Folks to add to the prayer list,
Loretta's got the flu. Harper's got the RSV. She's not
mad, she has a little Harper, little Harper. She's got the RSV and some other
folks sick too. Remember Ann Welch, Trish Tramper,
and Lou Jackson all have cancer. So remember them in your prayer,
seek the Lord's help for them. Cliff Coughlin had his first
round of chemo. That was Fred's brother. And
remember the others who were suffering during this season.
This season is a time of joy for a lot of folks, but it's
also a time of sorrow and reflection. I was thinking this morning about
my youth and the days I spent with my family at this time of
year, when my grandma, Mama Mae Edinger, was living. We used
to have, I remember, French doors between the dining room and the
living room. And the French doors would swing
open and Santa Claus would come through with an old army laundry
sack full of presents for the kids. And it was, we had some
wonderful times back then. But remember folks, especially
during this time of season, because some families this is the first
Christmas they're going to have without some member of their
family, and that's the hardest part of the holidays. But do
remember then, as far as announcements go, there's no lunch today, because
we don't want you to spend time with your family. Next Sunday,
we'll have the Lord's Table after the morning service and lunch,
but no evening service. That'll be the last day of the
year. Other than that, I can't think of any announcements. do
remember those who requested prayer. Let's begin our worship
service with the Sovereign Grace Hymnals, Hymn number 10. I will arise and go to Jesus.
We'll sing all five verses and then sing the chorus. Come ye, sinless, poor and needy,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore, Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity, love, and power. ? Come ye thirsty, come and welcome
? ? God's free bounty glorify ? ? True belief and true repentance
? ? Every grace that brings you nigh ? Come ye weary, heavy laden,
Lost and ruined by the fall, If you tarry till you're better,
You will never come at all. Let not conscience make you linger,
nor of fitness only dream. All the fitness he requireth
is to feel your need of him. ? By eternal destination ? ? Sovereign
grace we now receive ? ? I will arise and go to Jesus, he will
be mine ? His arms in the arms of my dear
Savior. Oh, there are 10,000 charms. Our next hymn will be hymn number
15 in the same book, Oh, the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus. If you have your Bibles, turn
with me to 1 John chapter 4. Verse 9 and 10 says, and this
was manifested, or displayed, made known, in this was manifested the love
of God toward us because that God sent his only begotten son
into the world that we might live through him. Herein is love
not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son
to be the propitiation for our sins. Let us pray. It is with great thanksgiving
and praise that we can read of such words that the Son of God came into
this world to live and die and live again, and by His death
to propitiate you, to satisfy you for your law and justice, and make it so that you are satisfied
in every degree with your people. We bless you and thank you for
such knowledge. It is too wonderful for us, beyond
our comprehension, the truly unsearchable riches that as we
live on this earth and even as we look at your word and study
it, we'll never plumb the depths and the glory of it. Father,
we pray for those who are sick, those who've been revealed to
have cancer. I ask Lord you'd be with them.
Be with those doctors as they attend them. Pray them, give
them great skills and understanding. It is our desire that they be
healed and brought to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Father, we pray
for those who are going through sorrowful times now. Times of
anguish of heart and mind. Thou knowest every case. We know
that you, our great physician, came to heal the brokenhearted.
We pray that you will do so. We thank you, Father, for those
who are with us this day. We pray that we'll be able to
worship you in spirit and in truth. And for those who couldn't
come because of sickness, we pray you'd be with them. Especially
remember our dear young Harper, that you would be pleased to
minister to her, bring her back to a good measure of health.
Also, Sister Loretta asked that you be with her. For those who
couldn't be with us today, we pray you'd watch over them. Bring
them safely home to us when it pleases you. Help us now to worship
you in spirit and in truth. We pray in Christ's name. Amen. Hymn number 15, Oh, the Deep,
Deep Love of Jesus. ? Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus
? ? Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free ? ? Rolling as a mighty
ocean ? ? In its fullness over me, underneath me ? all around
me is the current of thy love leading onward. ? Leading homeward to my glorious
rest above ? ? Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus ? ? Spread
his praise from shore to shore ? ? How he loveth, ever loveth
Jesus ? nevermore. How he watches o'er his loved
ones, died to call them all his own. How for them he intercedeth,
watcheth o'er them, from the throne. Oh, the deep, deep love
of Jesus, love of every love the best. Tis an ocean vast of
blessing, tis a haven sweet Steve, I believe you can handle the
whole thing this morning. We didn't have to call out the
sheriff for crowd control today, that's good. Let us pray. Our
Father, we bless you and pray now as we return to that which
you've given us, we'd consider the unspeakable gift that you
have given to every one of your children, the gift of Jesus Christ
the Lord. He is our Lord and our master,
our elder brother and our dearest friend, our savior, our sovereign,
Lord over all. You've given him to us, your
children, your elect, your chosen, your bride, your church. And
in doing so, you're with him freely giving us all things. How great thou art and how kind
and merciful to wretched, undeserving sinners you are. As we return
unto thee that which you've given us, let us do so with joy, thanksgiving
and hilarity in our heart, we pray in Christ's name, amen. Two songs we just sung both talked
about the love of God and the love of the Lord Jesus Christ,
the unchanging love. The old hymn says the love of
God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell. It goes
beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell. The guilty
pair bowed down with care. God gave his son to win. His
erring child he reconciled and pardoned from his sin. When hoary
times shall pass away and earthly things and kingdoms fall, when
men who here refuse to pray on rocks and hills, mountains call,
God's love so sure shall still endure, all measureless and strong,
redeeming grace to his chosen race. the saints an angel's song. Could we with ink the ocean fill,
and were the skies of parchment made, were every stalk on earth
a quill, and every man a scribe by trade, to write the love of
God above would drain the ocean dry, nor could the scroll contain
the whole who stretched from sky to sky. A beautiful old hymn. I've heard a lot on TV this week
about the love of God. I saw Franklin Graham talking
about it yesterday morning. Talking about the love of God,
I saw this new Catholic app site called Harrow where this guy
It kind of looks like the pictures people have of Jesus talking
about praying, and He was talking about this season as the time
when we can talk about the love of God, and He quoted John 3,
16, For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but
have everlasting life. The love of God is exalted this
time of year. People talk about it a great
deal. And if they'll talk about it, that's okay with me, even
though they may not understand it or conceive what it really
is, because they measure it by their own love, and that's a
poor measurement. At least they talk about it. Who knows what
God would use to engender in a person's mind to look further,
to seek further, to want something they don't have. in this passage of scripture
it said God's love was manifested this way that he sent his son he sent his son to redeem his
people this is how it was manifested generally in religion that love
is counted as intent and desire on God's part but not ever having
to do with accomplishment But that's not the case of the love
of God in Scripture. And I admit to you, though I've
been preaching somewhat on this text or this theme for 45 years,
that I haven't begun to understand the concept of unconditional
electing love. It's beyond my comprehension. but I'm gonna give it a shot
anyway. As old A.D. Muse used to say, I'm gonna take
one more lick at it. Verse 10 says, Herein is love. So we can discern to begin with
that if we want to know what love is and where it is, it's
here. Herein is love. not that we loved
God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation
for our sins. And because our love is limited
to our numerous incapacities and self-love, we are incapable
of truly seeing the greatness of God's love. Our love is powerless. Every
mother and father who has had a sick child on the brink of
death, perhaps, knows for sure that if our love had power, nobody
we loved would ever pass away. They'd all be fine and healthy.
They all would be. But our love can't do anything.
Our love is powerless to perform. The situation that comes is dire
enough, and our frail abilities are found insufficient to bear
it. We find that our love is little more than a weak emotion
that often mocks our manifold impotence. But the believer,
as patently weak as he is, can rest in the peaceful knowledge
that the love of God, the love of God, is never weak, never
a failure, never subject to circumstance. Whomever God loves fully receives
everything that His sovereign love has designed and purposed
for Him. Whoever God loves gets it all
from God if He loves them. That's the language of Scripture.
That's how love is portrayed when it speaks of God's love
for us. In this passage the reason that is given for Christ being
sent into this world is the love of God, and this love is very
distinctive. It is first distinguished in
a very obvious way. It is said it's not our love.
Herein is love, not that we love God. That's not love, but that
He loved us. Christ was not sent because we
love God. Had that been the case, Christ
would never have entered this realm. Scripture declares the
opposite is true. Men don't love God. Men don't
love God. The natural man, Scripture says,
the natural mind is enmity against God. That means it hates God. It wants to kill God. It wants to get rid of God. Enmity of God. It's not subject
to the Word of God or the Law of God. In fact, it can't be
subject to it because it hates God. because God has never awakened
it to the truth. They who are of the flesh mind
the things of the flesh. If God had waited on or depended
on any show of affection from us, Christ would never have left
glory to set foot on this planet. This love that is spoken of here
is secondly distinguished as specific rather than genuine.
General says those who are loved are propitiated for. He loves us, writes John, and
propitiation was made for our sins. The distinction is that
God was satisfied for someone's sins. Whoever He loved, He was
satisfied for and satisfied with. If He loved them, that's what
happened. God's love always winds up with him being satisfied for
and with his loved ones. Religion relies on God being
dissatisfied with you. You gotta do better. You gotta
straighten up. You gotta fly right. God is satisfied
with his people. The old hymn said behind every
cloud of providence is God's smiling face. He loved, he was satisfied for
and satisfied with all his people. God's love always winds up that
way. Those residing at the pit of
the dam were not propitiated for. Neither was or is he satisfied
with them. If you wind up in hell, you can
rest assured of this fact, God did not love you. And never has. Because had he loved you, you
would have been propitiated for. For it says herein is love. Not
that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his son to
be the propitiation for our sin. Before I was ever brought to
faith in Jesus Christ, I was in religion most of my life.
What was called fundamentalist religion. And I do not recall
ever hearing this word all the years I spent in church. I do not recall ever hearing
the word propitiation. Never heard it. Didn't hear it before I heard
someone preach the gospel of God's sovereign grace. And since
the time I was caused to hear the truth, I found that the word
and the doctrine is abundant in the writings and the sermons
of those who love the truth and in this grand old book. What
does propitiation mean? It means appeasement or satisfaction. To appease is to satisfy. Propitiation then is satisfaction. When it speaks in Isaiah 53 of
the Lord being pleased to bruise Jesus Christ, it does not mean
that he had some kind of vindictive, cruel, psychotic pleasure in
doing so. It means that he was satisfied
with that. When Christ was bruised for sins, He was satisfied that
that was the full payment that was due the people of God. When
He gave up His soul for the salvation of His people, when He made His
soul a sacrifice for sin, God was pleased. What does that mean?
It means He was satisfied. Our Lord said somewhat the same
thing in Hebrews chapter 10 when He said, Offerings and burnt
offerings and such, God was not pleased with. He was not pleased
with. What does that mean? It never
satisfied Him. It was never propitiated. The
New Testament word comes from the word MERCY. See, when you
run across this word in Scripture, and it's four times in the New
Testament, it always pertains to the offering of the blood
of Christ to God for the payment for the sin debt. And the proof
of the debt being fully paid and never being exacted again
is what? The Lord is satisfied. The Lord
is satisfied. That's the proof of it. The Lord
is satisfied. The Word and the doctrine of
propitiation declare a state of being, an accomplishment,
a thing done and finished. When we speak of this propitiation,
we do not speak of it in the present tense and active voice. It's news, or rather we do speak
of it in that way. It's news, you see, and therefore
it can only be reported. Something's happened. Something's
taken place. Propitiation has taken place. Well, what can we do about it?
Nothing. It's done. We can say some things about
it, but that's about it. We can report that the action
has taken place. This word, propitiation, is not
attached to intent. but rather to accomplishment
and completion. Propitiation, then, is not in
any way an attempt to satisfy. It is satisfaction. Satisfaction. The intent is clearly
seen by the satisfaction accomplished. With the employment of the word
propitiation, the one to whom the propitiation is made is propitiated. Okay, propitiation is made to
God and God is propitiated because God initiated the propitiation
Himself. He will then be propitious and
gracious to those whom He has been propitiated for. The sacrifice
having satisfied justice and wrath then leaves only grace
reigning through righteousness being put in its place. This
is important to understand because of the manner in which Christ
is presented in this text. If you'll read it in verse 10,
Herein is love, not that we love God, but that He loved us and
sent His Son to be the propitiation for sins. You'll notice that
the words to be are in italics. When the propitiation is spoken
of in Scripture, those words are always in italics. What does that mean? That means
that when the twelve men got together and translated the Hebrew
and the Greek and the Aramaic into English in 1611, they put
these words in there, to be. He sent his son to be the propitiation. This means the translator had
them to supposedly clarify the meaning. But this is one of those
snares that God has allowed to be put in His Word that will
snare men and drive them back and they can never return. In
this case, because of the evolution of language, this passage can
possibly be interpreted as relating to intent. He sent His sons to
be. Well, will He be? Well, that's
what He sent them for. That leaves room for interpretation
that's too intent. When these words are removed,
the passage actually describes something else altogether. Herein is love, not that we love
God, but that He loved us and sent His Son, the propitiation
of sin. The definite article, propitiation
for our sin. He sent His Son. Who is the propitiation? This is born out of the Word
of God because Christ is said to be the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world. This then is an appropriate title
for our Lord. He is the propitiation for our
sins. The first part of the equation
is given Christ satisfied God for our sins, for the sins of
His elect, for the sins of His people, sins of somebody. He was made propitiation for
our sins and whoever that I are is. And remember, this book is
not written to lost men. This book is not written to those
who have not faith, who have not been given faith. This book is not written to those
who do not have the life of Christ. This book is for the children
of God. And John is writing a general epistle to the Church, the Body
of Jesus Christ, those who are born in the flesh. That's the
hour there. our sins. God is satisfied with us is what
this is saying because He has been propitiated by the blood
of Christ. First God sent His Son for the
propitiation for our sins. In order for God to be satisfied
for our sins, He must have understood what He required for our sins.
This is speaking of a transaction involving payment which we understand
what payment was necessary in order that God would be satisfied.
What was the payment? What was due? What was the debt?
And therefore, what was the payment? Scripture is clear that all the
old covenant offerings were to no avail in satisfying God. It
says that in Hebrews chapter 10, verses 4 through 9, that
they never made the comers there unto perfect, could not relieve
the conscious, they never satisfied God. Had God ever been satisfied
or propitiated by any one of those lambs or bullocks or turtle
doves or whatever was offered, Had he ever been satisfied with
one, then there would never be a need for another sacrifice.
That's what it says in Hebrews chapter 10. Those things were
a shadow of good things to come, but not the very things. It's
perfectly clear in the Word of God that men cannot, by the works
of righteousness or human merit, either undo what they are guilty
of or pay the price that God has required for satisfaction.
by the works of righteousness shall no man be justified it
says in Romans chapter 3 in verse 9 Hebrews chapter 10 in verses
1 through 3 I mean rather Romans chapter 10 in verses 1 through
3 it says that there were those who go about to establish their
own righteousness now why would a person do that? why would a
person do that? the Beatles knew 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7, oh good children go to heaven. Go to heaven, you've got to be
good. That's what they say in the song Teen Angel when I was
a teenager. Why would a person want to establish
a righteousness? To appease God. To please God. And the Bible says that cannot
happen. God will only be satisfied with a dual payment for sin Christ's
death is the full payment for both parts, for both parts. The soul that sinneth it shall
die, the wages of sin is death, that he paid. Righteousness is
the other side of that coin, however. Those who are, whose
sin is paid for, must be righteous before God. God requires not
only that he be satisfied for sin by death, but also to be
satisfied and is required of absolute perfection and righteousness.
It shall be perfect to be accepted. Leviticus 21, 21. We have seen that man is incapable
of producing either the payment or the righteousness. God's indestructible
love for His people has provided what He's required. God has required
it. God has provided what He's required. Isn't that something?
You talk about love. Herein is love. Not that we love
God, but that He loved us and sent His Son. the propitiation
for our sins. God is propitiated, His law is
fulfilled, His justice is served and honored, and His wrath is
swaged, and Christ is made to be the believer s righteousness.
In Isaiah 54, verse 17, God says, Your righteousness is of The
Righteousness of Me, Jeremiah 23, verse 5, And the name by
which he shall be called is the LORD our Righteousness, Jeremiah
33, verse 19, And the name by which she shall be called is
the LORD our Righteousness. God has made Him to be unto us
wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. He is our Righteousness. He is our only Righteousness,
but that is enough! That is enough! Consider what
would happen to the world's religion If men saw this as true, religion
would have no means to keep the herds of goats that make up their
congregations in check if their salvation was totally accomplished
and their righteousness was Jesus Christ alone. You see, religion
lives and thrives on the false concept that God is not satisfied. That's what they live on. God's
not satisfied. He is easily angered and often
changes. He is presented as a bill collector,
a watcher for meritorious or unmeritorious behavior, licking
his lips with delight as the aspect of punishing his people
for their sins. That's the language. Religion holds the judgment over
men's head like the sword of Damocles, teaching that though
Christ has paid their sin debt, they've got to pay it too. They've got to pay it too. That's
why they talk about salvation as being a good start. No, it's
the finish. It's the finish. religion would
and one day will fold up like a cheap wallet when they are
finally confronted with the glorious fact that God is satisfied for
the sins of His people and that no punishment is due them on
any level ever. The debt is paid. We do not fear
the judgment. John says in this very same chapter,
We do not fear the judgment, for as Christ is, so are we in
the world. The dead is paid and God's children
are righteous. No, even more than that, Christ
is our righteousness. We are righteousness before God. That essential thing, whatever
it is, I don't know. I can't see it in myself. Only
a fool or a believer believes something like that, but it's
true. Is God satisfied for sin? Scripture says right here He
is. Herein is love. Not that we love God, but that
He loved us. And His Son, satisfaction for sin. The satisfaction for
sin. The propitiatory sacrifice of
Christ has propitiated God and enabled Him to propitiously express
His kindness and grace and love toward His people. God is legally
satisfied for His people. and personally satisfied with
his people. I can not tell you the times I've heard people,
when they see me do something that they don't agree with, say,
well, you know, Jesus is not happy with that. You know what? I used to smoke. And if I could,
I still would. But I had a heart attack, so
I don't. But boy, every time I walk beside somebody and lit
up a candle and I smell that smoke, I go, oh, man. I just
hate them. They get to smoking, I don't.
I remember one time sitting at the table lighting up a cigarette
and my sister said, you know, the Lord's going to be, Jesus,
I don't like that. And I said, He likes it just
fine. He likes it just fine. He's satisfied. God's satisfied
with you. I know you're not satisfied with
yourself. None of us there are. Doubts roll. like the ocean upon us. Fears. Tremblings. We know what we are. We're embarrassed by it. We don't
even want to have people know what we are. And most people
don't. God knows what we are, but really nobody else does. We don't even really know what
we are. We know we're sinners. And to
say this must require God-given glorious faith. God is satisfied
with His people, warts and all. He's satisfied,
why? Here in His love. Not that we
love God, but that He loved us. It's in His Son, the propitiation
for our sin. God sees His people as without
sin, perfectly righteous. Instead of holding the threatening
sword of justice over their heads, He extends the scepter of complete
unconditional acceptance. Instead of working to do them
harm, He molds and manipulates time-tied humanity and history
for their eternal good. Every morning is met with new
mercies. Every trial is eased with sufficient grace. He spends
His sovereignty for their good and for His glory. he satisfied
with him here in his love not that we love god but that he
loved us and sent his son the propitiation for our sins how
sweet that sounds to a believer's ear god bless you hope you have
a wonderful christmas good day