Let's take our Bibles again,
and turn with me to the book of Proverbs, chapter 11, verse
31. I'd like to look at this last verse, going through
this blessed book, verse by verse, word by word. Proverbs 11, 31. Behold, the righteous shall be
recompensed in the earth, much more the wicked and the sinner."
Let's ask the Lord's blessing. Our Father, You instructed us
by Your Holy Spirit, pray without ceasing, in all things give thanks. This is the will of God, Christ
Jesus, concerning this people. Lord, would you bless this first,
our heart. Lord, would you cause it to burn
within us, give us understanding that we might behold him who
is altogether lovely. For it's in Christ's name we
pray. Amen. This passage of scripture deals
with a truth, an exhortation, that we ought to take special
notice of. Behold. Take notice. Listen up. Be advised. Take notice here. be recompensed, rewarded, is
what that word means, rewarded, in the earth, much more the wicked in the center. Now, if you stop and think about
it, that scripture just sets forth
that the righteous they're going to have a reward in the earth. Concerning the wicked, the sinner,
scripture says much more. Now, when I start, and I know
when you start, when you stop and you start thinking about
this, you think, well, I know that there's a I know there's
a heavenly reward. I know that 1 Peter 1.4 says
this, speaking of our inheritance and salvation, it says that it's
an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that faith
not away, reserved in heaven for you, or in the margin, it
says, for us. who are kept by the power of
God through faith on the salvation ready to be revealed in the last
time. I know, I know that there's a
glorious reward. We think on that often, don't
we? We think about those that have departed. Paul talks about it, he says,
time of my departure is at hand. tender terms and for a believer. And I do understand that as frail
creatures we struggle. I know we do. You start thinking
right now about departing and boy there's a lot of things we
don't know about that isn't there? That we never crossed that bridge
before somehow. But I can tell you this for some
of the My blessing thoughts that I have on saints that have departed
and watched and saw. Can it be that God's people can
truly believe that the death of the righteous can be a precious
thing? Well, the Church has set forth
it is. Precious in the sight of the Lord, I know that. And
for those that die in the Lord, die in the faith. I know that there's a reward if we're going to behold those
that know Him. But the Scripture sets forth
right here that the righteous shall be recompensed or rewarded
in the earth. What does that mean? Well, it
means it starts right here. It begins here. in time, all those that the Father
has given the Son, all those that Christ has eternally stood
by as the surety, all those that the Father, before the foundation
of the world, viewed Christ as being the Lamb's flame, God has not appointed us. That's
what Paul said in the church of Thessalonica. God has not
appointed us to wrath. Someone said, well, they were
under the wrath of God until they were converted. At what
point then did God change His mind? He's never changed ways are not his ways, but God
is true in man's life. Now that's just the way it is. But for the righteous, any time,
they're going to know something of his eternal purpose to show
them mercy. And they're going to experience
in this earth the knowledge of regenerating grace. But let me ask you this. What
is, when it comes right down to it, what is the greatest blessing? What is the reward? What is that reckoning in this
earth? Let me tell you, and it's going
to be kind of about three or four statements that I'm going
to have to make. Bound up in this... I can't set things...
I can't set forth things. I have to set them forth, you
know, by where God Almighty is eternal. Everything with God
is yay and amen right now. You know, with me and you, we
have to just kind of talk and, you know. But let me tell you
about the blessed reward. God's people in this world. In this world. I was thinking
about that, just sitting here just a minute ago, and I turned
over to the book of Acts. Let me just read this to you.
I'll read it to you. Acts chapter 9, and Saul, yet
breathing out, threatening his slaughter against the disciples
of the Lord, went unto the high priest and desired him letters
to Damascus to the synagogue, saying, if he found any of this
way, whether they were men or women, might bring him down into
Jerusalem and he journeyed and he came near Damascus and suddenly
there shines round about him a light from heaven. Now I want
you to listen to this next verse because I'm going to tell you
about the reward. This is where this reward starts
being experienced. Can I say it like that? And he fell to the earth and
he heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest
thou me? Let me tell you where the recompense
or the reward of God's people, let me tell you where we start
realizing it. God Almighty's already known
it. He's always known it. I've loved you with everlasting
love. God never started loving His people. I've always loved
you. But somewhere along the line,
His people start knowing something about Him. And let me tell you
where this great reward starts. It starts by being told by the
Spirit of God what I am by nature. Saul of Tarsus, why persecutest
thou me? starts when they realize what
they are by nature and what they've done by nature against him, hated
him, to be brought to a point to where
I realize that I am a needy worthless What a reward. What a great reward
that God Almighty would teach me something of what I am. I didn't know that. I thought I was pretty good. Let me tell you where that reward
continues After Almighty God revealed to
us what we are by nature, that reward continues by Him
showing us our continual need of Him. Hebrews 12, 6, For whom the Lord
loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Listen to this scripture in Amos
3.2. You only have I known of all
the families of the earth. Oh, what a blessing. Sovereign,
electing, choosing grace. God Almighty that wrought me
before the foundation of the world. Yeah, that's right. And let me
tell you what I'm going to do for you. You that I've chosen. You that I've revealed my sovereign
electing grace to. You only have I known of all
the families of the earth. Therefore, will I punish you
for all your iniquities. Punish me. Not in wrath. There's no wrath. Not in condemnation, therefore
now, no condemnation to them that be in Christ Jesus. But in loving chastisement. Almighty God is not going to
let His people be wavered. I told you about time. Of course,
I've got one of my kids here this morning, and girls, and
his mom. Hanna could probably tell you that growing
up, I cut him some slack but not much. It's pretty tight,
you know. I remember one time Gabe coming
up to me and he was probably 18, 19 years old. I told you
this before. He said, Dad, you know the best
thing you ever did for me? I'd just go into their bedroom
and tell them, say, okay, there's the bed, lay over, take my belt
off. They always got three licks,
wasn't that, Hannah, was that it? Wasn't it three? Yeah. And
I'd hold them, I'd caress them and tell them, I'd say, I love
you. You know I love you. You're not going to act like
that. You're not going to embarrass me. I'm going to embarrass your
mama. But I'm going to go to somebody's house and leave that
house. And they said, man, well, I sure enjoyed the parents coming. Man, I wish they'd leave those
kids home. Ain't going to happen. You and I are going to do business.
We're going to get home. Whom the Lord loves. He chased me. He scourged me. Everyone, if you be without chastisement,
you're not his. Nearness to the Lord is a priceless
and it's an awesome gift. But God's people are going to
be instructed. We're frail creatures. There's
a nature that's in us that I'm telling you that we were born
with and it has never changed. That which is flesh is flesh.
It is not improved. It's not better. It never gets
better. Almighty God is going to deal
with us as children. It's necessary that God's people
be under his discipline, and they've got to be instructed But do you know, and I've told
you this again, but boy how we all need to be reminded. Where is the chastisement? Really,
where is it? I've told you people all get
sick. Believers get sick just like unbelievers. Believers die
just like unbelievers. Believers have money problems
just like unbelievers. You know, people start going
through and they'll talk about suffering. Oh, I tell you, I
have just, man, the Lord is in the sufferings. I got sick. All people get sick. I got money. I got this. Let me tell you the chastisement
that God's people know something about. Matthew, I'll read this
to you again. Matthew 26, verse 69. And following, Peter set foot
out in the palace, and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also
was with Jesus of Nazareth. But he denied before them all,
saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone
out into the porch, another maid saw him and said unto him that
was there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again
he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a
while came unto him they that stood by and said, to Peter,
surely thou art one of them for thy speech betrayeth thee. Then
began he to curse and swear, saying, I know not the man. And
immediately the cock crowed. And Peter remembered the word
of Jesus, which said unto him, before the cock crowed, thou
shalt deny me Christ. And he went out, and he wept
bitterly. Let me tell you one of the The hardest thing to have to
bear for a believer is when we behold the inconsistencies in
ourselves toward him. Inconsistency. Denials in our
heart of what it is. Something comes up and we'll
take, we'll and a believer, you'll start
thinking on that. Oh. Oh. That hurts. That hurts. That I in my heart, let me ask
you something. How many people do you think
knew what Peter felt inside? Peter, the Lord. But Peter knew what he felt like.
If you be without chastisement, I'm telling you there is nothing
that grieves a believer more than their inconsistencies toward
him. I mean just, I know this in myself, I cannot
do anything to merit, to establish, to keep I'll tell you something, I see
something of the frailty of my own heart and it grieves me. You've been knowing, that's what
John Newton says, you've been knowing, it's not that worthless. Doesn't it grieve you when you
look inside and you see it all starts in the wild? You ask yourself,
can I deem myself a child? When I see myself and I'm just,
I'm so, I told you about this lately, trying to read or trying
to seek Him, trying to be obedient, you know, getting along in your
closet prayer. You start, you know, somewhere
I was over here, you know, what was that? Where did that come
from? Lord, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. A believer knows something
about that. A believer knows something. The greatest exhibition of His
mercy and grace is when He tells you, I love you and I'm not going
to leave you alone. I'm not going to leave you to
yourself. An actual man hears of the grace of God and the sustaining
mercy of God. He hears about it and it's just
a fleeting moment. It's good for just a moment.
It's good for a little while. The day in, day out now. Let
me tell you about the reward. Let me tell you about the recompense
of those that are made righteous by the imputed righteousness
of Christ, the blood of Christ. Let me tell you something about
their great reward. The realization of God's presence,
the realization of God's love toward them. Here's what they
say, God forbid. live any longer than a child. People listen to that and they
think, I don't understand, why is it such a big deal to you? I'm telling you if God ever opens
a man or a woman's heart, it's a big deal. It's a big deal. And all the while they go through
this world thinking, If he leaves me alone, what am I going to do? That's
what Peter said, Lord, where are we going to go? Will you
go away also? Where? Where are we going to
go? You have the words of eternal life, and we're sure you're the
Christ. The sheep know the favor of God
toward them by the hand of his chastisement. Now, I'm telling
you that that's just whom the Lord loveth, he chastened him." Man, people would say, well,
I tell you how I can know the blessing of Almighty God is because
I'm always on the mountaintop, and I'm always happy, and I'm
always joyful. David said, it's good for me
that I've been afflicted, that I might learn my statutes. That's
the best thing in the world Because I'm telling you, when things
appear, it's though they're always on the up and up. Let me tell
you how quickly we forget. And that's just the way it is. And the Lord wisely withdraws
the warmth of his presence, the realization of his presence causes his people
to long after him. Let me ask you this, do you find
it in your heart saying as the bride said in the song of Solomon's
song, ye him whom my soul must love? You know where he is. Man can you, somebody tell me
about God. That's what I believe. Tell me,
tell me one more time how he put away my guilt. Tell me one
more time. Tell me one more time of that
mercy that never leaves, never forsakes. Oh, I'm telling you, when he
wisely sends that chastening mercy to his people, calls his
people to say afresh unto them, I found him whom my soul loved. I held him and I wouldn't let
him go. Isn't that the most tender thing
you've ever heard? I mean, you think, oh, doesn't
it just grieve you when you think about, you know, as Paul the
Apostle said in Romans chapter 7, O wretched man that I am,
who shall deliver me from the body of this death? We go through this life We're
just like everybody else. We have problems, this, that,
and the other. But I'm telling you, we're a believer. I'll tell
you where they walk. They walk looking unto Him. And
thinking unto Him. Lord, thank You. How merciful
You've been to me that You don't leave me alone. That You teach
me through Your Word. That You never leave me. Behold
the righteousness shall be recompensed in the earth." They're going
to know that God is their great, exceedingly great reward. And they're going to know His
love for them by the hand of His chastened mercy, whom the
Lord loves. Out of all the people of the
earth, I know you therefore. I won't deal with you. What a reward for an unbeliever
says that. Man, I tell you what, I don't
know anything about that. Well, much more, the wicked and
the sinner. And I just summed this up. I'll
make a few more statements, but let me sum it up. this earth. But do you know what
the witch is in the center? Those letting themselves. God is silent to them. And lets
them just go and do what they want to do. You that know it. Let me ask you this. Think about the hand of Almighty
God and His mercy that brought you to a knowledge of who he
is and who you are. Saul was all, I mean, he thought
he was somebody. He was religious. Man, he was
so... Well, in fact, he said concerning
himself, I'd blame him for the law of God. I'd... And Almighty God, what
a reward. Almighty God showed him what
he was. Show Him it's me, Christ. And
then reveal to Him. I'm not going to leave you alone.
I'm not going to leave you alone. I'm not going to let you do that.
I never let... I wouldn't let my kids go...
If I knew that my kids were going to go somewhere and it was going
to be their arm, I was not going to let them do it. No, you're
not going to do that. Well, everybody else is doing
it. Well, that's fine. Everybody else's kid is not mine. You're
mine. No, you ain't going in the street. No, you're not going
to do that. No, you're not. Why? Because I love you. What a reward. I'm going to set the bounds.
Kids love to know where the bounds are. They love to know where
the bounds are. Oh, they're so safe. I love to
know where the boundaries are. much more the wicked sinner. Oh, while the righteous are chastened
in this earth because they're sons, and they're made to be
hungry and thirst after righteousness because the Lord's not going
to let them wander unchecked, the wicked and the unbegenerate,
they go through this life left to themselves. I'm a just guy. It is not, no
man, as I've said before, no man is ever going to lay at the
feet of Christ and just say there's no reason I've rebelled against
Jesus because you didn't do so and so. No. No, men do just what
they want to do. Believers and non-believers both.
They do just what they want to do. A believer wants to follow
after Him, and a non-believer wants to resist Him. But after Almighty God leaves
a man to himself, because he's just, and a man leaves this world
in rebellion against God, he's going to get just exactly
what he wanted. He would have no part of Christ,
and eternally he'll have no part of Christ. That's what he wanted.
That's what he wanted. I want to rebel against him,
that's what's going to happen. under the judgment of God Almighty
for revenge. As Peter said in 1 Peter 4, 17-18,
for the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God.
And if it first began with us, what shall the end be of them
that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely
be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Peter is saying the time is that
God is going to absolutely deal with His people, as I said, not
in condemnation, in wrath, because there's none. Trial, affliction,
suffering to prove or to reveal their faithfulness toward Him.
When Almighty God sends trials and tribulations and proves God's
people will not leave. Why? Because they're kept by
the power of God. Through faith. But what honor. I read something the other day.
William Jay says this. He said often, he said, God's
people are brought out of this world quickly. Sometimes more
slowly. All the time according to his
will and purpose. But he said whichever. He said
it's always going to be according to God's good pleasure to the
greatest honor to Himself. If one leaves this world, God Almighty leaves it in the
faith. God Almighty is going to keep
them. And He's going to prove that what He's given them remains. Because the gifts of God without
repentance, God doesn't take them back. God give a man faith,
that man will die in the faith. Look at Hebrews 11, and we'll
close. Hebrews 11, chapter 35, sorry,
Hebrews 11, verse 38. Hebrews 11. It's a great chapter concerning
faith. Women received their dead, raised
to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting
deliverance. that they might obtain a better
resurrection. And others had trial of cruel
mockings and scourges, yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn
asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with a sword, they
wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute
and afflicted and tormented, of whom the world was not worthy. They've wandered in deserts and
mountains and dens and caves of the earth. All these all having
obtained a good report through faith received not the promise
of God having provided some better thing for us that they without
us could not be made perfect. That's all concerning the perfection
of Christ we have. Here we are in this world today. That doesn't mean a near miss
either. That's not what it means. It means to behold the preciousness
of salvation. Scarcely be saved. The scarceness
of salvation means the preciousness of it. One way. Singleness of salvation. All
of grace, Christ. No other. Salvation is all of
God's grace without any work of righteousness on man's part. God saves, and then God tells,
and gives faith to believe. And then God cheats. And God
corrects. God reproves. The Lord is going
to show His own, His loving kindness. And loving kindness, according
to God's Word, He's going to chase those that He's chosen
in Christ. He's going to keep them. And they're going to know. He did this according to love.
He kept them. shall be recompensed in the earth,
much more the wicked in the sky." Boy, that's not the way the world
thinks. And we hear people say today,
well, I just love my kids too much, you know, to save them
or correct them. Scripture says if you don't correct
them, you don't love them. Almighty God, Wise God. How wonderfully merciful he is
to his people. It keeps him. And keeps him all
the while knowing I didn't do anything to serve this. Salvation
was all of his mercy and grace. And he's shown me what he's done
for me by his blessed hand. Rewarded me in this in the hearing of this gospel.
For Christ's sake, amen.