hast made, and to thee utmost farthing
paid what heir thy people owed. I know that I'm a sinner accepted
of God in Christ his Son, a sinner well-pleasing to God. John, that's beyond imagination. I'm in Christ. And God said of
his Son, this is my Son, in whom I'm well pleased. That means
he's well pleased with me. But you just said everything
you do is sin. You remember what the scripture
says about David after he had taken Bathsheba and murdered
Uriah? The scripture says the thing
that David did displeased the Lord. The thing that David did
displeased the Lord. It didn't say David displeased
the Lord. God showed David, showed Israel,
and showed the world the thing that David did, displeased the
Lord. And when he sent his prophet, David, Nathan came and said to
David, thou art the man. David's immediate response was,
I have seen it. I love the next word that came
from God. You know what the next word was that came from God?
Well, David, you're gonna have to prove it. We'll put you on
a little probation period. Now let's see if you're really
sincere about this thing. David said, I have sinned. Nathan
said, the Lord hath put away thy sin. He didn't say he's going
to. He didn't say my, he said the
Lord hath put away, before you ever knew it, before you ever
committed it, God put it away. In the sacrifice of his son,
the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. I know what I am
in Christ. Let me tell you what I am. Have
you ever seen a saint? Have you ever seen one? Have
you ever seen a saint? Well, look up here. You're looking at Saint Don.
You're looking at Saint Don. That's right. In fact, if you
will read this book, you will discover that God's people are
never spoken of By God, or any prophet, or any apostle, not
one sinner who believes on Christ is ever spoken of in this book
as a sinner by God, his prophet, or his apostles. They speak of
themselves that way, but not by God. God calls them saints,
sanctified, holy. Holy. How can that be? Christ
is our sanctification. Christ is our holiness. I am
righteous in Christ. Righteous by the doing and dying
of Christ. Righteous by the power and grace
of God. Jesus Christ's name is Jehovah Sidkenu, the Lord our
righteousness. And that's the very name he gives
his people. Jeremiah 33 verse 6. Jehovah
Sidkenu, the Lord our righteousness. We are so really and truly one
with Christ that the two cannot be made two, we're one. One with God, my Savior. You say, well, Brother Don, that's
the way God reckons things. Look at Romans chapter six just
a minute. Turn back there, Romans chapter six. Let me show you
something. Let me show you something. That's the way God sees things.
I told you this before, I'm gonna keep telling it till you hear
it. However God sees things, that's how they really are. However God sees things, that's
how they really are. Doesn't matter how you see it.
Doesn't matter how your neighbor sees it. However God sees things,
that's the way they really are. Now look what it says in Romans
6 verse 11. Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead
indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our
Lord. If the Lord reckons me righteous,
I reckon he's right. And he commands me to reckon
that he's right. God's reckoning is true, just,
and righteous, made righteous by God's eternal decree. When
He chose us in Christ before the world began. When God chose
His elect in Christ before the world began, this is what the
book of God says concerning us. He foreknew us. That is, He loved
us with an everlasting love. That's what the word foreknowledge
means. Loved beforehand. He approved of us and accepted
us. He foreknew us in Christ. And having foreknown us in Christ,
having loved us with an everlasting love, we were called and sanctified
and glorified in Christ Jesus the Lord. Romans chapter 8 verse
29. You mean before the world ever
began? We were already justified and
glorified and sanctified and called and redeemed in Christ. That's what he said. That's what
he said. Well, how can that be? He's God. And his will is his
doing. For God to will it is for God
to do it. And we were accepted in the beloved
before the world began, righteous by the decree of God. In time,
the scripture tells us that Jesus Christ, by his blood, sanctified
us. Sanctified by the blood of Jesus
Christ, Hebrews chapter 10 verse 10. With his one sacrifice for
sin, we're told in verse 14 of Hebrews 10, he hath perfected
forever them that are sanctified. When Christ died, he took away
our sins. He took away our sins. I mean
He took them away before you were born. When he died, he took
them away. Before you ever came forth from
your mother's womb speaking lies, Christ took away the sins of
his people. Before you ever lived that life of rebellion with a
fist shoved in God's face, Christ had taken away your sins. Before
you ever were given faith in him and believed him and cried,
God, be merciful to me, the sinner, Christ took away your sins when
he died in your stead. And when he comes in the grace
and power of his spirit, giving us life, he makes us righteous. Putting his nature in us so that
if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature a new creature
Old things are passed away and behold all things have become
new The new birth Doesn't happen because you say
I believe in Jesus the new birth doesn't happen because you make
a decision and The new birth doesn't come to pass because
you learn facts. You can learn every word in this
book, memorize it and recite it without missing so much as
a comma, and yet not know God. How does a man come to know God?
God comes to dead sinners and puts life in them. And that's
all, that's all. God comes to dead sinners and
puts life in them. Our Lord said concerning Lazarus,
he said to Martha and Mary, said, I nod unto thee that if thou
wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God. Now stand
back, I'm gonna show you what I'm talking about. He said, Lazarus,
come forth. Well, he couldn't do that, he's
dead. He'd been dead for four days. He had already begun to
rot. He was dead. Oh, he could come
forth. Because with the call came the
power. With the call came the life.
And God the Son calls Lazarus to come out of the grave without
Lazarus doing anything. Without Lazarus doing anything. I don't know how he came out
of there. I've often thought to myself, I'd sure like to have
seen that happen. I don't have any idea how he came out of that
tomb, because I know when he came out, he was still wrapped
up in grave clothes. He was still wrapped up like
a dead man. And the Lord Jesus said to those standing by, loose
him and let him go. And that's what we do in the
preaching of the gospel. Christ calls sinners from death
to life, and we spend the rest of their lives taking the grave
clothes off. Spend the rest of our lives setting them free.
Setting them free. Loose them and let him go. Salvation
is a work of God Almighty that only God can do. Not the preacher. Not the preacher. Not the church.
Not Sunday school teacher. Only God. Only God. I'm going to talk to your pastor
for just a minute. Y'all listen in. You've already experienced it.
I know you have. I haven't even talked to you about it. I know you have.
Boy, I sure would like to see this place full, wouldn't you?
Man, I'd love to see it. I'd love for you all to have
to bust the walls out and build another building, wouldn't you? Oh, I'd
love to see that happen. I'd love to see God save folks
in this town. Oh, I'd love to see that happen.
I go somewhere preaching the gospel almost every week. I preach almost every day, preaching
the gospel of God's free grace, literally around the world, usually
just a dozen, two dozen, sometimes a couple hundred people, but
usually it's just a handful of folks. Everywhere I go, and everywhere
I go, I keep hoping, oh, God. Stretch the tents of your kingdom. Increase the stakes of this house
and cause your kingdom to flourish in this world. And you get to
thinking, maybe I ought to do things different. Maybe we ought
to have a little entertainment, a little show. Maybe we ought
to have something special for the children, something special
for the old folks, something special for the single folks,
something special for the divorced folks, something special for
the old people, something special for mama, something special for
daddy, something special, so we got something special for
everybody except God. And that's what you got in churches
all over this town. I've only been in this, and I'll guarantee
you, in churches all over this town, of every denomination under
the sun, you got room for everything except God and his word. And
preachers begin to compromise the gospel. I was talking to
somebody about this last night. Folks are running away as fast
as they can from particular effectual redemption, because that's the
crucial issue of the gospel. And they think, well, if we just
change our message, they've got to do stuff. No, the devil will,
not God. The devil will, not God. God's
work is done by the preaching of his word, by the power of
his spirit. And you're not going to make
it happen by something you do. Understand that? You're not gonna
make it happen by something you do. Preach the gospel of God's
grace and wait and see what God does. And I just said to John
and Gabe back there a little bit ago, for the most part it's
best for us not to know. Best that we not know how God
might be pleased to use what we do. Best that Sylacauga Fairmont
Grace Church in Sylacauga, Alabama never really know how God uses
you, because it go to your head in a hurry. It go to your head
in a hurry. What do we do? It is required
of stewards, and that's all we are, that a man be found faithful,
faithful unto death. Salvation comes by the power
and grace of God, revealing his son in you as only he can. This is what I am. I'm in Christ. And with his spotless garments
on, I am as holy as God's own Son. This is by the grace of
God. Second, here's my constant experience. By the grace of God, I am what
I am. I know something about myself
that none of you know except as you know it about yourselves. I have a daily struggle, a daily
warfare, a relentless conflict in my soul between flesh and
spirit. Sin rages in me. Sin rages in me all the time
Not occasionally all the time I've never picked this book up
to read it the sin didn't rage in me I've never knelt before God in
prayer in my most desperate need when sin didn't rage in me. Never. I've never stood where I am right
now, including this moment, when sin didn't rage in me. Just rage in me. When you get a little older,
your lust aren't as bad. No, you just can't do what you
used to, that's all. The corruption's just as bad. Is there anybody here of whom
that's not true? Anybody? The lust of your heart are just
as bad as they've ever been. Nothing's changed, except God
put a new man in me. A new man called Christ in you,
the hope of glory. And the flesh lusts against the
spirit. And I stand before God relentlessly
confessing, this is my experience. By the grace of God, I am what
I am. When I am preserved in the midst
of trial, it's because God preserves me. And when I fall, as oft I do, and the Lord raises me up, it's
because God raised me up. The righteous falleth seven times
in a day. Reckon why he said seven times?
You fell more than that today. Seven is used in the scripture
to speak of completion. And that means, Louie, that in
the totality of your life, you fall. The righteous falleth seven
times in a day. As often as you breathe, you
fall. And the Lord raises him up. By the grace of God, I am what
I am. When others whom I highly esteem,
who seem so strong in the faith, turn and walk no more with the
master as Judas did, as that multitude in John 6 did. I confess
by the grace of God, I am what I am. When I'm made to rejoice,
as sometimes God lets me, in the fullness of God's blessings
in Christ. Oh, how good God has been to
this sinner. Oh, how good God has been to
this sinner. Here I am nearing 65 years old. And let me tell you what I've
experienced in these 65 years. The goodness of God. Nothing else. The goodness of
God. And I acknowledge by the grace
of God I am what I am. And when at last I stand with
Christ in glory, I'll join those who bow before his throne and
take the crown he puts on my head and lay it at his feet,
and say, by the grace of God, I am what I am. This is my grateful acknowledgment. Turn back to 1 Corinthians chapter
6. Who maketh thee to differ from
another? What hast thou that thou didst not receive? And if
thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hast not
received it? 1 Corinthians 6 verse 9. Know
ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?
Neither be deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor
adulterers, nor effeminate. nor abusers of themselves with
mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers,
nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. Have I missed
anybody? Have I missed anybody? And such
were some of you. But you are sanctified, but you're
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit
of our God. sanctified and justified. How come? Because by the grace
of God here I am guilty of all this black catalog of ungodliness
washed and sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus
and by the Spirit of God in the mighty operations of His grace. The Lord God snatched me from
the pit of hell and set my feet on the rock, Christ Jesus. Forty-five years ago, I was selling
shoes in Western Southern North Carolina on Trey Street. Worked
for Stanley Shoes. And about 75% of our trade were
black folks in that section of town. And they'd come in and
put shoes on and lay away like the way we used to do things
before everybody got crazy with credit cards. And they'd put
$2 down or $5 down and come in and pay on them every week until
they'd go home with the shoes. And one day I was waiting on
a lady. She'd come in and she was laying away a pair of shoes.
And I forgot what she put down on them. But I had to go get
the receipt book and write it up and had to get her name and
address, telephone number. And I said, what's your name?
She looked at me like she must have been somewhere between 70
and 200. And she said, Grace Grabbs. I said, what? She said, Grace
Grabbs? I said, ma'am, I don't have any
idea whether you realize this or not, but that's just what
Grace does. She says, sure do, don't it,
honey? Oh God of all grace, snatch sinners
from the pit, set them on the rock, and make us sinners saved
by your grace. Consecrate ourselves to you entirely. Amen. Thank you for your attention.