I'll ask you to take your Bibles
and turn with me once again now to Luke chapter 10. Luke chapter 10. I've entitled this message, Is
My Name Written in Heaven? Is My Name Written in Heaven? I'm actually going to be looking
primarily at verses 17 to 20, but I'll just bring us up to
that point. Verses 1 and 2 of Luke 10 says,
After these things the Lord appointed the other 70 also, and sent them
two and two before his face into every city and place whether
he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them,
The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few. Pray ye
therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers
into his harvest." You know, it is the most amazing thing
we know that our Lord is going to do. that which he's pleased
to do. That's the comfort that we have.
So I said a moment ago, he said to his people, he said, I'm not
going to leave you. I'm not going to forsake you.
He took 70, called 70 men, appointed them, and sent them. And he sent them to every city
and place whether he himself They were going to hear the gospel.
He was going to send these preachers and they were going to hear the
gospel of Christ, the gospel of God's grace in Christ. And
the Lord was going to come there. He was going to come. He was
going to send, like John the Baptist, you know, the forerunner
of the Lord Jesus Christ. He sent these men. What a blessed
place these places were that the gospel would be there. Gospel is not found everywhere. Where is it found? It's found
wherever the Lord raises it up. That's where it's found. And
where it's found, it's found there by grace. But he told them,
he said, the harvest truly is great, the laborers are few.
Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send
forth laborers into his harvest." I thought about this. I'll read
this to you, Ezekiel. We've looked at this passage
many times. Remember when the Lord promised
those things that He was going to do for His people. Ezekiel
36, He said, I'm going to multiply the fruit of the tree. I'm going
to increase the field. You'll receive no more reproach
or famine. All these things He was going
to do for them. But he told them in verse 37, thus saith the Lord
God, I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to
do it for them. I will increase them with men
like a flock. The Lord is the Lord in heaven
and earth. And he, as Nebuchadnezzar said,
he doeth as he will in the army of heaven among the inhabitants
of the earth, and nobody stays his hand. Nobody can stop him. But he told them, he said, I
want you to pray and I want you to ask that God would send laborers
into the harvest. Pray that God raise up Preachers. Oh, in this day, according to
His Word, Lord, raise up Your Word. Lord, have mercy. Lord, raise up the Gospel. And He said in verse 3, Go your
ways, behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. You know, man by nature thinks he's ten
feet tall and bulletproof. I can do it, I can handle it.
But He said, I send you forth as lambs, helpless. And a man,
a woman called God knows in themselves, without Him, I can do nothing. I struggle to pray. I struggle
to read. I struggle to hear. Lord, help
me. Help me. We're not tough. We need the great shepherd of
the sheep. Lord, guide me, keep me. Lord, direct me. Cause me to
hear. As I've told you before, faith
cometh right now. I need the Lord to
give me faith to believe right now. Just like yesterday's air. I've told you that before. Yesterday's
air is gone. I needed that right now. I need
to believe God right now. So we walk sent by faith. We believe it. Look at verse
4. Carry neither purse, nor script, nor shoes. Salute no man by the
way. We walk believing the Lord. Look at verse 5 to 9. Into whatsoever
house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the
Son of Peace be there. If God's raised up, A believer,
God by His sovereign grace has given a man, a woman, a heart
for Him. If the Son of Peace be there,
your peace shall rest upon it. If not, it shall be turned to
you again. In the same house, remain eating,
drinking such things as they give. The laborer is worthy of
his hire. Go not from house to house, you
know, looking to... You ever notice how somebody,
especially false preachers, I'll just cut to the chase, you know,
somebody always feel led of the Lord. You know, I'm going to
go to another place. You know, it's always a bigger place. It's
always a better place, always more money. He said, don't go
out of the house. And into whatsoever city you
enter, they received you. Eat such things as are set before
you. Heal the sick that are therein,
saying to them, the kingdom of God is coming on you. Unto you. We've got one message. The King is coming. He's returning. He's going to return. He's coming
back for His people. The Lord is going to receive
His people unto His own. He said, you go to the city,
you greet the people, be cordial. If the Lord has a people there,
if there's a remnant, according to the election of grace, He
said, stay there. Stay there. I'm sending you someplace
where I'm going to come. Now you don't know where it is,
but you go. And this is what I want you to
do. You go somewhere, if they're
there, and there's a reception of the message, and you stay
there and preach. Look 10 to 15. But into whatsoever
city you enter, and they received you not, go your ways out into
the streets of the same, and say, even the very dust of your
city which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you, notwithstanding. Be ye sure of this, that the
kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto you, that
it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that
city. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe
unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been
done in Tyre and Sidon which have been done in you, they had
a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it
shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than
for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art
exalted to heaven, shall be thrust down to hell." Let me tell you
the seriousness of hearing the gospel of God's sovereign grace
and not believing it. It's going to be more tolerable
for Sodom and Gomorrah then it will be where God has sent the
gospel and men refused it. You say, well, if men refuse
it, it's because God didn't give them a heart to do so. As I've
told you before, don't you lay your rebellion at God's feet.
God Almighty does as He will, and man is a rebel in his heart. He's a liar, He came forth from
his mother's womb preaching lies, speaking lies. If God is pleased
to show mercy, and if He has mercy and compassion on whomsoever
He will, He has the right to do that. I'm going to look at
Romans 9 in a few minutes. We're going to see that. But
if He leaves a man to himself to do what that man wants to
do, Not here. I don't want to hear. If He does
that, He does that because that's what He wants to do. And Almighty
God has said, you go someplace and if they won't hear you, He
said, you wipe the dust off your feet. That dust in the day of
judgment is going to rise up as a witness against Him. He
said that dust is going to rise up. That dust is going to say,
I was there. I heard the gospel preached here. You say, well,
I don't know. It says, verse 11, even the very
dust of your city which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against
you. Notwithstanding, be you sure
of this, that the kingdom of God has come unto you. Man, by nature, does as he will
in rebellion. If God Almighty is pleased to
save a man, it's going to be to the grace of God and the compassion
of Almighty God. Refuse the gospel, it'll be more
tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than it will for those that heard
the gospel and refused to hear it. Look at verse 16. He that
heareth you, heareth me. He that despiseth you, despiseth
me. He that despiseth me, despiseth
him that sent me. The Lord said in John 10, 27,
My sheep hear my voice. I thought a lot about that recently.
I brought it up quite recently. How do they hear? They hear in
their heart, by faith. They hear His voice in creation,
in providence. You see what God has done. What
has He done in moving in providence into it? That's His voice. Especially in salvation. You see God Almighty call a man
or woman out of darkness. We hear the voice of the Savior,
I'll have mercy on whom I'll have mercy. I'll have compassion
on whom I'll have compassion. So to hear the gospel by faith
is by the grace of God. To reject the gospel is to reject
Christ and to reject the Father who sent Him. Well look at verse
17, He sent them out and obviously now they've returned. And it
says, And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord,
even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. You know
it's joyful to the servants of God to see the work of the Lord
prosper. I do. I want the Lord. I desire the Lord to save His
people. I know that God has an elect. I know that He's going to save
them. I know He is. I know He's going to call them
out of darkness. Who knows? It may be today, Don. I don't
know. I don't know. But God's people want to see
the work of the Lord prosper. They want to behold the Lord
dethroned. the devil in the hearts of sinners
and regenerate his people. I want to see that. With joy they said, Lord, even
the devils are subject unto us through thy name. Lord, we preached in your name.
Lord, we've done that which you have told us to do in your name. And the Lord said something unto
them. He said, I beheld Satan, as lightning
fall from heaven. They said, Lord, we saw Satan
dethroned in the lives of some people. The Lord said, I saw
Satan cast out of heaven. Look at this, Revelation 12.
Revelation chapter 12, verse 7 to 9. There was war in heaven. Michael
and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought
against his angels and prevailed not. Neither was their place
found anymore in heaven. And the great dragon was cast
out, that old serpent called the devil, and Satan, which deceiveth
the whole world. He was cast out into the earth,
and his angels were cast out with him. The Lord said, that
which you've seen, of Satan, devils, dethroned in the lives
of people. He said, I saw him cast out of
heaven. And he said in verse 19, Behold, I give unto you power
to tread on serpents and scorpions over all the power of the enemy,
and nothing shall by any means hurt you. These fiery darts of
Satan that come against us, He said, I give unto you power to
tread on serpents and scorpions over the power of the enemy.
Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid of him. Don't
be afraid of Satan. He's as a roaring lion. He's not going to hurt you. I've
dethroned him. I'm the strong man that entered
into his house. Captive. What? He had captive. He's elect, born in rebellion,
in Adam's fall, and the Lord in mercy comes to him and enters
into that strong man's house, one that's stronger than that
strong man. This is no contest. This is not
a... It's just not here like a box
and mash and two evenly, you know, matched contenders. Oh,
no, no, no. That's God's devil. He created
him. I give unto you power, all power
in heaven and earth is given unto the Son, that He should
give eternal life to as many as the Father has given Him."
He works all these things after the counsel of His own will.
He's ruling, He's reigning. I give unto you power to tread
on serpents and scorpions and over all the power and nothing,
nothing, shall by any means hurt you. Nothing. John 15, 5 says, I am the vine. You're the branches. He that
abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit.
For without me, you can do nothing. Nothing's going to hurt you.
Nothing shall by any means. Romans 8, 36. Romans 8.36 declares
this truth. Here's the security of God's
elect. Romans 8.36, it is written, for
thy sake we're killed all the day long, we're accounted as
sheep for the slaughter. You say, well I thought you said
nothing was going to hurt us. To live is Christ and to die
is gain. Precious in the sight of the
Lord is the death of His saints, the sanctified, the set-apart
ones in electing grace. If the Lord takes His people
out of this world today, they're the winners. We're more than
conquerors in Him who loved us. Nay, in all these things we're
more than conquerors through Him that loved us, for I'm persuaded
that neither death No life. If I die or if I live for a while
longer, angels or principalities or powers, things present, things
to come, what's coming? Whatever it is. I can tell you
this, height, depth, any other creature shall be able to separate
us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
He said back in Luke 10, I give unto you power. to tread on serpents
and scorpions over all the power, and nothing shall by any means
hurt you." And then he told them this. This is where I'm going
to stay for a few minutes. Notwithstanding, in this, rejoice
not that the spirits are subject unto you. Lord, devils are in
subjection to us through your name. He said, don't let that
be the the foundation of your rejoicing. He said, I cast Satan
out of heaven. The one that I made, I cast him
out. I rule and reign. I give you power. Don't rejoice,
but he said, but rather rejoice because your names are written
in heaven. Now I'm just going to ask a few
questions about this. Where are those names written? Rejoice because your names, and
obviously, that's particular. Your names
are written there. Where are they written? Where? Look at Revelation 20. Revelation
chapter 20. Verse 11 to 15. Revelation 20. Where are our
names? Let God be true. Let's just see
what God has to say about this. Revelation chapter 20, verse
11. I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, whose
face the earth and heaven fled away, and there was found no
place for them, as I've said before, that is to hide. There
was a great white throne, and Him that sat on the throne, whose
face the earth and heaven fled away, and no place to hide. And
I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God. And the books
were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book
of life. And the dead were judged out
of those things which were written in the books according to their
works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, death
and hell delivered up the dead which were in them, and they
were judged every man according to their works." I read that
and I think, Lord, have mercy on me. Lord, for Christ's sake,
Lord, don't look on me and my works. And death and hell were
cast into the lake of fire, this is the second death, and whosoever
was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the
lake of fire. Now, the scripture reveals that
there is a record. It's called the Book of Life.
This is how much I know about the Book of Life. God said there's
a Book of Life. The Book of Life, a record of
all that Almighty God has eternally been pleased to bless in the
Lord Jesus Christ. The Book of Life. God's book. And this book is the inscription
of the assurance, this book, the assurance of salvation for
all found written therein. Now listen to Daniel chapter
12 verse 1. At that time shall Michael stand
up the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people. Here's the surety. This Michael
stands up, the great prince, standeth for the children of
thy people. And there shall be a time of trouble such as never
was since there was a nation, even to that same time. And at
that time, thy people. It's just so refreshing when
you hear the Lord speak of His people, my people, mine elect. At that time, thy people shall
be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the
book." There's a book. However it is the Scriptures
declare it to be, there's a book. There's only one that standeth
for the children of thy people. It is the Lord Jesus Christ,
our great surety. that stood up from all eternity
for God's elect. And they're going to be delivered.
He is the surety. I've told you, the one who's
going to answer. What great comfort to know being
chosen in Christ. And I tried to deal with that
a few weeks ago. What does that mean to be chosen
in Christ? God Almighty is going to look
to Christ to answer. for all that He's been pleased
to choose in Him. He has chosen us in Him from
before the foundation of the world that we should be holy
without blame before Him in love. And God Almighty is going to
look to the surety. He's going to look to the surety. And the surety is going to stand. And He's not going to fail. And
He's going to finish the work. This is the will of God. That
of all that He's given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise
it up in the last day. And here is the assurance of
God's elect, God's people. We have one that answers for
us. And that is the beloved Son,
and whom the Father is well pleased. You hear Him, you hear Him. This
is it. Where are the names written? They're written in the book of
life. Alright, well let me ask you this. When was it written? If there's a book, and there
is a book, there's a book. Here again, I've told you everything
I know about it. When was it written? Now I grew up hearing, turn to
Revelation 17, 8. I grew up hearing that there
was a recording angel. I don't know where they got that
term, but that's just what I heard. That there was a recording angel
and every time someone gave their heart to Jesus and exercised
their free will, that a new entry was in. was written in the book.
New name, you know. Here's this certain date and
it's, you know, write that name down right there. Well, let's
see what God has to say about it. Revelation 17, 8. The beast
that thou sawest was and is not shall ascend out of the bottomless
pit and go into perdition and they that dwell on the earth
shall wonder whose names were not written in the book of life
from the foundation of the world when they behold the beast that
was and is not and yet is." When was the book of life written? It's always been written. It has eternally been written.
All that Almighty God has ever purposed to save have eternally
been written in the Book of Life. Those names have always been
there. There's never been a time. Look at 2 Thessalonians 2.13.
2 Thessalonians 2.13. Here's what God has to say. 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 13, But
we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved
of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you
to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the
truth. How long has God been pleased
to show mercy and compassion? He's chosen you from the beginning. When was that? From the beginning. When is that? In the beginning. Go back as far as you can go.
That ain't far enough. From the beginning. God hath
from the beginning. Look at Romans 9. Romans 9. Here's the truth. How? The question is, where are
they written? They're written in the book.
How'd they get there, Jeff? Here it is, Romans 9. Romans
9, verse 8 to 16. Romans 9, 8 to 16. That is, which are the children of the
flesh. These are not the children of God, but the children of the
promise are accounted for the seed. For this is the word of
promise, at this time will I come and Sarah shall have a son, and
not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even
by her father Isaac, 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, but of him
that calleth. It was said unto her, The elder
shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob have I loved,
Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there
unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses,
I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, I will have compassion
on whom I have compassion. So then it is not of him that
willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.
How'd their names get there? God was pleased to put them there. He doeth as He will in the army
of heaven. Here's my third question. What
is the foundation or the reason? Well, I just almost touched on
it just then. What is the reason? Turn to Ephesians 1, 5 and 6.
What is the reason? Was the reason found in them? was the reason found in those
that were written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Did God look down
and see that they would choose Him so He chose them? Oh no.
You go back and read Psalm 14. God did look and He saw that
there was none that did good. There was none that sought after
God. None. There was none righteous. Not
one. Not one. What was the foundation? What
was the reason for their names being in the book of life? Ephesians
1, 5, and 6. Having predestinated us unto
the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, and you read
these last few words and listen, according to the good pleasure
of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace wherein
He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. Why did God choose to show mercy
to me? Because it pleased Him to do
so. Look at Ephesians 2, 4-7. But
God, who is rich in mercy for His great love wherewith He loved
us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together
with Christ, by grace you are saved, hath raised us up together,
made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, look
here, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches
of His grace and His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Brethren, We have nothing to
glory in save the mercy and grace of God Almighty. Jesus Christ
and Him crucified. There was nothing in us that
merited God showing mercy. He shows mercy to whomsoever
He will. Here's another question. I'm
going to wrap this up. How can I know that my name's
written there? I think that's a pretty good
question. I know there's a book. I know that it was written from
before the foundation of the world. I know that. I know those
that are found written in that book, they're not going to have
anything to glory in but the grace of God. I know that. But I want to talk about me for
a second. Myself is. Do I have any assurance of knowing
that my name is written there? There's only one way that any
sinner can have any assurance that his name is written in heaven.
And here it is. Get a hold of this one. Faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ. Listen to this scripture. John
3.36, He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. Now I'm going to qualify this
just so we... You know, everybody can say,
well, you know, I've accepted Jesus. That's not what he's saying.
I accepted the Lord. I believe that Jesus Christ is... Let me tell you what he's saying.
When we say that he that believeth on the Son, he that believeth
on the Son, half eternal life. I mean this, there is no other
trust in anything or anyone, not even in yourself. Not your
baptism, not tongues, not your free will, not your decision,
not your Bible study, not your prayer, not walking down the
aisle, not praying through the altar, not nothing. He that believeth
on the Son Lord, if I find myself with you, it's going to be because
you were pleased to show mercy to me. And nothing that I did,
nothing that I did or could do, was the determining factor. Lord,
salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is all of grace. Believing
on the Son is to say that I believe that the Father chose to show
mercy to me because it pleased Him and that it was not by works
of righteousness that I did. It was according to His mercy,
His mercy. I believe on the Son. I believe
that the Son died for me in particular. I laid down my life for the sheep. I believe on the Son, believing
that the Holy Spirit effectually and powerfully called me out
of spiritual darkness and unbelief and gave me a new heart that
wasn't there before. I'm going to give you a new heart,
I'm going to give you a new spirit. And made me willing in the day
of His power and called me to Himself. And He gave me eyes
to see and ears to hear that I didn't have before. Because
I didn't have faith. It's given unto you to believe. The Lord told me, He said, rather
you rejoice because your names are written in heaven. There's
a book. And all written in the book are going to believe on
the Son. Apart from anything, they'll
have no confidence in their flesh. None. None. None. I'm not saved by my faith. I
believe by faith that Almighty God saved me. But my faith didn't
die for me. He gave me faith to believe it.
But in closing, look at verse 21. In that hour, Jesus rejoiced
in spirit and said, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and
earth, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent,
and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed
good in Thy sight." You know, brethren, we are in the hands of Him who's
going to do as He will. Now this is the God of this Bible.
This little nobody that men are standing in pulpits and trying
to proclaim, trying to make like He's a little puppet or something
that just, you know, say He doesn't have any arms but your arms.
That's baloney. He doesn't have any eyes but
your eyes. Let me tell you something. If Almighty God gives you a heart
to bow, cry out for mercy, it's because He's already shown you
mercy. He's already given you a new heart to do that. Because
if He hadn't given you a new heart, you'd have never done
it. Lord, have mercy on me, for Christ's sake.