I say, Amen. It is sad, but a believer finds
himself doubting the very God of all
mercy and grace. And it grieves him. Turn with
me, if you would, to Proverbs 17, verse 2. Proverbs 17, 2. The Scripture declares, a wise
servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and shall have part of the inheritance
among the brethren. There are two absolutes that
were just set forth. Number one, a wise servant. shall have rule over a son that
causeth shame." And here's the second absolute. That same servant
shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren. Now you've
got sons that have caused shame. You've got a wise servant. that
is going to have power and dominion over the sons that have caused
shame. And thirdly, you've got the reward
or the inheritance that's going to be given to the servant. Who are these sons that have
caused shame? It causeth continually. Shame to themselves. Shame before
God. Shame before others. I'll tell
you who they are. They're God's elect. Isaiah 53, 6. All we, like sheep,
have gone astray. We've turned everyone to his
own way. Because you are sons, The Lord
is going to send the Spirit of His Son. While we are born in Adam, we
are foolish sheep that have erred in the way of life because of
Adam's fall by choice and by action. And we have turned every
one of us to the way of rebellion, and we delight in it. Being born in Adam, we delight,
we love setting our faces away from God and gladly turning our
backs on Him. No fault whatsoever. But there
is mercy with the Lord. These sons who have gone astray,
God Almighty has a people chosen, elect unto salvation, precious
in His sight. Those that He's eternally loved
and He's purposed not to let them perish. They come forth
from their mother's womb speaking lies just like everybody else.
They're children of wrath just like everybody else. And they
must be conquered in power and grace, and there is one that
shall accomplish that purpose, the wise servant. Isaiah 42 says, Behold, my servant,
whom I uphold, mine elect, whom my soul delighteth, I put my
Spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment." That is a verdict. He's going to set forth God's
judgment, God's verdict for or against the Gentiles. He's the righteous servant. By his knowledge, that is knowing
God's demand, by his knowledge, He shall justify many, for He
shall bear their iniquities." That's what Isaiah 53 11 says. God's servant. The righteous
servant. The chosen servant. Now this
righteous servant is the only wise God, our Savior. To Him alone. Honor and majesty
and dominion and power both now and forever. Amen. Wisdom himself, the Word of God
who was by God, eternally brought up with him. God who was before
God. Eternally, the one who was daily,
God the Father's delight. Rejoicing always before Him. This is the servant who always
is. He's always been. As I said before,
in time he was made flesh, but he's always been this wise servant. established with the Father and
with the Holy Spirit in that eternal counsel of peace. He
eternally stood as the surety of the sheep, O sons that have
called shame. How can God be just and justify
a sinner? Consider the wise servant. The Scripture says, this wise
servant, a wise servant shall have rule. He's going to dominate. He's going to win. He shall rule. Who? Well, according to the Scriptures,
all that the Father hath given him. They shall come to him. How many of them are going to
be lost that God Almighty has eternally chosen unto salvation? None. None. How many are going
to be saved? All of them. How many empty places
in heaven? None. None shall be lost that the Father
has purposed to save. He shall bear their guilt. He
shall stand as their substitute. And He shall, in conquering power,
rule in their hearts. Turn with me to Ezekiel 36. How,
O wise servant, how is this going to be accomplished? How? The
Scripture says a wise servant shall have rule, dominion, over
a son that causes shame. How, O wise servant? Ezekiel 36, verse 26. A new heart
also will I give you. A new spirit will I put within
you. I'll take away the stony heart
out of your flesh. I will give you a new heart of
flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in
My statues and you shall keep My judgments and do them. You've got to rule over them. How? How? Dead sinners, how? I'm going to give you a brand
new man. I'm going to create a new man in you, created in
righteousness. I'm going to give you a new heart.
I'm going to give you a new heart that doesn't sin. I'm going to
give you a new heart that loves God and worships God. I'm going to put my Spirit in
you. I'm going to take away that stony heart. That is, behead
it. I'm going to behead that old
heart that rules and reigns. I'm going to behead it. I was
walking out the house here over six months ago. I was going to
walk across the building right across the bridge, go over to
the little building over by the road. I walked across that bridge
and there was a snake about that big laying right there in the
road. And I just stepped back and realized
he was dead. He was dead. And I looked at that snake and
I thought, man, that's a big snake. But you know what? He
was dead. I knew he couldn't hurt me. Why? Somebody killed him. He was there. But that snake had no power to
do anything. Sin shall not have dominion over
you. It's there. That old heart is
there. But it's beheaded. How, oh wise
servant, are you going to rule? I'm going to make a new man there.
This wise servant, the one who bore the guilt of his people,
shall live for him before God's law. I'm going to live for you. God Almighty shall look at me,
and I will answer. I'll live for you. I'm going
to establish righteousness as the man, Christ Jesus, your elder
brother, your husband, I'm going to take care of you. And I'm
going to put away your guilt. I'm going to pay your debt for
you. And I'm going to robe you in My righteousness. And I'm
going to give you a new heart. And you're going to love Me.
And you're going to know Me. You're going to come to Me. By
His work and upon His merit being justified by faith. We have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. And that peace, it rules,
Colossians 3.15 says, in our hearts. We love it. New heart. That old heart wars
against that. We have a new heart settled by
Him. And all the while, we have no
confidence in ourselves. No merit in ourselves. And we
know that we're complete in Him. Turn to 1 John 2. Now let me
ask you this. Can we know anything about that?
Can we know anything about this peace, this victory, this ruling? 1 John 2, verse 3 to 5. The Scripture says, "...and hereby
we do know that we know Him." If we keep His commandments,
He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments,
is a liar, and the truth is not in Him. But whoso keepeth His
word, in him barely is the love of God perfected. Hereby know
we that we are in Him." Those commandments, Lord. Those precious
admonitions. Those exhortings that you give
unto us that we keep and desire and hide close to us, play our
cards close. Those commandments, how are they
summed up? Those ones that we keep, that
you said we keep in His high priestly prayer. He prayed to
the Father. He said, I've given them Your
Word. And they've kept Him. How? Look at 1 John 3 verse 23. Here it is. 1 John 3 verse 23. Here's the summing up of keeping
the commandments of God. Summed up right here in this
one commandment. This is His commandment. That we should believe
on the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another
as He gave us commandment. Do you know the heart of keeping
God's Word? When I say keep it, I know none
of us keep it perfectly. But I'll tell you this, we desire
it, and we love it, and we seek it. We love walking after Him,
knowing all the while that in our flesh, we can do nothing. I know that. But I'll tell you,
you won't find a believer that doesn't desire to walk after
Him. Love Him. That conquering power. That rule that that servant is
going to have over those people. Here's the third thing I know.
I know we've got some sons that have caused some shame. I know
that there's a wise servant that's going to rule over them. And
here's the third and final thing. This wise servant. I know the
Scripture says back in Proverbs 17, he shall have part. of the inheritance among the
brethren. Because of his wisdom, because
of his work, because of his merit, he shall have his part, his portion
of God's inheritance, of God's estate. What is his part? What is the part that is his? Listen to this. It's all of it. That's His part. His part is
all of it. Thine is the kingdom and the
power and the glory forever. Amen. What part is Yours, Lord? All of it's Mine. God also hath
highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every
name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things
in heaven, of things in earth, and things under the earth, that
every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, that He
is supreme in authority, the controller, to the glory of God
the Father. And the saints love His portion
being all of it. I love knowing it's all His.
Revelation 5, 9 says, They sung a new song, saying, Thou art
worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof. For
Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of
every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. What a glory. You who are the wise servant. Lord, you who by God's mercy
and grace and compassion rule over your people. All the inheritance,
Lord, is yours. And by God's grace, we being
children are heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. Lord, help us this day. Teach us. of yourself, you who
are the wise servant. And thanks be unto God that Almighty
God would give me the knowledge that He rules over me in mercy. I know He's going to rule, but
that He would rule over me in mercy, in compassion. And Lord,
that Your portion is all of it. And by the grace of God, you
would make me, as your son, a joint heir with you. For Christ's sake,
Amen.