of blessed deliverance. I'm going
to ask you to take your Bibles and turn with me to the book
of John chapter 17. John 17. I'd like to look this morning
at one verse, verse 16. This is the the glorious great
high priest praying for his own. John 17, verse 16. Our Lord says, they are not of
the world, even as I am not of the world. You know, as we pray, we're ever mindful of our frailty. If you want to know how frail
you really are, for a believer, now I'm talking about a believer
praying, let him try to pray. Let him try to approach the Lord
as his heart truly desires. I want to pray. But I know this,
the scripture bears out, we know that the Spirit also helpeth
our infirmities. Why? Because we know not what
we should pray for as we ought. I don't know what to ask. I don't
know what to say. I'm always so ashamed Because I know that He knows. He hears. Scripture bears that
out. The Lord said when you pray,
you enter into your closet. Pray to your Father in secret.
And the Father that seeth in secret is going to reward you
openly. Scripture bears out that prophets
have come to those that have sought the Lord and told them,
the Lord has heard your prayer. Oh, what comfort as we read these
blessed words and realize that this is our Lord making intercession
for us, never deviating. I try to pray, you try to pray,
and honestly, we admit, we deviate it. We begin to think of things
that just, not him, it's my beloved son, whom I'm well pleased. He
who ever liveth, right now, praying for his own, and here is the
great high priest, The one who takes, hears, and presents the prayers
of the saints, and presents them before the throne with his own
merit, the incense of his own merit. How thankful I am for
that. that I can truthfully say and
you that know Him can too say, Father, for Christ's sake, hear
my prayer. Father, for Christ's sake, hear
my petition. Let's listen to the intercession
of our dear high priest as he expresses the very need of his
people. I would not even know to pray
this. But for the grace of God, I wouldn't
know to ask this. But he does. And here's what
he says. They're not of the world, even
as I'm not of the world. You know, he had just prayed
that in verse 14. Look at verse 14. I've given them thy word,
and the world hath hated them, because they're not of the world,
even as I'm not of the world. Now, you know, from him saying
that in verse 14 and then saying it again in verse 16, there's
a couple of things that we know. Number one, I know this. That prayer needed to be prayed. You know, He told us, you have
not because you ask not. That prayer, those words, needed
to be said. You think the Father knew that
His people are not of this world? Sure He does. But it has pleased
the Lord through prayer, that we pray, that we ask. We, with
importunity, ask again, ask over. We need to be kept from the evil
of this world. We're not of it. The Lord reveals in verse 14
that the world hates us. That's what He said. He said,
the world has hated them because they're not of the world, even
as I'm not of the world. The world hates that which is
not of its own. Hates it. So I know it needed
to be prayed. And secondly, I know this, that
we're taught that divinely ordered, divinely blessed repetitions
in prayer are not wrong. Now I know that the Lord says
that vain repetitions, empty, vain repetitions, repeating the
same words over and over as the heathen do. The Lord says don't
do that. When you pray, don't pray with
vain, empty, repetitions because the heathen thinks that they're
going to be heard for their much speaking. When I pray, when you pray, I'm
sure I express your same thoughts. There's many times that I'll
catch myself praying for the same things over and over and
over. Praying as I've told you, praying
for you, calling your names, praying for my children, praying
for my grandchildren, praying for this country, praying God
give me grace. Lord settle my heart, teach me.
As your pastor called to this place, Lord teach me, help me.
Lord direct my thoughts, direct my words. Bless, bless. Our Lord repeated Himself, but
you know it wasn't vain repetition. So I know this, that asking in
a way of importunity, asking, asking and asking, is not wrong. Vain repetition, but that earnest
desire, even when it's repeated, is set forth by our Lord, be
right. Don't be ashamed. I mean, vain
repetition, yes. I mean, just words, words, words,
words, words. No heart. But if the Lord has
given you a heart, pray. Pray for one another. Pray for
one another. Pray asking God, bless this word. I pray that the Lord bring forth
fruit today. I know this, that He's promised.
He said, my word's not going to turn void. It's going to accomplish
the purpose for which it was sent. I know that. Therefore,
based upon His Word, I can with confidence say, Father, for Christ's
sake, bless Your Word today. Lord, bring forth fruit in the
calling out of Your sheep according to Your eternal purpose. Those
that You've everlastingly loved. Those that you've chosen in Christ,
Lord, have mercy. I can pray that with confidence.
He said, I'm going to have mercy on whom I'll have mercy. I can
pray, Lord, have mercy on me. Have mercy upon us. Considering those words of our
Lord that we're not of this world. That's what He said. They're not of the world even
as I'm not of the world. How is that? Let's consider how. How are we not of this world. Well obviously we weren't born
differently than anybody else. I mean there's none good, no
not one, but does the potter not have the right to make one
vessel under honor and another vessel under dishonor? Does he
have the right to do that? Sure he does. Being born in Adam,
we're all the same. It's not an ounce of difference.
We all came forth from my mother's womb speaking lies. We're all
born as an unclean thing. But something by the grace of
God happened. Those that the Lord everlastingly
loved, those that He chose before the foundation of the world,
placed His affection upon eternally. When it pleased God, He was pleased
to cross their path through the preaching of the gospel, the
preaching of the glorious message of God's grace found in the Lord
Jesus Christ. And when it pleased God, those
that were not looking for Him, like Saul of Tarsus, like me,
like you, we weren't seeking God. No man seeks after God. Almighty God, in mercy and power,
stopped us, crossed our paths and gave us a new heart, gave us a new mind, revealed
Himself to us through the preaching of the truth, the preaching of
Christ. Now by the grace of God, there's a new man created, created
in righteousness, And we're not of this world now. Now, he eternally
purposed it, but something happens in time. We're not of this world. Being born in Adam, we were dead
in trespasses and sins, but now we're alive spiritually in Christ
Jesus, unlike the world. Colossians 3, 4, when Christ,
who is our life, shall appear. Then shall ye also appear with
him in glory. We're not of this world. Ephesians
2.1 says, you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and
sin. Dead likes to mingle with dead. Life mingles with life. God's people want to be with
God's people. Thanks be unto God. I want to
be here. I want to meet with you. I want
to be where the Lord is honored. I want to be where Christ is
preached. I want to be where God Almighty
is set forth as God. Believers have a new nature.
One from above. One that has been spiritually
resurrected. through the preaching of God.
Turn to Ezekiel 37. I love this passage of scripture.
It's passages that just, my heart's stirred by them. One of them,
I read the other day, those two on the road to Emmaus, when the
Lord revealed Himself to them, and the confession of those two
after the Lord had spoken of Himself in all the scriptures,
and they said, didn't our heart burn within us? This is another one right here.
Ezekiel 37. Listen to this. The hand of the
Lord was upon me. Ezekiel 37.1. Carried me out
of the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the midst of the
valley which is full of bones. And caused me to pass by them
round about. And behold, there were very many
in the open valley, and lo, they were very dry. And he said unto
me, Son of man, can these bones live? I think about that as God's
preachers stand and proclaim the truth of God's sovereign
grace. Here's the question to every
God-called preacher. Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, here's the only
answer an honest man will give. Lord, thou knowest. Can they live? Oh Lord God, only
you know. Again, He said unto me, prophesy
unto these bones and say unto them, ye, oh ye dry bones, hear
the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God unto
these bones, behold, I will cause breath to enter into you and
you shall live. This is the confidence that we
have as we preach. These bones can live if God gives
a new heart. I can't. What am I going to say? What am I going to say? We're not of this world. Being born again, we're not of
this world because a believer has a new master. A believer
is different because he's got a new nature. He's born from
above. He's got a new master. Who was the old master? Well,
turn back to John 8, 42. John 8, 42. Let me show you who
this is now. This is every man, every woman
born in Adam comes forth with this master until Almighty God
calls them out of darkness. This is their master right here.
John 8, 42. Jesus said unto them, if God
were your Father, You would love me. I can say this on the authority
of the Word of God. To love the Lord Jesus Christ
is to love the report that God's given of Him. To love the Lord
Jesus Christ, Neil, is to love the Gospel. It's the Gospel of
God. It's the Gospel of Christ. If
God were your Father, you'd love me. For I proceeded forth and
came from God, neither came I of myself, but He sent me. Why do
you not understand my speech? Even because you cannot hear
my word." Man won't hear it because he can't hear it. Ye are of your
father the devil, and the lust of your father ye will do. He
was a murderer from the beginning and a bold knot in the truth,
because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie,
he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar, and the father of
it. Because I tell you the truth,
you believe me not. Which of you convinces me of
sin? If I say the truth, why do you
not believe me? He that is of God, heareth God's
words. Ye therefore hear them not, because you're not of God. God's people hear His voice. Here is the setting forth of
the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ as it is blessed by the Holy
Spirit to God's people. Here's the Word of God. Here's
God's voice. They hear my voice. They hear Him speak. They follow
me. And He said, I give unto them eternal life. They'll never
perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. The regenerated sheep have a
new master. Look at Jeremiah 31, 33. Jeremiah
31, 33. They have a new master. They
have a new Lord. Jeremiah 31, verse 33. But this shall be the covenant
that I will make with the house of Israel. spiritual Israel, God's Israel,
spiritual Jews. After those days, saith the Lord,
I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their
hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
God's people are not of this world, but they got a new nature. They have a new master. Thirdly, the believer is not
of this world because he has a different hope of salvation. Not of this world. Philippians
3. Here's the apostle Paul speaking. Philippians 3.
Verse 3 to 9. He said, for we are the circumcision
which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and
have no confidence in the flesh. I can tell you this. There's
a confession of a believer. We worship Christ Jesus. God,
man. Christ, Jesus. Deity, humanity. We worship, we have no confidence
in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence
in the flesh, if any other man thinketh that he hath whereof
he might trust in the flesh, I more." Now listen to his credentials. Circumcised the eighth day of
the stock of Israel. tribe of Benjamin, Hebrew of
the Hebrews, touching the law of Pharisee, concerning zeal,
persecuting the church, touching righteousness, which is in the
law, blameless." I've said before, boy, that's a high order right
there. Before God's law, I have no blame. For what things were gained to
me, those I counted lost for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I
count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss
of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ
and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which
is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ. His faith that He wrought out
in perfect obedience before God as our representative. The righteousness
which is of God by faith in which we believe Him. This is what
we do. We believe God and we believe
that that in which we're robed is His righteousness. imputed
to us. You stop and think, here's my
salvation. When he died, he died for me.
I laid down my life for the sheep. He put away my guilt. That means
I have no guilt. I have no sin to answer for.
To say I have no sin, I'd be making God a liar. But to say
that I have sin to answer for, no. There's therefore now no
condemnation to them that be in Christ Jesus. Why do I have
no sin to answer for? He bore it all and put away all
of our sins. Cast them as far as the east
is from the west. Thanks be unto God, when I deviate
now, when I miss the mark now, here's my salvation. He hath
made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure,
I have no debt to answer for. I have no guilt to answer for. A sinner that God Almighty has
put away the debt of my sin. And then He's robed me in His
righteousness. His righteousness. Mine, Frank, is filthy rags.
And I know it. I know it. I know it. But here's my salvation. He paid
my debt and he has robed me in himself. And I stand before God
Almighty accepted. And here's the last part. His
fourth reason that we're not of this world. We have a different
destiny. We're not going to the same place
the world is going to. Revelation 20. Revelation 20. Revelation 20, verse 11. I saw a great white throne, and
Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven
fled away. And there was found no place
for them, that is, to hide. We'll all be there. And I saw
the dead, small and great, stand before God. And the books were
open. Another book was open, which
is the book of life. And the dead were judged out
of those things, the dead without Christ. Dead spiritually. And the dead were judged out
of those things which were written in the books according to their
works, according to their deeds, according
to their professions, according to their free will, according to all of those things.
Paul was listing all of those things he trusted in. According
to their walking down the aisles and being baptized for salvation,
speaking in tongues for salvation. accepting the Lord in free will
for salvation. They were judged according to
their works. And the sea gave up the dead
which were in it, and the dead in hell delivered up the dead
which were in them. And they were judged, every man,
according to their 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. I don't want to stand before
God based on my works. Not for salvation. No. But look at Matthew 25 in closing. Matthew 25, verse 31. Matthew 25, verse 31. When the Son of Man shall come
in His glory, and all the holy angels with him. Then shall he
sit upon the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered
all nations. And he shall separate them one
from another, as a shepherd divided his sheep from the goats. And
he shall set the sheep on his right hand, goats on the left. Then shall the king say unto
them on his right hand, These that He's everlastingly known. Those that He's chosen His Son.
Those that Christ died for, the sheep laid down His life for.
Those that the Spirit of God effectually called out of darkness,
His sheep. Those that He told the Pharisees,
He said, you don't believe me because you're not my sheep.
My sheep hear my voice. The sheep, the chosen, God's
elect. and how thankful we are. Paul
says if he hadn't left us a remnant, a small seed, we'd all been like
Sodom and Gomorrah. But God, in his mercy and grace,
chose to show mercy to the Son. Let men raise their hands in
rebellion against God and say it's not fair. That's not fair. That's not fair. I've said before,
fair. If Almighty God who is just was
fair, He'd put us all in hell. But God who loved the order of
this world, the world, God so loved the world, He loved the
order, the arrangement, made man. and purposed he was not going
to let mankind perish, sent his only begotten son to die for
his sheep. Then shall the king say unto
them on his right hand, come, you blessed of my father, inherit
the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Let me say this. This is what God has to say.
All of us came forth speaking lies. All of us were born dead
in trespasses and sins. That's what God has to say. But
God has to say, I'm going to have mercy on whom I'll have
mercy. And I'm going to have compassion
on whom I'll have compassion. And it's not of Him that willeth,
not of Him that runneth, but it's God that showeth mercy.
And Almighty God, in His mercy and compassion and grace, is
going to call His sheep out of darkness unto this message right
here. And those that He calls and gives
a heart to believe in, they're going to believe it. And they're
going to rejoice in it. And they're going to say, I am
what I am by the grace of God. And if he leaves me to myself,
or if he leaves you to yourself, we will go out of this world
not believing God. And in that day, we're going
to stand before God. And he's going to separate sheep
from the goats. And I can tell you, Weeping and wailing and trying
to justify what I thought or what I didn't thought is not
going to make one bit of difference. Let God be true. And every man's
a liar. Here's what God has to say. They're
not of this world as I'm not of this world. Lord bless these
words to our heart for Christ's sake.