And Merry Christmas. So good
to be here this morning. We're going to sing to him the
back of your bulletin. Everybody's got one. If you could
all please stand up. To him in the back of the bulletin. For unto us a child is born,
to us a son is given. The government shall rep on him,
anointed one from heaven. His name is wonderful to learn,
the mighty God is He. The everlasting Father, the humble
Prince of Peace. The increase of his government
and peace shall never end. He'll reign on David's ancient
throne as ruler of all men. Upheld with justice, righteousness
forever his reign will last. The zeal of the Lord, God knows
high, will bring these things to pass. Y'all can be seated. If you could turn now to your
hardback, number 185. Number 185. Glorious things of
thee are spoken. Number 185. ? Glorious things of Thee are spoken
? ? Zion, city of our God ? ? He whose word cannot be broken ?
? Formed Thee for His own abode ? ? On the rock of ages founded
? What can shake thy sure repose? With salvation's walls surrounded,
Thou mayest smile at all thy foes. See the stream of living
waters, springing from eternal love. Well supply the sons and
daughters And all fear of one free move Who can fake one such
a river? never flows their thirst to sway. Grace, which like the Lord, the
Giver, never fails from age to age. Round each habitation hovering,
See the cloud and fire appear, For a glory and a covering, Showering
that the Lord is near. Glorious things of Thee are spoken,
I unsee thee of our God, he whose word cannot be broken, form thee
for his own abode. Please turn with me to the Word
of God, to Luke chapter 7. Luke chapter 7. I was reading this week about
the Ark of the Covenant. And they said, whenever the Covenant
traveled, the Lord commanded that the priest would surround
the Covenant with a ram's horn. And they would blow it like a
trumpet. And it was the sound to the people that the covenant
was coming and salvation is at hand. It was a call to worship. Well, when we read the Word of
God in introduction here, that's what we're doing. We're blowing
the horn that Christ is coming and salvation is at hand right
now. And we don't know how long that trumpet will blow. May God
give us the grace to believe it. We'll start reading at verse
36. And one of the Pharisees desired
him, this is Christ, that he would eat with him. And Christ
went into the Pharisee's house and sat down to meet. And behold,
a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that
Jesus sat at meet in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster
box of ointment. For you don't know that was more
precious than gold in those days. And look what this sinner did
and stood at his feet behind him weeping and began to wash
his feet with tears and did wipe them with the hairs of her head
and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now,
when the Pharisees, which had bid him, saw it, he spake within
himself, saying, This man, Christ, if he were a prophet, he would
have known who and what man or woman, this that touches him,
for she's a sinner. Aren't you glad Christ visits
sinners and eats with them? I am. And Jesus answered and
said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee, and
he saith, Master, say on. And the Lord tells Simon, there
was a certain creditor which had two debtors, the one owed
500 pence and the other 50. And when they had nothing to
pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which
of them will love him the most? And Simon answered and said,
I suppose that he to whom he forgave the most, and he said
unto him, thou hast judged rightly. And he turned to the woman and
said unto Simon, seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house,
thou gavest me no water for my feet, but she hath washed my
feet with tears. and wiped them with the hairs
of her head. Now that's humility, folks. That's being humble by
Christ. Thou gavest me no kiss, but this
woman, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my
feet. My head withal, thou didst not
anoint, but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore
I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, forgiven, for she loved
much. But to whom little is forgiven,
the same loveth little. Elsewhere the Lord says, he who
is forgiven much, loves much. And he said unto her, As Bert
said last week, this is the desire of every child of God, for the
Lord to tell us, thy sins are forgiven. Boy, now that ought
to cost you. I read that, that costs me to
fight back the tears, I'll just say that. And they that sat at
meat with him began to say of themselves, who is that forgiveth
sins also? And he said unto the woman, thy
faith has saved thee, go in peace. And I ask myself and I ask you,
how much have you been forgiven? Because he that is forgiven much,
loves much. And he who loves much, worships
much. You can't worship apart from
the Lord says, you will worship me in what? In spirit and in
truth. There's a whole lot of people
today that's attending worship that know nothing about worship.
Only the people of God know what it means. We worship Him because
we have been forgiven much. Would you please join me in prayer? Lord, we've come here this morning
desperate to hear from you. Lord, we confess that unless
you enable us to pray, we can't even pray. Lord, unless you enable
us to worship, we won't be able to worship. Unless you send your
spirit to give us faith to believe, we won't be able to believe. Oh, Lord, would you please do
that for us this morning? We thank you, Lord, and we pray
for the servant you've sent. to declare your word, to sound
the trumpet of Christ to us. Wherever your people gather,
we pray for them and their families, Lord, that you would protect
them and comfort and encourage them and reveal yourself to them. And we pray for us sinners here
this morning that need Christ, Lord. Remind us of what you've
forgiven us, and give us the Spirit, Lord, to love you as
we ought, and to worship you, and to glorify
you. And on this day, we especially
pray for the lost. Oh, God, give us a compassion
for those who do not know you. We pray that there any be here
this morning that hear our voice, Speak of you that you would speak
to them. We cannot do anything. You alone
are able to save them. We pray that you might be willing.
We ask this all for your glory. Amen. We're going to sing to him now
the Grace Hymnal, number 10. And if you could all please stand,
number 10. There is a Redeemer, Jesus Christ,
God's Son, Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One. Thank you, O our Father, for
giving us your Son, and making sure the work for sinners was
completely done. Jesus Christ, Redeemer, name
above all names, precious Lamb of God, Messiah, hope for sinners
slain. Thank you, O our Father, for
giving us your Son, and making sure the work for sinners was
completely done. When He rose to heaven, to His
throne on high, He sat down, His work was finished, chosen
ones He can't deny. Thank you, O our Father, for
giving us your Son, and making sure the work for sinners was
completely done. When we stand in glory, we will
see His face. There we'll worship Christ forever
in that holy place. Thank you, O our Father, for
giving us your Son, making sure the work for sinners was completely
done. You may be seated. Good morning. I love that hymn. And what we're here to do is
declare what work has been done. It's finished. The work of redemption
is accomplished. God has saved His people. And
we're here to declare the finished work of Christ, believing that
those for whom Christ died will rejoice in the message of their
salvation. Let's open our Bibles together
to Isaiah chapter 38. Isaiah chapter 38. If you'd like, you can go back
and listen to the message from Wednesday night. We've dealt
with more of this chapter on Wednesday night. But I want to
focus our attention on one phrase in verse one, where the prophet
Isaiah comes to King Hezekiah and says to him, set thine house
in order. Set thine house in order. I knew a man that passed from this world years
before his wife did, and out of love and concern for his wife,
knowing that he probably would die before her, he provided everything
that she needed for the rest of her years in this world. She never went for want of anything
because of the arrangements that he made for her before he died. And then when she passed from
this world, her children were amazed when going to make arrangements
for her funeral to find out that 14 years prior, he had paid everything,
right down to the flowers. He had already made arrangements
for everything necessary for her life and for her burial. You could say, I guess, he set
his house in order. I tell you that story in order
to illustrate what the Lord Jesus Christ has done. Hezekiah, in
this story, is a type of Christ. Hezekiah's name translated means
the Lord is my strength. The Lord Jesus Christ depended
completely on his Father for everything that he did. His dying
words where father into thy hands I
commend my spirit. Hezekiah was told by the prophet
to set his house in order. The Lord Jesus Christ set his
house in order. He provided everything, everything
for his wife. She never was in want, right
down to her dying breath. Everything necessary for her
life here and for her life in glory was provided for by her
husband who set his house in order. Now, we might begin by asking
the question, who makes up the house of God? For whom did the
Lord Jesus Christ set His house in order? And the Scriptures
answers that question for us. In Hebrews 3, verse 4, God says,
Christ is over His house. Whose house are we? whose house are we, who are we? Those who hold fast the confidence
of their hope unto the end. So, those who make up the house
of God, those for whom the Lord Jesus Christ set His house in
order, are those who have their confidence, all their confidence,
all their hope, In another place, God says, we are the true circumcision
which worship God in the spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and
have no confidence in the flesh. So those who are of the house
of God are those who, by the grace of God, have found all
their hope. and all their confidence in their
husband who has provided everything for them. They have no confidence
whatsoever in themselves. They cannot look back to an experience. They can't look to a prayer.
They can't look to a work. They can't look to any feelings
that they've ever had. All they can do is look back
to their husband and say, he set his house in order. He did everything necessary for
his wife to be provided for. We have no confidence in ourselves.
Those who have all their confidence, all their confidence, Paul said,
I'm persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed
unto him. Everything is committed to him.
Is that true for you? If it is, then you can take some
hope that What the Lord Jesus Christ did for His household
was for you. 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 5, you
also as lively stones are built up unto a spiritual house on
the foundation. Christ is the foundation on which
the house is built. and the Lord builds his house
on Christ. He said to Peter, he said, whom
do men say that I am? You remember Peter said, well,
some say that thou art John the Baptist, some Elijah, some one
of the prophets, and who do you say that I am? Thou art the Christ,
the son of the living God. And what did the Lord say to
Peter? Peter, you've been blessed of my father. Blessed art thou,
Simon Barjona. Flesh and blood did not reveal
this unto you. My Father which is in heaven
has made it known unto you. Made what known? That I am the
Christ, the Messiah, the anointed one. The one who came from heaven
to accomplish the salvation of his people all by himself. To
set his house in order to provide everything for his bride. And
then the Lord said upon this rock, he wasn't talking about
Peter, He was talking about the confession that Peter made, that
the Lord Jesus was the Christ, the son of the living God. Upon
this rock, I will build my church. Has God placed you as a lively
stone on the foundation stone of Christ? First Peter chapter three, verse
15, the house of God. which is the church of the living
God, the pillar and the ground of the truth. How do we discern
whether or not a church is really the house of God? Is the truth being preached there?
Is Christ being lifted up? Is God getting all the glory
for salvation? Or is man being given something
that he can do to earn favor with God? Most religions are
the latter. The Lord says the house of God
is the pillar and the ground of the truth. The Lord Jesus
Christ said, I am the way, I am the truth, and I am the life. No man can come to the Father
but by me. If I be lifted up, I will draw all men to myself. We know that we are in the house
of God when Christ gets all the glory. when Christ gets all the
glory. Man's not being given any hope
outside of the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He set his house in order all
by himself and provided everything necessary for his bride. Now the Lord is very zealous
for his house, for his house. When the Lord began his public
ministry at around age 30 and concluded his ministry just before
his crucifixion, he did something very provocative to the world. He went into the temple, he made
a whip He chased out the money changers and turned over their
tables and made this declaration. You have turned the house of
God. Now the Lord, we're talking about
our Lord being a type of Hezekiah, Hezekiah being a type of our
Lord, setting his house in order. He said, you have turned the
house of God into a house of merchandise. All you're doing
is merchandising men's souls. All you're doing is selling salvation. You're giving men something to
do, to bring to the altar, so that they can manipulate God
to say to them. And that's all most churches
are, houses of merchandise, and the Lord hates it. He hates it. The scripture says that when
the Lord did that, his disciples remembered what was written in
the Psalms, that the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. The zeal of thine house hath
eaten me up. Our Lord is zealous for His bride. He's zealous for His children.
He's zealous for His house. He is zealous for His gospel.
I want to know I'm a part of it, don't you? I don't want to
be deceived. I want to know that He has set
His house in order and that I'm a part of that house. Now what has he done to set his
house in order? Specifically, what has he done?
Psalm 40 verse five says, many, O Lord, are thy wonderful works
which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to usward. Many are thy works, O Lord, many,
many wonderful works you have done, and your thoughts are to
usward. The Lord said, I know the thoughts
that I have towards you, thoughts for good, not for evil, that
I might bring you to your expected end. The Lord is going to bring
every one of his children to their expected end. And David said, your thoughts
to usward? They cannot be reckoned up in
order unto thee. If I would declare and speak
of them, they are more than can be numbered. We could spend the
rest of our lives here on earth recounting the wonderful works
of God and never exhaust them. Now I've got about 30 minutes.
I ask you for 30 minutes of your time. to recount a few of the
works of God. Just a few of them. The first
one is that He determined who would be part of His house. It was His choice. Before time
ever began, before Adam was ever created, our sovereign God decided
who He would save. He wrote their names in the Lamb's
Book of Life. They're called the elect of God. They're called the chosen ones. Now, in most religions, whether
or not you're part of the house of God is determined by you.
A decision that you have to make, a prayer that you have to pray,
a work that you have to perform. What I'm saying to you is that
our God, His works are so glorious and so wonderful that He chose
His own children. He went into the orphanage and
He picked out which children He wanted and He adopted them
as His own. He chose which wife he would
marry. He's the one who hired his own
servants. He said, I chose you. You did
not choose me. It is not of him that willeth,
nor of him that runneth. It is not by man's free will,
nor by his effort, but of God who showeth mercy. Now that's
a glorious work. That's setting your house in
order. Deciding all by yourself. Listen to what God says in Ephesians
chapter one. He hath chosen us in him before
the foundation of the world, having predestinated us unto
adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself according
to his own good pleasure that all the glory might go to him. Now what's so confusing about
that? People read that and they say, well do you believe in election?
Yeah, of course I do. I believe in a sovereign God
who has the sovereign right to choose whomsoever he wills. He said I'm the potter, you're
the clay. Many of y'all may know Cyril
is a potter. He's made some beautiful pottery.
And no you've that that clay is in your hands in that cereal
and you can do with it Whatever you will and when it doesn't
look like you just ball it up I'll make some vessels of honor
and some of dishonor I can I've got that sovereign right and
no man can say unto me what doest thou? He set his house in order and
before Adam was ever made. Listen to Psalm 65 verse 4. Blessed
is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto
thee. Blessed is the man whom thou
choosest and causest to come unto thee, that he may dwell
in thy courts, and we shall be satisfied with the goodness of
thy house." Lord, I like a gospel. I like a God. I rejoice in a
God. I worship a God. I love a God
who does all the choosing himself. He set his house in order, in
election. What I'm saying to you is that
free will is an illusion. It's an illusion. There's no
such thing. God's in control. He's the one
who sets his house in order. Who did he choose? He said, well,
how do I know if he chose me? Turn with me to 1 Corinthians
1. You'll be so blessed by this, I hope. I hope this will just
thrill your soul to discover whether or not you are one that
he has chosen. 1 Corinthians 1, verse 27. But God hath chosen the foolish
things. Are you a fool? And someone said, I'm not a fool.
Well, then God hasn't chosen you. No evidence yet that he
has. If he's chosen you, he's going
to make you a fool. In your own eyes, you're going to become
a fool. God has chosen the foolish things
of the world to confound the wise and God has chosen the weak
things of the world in that we were yet without strength Christ
died for the ungodly. Are you weak? Now when I say
are you weak, I'm not meaning now can you do a little something.
I mean you're without strength. You've got no strength. You can't
save yourself. You can't obey God. You can't
believe. You can't do anything. His strength will be made perfect
in our weakness on it. Paul said, when I'm weak, then
I'm strong. To confound the things that are
mighty and the base things of the world. And you know what
that means? That's the bottom of the barrel. So here's my question. Are you
a fool? Are you without strength? Are you at the bottom of the
barrel? Those are the ones God's chosen. The things which are despised
hath God chosen, yea, the things which are not. Without Christ, I can do nothing,
no thing. In me that is in my flesh dwelleth
no good thing. Is that you? That's not most
folks. Most folks believe themselves
to have something good about them, something they can present
to God, some intention, some prayer, some dedication, some,
you know, I'll bring something. When God brings you to the place
where you've got nothing to bring and you're completely dependent
upon him to set his house in order, then you've got some hope
that maybe you're part of his house. Maybe you're part of his
house. Look at verse 29, that no flesh
should glory in his presence. No flesh. I've got nothing to
glory in the presence of God. All I can do is bow to him. All I can do is worship him.
All I can do is kiss his feet. All I can do is listen for his
voice. I can't make any objections. I can't even ask any questions.
Lord, speak. But of Him, of God, are you in
Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness
and sanctification and redemption. Is Christ all your wisdom? Is
Christ all your righteousness? Is Christ all your holiness before
God? Is Christ all your redemption?
That's who He died for. That's who He chose in the covenant
of grace. So, that according as it is written,
he that glorieth, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. The only question you and I have
to ask ourselves is, do I fit the description of those whom
God chose? Do I fit His description? If
I do, then there's some hope that I'm a part of the house
that He set in order. Secondly, what has the Lord done
to set His house in order? He reveals Himself to His children
by His Word. And you're not going to hear
the voice of God sitting out in the woods, listening to the
wind blow through the trees. God speaks, He's going to speak
by His Word. Of His own will begat He us with
the Word of Truth. That's why we spend so much time
in this book, isn't it? And contrary to what most folks
believe, this is not a book of rules and regulations. This is
not a book to teach you primarily how to live. This is an autobiography. This is a revelation of the Lord
Jesus Christ. He said in the volume of the
book, it is written of me, for I have come to do thy will, O
God. So this book, just like Hezekiah
is a type of Christ, all the other characters in this book
represent the Lord Jesus Christ. And we look to them to discover
Him. God reveals Himself in this book. You've listened to most folks
preaching today. It's all about how to live. All
about what you need to do to fix up your life and make you
a better person. I want to be a better person.
I want to live in a way that's going to honor the Lord. But you know where you learn
to live? You know where you learn to live?
After you learn to die. After you learn to die. Only then can you learn anything
about living. God's got to speak to your heart
and assure you that he set his house in order for you. And you've got to have hope and
comfort and peace in your heart that you have an advocate with
the father Jesus Christ the righteous one who has set everything in
order so that when your day of departure comes you'll discover that even the
flowers were paid for everything is paid for Paul asked this question in Romans
chapter 3. What advantage then hath the
Jew? Much in every way, for they have been given the oracles of
God. This is the oracles of God. This
is the revelation. God who at sundry times and in
divers manners spake unto our fathers in the past, now has
spoken unto us by His Son. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
living Word of God. And everything in this book points
to Him. And we learn how to die, and
then how to live. when God gives us eyes to set
our affections on things above where Christ is seated at the
right hand of God. He has set His house in order. He's given us His Word. We don't
have creeds and confessions. We don't have traditions here.
We don't have opinions. What do you think? What do I
think? Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter what we think.
There's only one question to ask. What sayeth the scriptures?
What does God say? Where else are you going to go
for that? Who else are you going to listen to in this world and
hear the Word of God? I'm not here to convince you
that this Bible is the Word of God. I couldn't convince a single
person of that. But you know what? If you're
one of his, if you're one of his house that he set in order,
he'll convince you of it. And you'll know that all scripture
is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine
and for reproof and for correction and for instruction and righteousness
that the man of God might be thoroughly furnished, thoroughly
furnished unto all good works. We've got a word from God. Why? Because He set His house in order.
He didn't leave us without a testimony. He didn't leave us without a
revelation. He speaks by His word. What has the Lord done to set
His house in order? He chose His children and then He revealed
Himself to them in His word. I want you to turn with me quickly,
if you will, please, to Isaiah chapter 9. Isaiah chapter 9. I feel sure that today being
Christmas Day, that there's probably a lot of preachers preaching
from Isaiah chapter 9, verse 6 this morning. We just sang
a hymn that was taken from this passage of Scripture. But I want
you to see something in verse 7 that most folks are not going
to preach on today. Read verse 6 with me. For unto
us a child is born, unto us a son is given, the government shall
be upon his shoulders. You don't make Jesus Lord, He
is Lord. He reigns sovereign over all
the affairs of men, whether they like it or not. He's getting
his way in nations and in people. And his name shall be called
wonderful. Don't we use that word awfully
loosely? We say, oh, that was a wonderful, we had a wonderful
meal at our house last night. I'll probably use that word to
describe it. Yeah, it was wondersome, but
it wasn't wonderful. You know, he's the only one that's
full of wonder. And if he's pleased to make himself
known to you and cause you to believe that you're part of the
house that he set in order, oh, you'll find him to be wonderful.
And you'll find him to be the only counselor you'll need. You
won't be running, you won't be needing to run to some secular
therapist to figure out life. He will speak peace to your heart. He's wonderful. He's our counselor. He is the mighty God, the everlasting
Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government
and peace, there shall be no end. And there, upon the throne
of David, and upon the kingdom, to order it. What did Isaiah
say to Hezekiah? Set thine house in order. Now God says He's going to order
it and establish it with judgment and with justice. He all by Himself is going to
fulfill all righteousness. He set His house in order. He's
going to satisfy God's holy law. He's going to fulfill divine
justice. He's going to pay the full debt
of His wife, all by Himself, so that she doesn't have to do
anything to provide for herself. She will be provided for completely
by Him setting His house in order. He's going to establish it from
henceforth even forever. Please note it's the last phrase
in this verse. The zeal of the Lord shall perform
this. You ever heard someone talk about
God's plan of salvation? God doesn't have a plan of salvation.
He's got a performance of salvation. He's already performed it. He
set His house in order. David said it like this, David
said, although my house be not so with God, speaking of the
tabernacle of his own flesh and his own home, his house was a
mess, just like our houses are. We make a mess of things, don't
we? David said, although my house be not so with God, yet he has
made with me an everlasting covenant ordering in all things. He set
his house in order, ordered in all things, and sure, this is
all my salvation, this is all my desire, though we make it
not to grow. Oh, what a glorious husband we
have. He's done everything, right down to the last flower
that's going to be set on the casket. It's already paid for. Years ago it was paid for. When the children of Israel had
to go back to Egypt, Joseph, you remember, was the Prime Minister
of Egypt and had not yet revealed himself to his brothers. And
his brothers had to go back for more food, but Joseph said, don't
come back without Benjamin. And Jacob didn't want to let
Benjamin go. Jacob said, I've already lost
Joseph. And it's the other son that was already down. Reuben
is already there. And now you want to take Benjamin? And Judah
spoke up. Judah said I will be surety for
him Now that word surety means I will provide everything for
him. I'll protect him with my life And I'll bring him back to you
safely Now there again that you see
this is a spiritual book Jude is a type of Christ I'll be surety
for them I'm gonna take him down to Egypt and I'll bring him back
and And not a hair of his head is going to be harmed. I'll protect
him. He set his house in order. He paid everything necessary
for the salvation of his bride. A man by the name of Hosea represents
the Lord Jesus Christ. He had a wife by the name of
Gomer. And Gomer, the scripture says, played the harlot. She
forsook her husband and went out into harlotry. And every
morning she would go to her front door and find gifts on her door,
thinking that her lovers had left them, only to find out later
that it was Hosea that was providing for her every day. Though she
was in harlotry, he was going to her house of prostitution
and giving her gifts to provide for her in the midst of her sin. And then finally she wastes herself
to where she's on the slave block. And what does Hosea do? He goes
and buys her to himself. He sets his house back in order.
Can you see yourself as Gomer? Do you need a Hosea? Ruth the Moabitess came from
Moabite. She had no hope. She was a beggar,
destitute. What was she going to do? She
needed a kinsman redeemer. And Boaz set his affections on
her. And Boaz went to that kinsman
that was nearer to her than he was and reckoned with that kinsman.
Now that kinsman's a picture of the law. And Boaz satisfied
the demands of the law and then he took Ruth to be his wife. We have a husband who has set
his house in order all by himself. From election, to revelation,
to redemption. Everything necessary for his
bride was paid for by him. He calls her irresistibly. He doesn't give her, you see,
coming to Christ is not a choice. You don't make a decision. You
go to most churches today and they'll be begging you to let
Jesus come into your heart. Oh, won't you pray this prayer?
Won't you walk this aisle? Won't you let God have his way
while he's up in the heavens wringing his hands in desperation,
hoping that you'll let him come and be a part of your life? What
a lie. That's not God. When our God's ready to save
you, He's going to make Himself irresistible
to you. He's going to give you ears to
hear this message. He's going to give you eyes to
see Christ. He's going to break your heart
over your sin. He's going to cause you to flee
willingly. I will make them willing in the
day of my power. I'm going to send my Holy Spirit.
And it's expedient for you that I go away. For if I go not away,
the Spirit of God won't come. But when He comes, He's going
to convict you of your sin. Because you believed not on me. Now don't think that because
you feel guilty about something bad you did that you are experiencing
the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Everybody's got a conscience
and everybody feels bad when they do something wrong. That's
not the conviction of the Holy Spirit. The conviction of the
Holy Spirit is when he causes you to see, I'm an unbeliever.
I'm not trusting Christ. I don't know him. I'm not part
of his house. Oh God have mercy upon my soul. Save me. I will convict the world of sin
because they believe not on me of righteousness because I go
to my father. The Spirit of God is going to
do that. He's going to cause you to see you have no righteousness
outside of Christ. The only hope of righteousness
that you have before God, the only hope of acceptance that
you have before God is that you have a righteous advocate who
intercedes on your behalf. That's it. You got nothing else. And of judgment, because the
prince of this world's been judged. Satan's been, he's been judged.
Christ bowed his head on Calvary's cross and said, it is finished. And all of his house, all of
his house was saved. Every one of them. He set his house in order. And every one of his children,
he's going to keep them. He's going to give them faith. Faith
is not your contribution to salvation. Faith is the result of salvation,
not the cause of it. Faith is a gift from God. When
God saves you, He's going to make you a believer. And once
you become a believer, you can never be an unbeliever. Ever. And He said, let not your heart
be troubled. You believe in God, believe also
in me. For in my Father's house are
many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I
go and prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, so that
where I am, there you may be also." Not one child left behind. Not one. Not one. Why? Because he set his house
in order. He set His house in order. Are you a part of His house? Are you able to rejoice and to
believe that everything for the Bride
of Christ has already been provided? Now most folks spend a lot more of their time
and effort setting their physical house in order than they do their
spiritual house. Turn with me to one last passage
of scripture please. Hebrews chapter 10. How can I set my house in order? How can I set my house in order? Hebrews chapter 10 verse 19. Having therefore, brethren, boldness,
confidence, Not cockiness, confidence. Confidence in what? Confidence
in Christ. Confident that He provided to
the Father everything necessary for His bride to live. Having therefore, brethren, boldness
to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. When I see
the blood, I will pass by you. Not when I see your prayers or
your intentions or your dedications or your commitments or your religious
activity. When I see the blood of Christ,
then I'll pass by you. By a new and living way, which
he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say his
flesh. So this Holy of Holies, where
the mercy seat was, and the high priest would go in on the year
of atonement and put the blood on the mercy seat, and God said,
here I will meet with you. And that veil was miraculously
rent from top to bottom when our Lord bowed his mighty head
on Calvary's cross and said, it is finished. I've set my house
in order. It's finished. Having a high priest over the
house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance
of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our
bodies washed with pure water, let us hold fast the profession
of our faith without wavering. What is the profession of our
faith? He is faithful that promised. You see, Our faith is in His
faithfulness. That's it. Our faith is in His faithfulness. Look at verse 18. Now where remission
of these is, remission of what? Remission of sin. There's no
more offering for sin. How do you set your house in
order? Stop trying to redeem yourself. Stop trying to atone for your
own sins. Stop trying to save yourself.
It's just natural for all of us. And believe. that he has already
set his house in order. Down to the last flower, it's
already paid for. Our Heavenly Father, we're thankful
for the message of salvation that you've given us in your
word and for the accomplished work of thy dear Son. We ask that your Holy Spirit
would do a work of grace in our hearts and give us faith to believe
you. For we pray it in Christ's name, amen. Brother Burke, 272,
number 272, let's stand. My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest
frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ the solid rock
I stand, All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground
is sinking sand. When darkness veils His lovely
face, I rest on His unchanging grace. In every high and stormy
gale, My anchor holds within the veil. On Christ the solid
rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand, All other ground
is sinking sand. His oath is covenant, His blood
support me in the whelming flood. When all around my soul gives
way, He then is all my hope and stay. On Christ the solid rock
I stand, All other ground is sinking sand. All other ground
is sinking sand. Then he shall come with trumpet
sound, O may I then in him be found. Rest in his righteousness
alone, Forth lest his stand be for the throne. On Christ the
solid rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand. Thank you.