Let's take our Bibles and turn
to the book of Proverbs, chapter 12. I'm going to be looking at verses
8 and 9. that there's coming a day, the scripture refers to it as
the day of judgment. And in that day, I know that
all men are going to realize at that moment that the only thing that truly
matters is what God has to say. I know that. God's word, God's will, God's purpose. What He has to say in that day, before God. Every man is going
to stand before God, some with a substitute and some without.
I know that. I'm not blinded to that fact
that I know that there's going to be a day. Let me read Matthew
25. This is what the Scripture has
to say about that great day of the Lord, that great day of judgment. Think about it. I mean, we're
all right here. We're aware of where we are. Here we are in a little building. We're at the Katie Baptist Church,
that's where we are. And we're aware of that. But we're not as aware of where
we are right now as we will be in that day. Right now our minds
are kind of floating a little bit, kind of in and out, you
know. We hear something all of a sudden
and it kind of comes back, you know. Oh, that's right, I remember
where I am now. Knowing that day. there be no
distractions. 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 a separate them one from another,
as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And he shall set the sheep on
his right hand, but the goats on his left. Then shall the king
say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you. from the foundation
of the world. And then in verse 41 of this
chapter, he says, Then shall he say also unto them on the
left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire,
prepared for the devil and his angels. I know that that's going to happen. Because I know that he who cannot
lie says it's going to happen. And his word to those on his
right hand, his sheep, those on his left hand, the goats,
his word of commendation, word of approval, or his word of rejection,
it's going to be fine. I know that. And it's going to be based on
absolute justice and truth. I know that. Now back in Proverbs, note the
surety of God's Word. I want to look at these two verses. Proverbs 12, verse 8 and 9. Here's
what verse 8 says. shall be commended according to his wisdom. That's the first
part. I'll read the second part in
a minute. A man shall be spoken well of, commended according
to his wisdom. Now, I know that wisdom I know
when we think of wisdom, and I understand, we think of wisdom
somehow as a greater understanding, and that is true. That is true.
Let's just get to the heart of it. When we start talking about
wisdom. Wisdom is one of the names of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1.24, But unto them
which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ. power of God
and the wisdom of God. So when we talk about wisdom,
the heart of wisdom concerning God's Christ, that is true wisdom. A man shall be spoken well of
according to his wisdom. according to his relationship
to Christ, his knowledge of Christ, what thinking of Christ. He that hath the Son is mine,
I'm his, he's mine, personally. Not according to a man's birth,
not according to his wealth, not according to his earthly
honor, but according to his wisdom. Man will be commended according
to his wisdom. And I know this. If God speaks
well of any man, he's not going to be according to the wisdom
of the world. Now, you want to get right down to it. Let's just
get down to the heart of it right here. This is what we're talking
about. If I'm going to relate wisdom ever before him. I came up with
it. Wisdom. The wisdom of God. Christ is made unto us. Wisdom. God's wisdom. So if we're going
to speak of the wisdom of God, and we're relating it to Christ
himself, then when it says, for the wisdom of this world is foolishness
with God, that's talking about the Christ that men make up. If the Lord Jesus Christ is truly,
and He is, the wisdom of God, the salvation of God. Salvation is in Him. I am the
way. I am the truth. I am the life. No way comes from the Father
but by me. The wisdom of God. He be in God's wisdom. Then the
wisdom of the world is this little impotent nobody that men say
that they worship. The Jesus that they pulled his
chestnuts out of the fire by giving him their hearts when
he wanted to save them. And they're really the ones that
gets the honor. Because he wanted to do something,
they finally let him do it. That's the wisdom of the world.
That's the false Christ of this world. Many shall come in my
name saying, I'm the Christ. I'm telling you, the wisdom of
this world, the little G-God of this world, He's not God. I'll tell you what He is. The
wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it's written, He
taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 1 Corinthians 1.20, hath not God
made foolish the wisdom of this world? And men call him what they want
to. I worship this, I worship Allah,
I worship, and he's just a little G-God. Where is he now? Where is he now? Where is your
God now? Did your God choose a people
before the foundation of the world? Did your God make sin and put
away the guilt of His people? Is your God in power and might? Does your God say, Whom He will? Does your God make His people
willing in the day of His power? Did the Father give a people
under that little G God that people say they worship? God
never wants to override your will. But if He doesn't, I'm
going to tell you this, you're going to die. You're worshiping a nobody. You're
worshiping a nobody. He, a man, shall be commended
according to his wisdom. God's commendation or condemnation
is going to be according to what a man thinks about his son. Salvation. If God leaves a man to himself
to do what he pleases, that man will not think well of Christ. He won't see any beauty in him.
Just read. See no beauty in him. No desire. But if God shows mercy and comes
in quickening power by His Holy Spirit and gives a man a new
heart and puts a respect for Christ in that man and that woman's
heart, a man shall be commended. fear of the Lord. That's the
beginning of wisdom. Respect of Almighty God. Man is not born with a fear of
God. That's what Scripture says. There's
no fear of God. There's no respect of God. The reason that man does not set forth God's honor and God's
worship, God's glory is the place of God's raising up. The reason
they don't is because they don't respect Him. They don't love
Him. You're going to do what you want to do. There's no fear. Matthew 7, 24 says, Therefore,
whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will
liken him unto a wise man. which built his house upon a
rock, upon Christ. They have no fear, but people
respect him, fear him, reverence him. He, a man, shall be commended
according to his wisdom, but he that is of a perverse heart
shall be despised. Despised by God Almighty, I know
at first, He that is of a perverse heart, corrupt, which turns from
or refuses to look toward that which is right, honorable, good,
he's going to be despised, held in contempt or held as insignificant
So I know that, obviously, from the writing of this verse, we
know that a perverse heart is one that's contrary to a heart
that's been made wise unto salvation. A man that has a heart of wisdom,
a heart of Christ, a heart of love toward Christ, honor toward
Him, honor. A man that God Almighty has done
something for, He sees salvation to be all of grace, That's how
He speaks. God Almighty saves men on purpose. He saves men according to His
will. He saves men according to His
honor. He does it justly, justly. This is why the little g God
of this world This is what I mean. Whenever the Lord Jesus Christ went to the
cross, does the scripture set forth that he absolutely was
made what his people are by nature? Yes, it does. The answer is yes.
He was made sin. He was made sin. He put away their guilt. paid their debt, and he gave
them a righteousness earned by himself. He earned a righteousness
before God. He obeyed God's laws perfectly. Attitude outwardly, every way. He never thought one disrespectful
thought. Never. God the Father said, this
is my beloved son, I'm well pleased with him. Hear him! Hear him! Hear the one that this scripture
is set forth as God's Christ. Who believes I report? The ones to whom the arm of the
Lord has been revealed, I can tell you that. God has put away their
guilt. God has given them a righteousness. Now they stand. with no chargeable
guilt, presence of sin, yes, forgiven for Christ's sake, because
He's already paid the debt of it. And by the blood of the cross,
He forgives them. Why? Their debt was paid. Now they come to Him robed in
His righteousness. Justice has been done. On the
other hand, our minions say, The Lord Jesus Christ went to
the cross and died for everybody's sin. It's all been paid for. But because some won't exercise
their free will, God's going to have to put them
in hell. And you say, well, Let me ask you this. When the Lord Jesus Christ, as
they say, paid for every man's sin and put away all of their guilt,
it's all been paid for. And now God, who has paid for
everybody's sin by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, is
going to put these innocent people in hell? Something's wrong. Something
is wrong. The Gospel is the only message
that is just, right, and honorable. You start thinking about free
willism and trying to do it, and I'm going to tell you something,
it won't hold water. There's nothing to it. It's so
empty. You say, yeah, but a man, has
the ability to come to God. Well, then that means salvation,
then, is by the works of man. All that is is salvation by works,
then. Your works. God did all He could,
and they depended on you. You see what I'm saying? There
ain't no justice in that. That's salvation by the works
of man. That's not grace. A perverse heart, one that speaks
against God, hates the God of the Bible, hates His Christ,
The one who came into this world to save his sheep, that man is
going to be despised by God. A man will be commended according
to his wisdom. He that is of a perverse heart
is going to be despised. Everyone that makes his claim
for his righteousness to be according to his own efforts, every man,
every woman that makes his claim before God works, his own honor, his own
obedience, his own will, God is going to put that man and
that woman in hell. Many will say to me in that day,
many, many, Lord have we, now I want you to notice where all
the emphasis is. Have we not prophesied in thy name? And in
thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful
works? And then will I profess unto
them, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work
iniquity." Every man, every woman standing before God and making
their claim to salvation to be anything that they have done.
Now listen, ask yourself this, where do I stand before God and
why? Why? If it has anything to do
with I made a decision, I exercised my I'm the one that came to God. I'm the one that started it.
I answered the call. I did it. Believers do come. They are willing in the day of
His power. But their coming is not the source of their salvation.
It's the effect. Salvation is of the Lord. It's
all of grace. As I've said before, this is
salvation. God purposed it. God was dealing totally with
the Lord Jesus Christ. And all in Him, God was dealing
with them in a substitute. God was dealing with the federal
head and all that he represented. And God's commendation to them
is according to being found in Him alone. And God tells you
that He saved you. He expressed to you through the
preaching of the gospel, blessed by the Holy Spirit of God, that
God Almighty saved you apart from anything that you did to
initiate it. No, no, no, no, no, no. God saves
sinners totally by grace. And you know it. Verse 9 says, he that is despised, and hath a servant, is better
than he that honoureth himself, and liketh bread. Now, the word
despised in verse 8, we just looked at a word there, he that
is of a perverse heart shall be despised. salvation. That's what it means.
It's two different words. Verse 8 and verse 9, in English
it's translated despised. They're two different words.
He that stands before God with a perverse heart, God Almighty
is going to despise that man, or evidence his despising of
that man in final judgment. But in verse 9, That word despised
means lightly esteemed. It's not the same word. And it refers to the attitude
that the world has toward believers. Let me read a scripture where
it's actually interpreted instead of despised, lightly esteemed. 1 Samuel 18.23, And Saul's servants
spake these words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth
it to you a light thing to be? A king's son-in-law seeing that
I am a poor man and lightly esteemed. The world of false religion,
because of a believer's love for Christ, despises God's people,
lightly esteems them. Hebrews 11.37 says they were
stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted. slain with
a sword, wandered about in sheepskins, goatskins, being destitute, afflicted,
tormented, of whom the world was not worthy." I'm standing here this morning
looking out on a congregation of a people of which I'm convinced. Folks sitting here this morning
that this world is not worthy of. That's what Scripture says. The world is not worthy of it.
Here they are, the beloved of God, the precious of the Lord
Jesus Christ. People treat them with such disrespect
and talk about them. I tell you, you let someone understand
what you're saying. And they may not outwardly, sometimes
they will, they have here, I just read where they did. They may
not outwardly let you know it, but God Almighty looks on the
heart, and He said they hate you. Oh, they'll smile to you,
you know, give you a hug, kiss on the cheek, good to see you. Sorry sucker. said forth is God, that's not
fair. He that is despised, lightly
esteemed, and hath a servant, where does a man find hope concerning
having a servant? One place. Isaiah 42, want to
hold my whom I uphold, mine elect, in
whom my soul delighteth. I put my spirit upon him, he
shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. But Michael just
read just a few minutes ago, Psalm 53. He shall see the travail
of his soul, and shall be satisfied by his knowledge, shall my righteous
servant justify me. The scripture says, he that is
lightly esteemed and has the servant of God. He that has Christ. He that has the Son, the servant,
spoken of concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, God's servant. Philippians 2, I was thinking
about this just before I got up. Philippians 2.7, the Scripture
says, But made himself of no reputation, took upon him the
form of a servant, made in the likeness of men, came and before
God Almighty honored his Father, faithful, faithful, faithful
servant. What is demanded of them? Whatever I owe you, remember
the Samaritan, the good Samaritan? He said, whatever I owe you,
I'll pay you. What's demanded? He paid it all. All to Him I
owe it. He that is lightly esteemed,
despised, and has a servant is better. Better. That word right there, better,
is good. good, happier, joyful, better
off. What would you give in exchange
for Him? What would you give? What is
more important than Him? Better off. For man's gained
the whole world, lost his soul. Wealthy men Leave this world. I was in a big store the other
day. Great big store. Picture of the founding father,
I guess, once started all this back in the 60s. It was a picture,
you know. First thing that went through
my mind was this. What did that man think of Christ?
What difference does it make what he's got, what he had? What
difference does it make? He that is despised and hath
a servant is better than he that honoreth himself and lacketh
bread. He that has the Son is better
than he that You might go through this world,
contrary to the line of people on TV, you might not have a lot
of money. You might not have a big car.
You might not have a big house. But I'll tell you what you're
going to have. You'll have Him. You've got Him. Paul says, My God shall supply
all your needs. according to his riches and glory.
According to Christ Jesus. Yeah, but you don't understand.
I've got bills. Consider the lilies. When I think
about this, I think of myself. I just preached to myself for
just a minute. Just hang my own head in disgust. Consider the letters. They spin
not, neither do they toil. Solomon in all of his glory was
not arrayed like one of these. How about the little sparrows? Do you not know that your Heavenly
Father knows that you have need of all these things? Seek ye
first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. And here's
what he said about these temporal things. All these things shall
be added unto you. He knows that you have to have
something to wear. He knows that you need a place to stay. He's
not going to forsake you. He's not going to leave you destitute.
No, the only problem we get into is when we decide that we want
more than what you need. There's a problem here. That's all of our problem. He that is lightly steamed and
hath a servant is better than him that honoured himself and
lacks bread. There is but one who is the bread
of life. God Almighty shows mercy by making
a man wise unto salvation, and he commends him for it. God made
him wise and God commended him. Every man with a perverse heart,
left to self-rejection against God, is going to be despised. All that God calls out of spiritual
darkness are likely esteemed by this world. But he that has
the servant of Jehovah is better than the one who trusts in himself
that he is righteous and likes Christ. May the Lord bless these
words to our hearts. cause us to look at Him, who
is all of our hope, for His sake, for our good. Amen.