from that 8th chapter of the
book of Romans, where it says, Romans 8 and 32, He that spared
not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall
he not with him, with Christ, also freely give us all things? delivered him up for us all. That means that the ones that he died for,
I said he died for his people.
He died for that holy nation, that priesthood referred to him. his kingdom
and so forth. So the ones that he died for
might be safe in him, delivered him up for Saul, that those for whom he died would
be forevermore safe in him. forevermore sheltered in Him,
forevermore delivered out of the probability, delivered out
of every probability and every possibility of damnation. God delivered Him up for us all,
all for whom He died, all those that reverence his name, all
those that believe on him, trust in him, he's delivered them up and made
them safe, given shelter in himself, protected them from every probability
and every possibility of damnation, and brought them home unto himself,
to be with him, to see him as he is forevermore. That's what it means. Delivered
him up for us all. Blessed thing, isn't it? That
God spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all. No uncertainty about this now.
There's no uncertainty here. Well, turn with me then, if you
will, to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians chapter 15. It delivered us up delivered him
up for us all. Now in chapter 15, let's read
some more things that the Apostle has to say here. Verse 1, Moreover,
brethren, I declare unto you the gospel
which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein
ye stand. saved by grace, stand in grace,
live in grace, die in grace, wherein you stand in grace, by
which also you are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached
unto you, unless you have believed in vain, unless your experience,
unless your believing is spurious, for I delivered God delivered
him up for us all, and Paul says, For I delivered unto you, first
of all, that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins
according to the Scriptures. Now, what was it that Paul received?
He received the truth of the atonement. That's what he received,
the truth of the atonement. When I say the truth of the atonement,
involved in that is the fact that every living being, every
member of Adam's race, needs an atonement. They need a covering
for their sins. They need their sins to be made
an end of. They need to be reconciled to
God, every member of Adam's race. No member of Adam's race shall
ever see God in his glory apart from having the truth of the
atonement applied to their conscience and applied to their hearts, causing them to be a believer
in the Lord Jesus. He received the truth of the
atonement. He received, he said, the death
and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. He said he received
and delivered unto them not only the atonement and the resurrection,
the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, but
he received his The Lord's finished work, that
is, work was finished. Now, Paul, well, let me read
some more and then we'll turn over to Acts chapter 26, I believe. He says, Now for I delivered
unto you first of all that which I also received, it's what I
received, that Christ died for our sins. Paul was a sinner and
knew that he was a sinner. and he'll tell us somewhat of
his state before the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him, that
the atonement, that which he received from Christ, the truth
of the atonement, covered all of his waywardness, all of his
sins, sins of foolishness, sins of ignorance, sins of evil practices
and so forth. I delivered unto you, first of
all, that which I also receive." And he received it from God in
Christ. He didn't get this as an opinion
from someone else. You know, if we talk to people
now, they'll tell you, well, that's your opinion. Well, that's
the way you read it. That's your opinion. That's his
opinion. I've got my opinion. Well, that's not the way it is
here in the Bible. It doesn't go by opinion. I received
this from God. I didn't receive it from Peter.
I didn't receive it from John. I didn't receive it collectively
from all the apostles. I received this from God. God
revealed himself to me. A great thing happened to me
on the road to Damascus. I got this from God himself in
Christ Jesus. It's not my opinion. It's the
truth. He received the truth of the
atonement. how that Christ died for our
sins. Christ dying doesn't mean anything
except for our sins be attached to it. He died for our sins according
to the Scriptures because that's what the Scriptures predicted
He would do. That's what they said He would
do, that He was buried and that He arose again the third day
according to the Scriptures. Now turn with me over here to
the 26th chapter of the book of Acts. Well, you just hold that place
until you've got to the 26th chapter. and just come over to
the 9th chapter, too. I want to read some of the 9th
chapter of the book of Acts. Paul here is telling of his state,
the state that he was in before the Lord appeared unto him. He
tells us that he was the persecutor of the Church. It tells us how
he hated the Lord Jesus Christ. It tells us not only how he hated
him, but how he thought so much of himself. But all of his sins
were laid on the Savior. He said, Well, listen, 9th chapter,
Saul, that was his name. That was his personal name before
God changed his name to Paul. And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings
and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. breathed out threatenings. He
wasn't satisfied just to go around warning these people to shut
up. He took them by force. He shut their mouths once and
for all. He either directly or indirectly
had to do with their death, many and many a believer. against
the disciples of the Lord. And he went to the high priest
and desired of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogue, that
if he found any of this way, any of the way of the Lord Jesus,
whether they were men or women, he might bring them to bound,
untie them up, handcuff them, bring them unto Jerusalem. And
as he was on his way, He came near Damascus, and suddenly there
shined round about him a light from heaven. And he fell on the
earth, and he heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest
thou me? And he said, that is Saul, who
art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus,
whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against
the bricks. And he trembling, And astonished
he said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said
unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told
thee what thou must do. And the man which journeyed with
him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth
when his eyes were opened, and he saw no man. But they led him
by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days
without sight, neither did eat meat or drink. And there was
a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. And to him said
the Lord in a vision, Ananias, and he said, Behold, I am here,
Lord. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street
which is called straight. Our Lord knew exactly where he
was at, what street he lived on, what house he was in, inquiring
the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus. For behold, he
prayed. He knew what street that he lived
on, what house he was in, and he knew what he was doing. He
said, Behold, he prayed. And hath seen a vision, a man named Ananias coming in,
putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. And
Ananias answered and said, Lord, he's like us. I've heard by many
of this man, I've heard about this fellow, how much evil he
hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem. We've heard about him. I'm scared
of him. I don't know about him. I've
got no confidence in him. I wonder why you've got so much
confidence in this man, Lord. And here he hath authority from
the chief priest to bind all that call upon thy name. But
the Lord said unto him, Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel
unto me." Chosen. He's a chosen vessel. Now, not only was Paul a chosen
vessel unto us, but every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is chosen
by God. Ye have not chosen me, but I
have chosen you. It is a sovereign act of God
alone, for He is a chosen vessel unto
me. I want Him to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings
and the children of Israel, and I will show Him how great things
He must suffer for my name's sake. So Ananias went his way,
entering into the house, putting his hands upon him, and said, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared
unto thee in the way, as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou
mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.'
And immediately there fell from his eyes, as it had been scales,
and he received his sight, for with arose and was baptized. Did Paul think it was important
to be baptized? I believe he did. I believe he
thought it was very important that he show, figuratively, that
when Christ died, he died with him. Paul said, I am crucified
with Christ, nevertheless I live. The life that I now live, I live
by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself
for me. He thought it was important,
didn't he? He received his sight, got
him something to eat and something to drink, and was baptized. And when he had received meat
and was strengthened, then was Saul. Then we saw certain days
with the disciples which were at Damascus, and straightway,
immediately, he preached Christ in the synagogue that he is the
Son of God. That is what Paul delivered unto
them Corinthians, the truth of the atonement. Paul is telling us what he was
like prior to the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. And
here in this 26th chapter of the book of Acts, Paul Paul gives
us some more information as to what he was. He's before Agrippa,
and he says, Why should it be thought, verse 8, a thing incredible
with you, King Agrippa, that God should raise the dead? Baptism is a picture of the death,
burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. God raised the Savior up, resurrected. I have rarely thought
with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name
of Jesus of Nazareth. Paul talking. I thought with
myself I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus. which thing I also did in Jerusalem. And many of the saints did I
shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests."
Now, listen to this, "'And when they were put to death, I gave
my voice against them.'" That's the kind of a fellow he was.
"'And I punished them oft, oft times, many times, in every synagogue. I forced I forced them to blaspheme,
blaspheme the name of God, and being exceedingly mad against
them, angry with them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities. I followed them. I followed them. Wherefore, as I went to Damascus
with authority and commission from the high priest," and then
he tells that story again that I just read to you in Acts chapter
9 about how holy he thought he was, and how he persecuted the
Church. But you see, divine power, divine
power had entered the heart of Saul, and he received the blood
of the Lord Jesus Christ into his conscience. He had heard
the testimony of the truth of the Savior, not only with his
ears and not only with the Scriptures, but he heard it and felt it in
his own heart. felt it and owned it. It says he ate and drank and
went out and Ananias baptized him. Paul preached that he, the
Lord Jesus, gave himself for us that he might redeem us from
all iniquity and purify unto himself a zealous people Zealous
unto good works. That's what Paul preached. Paul
preached by one offering. He hath perfected forever them
that are sanctified. That's what Paul preached. That's
what Paul delivered up. And the Lord Jesus Christ, God
delivered him up for us all. And Paul received that testimony
of the truth. And he delivered it. place to
place, wherever he went, on land, on sea, wherever the opportunity,
the occasion, the providence that God would give him and open
the door. This is what Paul preached. He
preached, told of his wickedness and told of the great mercy and
the grace of God that arrested him on the road to Damascus.
That's what he told. Well, it says here in that verse I read to you from
Romans 8 and 2 that He freely give us all things. What does
He mean by that? Well, it means that the Lord
would give His people the kingdom. The Bible said it's the Father's
good pleasure to give you the kingdom. You've read that in
the Bible, haven't you? He will take them. that He gives
all things to. He will take them to be forever
with Him and to see Him as He is. And I told you a little bit
ago that there's no uncertainty here. God shall give it to them. It's a free and sovereign gift
by God. He'll give it to them. And let
me say this now, there's not one soul in the many multiplied
millions of souls for whom the Redeemer died, for whom the Father
loved, and for whom the Holy Spirit called, who shall not
have this gift of eternal life. Every one of them shall have
it if you are here tonight and you believe this story, this
gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. that he made the atonement, that
he satisfied justice, that he honored and magnified the law
of God on your behalf, took your sins on his own person,
and suffered the penalty that was due you, if you believe this
story in regard to the gospel. You'll have this gift, this gift
of life eternal. It's yours forever and forever. He'll give you immortal rest
for your soul, deliver you from the vengeance of a sin-hating
God. Oh, listen, if this is not so,
If this is not so, what I have told you here this evening, if
not, his faithfulness would prove to be nothing. If God has promised this and
goes back on his word, then he's more at loss than you and I are. If not, his faithfulness would
be proved to be nothing, his omnipotence would be proved to
be weakness, his omniscience would be proved to be ignorance,
and his justice would be laughed at and scorned. But God has pledged
his oath by two immutable things. By himself he has swore by himself,
and he cannot lie. And what he hath swore, that
he will do." Listen, he will not be a perjured being. A perjured man, that word perjured
is much used now in our days. Perjury. Taking an oath that you'll tell
the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help
you God, and then go back on what you said. That's perjury. God will not be a perjured being. He will not perjure himself. A perjured man is a disgrace. perjured man is without character,
and God will not be a perjured man or without character. If you are but a little lamb,
he will take you into his bosom and bring you all the way home. So help me God, that's the truth. That's what Paul preached. The
psalmist said, I'll be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness. That's perfect satisfaction which
shall never end, and all his people shall have it. No uncertainty
about it. That's what Paul preached. And
that's what it means when he said he delivered him up for
us all, and how shall he not with him freely, freely, without
money, without price, Free to give us all things. Isn't that
a wonderful thing? I'm going to give it to us. Give
it to us. No strings attached to it. Boy, if I wasn't a believer,
I couldn't believe this. All right. We'll meet again Wednesday
night, Lord willing.