Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to the book of Proverbs, chapter 17. Proverbs 17. Proverbs
17, verse 25. A foolish son is a grief to his
father. and bitterness to her that bear
him." I've told you this many times.
Every proverb is written in a way that anybody really can read it. And
it sets forth a moral truth that you can understand. You can understand it. Anybody,
anybody that's got a brain can understand, humanly speaking, that a foolish son is a grief
to his father and bitterness to her that bear him. Why? Well, that parent loves
that child. That's bone of his bone. That's
flesh of his flesh. And he's grieved. He's grieved over
a foolish son. That foolish son's bitterness
to his mama. Dad or mama that got a foolish
son, they pray for them, ask God to have mercy, ask the Lord
don't leave them to themselves. That mom or dad, they cry unto
the Lord, They seek God's compassion. Lord, if you will, you make them
clean. He prays for them. A foolish son is a grief to his
father and bitterness to her that bear him. But in light of the gospel, And
that's the only way we can look at this. I want us to consider
for just a few minutes this foolish son that is a grief to his father
and bitterness to her that bear him. So you'll just completely
understand. I don't want to leave anything
in the dark so you don't understand where I'm going. This foolish
son is actually an object of God's mercy. Fallen in Adam. Doing what he wants to do in
Adam. Fell in Adam. Grief to his father. Father that loved him eternally. Chose to show mercy to him. He's
a grief. He's a grief. I'll show you that. and bitterness to her that bare
him." Mother, the heavenly Jerusalem
is the church through which the Lord calls His elect out. Now
here's a picture of an object of God's mercy before they were
called out of darkness and after they're called out of darkness.
who finds that presence of sin still with them. So just so you'll
understand what I'm talking about. So you'll understand. I know
that humanly speaking, foolish sons, we're all like
that. But for the grace of God, we'd
all be griefs to our parents, humanly speaking. I'm not talking
about that. It's true, but I'm not talking
about it. I'm talking about an object of God's mercy who in
himself, fallen in Adam, is a grief. And then even after the Lord
calls him out of darkness because of the presence of sin, he's
still bitterness to her that bear him. From the church, the
mother of us all. Okay. now that we've established
what we're talking about. Let's just look at this for just
a few minutes. Let us consider, first of all,
the grief. Now, I'm going to be reading
something. I'm going to read out of God's
Word, and I'm going to show you out of God's Word exactly what
I'm talking about. A foolish son is a grief to his
father. I'm going to read the Word of
God and the Word of God is going to use these very words. Let
God be true, let every man a liar. Somebody says, well, I don't
think God could be like that. Well, let's just see. Genesis
6. Hold your place right there in
front of me. Turn to Genesis 6, 5 and 6. Genesis 6, 5 and
6. Genesis 6, 5 and 6. I want us
to consider a grief that only God Almighty knows anything about. And I want us to look at God's
justice, God's mercy, and how that justice can be served and
that grief can be assuaged only according to God's good pleasure
by the blood of Christ. Look at Genesis 6, 5 and 6. Now
here's just the way it is. Here's every man, every woman.
Nobody's exempt. Nobody. And God saw that the
wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination
of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continuing. And it repented the Lord that
he had made man on the earth, and you look at these next words,
and it grieved him at his heart. Somebody say, well how could
God be grieved? God said He was. How do you attribute? For me
to be grieved, you've got to do something to disappoint me.
You see what I'm saying? All of a sudden I find out something
I didn't know before. All of a sudden it just grieved
me. God never changes. God never changes. So here we've just delved into
something that is so indescribably so. But to be able to understand
it, you think that this just slipped up on God one day? He
just kind of happened to be walking around maybe, and I don't want
to sound disrespectful, I really, but I mean just how some people
just, they kind of think, well, just all of a sudden, just God
came one day, just kind of looked down, like He wasn't aware. And all of a sudden, He beheld
something that He didn't know before. God saw that the wickedness
of man was great in the earth and every imagination. God looked
at every thought, every imagination, every intent of man and every
imagination of the thoughts. You don't even know what I'm
thinking right now. God does. And he saw that every imagination
of the thoughts of his heart was only evil. Continually, the
margin says, every day, that's all he thought was evil, evil. And it repented the Lord that
he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart,
grieved him. Now we can't fully describe the
immutable God who doesn't change. That's what Malachi says, I've
changed not. I'm the Lord, I change not, therefore
you sons of Jacob are not consumed. But here the scripture sets forth
that the God who doesn't change repented. Now, these words, I know I cannot
apply these words If I were to repent of something that I did,
that means I changed my mind. I thought differently about it.
That's what repentance means, to change the mind. How do you
contribute or attribute the Word to our understanding? Repentance
to Him who changes not. It repented the Lord, Scripture
says. that He had made man on the earth,
and it grieved Him in His heart that He had made man on the earth,
the God who doesn't change. I know I cannot contribute, or
again attribute, an emotional reaction that only a man can
be said to do, change, to God Almighty. But the Scripture says,
when God saw the wickedness of man, that it was great, and that
every imagination of the thought of his heart was only evil continually,
it repented the Lord. Turn to Numbers 23.19. Numbers
23.19. Numbers 23. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus. Numbers 23.19. Now this is what the scripture
says concerning God. Numbers 23, 19, God is not a
man, that he should lie, neither the Son of Man, that he should
repent, as he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken,
and shall he not make it good? God Almighty does not change. So whatever our thoughts of repentance
is, you cannot place that word of understanding to change his
mind. You cannot say that's so concerning
God, because He doesn't change. He said, though, it repented
the Lord that He had made man. But as clearly as I can explain
or set forth to my understanding, and I pray to yours, this thought
of repenting toward man, because of man's rebellion, because of
man's attitude, because of man's evil, because of his wicked imagination. The only way that I can set forth
according to the Scriptures that Almighty God is said to repent,
it is not that God Almighty has changed His mind, but Almighty
God has set forth in our sight a difference in the way He providentially
orders things. Almighty God can change according
to His everlasting counsel, our understanding of what He's doing. And the Scripture uses the word,
it repented the Lord. And I know I can't attribute
change to His mind, but I can attribute repentance to the Lord,
because He said it repented the Lord, It is so as far as His
outward manifestation of His providence as far as man is concerned. I know this according to His
Word that the whole earth was taken up in rebellion, evil thoughts,
evil imagination. And every day, that's what man
was. And Almighty God was going to
change His course of providence with man, not his mind, not his
mind. But he was going to change his
course of actions as far as man was concerned, as far as the
way man saw it, the way man beheld it. Look at
verse 7 in Genesis chapter 6. And the Lord said, and here goes
the change, the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created
from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing,
fowls of the air, for it repenteth me that I have made them." Mankind was getting ready to
witness something that the character of God concerning mankind had
never witnessed before. the execution of God's judgment. Scripture says, as in the days
of Noah, you know what they were doing? They were doing just like
we are. They were just, you know, marrying and giving in marriage
and they were going about, you know, business and they had their
shops and they had just, it was just business as usual. The only problem was, is that
God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth. And
listen to this, every imagination, not only every imagination in
this mind, but every imagination of man, every thought of man
was only evil continually. Almighty God was going to destroy
this earth. the explanation of God's immutability,
that He doesn't change. The explanation of God's unchangingness
is the very same right here as it is anywhere else in Scripture. And though we know that God never
changes in His will and purpose and counsel, I know this, God
hates sin and is going to deal with it. And the scriptural reference
to Him repenting sets forth this truth. God is going to change
the way we behold Him dealing with man. This world is going
around right now, just like in the days of Noah. You know what's
coming? Judgment. Just like it was just
then. God did it with water then. He's
going to do it with fire the next time. And it's coming. It's coming. God Almighty saw
everybody's, including Noah's, every imagination of the thought. He didn't say everybody but Noah's.
No, this is what He said. But Noah, verse 8, found grace
in the eyes of the Lord. Now I've got a quick question
for you. Do you think that Almighty God
who saw back in verse 5 and 6 the wickedness of man and the evil
imaginations of every man, do you think he saw it in Noah too?
You know he did. Yes, he did. We're all dug out
of the same lump. There's not a bit of difference
in any of us. Concerning Noah, could it be applied to Noah that
it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth? Absolutely. God is not a respecter of persons.
He did not look down and see, well, you know what? Everybody
else but Noah. Everybody else but Noah was evil. Noah was no different than anybody
else. No different. And it grieved
the Lord in his heart, the scripture says, that he had made man. Now
I'm going to tell you something. Man's got one hope. He's got
one hope. The grace of God. The mercy of
God Almighty. Noah found grace in the eyes
of the Lord. Not in Noah's will and not his
works and not his abilities. He found grace in the eyes of
the Lord. Habakkuk chapter 3 verse 2, God
Almighty in wrath remembered mercy. Noah found grace. in the eyes of the Lord and oh,
the depth of God's justice and wrath and the finding of mercy
and grace in the midst of that justice and wrath, who can plumb
the depth of that? Who can set forth? Turn back
to Proverbs, Proverbs 17. So here's the truth. A foolish
son is a grief to his father. The objects of God's mercy. How
long have they been sons? Always. They've always been sons. Chosen, predestinated to the
adoption of sons, right? Predestinated. When? Before the
foundation of the world. God Almighty chose a people. Chose them to be His children.
Chose them to be His adopted. Predestinated them to the adoption
of sons by Jesus Christ to Himself. But they fell in Adam. They fell
in Adam. They fell in absolute rebellion. Foolish. Silly. That's what the
word is. Silly. What would bring a man
to rebel against God? Sin. Sin. That sin that does
so easily beset us. Adam just didn't believe God.
And friend, neither do we in Adam. We don't believe Him either.
The only reason you believe Him, if we believe Him at all, is
because God Almighty has given us faith to believe Him. A foolish
son is a grief to his father. God Almighty is going to have
to deal with rebellion. He's going to deal with sin.
And He's going to deal with sin either in that object of rebellion,
or he's going to deal with sin in a substitute, but he's going
to deal with it. Remember here, about Wednesday
or last Wednesday before, I can't remember now, but I was talking
about when God poured out the rain upon Noah in that ark. It was a picture, remember that?
It was tight and they were saved by water. You remember the message,
you know. What happened? Noah was a rebel
against God just like anyone. A grief to his father. It grieved
the Lord. That's what Scripture says. It
grieved him in his heart. But oh, the mercy of God. What
did God do? He told Noah, in mercy, He said,
you build a boat. Why? Because I'm going to flood
this place. I'm going to destroy this place. But here's a type,
here's a picture. For this object, or for every
other object of God's mercy, the foolish sons... There's a precious word. Their
sons, their foolish sons. They know it. They know it. But
I'm telling you, their sons, by God's good pleasure, chosen. Foolish in their fall. A grieve,
it grieved Him in His heart. But oh, the one who alone could
do something about it. Couldn't? I couldn't. Why? Dead. Dead spiritually. I've
sinned against God. There is no holiness in me, born
in Adam. God Almighty who will not even
look upon iniquity. Can you imagine a man trying
to approach God in himself? People talk about, you know,
how they just, you know, I just approach the Lord, call on the
Lord. I'm telling you, outside of the mediator himself, the
Lord Jesus Christ, God is a consuming fire. And He will not have mercy at the expense of
justice. Justice is going to have to be
satisfied. I'm a just God. and a Savior. You try to approach
God on your own merit, by your own will, I'm telling you, you'd
be the one on the outside of the boat. There's mercy only
in Christ, in the Ark. Almighty God, in His mercy and
compassion, He chose to show mercy. I will have mercy and
compassion on whomsoever I will. Did Noah deserve it in himself?
No. And neither did any of us. Here's
just a follow-through of our friend that taught us something
of his mercy. I chose you. You didn't choose
me. I chose you. People say, I chose the Lord.
Not unless He chose you. You might call upon your little
G-God that you think that you've satisfied, but you haven't satisfied
the God of all grace and mercy, the God of heaven and earth. Almighty God chose to show mercy. Foolish sons of grief to His
Father, but that Father is able to justly show mercy. God Almighty, who is grieved,
the Scripture says, assuaged that grief in the ark, in His
Son, in His precious, glorious substitute and Lamb, and dealt
with His grief, dealt with His anger, dealt with His justice
in Christ. A foolish son's a grief to his
father. But God's merciful. God's just. And put Noah and those animals... You go back and read. What did
the Lord say He was going to do? I'm going to destroy man,
all the animals and birds and everything else. And God showed
mercy to animals and birds for the sake of His grace and
mercy. for the sake of his kindness and compassion. A foolish son is a grief to his
father. But what about after the Lord
calls us out of darkness? Scripture says he's bitterness,
that foolish son, one that's saved by grace, and
mercy and compassion. We're in this world. And here's
the bad thing. I say bad thing. The presence
of sin is still with us. Bitterness to her that bear him. We walk in this life Turn to
Romans 7, and I'm going to close with this. Bitterness for those
that bear it. The one that bore us. I'll just read this. Galatians
4.26. Here's Paul revealing the mother
of us all. Jerusalem, which is above, is
free. Grace. Mercy. The church. The means. The means. of God birthing His people through
the preaching of the Gospel, the Blessed Bride, the Mother. That's scriptural language. The Mother of us all. Who is
that? Heavenly Jerusalem. Jerusalem which is above. God's
Bride through which, the means through which, the preaching
of the Gospel is heard. It's an amazing thing. Almighty
God would raise up an assembly an outward manifestation of His
grace and mercy to His people and caused them to sit and hear
preaching, raise up a man, a voice. And they'd hear the gospel and
God would bless it through the means of preaching. And now we're
still in this world. And here we are, objects of God's
mercy and grace. But let me ask you this, is the
presence of sin still with us? What does Paul the Apostle say? Verse 15 of Romans 7, For that
which I do, I allow not. For what I would, that do I not. But what I hate, that do I. Luke 17. But then it is no more
I, that is the new man, that doeth, but sin that dwelleth
in me. I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth no good
thing, but for to will is present with me, but how to perform that
which is good I find not. The good that I would as a new
man, as a believer, that new nature, the good that I would,
That is to walk perfectly before God. What does he say he'd do? I do not. I don't do that. But
the evil which I would not, I'm a believer. Do you really want
to rebel against God, the believer? No. But what does Paul say? But the evil which I would not,
that I do. Now I do, now if I do, that I
would not. It is no more I, the new man,
that doeth, but sin that dwelleth in me." He's talking about two
me's. Here's a me, here's an I. This is what I do. I have
a heart that desires and loves God, and I have a heart, an old
man, that resents God and disobeys God. I delight, verse 22, in the law
of God after the inward man, but I see another law in my members,
warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity
to the law of sin, which is in my members, O wretched man that
I am. Who shall deliver me from the
body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ
our Lord, so then with the mind. I myself serve the law of God
with the flesh, the law of sin. A foolish son is a grief to his
father. But thanks be unto God, by the
grace of God, by the mercy of God, God Almighty dealt with
His sons who in themselves are foolish and dealt with them in
the substitute and put away their guilt. But I'm telling you there
is still a bitterness with me and in me. and everyone that
knows Him. And it's sin. And it is a bitterness. Let me tell you this, it's the
greatest bitterness to you that know Him. You know who my greatest
problem is? My greatest problem is not you.
And I'm not your greatest problem either. I'm my greatest problem. I'm my greatest bitterness. And
you that know Him, you're your greatest bitterness too. Who
shall deliver us from the body of this death? He will. He who has eternally loved us,
gave himself for us, is going to one day take us out
of this world and we're going to be changed in a moment. If we die and sleep in the Lord,
He's going to come back and we're going to come out of that ground
changed. The presence of sin won't be
there anymore. If we're alive at His coming,
we're going to be changed too. We're not going to prevent them
that died in the Lord. They're going to rise first.
And we're going to meet them in the air. But I'm telling you,
the bitterness that we find in ourselves, and the bitterness
and disappointment, and I ask For you, I ask your forgiveness
for the disappointment that I've had toward you. I didn't mean
to. But I'm telling you, I know this,
the bitterness of my old heart grieves me. That's what Paul
said, the old wretched man that I am. Who shall deliver me from
the body of this death? He will. He will. Lord, bless
these words to our heart for Christ's sake.