From this spring that he who
lives to be my king once died to be my savior. Please be seated. Matt, Rebecca. ? This heartless mammogreen ? ?
This heartless craft today ? ? For me ? ? This precious body shed
? ? My guilty softy spread ? ? I see His head, His hands, His
feet ? I hear His groans and cries for me ? He bears His cross
for me ? Who made the sure and divine In triumph for the grave, He
rules all things with love and sway. ? Set an arm in his hand ? ? And
strike by grace and love ? ? For me, the Savior is full availed
? ? Almighty, he is full of joy ? Shall lead me to this cloud And
when I stand before my God I'm still believing And when I stand before you Thank you, Rebecca. Well, I introducing John and
Clay, I mentioned that this was their first time here and we
hope that it's not their last. But our next preacher has been
here. Many, many times and we're so thankful for him. I first
heard the gospel from Todd Nyberg. 21 years ago. And I'm so grateful
for him. and for the friendship that the
Lord's given us. Todd, we're thankful you're here.
Lynn, thanks for coming with him. Todd would be nothing without
Lynn. That's the truth. I'm so happy being with y'all. Would you turn with me to Acts
chapter four? Your pastor's been such a blessing
to me. I guess we talk every few days,
don't we? Acts chapter four. I want to speak upon this subject,
the issue of predestination. Now, I'm not asking whether or
not predestination is true. It is. But what is the issue
of predestination? Clay ended up talking about that
man who was healed miraculously, over 40 years old. He was lame. And the Lord used Peter and John
to raise this man up He was walking and leaping and praising God,
and they were arrested for that. That's amazing, isn't it? They
were arrested for that because they did it in the name of the
Lord Jesus. Such was the animosity toward
Christ that they were arrested for that miracle. I think that
is amazing, isn't it? found out that they might get
in trouble over that. They were afraid of the people.
They couldn't stand up with their convictions when they thought
it would cost them something. So they were afraid the people
were going to get on them and do something to them because
the people were so impressed that this was done. Scripture
says that. And so they let them go. They
couldn't keep them incarcerated. And at that time, the church
prays this prayer. And these people had only been
regenerate for two or three days. You'll remember on the day of
Pentecost, 3,000 people were saved. Most people think that
this event happened the very next day when they went into
the temple, and 2,000 more people were saved. 5,000 men. And these
were newborn believers. And yet, in this prayer they
pray, we find out who God is you see when God reveals himself
to somebody they know who he is look in verse 23 and being let go they went to
their own company and reported all that the chief priests and
elders had said unto them and when they the church And like
I said, these are newborn believers. They'd only been converted for
two or three days at the most. And when they heard that, they
lifted up their voice to God. How? With what accord? Do you know believers are always
at agreement concerning the character of God? There's no discord. There's no disagreement. They
all lifted up their voice with one accord and said, Lord. Now that word is not the word
that's generally translated Lord. It's where we get the word despot
from. One who has no law over his head. One who has absolute control. One whose will is always done. One who has no checks and balances. One who answers to no one. That's the Lord. The despot. Thou art God which has made heaven
and earth and the sea and all that in them is. He's the creator. He's the one who made everything.
from nothing. Verse 25, who by the mouth of
thy servant David has said. Now they knew that he's the one
who speaks through the scripture. They quote Psalm 2 and they said,
by the mouth of your servant David, you said, we know the
Bible. is God's infallible word. And you know, it's not hard to
believe either. If you believe that God created the universe
from nothing, it's not hard to believe that the Bible is the
inspired word of God. We know it is. We know it is. Let's go on reading. who by the
mouth of thy servant David hath said, why did the heathen rage,
and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood
up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and
against his Christ. We know that this world is against
our God, don't we? We know it. The God that is,
is the God that men are opposed to. Always. And they understood that. Let's
go and read him. Verse 27, for the truth against
thy holy child, Jesus. God's got a holy child, the Lord
Jesus Christ, the second person of the blessed Trinity. For the
truth against thy holy child, Jesus, whom thou hast anointed
both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people
of Israel were gathered together for to do whatsoever thy hand
and thy counsel determined before to be done. Now that word determined
before is the word that's usually translated predestinated. When the soldiers drove the nails
in the hands and the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ on that
tree. It was because God predestinated
for that to be done. Now, God is the God of predestination. It's who God is. And if I don't
worship, the God of predestination, I might as well be worshiping
a totem pole. No difference. Now, without doubt,
the Bible teaches predestination. The word is found six times in
the New Testament. I just read one of them. Now
turn to Romans chapter 8. Verse 29, for whom he did foreknow, he
also did predestinate. There it is. To be conformed
to the image of his son that he might be the firstborn among
many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate,
them he also called. Turn to 1 Corinthians chapter
2. Verse 7, but we speak the wisdom
of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained
before the world unto our glory. And that's the same word, predestinated. Same word. Turn to Ephesians
chapter 1. Verse four, according as he has
chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be
holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated
us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according
to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of
his grace. Look in verse 11, in whom also
we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according
to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel
of his own will. Now, I've just read six verses
of scripture with the word predestination in it. Now, before I go any further,
I want to ask this question. What is the issue of predestination? It's not something that Theologians
argue about that. You know, if you're a theologian,
you almost exclude yourself from having any understanding. That
makes everything academic. I hate the word theology. I really
do. I wish I could keep from ever using it again because it's
silly. It's not a word found in the Bible. This is not something
to argue about theologically. But what is the issue of predestination? Well, first of all, if you don't
believe in the God of predestination, the God you believe in does not
exist. That's the first issue. If you
don't believe in the God of predestination, the God you believe in does not
exist. The second issue is that of worship. The only God that can be worshiped
is the God of absolute predestination who controls everything. You're in his hand. He's not
in yours. He controls everything. You can't manipulate him. You
can't get him to respond to you. He's God. And until I see God
is God, the God of absolute predestination, I have never worshiped. I think
I can control him. I think I can get him to respond
to what I want him to do. No worship there. You only worship
the God of absolute predestination. Thirdly, if you don't believe
in predestination, you don't have any understanding of the
cross. You see, this universe was made
for the cross. Christ is the lamb slain from
the foundation of the world. And there is no understanding
of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ apart from a God of absolute
predestination. God made this universe for the
cross. If I do not believe in absolute
predestination, I don't believe men are dead in sins. I think
there's something men can do to respond to God, to get Him
to act the way they want Him to. I deny total depravity when
I deny the God of absolute predestination. If I don't believe in predestination,
I don't believe in grace. It's that simple. I don't believe
salvation is by grace. Salvation comes by God responding
to something I did rather than believing salvation is utterly
and entirely of grace. If predestination is not true, I don't have any hope. I have absolutely no hope of
being saved. Now, that's the issue of predestination.
That is how important this is. Now, like I said earlier, predestination
is nothing more or less than God being God. You believe that? Predestination
is God being God. There really are no alternatives.
I put in my notes, and I was looking at it this morning, The
only alternative to predestination is atheism. And I thought, atheism
is not an alternative. It's ridiculous. I know many
very intelligent people claim to be atheists and they say that,
you know, science and reason and logic, that's against a God
of creation and a God that's absolutely sovereign. That's
just not so. Atheism doesn't even make sense.
It's irrational, illogical, and intellectually incomprehensible.
I mean, you can't come up with atheism. Nobody's born an atheist. So no, atheism is not an alternative. There are no alternatives to
a God of absolute predestination. And somebody says, well, you're
making men puppets on God's string. Well, if predestination's not
true, God's a puppet on man's string. That's the soul. That's
the God of absolute predestination. Now turn with me to Isaiah chapter
45. Verse seven. This is God speaking. I form the light and create darkness. I make peace and create evil. I, the Lord, do all these things. Chapter 46, verse 9. Remember the former things of
old, for I am God and there's none else. I am God and there
is none like me. declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying,
my counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure. Calling a
ravenous burst from the east, the man that executes my counsel
from a far country, yea, I have spoken it. I will also bring
it to pass. I have purposed it. I will also
do it. That's God. Anything less is no God at all. And we don't apologize for this.
Somebody says, explain that. You know, God doesn't need to
explain himself to you. He doesn't need to explain himself to me.
Somebody says, well, that's not fair. Who are you to try to decide
what's fair and what's not fair? You don't have the moral capability
of doing that, standing in judgment on God. Who are thou to reply
against God? You got no business doing it.
You got no ability to do it. Neither do I. God is God. Now, this thing of predestination
has something to do with God purposing something and it being
done. He predetermines what's going to take place, and it takes
place. That's His decrees. I have purposed
it. I will also do it. And His decrees
have one purpose, His glory. His decrees are eternal. His
decrees are immutable. You see, God never responds to
anything. He only acts. What He has purposed He does. I have purposed it. I also will
do it. You see, if his decrees could
change, that would mean a lack of wisdom or a lack of power
on his part. And such is blasphemy to even
think of anything like that. His decrees are absolutely sovereign.
He doeth according to his will in the armies of heaven and among
the inhabitants of the earth. And none can stay his hand or
say unto him, What doest thou? Give an account for yourself.
He gives no account of his matters. Don't you love the Lord being
that way? A God you cannot possibly understand or comprehend? His decrees are efficacious.
There is an absolute certain assurance of all that he has
decreed to take place. It's going to happen. It's going
to occur. His decrees relate to all events. Not a sparrow
falls to the ground without your Heavenly Father. Now that seems
like an insignificant event, but it's all under His control
and purpose. Just like when they crucified
the Lord, everything they did was because He determined before
for it to be done. The free and uncoerced actions
of men are all foreordained and predestinated by God. Everything. The thoughts going through your
mind right now, it was all predetermined. You did it freely. Men are responsible
for their actions, responsible for their sins. This is not talking
about some kind of fatalism, but it's so. Everything God is
in control of. Before time began, there were some people that God
foreknew, whom He did foreknow. Now that word has to do with
Him loving these people. There are some people He never
knew. Oh, He knew all about them. He
knew their names. He knew everything they did.
But he never knew him. He said, depart from me, ye that
work iniquity. I never knew you. And what that
means is I never loved you. I never knew you to be mine.
I never knew you to bow before me and worship me and look to
me as all in your salvation. I never knew you to do anything
like that. Depart from me. But those he foreknew. In love, Paul said in Ephesians
1, having predestinated them. foreknew. You know, whatever's
in God's mind has always been in God's mind, hasn't it? There's
never been a time when it wasn't. If I was in God's mind, if I'm
in God's mind now, I've always been in his mind. Whom he did
foreknow. What about those he foreknew?
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed
to the image of His Son, that He might be the Son, the Son
of God, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Now that's predestination. This is predestination. When
Christ agreed to be my surety before time began and took complete
responsibility for my salvation and predestined that I would
be just like him. You see, the elect have always
been in Christ. Before I formed thee in the belly,
I knew thee. that is true of everyone that
he has predestination predestinated according as he has chosen us
in him before the foundation of the world he saved us he called
us with a holy calling not according to our works but according to
his own purpose and grace which was given us in christ jesus
before the world began and here's what i really love about that
he saved us and he called us which came first He saved us! He saved us! And then He called
us. That lets you know just how much
salvation is by grace. You didn't have anything to do
with it. He saved us! And then He called us with a
holy calling. Now, being predestinated is all according
to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel
of his eternal will. I know we don't understand this
because we can't understand eternity. You know that? I know it. I think
it's kind of silly when I talk about eternity past and eternity
future. Oh, that's, you know, denial of what eternity is in
the first place, but still everything God does is eternal. Everything. We read of eternal salvation.
These are scriptural words. Eternal salvation, eternal redemption,
eternal judgment, eternal life, eternal inheritance, We read
of the blood of the everlasting, which is the same word, the blood
of the eternal covenant. Everything God does is eternal. And we were talking the other
night, and I love what your pastor said. He said, when we get to
heaven, we're gonna find out we've always been there. And
we never even left. And we won't even remember any
of this stuff called time. And we'll know. The only reason
we are there is when we see the scars in his hands and feet.
We won't remember what it's like to be sinners, but we'll know
the only reason we're there is because of him. God predestinated
that all of these people would be perfectly conformed to the
image of Christ that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Now that's predestination. How can I reach that point? And the reason I ask that. Is
look at me. I. Right now. Present tense. Am so sinful. Paul didn't say. I used to be
the chief of centers. He said, I am. He didn't say,
oh, wretched man that I used to be. He said, oh, wretched
man that I am. I'm talking about things that
are too high, too holy, too wonderful for me. What would make me think
that I could reach that end? Because right now, I cannot not
sin. I cannot not sin. When Greg was preaching that
message last night about that three-fold repentance, repentance
is to have a sense of sin, it's to have a sorrow of sin, and
it's to separate from sin. Well, we're too stupid to have
a sense for sin. We don't even know what it means
to be sorry. Not really. We don't have the
capability. And as far as separating ourselves from sin, let's see
it. Come on. That's where I'm at. How in the
world am I gonna be saved? Because before there was ever
a sinner, there was a savior. Christ is the lamb slain from
the very foundation of the world. Now, when Adam fell, let me give
you my story. Here's my testimony. When Adam
fell and ate that fruit, that was me. By one man, sin entered
into the world, and death by sin, so that death passed upon
all men, in that all sinned. I was not charged with Adam's
sin. I sinned in Adam. And do you know that was all
a part of God's predestinated purpose. When he said to Adam,
in the day you eat thereof." He didn't say, if you eat. He
said, in the day you eat thereof, you shall surely die. That was all a part of God's
purpose. Somebody said to me recently,
how can you say that? Easy. Easy. I don't have any problem saying
that at all. God's God. You know, I love it this way.
I really do. I love the God of absolute, complete
predestination who purposes and controls all things. But yes, my testimony. Here's my
testimony. When Adam ate, I ate. When he died, I died. But here's
the other part of my testimony. I was in Christ. Eternally united
to Him. This thing of union with Christ.
I love the way the Lord used the vine and the branch to illustrate
it. The vine and the branch. Where's
the connecting point between a vine and a branch? There ain't
one. The same stem that goes through
the vine goes through the branch. There's an eternal union between
Christ and his people. Here's my testimony. When he
kept the law, I kept the law. When he died, I died. When he was raised, I was raised. And when I stand before God in
judgment day and they bring out the books regarding me, there's
going to be no guilt. Perfect righteousness accepted
in the beloved. the predestinator came and did
all that he predestined to do for the predestinated. That's
predestination. It's Christ, before time began,
taking full responsibility for my salvation and doing it all. Do you know that you can't understand
the gospel without this. You know, the early church, they'd
only been converted a couple of days and they knew this because
they know God. This is who God is. This is how
he saves sinners by his grace. Somebody that doesn't believe
in predestination, they believe in a God that does not exist
and cannot save. That's how important this issue
is. You can't understand the gospel
without this. But, no buts, here's another
thing about predestination. For whom he did foreknow, he
also did predestinate to be conformed in the image of his son that
he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom
he did predestinate them. He also called whom he called
them. He also Justified whom he justified
them. He also glorified that means
right now. I am glorified Someone says you
don't look glorified. I still am I still am That shows how the only difference
between me and Being in heaven now and right now is I won't
have this sinful flesh anymore and I have all that's I'm perfectly
fit for the kingdom of heaven, what I've predestinated for.
Now, what did he determine before
to be done? They were gathered together to do whatsoever thy
hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. What did he
determine before to be done? Well, he determined that Christ
would be the lamb slain. And he determined that everybody
Christ represented would be saved. And whenever God thinks something,
it's already done. All the works were finished from
the foundation of the world. This is who God is. This is how
he saves sinners. And this is the ABCs of the gospel. Now, let me close by just making
a couple of remarks about all the objections to predestination. Predestination makes men robots. For one thing, is that such a
bad thing? Would you like to be God's robot
programmed to do His will? Programmed to look to Christ
only? Programmed up? I'm all for it. I'm all for it. Have no problem with that at
all. Well, don't you want to do what
you do freely? No. No. I'm real okay with being
a robot. I want to be that way. And somebody
says, well, that's just wrong. No, it's not. No, it's not. That's
what I want. Okay, there's where my will is.
That's what I want to be. That's what I want to be. I want his
grace to reign in me. I don't want to be left to my
free will. I want him to control everything I do. I want him to
order my steps in his word, let no iniquity have dominion over
me. I need the God of predestination. I flat need this. You know, you're
talking about being poor and needy. I was thinking, I need
to be elect. I need Christ to die for me. I need God to give
me a new heart. I need grace to be irresistible
and invincible. I need to be, I'm needy. I know
what I'm talking about is what I need. If this is not just talking
about what I believe, this is what I need. Somebody says the
God of predestination makes God puppets. Well, makes men puppets. Well, The
opposite, if free will's true, God is a puppet on man's string
and he can't do anything unless man by his will allows him to
do it. I don't like that look, do you?
Who'd you rather be in control, God or man? God. Christ. God the Spirit. We delight in
Him. I've heard people say, Belief in predestination kills
missions and an evangelical spirit desiring to witness. That's just plumb-dumb. It does
not. All the great missionaries have
been people who believed in absolute predestination. Every one of
them. Every one of them. Every gospel preacher is preaching.
in pre-destination. They believe it. And it doesn't
kill missions. It makes you know that there's
a reason to preach. God's got a people. He's going
to call them out. He's going to bring them in.
Every missionary that's ever lived has believed in absolute
pre-destination and they wouldn't have bothered to even mess with
it if they didn't. Ever true preacher? Well, pre-destination destroys
motive for obedience. It does not. I want to be obedient
to the Lord, don't you? I want to honor him in my life.
I want to follow him. And I'm so ashamed of where I
don't. My lack of ability makes me think, oh, that I may win
Christ and be found in him. But predestination doesn't destroy
motives for obedience. You want to be like Christ. You
want to be delivered from your sin. You want to be made like
him. Predestination never did that with anybody. Well, predestination
turns men into fatalists. Well, if you're already a fatalist,
you're going to use anything to be that way. But predestination
didn't do that. Fatalism is blind fate, not God
controlling everything. But predestination never made
anybody feel that way. Predestination is all about what
only God can do. He brings good. out of evil. That's predestination. Joseph's brothers sold him into
slavery. Man, that was evil, wasn't it?
That was evil. They were jealous of him. They
couldn't speak peaceably to him. They see these guys coming. They
put him in a pit trying to figure out what they're going to do
to him. They sell him to the Midianites to be a slave. He's brought into Egypt. Boy, God had a purpose in that,
didn't he? But after his brothers found out who he was, I love
to think about that. They didn't know who he was.
And we said, I am Joseph. And they couldn't even speak.
They were so troubled. They thought, it's over for us. It's over for
us. He's going to get us back. We're
going to get what we got coming. It's over for us. And what did Joseph say? You meant it for evil. But God meant it for good. To bring. To pass a great salvation. He actually said you didn't do
this. God did. That's the language. You didn't
do this. God did. Now this is what predestination
is. You can't bring good out of evil.
You can't do that, can you? God can. And God does. And God does all the time. The issue of predestination is
ultimately God being God. The issue of predestination is
the glory of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. The issue
of predestination is salvation really is all of grace. The issue of predestination is
the only reason I hope to be saved because salvation is of
the Lord. love predestination because we
love the God of predestination. That is who He is. I don't know if I've ever heard
two messages that complimented themselves or each other so well. What a blessing. What a blessing. We're unable to do anything.
He's done it all. Thank you. I am the Lord, and
I change not. Therefore, you sons of Jacob
are not consumed. What hope, what blessing, what
peace. I like thinking about the fact
that our God has never had a new thought. Never had a new thought. You know we think and scheme
and change our minds and you know we're always trying to figure
he's never had a new thought. We're going to have lunch together
so hope that you'll stay for that. I think we have plenty
of food but the menu is limited so If you don't like what's on
the menu, there's within one walk, just a block away, there's
Burger King, there's KFC, there's several places right here behind
the church. But I hope you stay. Two o'clock, we'll. gather back
together and John Chapman is going to bring one message after
lunch and then we'll be dismissed for the day and come back in
the morning. So that's the schedule. All right. Tom. Number 12 in the spiral hymnal.
Let's stand together. Number 12. Upon my great and sovereign God,
I cast my soul and rest. My Father's hand controls the
world, and what He does is best. So be still, my heart, and doubt
no more. Believe and find sweet rest. God's wisdom, love, and truth,
and power combine to make thee blessed. In raging storms and
fiery trials, He keeps me from all harm. He walks with me and
holds me in His everlasting arm. So be still, my heart, and doubt
no more. Believe and find sweet rest. God's wisdom, love, and truth,
and power combine to make thee blessed. My God with skill infallible
and great designs of grace, with power and love that never fail,
shall order all my ways. So be still, my heart, and doubt
no more. Believe and find sweet rest. God's wisdom, love, and truth,
and power combine to make thee blessed. My life's most minute
circumstance is ordered by my God, who promised that in all
things He will ever do me good. So be still, my heart, and doubt
no more. Believe and find sweet rest. God's wisdom, love, and truth,
and power combine to make thee blessed. Let's pray. Lord, we're thankful
that you have brought us together for this meeting, Lord. Grateful
that your spirit has filled this house, Lord, that you've taught
us about you. Now, Lord, we ask that you be
Lord over our fellowship together, that you be the subject of our
conversation, and we ask you to bless this food for our bodies,
that we may come together again in a short time and hear from
you again, Lord. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Thank you.