I did choose thee. Todd's Road Grace Church would
like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd
Nibert. We are located at 4137 Todd's
Road, two miles outside of Manowar Boulevard. Sunday services are
at 10.30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Bible study is at
9.45 a.m. Wednesday services are at 7 p.m. Nursery is provided for all services.
For more information, visit our website at toddsroadgracechurch.com. Now here's our pastor, Todd Nibert. In 1 Corinthians 2, verse 7,
Paul said, we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery. Now, how many times have you
listened to messages and thought, I don't get that? How is it that
can somebody can actually believe that the Bible is the inspired
word of God without error in it? How can somebody believe
something like that? That's foolishness. How can somebody
believe that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin? Do you really
expect me to believe that? Do you really expect me to believe
that a man dying on a cross can make me perfect and without sin
before God? Do you really expect me to believe
that? Do you really expect me to believe
that God created the heavens and the earth? Those things seem
foolish to me, incredulous at best. How do you expect me to
believe something like that? Well, Paul said, there are some
who do. You may not be one of them. I
pray God makes you that way. You see, the fact of the matter
is you won't believe unless God gives you the grace to believe. Faith is beyond the reach of
the natural man. You see, faith is not a decision.
You don't decide to believe. You believe when God gives you
life. And when you believe then, you believe because you have
no choice, you must believe. And there are some people who
hear that the Bible is the word of God, that Christ was born
of a virgin, that Christ completely saved everybody he represented
and died for. There's some people who hear
that and they see it as nothing less than the very wisdom of
God. They see the mysteries of the
scripture and believe them. Now, quite often the word mystery
is used in the scripture. Paul said, we speak the wisdom
of God in a mystery. And understand this. The word
mystery in the New Testament is not the way we use the word.
When we use the word, we say, well, it's a mystery to me. I
don't know. I don't know the answer. I'm
clueless. But when the Bible uses the word, it's not about
truth concealed. I don't know the answer, but
truth revealed. Something we could not have known
unless God was pleased to make it known. Would you ever Suspect
that God is one God in three different persons. Of course
you wouldn't. The only way we know this is
because of the mystery that God has revealed in His Word. Now,
let me read these words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 2, verse 6. Now, there are many people who
find the things of God foolishness. That's how they consider them.
The Bible, what the Bible says, why that's foolishness. Well,
there are some people who do not count what God's word says,
foolishness. How be it, Paul says, we speak
wisdom among them that are perfect. Do you believe anybody's perfect?
Everybody Christ died for was perfect. They're perfect in God's
sight because Christ put away their sin. They have no sin. They have His perfect righteousness. Now, in this life, we know this
by faith. We don't know by experience.
I know before God I'm perfect because the scripture says, by
one offering, he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Now I read that in the Bible
and I know that I'm perfected before God, I'm perfect. But
what I see is certainly not that. I see myself as lacking and sinful,
but I know what Christ did is enough to make me, it made me
perfect. And this describes every believer.
This is not talking about spiritual maturity. This is talking about
every believer being perfect in Christ Jesus. How be it we
speak wisdom among them that are perfect, yet not the wisdom
of this world. This is not the wisdom we're
speaking of, what the world would call wisdom. Paul said in 1 Corinthians
1, verse 17, Christ sent me, not to baptize, but to preach
the gospel, not with wisdom of words, not with manipulation,
not with trying to make the gospel more appealing to the flesh or
trying to remove the offense of the gospel from the message.
We don't use wisdom of words. We don't try to package the gospel.
Wisdom of words is the way of the world to make the gospel
more attractive. Paul said we don't do that. Now,
when we're talking about not using, or when Paul's talking
about not using the wisdom of the world, he's not talking about
the arts and the sciences. He's not talking about the advances
made in technology and medicine. We're thankful for those things.
In many ways, they've made this world a better place. And he's
not talking about the wisdom that enables a doctor to perform
a transplant or to create a drug that can heal somebody. We're
thankful for that. That's all of the Lord. And anyone
that has the wisdom to do that, God gave it to them. They can't
really take credit for it, although they no doubt will, many do,
but it's God-given wisdom and thank the Lord for that. So Paul
is not speaking against that kind of wisdom. He's talking
about fleshly wisdom, the way of the world. He said in verse
19 of chapter one, For it's written, God says, I will destroy the
wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding
of the prudent. Those who believe themselves
to be wise, those who believe themselves to be prudent, God
said, I'm going to bring them to nothing. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe, the writer?
Where is the disputer, the eloquent person of this world? Hath not
God made foolish the wisdom of the world? Yes, he has. The Lord knoweth the thoughts
of the wise that they are vain. So when he's talking about not
using the wisdom of the world, he's talking about the wisdom
used by preachers. who don't preach the gospel,
and try to manipulate and try to persuade and encourage people,
not with the Word of God, but by fleshly methods, trying to
make the gospel more appealing. That's what Paul's talking about.
He says, we speak wisdom among them that are perfect, yet not
the wisdom of this world nor of the princes of this world
that come to naught, but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery. Paul said, we speak, we preach,
we declare. David said, I believe, therefore
have I spoken. What a man believes is what he
publicly declares. I love it when they ask the Lord
of his doctrine, he said, why are you asking me? Ask them that
heard me. It's not so much what a man tells
you privately that he believes, but what he preaches publicly. That's what he believes. Now,
he said, we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery. As I said, a mystery is that
which could not have been known unless God was pleased to make
it known. Verse seven, we speak the wisdom
of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom. The Lord said, I thank thee,
O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid
these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them unto
babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed
good in thy sight. Who hid these things from the
wise and prudent? God did. There's a passage in 2 Thessalonians
2, verse 10, where it says, God shall send them strong delusion
that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned
who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. Now, hidden wisdom. Remember when the Lord said to
his disciples, unto you, it's given to know the mysteries of
the kingdom, but to them, it is not given. And Paul calls this the hidden
wisdom, which was ordained before the foundation of the world.
This is eternal wisdom. This is not Johnny come lately
wisdom. This is not something that began
in time. The eternal wisdom is eternal,
before the foundation of the world. There was never a point
in which it began to be. And there will never be a point
in which its non-existence is as old as God. This wisdom, this mystery. Paul said in Romans chapter 16,
verse 25, he spoke of the revelation, the uncovering, the apocalypse
of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
but is now made manifest by the scriptures of the prophets. When Paul is closing the letter
to the Ephesians, he says, pray for me. that I may open my mouth
boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, that I might speak
boldly as I ought to speak. Now, in true preaching, there
is the preaching of the mystery of God. The wisdom of God in a mystery,
the wisdom of God that's so infinitely above the wisdom of men. Now,
let me repeat what I said at the first with regard to this
thing of mystery. It's not truth concealed. I don't know the answer. Its
truth revealed that we would never have known had not God
made it known in His Word. The Bible is full of mystery,
something that men could never discover. They could never use
the powers of human wisdom to find these things out. Canst
thou by searching find out God? No. No, you can't. A mystery
cannot be understood, only believed. A mystery cannot be explained,
only proclaimed. Can I explain to you the mystery
of the Trinity? How God is one God in three distinct
persons? God the Father, God the Son,
God the Holy Spirit. One God in three distinct persons. Can I explain that? No. Can I
illustrate that? No. I can just proclaim it. God is one God in three distinct
persons. Oh, the mystery of the scripture. Paul said, we speak, we preach
the wisdom of God in a mystery. Now, do not get confused with
a mystery and mysticism. You know, there are people who
think truth is revealed apart from the scriptures. Somehow
even the intellect is bypassed and they just know. You know,
there's no verification of that because there's no scripture.
Mysticism is not true. We're not talking about mystical
religion. We're talking about mystery religion. Truth that cannot be understood,
only believed. Cannot be explained, only proclaimed. The mystery of God. Now, here's where we've got to
begin when we speak of the mystery of God. We've got to begin with
the scripture. That's where the mystery is made
known in this book called the Bible, the Holy Bible. Second Timothy 3.16 says, all
scripture, from Genesis 1.1 to Revelation 22.21, all scripture
is given by inspiration of God. Now that's what the Bible claims
for itself. Peter said that holy men of God
spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. If God can create the universe
from nothing, and He can, He's God, He's all-powerful. If God
can create the universe from nothing, He can inspire men to
write a book without error, His words only, and cause them to
be preserved through the centuries. The Bible is where we find these
mysteries of God. They're not known intuitively.
They're known because God has recorded them in his word. The Lord said, thy word is truth. We read in Colossians chapter
two, verse three of the mystery. of God and the Father and of
Christ. God has made known His character
in this book. The revelation of the mystery
of His character. The mystery of the Trinity. God the Father. God the Son. God the Holy Spirit, all one
God, equally God, in three distinct persons. And each person of the
Godhead has his part in salvation. God the Father elected a people
before time began to be saved. You know, Paul said, according
as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blame before him. And in Ephesians
chapter three, he talked about how God revealed to him this
mystery. So you'll understand my knowledge
in this mystery. God revealed this to Paul. And
that's why it's written in the book. God the Father elected
a people. Christ assumed completely responsibility
for those people. And he lived for them, worked
out a perfect righteousness for them. He died on the cross for
them and put away their sins. He was raised for them. God the
Holy Spirit in time gives them life. That's what's called the
new birth. Now this is a great mystery.
We would never have known this had not God made it known. Now listen to this. with regard
to God electing a people before time began to be saved. Let me
tell you what I know about that. Number one, I know it's true.
Number two, I know it glorifies God. It declares God to be God
in absolute control. And number three, I won't be
saved without this. I need God to freely choose me
as an act of His grace. If He doesn't do that, I won't
be saved. This is absolutely necessary
for the salvation of the sinner, the work of the Father in eternal
election. The Scriptures reveal the work
of the Son. Christ said with regard to his
people, I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but
for them which you have given me. He said, I lay down my life
for the sheep. Now understand this about the
death of Jesus Christ. He wasn't making an offer. He
wasn't making salvation possible if you do your part. When he
said, it is finished, everybody he represented was saved. And my dear friend, once again,
that glorifies God is what the scripture teaches. That's what
I need. I need him to do everything for
me. I need him to take my sin because
I can't do anything about my sin. I can't make it to go away.
I need him to take it upon himself Pay for it, put it away. I need His perfect obedience
to be my righteousness before God. Oh, thank God for the work
of God the Son in redemption. I need the work of God the Holy
Spirit in regeneration. I need Him to give me a new heart.
I need Him to give me faith. I need Him to give me repentance,
being born of the Spirit. If He doesn't do that, I won't
be saved. So when we're talking about the
Trinity, yes, it's the truth, but it's what I need for God
to save me. I can't be saved apart from this. All the persons of the Godhead
have their part in salvation. We read in I Timothy 3.9 of the
mystery of the faith. Everything in the Bible can come
under this phrase, the mystery of the faith. Faith itself is
a mystery that we could have never known had not God made
it known. Now, could you have woke up one
morning and thought, well, How am I supposed to be saved? By
faith or by works? Which is it? Well, I think it's by faith.
Well, of course not. The reason we know this is because the Bible
teaches salvation by faith and not by works. Now, what does
that mean? Let me quote a scripture to you.
Salvation by faith and not by works. To him that worketh not. This is Romans 4, 5. Not a more
important verse of scripture in all the Bible than this. to
him that worketh not. but believeth on him that justifieth
the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Now let me
tell you two things you can't do at once. You can't work and
believe. You're either working to earn
your salvation or you're believing on him who justified the ungodly. Now, Think of those terms. A holy, just God, justified,
rendered not guilty and sinless, someone who was ungodly, sinful,
unrighteous, evil. How did he do that? That's the
most glorious thing that's ever heard by man. How can God do
that? How can God be just and justify
somebody sinful like me and be just in doing so? That is the
mystery of the gospel. God can be absolutely just and
totally righteous and yet justify someone. And what is the evidence
He has done that? They believe the gospel. They
rely on Him. They believe on Him that justifies
the ungodly. We read in 1 Timothy 3.16, great
is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. What a great mystery that is.
God was manifest in the flesh. Jesus Christ is God. He came
down from heaven and became man. God was manifest in the flesh. The Word, the eternal Word that
was with God and was God was made flesh and dwelt among us. What a mystery that God was manifest
in the flesh. Why was He manifest in the flesh?
Man sinned, man must die. And for me to be saved, something's
going to have to be done about my sin. Christ Jesus came as
a man and bear my sin in his own body on the tree and put
it away. And that perfect obedience that
he worked out is given to me. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. Listen to this scripture, Ephesians
chapter 5 verse 31. Paul said, I speak of great mystery. This is a great mystery. But
I speak concerning Christ in the church. Now what was he talking
about? In the previous verse, he's talking about marriage.
The two shall be made one flesh. He's talking about a man and
woman becoming one in marriage. Marriage is a God-ordained institution. A man and woman becoming one. And yet Paul says with regard
to this, what I'm really talking about is Christ in the church.
The two becoming one. Now, every believer is one with
Christ. That's a great mystery. I've
always been in Him. I've always been united to Him.
Even when I wasn't conscious of it, even before I believed
the gospel, I was in Him. And the reason I believe is because
I've been in Him. Somebody that dies not believing
the gospel, we're never in Him. But listen to this scripture,
Hebrews 2, verse 11. Both he that sanctifieth and
they who are sanctified are all of one. I'm one with Christ. When God
sees me, He sees His Son. And that is what took place in
the great mystery of the cross. When Christ died, I died. I was in Him. I was one with
Him. When He was raised, I was raised
because I was one with Him. This is talking about the eternal
union between Christ and His people. Now this is mystery.
No doubt about it. It's the wisdom of God in a mystery. Listen to this. Colossians 1,
verse 27 speaks of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ
in you. The hope of glory. What a mystery that Christ dwells
in the believer. When he said to Zacchaeus, Zacchaeus,
make haste, come down, for today I must abide at thy house. Remain at thy house. Not talking
about that day only, but for eternity. Christ in you, the
hope of glory. I live, yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me. and the life that I now live
in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me
and gave himself for me. Paul said in Galatians 1, when
it pleased God who separated me from my mother's womb and
called me by his grace to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach
him among the heathen. Immediately I convert not with
flesh and blood. You see, the gospel, is not something
so much understood as believed, the great mystery of the gospel. It's not something so much explained
but proclaimed. God manifest in the flesh. God the Father electing. God the Son redeeming. God the Holy Spirit giving life. And the evidence that God has
elected me and Christ has died for me and God the Holy Spirit
has given me life is I rely on Jesus Christ as all I have before
God. I rely on Him and Him alone. I want nothing more. I want nothing
else. I simply want to be found in
Him. And this is the great mystery
of the gospel. Yes, the gospel is mysterious.
You know, if I could understand it, if I could grasp it, if I
could comprehend it, there wouldn't be much to it. But this is grand
and glorious mystery, the mystery of the Scripture. Paul said,
we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery. May God give us the
grace to speak the wisdom of God in a mystery and to believe
the wisdom of God in a mystery. May God richly bless you and
enable you to believe is our prayer. Amen. To receive a copy
of the sermon you have just heard, send your request to todd.nyvern
at gmail.com or you may write or call the church at the information
provided on the screen.