That's a man's hope. A man finds grace in God's eyes. I'm going to ask you to take
your Bibles and turn with me to the gospel according to John
10. John 10. I'm going to look this morning
at verses 22 to 25. John 10, 22 to 25. Before we look at that, I know that the Lord Jesus had
declared Himself to be God's servant. I think of the humility
of our Lord He who made himself, the scripture says, of no reputation
humbled himself. Almighty God, the one who laid
down his life, he said, for the sheep. And as he proclaimed his
deity, the scripture says that there was a division Verse 19,
therefore again, among the Jews for these sayings. Now as we
continue with this conversation between our Lord and these Jews,
I want us to consider the setting and the spiritual significance
of the setting of this conversation. I want you to look at verses
22 and 23. And it was at Jerusalem, the
Feast of the Dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked
in the temple in Solomon's porch. Now, I looked at that Feast of the
Dedication and I found out that this feast of the dedication
was not one of the divinely instituted feasts like the Passover. This one was not. This was a
celebration, I found out, that was initiated by the Jews in
remembrance of the purification of the temple after it had been
polluted by the idolatries of a Syrian leader named Antonicus
Epiphanes, back 164 B.C. Now, you say, well, what's that
got to do with it? Well, the Scripture made reference
to it, and I wanted to know what it was. What had happened was
this fellow, Antonicus, he had come into the temple and had
sacrificed a sow, a hog, an unclean animal. He had come and he had
sacrificed this hog on the altar that had been set up for the
burnt offerings. And then he took and made broth
out of the hog's flesh. Made just a broth. And what he did is he went in
there and he just threw it all over the temple. Threw it on
the walls, on the windows, he put it on everything. Just sacrificed
a hog on God's altar, made broth and threw it everywhere. Well, the temple in the city,
I found out, was recovered three years later by a man named Judas
Maccabees. And after they went in, they
purified that temple, After that, the service of the temple was
restored. So this celebration here, it
was the feast of the dedication. These Jews were zealous for the
remembrance of the reinstituting the services in the temple. They were just thrilled. This was a celebration where
they had come and they had cleaned up that filth that had been put
in the temple. But here was the sad state. That's
what the feast of the dedication was all about. But here was the
situation as it truly was. These Jews had absolutely no
idea what that temple set forth. They did not realize that everything
within that temple was given by the Lord to Moses for the
glory, for the picturing, for the shadowing of the Lord Jesus
Christ. And they were very zealous of
the temple. They were zealous of the workings
of the temple, the rocks of the temple, the ceremonies of the
temple. But here's where they were. Verse
22. It was at Jerusalem. It was in
the city of peace. That's what Jerusalem means.
The city of peace. A place that pictured There was
a type of the city of the living God, His church, His bride. They were in that place and they
had absolutely no idea. All they knew was that this temple
had been polluted by a hog. And they went in there and they
cleaned it all up, shined it all up. And they were celebrating
their ability to be able to clean it up. At a feast! It was at Jerusalem, the Feast
of the Dedication, and it was winter. I thought that that was, I'm not saying strange, I'm just
thinking that was such a marvelous revelation that the Spirit of
God gave us telling us the time of year, but especially the state
of their heart. That cold winter of their understanding
was revealed in the truth that they did not see the glory of
the one that the temple set forth. They were concerned, as I said
a little while ago, with their ceremonies. They were concerned
with their, you know, I've come to church. We've got a place. We've cleaned it up. It was messed
up by this guy. We've got him there. We've got
it fixed up. Everything is back to the way
it was. But everything that was in that
temple, they did not see the glory of the light of the world
in the candlesticks. They did not see the bread of
heaven in that table with the showbread. They did not see the
ever-living One who intercedes by His prayer and His honor in
the altar of incense. They did not see this. Here they
were in the city of peace celebrating The desecration and
the cleanup of the desecration of the temple. And it was winter. It was winter. Oh, how true the Scripture says
that the things that belong to their peace, this is Luke 19.42,
was hidden from their eyes. There is no difference in them
and us. I realize this morning, Lord, unless You are pleased
to open my eyes, unless You are pleased to give me sight, I can be thankful. I am thankful
that we have a place to come and worship. I am thankful that
Almighty God has raised up this assembly. I have been here since
the mid-fifties. I'm thankful. But Lord, if you
don't give eyes to see, the one that is worshipped and is worthy
of worship, if you don't give eyes to see, Lord, it's winter. It's cold. It's dead. Truly, the words of
Jeremiah rang true These people, it says, the harvest is past,
the summer's ended, and we're not saved. The Scripture says
in verse 23, Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. Now here, we're reminded again
of the cold indifference of the Jews toward the Lord. I read
that again this morning. And I think what a miracle of
God's grace. And Jesus walked in the temple
in Solomon's porch. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And verse 14
says this, and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and
we beheld His glory. I know that the Scripture says
forth that where two or three are gathered together in His
name, He said, I am in the midst of you. I am. And as I've said before, I'm
convinced surely there's two or three that have met here today
in His name. I believe more than that. But
that the Lord is here. in the midst of His people, fellowshipping,
hearing, blessing by His Spirit, that He would be present. Here
He was present with those people at their feast. They were going
through the religious ceremonies. Going through all of that that
appeared as though that it was honorable. But it was winter. And He walked. In the temple,
in Solomon's porch, now there was two other passages that I
found that mentioned Solomon's porch. And in those other passages
where I found that, I found appreciation for the mercy of Almighty God. I want you to just hold your
place right here. Turn over to Acts 3. We're going to look at
two passages in Acts. The first one is in Acts 3, verse
1 to 11. Acts 3 verse 1-11. Now Peter and John went up together
into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour,
and a certain man, and I love it when it talks about this in
a particular, this is a certain man, laying from his mother's
womb, was carried whom they laid daily at the gate. of the temple
which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered
into the temple. He was a helpless man. He was
born lame. He could not walk. He had never
been able to walk. Seeing Peter, verse 3, and John
about to go into the temple, asked an alms. And Peter fastened
his eyes upon him which John said, Look on us. And he gave
heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then
Peter said, Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give
I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him by the right
hand and lifted him up. And immediately his feet and
ankle bones received strength. And he, leaping up, stood and
walked and entered with them into the temple, walking and
leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking
and praising God. And they knew that it was He
which sat for alms at the beautiful gate of the temple. And they
being filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened
unto Him, And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and
John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch, which
is called Solomon's, greatly wondering." Here is that place,
Solomon's porch. And Almighty God was pleased
to take a lame man, lame from his mother's womb,
Peter and John coming up. going into the temple to worship
and ask Him something. Peter said, I don't have any
money, but I tell you what I do have. I know Him who is altogether
richest. I know Him who is life Himself. In His name, in the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth, get up. Get up. And that man got up and
God blessed that word physically to that man. Oh, what a picture
of life imparted. What I have is I know according
to this word is riches eternal in Him. All riches, glory. Look at Acts 5. Acts 5, verse 12. And by the hands of the apostles
were many signs and wonders wrought among the people. And they were
all with one accord in Solomon's porch, and of the rest durst
no man join himself to them, but the people magnified them.
And believers were the more added to the Lord multitudes both of
men and women." It was God's blessing, God's honor, God's
grace, God's power. in this place called Solomon's
Porch, back in John 10. But though the thankfulness and
the praise of the Lord was noted in these other passages, there
is one thing that I behold back in John 10. In verse 23, the
scripture says, Jesus walked in the temple. in Solomon's Forge. And I know that it was winter.
Lord, I pray, have mercy. Have mercy on us. Lord, magnify. It's not by my ability. I know that the feeble efforts
of any man, and any man that's honest is going to admit, it's
not by my ability. I can prepare. I try. I try. I try. Try to get my notes. Try to get them where I can read
them and see them. Find stuff when I look down.
Try to be prepared and ask. Lord bless. Lord, You bless. And I know this, unless He blesses. I know that the Word will fall
on ears that are just dead. Lord, open our eyes. Hear the
Lord of Glory, God's Son, life and light Himself, and no mention
is made of any coming to Him for mercy. Oh, the wonder when a sinner, by the grace of
God, is made to know his need. I heard Brother Scott I say this
thing so many times. He said a sinner is a precious
thing. The Holy Ghost has made Himself a sinner. I was thinking
about that. Wrote an article on it. Put it
in the paper. Are you a sinner? I've talked to people that were
highly offended because people referred to them as a sinner.
But do you know that that right there, An amazing thing. When you read the accounts, you
read what Paul the Apostle says concerning a sinner. And I'm
not talking about, I'm just someone that just, you know, I'm talking
about one that is just arrogant, spiritually arrogant, just standing
in the face of Almighty God, one that says of Himself, born
in Adam, I will not have this man rule over me. Christ Jesus came to this world
to save sinners. And you find a sinner, you find
one that truly by the grace of God admits, I know that all men
are sinners, I know that. But when you find one, That Almighty
God has done something for her. You're going to find a man or
a woman that is continually at the door himself, begging for
mercy. Lord, have mercy on me. Lord, don't leave me to myself.
Lord, if you don't keep me, I'm not going to be kept. Lord, have
mercy on me, the sinner. Paul the Apostle said of himself, I'm the chief. I'm the chief. I'm the lowest of the low. Bottom
rung of the ladder. I'm it. There's a man that's
honest with God. The Lord Jesus Christ. Verse
24 says, Then came the Jews round about him, I just think about
this. Here it is. He's in Jerusalem. The Feast of the Dedication.
It's winter. Jesus walked in the temple in
Solomon's porch. Then came the Jews round about
Him and said unto Him, How long dost Thou make us to doubt? If Thou be the Christ, Tell us plainly. You know, the
first thing I notice in this verse is the arrogance of man
to blame God for man's rebellion. How long are you going to make
us to doubt if you're the Christ Tell us plainly. Here is the
attitude of the unregenerate. When Adam disobeyed God, this
was his answer for his disobedience. The woman whom thou gavest to
be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. Man by nature is one that is
bent on blaming God. He's going to blame God. Whenever
the gospel is preached, the Scripture sets forth that man is dead and
trespasses and sins. And we know that. He died in
the garden. The Scripture sets forth that Almighty God has a
people. And we know that. When the unregenerate
hears the truth of God's sovereign grace, that God chooses to have
mercy, that Almighty God, before the foundation of the world,
chose everyone that He was going to save, every one of them was
placed in electing grace in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, does
the Scriptures not say that? You know it does. Does the Scriptures
not say that those that will not come to Him, and Almighty
God is going to have nothing but wrath, judgment? Yes, it does. Do you know what
the unregenerate will immediately think? It's God's fault. Because I'm not converted. If
Almighty God would have chosen me, I would have been saved. It's God's fault. But their thinking
is distorted by sin and death. Here's the way it is. All men
are rebels against God. All men. All men have done just
exactly what they want to do. All men come forth liars against
God. Men are doing exactly what they
want to do. And God does a man no evil by
leaving a man alone. God Almighty is just and right. If God leaves a man to himself,
whose fault was it? Because that man rebelled against
God. Not God's. It was that man's fault. He did
exactly what he wanted to do. Brother Fletcher just read, Noah
and everyone that Almighty God chose to show mercy to found
grace in the eyes of the Lord. What was it? What was it in the
objects of His mercy? What was it in them that made
them any different than anybody else? What was it that made the
difference? It was nothing in them. Man at his best states altogether
vanity. God looked and He saw that there
were none good. No, not one. That every thought
of a man's imagination was evil continually. But what was the
difference? Almighty God chose to show mercy
to whomsoever He would. Almighty God chose before the
foundation of the world that mankind would not perish. So
what did he do? According to his word, he chose
one vessel under honor, another under dishonor. He chose to leave
some to themselves, doing exactly what they wanted to do. But in mercy, he chose to set
some apart for himself. Because he loved the order of
man. And he was not going to let mankind perish. How long dost thou make us to
doubt? Almighty God, leaving a man to
himself is right. God Almighty showing mercy, to
a man or a woman is right. He said, I will have mercy on
whom I'll have mercy. My friend, if a man or a woman
dies in unbelief, they do so because they wanted to. Stand
before God Almighty without a substitute. And I'm telling you, you didn't
want to come. You chose not to come. Man will always choose not to
come until God Himself gives a man a new heart. Gives him
a new heart, a new will. And makes that man willing in
the day of His power. And then all of a sudden, that
man realizes something. God has had mercy on me. How
long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us
plainly. Verse 25, Jesus answered them,
I told you, and you believe not. The works
that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me." He
said, I told you. How long do you make us... If
you be the Christ, tell us. I want to turn here in closing. John 5. Just turn back to John
5. John 5 verse 24. Just tell us. Tell us plainly. He said, I told you. John 5.24,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and
believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall
not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. Look at verse 26-27. For as the Father hath life in
Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself,
and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because
He is the Son of Man. Look at verse 46. For had you believed Moses, you
would have believed Me. For he wrote of Me, Look at John 6, verse 47 to 51. John 6, 47. Verily, verily, I
say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your
fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead. This
is the bread, and I read that again this morning. If I say
this correctly, and I pray that I do, when he said that, I could
just see him gesturing to himself. This is the bread which cometh
down from heaven that a man may eat thereof and not die. I am
the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of
this bread, He shall live forever, and the bread that I will give
is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." That same world spoken of in
John 3.16, God so loved the arrangement. At no time do you ever find the
Lord Jesus Christ ever saying, that He came into this world
to try to save every man. He came into this world for those
that the Father had given Him. That's what He said. John 6.37,
All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me. And Him that
cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out. How long do you make
us to doubt? Not only had the Lord told him
who he was, but his miracles proved that he was the one that
was prophesied. That's what he said in verse
25. Jesus answered them, I told you. You believe not. The works
that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. Here we go. Next to the last
scripture. Isaiah 35. Isaiah 35. The works that I do, they bear
witness of Me. This is what the Scriptures say.
This is what their Bible says. They claim to believe the Bible,
the Scriptures. Isaiah 35, verses 5 and 6. Now this is what the Scriptures
say is going to be the evidence of the One sent from God. Isaiah 35, verses 5 and 6. Then the eyes of the blind shall
be opened, the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall
the lame man leap as a heart, the tongue of the dumb sing. For in the wilderness shall waters
break out, and streams in the desert." Now turn with me to
the last scripture, Luke chapter 7, verse 19 to 23. Luke 7, 19. And John calling unto him two
of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that
should come, or look we for another? When the men were come unto him,
they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art
thou he that should come, or look we for another. And in that same hour, what did
we just read in Isaiah? This is going to be the one that
will be set forth, the one who is approved of God by miracles
and signs and wonders. Things that only God could do.
Only Almighty God could do what this man did. That's what Nicodemus
said. We know you've got to be from
God. You've got to be. Nobody could
do what you do unless God be with you. Are you the one? John Baptist sent us, and we're
asking you something. Are you the one? And in that same hour, he cured
many of their infirmities and plagues of evil spirits. And unto many that were blind,
he gave sight. And here He was answering their
question. Are you the one? Isaiah said, this is going to
be the sign of Him that comes. This is going to be Him. Verse
22, Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell
John what things you have seen and heard, how that the blind
see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear,
the dead are raised unto the poor. The gospel is preached,
and blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me." Are you
the one? How long do you make us doubt?
Tell us plainly. The Lord said, I told you. And
you believe not. I want to read. I just want to
read. I was going to go through verse
29, but I'm going to stop for this first message. Lord willing,
we'll pick up next time. I just want to read verse 26-29
and listen to the words of our Lord. But ye believe not, because ye
are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them, and they follow Me, and I give unto them eternal
life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them
out of My hand. My Father which gave them Me
is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of
My Father's hand." as you walk in the midst of your
people today. Lord, according to your precious
promise to be with us in the assembling that you've raised
up, Lord, cause us to see. Lord, teach me. Lord, open the
eyes of the blind. Cause all that are spiritually
lame that you've everlastingly loved Lord, give us spiritual
legs. May we walk after You. May we
walk in the Spirit. May we follow after You. Lord,
have mercy on us. For Christ's sake. Amen.