Let's take our Bibles and turn
to the book of Romans, chapter 15. Romans 15. We ended last week with this
thought. which is recorded in the third
verse of Romans 15. For even Christ pleased not himself. Paul had said that, citing a
verse of Scripture, it's written, the reproaches of them that reproach
thee fell on me. What he said was the harshness of the wicked who had abused
God's goodness, God's mercy, God's kindness. They hated. They
wouldn't have anything to do. They hated God's law. They hated
God's government. All of that attitude of which all
of God's elect were born into. Remember this now. God has a
people that he's everlastingly loved. And do you know how they're
born in this world? Just like everybody else. They
all come forth. Well, all of us have come forth
from our mother's womb, speaking lies. Lies on God. Lies on ourselves. Man by nature just doesn't think
he's that bad. We're liars. And the Lord Jesus
Christ who pleased not himself, took the reproaches of his people. All that God would have against
them had fell on him. The Father forsook him. That is an amazing thought. My God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me? Why did He turn you back? So that He wouldn't turn His
back on us. The wonder of substitution. Willing to be made what we are in order
that we might be made what He is. Who He is. Now concerning that scripture
that we looked at, verse 3, let's pick up this morning in verse
4. Concerning that Old Testament scripture, for whatsoever things,
Paul says, were written for time, were written for our learning,
that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might
have hope. The Apostle Paul here makes an
observation concerning all Scripture, Old Testament, New Testament.
Some, they believe that the Old Testament has no relevance whatsoever. No, no, no. The Old Testament,
New Testament, relevant. It's the Word of God. The Old
Testament set forth him who would come. The New Testament sets
forth Him who has come, but it's the same message. No difference
in the message. He says that the things that
were written before, He said they were written for our learning,
for our admonition, for our comfort. It's God's Word. God's Word never
passes away. He speaks it is. His words are
life. We see the Lord Jesus Christ
in the types of the Old Testament. We see Him in the ark. When Noah went into that ark
and was preserved in that ark, we see Christ preserved in Him. We see that rain come down. We
see the judgment of God that fell on Him. And we see His people,
all that were represented by those in the ark, protected.
That brazen serpent that was raised, the serpent of brass,
that which was biting the people, the snakes, the picture of sin,
that brazen serpent, He was made what was biting us. And they
looked and lived. So we see the Lord Jesus set
forth in the Old Testament those things which were written aforetime,
were written for our learning, for our instruction in Christ. We see Him. If we see not Christ
in the Scriptures of the Old Testament, then we don't see
Him aright. That's what the Lord told those
two on the road to Emmaus. Beginning with Moses and all
the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures. those
things concerning himself. I read that and I think, my,
what they must have heard that day. We see the Lord in the scriptures
and our heart is excited to what we hear. I said last week, I
mean, we hear something in its Basically, as far as our understanding
is concerned, it's what we heard last week and the week before
that, but we hear it like we heard it for the first time.
It was so good. That's what we said by the grace
of God last week. It was so good. And I want to
hear that again today. I want to feast today. I want
to eat of Him today, to eat His flesh and drink His blood, to
eat of His life and His death. And how that relates to me and
how He put away my guilt. These were written for our learning. Learning. Well, you know, there's
some that learned. You know, there is a learning
that's not profitable. Paul said in 2 Timothy 3, 7,
speaking of those who are lovers of themselves, ever learning. and never able to come to the
knowledge of the truth. Man, there's a lot of things
that man can know concerning the Scriptures and not know Christ.
Pharisees were very, very prolific in their knowledge of the Scriptures,
but they didn't know Him. I think about that thief on the
cross. How much do you think he really knew all he needed
to know? He looked at his Master, and
this is how much he knew. Lord, do you realize the grace
of God that it takes for a man to be able to say that and love
it? and know it and believe it. See
Him. Lord, would You remember me? I'm getting ready to die. I'm
going to leave this world. Would You remember me when You
enter into the Kingdom? And to hear those words, and
here's a man hanging on a cross, that thief, hanging there, all
the comfort of the world. And the Lord told him, He said
today, You'll be with me in paradise." You know, I'm convinced that
put away all the fear. You say, you think he still heard?
Yeah, I think he did. I think he still felt the pain
of that today. These scriptures were written
for our learning. Who? God's people. Our learning. That through patience, Cheerful
endurance in the trials of this life. That's some folks that's
going through some tough times today. Here and other places. I understand that. But do you
know the comfort that they have is found within the Scriptures? The Spirit of God bless Scriptures. You go through things, you that
know Him, And do you know where your true comfort is? The Scriptures. You think on these things. You
rest. Comfort, that's what he says.
Comfort of the Scriptures. Whatsoever things were written
afore were written for our learning, our understanding, our teaching,
that we through patience, patient endurance. How do you do what
you do? by the grace of God. Don't you
ever doubt? Yes, I do. Yes, I do. But I know
He's faithful. That's what we looked at a minute
ago. We believe not, yet He remaineth faithful. Now, we might have
hope. We have confidence. Confidence
in Him. Faith, as I've said, is that
grace by which we behold Him who is our hope. Faith has an
object. It's Christ. He is our hope. We behold Him. What are you going to do? Whatever
He allows me to. What are you going to think?
Whatever He's graciously allowed me to think. Paul then after preaching to
these folks, he enters in actually to a prayer. Talking to them
but praying for them. Verse 5, he says, Now the God
of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward
another according to Christ Jesus. The God of patience. He who is
the author of our Cheerful endurance. Believers endure. They go through the same things
that other people do. As I've said before, believers
have problems in this life. I mean, problems with finances,
problems with health. They go through the same thing. What's the difference? Who they
know. the God of patience and consolation. What does consolation mean? It
means encouragement. Encouragement. The consolation.
Encouragement in the Scriptures. We hear and see Him in His Word,
cheerfully enduring in this life, hurting? Believers are not insensitive
to the trials of this life. We hurt just like anybody hurts.
I was talking to Gary a minute
ago. He was talking about a little one, a little girl that he remembers
seeing that had died. He walked in and there was that
little girl. She had died and her mother was rocking her, singing
little songs to her. hurt. But I'm telling you, we're
comforted, consoled in the Scriptures. May He grant you to be like-minded,
one toward another, according to Christ Jesus. The foundation
of our love toward each other Our peace toward the brethren
is exhibited in this one thing right here. We're like-minded. A believer has the same opinion
concerning Christ as a believer. I've said before, believers,
they talk like believers. They act like believers. I know, I agree with you. They
do. We have frailties. But here's
where the believer comes down to this. What do you think of
Christ? What think ye of Christ? It's either that you think that
He is, all men, all men by nature, all of us, all men by nature
will either think that He is sent to make salvation possible,
which you know that's not right. He did not come into this world
to make salvation possible. That gives the sense of maybe
not accomplished. It's possible, but He didn't
come in here to make it possible. He came here to redeem His people.
And He will have them. And they will be made the righteousness
of God in Him. He came to seek and to save that
which is lost. There's nothing maybe about him.
And believers are like-minded on that. Two people get together
and one of them says, well, I believe the Lord wants to save everybody.
I'm a Christian. I've always been a Christian.
I said, that's a little bit too long. But I believe that he wants
to save everybody. I said, well, we don't worship
the same God. That's not the God that I worship. The God I
worship is God that's sovereign, that does as He will in the army
of heaven among the inhabitants of the earth, and nobody stays
His hand. Nobody has a right to question
Him. He's the Lord. He's God. The God of patience and consolation
grants you to be like-minded one toward another according
to Christ Jesus. God's people are alike. They
think alike. concerning him." Verse 6, "...that
ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father,
of our Lord Jesus Christ." The grand end of Paul's desire
for the saints is that they might be patient and encouraged toward
another that God would be glorified. That was it. that the Lord would
be esteemed, honorable, that His opinion would be our opinion,
that His thoughts would be our thoughts, that His ways would
be our desire, that we would have the glory
of Almighty God in our mind. What do you pray? Let's think
on this for a second. What do you want? What do you
want? You know what you that believe
want? You want what He wants. That's
what I want. What do you desire? I desire what He desires. Because
that's what's going to be done. His will is going to be done.
And that He would give me a heart to want that. Verse 7, Wherefore, receive ye
one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. Here
Paul returns to that exhortation to believers. Receive ye one
another. You know, we fail to give glory
unto God that is truly due Him when we are not united together
in the bonds Christian fellowship, true fellowship. Believers want
a fellowship in Christ, not in anything else. What is that which
binds us together? Well, if it's anything other
than Christ, His honor, His glory, His praise, His due, if it's
not going to be Him, what are we going to talk about? What
binds believers together? Him. That's it. What else do
you want to talk about? I've said before, you get two
believers together. Oh, I mean, we know we may, you
know, talk about the first one thing and another fish and all
that kind of stuff. But do you know what? You give
it a minute. And I'm telling you, believers
are going to come around to talking about Him. And that's what they're
going to want a fellowship on. That's what they talk about.
That's where their comfort is. That's what's on their mind.
That they be like-minded, one toward another, to the glory
of God. Receive one another. That God
might be glorified. I met a few of your family last
night, Chris, first time. I've met Jessica. Tim, Phil,
before this first time I met some of them. And you know, it
just it doesn't take but a second. Somebody starts talking and you
start listening. Pretty soon, you know, you think,
you know what? You think what I think. And you
receive them, you just. Believers come together and it's
just like. It's like family. You go to another
fellowship somewhere and you go over and you visit them over
there. Phil, you go down to Greg's.
You know those people think just like you do. These people, I like what I hear. Receive them
to the glory of God as Christ also received us to the glory
of God. As Christ received us that God
might be glorified. I have glorified thee on the
earth. I've told you the word glory
or glorified there means God's opinion. What is the glory of
God? How He thinks. That's the glory
of God. I have glorified. I have set
forth, Father, Your opinion to redeem these people. You've always
purposed it, and I've done it. I have glorified thee on the
earth. I finished the work that you gave me to do." That's what
he said. I glorified you. The Lord Jesus
Christ received His own into the dearest of all relationships. There is family. You're family. You do what you have to do for
your family. Why? Because you're my family.
Think about this. This is his bride. A man that
loves his wife, what would he not do for her? He'll do anything
for her. He'd die for her. Why? Because
he loves her. That's part of him. What would
he do for a man that loves his wife? He'll do whatever. Will He die for us? What did
Christ do for us? He loved us and gave Himself
for us. Now I say, verse 8, that Jesus
Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of
God to confirm the promises made unto the Father. This is the
reason why we receive one another. Jews and Gentiles, whoever, whoever
God has been pleased to set His affection on, they are brethren. The Jews received the Gentiles
and the Gentiles would receive and serve the Jews, whatever,
whatever. Christ was the common denominator. Why? Because the Scripture says
that He was a minister. He was a servant of the circumcision
for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the Father. The Lord came into this world
not to minister, that's what we just read, not to be ministered
to, but to minister, give His life. A minister, one that executes
the commands of another. Oh, you consider the grace of
his condescension. Great is the mystery of godliness.
God was manifest in the flesh, made himself, no reputation,
a minister. You know, I think that this world
so lightly esteems the office of a true minister, and I'm not
talking about somebody that called themselves to that office or
somebody that was just thrust into that. I'm talking about
those that God's called. I'm talking about God called
ministers. How highly is that office esteemed
or how highly is it to be esteemed? Christ was one. He said, I came into this world
to minister, to be the servant. Paul, a servant of God, called
to be an apostle, but he was first a servant, a minister. He said, I thank Christ Jesus
our Lord who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful. He declared me to be faithful. He kept me faithful." God calls
and keeps His own. If God calls a man, now you listen
to this, and I mean this, if God calls a man to the ministry,
God keeps him in the ministry. The gifts of God are without
repentance. Well, what if a man entered into it and it seemed
for a while that he I thought he was, and he preached, but
then he quit. No. God calls and God keeps. Wherever God calls you, He places
you and keeps you there. Men that are called as God's
ministers, they die as God's ministers, and God keeps them I've met the Lord, a minister. Philippians 3.13, knowing that
the Lord Jesus Christ, the minister to the spiritual Jews, Paul says,
we are the circumcision which worship God in spirit and rejoice
in Jesus Christ. We have no confidence in the
flesh. Done. You that believe. How much
confidence do you have in your ability of whatever you think
you do? How much confidence do you have? I can remember a time, I mean,
the first time I walked down the aisle. You know why I walked down the
aisle? Because my cousin did. My cousin was, you know, back
in Louisiana. My cousin walked down the aisle,
so I thought, I'll walk down the aisle. But do you know that
I actually had some confidence in that? Well, at least I walked. Some of these others didn't.
But I did. And I prayed a sinner's prayer,
too. Didn't know what it was, but
the preacher said it first, so I said it. And then I was baptized. And I'm telling you before you
know it. Then I was in Sunday school class, and I was this,
that, and the other. And I actually had confidence
in something. I didn't do much, but I did something. Paul said, we are the spiritual
circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ
Jesus, and we have no confidence in the flesh. Believers don't. He was the minister, that is
the Lord Jesus, of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirm
the promises made unto the fathers. What promises did he make? Well,
Genesis 17, 7, I will establish my covenant between me and thee
and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting
covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed. After that covenant,
that covenant we just talked about a few minutes ago, David
said, What hope have you got? I've got hope in His promise,
in His Word. He has made with me an everlasting
covenant, ordered in all things, This is all my comfort. I said
before, this is my last day. What comfort have you got, Martin? Well, this is it right here.
Not anything that I've done according to this flesh. I don't even have
any comfort in my belief. My belief doesn't afford me any
comfort. What affords you comfort, him? I have no faith in my faith. I have no comfort. Well, yeah,
but you're a preacher. By the grace of God, I stand
here, but does that give me any merit before God? No, Paul said,
He counted me faithful. Put me in the ministry to proclaim
the unsearchable riches of His grace. Be like-minded. May Almighty
God be pleased to bless these words to our heart and teach
us something of Him, for Christ's sake. Amen.