How deep the Father's love for
us, how vast beyond all measure, that he should give his only
Son to make a wretch his treasure. How great the pain of searing
loss, the father turns his face away, as wounds which mar the
chosen one bring his elect to glory. Behold the My sin upon his shoulders Ashamed
I hear my mocking voice Call out among the scoffers It was
my sin that held him there Until it was accomplished His dying
breath has brought me life I know that it is finished I will not
boast in anything No gifts, no power, no wisdom But I will boast
in Jesus Christ His death and resurrection Why should I gain
from His reward? I cannot give an answer But this
I know with all my heart His blood has paid my ransom Would you turn with me to Romans,
chapter 9? The book of Romans, chapter 9.
It's such a privilege and a blessing to be with you. I'm so thankful
and feel very blessed and privileged to be here with you. Love being
here. Romans, chapter 9. Before we get into this chapter,
I want to remind you that all scripture is given by inspiration
of God. If God can create the universe,
and He did, it's not difficult for Him to inspire men to write
a book and preserve it. I love the Bible. Second statement I would like
to make by way of introduction is that God is God. He is exactly as this book presents
him to be. And it is impossible for him
to want something and not have it. He's God. And the third statement I would
like to make is God is good. And he is good all the time. All of his attributes are good. He brings good out of evil. God is good all the time. Whatever we're dealing with,
we know this, we trust his character. I might not understand what he's
doing, but I know who's doing it. He's good all the time. Romans 9. has been called the
most controversial chapter in the Bible. Now, how do we respond to that? In light of what I just said,
it's not controversial. It's the word of God. I think
of what Paul said in First Timothy 3.16, without controversy, great
is the mystery of godliness. Without controversy, great is
the glorious truth declared in Romans chapter 9. Many have dismissed Romans chapter
9 as being too hard to understand. No. I recall Brother Henry Mahan
saying that he read this passage of scripture without comment,
and while he was reading it, somebody stood up and said, it
doesn't mean that. That's how unmistakably clear
it is. It's easy to understand. Some have even dismissed it. speech with regard to Israel
has no application to us, that's foolishness. Romans chapter 9. This chapter begins with Paul's
desire for the salvation of whom he calls my brethren, my kinsmen,
according to the flesh. Let's read these first three
verses. Paul says, I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my
conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost that I have
great heaviness and continual, nonstop, unabating sorrow in
my heart For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ
for my brethren, my kinsmen, according to the flesh. Paul actually says that I would be willing to be
damned if they would be saved. I don't even know what else to
say about that other than what I know that the Lord was damned
that we might be saved on Calvary's tree. And when we look at Romans
chapter nine, what a beginning because people have said that
the content of Romans chapter nine particularly verse 11, for
the children being not yet born, neither having done any good
or evil, that the purpose of God, according to election might
stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. It's been said
that destroys zeal for missions and evangelism and love to people.
No, it doesn't. It didn't do that with Paul.
It doesn't do it with anybody else who believes it. That's just
a fabrication of the father of lies. I love the way this chapter
begins with his love for his brethren. He said in chapter
10, verse 1, brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for
Israel is that they might be saved. If the Lord has saved
me, I want other people to be saved, don't I? I hope the Lord
saves everybody in this room. He may do it. And he goes on to describe these
people that he was so distressed with regarding to the fact that
they were not saved. He says, these are the Israelites
to whom pertaineth the adoption. He's talking about the national
Jews, national Israel, who are Israelites to whom pertaineth
the adoption and the glory and the covenants and the giving
of the law and the service of God and the promises, whose are
the fathers and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, the Lord
Jesus Christ, a Jew, a physical Jew. And I love this description
of Christ, who is over all. God, blessed forever. When he says he's over all, you
know what that means? That means he's over me and you
right now. And that means our eternal destiny is in his hands. That's who he is as to whether
or not I'll be in heaven or hell. He's in control of that. He's over you. He's over me. I love the way Romans 14, nine
says he's Lord both of the dead and the living. He's Lord of
the living. He's my Lord. He's Lord of the
dead too. Now Paul says in verse six, in
spite of his angst over his brethren who did not know or love the
Lord Jesus Christ, he says, it's not as though the Word of God
hath taken none effect." It's not as if God's purpose is not
being done. God's will is always done. Four, they are not all Israel,
which are of Israel, just because someone's a national Jew doesn't
mean he's a true Israel. Neither because they are the
seed of Abraham are they all children. Just because you're
a physical descendant of Abraham, that doesn't make you a child
of God. But in Isaac shall thy seed be
called. Now let me take you back. You
don't need to turn there. Let me tell you the story of
Genesis chapter 16. God has promised Sarah and Abraham a son. God's promises always come to
pass. Years pass. They still do not
have a son. Sarah comes up with an ingenious
attitude or idea. Obviously, God's promise is not
going to come to pass unless we do our part. So here's what you need to do.
Here's my servant, Hagar. You go into her, we'll do our
part, and that will enable God to do his part. You go into Hagar,
you have a child, and they did. And they named him Ishmael, the
son of Abraham. But you know what God said to
Abraham, he said, Take now thy son, thy only son, Isaac." Ishmael
is not acknowledged as a son. As a matter of fact, Galatians
chapter four says, Hagar, Ishmael's mother is Mount Sinai, the giving
of the law. What is law? You doing your part
to cause God's part to be done. That is the message of most of
what goes on under Christianity in our day. You do your part. God's part will be done. That's
law. If salvation is dependent, contingent upon, conditioned
upon me doing my part before I can be saved, I will not be
saved. Neither will you. Salvation is
of the Lord. what he says in verse eight,
that is they, which are the children of the flesh, physical descendants of Abraham.
These are not the children of God, but the children of the
promise. God's promise are counted for the seed. You see Ishmael
is the product of the flesh. Isaac was supernaturally born
the child of the promise. Ishmael is not. acknowledged
as a son by God. How painful was it when the Lord
told Abraham, cast out the bond woman and her son. I'm sure it
was painful, but it was God's call. Verse nine, for this is the word
of promise at this time will I come and Sarah, shall have
a son, Sarah, who's already gone through the process of menopause,
impossible for her to bear children. When I come, she shall bear a
son, the child of promise, the child of grace. Verse 10, and not only this, but when Rebecca
also had conceived by one, even by our father, Isaac, now this
is talking about the twins. Jacob and Esau. Now Ishmael and Isaac had the
same father, but they didn't have the same mother. Here we're
talking about twins out of the same womb, Jacob and Esau. Verse 11, for the children being
not yet born. That means exactly what it says. They hadn't been born yet. Neither having done any good
or evil being not yet born. They had no evil to disqualify
them. They had no good to recommend
them. They were not born. They had
no works good or bad for the children being not yet born,
neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God,
according to election might stand not of works, but of him that
calleth. Jacob and Esau are the illustration
that salvation is not of works. It's of him that calleth. Didn't they both have a chance? Salvation is not by chance. Salvation
is by the purpose of God, that the purpose of God according
to election might stand. It's not going anywhere. Not
of works, but of him that calleth. Verse 12, it was said unto her,
and this is at their birth. This is before their birth. It
was said unto her while the twins struggled in the womb, the elder
shall serve the younger. It's backwards. The younger supposed
to serve the elder, but God says, no, the elder is going to serve
the younger as it is written. What an important statement as it is written. And this is a quotation from
Malachi chapter one. This is God speaking Jacob. have I loved? And Esau, have I hated? That's God speaking. That completely destroys the
notion that God loves all men without exception. He says Esau
have I hated. Now understand this, God's hatred
is not like our hatred. Our hatred is sinful. It's the
product of a fallen nature. It's vindicative, it's selfish.
God's hatred is perfect, holy, just hatred. And let me tell
you this about Esau. Esau didn't love God. He didn't
think it was worth a bowl of soup. That's how little he cared
for God. He was willing to sell the birthright
in order to get one meal. He wasn't that hungry. That just
shows how little he valued God. And when God said, Esau have
I hated, Esau deserved the just, righteous,
perfect hatred of God. Remember, God's good. Remember
we said that first? Whatever God does is good. When God hates
Esau, it's good. If God hated me and left me to
myself, just and holy is his name. Amen? God loved Jacob. God loves Jacob. The way God identifies himself
more than any other identification in the scripture is the God of
Jacob. I am the Lord, I change not therefore
you sons of Jacob are not consumed. Someone once said to Charles
Spurgeon, I have a problem. with Romans 9.13. And Spurgeon replied, I do too.
It's that God said he loved Jacob. That scoundrel, that deceitful
man, Jacob. You know, we were singing that
hymn, hymn number 352, Jesus lover of my soul, when he said,
I am all in righteousness, false and full of sin I am, thou art
full of truth and grace. I thought, yeah, there couldn't
be a more accurate description as we sing that song. But God
loved Jacob. This opens the door wide for
anybody who comes to Christ. This doesn't keep people out.
This brings people. in. God said, I love Jacob. I want to be a Jacob, don't you? Now, Paul anticipates what he
knew was coming next. What should we say then? Is there
unrighteousness with God? Does anyone think this is not
fair? It's not fair for him to love
Jacob and to hate Esau. This is not fair. Well, when you use your, or if
I use my perverted view of justice, I might say that my weak fallen
Because there's not one of us that hadn't thought that at one
time. How could this be fair? How could this be fair? That's
not fair. How does Paul answer that? God forbid. God forbid that such a ridiculous
thing should even come into our thinking. God forbid. Four, verse 15. He saith to Moses,
God said this to Moses. He saith to Moses, I will have
mercy on whom I will have mercy. And I will have compassion on
whom I will have compassion. Thank God. He said, I will have
mercy. And it's sovereign mercy because
if it's not, it's not mercy in the first place. I will have mercy to whom I will. Don't tell me who I have to have
mercy to. That makes it a thing of justice
rather than mercy and grace. This is what he said to Moses. Moses said, show me your glory. He said, I'll make all my goodness
pass before thee. And I proclaim my name before
thee, my character, and I'll be gracious to whom I will be
gracious. And I will show mercy on whom
I will show mercy. So then, verse 16, so then, it's not of him that willeth, What's that got to say about
free will? Words cannot be more plain. It's
not of him that willeth. You know, there's no such thing
as free will in the first place. Your will is controlled by your
nature. I say this reverently, but God
does not have a free will in the sense that he can't act contrary
to his nature. He can't freely decide to lie.
I think I'm going to lie. No. He cannot lie because He's
God. His will is controlled by His
holy nature. And if I'm a sinner, my will
is controlled by sinful nature. It's not of Him that willeth. That's what the Bible says. Nor
of Him that runneth. It's not according to a man's
efforts. It's not of Him that willeth.
Nor of salvation by works. Forget it. You see, our works
are no good. They're no good. They're filthy
rags, the best. This is good news. It's not of
him that willeth, nor of him that runneth. Works don't count,
but of God that showeth mercy. Verse 17, for the scripture saith unto
Pharaoh. Now I love that statement. Scripture
hasn't even been written yet. That was God speaking. The scripture
saith to Pharaoh. That's how powerful this book
is. The scripture saith to Pharaoh. Pharaoh, the Pharaoh of Egypt,
the king of Egypt. I love to think of Moses coming
into Pharaoh and Pharaoh says, who is the Lord that I shall
obey him? Oh, Moses thinking you're fixing
to find out. He knew exactly who he was. Here's what the scripture says
with regard to Pharaoh. For the scripture saith unto
Pharaoh, even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I
might show my power in thee and that my name might be declared
throughout all the earth. That's God speaking. The Lord has made all things
for himself. Yay. Even the wicked for the
day of evil. Now, remember, we're looking
at what the word of God says. The God who inspired this book
to be written exactly as it's stated. So we might know his
truth. This God who's always good. And
this is good. There would be no salvation without
this. Somebody says, why doesn't he
save everybody? If salvation was up to me or you, nobody would
be saved but me. No, I'd make sure everybody's
saved. You got crossed one too many
times. You'd say, that's it. You would. I would too. I mean,
we'll forgive once, twice, after 4,720. Nope, that's it. I'm not
dealing with this anymore. That's the truth. No one would
be saved if it was up to me or you, but thank God. He said, I will have mercy. And he says to Pharaoh, even for this same purpose, have
I raised you up that I might show my power in thee and that
my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore, here's
the conclusion to this. Therefore. Hath he mercy on whom
he will have mercy, and whom he will, he hardeneth. Now that's the word of God. And
all the Lord has to do to harden my heart is to leave me to myself. Nothing else is needed. If he
leaves me or you to ourselves, we'll be as hard as granite The
gospel will mean nothing to us. And that's what happened with
Pharaoh. Now Paul anticipates the objection he knows we'll
make in verse 19. Well, thou will say then unto
me, why does he yet find fault? For who has resisted his will?
If he hardens my heart, how can he hold me responsible for my
sin when he's the one who hardened me and there's nothing I can
do about it? How can he hold me responsible? This is another
objection. This is not fair. Listen to Paul's answer. Nay,
but old man, Who are you to reply against God? You? Do you feel like you have the
moral authority to sit in judgment on what God does and say, I agree
with this and I don't agree with that? You? Who are you? Who do you think you are is what
Paul is saying. Who do you think you are to reply against the
living God? Who art thou, O man? Now, he
used that phrase a couple of other times in the book of Romans.
Turn back to Romans chapter two. O man means me or you, me and
you, means all men. O man, I love this O man. That means he's including us
all in this statement. Look in Romans chapter two, verse
one. Therefore, thou art inexcusable,
O man. Whosoever thou art that judgest,
for wherein thou judgest another, you condemn yourself, for thou
that judgest, doest." The same things. Whatever it is that you judge
and condemn anyone else for, you and I are actively doing
the same things. Somebody says, no, I'm not. God
says you are. Does that settle it? God says
you are. Verse three, chapter two, and
thinkest thou this O man that judges them which doeth such
things and doeth the same that thou shalt escape the judgment
of God. Back to chapter nine. Nay, but O man, who are you that
replies against God, that becomes God's judge? Would you agree
that me and you have no right sitting in judgment on God? Verse 20, shall the thing form,
say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus? You have
no right to do that. Hath not the potter power over
the clay of the same lump to make one vessel and to honor
And another under dishonor. God's good. Whatever he does
is good. From the potter's vessel, he
makes a vessel to house diamonds in. And he makes another vessel
that's the wastebasket. Has not the potter power over
the clay to do what he will with his own? to make one vessel under honor
and another under dishonor. What if God willing to show his
wrath and to make his power known endured with much long suffering,
the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction. That's strong language,
isn't it? Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction. that he might make known the
riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared,
before time prepared unto glory. Remember when the Lord said on
judgment day, come ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Even us, verse 24, whom he hath
called not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles. Now we read here of vessels of
mercy and vessels of wrath fitted to
destruction. Now that's the word of God. Somebody says, is this teaching
double predestination? Well, if by that you mean some
are predestinated to be saved and some are not, yes, it is
teaching that. What else could be said about it? But understand
this. If I go to hell, I won't be going
to hell because God didn't predestinate me. I'd be going to hell because
of my sin against God. And if I'm saved, it's all together
by grace. Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction. Vessels of mercy. Now that's the way God says it.
And it's good from the God who is good. You know, I've tried to think
before, how could wrath be an indication of God's
goodness? Well, I know this. If God, I
want to say this with a broken heart, I want to say this in
fear and trembling, but if God sent me to hell, it'd be good
for the rest of this creation to get rid of me. That's the
truth with regard to every God is good, whatever he does is
good. Now, he says in verses 25 and
26, as he also said in Isaiah, I will call them my people, which
were not my people and her beloved, which was not my beloved. And
it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them,
you're not my people. There they shall be called the
children of the living God. What mercy, what grace in the
place. There's, there's, there's a bunch
of places here this morning where you're sitting, where it can
be said in the place where they were not called a beloved, their beloved
children of the living God. Isaiah verse 27, Isaiah also
cried concerning Israel, though the children of the, the children
of Israel be as the sand of the sea, verse 27, A remnant shall
be saved. Though there's a great group,
a remnant, that means a small number. The remnant according to the
election of grace is what it's called in Romans chapter 11. What did the Lord say? Wide is the gate. and broad is
the way that leads to destruction. And many there be that go in
there at, but straight, narrow, straight is the gate, narrow
is the way that leads to life. And few there be that find it. Now let me tell you how straight
this gate is. If you have anything other than Christ, you can't
get through. That's how narrow this gate is. Let's go on reading. Verse 28 says, for he will finish the work and
cut it short in righteousness because a short work with the
Lord make upon the earth. The Lord will carry out this
sentence on the earth quickly and with finality. The Lord said it is finished. Verse 29, and as Isaiah said
before, except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed we had been
as Sodom and been made like unto Gomorrah. Now you know the story
of Sodom and Gomorrah, Wicked exceedingly before the
Lord, the Lord rained fire and brimstone down from heaven to
destroy them. As an act of his justice, Isaiah
said, except the Lord had left and preserved the seed, we'd
be just like them. Verse 30, what shall we say then, in light
of all these things brought out in Romans chapter nine? What
shall we say then, verse 30? What can we conclude from all
this? Well, here it is, that the Gentiles, which followed
not after righteousness, They had no interest in righteousness.
They had no interest in God. The Gentiles, which followed
not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness. What's that? Grace. Mercy. God's glorious grace to
these people who weren't even following after righteousness,
yet God gives it to them. It's called God's grace. Now let me remind you once again,
Romans 9 doesn't shut the door on anybody. It opens up the door
of mercy wide to anybody who comes. You might not have been
seeking righteousness. You get it anyway for Christ's
sake. That is God's grace. What shall we say then that the
Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness have attained
to righteousness, even the righteousness, which is a faith. Turn back to
Romans chapter three for just a moment. What is the righteousness of
faith? Verse 19, now we know that what
things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under
the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world
may become guilty before God. You know what it means when you're
guilty before God? It means you really believe.
that if he cut you off and sent you to hell, it would be an act
of his justice. You have no way of replying against
that. Your head is down, your mouth
is stopped. You can't say that's not so. Not when you stand before
God, guilty as charged, no excuse. Therefore, verse 20, therefore
by the deeds of the law, There shall no flesh be justified in
his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of
God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and
the prophets, even the righteousness of God. That's the righteousness
of faith. The righteousness of God, which
is by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that
believe. The righteousness of God, which
is by the faith of Jesus Christ. That is the righteousness that
every believer possesses. If I'm a believer, that means
I have nothing less than the righteousness of God, the perfect
merits of Jesus Christ as my personal righteousness before
God. That's why I could say, bold
shall I stand in that great day, for who ought to my charge shall
lay, fully absolved from these I am from sins, tremendous curse
and shame. I've got the righteousness of
God. What confidence we have. I'm not standing in my own righteousness,
although his righteousness is my own righteousness. You know,
he's, it's called a fine linen, clean white, the righteousness
of the saints. His righteousness is the righteousness
of the saints. Now back to Romans chapter nine,
but Israel, which followed after the law
of righteousness. described in chapter 10 verse
2 where he says, I bear them record Israel that they have
a zeal of God but not according to knowledge for they being ignorant
of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own
righteousness have not submitted themselves to the righteousness
of God for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness
to everyone that believeth. Now Israel which followed after
the law of righteousness had not attained to the law of righteousness.
Wherefore, how come? Because they sought it not by
faith, but as it were, by the works of the law, for they stumbled
at that stumbling stone as it's written, behold, I, this is God
speaking in two scriptures from Isaiah, are combined as it's
written, behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock
of offense. Now God said, I lay this stone,
this stumbling stone, this rock of offense. Now that is the Lord
Jesus himself. Men find him offensive. How so? You mean to tell me that
the only way I can come into God's presence is if He brings
me there. And there are no other ways.
Christ said, I am the way. He didn't say, I'll show you
the way. He said, I'm it. I'm the truth, not I'll tell
you the truth. I am the truth. He said, I'm
the life. Not I'll give you life, I'm it.
His life, that's my life before God. No man cometh to the Father
but by me. Now that doesn't mean I come
to the Father pleading only Christ, although I do. What that means
is I'm in Him when He comes to the Father. I come to the Father
because I'm in Him. You mean to tell me that that's
the only way that I can get there, that all my works count for nothing?
That I don't have any control in this? I don't have any say
in this? I don't have any, you're shutting me up to this? Yes.
That's the only way you can come to the Father. If he brings you
there, if you're in him, when he ascended back into glory,
You know who went with him? Everybody he died for. And as
he is seated at the right hand of the Father right now, we are
too in him. That's why somebody says, I'm
as sure for heaven as if I'm already there. I'm better. I'm
already there in Christ. I'm already there. That's how
sure that is. And then he makes this final
statement. Verse 33, as it's written, behold, I lay in Zion,
a stumbling stone, a rock of offense, and whosoever believeth
on him shall not be ashamed. Are you a whosoever? I'm not asking you if you know
you're one of the elect. I'm not asking you if you know
for sure that Christ died for your sins. I'm not asking you
if you know you've been born again. I'm asking you this. Are
you a whosoever? I'm one of them. Whosoever believeth
on him. What's that mean? Believeth on
him. That means. I believe that only
in him and on him I'm saved. Nothing more, nothing less, nothing
else. It's better than the illustrate,
you know, you believe the plane will get you to the destination.
You know, that's really not saying enough because I know that there's
a 99.99. I mean, there's a real good chance it's going to get
me over there. You know, not many planes wreck and there's
a pretty good probability I'm going to make it good enough
that I'll get up. It's better than that. If I'm
in Christ, I'm already in the destination. That's what it is. It's being in him. Whosoever. believeth on him shall not be
ashamed. They're not ashamed of their
hope. I'm proud of it. I'm not proud of myself, but
I'm proud of the salvation that's in Christ Jesus. I'm proud of
being made the very righteousness of God in him. I'm proud of it. Paul said, I'm not ashamed of
the gospel of Christ. It's the power of God and the
salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first and also to
the Greek. And I won't be put to shame. I won't be put to shame. You
know why? Because I'll have nothing to
be ashamed of. Perfect in Christ Jesus. I won't be put to shame. I'm not gonna go into heaven
thinking I'm getting in there by the skin of my teeth. No,
every believer has the very righteousness of Jesus Christ as their personal
righteousness before God. You have nothing to be ashamed
of. Whosoever believeth on him shall
not be ashamed. We're gonna close with a congregational
hymn, and then we're gonna sing a hymn for baptism. So parents,
if you have kids in the nursery, you can go get them, and they
can witness the baptism. Okay, Joy, number 168, number
168. And let's stand, let's all stand
for this hymn, number 168. Lord, I hear of showers of blessing,
Thou art scattering full and free. Showers the thirsty land
refreshing, Let some drops now fall on me, even me. me. Let thy blessing fall on
me. Pass me not, O tender Savior. Let me love and cling to thee. I am longing for thy favor. Whilst thou art calling, O call
me. Even me, even me, let thy blessing
fall on me. ? Pass me not, O mighty Spirit
? Thou canst make the blind to see ? Witnesser of Jesus' merit
? Speak the word of power to me ? Even me ? Eve and me ? Let
thy blessing fall on me ? Love of God so pure and changeless
? Blood of Christ so rich and free ? Grace of God so strong
and boundless ? Magnify them all in me ? Let thy blessing fall on me ?
Pass me not thy lost one bringing ? Bind my heart, O Lord, to thee
? While the streams of life are springing ? Blessing others,
O bless me Eve and me, Eve and me, let thy blessing fall on
me. Please be seated. Please be seated.
Let's sing hymn number 190 for the baptism, number 190 in your
hardbacked hymnal. Let's try it. ? We bless the name of Christ the
Lord ? We bless him for his holy word ? Who loved to do his Father's
will ? And all his righteousness fulfill We follow Him with pure
delight to sanctify His sacred right and thus our faith with
water seal to prove obedience that we feel. ? Baptized in God the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit ? Three in one, with conscience free,
we rest in God ? In love and peace through Jesus' blood ?
By grace we Abba Father cry ? By grace the Comforter comes nigh
? And for thy grace our love shall be forever ? Only Lord
for thee He's coming. Had to go change
clothes. I was thinking as we were singing
the first stanza, the second part of the first stanza, speaking
of Christ, who loved to do his Father's will and all his righteousness
fulfilled. When... Come on down, I.J., I.J. When John was hesitant to baptize
our Lord, the Lord said to John the Baptist,
let it be so that we might fulfill all righteousness. It is the
baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ that saves. He fulfilled all
the requirements of the law. And we follow him. David, follow me. And baptism is the first act
of obedience, if you will, of a believer, just submitting to
and following after Christ. AJ, it's our great joy, brother,
to witness your baptism and participate in it. AJ called me a couple
weeks ago. AJ lives in New Jersey. Darmiento? Darmiento. Darmiento. I'm sorry. Called me a couple weeks ago
and said he was going to be here for our conference and asked
me if I would baptize him. We've had a chance to talk on
the phone and then some since he's been here. And he reminded
me that he went to school here. Those of you that live here are
familiar with Full Sail. And back in 2010, 2008 to 2010, He attended school there and
came to services several times during that time. But in his
own testimony, he was living in rebellion against God. And
God stopped him in his tracks and showed him his sovereign
grace. Todd, that message from Romans chapter 9 is A.J.' 's
experience. that in the Lord's time, when
it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and
called me by His grace to reveal Christ in me. And so, AJ, it's
a joy to hear your testimony, to see it, and to join with you
in your desire to follow after Christ. So we baptize you, our
brother, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit, buried with Christ in heaven. Raised up to walk a new
life in Christ Jesus. Baptism is a testimony of when
Christ died, I died. The life he lived is my life.
The resurrection that he successfully achieved is my resurrection.
His ascension, as you just reminded us, God is my hope of entering
into glory. So, praise God. Let's pray together. Our Heavenly
Father, we're so very thankful for this weekend that you've
given us to hear about Christ and to worship Thee. Lord, we
thank You for these men that have come and faithfully preached
the Gospel. We thank You for Your Holy Spirit
that gives hearts to believe and ears to hear We pray, Lord,
that you would continue to cause us to meditate on the things
that you've taught us. We thank you for our brother
A.J., Lord, for his testimony. We ask that your hand of mercy
and grace would continue to be on him as it needs to be, Lord,
for each and every one of us. Pray that you'd bless our fellowship
now. Bless the meal that we're about to receive. We ask it in
Christ's name, amen. Y'all come by and greet our new
brother in Christ, okay? I'm sorry, we have a tradition
here. We always sing Amazing Grace
at the conclusion of a baptism, so y'all familiar with that?
Let's stand together. How sweet the sound that saved
a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but now I see. I are too dear, and grace my
fears relieve. How precious did that grace appear. Many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come. ? His grace hath brought me safe
thus far ? ? And grace will lead me home ? ? And with Him there
10,000 years ? ? I'm shining as the sun ? In no less days to sing God's
praise than when we first begun.