lead to thy God to order and
provide. In every change, ye faithful
will remain. Be still my soul, ? Thy best,
thy heavenly friend ? ? Through thorny ways leads to a joyful
end ? ? Be still, my soul, thy God doth undertake ? To guide
the future as he has the past. Thy hope, thy confidence, let
nothing shake. All now, Miss Dear, you shall
be bright at last. Be still, my soul, the waves
and winds still know His voice will rule them while He dwelt
below. Be still, my soul, The hour is
hastening on when we shall be forever with the Lord. When disappointment, grief, and
fear sorrow forgot, love's purest
joys restored. Be still, my soul, when change
and tears are past, all safe and blessed. said, we shall meet
at last. Well, that was certainly an appropriate
song after that message. In Hebrews chapter 12, Verses
22 and 23, this is not my sermon, it's just a comment I'd like
to make. But you are coming to Mount Zion and to the city of
the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable
company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn,
which are written in heaven. Now this is the membership that
I want to be part of. The General Assembly and Church
of the Firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. Now, we
don't have a membership role at Todd's Road Grace Church.
If you're a believer, you're a member. But I suppose if there's
a church I'm a member of, it would be the Todd's Road Grace
Church. But I'm saying this from the depths of my heart. I don't
feel any different here. I'm a member of this church,
too. I just love you guys, love your pastor, love being with
you. Um, just appreciate being here with you so very much. And
I genuinely feel just as much a member of this church as I
do the one at home. What a blessing. Would you turn
to Galatians chapter five? Verse 11 of Galatians chapter
five. And I brethren, if I yet preach
circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offense. And the Greek word is actually
the scandal. The scandal. the scandal. Then is the scandal of the cross
ceased. Do you know that for somebody
like me or you to actually stand in heaven with the saints in
light For somebody like me or you to be there is absolutely
scandalous. Be a scandal. I've entitled this message, The
Scandal. The Scandal. If I preach circumcision, why
do I suffer persecution? Then is the scandal of the cross
ceased. It's no more. Now, the first
thing that we need to consider in considering this verse of
scripture is we need to see that the removing of the scandal from
the cross is not a good thing. Not in any way. Now the word ceased, then as
the scandal or the offense of the cross ceased, is the word that means to render
idle, to make unemployed, to inactivate,
to make inoperative, to have no further efficiency, to be
deprived of force, influence, or power. Now, if the scandal,
if the offense of the cross is removed, the message is removed. It is no longer the gospel, but
another gospel. that has no saving efficacy. Paul put it this way in 1 Corinthians
1, verse 18, Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the
gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should
be made of none effect. deprived of all power, no longer
the power of God unto salvation. So understand, if the scandal
is removed, the gospel is removed. Now, what does Paul mean when
he says, and I brethren, if I yet preach circumcision? Why do I
yet suffer persecution? What is meant by the preaching
of circumcision? Now, Paul says, if I were preaching
circumcision, I wouldn't be being persecuted. And I am being persecuted. What is meant by the preaching
of circumcision. Is he talking about the physical
act of circumcision? I'm sure when people first hear
about circumcision, they think, that's strange. Why would anybody
want to do that? And I understand that. But understand
that Paul is not talking about the physical act of circumcision
because he was circumcised. He said circumcised the eighth
day of the stock of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews. He had
gone through physical circumcision, so he's not really referring
to the physical act of circumcision when he's saying, if I preach
circumcision, why am I yet being persecuted? A circumcision represents
The law circumcision represents the law. Now in the context of Galatians,
this epistle turned to the fourth chapter. He says in verse 21,
tell me you that desire to be under the law. Galatians 421, tell me you the
desire to be under the law. Do you not hear the law? For
it's written that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid,
the other by a free woman. But he who was of the bond woman
was born after the flesh, but he of the free woman was by promise,
which things are an allegory. Now, if I would have read the
story he's talking about in Genesis chapter 16, I would have never
dreamed that this was given to picture law and grace. I would
have just seen it as an odd event. miraculous of him, but I wouldn't
have known this is given to picture law and grace. But this lets
us know that everything in the Old Testament is given to teach
us something about law and grace. Now let's go on reading. Which
things are an allegory, for these are the two covenants. The one
from Mount Sinai, which genders to bondage, is Hagar. Now let me remind you of the
story. God has promised God has promised
a child to Abraham and Sarah. Nothing happens. No child. Sarah says to Abraham, well,
we need to do our part. God's promise will not come to
pass unless we do our part. So here's what I want you to
do. I want you to go into Hagar and she'll be my wife or she'll
be your wife. I'm going to give her to you
for a wife and you can have a child through her. And that way God's
promise can be realized by us doing our part. Nothing miraculous about this.
Abraham said, okay, we'll do our part. And thus we have Ishmael. God never recognizes Ishmael
as Abraham's son. He says, you go to Sarah. Sarah
had gone through menopause and was unable to have a child. She
had a child. That's God doing his part. Circumcision. is you doing your
part. Circumcision is you doing what
you need to do in order to make what Christ did work for you. Circumcision is Christ died for
you and made salvation possible for you if you fill in the blank. It's called circumcision. Turn with me for a moment to
Acts chapter 15. Hold your finger there in Galatians,
we're gonna go back there, but in Acts chapter 15. Verse one,
and certain men, which came down from Judea, taught the brethren
and said, except you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you
cannot be saved. Now these men came from the church
at Jerusalem. I think that's scary. It's just
scary. They came from the church of
Jerusalem and they taught the brethren, they didn't deny the
life, death and resurrection of Christ, but they said, this
also needs to be done. Verse two, when therefore Paul
and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they
determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain other of them should
go up to Jerusalem and to the apostles and the elders about
this question. Now, when they got there, verse
five, this is Paul telling what took place, but they rose up
a certain of the sect of the Pharisees, which believed saying
that it was needful. It was necessary. Now they believed
yes, but it's also necessary for them to be circumcised. Now circumcision represents law
salvation in some way dependent. upon something you do. Circumcision is you doing your
part. You know, I was listening to
Joe preach last night and he said, we have absolutely nothing
to glory in and we can't give in to despair. If we, you got, you got both.
If you have nothing to glory in, that means there's nothing
to give you in despair. That means there's nothing for you to do.
That means there's no part for you to perform. I thought, that's
too good to be true. But you know what it is? It's
true. It's the only thing I find any
rest or comfort or joy in. It's me not having any part to
do. He did it all. Turn back to Galatians chapter
two for a moment. Verse three, but neither Titus
who was with me being a Greek was compelled to be circumcised
and that because of false brethren, false brethren. He's talking
about these people who came in and he's referring to these people
in Acts chapter 15 that I just read about who came in and said,
it's needful to circumcise them. What'd you call them? False brethren. Not just mistaken brothers, but
phony hypocrites who don't really know the truth. That's what he
calls them. False brethren, unawares brought
in who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have
in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage to whom
we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour. That the
truth of the gospel might continue with you. Titus needs to be circumcised,
he's a Gentile. No, if I do it, the truth of
the gospel is no longer here. Look in chapter five, verse two. What happens if I'm circumcised?
Behold, I, Paul, say unto you that if you be circumcised, if
any of your salvation is dependent upon something you do to make
it work, if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you Nothing. He may profit others, but he
doesn't profit any for you. Not if you're circumcised. For
I testify again to every man that is circumcised that he's
a debtor to do the whole law. You go that route. Here's what
you need to do. Keep the law perfectly in the
strength and energy of your flesh. And then he says in verse three,
Christ is become of no effect, of no effect unto you, whosoever
of you are justified by the law. And if you believe in circumcision,
you ultimately believe in justification by the law. Christ has become
of no effect to you. You've fallen from grace. Have
you ever heard where Somebody got into some kind of moral failure,
and he said, well, they've fallen from grace. No, they haven't. You have. Grace is the only hope
they've got. If you give men something to
do, the offense, the scandal of the cross has ceased. You know, the gospel is scandalous.
When you declare a message that is altogether by grace, altogether
in Christ, without any reference to anything you do, the response
of the natural man is, why, that'll lead to sin. That's scandalous. You're not giving anybody any
motivation for holiness or obedience. That's scandalous. That is a
scandalous message. That brings people into heaven
who are scandalous people? Yes. Yes. And when the scandal is removed,
the message is changed. It's changed from a grace to
a works message, from gospel to law. And you know, no one
is offended by a message like that. You do your part, God will
do his. Okay. Nobody's scandalized by
a message like that, but Paul says, If I was preaching that I wouldn't
be persecuted, but I am being persecuted. They were accusing,
Paul preaches this, he preaches circumcision just like we do.
Paul says, no, I don't. No, I don't. If I did, I wouldn't
be being persecuted, but I am being persecuted. He's speaking
of the same persecution that our Lord speaks of when he says,
blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake. Now,
beloved, he's not talking about being persecuted for good deeds. You'll get your name in the paper
for that. Everybody will recognize you and be happy about it. And
I'm not saying anything about good deeds. Let's have all the
good deeds we can. But he's talking about being persecuted for being
clear right here that the only righteousness there is is the
righteousness of Jesus Christ the Lord. And all other righteousnesses
are filthy rags. And that means minstress rags. Somebody says you shouldn't use
language like that. God did. Isaiah 64 6. There's
one righteousness, the righteousness of Jesus Christ. David said in
Psalm 71, 16, I've made mention of thy righteousness, even of
thy righteousness only. Now, why did he say only? Because
his righteousness is the only righteousness there is. Now my next question, we see
what he meant by circumcision. That means salvation depended
upon you. And we see it's a bad thing when
the scandal is ceased, but what did he mean by the cross? When
he said in Galatians chapter five, verse 11, and I'd rather,
if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution?
Then it's the, offense or the scandal of the cross ceased,
what does Paul mean by the cross? Does he mean that? The instrument
of execution? Well, by the way, that didn't
come into being until about the third century. The cross is a
pole. The cross that we see people
wearing is a heathen invention. And the next time you see someone
wearing one of those crosses, you can think, well, they're
heathen because it is a heathen invention. It's not what Paul
meant when he speaks of the cross. I've already quoted this once,
but I think it gives us some insight to call it first Corinthians
one 18. Paul says the preaching of the
cross. The preaching of the cross is
to them that perish foolishness, but unto us, which are saved,
it's the power of God. Now the word preaching is the
word logos. Greek word logos quite often
translated the word. And it's where we get the word
logic from. Let me give you the way this
word is translated. It's translated the account.
of the cross, the cause of the cross, the communication of the
cross, the do of the cross, the doctrine of the cross, the fame
of the cross, the intent of the cross, the matter of the cross. the mouth of the cross, the preaching
of the cross, the question of the cross, the reason of the
cross, the reckoning of the cross, the rumor of the cross, the saying
of the cross, the showing of the cross, the speech of the
cross, the talk of the cross, the thing of the cross, the tidings
of the cross, the treatise of the cross, the utterance of the
cross, the word of the cross, the work of the cross. That word
is translated by all those different words. What word best describes
the whole counsel of God? The cross. The cross. I want to say this reverently,
I'm going to say this with fear and trembling, but do you know
that the cross is the most God-like thing that God ever did? The cross is the subject of the
eternities. Now this is a awesome thing to
think about. But before time ever was, when
there was no creation, when there were no angels, there were no
men, there was nothing but God, then Christ was the Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world. When there will be no more time,
When everything that we see has been burned up and gone, what
will be the subject of eternity? Worthy is the lamb that was slain. Now the cross is the subject
of the eternities. And right now, with everybody
who knows something about what the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ
means, they feel exactly the way Paul did when he said, I
determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ
and Him crucified. He is the only subject we're
interested in. Charles Spurgeon put it this
way. He said, if a man narrowed his preaching to nothing but
the cross and never said anything else, it would be a widening
rather than a narrowing of his ministry. The cross of the Lord
Jesus Christ, the doctrine of the cross. Now, what is the cross?
What is the doctrine of the cross? What does the cross have to say?
Well, basically it tells us three things. I'm sure that there's
a lot of other things we could say, but basically the cross
has these three things to say. First of all, the cross of Christ,
Christ being nailed to a cross and suffering and dying. The
cross is a declaration of the character of God. It's a declaration of the God
of predestination. You see, the cross has always
been, and in time, God brought it to pass. Him being delivered
by the determinant counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have
taken and with wicked hands have crucified and slain. The cross
is a declaration of Him who determines all things. And He determined
the cross. As a matter of fact, the cross
was already done before it ever happened. Now can I understand
that? No. But the scripture actually
says, for the Lamb, having been slain from the foundation of
the world, before there was ever a sinner, there was a Savior. And oh, how this glorifies God. The cross tells us that the God
of predestination, that's who God is. That's who God is. Anything else is no God, not
even worth being called a God, not worthy of worship. The cross
is a declaration of the holiness of God. I think of the seraphims
who flew around his throne in Isaiah 6 saying, holy, holy,
holy. Oh, when they saw God the Father
pour his wrath down on his only son, they think we get a little
glimpse of it now. Just a glimpse of the absolute
holiness of God. The cross is a declaration of
the justice of God. God will punish sin. He won't let it go. All sin must
be punished, either in me or in the substitute. The cross
is a declaration of the wisdom of God. He's so wise, he's made
a way to be just and the justifier of him which
believeth in Jesus. The cross is a declaration of
the power of God. Such power that he can actually
make my sin not to be. It is no longer. Here's how powerful The cross
is. It saves me. It saves me. He saves me. It saves me. He saves me. He
saves me. What he did saves me. That's
how powerful it is. God so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should
not perish, but have eternal life. For God sent not His Son
into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through
Him might be saved. There is no knowledge, there's
no really knowing God apart from the cross. The cross is a declaration
of all God has been pleased to make Himself known. All we know of God is the cross. Not only is the cross a declaration of the character
of God, the power of God, how with God all things are possible.
Let me say one other thing before I get on to this. thing about
the cross being a declaration of the character of man, because
that's the second point, but this shows the power of the cross. What can you do about your history? Can you change anything that
you've done? I want to think about how many
things you wish, oh, I wish I hadn't done that. Oh, I wish I could
take that back. I wish that hadn't taken place.
Oh, my history. And what can you do to change
it? Now, interestingly enough, most of the stuff you've forgotten
about. Most of the stuff you've forgotten about. And it was acute
for a couple of days, two or three days, and now you don't
remember it happened. But still, it happened. It happened. What
can you do to change your history? Absolutely nothing. But the power
of the cross is such that everyone who believes has a new history. And it's all good. Now that's the power of the cross.
That's what God did in the cross. He gave you a new history. You didn't do it. The stuff that you remember,
If you're a believer, you never did it. That's what justification
is. That's the power of the cross.
Now, not only does the cross display the glorious character
of God, all of God's attributes are manifest in the cross. But
secondly, the cross is a declaration of the true character of man. Now men, God gave this testimony
very early in Genesis chapter six, verse five, where we read,
God saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that
every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. But the cross was the one time
when all restraint was removed. He delivered Jesus to their will. Now, this is how bad you and
I really are. Don't tell me anything about
free will. You don't have a free will anymore
than you can create a universe. If you believe in free will,
you've got a weak pygmy God who's not worthy of worship and you
think your will can trump his. Don't tell me of any power of
free will. But you know, that doesn't really
tell the whole story. When I talk about how sinful
we are, don't look into your heart and look at all the depraved,
wicked imaginations and darkness and blackness and evil and evil
desires and evil thoughts and evil motives and all the wickedness
that's there. Don't look there to find out
how bad you are because it's really a lot worse. You look to the cross. That's
the only place that tells the truth about me and you. The cross. The one time the restraint
was removed and we could do whatever we wanted to do. We put to death,
we murdered the Son of God because we didn't want Him to reign over
us. Now that is the truth. Regarding
you, when I'm talking about how bad I am and how bad you are,
I'm not asking you to look even into the bad things you've done
or the bad things you've thought. Look to the cross. That's the
truth. That's the truth regarding me
and you. You never get the true character
of man apart from the cross. But here's the third declaration
of the cross. It's a declaration of the true
character of God. It's a declaration of the true
character of man. And the cross is a declaration
of a Finished salvation, not a process, not an a, b, c, d. You do this,
this, this, this spirit. No, it is finished. Hebrews 1.3 says, when he had
by himself. You know what that means? By himself. That means he had
no help. You made no contributions in
this. You had nothing to do with it. When he had by himself purged
our sins, he sat down. Why did he sit down? Because
there was nothing left to do. Hebrews chapter 10 verses 12
through 14 says, for every high priest standeth daily. The reason
they stood, there wasn't a chair because there was never a time
they were finished. They stood daily offering oftentimes
the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins, but this
man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever sat
down on the right hand of the majesty on high from henceforth
expected till his enemies be made his footstool for by one
offering he hath perfected for ever, them that are sanctified. Now that is in the perfect tense,
perfectly completed, never to be repeated. Now that is a finished
salvation, not a process. I've heard people say sanctification
is a process. Oh, by the which will we are sanctified
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. The cross is a declaration of
a finished salvation. Colossians chapter 2 verses 9
and 10 says in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily
and you are complete. Complete in him. And do you see
how this is a finished? It's a declaration of a finished,
a completed salvation. Your pastor said sometime yesterday,
the difference between law and gospel is found in the two words
N-E, do and done, done, done. Now, why are men offended by
this. They are. It's a fact. It's a
fact. Why are men offended by this? Let me give you these reasons. The first reason men are offended
by this, because it takes away everything they're hoping in.
You're saying that all this counts for nothing? Yes. Yes. It takes away what men are hoping
in. And they're offended by that. Why, that's scandalous. You're
not giving me a reason to obey. You're not giving me any motivation.
This is scandalous. Men are offended by this because
it's so exclusive. The Lord said, I am the way,
the truth, the life. No man comes to the Father but
by me. No concessions, no compromise. Now, in order to get on in this
life, all we do is compromise. For you to get along with me,
you're going to have to make some concessions about me. You're
going to have to say, well, I'm just going to overlook it, and
I'm going to have to compromise with you. And that's just the
way it is. That's the way life works, isn't
it? That's the way our government works. If we're going to pass
this law, we have to concede this. That's just life. But here's one place where there
are no concessions. There's no negotiation, no negotiation,
no compromise. Why would God compromise this?
I am the way, not a way, the way, the truth, the life. I'm the only life. No man comes
to the Father but by me. And let me tell you something. I come to the Father pleading
only Him, but that's not really how I get to the Father. I get
to the Father by me being in Him, and Him coming to the Father,
and I come to. That's the only way I come to
the Father, by me being in Him, Him coming to the Father, and
me coming to. No man cometh to the Father but
by me. He doesn't say by pleading me
or believing in me, although we do, but he said, by me. And that's the only way we get
there, and there is no other way. Men are scandalized and offended
by the cross because the cross destroys all fleshly distinctions. Rich, poor, black, white, moral,
immoral, there is no difference. You take the most righteous,
upright man or woman you've ever known and you take a pedophile. or a drug addict or a drug pusher,
there's no difference. Do you believe that? There's no difference. The cross
destroys all fleshly distinctions. And the cross offends men's sense
of control. Because it says we have no control. Now I realize I'm looking at
a bunch of control freaks. But you know what? You don't
have any control. Most especially in your salvation.
And you don't have any control anywhere else either. But I mean,
I think of what that leper said, Lord, if you will, He understood
it was totally up to the will of Christ, the supremacy of his
will, the sovereignty of his will. If you will, you can make
me clean. Do you know me and you are in
the hands of a sovereign Christ who can save us or damn us as
he's pleased to do. And whatever he does is right.
And you have no control. Let me ask you, do you like that? I do. I do. I like being right there. I don't
want to, I don't want to have any control on this thing because
I know if I do, I'll mess it up. I'm sure of that. You'll
only worship a sovereign Christ. If you have any control whatsoever,
you never worship. No true worship. The cross. Men are offended by
because it strips us of any sense of personal righteousness. It
calls our righteousness filthy rags. The cross offends men's sense
of wisdom by saying you can't figure this out. What I'm talking about, you'll
have no idea what it is unless God's pleased to make it known
to you. You can't figure it out, you're not smart enough. Not
smarts anyway, it's revelation. And unless God reveals who he
is to you, you'll never know. Unless he reveals who you are
to you, you'll never know. Unless he reveals his son to
you, you'll never know him. utterly dependent upon revelation. And the cross offends men's love
of self because we're called on to deny ourselves. Biggest problem you have is yourself. Biggest problem I have is myself.
And we're called upon to deny ourselves, to take up our cross.
And that's the confession of what I'm talking about. That's
not talking about the burden you have in life. That's talking
about the confession of Christ himself, to take up our cross
and to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, how do men show
their offense at the cross? How do men demonstrate that they
believe it to be scandalous? Well, number one, by persecuting
those who preach the cross. That shows they're offended by
the message. But secondly, by attempting to state it in a way
where men won't be offended. Removing the offense, preaching
in such a way as nobody's gonna be upset. You know, I was thinking
about the idea of some people saying they believe in election
and yet believing that Christ died for all men. Do you know, by any stretch of
the imagination, all that is is an attempt to remove the offense
from the cross because you still believe, well, if he died for
me, I got some control in this. I can do the, I can, it's, it's pure
compromise. I have more respect for someone
who rejects the truth than someone who tries to state it in a way
where the offense is removed. Let me show you what Paul thought
about people who did this. He says in verse 12 of this same
chapter, Galatians chapter five, verse 12, he said, I would, that
they were even cut off. You know what that word means? Amputated. They're talking about circumcision.
If they want to preach circumcision, I would that they were amputated,
cut all the way off. Now somebody says, isn't that
harsh? No. This is a man who loved God and
he loved the souls of men. And this was what he said under
the inspiration of the Holy spirit. I would that they were even cut
off, which trouble you." Now, with regard to this message regarding
the offense of the cross. Now, anytime I bring a message
of any kind, I'm always worried whether or not I've been the
one that's been offensive. And that, Certainly can be true. And if I have been offensive
in my language or my attitude, I hope you'll forgive me. I don't
want to be offensive. I want the offense to be the
message, not the messenger, but the message. Now with regard
to this message of a declaration of the true character of God.
declaration of the true character of man and the declaration of
a finished, a finished salvation. You know, every time I even preach
about this, I'm thinking underneath, I hope this is so. I hope this
is so. It is. It is a finished salvation. You personally are either offended Or you love this. You're either offended. I don't
like this. I don't like what it says. I
don't like what it says about God. I don't like the God it
proclaims. I don't like what it says about me. I don't like
what it says about a finished salvation. This is offensive.
This is scandalous. This is not good. And there's
somebody else who says, this is the truth. And this is the
best thing I've ever heard. You love. Now, if you're wondering
where you're at here, where am I at? Where am I at
with regard to this? Well, the Ethiopian eunuch asked the
same thing one time. He said, after hearing the gospel
I've just preached, he said, what hinders me from being baptized? Now he obviously thought there
may be something holding me back that I don't, I'm not even aware
of it. I'm not sure what, something's wrong. I don't know what it is
yet, but something's wrong. I don't feel complete. What hinders
me from being baptized? And Philip said, if you believe
with all your heart, you may. And he answered, I believe. And I'm so thankful
for what he didn't say. I believe I'm one of the elect.
No, I believe I've been born again. No. I believe I believe. No. I believe that Jesus Christ is
the Son of God. I do too. I do too. Be baptized then. Now the point
is Salvation is what you believe
regarding Him. It's not what you believe regarding
yourself. It's what you believe regarding Him. And if you believe
Him, you're sure enough going to believe everything God is.
If you believe Him, you're sure enough going to believe everything
God says you are. And if you believe Him, you are resting
because of who He is. You're resting in a finished
salvation. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
and thou shalt be saved. Now God, listen to me real carefully,
God commands you to believe. It's not an offer. It's a command. You are commanded to believe
the gospel. You don't need to figure out
whether or not you're one of the elect. You don't need to figure
out whether or not Christ died for you. Here's what God commands
you to do right now. Everybody in this room, believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Don't wait on anything. Let not
conscience make you linger, nor a fitness fondly dream. The only fitness he requireth
is to have a need of him. Now, I changed the words to that
because the original writer said the only fitness he requireth
is to feel your need of him. What? If you don't feel it, you
still have it. The only fitness he requireth
is to have a need of him. This he gives you. Tis the Spirit's
rising me. Pastor. I can say I love that message. I love Christ. I love the gospel. And truly all men either love
it or hate it. But there are some who would
deceive themselves though they hate it. They would say, well,
yeah, I like everything he said, but, but, and I fear maybe there's
somebody here like that this morning. Yeah, that's everything
you said is true, but he left something out. No, he didn't. No, he didn't. The goats are
the ones who butt. Oh, that God would give us a
love for Christ, a love for his gospel. That was the gospel. That's clear as I've ever heard
it. And I feel like I heard it for the first time. Thank you,
brother. I'd like for us to close the
service with hymn number 129, Tom. Number 129, at the cross. And God give us grace to sing
it from our hearts. And let me make an announcement.
Please pay attention just a moment. If everybody could move away
from the space between the kitchen and the hallway and that door
after we finish the hymn, that'll give our ladies and men room
to move things outside. We're going to set up lunch outside
on this side of the building. So when you go out, use one of
these two doors or that door over there. and that'll make
it a lot easier to get everything set up and we can get to. We're
so thankful for our guests. Many of you I've known for years
and enjoyed fellowshipping with so many times, and I'm so thankful
that you're here. It's been a wonderful time of
bonding again with our hearts together in Christ. Our church,
our church here has been strengthened by your presence. And we're thankful. We're thankful for you. Number
129 at the cross. Alas, and did my Savior bleed,
and did my Sovereign die? Would He devote that sacred head
for such a worm as I? At the cross, at the cross, where
I first saw the light, and the burden of my soul rolled away. It was there by faith I received
my sight, and now I am happy all the day. Was it for crimes
that I have done He groaned upon the tree Amazing pity, grace
unknown And love beyond degree At the cross, at the cross where
I first saw the light, and the burden of my heart rolled away. It was there by faith I received
my sight, and now I am happy all the day. Well, my son, in
darkness hide and shut his glories in. When Christ, the mighty maker
died, for man the creature sinned. At the cross, at the cross where
I first saw the light, and the burden of my heart It was there by faith that I
received my sight, And now I am happy all the day. But drops of grief can ne'er
repay The debt of love I owe. Here, Lord, I give myself away,
Tis all that I can do. At the cross, at the cross, where
I first saw the light, and the burden of my heart rolled away. It was there by faith I received
my sight, and now I am happy all the day. Please be seated. Is Charlie here, Charles Pennington?
He's not? Okay, alright. I was going to ask him to close
the service in prayer, but let me pray for our meal and time
together and thank the Lord for the message we just heard. Our Heavenly Father, we're humbled
that you would allow us to be in this place and to, to hear
this glorious truth of thy dear son. We pray Lord that you would
bless our fellowship and that you would enable us to continue
rejoicing in him, in our conversations with one another. We thank you
for the food that we're about to receive. We know Lord that
everything that we have comes from thy hand and we ask Lord
that you would bless it. Pray that you would strengthen
our fellowships together and knit our hearts together in Christ.
For it's in his name we ask it. Amen. so