Good evening everyone. If you wish, turn to 1 Peter
chapter 5. 1 Peter chapter 5. Before I read my text for this
evening, a couple things I just feel that necessity would have
me do. One, I thank God for this privilege
to be able to stand in a place like this an attempt, even attempt,
to speak the unsearchable riches of Christ. Marvin, my mind cannot even think
of the words that God would give someone like me this great privilege. And I thank you, Marvin, for
this opportunity. I also want to say to encourage
him, my brother Paul, who is both my brother in Christ first
and my brother after the flesh second. It's a marvelous thing when God
saves someone that you really care about. It's just a marvelous
thing. And just a word to encourage
him and hopefully in a proper way. I
mean, last Sunday I went down to Kingsport, Tennessee, and
Paul drove all the way down there for a Sunday night service, about
two, two and a half hour drive, when he could have just watched
it on the internet. But he drove all the way down there to hear
me preach and to encourage the people at Kingsport. And I thank
God for him. I thank God for him. My wife,
Penny, sends her hellos. Second time Marvin's having to
come on a Wednesday night and my wife is upset because she
hasn't been able to make it either time. So the next time I'm going
to have to work something out if I am afforded that great pleasure. One other thing before I begin.
My mother, a believer in Christ, fell three or four weeks ago
and cracked her shoulder. And of course she's bruised up
tremendously. And she has certain bone problems, more than just
osteoporosis. And in the three or four weeks,
the crack has grown worse. It's not even healing. So if
you would, if you're so moved, remember her before the Lord.
All right, 1 Peter chapter 5. In beginning, I will read just
one verse this evening. 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 10. But the God of all grace who
have called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after
that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish,
strengthen, settle you. Now I am told by writers, and
I've heard others say it as well, that the historical setting for
this first epistle of Peter to the believers that he wrote to
very likely was under the time of Nero. We have no inspired
proof of that. History does let us know that
Nero was a great hater and malker of those who worship Christ.
But here's the point. Whatever the time was, God's
dear children, those that Peter was writing to, our brothers
and sisters, because that's who they are. Our brothers and sisters
were being persecuted for their worship and devotion to God's
Christ. They were mocked, ridiculed,
some were even suffering physically at the hands of godless men and
women. And yet, even in just this one
verse, just this one verse, The Apostle Peter, under the inspiration
of the Spirit of God, shows God's sovereign right to order all
things on our behalf. After you have suffered a while.
That's just not the sad occasion of what will be. That's God's
ordained purpose. Now I do not say this to be hard. Two things. One, our Lord Jesus
Christ said it is lawful for him to do with his own as he
will. But God does not do things simply to be arbitrary. God in
his infinite wisdom knows that suffering is what he has ordained
for our spiritual good in this world. And the chief example
of that is our Lord Jesus Christ. Because apart from His sufferings,
we would have no hope whatsoever. So again, I just point out in
the beginning that even this one verse shows God's sovereign
right to order all things in wisdom for the believer's spiritual
well-being. And it's not just for when we
get to glory. but it's for right now. So, again,
look at it, but the God of all grace, who hath called us unto
eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a
while. You see, the guarantee of my
perfection, the guarantee of your perfection, as Peter is
meaning here, and I'm not gonna deal with that, the guarantee
of our establishing, the guarantee of our strengthening, the guarantee
of our settling, is God's absolute proprietorship of grace. For God is said to be the God
of all grace. Think about it. These five very
short words. You see it? The God of all grace. The longest word is but five
letters in our English language. And yet these five words, as
the Spirit of God moved Peter to write, and Peter wrote exactly what God
intended for us to know. He put it in this order. The God of all grace. What I want to try to do this
evening is let's touch on a few of that. a few things concerning
that grace. Marvin, there's no way that you
and I can exhaust this subject. We could spend years just preaching
on that subject, the God of all grace, and never exhaust it.
But let's touch on a few things. First of all, since our God is
not the God of most grace, you hear what I'm saying? He said
he is the God of all grace. Sadly, in today's religion, most
people are led to believe that yes, God owns most grace, but
he doesn't own all grace. But Peter says he's the God of
all grace. All grace, whether it be a drop
of grace or whether it be a bucket load of grace, all grace has
God as its source. Period. If there is in any human
being graciousness, because it's best, that's what we can have.
We have no grace that's of us. Even graciousness must come from
God. Our God is not the God of all
graces. I'm just trying to point out
something. Our God's not the God of all graces. Every drop
of grace, and if you don't think that's the most appropriate word,
I understand that. I struggled with that, Marvin,
is to use this word. Every drop of grace is equal
to the whole bucket loads of grace that exist. It's all the
one singular grace of God. For instance, for instance, I've
often spoke of saving grace and dying grace. Have you ever done
that? But it's not really saving grace and dying grace. It is
grace that saves and grace to die. And it's all the same grace. And God gives that grace in the
time necessary for the circumstance necessary. There are not different
kinds of graces. If there were different kinds
of graces, God could be measured by steps. But He is the God of
all grace, singular. Number three, since our God is
the God of all grace, then any grace known by me, any grace
experienced by me, Any grace known or experienced by you must
come at God's dispensing of grace. Now, in evangelical circles,
I did not say free reigning grace circles. I said in evangelical
grace circles, when most men talk about being saved by grace,
Most men and women's mind run to Ephesians chapter 2 verses
8, 9, and 10. For by grace are you saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. And that
is true, but it's only a drop in the bucket. Turn to Ephesians
chapter 2. Let's look at that for a moment.
Ephesians chapter 2. Without question, the Apostle
Paul writing says in Ephesians 2 and verse 8, for by grace are
you saved through faith. Note, he does not say, for by
faith are you saved through grace. Faith does not earn God's grace. Faith is the gift of God's grace. For by grace are you saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves, whether it be the grace, the
salvation, or the faith. That's the structure of the Greek
language. For by grace are you saved through faith, and that
not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Any grace that you
and I know, God gave it to us. God gave it to us. Not of works,
lest any man should boast. Here's one thing, men will not
boast in God's sight. Men may say they boast in God's
sight now, but when God brings all things to account, none will
boast in God's sight. I can guarantee you that from
the authority of God's word. Every knee shall bow and every
tongue shall swear that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of
God the Father. But praise be unto his holy and
gracious name. He bows some of us under that
grace now. But notice something about what
Paul actually writes here in Ephesians 2. And this is nothing
new. I have no new message. The only
message I have is that which God purposed and ordained before
the world began. But listen to me, your faith
didn't die for your sins. If God had merely given men faith,
Okay? If God had merely given men faith,
and even if God kept us from sinning from that point on, faith
could not account for the sins before. Because look at who we
are by nature. Chapter 2, verse 1. And you, hath he quickened, who
were dead in trespasses and sins. wherein in time past ye walked
according to the course of this world, according to the prince
of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the
children of disobedience. Even me, even you as God's dear
children, by nature we were motivated by satanic force. We were motivated
by rebellion against God. Our hearts and minds, by nature,
are enemies against God. And it goes on, among whom also
we all had our conversation. That is our way of life. That
means much more than what we say with our mouths. But remember
the problem. If you say it with your mouth,
it's because it's coming out of down here. in your heart,
out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Among whom
also we all had our conversation in time past in the lust of our
flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and the mind and
were by nature the children of wrath even as others. We hated
God by nature. Even the elect of God by nature
hate God. There's nothing in even the elect
of God by their Adamic nature that warrants God's grace. But
God. Aren't you glad for those next
two words? But God. Now we're talking about God's
grace. He's the God of all grace. But God, who is rich in mercy
for his great love wherewith he loved us, not after he quickened
us, But look at what He actually said. Even when we were dead
in sins, that's before He quickened us, correct? You don't have to
be an English scholar to understand that, right? Even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, not
by Christ, with Christ. And that is, if Jesus Christ
represented me in His death, He represented me in His resurrection. That's what he's talking about.
And immediately, it's as if my old late pastor Earl Cochran
used to say he couldn't stand it any longer. Paul said, for
the grace of your Savior. Did you get it? Faith is not
even mentioned here. We ain't got the faith yet. This
is talking about the substitutionary, sacrificial work of Jesus Christ
for a people as an absolute accomplishment of redemption on their behalf. When he went into the grave,
I went into the grave. When he was raised from the dead,
I was raised from the dead. when he ascended back to the
Father's right hand. Bless God, so did you, if you're
in him. And that's exactly what he says.
And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus. We're not there yet physically,
but we are there in our substitute and representative. That, in
the ages to come, even from Paul's perspective, that in the ages
to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness
toward us through Christ Jesus, for by grace are you saved through
faith." You see, faith is the result of Christ's sacrificial
work at Calvary. If Jesus Christ died for you,
bless God, God in grace will give you faith. He will give
you faith. Paul put it this way in Romans
chapter 5, and I want to be brief on this, but look at what he
says, Romans 5. Verse 6, for when we were yet without strength,
in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Can you take your place
there? Has God ever shown you what you
really are by nature? He died for who? The ungodly. If you're here this evening,
and you think yourself to be righteous, you've got no right
to think Jesus Christ died for you. This is, contrary to this,
is the lie of Antichrist that is forced upon men and women
in our day. God's purpose is not Christ died
for all, now will you accept his sacrifice? The truth of God
is Christ Jesus died for some people, he reconciled some people,
he sanctified some people, he perfected some people. When he
died, now do you believe him? Do you believe him? Look, for
scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure
for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth
his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us. Much more then, being now justified
by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. If Christ
shed his blood for you, God's wrath has never been upon you. Never! Wait a minute, I was born
dead in trespasses and sins. Never! Yes, you were born dead
in trespasses and sins, but God. Look, for if when we were enemies,
You see it? For if when we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God by the death of his son. So stop,
when were you reconciled, if you were ever reconciled? One,
when you were an enemy. Not when you were a friend of
God, but when you were an enemy of God. For if when we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God, now he tells us how, by the death
of his son. My beloved brothers and sisters,
our reconciliation was accomplished by Jesus Christ in time some
odd 2,000 years ago. Look, for if when we were enemies
were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being
reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. No matter what trouble
you're going through. no matter what your circumstances
are, no matter what you are suffering in life at this moment. Now that's
number three. Since our God is the God of all
grace, then any grace known or experienced by men must come
at God's dispensing of grace. But here's number four. Notice, Peter says he is the
God of all grace. He does not say merely that He
is the God with all grace. You see, grace is not merely
some emotion of God. Grace is a sovereign act of God
toward the fallen sons and daughters of Adam. And grace is centralized
in His Son. And grace is God's absolute power
to save by His just purpose. Consider this. Since he's the
God of all grace, not merely the God with all grace, then
grace is defined by God's perfections, not by man's opinions of grace.
Try to explain that. Most people, when they want to
understand or somehow get some wrapping of their minds around
God's graces, what do they do? They go to Webster's Dictionary
and look up the explanation for grace. That's not the place to
find the definition of God's grace. The only place that you
can rest that is absolutely true as a definition of God's grace
is right here in this book. Everything else is subject to
error. Error. Consider this. God is
eternal. So is grace. God didn't just
start filling some kind of compassion toward man. God is the God of
all grace. And since God is eternal, then
grace is eternal. And this is exactly what Paul
lets us know in 2 Timothy chapter 1. Let's read that. 2 Timothy chapter 1. Verse 8. Be not thou therefore ashamed
of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but be
thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the
power of God. First of all, one of the afflictions
of the gospel is, God Almighty, if you ever truly hear the gospel,
God's going to afflict you concerning what you really are in Adam.
That's the first thing. God teaches mankind two things
when God comes to save an individual through regeneration and conversion.
God will teach you who He is in His holiness in His Son, and
God will teach you what you are in Adam. And if you've missed
either one of those, it wasn't a work of grace. Look though,
who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according
to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace. But this is going to be much
more than God merely having eternally existent grace. This is the God
of all grace having given men and women grace in Christ before
the world began. He didn't just have it all in
eternity and then in time begin to dispense it. Bless God, He
dispensed His grace in eternity before the world began. Isn't
that what He says? But according to His own purpose
and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world
began. Secondly, on this thing about
God's grace is defined by God's perfections, not by our opinions
of grace. Second thing I want to point
out is this. God reigns. Anyone who does not, at least academically, I don't
have a better word for it. Anyone who does not at least
recognize that God Almighty reigns simply because He's God Almighty
does not have any idea who God is. But God reigns. But Paul says so does grace.
Does he not? Romans chapter 5, and look at
what he says. Romans chapter 5. Verse 20, Moreover
the law entered that the offense might abound, but where sin abounded,
grace did much more abound. And some say you could translate
that, super abounded. Super abounded. That as sin hath
reigned unto death, Even so might grace reign through righteousness
unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. A third thing about
God's grace, how the scripture defines it. God's grace is God's
choice of some people, not all people. Most of us here tonight
probably recognize that fact. I don't know, I don't know. But
do you realize most people in this world are under the false
impression that God Almighty actually chose to save every
individual. There are some people that have
no idea that God Almighty's grace is discriminating, electing grace. And Paul makes it clear in Romans
chapter 11, verse five and six, that there is a remnant. Even
so then at this present time, there is a remnant. A remnant
in what sort? According to the election of
grace. And what is a remnant? I like
what Don Fortner said. The remnant are the scraps. And folks to this world, that's
what we are. Scraps. And when they find out
that God chose the scraps, they hate him even more. Because most
of us hate scraps. He said then, concerning this
election of grace, that this election of grace is either totally
of grace or it's totally of works. It can't be both. Can't be both. Here's another thing about this
grace. The election of grace, oh I love
this, turn to chapter nine, I was accused one time of always preaching
from Romans chapter 9. I went back and looked at some
of my messages, that's not so. But I guess, in some sense, maybe
I was. Romans chapter 9, verse 11, listen. The election of grace according
to God's word, as God's word defines His grace. The election
of grace can be neither merited or demerited. Now look at it,
Romans chapter 9 verse 11, for the children, being not yet born,
but there's another descriptive definition of the grace here.
Being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil. Do you see that? God Almighty. did not elect men
and women based upon any good or evil in them. Had he did so
Marvin, we would have all perished because there's evil in us all.
So we best thank God that it wasn't based upon any existence
of evil. But you know what? I thank God
that it wasn't based upon some existence of good. You know why? Because in old backwoods West
Virginian English, I ain't got none. I ain't got none. He said, for the children being
not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the
purpose of God according to election might stand not of works any
kind, any kind, but of him that calleth. Now, maybe someone might
say, well, I don't like that description of grace. I understand
that. I really do. I was there one
time, and everything within me, when I first began to realize
this, screamed out, I don't like that. But something happened. God dispensed a few drops of
that grace on this sinner. And all of a sudden, I began
to consider then he might, just possibly might, have mercy on
even me. On even me. And now I find these
two members in me. One of them still dislikes that.
One of them still dislikes that, but the other rejoices in that
above all things else, because I know the election was based
upon the person and work of God's Son and not upon my person and
my work. So again, grace, that is this
election of grace, could be neither merited nor demerited. But here's
another one. Grace in election is at God's
discriminating will. And the flesh says, what? What? You see, when God chose some,
God rejected others. And you can read that as well
in Romans chapter 9. That the purpose of God according
to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth,
verse 11. Then verse 12, it was said unto
her, that is this woman called Rebecca, it was said unto her,
the elder shall serve the younger as it is written, Jacob have
I loved. Isn't that amazing? Do you know what it means to
be a Jacob? To be a conniving wretch that would even steal
your brother's birthright? Well, but Esau's just an evil,
wicked person too. So was Jacob. So was Jacob. It was said unto her, the elder
shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob have I loved.
But Esau have I hated. And the flesh immediately cries
out, that's not right. Does it not? My flesh still cries
out, that's not right. But look at what it says. What
shall we say then? You see, there were Armenians
around even before there were ever Armenians named. That can't
be fair. That can't be right. This can't
be all up to God. It is. What should we say then? Is there unrighteousness with
God? God forbid, for He saith unto Moses, I will have mercy
on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom
I will have compassion. So then it, that is the election
of grace, the mercy of God, the compassion of God, salvation,
all of it. So then it is not of him that
willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. You see, God Almighty will crush
your rebellion at the place that you most resist the absolute
rule of God in your life. And for most of us, it has to
do with this, my will. what I want. Even our brother Abraham, you
remember Abraham? He said to be a friend of God,
and he was. You know why? Because he believed
God. But when God said you're going to have a seed, do you
remember one of the first replies that Abraham had to him? Oh,
that Ishmael. might live before thee. Now,
he wasn't talking about physical life. Ishmael was already alive
before God. Oh, that Ishmael might live before
thee. You know what God said? No. No. God said to Abraham, my covenant
will be with Isaac. Again, I stress, God's grace
in the scripture in election is at God's discriminating will. Number six, grace in election
is the same grace that God works when God the Spirit regenerates
an individual and converts them by the gospel. Read 2 Thessalonians
chapter 2. Turn there and look at what he
says. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. He
says this in verse 13, but we are bound to give thanks all
the way to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because
God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation. That's the
election of grace. But look at what this election
includes. chosen you to salvation through
sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth, whereunto
he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Either God will conquer me, either
God will conquer you by the preaching of his gospel, through the power
of his spirit, or you will not be conquered in this life. God
will either bow you down at the place of most resistance, and
he will crush that resistance in your heart, or you will never
be saved. Because the gospel is not accepting
the academic facts about the person and work of Christ, it
is bowing unto the authority of King Jesus. Christ says, I
am Lord. And you either bow to him as
Lord, or you've never bowed at all. In our day and age, men
are even told this. You probably heard this. Sadly,
I was raised up until I was about 22, 23 years old. They didn't
always say it this way, but I knew this is what they meant. Because
when I became older and thought I was called to preach, I started
preaching the very same thing, and nobody thought it was a problem.
Accept Jesus as your personal Savior. Then one day, you can bow to
Him as Lord. That is a lie of the devil. Because Jesus Christ is a personal
Savior. He is a personal Savior. But
you are saved by Jesus Christ when He bows you to His authority
as Lord in your life. Listen, when we suffer in this
world, it's because Jesus Christ owns us as believers, lock, stock
and barrel. And He knows what is best for
us. I sometimes like to think I understand that. You know what
I mean? I sometimes like to think...
And we know that all things work together for good. We do know
it. But we don't always feel that, do we? We don't always
understand it. It's just like that flash of
lightning. You've seen the flash of lightning
before? It happens in a split second. And you see all of this
brilliance and power. And that quick, it's gone again. It's gone again. Hear me now. Every circumstance
you encounter in this life is ordained by an all-wise, loving
God for you, for your spiritual well-being. And if you get little
flashes of that like the lightning, thank God for it, but bow to
it even when the lightning flash is gone, because it is true. Let me try to wind this down.
The dispensing of God's grace as I've tried to already point
out, is no mere mental consent to even these facts that I've
tried to express to you tonight. I know of people that would tell
me, I believe everything you say, pastor, and yet they don't
have any desire even to attend the worship of the saints, to
sing the songs of Zion, and to hear the gospel of his son, and
that just ain't so. When you love God, you'll love
His Christ. You love God, you love His Christ,
you'll love His people. And it's simply that simple. Somebody says, you're telling
me I gotta go to church to be saved. No, I'm telling you, if
God saves you by His grace, you'll be wanting to attend the assembly
of the saints. You'll sell out and move somewhere
else if you have to to get there. Just think of it. All of God's
grace is vouchsafed in one person. You realize, I know you know
that. I know this pastor that taught you that. All of God's
grace is vouchsafed in one person. John 1 verse 14. And the Word
was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, the
glory as of the only begotten of the Father. And what's the
next five words? Full, full of grace and truth. So if I ever know anything about
grace, if I ever experience anything of God's grace, Marvin is going
to have to come through this Word that was made flesh. Because
God's grace will be found nowhere else. Well, I believe in God. I believe in even the Father
and the Son and the Holy Spirit, but I'm not going to make a big
deal about Jesus Christ. God the Father makes a big deal
about Jesus Christ. And you and I will too, or we'll
perish under the wrath of God. Consider one other thing about
this. Full of grace and truth. Think of all the grace that was
dispensed toward the sons and daughters of Adam in the Old
Testament. Men like Adam. Men like Abel. Men like Noah. Men like David. Abraham and go
on and on and on and yet when Christ comes on the scene Marvin
when he comes on the scene all of this countless grace that's
been dispensed in the Two three four thousand years before whatever
it was all of this grace dispensed Jesus Christ comes in on the
scene of humanity in time in human flesh, and he's still what
full full It's not he's got this much grace and the Old Testament
took this much away from him. All of this was dispensed to
men and women in the Old Testament. When he comes in on the history
of time, he's still what? Full. Full. Somebody says that doesn't make
sense. Our God doesn't make sense. He's God. He's God. You see, grace is never diminished
in Christ. Everywhere else you hear grace
mentioned, everywhere else you hear men try to define grace,
you will come to realize that the worse you are, the more grace
is diminished. You ever heard people say, well,
you might send away your day of grace? We did that in Adam. We lost the right to any kind
of communion with God when Adam, our father, sinned in the garden.
We have no right, we have no claim, we have no merit on God's
mercy and compassion and his friendship. And yet he purposed. He purposed and gave grace to
sinners like us in Christ Jesus. If I am If you are, this very
night, if you are in Christ, then we lack, even right now,
no grace needed in all of our sojourn, even to the final transformation. Yes, James lets us know God gives
more grace, but I'm talking about this. We don't need any other
kind of grace. Because why? In Jesus Christ,
according to the Apostle Paul, Colossians 2, verses 9 and 10,
In Jesus Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And what's the next phrase? And
ye are complete in Him. My fellow believer here this
evening, and I say my fellow believer this evening, are you
suffering? Are you? If you ever went to other places
to visit for a conference or whatever and you think, boy,
these people just got a really good hold of grace. And they're
just happy all the time. Well, you're just seeing them
a few days out of the year. I went to places and I thought, boy,
if I could be as holy as those folks, I'd really have it made.
You ever thought that way? Those folks are just as sinful
as I am. I'm just as sinful as they are.
Now let's go back to our text and maybe run through it briefly,
and I'll close this down. 1 Peter chapter 5. Remember, but the God of all grace. No matter what you're going through
this evening, believer, whether it's sin. I didn't just say sins. Yes, we all struggle with sins.
We struggle with things we do every day of our life. But I'm
talking about struggling with why do I keep doing that? Why
am I continually that way? That's called sin. And if you're
here and you're suffering because of your inner in a corruption
before God apart from Jesus Christ. If you're here and you're suffering
about self, self, self. Maybe you're suffering at the
hands of the enemy, Satan and his minions. Or maybe you're
suffering at the hands of society. And I am no prophet. I am no
prophet. But folks, I'm afraid I see God taking his
hand of this country. I at least should say I'm afraid
I see God lifting his restraint. And if God lifts his restraint
only but a bit, we as fallen sons and daughters of Adam, we
will fall into absolute and complete chaos. Think about it. whether it's
a bad circumstance, whether you're suffering ridicule, whether you're
suffering persecution. Now let's look at Peter's context.
1 Peter chapter 5. Briefly, we'll read it, look
at it, make a few observations. The elders which are among you
I exhort, whom also an elder and a witness of the sufferings
of Christ and also the partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.
See how suffering always precedes this glory. It always does. But notice, there's
a gift of grace here. Elders. It's so easy to forget
this. Because your pastor that stands
here behind this podium, Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday
nights, other men that he has come in, we are but clay pots.
But be that as it may, These men whom God has sent to this
ministry are gifts of God to his church. And we are here to
constantly remind us of this truth. Because if we're not constantly
reminded of this truth, we'll turn from it in a moment. Look,
feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight
thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre,
but of a ready mind. And it won't take long, in most
cases, to find out the so-called elder what they're up to. It
won't take long. neither as being lords over God's
heritage, but being in samples to the flock. And when the chief
shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that
fadeth not away. Likewise, ye younger, submit
yourselves unto the elder." Why? Because God has trained them
more than you simply because of the time element. It's just
a fact. Marvin Stoniker, I had a A man
who was in his 60s take me under his wing when I was about 23
years old and put me behind the podium and said, all right, you
say you got this call of God, you say you've been sent to preach,
all right, do it. Do it. I don't know if I could
do that for a young 23 year old today. You see, God's men love God's
people. And they'll tell you the truth about yourself. And
they'll tell you the truth about themself. And they'll tell you
the truth about God. And that's love. That's love. Likewise, ye younger, submit
yourselves to the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one
to another and be clothed with humility, for God resisteth the
proud and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore,
under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due
time. The only people the Bible ever talks to about humbling
themselves are those that God's enabled to do so by grace. You
know that? God didn't ask Nebuchadnezzar,
will you humble yourself? Did he? What did he do? He broke
Nebuchadnezzar down and humbled him. Then Nebuchadnezzar humbled
himself. Is that not true, Mark? Is that
not true? Humble yourself, therefore, unto
the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time,
casting. And I wish I understood that
like I knew it ought to be understood. It means just casting. Get rid
of your cares. You know why? Because He cares
for you. He's the one that brought them
on you. Give them back to Him. He's the one that's bringing
them to pass. Give them back to Him. Don't try to handle it
yourself. You'll mess it up. Believe you
me. I know. casting all your care
upon Him, for He careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant, because
your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about
seeking whom he may devour, whom resist, steadfast in the faith,
knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren
that are in the world." Sum it up this way, you are not alone. And you're not going through
anything any different than God's people have gone through, through
all the ages of time. But the God of all grace, who
have called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after
that you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish,
strengthen, settle you. Look to Him be glory. Oh God continually bow me down
to be able to confess that before you. To Him be glory and dominion
forever and ever. So be it.