Amazing how that works. It thrills my soul, genuinely
does, to see you all enjoy each other so much. And that That speaks volumes
to other churches, and particularly I'm thinking about the group
over in Sarasota. They were just, they've been so impressed with
the Lord's work in your hearts for one another and for the gospel,
and they want that. They want that. And they know
they don't have it yet. Pray with them that the Lord
will provide them a pastor because that's probably not going to
happen until they get someone there full-time. So let's pray for them and thank
you. We didn't get to the last verse.
Ran out of time. I'm just going to read it to
open this second hour. Thou wilt perform the truth of
Jacob and the mercy of Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our
fathers from the days of old." This gospel has never changed.
We believe the same gospel Abraham believed, same gospel Abel believed,
same gospel Adam believed, same gospel Paul preached. It's from
the days of old, hasn't changed. It's the gospel of God's free
grace. in the finished work of the Lamb
of God. And that's one we've come to
worship. Let's stand together. Tom's going to come lead us in
the hymn on the back of your bulletin. Free from the law's great curse,
in Jesus we are free. For Christ became a curse for
us and died upon the tree. The rituals of the law and all
the law's commands have been fulfilled in Christ the Lord,
established by His hands. No covenant with the law can
now with us exist. Complete in Christ we stand by
grace, both free and ever blessed. No more the dread of wrath, no
more constrained by fear. We worship and we serve our God
with gratitude and cheer. In Jesus we are free. In Jesus we are free. Free from all sin and from all
guilt, we live in liberty. We'll join the happy song with
all the blood bought from and sing the praises of the lamb
whose grace makes us his own. Please be seated. Most of you know Dennis Fitzton,
but Dennis, some of you know him from when he was a little
boy and used to be a member here before they moved to Charlotte.
The Lord has gifted this young man to preach the gospel, and
he brought two outstanding messages Friday night and Saturday morning
in Sarasota, and I've asked him to read scripture for us this
morning and lead us in prayer. So, Dennis. Thank you for that message, Greg.
I was so blessed by it. This fellowship, I was telling
the brethren earlier, will always be my second home. And the fellowship
in Sarasota, too. And I'm so thankful for your
all's faithfulness and for your pastor. I love your pastor. I heard the gospel through this
man. I'm just thankful for this fellowship. For scripture reading
this morning, turn with me to Revelation chapter 1. Revelation
chapter 1. I'm going to read the whole chapter.
It's only 20 verses, and I'll try to minimize my comments on
it because this passage just speaks for itself. It's so glorious. Revelation chapter 1, beginning
at verse 1. the revelation of Jesus Christ,
which God gave unto him to show unto us, his servants, things
which must shortly come to pass. And he sent and signified it
by his angel unto his servant, John, who bear record of the
word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ and of all things
that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and
they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things
which are written therein, for the time is at hand. John, to
the seven churches which are in Asia, grace be unto you, and
peace from him which is, and which was, and which is to come,
and from the seven spirits which are before his throne. And from
Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the
dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth, unto him that loved
us and washed us from our sins in his own blood. And hath made
us kings and priests unto God and his father, to him be glory
and dominion forever and ever, amen. Behold, he cometh with
clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced
him in all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even
so, amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and
which is to come, the Almighty. I, John, who also am your brother
and companion in tribulation and in the kingdom and patience
of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos for the
word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the
Spirit on the Lord's Day and heard behind me a great voice
as of a trumpet saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and
the last. And what thou seest, write in
a book and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia, unto
Ephesus, unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira,
and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. And I turned
to see the voice that spake with me, and being turned, I saw seven
golden candlesticks. And in the midst of the seven
candlesticks, one like unto the son of man, clothed with a garment
down to the foot, and about the paps with a golden girdle, his
head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow,
and his eyes were as a flame of fire. and his feet like undefined
brass as if they burned in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of
many waters. And he had in his right hand
seven stars, and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword,
and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, When I saw
him, I fell at his feet as dead." Isn't that what Ezekiel said?
Isn't that what happened to Ezekiel in his prophecy? When he said,
I saw the Lord, I fell on my face. You know, Isaiah, when
he saw him in his glory, he said, woe is me, for I am undone. I'm a man of unclean lips and
dwell among the people of unclean lips. Woe is me, for I have seen
the Lord. Or Daniel, when he saw the glory
of the Lord, he said, my comeliness was turned into corruption. When
you see him, you'll fall at his feet as dead. But I'm so thankful
for this next part of the verse. And he laid his right hand upon
me, saying unto me, fear not, I am the first and the last.
I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore,
amen, and have the keys of hell and of death. Write the things
which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things
which shall hereafter be. The mystery of the seven stars
which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks.
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the
seven golden candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. Let's pray together. Our gracious God and Heavenly
Father, we are so thankful that you truly are the Alpha and the
Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the ending.
Lord, we are truly thankful that you are sovereign over all things
and that you rule all things for our good, for our salvation,
and for your glory. Lord, we pray now as you walk
among the seven golden candlesticks, Lord, your churches, that you
would speak to us, Lord, that you would Give us a glimpse of
your glory in the finished work of our Savior, the Lord Jesus
Christ. Lord, give us ears to hear, eyes to see, eyes to see
the face of our Savior, Lord. Just save us, Lord. Save us this
hour. Point us to our Savior, Jesus
Christ, and comfort our hearts with these blessed, blessed truths.
In Christ's precious name we pray, amen. Number 168 in the heart back
triangle, number 168. 168, we'll sing this acapella. Let's all stand. 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, even 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, even 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. Even me, even 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. Please be seated. Burt Dunbar is going to bring
some special music now. dark disdain that soil man's
nature long the distance that he fell far removed from hope
and heaven into deep But there was a fountain open
And the blood of God's own Son Purifies the soul and reaches
Deeper than the sane has gone Praise the Lord for His salvation. God still reigns upon His throne. And I know the blood still reaches
deeper than the stain has gone. Conscious of the deep pollution,
sinners wander in the night. Though they hear the shepherd
calling, they still fear to face the light. consolation that can melt a heart
of stone. That sweet balm of Gilead reaches
deeper than the stain has gone. Praise the Lord for His salvation
God still reigns upon His throne And I know the blood still reaches
Deeper than the stain has gone All unworthy we who've wandered
And our ties are wet with tears As we think of love that sought
us Through the weary, wasted years Yet we walk that holy highway
Walking by God's grace alone Knowing Calvary's fountain reaches
Deeper than the stain has gone Praise the Lord for His salvation. God still reigns upon His throne. And I know the blood still reaches
deeper than the stain has gone. When with holy choirs we're standing
In the presence of the King And our souls are lost in wonder
While the white robed choirs sing Then we'll praise the name
of Jesus With the millions round the throne Praise Him for the
power that reaches Deeper than the stain has gone Praise the
Lord for His salvation God still reigns upon His throne And I
know the blood still reaches Deeper than the stain has gone Thank you, Bert. About 18 years
ago, I had an opportunity to travel to Mexico for the first
time to visit with Cody and Winna and Walter and Betty. At the
time, their three kids were young, and now they're grown. And Andrea, Cody's daughter,
had his first granddaughter this past week in Texas, and he was
gracious enough to pull away from that and come here and preach
for us. And I'm so thankful. I'm thankful for your friendship,
Cody, what you've meant to this fellowship over the years. Very,
very special. We're anxious to hear what the
Lord has put on your heart. So please come. Thank you, brother. You also,
this congregation is very special, special to me, and special, well,
wherever the Lord unites our hearts, we're special to one
another. And the speciality comes from
being children of God. God's children love each other.
And so I'm thankful, I'm thankful for this this time that I have
to be with you. We've had a great time there
at Sarasota, preaching there and being with the brethren there. And I'm very encouraged by the
desire that this congregation has to see the gospel go out
to be preached all over the world. This is the only reason that
this church exists. or any church, and this is the
job of the church, go forth and preach the gospel to every creature.
And to see that, and what a blessing it is, what a privilege it is
for this congregation or any congregation to be used in a
small way, because it is a small way, it's not our work, it's
not unto us, as you said, not unto us, That's the cry of every
believer, not unto us, but unto thy name. Give glory. It's his
work. And we're thankful to be used
in any small way if we could be used for the glory of God,
for the good of his people. We're very thankful. Very thankful. So I'm thankful for you. I'm
thankful for this congregation. I must also say that we, the
congregation in Merida, sends their greetings to you. and are
thankful for the help that you sent to expand our auditorium. We have now expanded it to double
the size. And so I'm still waiting for
you all to come down and see it. Don't all come down at one
time. Don't have room for everybody.
But if you come a little bit at a time, I will. But we love
to have you come and visit. Several men have expressed a
desire and we would love to have you, so it's a real encouragement
to the churches there. The encouragement that the church
in Sarasota, the brethren there receive from the church here
is the same encouragement that the churches in Mexico receive.
I wish that they could all come here and visit you. I wish they could. circumstances
do not allow that. But someday we'll all be together. Someday we'll all be around the
throne of our Lord Jesus Christ. And as we are this morning, since
around the throne, around the Lord, the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ rejoicing in him. I want us to open our Bibles
this morning to passages well known as Romans chapter 10. We don't have any new message. This is the eternal message. But I want us to, let me pull
out my notes. I hope I don't need them, but
I better pull them out in case it just frees up. I want us to particularly think
of this thing of what does the gospel we preach say? What are we saying? When we preach
the gospel, when we come and preach the gospel, what are we
saying? And I will get to that. I will get to that in the scriptures. Verse 8 says, but what sayeth
it? What are we saying? What does the gospel say? Well,
the Apostle Paul, like we heard earlier, men fabricate their
own gods. Men think that there are many
ways to God. And even when men have Bibles
in their hands, there's only one Word of God. God has only
revealed Himself by and in the Lord Jesus Christ. And the only
way to know the Lord Jesus Christ is to know him as he's revealed
in this word, the Bible you have in your hand. That's the only
way to know God. But even when men have Bibles
in their hand, it takes the spirit of God. It takes the spirit of
God. God must give life. God must
convince. God must teach. each and every
one of his children. But men are religious, and the
Apostle Paul is talking about a burden, a burden he has for
lost men and women. And it's the same burden that
you have for your friends, your loved ones, your acquaintances,
especially those who are religious, who you think, that's not right,
that's not the gospel. That's not the God, the only
true and living God. You're serving a false God. The
Apostle Paul said, Brethren, my heart's desire, and it's not
only my desire, because it's my desire, I pray. I pray. I ask God to do something for
them. I pray for them. It's my heart's
desire and prayer to God for Israel, those who are of his
own nation. They had the word of God. But
they did not believe God. They did not know God. And we'll
see what it was they were doing. It's like they were so close
and yet so far. I know that nothing is impossible
with God, but somebody that has a Bible is closer than somebody
that has a Koran. Do you see what I'm saying? Somebody that has the Bible has
the Word of God. Somebody that has a false book
in his hand, his father. But he said, my heart's desire
and my prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved,
for I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according
to knowledge. They're zealous. They have a
zeal of God, of the true God. There's only one true God, and
that is the God that revealed himself to the nation of Israel. These were Israelites after the
flesh. But they have a zeal of God but
not according to knowledge and this is the reason. A person
that knows God knows that the only way to please God is to
please God by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This book was not
a book to tell you what to do. It's a book that tells us what
God has done, what the Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished. They,
being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish
their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto
the righteousness of God. It says here, these three things. First, they're ignorant of God's
righteousness. And all men by nature are ignorant
of God's righteousness. God is holy. God is holy. Holy. God is holy. How holy is God? There is no
other God like Him. You can't compare God to another. He is alone. So that word holy
is an abstract to us. When you compare a thing, when
you compare something to something else, then you say it's like
this. Everybody eats some particular
food and they say it tastes like chicken. They're comparing something. But you can't compare God to
any. God is alone. So God is holy. What does that word mean? It's
abstract to us. Have you ever stood in front
of a painting and just scratched your head I don't get it. That's right, it's an abstract. Maybe even the artist doesn't
even know what it is. But people, crazy people think, whoa, that's
hard. I'm sorry if I offend anybody.
Maybe I'm just so uncultured. But it's an abstract. But here's what God, holy God
means. It defines it. in the Word. When our Lord Jesus Christ was
hanging on the cross, that holy, spotless, separate from sinners,
the Holy One of Israel, the One who knew no sin, who did no sin,
when He, the Lord Jesus Christ, the darling Son of God, was made
sin, was made sin for us, God Turn this back on God. You say, well, I don't understand
that. That's holy. If we could see that, the Lord
Jesus Christ, that holy one, the one who had no sin, he said,
my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? I cry all the night
long. But in verse 3 of that Psalm
22, it says, but thou art holy. Thou art holy. God is holy. And God's holiness, God's law,
God's perfection requires, God's holy law requires perfection. And we, there's a saying in Spanish
that goes, así se va. Have you ever heard that? Así
se va. Close enough. Translation, close
enough. There's no such thing. In order to come before God,
we must be holy like God is. We must have the holiness, we
must have the righteousness of God Himself, the right doing
of God Himself. And a man that pretends to come
to God by any other means but the Lord Jesus Christ is ignoring
that, willfully ignoring that if he has heard this, willfully
ignoring this. God, those who have the scriptures
who pretend to contribute to God's finished work that the
Lord Jesus Christ, they're willfully ignoring. The Lord Jesus Christ
said it's finished. Did he not say it's finished?
Well, they're being ignorant of God's righteousness. Well,
when they're ignorant of God's righteousness, going about to
establish their own righteousness. Trying to bring, that's exactly
what Adam did. He tried to make his own righteousness.
As soon as he fell, he tried to make himself a covering. We
have a testimony in ourselves that we need to be covered. There's
a testimony in every man that we need to be covered. But man
is trying to establish his own righteousness and trying to bring
that before God. And any man that looks to this
Word, this is the Word of God, And in the word of God is the
way to salvation. It's good that Timothy was brought
up in the scriptures. They were able to make him wise
into salvation. And it's good for us to read
the book and hear the gospel preached. But if a man takes
this word of God and twist it, he'll twist it to his own destruction. There's enough, as I've said
many times, there's enough rope in the Bible that if a man is
going to hang himself, there's enough for it. There's enough
rope. Because the gospel is a gospel
of God's, in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed. How God can
put away the sins of his people by the doing and dying of the
Lord Jesus Christ. They're establishing their own
righteousness. And they'll find out one day. The
Lord said, many will come to me in that day and say, Lord,
Lord, did we not do this in your name? Did we not prophesy? Did
we not cast out demons in your name? We did many wonderful works
in your name. And the Lord said, depart from
me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you. I never loved
you. He's not saying I didn't know
you were there. He put them there. They're going about to establish
their own righteousness and have not submitted it. We know by
the grace of God that everything we do, our righteousness is our filthy
rags. is what they're doing. They're
ignoring God's righteousness, going about to establish their
own righteousness, and have not submitted themselves under the
righteousness of God. Submitting yourself to the righteousness
of the Lord Jesus Christ is trusting the Lord Jesus Christ. It's trusting
in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what God
the Father sent the Son to do. He came into this world to establish
righteousness. Did He not? He came to obey. He came to do the Father's will. In order for man, in order for
every woman, boy or child, or anybody that's going to stand
before God and not be consumed, we heard this, our God is a consuming
fire. In order for any one of us to
stand before God and not be consumed, we must have the righteousness
of God. We must be made the righteousness
of God. Our God is a consuming fire.
The Lord Jesus Christ came into this world as a man to establish
righteousness. As a man, he obeyed all the law
of God, not only in action but in thought. Indeed, everything
he did, he established perfect righteousness. And God the Father
said this of the son. This is my beloved. This is my
beloved son in whom I'm well pleased. I'm well pleased. Submitting
ourselves to the righteousness of God. Is believing. Believing God, believing what
God has said in his word about Jesus Christ. It is finished. Now, it says here in verse 4,
For Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the end of the law for righteousness
to everyone that believeth. What that's saying is the law
was never given in the Old Testament to save anyone. The law was only
given to show us who we are. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
only way God has ever saved any sinner. Abel was saved by the doing and
dying of the Lord Jesus Christ. God gave faith to Abel to believe
God, trusting Him that He was going to come in the fullness
of time and give His precious blood to put away his sin. And
this was the picture Abel brought. That was the way God preached
the gospel in the Old Testament. And they were kept, the nation
of Israel, kept under these types and figures, confined or separate
from the rest of the nations until the fulfillment, until
Christ came. And when He came, He did away with all those figures. They never did take away one
sin. Christ is the end of the law. What that means, He is the
fulfillment of that law. He is the fulfillment in the
Lord Jesus Christ, all the types in the Old Testament. They're
speaking of Him. So when we look in the tabernacle,
the Lord Jesus Christ, He is that tabernacle. The Lord Jesus
Christ, He said, a body hast thou prepared me. God was in
Christ. That was the dwelling place.
God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself. That's
our tabernacle. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
priest. The Lord Jesus Christ is the sacrifice. He's the lamb
slain before the foundation of the world. He is the priest who
offers the sacrifice, and He is God to whom the sacrifice
is offered. The Lord Jesus Christ. All is
figured in the Old Testament. And that's what it's saying.
This Old Testament and them trying to keep laws, All kinds of laws. Ceremonial laws. None of these things. We can't
keep them. Christ is the end of the law
for righteousness. For righteousness. Christ is
the end of the law. In other words, He fulfilled
the law for righteousness to everyone that believes. Everyone
that believes God concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. The righteousness
of the Lord Jesus Christ is that person's righteousness. If you
believe God, your life is the life of Christ. It's talking
about union with the Lord Jesus Christ. Look in verse 5, it says,
For Moses described the righteousnesses of the law. Moses tells us that
righteousness that was in the law, here's what it says. The man which doeth these things
shall live by them. You know, there's only one man
that did those things. There's only one man that ever
did these things, and that's the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the
only one that earned the right. Now, we don't talk about earning. Where's grace? Salvation is by
grace. But you know the Lord Jesus Christ
earned, earned the right. Earned the right. The man that doeth these things,
he'll live. And the only one that has done
this thing is the Lord Jesus Christ. And there's nothing wrong with
the law. I said the law was never given for salvation. And the
reason We can't be saved by laws because we're dead from the get-go. Is that right? We're dead from
the beginning. We cannot fulfill that law. We cannot obey that law. That
law goes more than just what happens outside. It examines
your thoughts and your imaginations. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
only one who has established God's holy law. He said, think
not that I've come to destroy. the law of the prophets. I didn't
come to destroy. I came to fulfill. He said every
jot and every tittle of this word is going to be fulfilled.
He fulfilled the word of God. He obeyed God's holy law. But what does the law say? Do
and live. Does it have any stipulation
for when you don't do? Here's what it says. The soul
that sinneth shall surely die. It doesn't have any stipulation
of mercy. No mercy. It doesn't have any
stipulation of mercy. The soul that sinned shall do
it and live. Like I said, there's nothing
wrong with the law. But we can't fulfill the law. Never have. The Lord Jesus Christ, He did.
And that's that righteousness that we must have. The righteousness
of the Lord Jesus Christ. The man that doeth these things
shall live in them. But that was never talking about,
that was never saying, okay, this is what you need to do to
live, do them and live. It's talking about the work of
the Lord Jesus Christ. He was going to do these things
and live. He was going to do these things
and live. The Lord Jesus Christ, the man that does these things
shall live. That's the Lord Jesus Christ.
He's the one that's going to do it. But men are thinking,
OK, well, I've got to do it and I'm going to live. That's not
what the Gospel says. But here's what the Gospel of
the Lord Jesus Christ says, and here's what I want us to say. but the righteousness which is
of faith. Truth came by Moses, but grace,
excuse me, the law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by the
Lord Jesus Christ. But the righteousness which is
of faith speaketh on this wise. The righteousness that comes
by the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now here's salvation. Here's the gospel. The righteousness
which is by the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. The righteousness
that He brought in to this world. The gospel of the Lord Jesus.
This is what it says. And remember the title of the
message is, what does it say? The righteousness of the Lord
Jesus Christ, the faith speaketh on this wise. And it jumps to
verse 8. And I want us to, I want particularly
to speak to someone here tonight or today, this morning, that
has not believed. Some people that have not believed
in the Lord Jesus Christ. I don't know. I was talking to my son the other
day and what he said ranks so true with
me. People like to disguise their
unbelief and rebellion. I'm talking about myself. People
who hear the gospel bring up objections. people who hear the
gospel bring up objections. And he was saying, you know,
I knew that that was the truth. I knew that God could save. I
knew that God could save me, but I thought, look at how many
people in my family He's already saved. Look at how many people He's
already saved. He's already saved my grandparents. He's already
saved my parents. He saved my brother. It's like
you're going to run out the mercy of God. Do you see what I'm saying? Like the mercy of God could be
like you going and say, I'm thirsty, but I can't drink of a fountain
like as big as the ocean because other people might be thirsty.
That's ridiculous, isn't it? But people always bring up objections,
always bring up thoughts. And to those who haven't believed,
I know you've always, maybe you haven't. And I try not to be
this way. But listen, in this matter of
man by nature, we're all this way. If you ever talk to someone and
you know they're not listening to you because all they're waiting
for you to stop talking so they can start talking. Have you ever
talked to anybody like that? We don't want to be that way.
We don't want to be that way. But man by nature are that way. And it is the equivalent of saying
but. It's the equivalent of saying
but. Isn't it? Not so? It's the equivalent of
but this. What my son said, but I just
thought surely it doesn't apply to me because he's already had
mercy on all these members in my family. Surely. That's just
disguised unbelief and rebellion is all it is. I remember when
I was about 20, I I was talking to someone and I could argue
doctrine in an awkward position and argue the doctrinal points. And I remember clearly telling
this person, I said, I know that this is the truth. I know that
this is the truth. And I know that if I died right
now, I'd go to hell. What is that? That's what he's
saying right here. Say not in your heart. You know,
we ministers are told not to put stumbling blocks. We're not
to put stumbling blocks in the way of believers coming to Christ.
We're not to put, you know, let's see if you're really sorry. Let's
see if you really understand enough doctrine before you can
come to Christ. Let's make you go to some catechism
before you can come to Christ. or let's make you do this or
that or the other. I don't know. Inventions of men. And false preachers always do
that. They want to control people. We're told not to put obstacles.
You know, in those cities of refuge, they were to be marked,
and they were prepared the highway, get out of the way. That's what
the idea of a preacher wants. It's when he stands up, Lord,
Let me get out of the way. Don't let me get in the way of
someone coming to Christ. So preachers, we're told not
to put up barriers and obstacles and like a hurdles race. It's
to be a clear path. But it's not just preachers putting
them. That's bad. That's real bad. We're told not
to. But man himself puts up hurdles
and it's these butts. And before he defines what the
gospel is saying, he says, don't you say this. You see what I'm
saying? But what does it say in verse
8? The first thing he says, but don't you say this. In other words, when you hear
the gospel, believe. But I must feel so bad. I must have this experience of
going into the third heavens. I must have some vision in the
night. If you just want a vision in
the night, eat pizza about 10 o'clock at night. You'll have
some visions. But it won't mean you're saved.
But the point is this, it says here, say not in your heart. Don't say like this, who shall
ascend into heaven? That is to bring Christ down
from above. You know, at that time that I
told you that I said, I know that this is true, but if I died,
I know I would go to hell. You know what I was thinking
then? If I could have a time machine. and I could go back
and stand at the feet of the cross, then I would believe. That's exactly what that's saying.
That's exactly what that's saying. Oh, if I could have lived back
then, if I could have seen the Lord Jesus Christ. You rebellious. You're rebellious. That's not
what the gospel says. Don't you put obstacles. Don't
you say but. It's very clear. God has spoken. God's Word is true. It's faithful
saying. But men want to disguise their
unbelief and rebellion with some kind of, I want to have this
great experience of being taken up into heaven. Who shall ascend
into heaven? That is to bring Christ down
from above. Christ already came. Christ already rose from the
grave. Christ already rose from the grave. When Christ rose from
the grave, God testified that He's satisfied. He's satisfied
with all that Christ has done. There's nothing else to be done.
Nothing else can be added. It's finished. It's the perfect
work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, say not in your heart who
shall descend into the deep. Oh, I must have a deep, deep
experience of my sinfulness. No. No. I believe growing in grace, you
grow in understanding of just how sinful you are. But I don't
believe anybody ever knows just exactly how sinful we are. Walking dead. How pretty would
that be? Walking dead. We're dead in trespasses. That's
what the scriptures speak of us outside. Dead in trespasses
and sins. That's pretty. I must have this
great experience or conviction of my sin. No. What is the gospel saying? Believe.
Believe. Right now. That's what it says
in verse 8. But what does it say? So when
he defines what the gospel that we preach, when he defines what
the righteousness of faith, what the righteousness, the gospel
of the righteousness of God by the faithfulness of the Lord
Jesus Christ. He as a man believed God. He
as a man obeyed God's holy law, established righteousness here
on the earth. He as a man put away the sins
of his people by the sacrifice of himself. What does this say? Don't say, don't you bring up
objections. Don't you bring up these stumbling
blocks. But what does it say? Here's
what we're saying. When you hear the gospel and
God gives you faith, God gives you life, it'll surprise you. Here's what we'll say. It's not
a process. It's not a process. Have you
ever thought, Ooh, a light went off in me. The Apostle Paul hated
the Lord Jesus Christ and was ready to kill anybody that confessed
that Jesus was the Christ. Was ready to kill him. And he
was on the way to Damascus persecuting the name of Jesus, anybody that
confessed that Jesus was the Christ, and surprise of surprise,
Christ was revealed in him. Oh, I don't have to be going
out there. Oh, it's in here. It's in here. Christ in you is
the hope of glory. And when you hear the gospel,
when God gives you life, and when God opens your eyes and
gives you spiritual sight, this that you've been hearing for
a long time, and you've been making all these obstacles and
so on and so forth, I believe. It's in here. It's not like you make a choice
to believe. You believe because you have to believe. You believe
because you have to believe. But what saith it? The word is
nigh thee. How close is it? Even in thy
mouth and in thy heart. It's right there. It's already
there, if it's there. If it's there. It's Christ in
you. And it'll be in your mouth if
it's in your heart. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth
speaks. When God reveals Him to you,
it'll be in your heart and it's going to come out. I believe.
I didn't believe this before. Bless God, I believe now. That's
what we're talking about. We're not talking about something
for you to do. Not giving you something to do.
We're telling you what God does. What God does. And when God does
it, it'll come out. But what saith it? The word is
nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart, that is the
word of faith which we preach. That if thou shalt confess with
thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that
God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. You
know why you'll be saved? Because He saved you from eternity.
You'll be saved. When a person believes, he'll
confess. He'll confess and he'll know.
He'll know what God has done for him. God did this for me
and I believe it. The heart, this says, with the
heart man believeth unto righteousness. And, you know, faith is not something
ignorant. Faith is not something ignorant.
When a person believes, he knows who he believes. The Apostle
Paul said, I know whom I believe. So there must be the preaching
of the gospel. Faith comes by hearing and hearing
by the Word of God. There must be the preaching of
the Lord Jesus Christ, who He is, what He came to do. where He is right now. So we
have an understanding of this. We know the Son of God has come
and has given us an understanding. We know that Jesus Christ is
God. We know that in our head, but
a lot of people know this in their head, but they don't love
it. They haven't received love for the Lord Jesus Christ as
Lord. But when God puts this in your
heart, not only do you understand it, you love it. And not only
do you understand it and you love it, you come to Him. No one ever has believed God
who does not come to the Lord Jesus Christ. Everyone that is
taught of God comes to Me, the Lord Jesus Christ said. For the Scripture saith, Whosoever
believeth on Him shall not be ashamed, shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between
the Jew and the Greek. For the same Lord over all is
rich unto all. that call upon Him. Here's another
thing. If He's in your heart, it's going
to be in your mouth. You're going to confess Him.
And when you confess Him, you're calling on Him. You call, Lord,
save me. Lord, save me. You'll ask Him.
You've heard of Him. You've heard of Him. You've heard
of Him. I know that's true. But when the Lord reveals, you're
going to call on Him. Ask, Lord, save me. And you'll
always be saying that, Lord, save me. Lord, who's going to
deliver me from the apostle Paul? He's still saying, Lord, save
me. Save me. Who's going to deliver me from
this body of death? The good that I would, I don't.
The evil that I would, that I do. I need to be saved from the presence
of sin. There's no difference between
Jew and Greek. The same as the Lord over all is rich unto all
that call upon him. For whosoever shall call on the
name of the Lord shall be saved. He shall be saved because from
eternity the Lord Jesus Christ was given. He was given to the
Lord Jesus Christ and he shall be saved. Thank you, brethren,
for your love and prayers for us there in Mexico. I thank the
Lord for his faithfulness to each and every one of us. If he doesn't build this house,
it's in vain. Everything. Everything we do. And if he doesn't build this
congregation, everything. So we are dependent on him. Thank you, brother. Thank you
for having me and letting me preach here. That's the gospel. Thank you,
Cody. We're going to finish up our
meetings for this weekend tonight in Sarasota, and we covet your
prayers for that service. We changed the time. Normally
we meet at 5 on Sunday night over there, but tonight we're
meeting at 6. If you're able to come, make note of that. And
if you're not able to come, we understand. But please ask the
Lord to bless the meeting tonight. Let's stand together, Brother
Tom. You're going to lead us? 224. 224. 224. Let's stand together. I know not why God's wondrous
grace to me he hath made known, nor why unworthy Christ in love
redeemed me for his own. whom I have believed and am persuaded
that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him
against that day. I know not how this saving faith
to me he did impart, nor how believing in his word brought
peace within my heart. But I know whom I have believed
and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed
unto Him against that day. I know not how the Spirit moves,
convincing man of sin, revealing Jesus through the Word, creating
faith in Him. But I know whom I have believed
and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed
unto Him against that day. I know not what of good or ill
may be reserved for me Of weary ways or golden days before his
face I see But I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that
He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against
that day. I know not when my Lord may come
at night or noonday fair, nor if I'll walk the vale with Him
or meet Him in the air. But I know whom I have believed
and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed
unto Him against that day. Thank you.