Come the fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing thy grace Streams of mercy never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above Praise the mount, I'm fixed upon
it, Mount of thy redeeming love. Here I raise mine Ebenezer, Hither
by thy help I'm come, And I hope by thy good pleasure safely to
arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God. He, to rescue me from danger,
interposed His precious blood. Oh, to grace how great a debtor
daily I'm constrained to be. Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to Thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel
it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart, oh, take and
seal it, seal it for thy courts above. Let's play together. Our Father, how thankful we are
for another day. And we ask Your blessing upon
Your Word. We ask it for Christ's sake.
We ask it for our good and for Your glory. Lord, teach us. For we ask these things in the
precious name of the Master and our Savior and Redeemer, the
Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Turn with me to Revelation 18. The preacher is commanded to do two
things. when he stands to preach. Number one, he is told, according
to the prophet Isaiah chapter 40, verse 1, Comfort ye my people,
saith your God. That is to say, ease their thoughts. Comfort them. Pity them. That's another word. Pity them. Comfort them. Because they need
comfort. Comfort ye, comfort ye My people. Now there's a key. These are
the Lord's people. He's everlastingly loved them.
He's redeemed them. They're His people. Speak comfortably. from the heart. This is not just
a few moments to just go over some dry doctrine, maybe something
that I've picked up from someone else or I think is cute. Ask
the Lord. A man that stands to preach wants
to comfort the people of God from his heart. Speak comfortably
to My people, sayeth your God." Speak comfortably to Jerusalem
and cry unto her. Publish unto her that her warfare,
her striving, her battle, and God's people are born like all
people. She's in a warfare. She's under
the dominion of sin. and tell her that her warfare
has accomplished her iniquity, her depravity, and her depraved. You tell her that her depravity
is pardoned, satisfied, accomplished, that she hath received from the
Lord's not by her accomplishment in
herself, not by her self-righteousness. She's received at the Lord's
hand double the abundance for her sins. So we're told to
comfort the people of God. Secondly, Ezekiel 3. Turn with
me there. Ezekiel 3. Ezekiel 3, 17. Son of man, I have made, appointed,
ordained thee a watchman, an observer. I thought that was
a revealing word of understanding to me. God's preachers, their
proclaimers, of the unsearchable riches of God's grace. They are
called watchmen, observers. One that pities, one that warns. One that comforts, one that admonishes. Two direct callings of a preacher,
God's preacher. Comfort my people. and warn. Son of man, I have made thee
a watchman unto the house of Israel. Therefore, hear the word
at my mouth, and give them warning from me." God's preachers never
want to be unnecessarily hard. They want to be truthful. the
truthful men. When I say unto the wicked, Thou
shalt surely die, and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest
to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, the same
wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require
at thine hand." The very thought of having a commission from Almighty
God to comfort the people of God and to warn men in rebellion
against God. The consequences of disobedience
is more than I want to consider. Comfort and warn. Warn the people. We have been looking at a passage
of Scripture that's very revealing concerning the judgment of Almighty
God here in Revelation 18. And John, the Apostle John on
the Isle of Patmos is revealing through God's Spirit, by God's
Spirit, on the Lord's day, he was taught some things concerning
Almighty God in His infinite mercy and grace to God's people.
That's what the book of Revelation is all about. It's the revelation
of Jesus Christ, how God has kept His people in the midst
of this world. You that believe, you're traveling
just like all believers have. We're traveling through this
world. The comfort is to hear from the mouth of a preacher,
sent of God, that God has comforted you. You're comforted in your
iniquities part. But also there's a warning that's
given in this book, and we're talking about both sides, comfort
and warning. John has been setting forth in
this book the judgment of God and the great harlot, false religion. How false religion has been revealed
to have set herself up as one that thinks that she stands before
Almighty God. Three groups, kings of the earth,
the kingdoms, the denominations, the divisions, whatever you want
to say. You call them whatever you want
to. All different groups see themselves as okay because they
have a God. The merchants of the earth, These
are preachers. False preachers. False prophets.
But they're preachers. Proclaimers. And the Scripture
sets forth that they're selling something. They're selling something
to men, telling them, you can make yourself, provide yourself
a righteousness before God. Last week we looked at the gold
and silver and precious stones and pearls. That which these
false preachers tell men. I can tell you how you can get
yourself something to buy your salvation. But we also saw the
scripture that says, Come, whole, every one that thirsteth, come
to the waters, buy milk and wine without price. Almighty God gives salvation. It's given unto you to believe. Salvation is by grace. And you
realize it by faith. You understand it. Perceive it.
And you know, I have not purchased anything of myself. Well, this
morning for just a few minutes, let's just kind of look for a
moment here in Revelation chapter 18. We're in verse 12. I want to just take a few minutes
to go over some of these things that are being sold. The second
part, merchandise of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, that's
what we looked at. All right, now next they're selling
fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet. Now, this fine linen
is things by which you can make a garment. This is not a new idea. Man,
as soon as he fell, turn with me to Genesis 3. As soon as man
fell in the garden, the first thing he did, I'm going to make
me a covering before God. Genesis 3, verse 6, when the
woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant
to the eyes, and a tree to be desired make one wise. She took
of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband
with her, and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were
open, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig
leaves together." Look at this. Made themselves. Made themselves. Aprons. I'm covered before God. Here is the warning. Two things
that I am commanded to do. Comfort the people of God and
warn the wicked. Listen to me. Man by nature thinks
that he can hide himself. He can hide that nakedness before
God. He is filthy. The Scripture declares
his righteousness to be filthy racks, fine linen, purple. Now the Scriptures does say in
the book of Revelation 19.8 that the fine linen of the saints
is the righteousness. It is clean and white is how
it describes it. There is the warning. Man by
nature thinks that he can provide himself a covering. What does
he think it's whatever he thinks he can do to make himself clean
before God? What is that? Whatever he thinks
he can do. Adam and Eve made themselves
what they have, they had some fig leaves. Is that going to
cover us before God? Boy, if they were concerned it
did. What does man by nature think? He thinks that whatever
he has to do, walk down an aisle, be baptized, show up at church,
whatever in his mind he thinks that he has done to provide himself
a covering before God, that is his self-righteousness filthy
rags. Stinking, filthy rags. There's a warning. Here's the
comfort. Isaiah 61.10, I will greatly
rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall be joyful in my
God, for He clothed me. He clothed me. Clothed me with
the garments of salvation. Boy, that's a comfort. Not that
I'm clothed with the garments of baptism. Not that I'm clothed
with the garments of church attendance. Not that I'm clothed the garments
of reading my Bible through, and I profess to believe five
points of Calvinism. I've heard people say, just come
to the doctrines of grace. Don't come to the doctrines of
grace. The Lord says, he that cometh to me, to me. He hath clothed me with the garments
of salvation. He hath covered me with the robe
of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments,
and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." Man by nature
thinks that he can buy something. These merchants of the earth
are selling something. What are they selling? They are
selling these implements of false salvation. False salvation for
sale. The second thing back in Revelation
18, verse 12, fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet, all fine wood,
all manner of vessels of ivory, all metal vessels, precious wood
and brass and iron and marble. What is that? We can tell you
guys not only how to be able to have a little money in your
pocket when you stand before God, What's it going to cost? I've got the money right here.
Or, not only that, I have woven myself a clothing. I've got this fine linen. I'm
covered. Or they can say, I've built myself
a place of security. Hiding. Turn to Daniel 4. Here's a warning. Here's a warning. Daniel chapter 4 verse 28. All this Daniel 4.28 came upon
the king Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of 12 months, he walked
in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spake and
said, Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house
of the kingdom by the might of my power and for the honor of
my majesty." Boy, it's just, I mean, reading the words, there's
such arrogance and pride. While the word was in the king's
mouth, there fell a voice from heaven saying, O King Nebuchadnezzar,
to thee it is spoken, the kingdom is departed from thee. Here's a warning. It's going to listen by nature.
He's going to listen to these merchants of the earth. It's
going to tell him you can build yourself a place of comfort. All kinds of beautiful things
you can buy. We've got good wood. We've got
ivory. We've got precious wood and brass
and iron. Whatever you need, we've got
it. There's a warning. How about some comfort for a
place? Exodus 33. Exodus 33. Moses speaking. Exodus 33, verse
13. Moses is speaking to the Lord.
Now, therefore, Exodus 33, 13. Now therefore, I pray thee, if
I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may
know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight and consider that
this nation is thy people." And he said, I love just reading
that. I love, you know, I've always
said, well, not always, but I say now, thankfully, and pray that
I mean it. A believer talks like a believer.
They've got a sweet attitude about them. You ask them about
themselves and they hate themselves because of the arrogance that
they see in themselves. But you listen to them talk and
they get honest. Moses was honest with God. If
I found grace in your sight, show me now thy way. Verse 14,
He said, shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And
he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not
up hence. Moses said, Lord, if you don't
go, where are we going? For wherein shall it be known
here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? Is
it not in that thou goest with us? So shall we be separated,
I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face
of the earth. And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing
also that thou hast spoken. For thou hast found grace in
my sight, and I know thee by name. And he said, I beseech
thee, show me thy glory. And he said, I will make all
my goodness pass before thee, and will proclaim the name of
the Lord before thee. I will be gracious to whom I
will be gracious. I will show mercy on whom I will
show mercy. You know, we've looked at that
passage so many times. Show me your glory. And you know
the base of that word. Glory means the opinion to think. Show me, Lord, your opinion.
If I found grace in your sight, go with me and tell me what you
think. Tell me what you think of man.
Tell me what you think of your son. Tell me what you think of
salvation. I want to know. I will be gracious to whom I'll
be gracious. I will show mercy on whom I'll
show mercy. And He said, Thou canst not see
My face, for there shall no man see Me and live. And the Lord
said, Behold, there is a place by Me. And thou shalt stand upon
a rock, and it shall come to pass, while my glory, while my
opinion, while the way I think, passeth by, continually passeth
by. I will put thee in a cleft of
the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by.
And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts,
but my face shall not be seen." I'm going to show mercy to you,
Moses, and to all like you. Now, this is the way I'm going
to do it. I'm going to reveal to you that I have put you in
a cleft of the rock, in the split, in the broken. That rock is Christ.
You know that. and hidden in the cleft where
the rock is split, riven, opened. Do you know where our comfort
is? It is being hidden in Him who was opened for us. Hidden
in His sufferings. Hidden in His mercy. Hidden in
His grace. Hidden in Christ. I'm going to
hide you. You're not going to build anything.
There's no comfort. Nebuchadnezzar said, and here's
the warning, look at what I built. Here's the comfort. The Lord
said, I put you. I hid you. There's a place by
me and I'll put you there. And I'm going to put my hand
over you. No man's going to see the fullness of me. No man sees
that and lives. But I'm going to take my hand
back. And you'll see my back parts flickering glimpses. What do we know of Him? We know
in part. We prophesy in part. We think
in part. But we know. We see flickering
glimpses. How much do I know of Him? All
that He's allowed me to see. But those flickering glimpses,
Gary, are sweet. They're comforting. Just knowing
I got a flickering glimpse of the glory of God that He's hidden
me in Christ. He opened that rock and put me
in Him. And I'm telling you, I'm thankful.
Back in Revelation 18, these fellows are saying, we've got
something. We've got something that will
give you a nice place to live. All kinds of good stuff. A believer
says, I don't want it. You give me Christ. Hide me in
Him and I'm hidden. Verse 13 says, here's something
else they've got to sell. Cinnamon odors, ointments, frankincense. What is that? It's things that
make men think they'll smell good before God. We'll give you something. Now
listen, all you've got to do is buy what we're selling. And
it's bought the same way every time. It's the same thing. Whatever you do that you think
makes you smell good, I smell good. in the sight of God. Why? Because I, and whatever
comes out of your mouth right now. Let me give you a warning. Turn to Isaiah 65. Here's a warning. Every one of these has got some
comfort, got some warning. Isaiah 65. Isaiah 65, I am thought
of them that ask not for me. I am found of them that sought
me not. I said, Behold me, behold me
unto a nation that was not called by my name. I have spread out
my hands all the day unto a rebellious people which walketh in a way
that was not good after their own faults." That is how an unbeliever
walks, in a way. The Lord said, I am the way.
I am the way. He said, now you've got a group
of people that's walking in a way that wasn't good. Verse 3, A
people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face, that
sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick,
which remain among the graves. That's what men do by nature.
What are they doing? Well, they're going to church.
You know, this, that and the other. They're dwelling among
the graves. Men say, well, you're just hard. No. This is what the Lord said. I've raised you up to be a watchman. Warn them. Warn them. You remain among the graves and
lodge in the monuments. You eat swine's flesh. unclean. You know, a pig was a symbol
of that which was unclean. It was a picture of unclean.
They eat swine's flesh, broth of abominable things in their
vessels, which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me,
for I am holier than thou. These are smoke in my nose, a
fire that burneth all the day. Man by nature thinks And he can
buy him something that will make him smell good before God. And the Lord says, you're walking
in a way that stinks in my nostrils. There's a warning. Let me give
you some comfort. Turn to 2 Corinthians 2. 2 Corinthians
2. 2 Corinthians 2. Now, thanks be unto God, which
always causes us to triumph in Christ. Now, you know, before
I tell you, notice the Apostle Paul didn't finish that statement. Thanks be to God, which always
causes us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor
of His knowledge by us in every place, for we are unto God a
sweet saver of Christ. In them that are saved and in
them that perish, there is only a sweet saver in
the Lord Jesus Christ. Why? He is the faithful servant. This is my beloved Son, whom
I am well pleased. You hear Him. Man by nature thinks
that he is going to build himself a resting place. He's going to
cover himself. He's going to make himself smell
good. Everything that is not of him is an abomination before
Almighty God. Almighty God has sent forth preachers
to be a warning. And I know the only way that
a man or a woman is going to hear that warning, the Lord says,
I'll give you a new heart. And I'll speak comfortably. He'll
do it through a preacher. But it's the Word of Almighty
God. Here's a warning and here's a comfort. Seek Him. Know Him. This is life eternal, that they
may know Him. Know thee, that's what the Lord
said to the Father. Know thee, the only true God. And Jesus
Christ, whom thou hast sent. False salvation for sale. I've
got a warning to those that's trying to build themselves a
righteousness. Ask yourself. Let a man examine himself. Let
me ask you this. On what And I'm saying it just
exactly the way I want to say it. On what? Here's a warning. On what are
you building your salvation? Because a believer says, my salvation
is built on Him. Let's take a few minutes break.
We'll come back.