In this passage of Scripture
that our pastor just read, verse 23, our Lord said, I in them, thou in me, that they may be
perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou hast
sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me." I was talking with Brother Todd
Nybert the other day when we were there, and we were talking
about this. Somehow in our minds we think
that God tolerates us for Christ's sake. No. In the Lord Jesus Christ, He
loves us as He loves Christ. Now, that's just... It's so,
but I'm telling you, that is more than I can grasp. Thank you, Brother Scott. Turn
with me to Romans 16. We're coming to the last, we
started it last time I was here, talking about a woman named Phoebe.
And I want to pick up in verse 3 and go through verse 7, Lord
willing. And I want to speak for just a few minutes on the
evidence of God's grace. Now, these verses, if you look
at them, they're Verses 3 to 7, and I'll just look at that,
look at, Lord willing, the next set of names the next time. Actually,
what it is, is Paul is writing to the church at Rome, and he's
listing a group of people, listing a group of names, various people
that he knew or knew of. I'd say knew. You know, it might
appear strange that the scriptures, this inspired letter written
under the inspiration of the Spirit of God for the edification, for the
instruction of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ till the end
of time would be taken up with what some, obviously, and even
us in our frail flesh would consider to be almost insignificant, just
a group of people. But remember, all Scripture,
all of it, given by inspiration of God, and it is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, or for proof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly
furnished unto all good works." May the Spirit of God be pleased
to teach us today as we look at some of these people, things
that are said about them, that we might learn and be educated in this blessed portion of Scripture. Paul says, number 1 in verses
3 and 4, Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers in Christ
Jesus, who have for my life laid down their own necks, unto whom
not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Now we know this, God has a people
chosen in Him. A people that God Almighty has
everlastingly loved in Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ,
you just read, Brother Scott, He said, May I have, may I come,
I will, that I be returned to the glory that I had with you
before the world was." Now, we know that there is a man, the
man, Christ Jesus, God-man who sits upon the throne He's always sat on the throne.
He said, let me go back and read that. I will. Let me see if I can find it. John 17, verse 5, And now, O
Father, glorify Thou me with Thine own self, with the glory
which I had with Thee before the world was. Somehow we think
that there was a change in him. No. He's always been our surety.
He's always been our federal head. We've always been married
to him. God never changes. Triune God. And hear the Lord Jesus Christ
praise, glorify thou me with the glory that I had with you
before the world was." God Almighty has always had a people chosen
in, represented by the Lord Jesus Christ. How was He slain from the foundation
of the world if He wasn't? You see what I'm saying? Paul says, Great Priscilla and
Aquila, my helpers in Christ. Paul knew their names. Paul recognized
their work. But Almighty God, in His infinite
mercy and compassion, He said, I knew you before the
foundation of the world. Listen to what He told Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 1.5. Someone says, How is a child
brought into being? Well, a man and a woman, they
have a baby. They are conceptions. The Scripture
says, Before I formed you in the belly, I knew thee, knew
him in mercy, knew him in grace, knew his name. And before thou
camest forth out of the world, I sanctified thee and ordained
thee a prophet unto the nations. Almighty God rules. It reigns. Think of all of the power and
the wisdom and the might that it took before Jeremiah and before
you and me and everybody else. And this couple met and married
and this couple and this couple and this couple and had that
child and this child and this child and it came down to Jeremiah. This world is not ham-scammed.
I am telling you, Almighty God rules in the army of heaven among the
inhabitants of the earth. Paul says, "...who for my life
laid down their own necks, unto whom not only I give thanks,
but also all the churches of the Gentiles." Here is the ultimate expression
of love. John 15, 13, "...greater love hath no man than this, that
a man lay down his life for his friends." And he said, I'm your
friend. Oh, what a friend. One that he
said sticks closer than a brother. Everybody else will forsake you.
He said, I won't. It's never recorded that Priscilla
and Aquila actually died. for the apostle, but what they
did is they acted in such a manner as to expose themselves and their
lives to danger for Christ's sake and for Paul, their friend. Listen, the love of the brethren for each other, it gives, it
forgives, it sacrifices, and it continues. It's sincere. You
love the brethren. The brethren love the brethren.
You love them for Christ's sake. You recognize that God's done
something for them as He's done something for you. There's a
camaraderie that this world doesn't know anything about. A brother. A sister in Christ. What would you do for them? Whatever
you could. Even to the giving of your own
life? Yes, you would. Yes, you would. How many have? How many do now? This action of Priscilla and
Aquila, it was nothing short of their duty. I mean, that was
their duty before God. They are servants. Paul says,
I give thanks, and also the churches of the Gentiles. What did this
couple, the sake of Christ, for the sake of Paul, their brother
in Christ. What did they do for him in helping
him? It's not recorded exactly what they did, but God knows. And what they did, Paul profited
and he said the churches of the Gentiles did too. We all have. Giving thanks always for all
things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Verse 5, Likewise greet the church
that's in their house. Obviously, the Lord had raised
up a group of believers in that place. There's a miracle of God's
grace. God would raise up an assembly. I never cease to be amazed that
God Almighty would raise up an assembly and keep it here. What has maintained this assembly
right here? The power of God. That's the
only reason. Almighty God was pleased over
50-something years ago to raise up an assembly in Katy, West
Virginia, of which I have said so many times, man, there's just
not much here. But there's a church. that God
has raised up and maintained an assembly. I sent a faithful pastor here back
in the 1950s. I kept him. Greet the church that is in their
house. Salute my well-beloved Eponidas
who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ. Here's another manifestation
of God's grace. He says, Salute my well-beloved. Believers do for each other because
they love them. You do. By this shall all men
know that you're my disciples. You have love one for the other.
And it's not fake. The love of God is shed abroad
in our hearts. And we do what we do because
Almighty God has evidently shed His love in our heart. And we
do toward each other. Salute Eponatus who is the firstfruits
of Achaia under Christ. Now, when we find the word firstfruits,
we realize that going back to the firstfruits of the harvest
Whenever there was the firstfruits, that was back in the Old Testament,
it was sacrificed unto the Lord. It was given as a thanks offering. But what those firstfruits were
was actually a promise that there was going to be additional fruit
that would follow. So this man, Eponaeus, who Paul
refers to as the firstfruits of Achaia under Christ, He was
obviously a symbol, a representative of God's promise to show mercy
to that community. I could use this church again
right now. I could go back and start talking
about some that were here. If I'm not mistaken, I think Brother Scott, you and
Glenn and Gene, I think y'all were some of the absolute first.
And they're still here. Firstfruits. Almighty God would call out some.
And there they were, firstfruits unto Christ of a promise that
God would raise up. I think about how few there are
in places all over this country But God would call out a group
right here. Isn't that a miracle of God's
grace? I mean, think about it. Carol, that's just... I mean,
here's a group. Here's a bunch. It's just a remnant according
to grace throughout everywhere. Paul says, Greek, salute my well-beloved
Eponaeus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ. Verse 6, Greek Mary, who bestowed much labor on us. You know, there is obviously,
according to the Scriptures, a forbearance on what can and
can't be done. God will forbid women. He doesn't allow them to preach,
stand in the pulpit and preach. But women throughout the Scriptures
labored in the gospel. And whatever this woman's labor
was, Great Mary, Paul said, who bestowed much labor on us. I want you to turn with me to
Matthew 26. Matthew 26. Beautiful passage
of Scripture here. What this woman did here again
is not listed. Obviously, the Spirit of God
saw fit that we wouldn't be told what she did. But there was a
passage of Scripture that I read this morning, Matthew 26, starting
in verse 6, about a woman. And it says, Matthew 26, 6, Now
when Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,
there came unto him a woman having an alabaster box, a very precious
ointment, and poured it on his head as he sat at meat. Now, in this passage of Scripture,
what's her name? We're not told. The Lord didn't tell us her name.
It was a woman. But when, verse 8, His disciples
saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this
waste? For this ointment might have
been sold for much and given to the poor, Oh, how much we by nature place
value on that which is worth nothing. You could have taken that and
sold it, made a few extra bucks. When Jesus understood it, he
said unto them, Why trouble you the woman? For she hath wrought
a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with
you, but me ye have not always. And in that she hath poured disappointment
on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you,
whethersoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world,
there shall also this that this woman hath done be told for a
memorial of her." What was her name? God knows. What did she do? She poured an
ointment out of an alabaster box. And the scripture says it'll
be a memorial unto her. How many in this congregation
this morning has heard that story? What was her name? It doesn't
matter. She did what she could. Paul says back in Romans 16,
6, greet Mary who bestowed much labor on us. Whatever it was,
the Apostle knew it, God Almighty knew it, and now we know that
whatever she did, she did for the glory of God. Verse 7, Salute, Andronicus and
Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among
the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. Now, I don't know for a fact,
but the insinuation is that this was a couple, man and wife. They may have been and probably
were, when he says, my kinsmen, probably were related to Paul. Oh, I tell you, it's not always
that the Lord calls out more than one in a particular family.
That is so often the case that out of any given family, you
think about it. I'll bet you if I asked for a
show of hands, I'll bet you that a majority of those that sit
here, when you think about your family, that family that you
came out, you from a child raised up, how many there was only one? Could have been. But not always. Sometimes the Lord is pleased
to bless in a particular family that Almighty God would call
any out of darkness is a miracle of His grace. But here, Paul
was blessed to have a couple that was his kinsmen, relatives. And also, he says, my fellow
prisoners, prisoners of the Lord, servants of the Most High God,
bond slaves. You that know Him, is it not
the highest calling to realize that you are His servant? Romans
1, 1. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,
called to be an apostle. Paul gave the title of being
a servant first. That Almighty God would make
him an apostle was by the grace of God, but that God would make
him a servant. that God would call him out of
darkness, fellow prisoners, and respected. They are of note among
the apostles. They were held in great account,
well thought of. Their faithfulness was noted. A believer talks like and acts
like a believer. They're consistent, consistent,
consistent. He said they're of note among
the apostles. Paul says, "...who also were
in Christ before me." Now, being in Christ means to have a fixed
position of rest. That's what it means. in Christ, in Adam all die. That means in
Adam having a fixed position of death in Adam. Now, being chosen in the Lord
Jesus Christ, the whole church of God had their being and well-being,
all God's people. were chosen in Christ. It wasn't some were put in and
then some put in later. No, no. He has chosen us in Him
before the foundation of the world. So as far as being chosen
in the Lord Jesus Christ, we're all chosen one time by
God's grace. So what does Paul mean when he
says concerning these two, his kinsmen? who were in Christ before
me, they were called out of darkness and they knew it and recognized
it before Paul did. Each individual member of the
Lord's church does not know about their well-being in Christ until
God Almighty calls them out of darkness. But I'll tell you this,
their ignorance of God's mercy toward them does not mean that
that mercy was not there. They just didn't know it. You know that we were chosen
in Him before the foundation of the world. We've not been
put in and then another one put in. Or let's say when they exercise
their free will, the recording angel records their name. No,
no, no, no. That won't fly according to Scripture
and you know it. The Scripture says in Revelation,
I think it's Revelation 17 if I'm not mistaken, whose names
were written in the Book of Life from before the foundation of
the world. So no names are entered after another one. But the Scripture
says that these right here, who were in Christ, their recognition
or realization of being in Christ. There may be one sitting here
this morning who hears the gospel and has a mental understanding
of the gospel. They understand five points of
Calvinism. They understand something. They'll agree with you. I understand
man is totally depraved. And they wouldn't go and they
wouldn't sit under a message that exalts man and talks about
man's free will. They wouldn't. If they're going
to come, they'll come right here. They'll hear it. They'll come
here. They've got a mental understanding of it. but no love for it. Christ is not their life. It's okay when I have time, but
I've got stuff. They have no heart for it. And maybe one of the Lord's left.
Maybe one of God's own. And they're sitting and they
have a mental understanding with no heart and peradventure. That's a biblical
word. Perhaps. Today. Perhaps. The Lord in His mercy and grace,
as Paul said, when it pleased God to reveal Christ in me. Perhaps today, God Almighty,
as He did Lydia, He may just open her heart It may just open
your heart. And all of a sudden you realize, I never knew Him before now. And you then realize God's mercy
toward you. And you look around and you realize
there were some that were in Christ before you. They knew
Him before you did. That's what Paul's talking about
right here. They were in Christ. The Lord
Jesus Christ always has stood in the relationship of the federal
head and surety of all His people. And they've always stood in Him. But in time, He calls them out. Known unto God are all His works
from the beginning of the world. So being in Christ, Before the
foundation of the world, the bride has always been covenanted
for, looked upon, mercy, compassion. But Paul says that this couple,
Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, my fellow prisoners who are of
note among the Gentiles, he said they knew the Lord, for I did.
That's what he's saying. They were aware. In closing,
I want you to turn to Matthew 20. And let me show you something
about being in Christ at different times. Matthew 20,
verse 1 to verse 16, For the kingdom of heaven is likened
to a man that is a householder which went out early in the morning
to hire laborers, in his vineyard. And when he agreed with the laborers
for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard, and he went
out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the
marketplace, and said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard,
and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their
way. Again he went out about the sixth hour, ninth hour, did
likewise. About the eleventh hour he went
out and found others standing idle. and saith unto them, Why
stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no
man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also
into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right, that shalt ye receive. So when even was come the Lord
of the vineyard, saith unto his steward, Call the labourers,
and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour,
they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they
supposed that they should have received more, and they likewise
received every man a penny. And when they had received it,
they murmured against the good man of the house, saying, These
last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal
unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But
he answered, one of them and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong.
Didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine
is, and go thy way. I will give unto this last, even
as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do
what I will with mine own? Is thine I evil, because I am
good? So the last shall be first, and
the first last for many be called, but few chosen. If I be Not mistaken on this
particular parable, the Lord came to the Jews first. The gospel
was sent to them first. The Lord Jesus Christ came to
this world. Lost sheep, Israel. But He always purposed to go
to the Gentiles. And there were some that God
had chosen in His kingdom before the foundation of the world.
And all of the work, the labor, the preaching, those that were here first by
the grace of God, did they deserve any more than the last Gentile
that will be called out of darkness? Did they deserve any more? It was by the grace of God. Whenever Almighty God is pleased
to call out any, those that were called out first that bore the
brunt of the day, what do they deserve more than the one that
was called the eleventh hour? We are what we are by the grace
of God. What they got was exactly what
they had agreed upon. What shall we all receive? Life. What more shall we need? We have life in Him. I'm telling you, if Almighty
God He calls out a Moses and sends him through, or an Abraham
or a Paul, and they go through all of their life. And Almighty
God is pleased to bring them to Himself. They shall have Christ. And if there is a thief on the
cross, and that thief on the cross in
his last dying moments is called out of darkness, He'll have Christ. And He will realize as all God's
people realize. But for the grace of God, where
would I be? I pray that God be pleased to
call His own out of darkness. I pray God be pleased to save
those that He's everlastingly loved. Some would say, well,
I know He's going to do that. I remember that message we looked
at a couple of weeks ago on prayer. You ask what God has said He's
going to do. I will have mercy. I will give
a new heart. I will bless the corn. I'll keep
the famine from you. But I will be inquired of. Are
you fearful for the economy? Well, if you ask me according
to my flesh, yeah, I kick it around. I think about it. Is
that believing God? Ask Him. Lord, keep me. Lord, bless me. Lord, sustain
me by Your grace and mercy for Christ's sake.