Todd doesn't know this, but he
has the distinction of being the first live grace preacher
that I ever heard. I'd been listening to dead preachers.
And I heard Henry Mahan and saw that he preached here at Todd's
Road Grace Church. And I thought, I didn't know
there was a Sower and Grace Church in Lexington. Then I saw who
the pastor was, and I said, well, if Andrew's preaching for him,
he's got to be pretty good. So that's how I started listening
to Todd, and what a blessing he has been. Good evening, everyone. It's a joy for me to be here. I'm honored, indeed, to be able
to come here and to preach the gospel to you. Galatians, the
first chapter, if you have your Bible. I need your prayers tonight.
I went up across the Mason-Dixon line to preach to the Yankees,
and I'm just kind of tired in body, so I would appreciate your
prayers, that the Lord would help us. Galatians 1, I want
to begin reading at verse 11, but I want to preface the message
this morning with these statements. The old Puritans centuries ago
wrote extensive books, extensive letters about the general call
and the effectual, irresistible, invincible call. And they are
scriptural indeed. There is a huge difference between
the general call which God gives to all mankind and the effectual,
irresistible, invincible call that God calls his elect to himself. So I want to preface this message
with those statements. Now if you would please turn
to Galatians 1 verse 11 where Paul says this, but I certify
you brethren that the gospel which was preached of me is not
after man for I neither received it of man neither was I taught
it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. For ye have heard of
my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that
beyond measure I persecuted the church of God and wasted it,
and profited in the Jews' religion above many mine equals in my
own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the tradition of my
fathers. when it pleased God. When's a
man saved? When it pleases God. But when it pleased God, who
separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace,
for what purpose? Verse 16 says, to reveal his
son in me. that I might preach him among
the heathen. Immediately, I conferred not
with flesh and blood. Let's pray, shall we? Oh Lord, our Father, hallowed
be your name. You're holy and righteous and
beside you there's none other. Lord, I pray tonight that you'd
give me the wisdom and the knowledge and the liberty that I need to
deliver the truth of your word tonight. Lord, please don't leave
me to myself, but use me for your glory, for you're worthy
of all praise. We ask this in Christ's blessed
name and for his sake, amen. There are two calls mentioned
in the scriptures. Keep your finger here in Galatians
and turn with me to Proverbs chapter 1. Proverbs chapter 1. I want to deal first of all with
what's known as the general call. Proverbs chapter 1 and verse
20 says this. Wisdom crieth without, she uttereth
her voice in the streets. She crieth in the chief place
of concourse, in the openings of the gates, in the city she
uttereth her word, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will you
love simplicity? And the scorners delight in their
scorning, and fools Take knowledge, turn you at my reproof. Behold,
I will pour out my spirit upon you. I will make known to my
words unto you. Now here we go, verse 24. Because
I have called and ye refused. I have stretched out my hand
and no man regarded. But ye have said it not, all
my counsel, and would none of my reproof. Now the objectors
to invincible, irresistible, sovereign grace come to this
scripture and they say, see, the Spirit of God can be resisted. But what they're ignorant of
is the fact that God does speak and call mankind in several
ways. First of all, God calls and speaks
to man through creation. Psalm 19 said, the heavens declare
the glory of God. And the heavens show forth his
handiwork. Turn to Romans chapter 1. deals with the sons of Adam in
a general call in creation. Here's what it says. Paul said
this in Romans chapter one and verse, oh, I believe it is verse
19. He says, because that which may
be known of God is manifest in them. For God hath showed it
unto them. Showing them what? For the invisible
things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal
power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Every human being born in this
world from Adam all the way down to the last man, knows by creation
itself that God is. That God is. I don't care what your culture
is. I don't care where you live. I don't care who your mother
is. I don't care who your dad is. The creation itself declares
God is. You can get on a plane, go to
Africa, get off the plane, get in a jeep, drive as far as you
can with that jeep to the jungle, and when you get out of that
jeep, you can walk as far as you can to the deepest, darkest
place in the jungle and find the hot and tot in Africa. The
scripture says the heavens declare to that man That God is. So God speaks through his creation. Now, what men do with that is
an entirely different story. Look right again there at Romans
1 where we were. The scripture tells us this.
It says, because that when they knew God, they glorified him
not as God, verse 21. Neither were thankful, but became
vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts was darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became as fools. What did
they do? What did they do with this knowledge
that God is? They changed the glory of the
incorruptible God. Verse 23, into an image made
like the corruptible man, to birds, four-footed beasts, and
creeping things. That's right. There are people
who worship snakes. There are people who worship
cows. There are people who worship
stone idols. There are people who worship
silver idols. They have changed the glory of
the uncorruptible God. They said we will not retain
this knowledge that God is in our minds and in our hearts.
What does God do? What did God do back then and
what does he still do now? Verse 24, wherefore God also
gave them up to uncleanness. through the lust of their own
hearts to dishonor their own bodies between themselves, who
changed the truth of God into a lie and worshiped and served
the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. People who will not walk or receive
the light that they get from God When they reject it, when
they change it, when they scoff at it, God gives them up. And I'm here to tell you that
God has given people up in our day. Don't you doubt it for a
second that God gives people up. Now, if I gave up on you,
you wouldn't think too much about it. Boy, if God ever gives up on
you, you're gone. The heavens declare the glory
of God, this general call. Now also God is pleased to deal
with men through the conscience. Every man has a conscience. Romans 2 verse 14 we find these
words concerning the conscience. Scripture says this, for when
the Gentiles who have not the law do by nature the things contained
in the These having not the law are a law unto themselves. What
are you saying, preacher? The Gentiles had no sanctuary,
they had no tabernacle, they had no sacrifices, they had no
Sabbath day, they had no prophets, they had nothing. But they did
by nature the things written in the law. What's he saying?
They know it's wrong to kill. They know it's wrong to steal.
They know it's wrong to commit adultery. They know it's wrong
to lie. How do they know this? Because
God has been pleased to give them a conscience. And these
laws of God are written on their hearts. That's so. That's so. When a man sins against
his conscience, now the scripture tells us in Romans 2.15 that
the conscience can do one of two things. It tells us, which show the work of the law
written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness,
and their thoughts the mean while accusing or excusing one another. Your conscience can either accuse
you, which means that's wrong, you know that's wrong, You shouldn't
have done that. You know that's wrong. That's your conscience accusing
you. Now you can't brag about that.
That's just been something God has been pleased to give every
man. But when you sow sin against
your conscience, your conscience no longer accuses you. It excuses. doesn't bother you anymore. In 1 Timothy chapter 4 and verse
1, Paul said, now the spirit speaks expressly that in the
latter times, some will depart from the faith, giving heed to
seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, having their conscience
seared. with a hot iron. Did you ever
try to iron a shirt? I'm guilty of this one. I'm trying
to iron a shirt, phone rings. I've got the iron down on the
shirt, I forget to pick it up. And I go to my phone, I answer
it, and here I am, you know, yacking, yacking, yacking, yacking.
I get through with my phone call, maybe 15, maybe 20 minutes, and
all of a sudden it hits me, you left the iron on the shirt. and
I run back and get it and I pick that iron up and I look at that
shirt that I just bought and there's the black imprint of
that iron on that shirt. You know what you have to do
with that shirt? No good. It's no good anymore. When a man's conscience has been
seared, with a hot iron. God help him. God is pleased
to call men through the general call, through creation. He calls
them through conscience. Then quickly, he deals, he calls
men through his providence, through providential dealings of mankind.
Turn to Amos chapter eight, would you? Eighth chapter of the book
of Amos, excuse me, fourth chapter of the book of Amos. I'll get
it right here in a minute. Amos chapter four, verse six. Here's what the Lord says. He
says, and I also have given you cleanness of teeth. Well, what's cleanness of teeth?
It means you're not eating anything. It's talking about famine. I
have given you cleanness of teeth. in all your cities, and want
of bread in all your places, and yet ye have not returned
unto me, saith the Lord." He smites the land with famine.
They don't have anything to eat. They got to go far away to get
bread. Do they retain God in their knowledge?
Does this make them turn to God? Does this make them think twice
about their condition before God? No. No. Yet ye have not returned unto
me. God speaks through famine. I've also withholding the rain,
verse seven, look at it. I've also withholding the rain
from you. When there were yet three months
to the harvest and I caused it to rain upon one city, caused
it not to rain upon another city, one piece was rained upon and
the other piece were upon it rained not withered. You know what that done to the
crops, don't you? They died. You're saying preacher looks
like they could have saw the hand of God in this. Looks like
they'd have thought, now wait a minute, this is the hand of
God, God's talking to us. Look in verse eight. So two or
three cities wandered into one city to drink water, but they
were not satisfied. Yet have ye not returned unto
me, saith the Lord. I'll tell you this. I've heard people say that tornadoes
are acts of nature and they call it mother nature. There is nothing
that irks me to the great anymore than to hear somebody steal God's
glory from him and call it an act of mother nature. It makes
me so mad I can't stand it. God is in. Every tornado that
ever happened. He's in every hurricane that's
ever taken place. He's in every earthquake. He's
in every volcanic eruption. God is the first cause of everything
and don't you ever forget it. Did these people turn to God
when the famine hit? Did these people turn to God
when the rain stopped? No, sir. And if that's not enough,
in verse 9 it says, I have smitten you with blasting and mildew. When your gardens and your vineyards
and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the Palmer Warren
devoured them. Yet ye have not returned unto
me, saith the Lord. Sad situation. But then look
even further than this. Verse 10, I have sent among you
the pestilence after the manor of Egypt. Your young men have
I slain with the sword and have taken away your horses and I've
made the stink of your camps to come up into your nostrils.
You say, preacher, did they turn to God then? Did they think about
God then? Nope, they didn't. Yet ye have not returned unto
me, saith the Lord. Look in verse 11, I have overthrown
some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were
as a firebrand plucked out of the burning. Close calls. You ever had a close call? Close
calls. I've seen, and you have seen
too, people in serious, serious accidents, give up to die, laying
on that bed, not much hope, but God miraculously lets them live. You know what they say? They
say, Lord, if you'll let me out of this bed, I'll live for you. If you let me out of here, I'll
quit my drinking and quit my meanness and start going to church.
Why, you lying dog, you have no intentions of doing it. Soon
as they get better, it wears off and they go right back to
doing the very same thing they've always done. You've not returned unto me.
Well, what happens then? God dealing with men through
creation, dealing with men through conscience, dealing through men
through providence, and they won't turn. Look in verse 12.
Therefore, thus will I do unto thee, O Israel, and because I
will do this unto thee. Prepare to meet thy Oh, Israel, that's right. God
does and still yet deals with mankind through creation and
conscience and providence. But there's another way that
God deals with mankind. Turn to Hebrews 4, Hebrews chapter
4. Here's what the right of Hebrews
had to say. Hebrews, I thought I had a bookmark in here,
but I didn't. Hebrews chapter four and verse two, it says,
for unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them, but the
word preached did not profit them. You know why? not being mixed with faith in
them that heard it. There are some people who hear
the true gospel preached with this ear only. They hear it. But it has no effect on them.
They've never been given spiritual ears to hear. They hear it, and
they say, Preacher, you're right. You're right. You're right. I need to turn to God. I'm going
to think about that first of the year. When the new year comes,
I'm going to do better. You're right, Preacher. Tell
them the truth, Preacher. I've heard people say, I know
I'm lost. Oh, if you really knew, if you that you were lost, you'd be
crying. You'd be seeking after God. So
God deals with men in the general call through creation, through
conscience, through providence. And some people even hear the
preaching of the gospel. That's right. Now, folks, let
me tell you something. God holds every human being in
his hand. That's right. Deuteronomy 32,
35 says this, their foot shall slide in due time. The only thing that's keeping
you out of hell tonight is the sovereign will of God. And that's
all. If he takes his hand off of you,
you're gone. You're gone. Now that's right,
folks. It's crystal clear from these
examples that God deals with the sons of Adam. Let's go back to Proverbs 1,
and I'm going to finish this part of it. Proverbs 1, verse 24. what the scriptures have to say
about this. And then I'm gonna go ahead. I promise not to be
so long-winded. If I can help it. Proverbs 1
verse 26. Here's what God says. I will
also, I will, I'll get right in a minute. I also will laugh
at your calamity. I will mock when your fear cometh. When your fear cometh as desolation
and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind, when distress and
anguish come upon you, then shall they call upon me, but I will
not answer. They shall seek me early, but
they shall not find me. Why is God gonna do this? Next
verse says, for that they hated knowledge and did not choose
the fear of the Lord. They would none of my counsel,
they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the
fruit of their own way and be filled with their own. That's the word of God. But I'm glad that there is another
call. There is another call. Let's go back to our text in
Galatians 1. Galatians chapter one verse. Here's what Paul says to reread
this again. Verse 15, but when it pleased
God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by
his grace, to reveal his son in me. This call is an effectual,
invincible call. Don't really care for the word
irresistible. I like the word invincible better. The scriptures do tell us that
some folks have resisted, but there's a difference between
invincible and irresistible. Paul resisted for a while, but
if you're his, if you're his, the call is invincible. Can't
stop it. You can't stop it. That's right. First time. Tell you how I got
introduced to Sovereign Grace. It's my own personal testimony. I don't really like to use myself
an example, but I will in this case just to illustrate a point.
The first time I ever heard of Sovereign Grace, I heard a preacher
say this. He said, about 150 years ago,
two of the biggest lies that's ever been told were hatched out
of the bottomless pits of hell. And I was on the edge of my seat.
I thought, what are these? And he said, God loves everybody. And Christ Jesus died for everybody. And my jaw just dropped. And I thought, what did he say? That can't be right. But you
know what? I found out he's telling the
truth. I found out that was the truth. That's right. Salvation is of the Lord from
start to finish. Before there was me, before there
was you, whenever the beginning was, there's so many theological
arguments about when the beginning started. It doesn't matter to
me when the beginning started. In the beginning is good enough.
In the beginning, God, before the world began, chose a people
for himself. He did not choose them by foreseen
faith. He chose them because it pleased
him to do so. That's right. Romans 9-11, Jacob,
have I loved? Esau have I hated. Before God
saved me, I couldn't figure out why God hated Esau. But after
God saved me, I look at that scripture again and I say, how
could he love Jacob? How could he love Jacob? Jacob
was as crooked as a dog's hind leg. Wouldn't do to trade horses
with Jacob. But God set his love on him.
And God set his love on him. Oh, so many times I think to
myself, Lord, why? Why? Why someone like me? Why? Oh, why did you set your
love on someone like me? The answer comes back. I came not to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance. The call comes back. They that
are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. Amen. This effectual call is a sovereign
call. The Apostle Paul in Acts chapter
nine, let me set the stage for you. The Apostle Paul has letters
in his hand. He's going to Damascus and he
is going to put in prison everybody that he can find who names the
name of Jesus. and all of a sudden, without
warning, a great light shone down from heaven. Paul fell to
the ground. Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting
me? Who art thou, Lord? I'm Jesus
of Nazareth. Uh-oh. Paul found out. that he was alive. Paul found
out that Jesus Christ was alive, that God had raised him from
the dead and sat him on the throne. You know what Paul said? Lord,
what would you have me to do? Invincible God. Paul didn't say,
now wait a minute, Lord, I got a few things I want to do. He
didn't say, now, I'll do this a little bit later. No, no. He
did as he was told. Amen. That's the invincible call. Let me give you a couple other
examples, and I'll wind this up. Genesis chapter 12, the scripture
speaks of Abram. Now, Abram and his family in
Ur of the Channel Dees were in rank idolatry. They had idols.
They served idols. Abram wouldn't think about God.
Abraham had no thoughts of God. But all of a sudden, when God
got ready, God chose this man out of everyone in the universe
and said, Abram, get up, get out, and go into a land that
I'll show And Abraham had no more sense,
and he got up and went. The divine, irresistible, invincible
call. Isaiah 51 verse 1 through 2 says
this about Abraham. I have called him alone, blessed
him, and increased him. God did it. God did it. This effectual call is also a
call that is on purpose. God does everything on purpose. And we know, Romans 8, 28, and
we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them that are what? The called according to his will. purpose, not according to the
preacher, not according to the soul winner, but according to
his purpose. Let me give you a couple examples. Zachias was a publican. He was a crook. The Lord Jesus was passing by
that way. There was a huge crowd that followed
the Lord Jesus, and Zacchaeus, being short of stature, he couldn't
see the Lord, there were too many people. So he climbs up
in a sycamore tree. Now, I want to tell you something.
The Lord's purpose was to call Zacchaeus. He didn't call anybody
else. There was a whole crowd around
him, and he didn't call anybody else. But when he got to that
tree, he looked up. My sheep hear my voice. And a
stranger they will not follow. Sacchus, be haste and come down,
for today I must abide at the house. Ozakiya skedaddled out
of that tree, probably took all the bark off of it, getting down.
And the scripture says he received the Lord joyfully. You know what Jesus said? First,
the Pharisee says, this man's going to be a guest with a man
that's a sinner. Jesus said this, for as much
also as he is a son, That's why I called him. That's one of those
that God gave him. And that's what he did. When
he come to this earth, he come with a purpose and he fulfilled
that purpose. That's right. Matthew sitting
at the receipt of custom, table full of money. He's another crook. Jesus walks up, Tim said, follow
me. Matthew left that table of money,
Todd. He left it. He left it. You say, man, what? Why would
a man leave all that money on the table? I'll tell you why.
He got the divine call and he left it. Left it all sitting
there. Oh, glory to his precious name. Then, in John chapter three, we have
the beautiful illustration of Christ dealing with a religious
man. Poor old Nicodemus. He said,
he had sense enough to know that the Lord couldn't do the things
he is doing except God be with him. The Lord wouldn't even address
that statement. He said, Nicodemus, except ye be born again, you
cannot see the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is
flesh. Nicodemus said, how can this be? How can I enter the
second time into my mother's womb? Jesus said, are you not
a master of Israel and you don't know this? Except a man be born
of the water and of the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of
God. And here's Jesus' description
of what it is. The wind bloweth where it listeneth. Thou hearest the sound thereof,
but canst not tell whence it cometh, or whether it So is everyone,
everyone that's born of the Spirit. It's a birth. It's being made
alive. It's a birth. It's not a decision. It's a birth. which were born
not of the will of men, nor of the will of the flesh, but of
God. Have you ever experienced this
new birth? Has Christ ever been revealed
to you? Salvation's by revelation. by decision, by revelation. Let me end with this. I've said
that too many times. Let me end with this, Matthew
16. Question was asked by the Lord Jesus. He said, who do men
say that I am? Matthew 16, 13. They said, well,
some of them say that you're John the Baptist. Some of them
say that you're Elijah. Some of them say you're one of
the prophets. And Jesus asked the question, who do you say?
Peter said, thou art the Christ, the son of the living God. And here's Jesus' response. Blessed art thou. Blessed Blessed art thou, Simon, son
of Jonas. You're blessed. Why? Because flesh and blood didn't
reveal this to you, but by my Father which is in heaven. Blessed,
blessed, blessed. Arthur, at the Father revealed. That's what salvation is. This
is life eternal that men might know thee, the only true God
and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. To go back to Matthew 13,
Jesus said, and I say unto thee that thou art Peter. And upon
this rock, he wasn't talking about Peter, Upon this rock I
will build my church. What rock is he talking about? He already said it's my church.
The rock, the context of this is revelation. Upon this rock,
the rock of revelation, I will build my church. Everybody that's saved by the
grace of God, it came by revelation and by no other means. By no
other means. Christ ever been revealed to
you? Has he ever been revealed to
you? All blessed day in my life, I remember I remember when I found out that I had been deceived all
these years. The Lord said to me, son, you've
never seen my glory. You've never seen it. It destroyed me. It cut the props
out from under me. It sapped all the pride out of
me. And there I stood as a helpless,
hopeless, religious fanatic. Guilty. Guilty. But oh, he brought me to himself.
He brought me to himself. And now, Todd, I know what the
glory of God is. I know what it is. I will make
all my goodness pass before thee. I will proclaim the name of God
before thee, and I will have compassion on whom I will have
compassion. I will have mercy on whom I will
have mercy. Do you know this, God? you know
it. Let's pray. Our Father, thank you, Lord, for your goodness
and mercy. Oh, praise your name that you
save sinners, that you love sinners, that you died for sinners. Lord,
take the message. Lord, be pleased to use it for
your glory. Have thy way now, Father. In
Christ's name we pray, amen.