Let us commence our service this
evening by singing together hymn number 82. The tune is Wareham,
431. Rejoice, ye saints, in every
state. Divine decrees remain unmoved. No terms of providence abate
God's care for those he once has loved. Hymn 82, tune Wareham,
four, three, one. ? In every sense divinely free
? ? We're made of wood ? ? Curtains of profit and talent ? ? Come take hold of me ? ? Once
at night ? ? O'er the ramparts we watched ? ? For us your strength
has risen fast ? ? Your strength in hope within us stands ? Let it start. ? O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave ? ? O'er the land of the free and the
home of the brave ? The sorrows of spring will be
done, Praising his holy name at last. The rockets' red glare, the bombs
bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still
there. ? And then the fog is gone again
? ? And all around me the stars are gone ? Let us read together from the
Holy Word of God in the Epistle to the Romans in Chapter 4. Paul's Epistle to the Romans,
Chapter 4. What shall we say then that Abraham,
our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified
by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God. For what saith the Scripture,
Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the
reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that
worketh not, but believeth on him, that justifieth the ungodly,
his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth
the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness
with our works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are
forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord will not impute sin, Cometh this blessedness then upon the
circumcision only or upon the uncircumcision also? For we say
that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. How was it
then reckoned? When he was in circumcision or
in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. and he received the sign of circumcision,
a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet been
uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all them that
believe, though they be not circumcised, that righteousness might be imputed
unto them also, and the father of circumcision to them who are
not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps
of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. For the promise that he should
be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed
through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For
if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void,
and the promise made of none effect, because the law worketh
wrath. For where no law is, there is
no transgression. Therefore it is of faith that
it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to
all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but to that
also which is of the faith of Abraham. who is the father of
us all. As it is written, I have made
thee a father of many nations, before whom he believed even
God, who quickeneth the dead, and called those things which
be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in
hope, that he might become the father of many nations, According
to that which was spoken, so shall thy seed be. Being not
weak in faith, he considered not his own body, now dead, when
he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness
of Sarah's womb. He staggered not at the promise
of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory
to God. and being fully persuaded that
what he had promised he was able also to perform. And therefore
it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his
sake alone that it was imputed to him, but for us also, to whom
it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our
Lord from the dead. who was delivered for our offences
and was raised again for our justification. May the Lord bless
that portion of his own precious word and grant to us a spirit
of real prayer. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,
which is an art, an art to come, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
We bow before thy great majesty, the only true God, subsisting
in three divine persons. Truly, what a great mystery thou
art. But may there be by the Spirit's
inward teaching that acknowledging of the mystery of God and of
the Father and of Christ. We pray this night to be led
by the Spirit of God. For as many as are led by the
Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Sons of God by blessed
adoption. We think of that divine adopting
love of our eternal Father, who accepts us as his children in
Jesus Christ. And we plead his precious blood
and righteousness as we bow before thee. We thank thee that he is
the way, the truth, and the life, and no man cometh unto the Father
but by him. We thank thee for that new and
living way that he has made into the holy place, consecrated for
us by his own precious blood and righteousness. For this,
Lord, is our only plea, the blood and righteousness alone of Jesus
Christ, as we are instructed in thy word, not by works of
righteousness that we have done, but according to his abundant
mercy. We thank thee for that abundant
mercy. We thank thee for that fullness
that is in Christ Jesus, the fullness of his forgiving love,
of his precious blood, of his glorious righteousness to cover
our nakedness. We thank thee for that wonderful
grace that declares their sins and their iniquities will I remember
no more. Grant that we may be led of the
Spirit into these wonderful truths, these foundation truths of our
most holy faith. as we gather round thy Word tonight. We thank thee for that wonderful,
sacred, profound act of thine, and the Word was made flesh and
dwelt among us. And Lord, may we tonight behold
his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,
full of grace and truth. We pray, most gracious God, to
be Guided by thee, may we be drawn by those sacred divine
drawings of our Heavenly Father. May we be led in those divine
leadings of the Spirit. And He led them forth by the
right way unto a city of habitation. And we pray that we may be found
pressing toward the mark to the prize of the high call of God
in Christ Jesus. that we may be made more spiritually
minded, and that our hearts and our affections may be placed
on things above and not on things of the earth. For Lord, by nature
we're earthbound. And by nature, we have to say
a wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body
of this death. We thank thee, most gracious
Lord, that through Jesus Christ our Lord, there is a way that
has been made. The light of the world, may that
light shine in our hearts tonight and as thou not said Lord Jesus,
ye are the light of the world and we pray that we may be so,
that we may shine as lights in this present evil world. that
they may behold our good works and glorify our Father which
is in heaven. So bless us, Lord, we humbly
pray thee for thy great namesake. Lord, we pray that thou in thy
precious mercy would remember our deacons, give them grace,
give them wisdom, give them help, undertake for them in all their
responsibilities here and elsewhere. Help them to cast their burden
upon the Lord, and may they experience his upholding
grace. We pray thy blessing upon our
brethren and our sisters in Christ. Lord, remember each one. We humbly
beseech them, wherever they may be at this time. We lovingly
commend them to thee and to the word of thy grace. which is able
to build us up. Grant us an inheritance among
them that are sanctified. Help us truly to love each other,
serve each other, bear each other's burdens. Remember our dear aged
sister. Lord, remember her for good.
Bless her with those rich blessings that are in Christ Jesus. Grant
that at evening time it may be light. Lord, remember the little ones
and the children. We thank thee for them in the
sanctuary. Bless them indeed. Remember the
young friends in all their concerns. Help them to bring their concerns
to thee. Help them to pray unto thee in
a day when thou mayest be found. And we pray, most gracious Lord,
that thou wouldst send answers of peace Send deliverance into
their souls. May the peace of God that passes
all understanding keep our hearts and minds through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Guide our young friends unto
Jesus Christ, to follow him, to serve him in their day and
in their generation, even as I was promised. that there shall
be a seed that shall follow on to know the Lord. Instead of
thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes
in all the earth. Lord, may it be so here we humbly
pray thee for thy great namesake. Remember them in all the paths
of providence, and graciously help them in their schoolwork,
and grant that they may be led and guided in their education
and be given wisdom and understanding. Grant, dear Lord, that thou wouldst
graciously grant them each a partner in life's journey, one that shall
fear thy great name. Lord, we pray that thou wouldst
hear us in heaven, thy holy and thy blessed dwelling place. And
when thou hearest, O Lord, forgive. We pray thy blessing, dearest
Lord, upon the families in their homes. Parents may be given wisdom
and help to raise the family altar, to read and pray with
the family. For all things are sanctified
by the word of God and prayer. Remember all in the midst of
the journey of life. Graciously have mercy upon them.
Remember the prodigals that have wandered away from the sanctuary
and caused them to be in want, to receive that divine call.
Hear us, Lord. Nothing and none are beyond thy
power. And we lovingly commend them
to thee. Rescue them. For thy name, Lord Jesus, is
shiner. And that thou hast said in thy
word, I will both search my sheep and bring them out, and we pray
that it may be so. But we pray, most gracious Lord,
that thou in thy precious mercy would abide with us as a church
and as a congregation. Without thy heavenly power, O
Lord, no sweets the gospel can afford. No drops of heavenly
love will fall, grant that it may be so, that we may see thy
goings in the sanctuary. Precious souls following thee,
serving thee. And that may it be, Lord, those
beautiful words, come and heal all ye that fear God. And I will
declare what he has done for my soul. So constrain thy name. Remember each one of us in the
evening time of life's journey. And graciously guide us. and
direct us unto thy heavenly kingdom, and grant that at evening time
it may be light. And as the outward man perishes,
may the inward man be renewed day by day. We do humbly beseech
of thee. And O Lord God, we do pray that
the glory, the light, the power of the gospel may shine into
this village the surrounding villages and towns. Many, many
precious souls may yet be gathered unto Christ, and the strongholds
of Satan pulled down, and the kingdom of the Lord Jesus set
up in the hearts of sinners. Lord, this is thy work, and thy
work alone. We pray, most gracious God, that
thou in thy great mercy but always remember thy Zion and thy servants
and thy people. We would again commend to thee
our young friend who has been sent forth into the ministry,
that thou would gird him with all sufficient grace and give
him wisdom and help. We do humbly beseech thee and
remember each one of thy servants as they labour in word and doctrine
and we pray that thou, the great Lord of the harvest, would yet
send true labourers. For the harvest is great and
the labourers are few. Gracious God, incline thine ear,
we humbly pray thee. Grant yet settlements of pastorates
among the churches, that it may be down to the great honour,
glory and praise of thy holy name. and the building up of
little flocks, and the strengthening of that which remaineth. Lord,
hear us, we humbly beseech Thee, for Thy great name's sake. But
we pray that most gracious Lord for our nation, our government, our
leaders. We pray that wisdom, grace, may
be given to each one, that they may be brought to look to Thee.
And we pray, most gracious God, that Thou wouldst bless our king
and the royal household with that rich grace that is in Christ
Jesus. And we pray, most gracious Lord,
that Thou wouldst send out Thy light and Thy truth in the length
and breadth of our land. Even as thou hast done in days
gone by, thou art able to do the same. We look back, O Lord,
and we see, Lord, in that wonderful history of our nation, and thou
didst raise up a George Whitfield and a Charles Wesley and a Harold
Harris and a John Berridge and a William Gadsby and a J.C. raised up of thee, many others
also, to preach and to blow the gospel trumpet. Lord, arise again,
arise, arise, O God of grace, into thy rest descend, thou and
the ark of thy strength, and let thy priests be clothed with
salvation, and thy saints shall shout aloud for joy, how abundantly
blessed the provision of thy house and satisfy her poor with
bread, we do humbly beseech of thee for thy great namesake. Lord, we do pray for those that
labour in word and doctrine among the nations of the earth. Lord,
we commend to thee thy dear servant, Ian Safford, and that great work
that he undertakes in the distribution and exposition of the word of
God among the nations of the earth. Lord, grant him good success. Grant him the spirit of power.
Grant mighty signs and wonders to follow the preaching of the
word and supply all his many temporal needs. And oh Lord God,
do remember the Mombasa mission and thy servant that labours
there. Help him to preach the word and be instant in season
and out of season. Grant signs to follow the preaching
of the word. Remember the Savannah Education
Trust and the great work that they're doing in Ghana. Lord,
give them good success. Work mightily, work powerfully. Work effectually in that heathen
area that many, many precious souls may be gathered unto Christ. brought to saving faith in Jesus
Christ and become true followers of them. O Lord God, we do pray
that thou wouldst hear us in heaven, thy holy and thy blessed
dwelling place, and when thou hearest, O Lord, forgive, to
come and touch one's lips with a live coal from off the heavenly
altar and speak the word the word of grace into our hearts. We ask all for Jesus Christ's
sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 113, and the tune is Boston 305. Who but the soul that's led to
know how just and holy is the law will to the cross of Christ
repair and seek salvation only there. Hymn 113, tune Boston
305. ? I shall not wait any longer ? Eternal rest to the cross of
our slavery. ? And teach our nation the way
back home ? Jesus Christ, Lord, come, come
to me. Come, Lord, come and bless me. O'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the
bombs bursting in air, ? Did I think of God's own mercy
? ? How great I did have misery ? ? In every good and right give
you ? ? Ever the Christmas shall end
you ? ? May we to Thee arise, O God ?
? Well may we rise to Thee, O God ? ? Get from thy knees ? ? Full of
heart and soul ? ? And praise, and praise, and praise
? ? The God within you ? ? To hear thy strength and make
amends ? ? You make the earth and all her stones ? ? And set no condemnation free
? ? And from the dust be lifted high ? ? In the sea, in his warmth dwell
? ? Deep within my heart I'll stay now ? ? Let thy people hear this joy
to bring ? ? The royal hymn to the Holy Ghost ? We seek Thou, Lord, at the morning
to visit Thee at the church. ? Love's red water ? ? The night-bright
red water ? ? Which the deep mistletoe ? ? Gave proof through
the night ? Feeling to need the Lord's gracious
help, I would direct your attention to Romans chapter 4, and we'll
read verses 16 and 17 for our text. Romans chapter
4, verses 16 and 17. Therefore, it is of faith that
it might be by grace, to the end the promise might be sure
to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but
to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the
father of us all. As it is written, I have made
thee a father of many nations, for for him whom he believed,
even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things
which be not as though they were. Therefore it is of faith. Paul in the epistle to the Galatians,
he makes a very clear distinction concerning law. and grace. And he tells us that the law
is our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ. The law itself
cannot bring us unto Christ. But it's a schoolmaster. We have
to think of the use of that language and what does the apostle mean? A teacher. A teacher. And what does the Lord teach
us when it comes with the divine power of the Spirit into the
heart? That we're sinners. That God is just. That God is
righteous. All together. When the Spirit comes to a poor
sinner's heart, that is what he teaches. in a greater or lesser
degree, that we are sinners, that we are lawbreakers, and He'll give us to feel our
need of faith and the desire after it. Therefore, it is a
faith that it might be by grace. Grace is the free, unmerited
favour of God. We read of Noah and we read of
him in the Word of God that he was a preacher of righteousness.
And there's no doubt whatsoever that Noah believed God and it
would have been accounted to him as righteousness when God
commanded him to make the Ark of Gopher Wood, that great Ark. God showed him how to do it.
and he warned men and women that the solemn judgment and wrath
of God was to fall upon man, and every man on earth would
be destroyed except those in the ark. There's no doubt that
Noah, the preacher of righteousness, would have set these things before
the people. It is true they mocked him and
they laughed him to school, but it didn't alter the truth of
his message. that God was going to flood the world, and the only
people that would be saved would be those in the ark. Do we understand the solemnity
of the Judgment Day? The day when the end of the world
is coming, and then it will not be by a flood, it will be by
a fire and all these things that is all material things will be dissolved completely dissolved the element
shall melt with fervent heat that that is what is coming in
the day of the coming of Jesus Christ when he shall gather his
own people unto himself, those that have been saved by grace,
that have been saved by faith. And the Apostle says, doesn't
he, in the Hebrews, for by grace are you saved, and he says that
in the Ephesians, and then he says in the Hebrews, concerning
the end of time, and the vital need of grace and faith. And what does he say without
faith? It is impossible to please God. For he that cometh unto
God must believe. That's the very essence of what
faith is, it's believing. He that cometh unto God must
believe that he is. And that he is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek him. And that the reason they Seek
Him, because they feel a need of Him. So when the Holy Spirit
comes into the heart of a poor sinner, you know, that's quickened. It says in the verse 17 of our
text, Who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which
be as though they were, be not as though they were. He calls. that there is a divine call. Faith cometh by hearing, hearing
by the word of the Lord. Romans chapter 10. Faith cometh
by hearing. And it has pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. That's the
divinely ordained way to heaven. and he led them forth by the
right way. Jesus said, I am the way, the
truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me. Therefore, it is a faith that
it might be by grace. The great emphasis the apostle
makes here in this argument in these chapters in the The epistle
to the Romans is that it's not of works. It's not of works. If you look at verse 22 in chapter
three, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of
Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe, for there
is no difference. What does he mean? He means there's
no difference between Jew and Gentile. And where it says in our text
that Abraham is the father of us all, that all that believe,
all that come to saving faith in Jesus Christ, he's the father of us all. What
a wonderful precious truth that is, isn't it? It says here in
Romans in chapter eight, For God has sent forth the Spirit
of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. My God, my Father, blissful name. There's a, again, the bringing
together there of the Hebrew and of the Greek, or the Jews
and the Gentiles, they're brought together. And as he does here
in his strong arguments he makes, There is no difference between
Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned. All have sinned. He makes a very close argument
here in this chapter concerning circumcision and also of faith. He says in verse two, for if
Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof the glory, but
not before God. what saith the scripture Abraham
believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness he
received that righteousness which is by faith in Jesus Christ faith
in his righteousness you know and with this teaching of the
spirit in the heart he teaches us that we're unrighteous that
we're unholy that's what God teaches us guides us and directs
us. He shows us by His Spirit. When
He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will reprove the world of
sin and of righteousness and of judgment. See, that's the
divine work of the Spirit of God. And we've just sung in our hymn,
Who but the soul that's led to know how just and holy is the
law, to the cross of Christ for repair, and seek salvation only
there. When we're brought to the end
of ourselves, when we're brought to the end of what we can do,
what we can accomplish, when the Holy Spirit has taught us
that we can do no real good, that everything that we touch
is stained and dyed with sin. Sin lives in us, in our very
being. That is the great conflict in
the heart of the truly quickened soul. As I've said in verse 17,
even God who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things which
be not as though they were. What he's speaking there, those
things that be not, that were not spiritual. But they are when
the They receive a divine call when the Holy Spirit enters the
heart and quickens their soul into life. They're brought to
see their lost condition. They're brought to see their
helplessness, their emptiness, their poverty, their insufficiency. Of course, this may take some
weeks, some months, even years of constant teaching. But you know, friends, it can
take Just a moment. The Lord can do it in just a
moment. Literally. Open your eyes to
see your lost condition and then open your eyes to see that Jesus
is the way to God. That there is no set pattern
in the Word of God. We can't lay down tramlines and
say this is how the Lord will work. I never forget Dear old
Mr Winters, when I was a boy, he used to come a lot to Westingham
Chapel. And he used to say, if you draw
a circle and say God is going to work in that circle, you can
guarantee he'll wake, he will go outside of it. And he used
to say, he will not be dictated to. God works in his own way. And he brings each one of his
children in his own way. and they are very diverse ways,
but they're all brought to the same spot and the same place,
to the feet of Jesus, as a poor, lost and ruined sinner. There
may be those in the work of grace in their heart, I always feel
that where it says in the Acts of the Apostles concerning Lydia,
whose heart the Lord opened, I always feel, others don't,
but I always feel there is something there that is very gentle. That
divine work of the Spirit in her heart. The Lord opened her
heart. What? To receive the Word of
God. Has he opened your heart? Has he opened my heart? To receive
the Word of God. What a mercy if he has. You see, Therefore it is of faith
that it might be by grace. Now, we've spoken of Noah, and
the interesting and instructive thing is that when we speak of
Noah, it says in the book of Genesis, but Noah found grace
in the eyes of the Lord. It's the only reason the Lord
favored him. Grace is a free unmerited favour
of God. And Noah found that. Doesn't
mean he found it himself. The Lord found him just like
he did Jacob. He found him in a waste, howling
wilderness. And the Lord found Noah. And
the Lord convinced Noah of his sin and his need of salvation,
of redemption. And he went around as a preacher
of righteousness. And we are told in the word of
God that Noah was 120 years building the ark. And during those 120
years of building the ark, he would have walked up and down
in the earth and he would warn men and women. They would laugh
at him. They would scorn him. They would
say he's a dreamer. He's lost his mind. But he still
warned them of the wrath of God that was to come against man. because of man's sin and because
the earth was so full of violence and sin that God had appointed
this day when he would come and destroy the earth with a flood.
And the only persons that would be saved were those that entered
into the ark with Noah and his family. As it turned out, there
was only Noah and his family that entered into that ark. eight
Psalms out of thousands that were there upon the earth at
that time. And they were destroyed. You
see, as Christ says, in the days of Noah and the time of the great
flood, they were marrying and giving him marriage. Everything
was carrying on just as it always had done until the flood came. and it took them all away and
only Noah and his sons and their wives were saved in that great
day, in that great tumult, in the opening up of the waters
of the deep and the opening up of the heavens above and flooding
the earth so that all the hills and the mountains were covered.
There was no place left to hide but in the earth. and the only
persons that entered the Ark were shut in by the Lord. That
was their safety and their security. What a beautiful type of Christ
the Ark is. And the Lord shut him in, and
the Lord shuts his people into the Ark of God, into Christ.
He does. A refuge for sinners, the Gospel
makes known. It is found in the merits of
Jesus alone. The weary, the tempted, the burdened
by sin, never exempted from entering their inn. Oh, my beloved friends,
you see, there's been a lot of speculation as to however would
Noah get all those animals two by two to enter the ark. He didn't. God called them. Just as he called
Noah into the ark and his family, God called all those animals
and those insects and they went in two by two. and filled the
ark. You see, it's God's work. It's a sovereign work. And just
to get into Christ is the sovereign work of God's Spirit. It's faith. Faith that work is by love. Mark
that. It's not just a cold intellectual
faith. Not just to come into the Word
of God and say, I believe this, I believe that, I believe something
else, therefore I'm a Christian. Coming to a certain knowledge
of the doctrines of truth, that has happened many times over
the years, and providing you have a certain knowledge, then
you're received into church membership. But that's not the religion of
the Bible. The religion of the Bible is
to them that are called, called by divine grace. Not just a historical
faith. Nor a dead faith. You might say
to me, what do you mean by dead faith? A faith that is intellectual. You've been brought up to believe
and you believe. It's as simple as that. Young
man, years ago now, at one of our chapels, he was baptised.
And next time I went there to preach, I just shook hands with
him and said, I was pleased to hear And he turned and he said
to me, well, Mr. Wright, I've always been at chapel.
He said, and I believe all the things that the minister said,
so I thought it was time I got baptized. And that was his testimony. I couldn't receive it. There
was no living work of the living spirit of the living God in his
heart. And that's what you and I need,
the divine work of the spirit in our heart. We read in Ephesians
chapter 2, faith is the gift of God. It's a divine gift. We read also in the Acts of the
Apostles that repentance, which is always a company in faith,
is a divine gift. It speaks of Christ. Him hath
God exalted as a prince and a savior for to give repentance and remission
of sins. It's a gift. Do you have that
gift? Do I have that gift? Are we the
children of God by faith? Can we echo in our heart what
the apostle says in the Ephesians? You hath he quickened who were
dead in trespasses and in sins. You hath he quickened. Therefore,
it is of faith that it might be by grace to the end the promise
might be sure to all the seed. Why is it sure? You have the
electing love of the Father, you have the redeeming love of
the Son, you have the sanctifying love of the Holy Ghost. Sure
and certain. God, one true almighty God, and
it's His divine work to bring a poor sinner to understand and
to realize that they're lost and ruined, that they have need
of salvation. The Apostle here, he makes a
great argument here, again separated between the Jew and the Gentile.
He says in verse 4, now to him that worketh is a reward not
reckoned of grace but of debt, but him that worketh not but
believeth on him, that's Christ, that justifieth the ungodly,
his faith is counted for righteousness. He also gives us an illustration
from David in the book of Psalms, that even as David also describeth
the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness
without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are
forgiven and whose sins Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will
not imputes him. Why? Because it's been imputed
to someone else. Salvation is a divine act of
God. Conversion is a divine act of
God. Faith is a divine gift of God. Repentance is a divine gift of
God. This the Holy Spirit works in
the heart. Faith. Do you have faith? You see, and then he enters into
here a discourse, cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision
only. Of course, that is what the Jews
so strongly taught, that it's only persons that are circumcised
that have any relationship with God. Cometh this blessedness
then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also,
for we say that that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned when
he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision. When Abraham received that precious
gift of faith, when the Lord spoke to him, in thee shall all
the nations of the earth be blessed, he was not circumcised. Circumcision
didn't come until the days After that, after that, he came before
he was circumcised. And the Apostle uses that to
teach us. How was it then reckoned when
he was in circumcision or uncircumcision? You see, he received the sign
of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which
he had, yet being uncircumcised, that he might be the father of
all them that believe. This is a crucial text here,
friends, or word. The father of all them that believe,
though they be not circumcised, that righteousness might be imputed
unto them also. So he's speaking here of the
Gentiles as well as the Jews. And the father of circumcision
to them who are not of the circumcision only. but who also walk in the
steps of that faith of Father Abraham, which he had been yet
uncircumcised. For the promise that he should
be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed
through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. It's that lovely name given to
our Lord Jesus Christ in in the 23rd chapter of Jeremiah. Jehovah
said, can you, the Lord, our righteousness. And then he speaks
afterwards in Jeremiah chapter 33, and there it says, she shall
be called, that's the church, that's the bride of Christ, she
shall be called. The Lord our righteousness, that's
her name. She receives it directly from
Christ. And that is sealed into her heart. Not by works of righteousness
that I have done, but according to his abundant mercy. That mercy
in Jesus. That grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ. That grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ that washes away all our sins. You see, as it says again, we
look at chapter three, verse 22, even the righteousness of
God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all who believe,
there is no difference. For all have sinned, Jew and
Gentile, and come short of the glory of God, being justified
freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus, whom God has set forth to be propitiation through faith
in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that
have passed through the forbearance or grace of God. To declare,
I say at this time, his righteousness. That's the only place, poor sinner,
that you'll ever be made righteous. It's on the grounds alone of
faith in Jesus Christ. There's no other ground of you
and I ever being made righteous. You might say, why? Because we're
born in sin. We are shaken in iniquity, in
sin did our mothers conceive us. But this man, but this man,
the man Christ Jesus, who gave his life of ransom for all, who
lived a holy life, who had a holy human nature, something so lovely, so glorious
in the perfections of Christ. How precious when it's revealed
to us, that glorious robe of his righteousness. And the Apostle in chapter 5,
he goes to great lengths. He says, verse 11, and not only
so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom
we have now received the atonement, that's the sacrifice for sin.
Reconciliation to God, wherefore as by one man, Adam, sin entered
into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon
all men for the all of sin. For until the law sin was in
the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless,
death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned
after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure
of him that was to come." Adam is a figure of Christ. What does
it mean? He's the federal head of the
human race. We all come from Adam. Christ is the federal head of
the church. We're all saved in Christ, through
faith, by grace, alone. But not as the offence, so also
is the free gift. For if through the offence of
one, Adam, many be dead, much more the grace of God and the
gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded
unto many. And not as it was by the one
that sinned, So as the gift for the judgment was by one to condemnation,
but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification,
to be justified. Look at the beginning, the first
two verses of chapter five, that therefore being justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein
we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. By grace
are ye saved, that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. What a wonderful gift that is. Therefore, it is of faith that
it might be by grace to the end that the promise That's the promise
of eternal life in Christ. The promise that was given to
Abraham, that in his seed would all the nations of the earth
be blessed. They might be by grace. To the end, the promise
might be sure to all the seed, whether Jew or Gentile, bond
or free. Not to that only which is of
the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who
is the father of us all. He's the father of us all. We're now speaking of the spiritual
seed. And when the Lord said to Abraham,
in thee and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth
be blessed. He was speaking of Christ, thy
seed. That's what was followed after
that, wasn't it? The seed of Abraham. Why? Because there's
the lineage of Christ. And it was in his seed that Christ
would come. And in another place it's said
in David's seed. We've already looked at the first
part of this chapter where, you see, David describeth the blessedness
of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without work. This
is the emphasis, without works, not by works of righteousness
that I have done. That would be merit, and grace
would cease to be grace if that was the case. But my beloved
friends, it is not the case. The only righteousness acceptable
to God is the righteousness of His Son, who is manifest in the
flesh, that righteousness which is in him, which is in him. Righteousness of God, which is
by faith. Oh, my beloved friends, do you,
do I have faith? He continues argument in the
ninth chapter of the Romans, And he says there from verse 5, whose
are the fathers and of whom as concern in the flesh Christ came,
who is over all, God blessed forever, amen. Not as though
the word of God hath taken none effect, for they are not all
Israel, which are of Israel, neither because they are the
seed of Abraham are they all children, But in Isaac shall
thy seed be called. That is, they which are the children
of the flesh, these are not the children of God, make that clear,
friends. But the children of the promise are counted for the
seed. See, there was a remnant in Israel
that was saved by grace. Some of them were exceedingly
prominent. Others were quite obscure. Men
like Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David. There's a whole list of
them, isn't there? Who were the children of God.
But the children of promise are counted with seed, for this is
the word of promise. At this time will I come and
Sarah shall have a son. And not only this, but when Rebecca
also had conceived by one, even our father Isaac, for the children
being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the
purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but
of him that calleth. It was said unto her, The elder
shall serve the younger. And as it is written, Jacob,
have I loved thee, so have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there
unrighteousness with God? God forbid. He said to Moses,
I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion
on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that
willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. God shows mercy. It's a divine act of Almighty
God. by mercy in Jesus. That's where mercy is found.
That's where salvation is found. That is where peace is found.
That is where reconciliation with God is found in Jesus. It was Jesus, my friends, when
he hung on the tree that opened a channel of mercy for me, his
precious blood. His glorious righteousness. My
beauty, oh, my glorious dress. Therefore, it is of faith that
it might be by grace. To the end, the promise might
be sure to all the seed. That is, both the seed that was
according to his flesh in the lineage of Christ, not all of
them, but those in the lineage of Christ. not to that only which is of
the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who
is the father of us all. As it is written, I have made
thee a father of many nations, every nation, kindred, tongue,
and tribe, and people, before him whom he believed, even God,
who quickneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not, as
though they were divinely called. I see the great emphasis here
is to be divinely called. It's the Holy Spirit to enter
into the heart, to quicken the soul, to reveal our lost condition,
and then to reveal Jesus is the way to God. Jesus is the way
to bless. It's the wonderful divine work
of the Spirit to reveal Jesus. Has he revealed Jesus to you?
Is it the longing desire of your heart to follow him, to serve
him in your day and in your generation? Can you echo in your heart the
language of the spouse? Tell me. O thou whom my soul
lovest, where thou feedest, where thou causest thy flock to rest
at noon, for why should I be as one that is turned aside by
the flocks of thy companions? If thou know not, O thou fairest
among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock
and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' kens. You see, that
is following Christ, with us wherever He leads, wherever He
guides, wherever He directs, to follow Him. Oh, that the Lord
may give us grace to follow Him. If you love me, keep my commandments. Again, I think we mentioned it
on Tuesday evening, those lovely words of Rebecca when Abram's
servant, and they said to her, will thou go with this man? And she said, I will go. May the Lord add his blessing. Let us now sing together hymn
number 103. The tune is Rockingham, 398. Jesus, thy blood and righteousness,
my beauty are my glorious dress, midst flaming worlds in these
arrayed, with joy shall I lift up my head. Hymn 103, tune Rockingham,
398. ? Oh, say, can you see by the dawn's
early light ? ? What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last
gleaming? ? Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice!
Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice!
Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice!
Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice!
Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice!
Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice!
Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! ?
To take my nature in the sky ? ? In then shall this be all
my play ? Jesus has lived and died for me. Oh, can I say ? In that great day ? ? O'er her,
O'er to her ? ? My heart shall bear ? ? And still my blood shall
flow ? ? That's all I am ? ? From sin's tremendous ? ? Fault and
shame ? ? Thou, Savior, have ? ? The Friend
of God ? ? The Holy One ? ? Who would be my ? ? Saviour of sin
? ? Oh, say can you see by the dawn's
early light ? ? What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last
gleaming ? No cage can take this glorious
view. The Word of Christ is with you. Amen. In whom I promised once before
That beauty bestowed Now may the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ the love of God the Father, the sacred fellowship
of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each, both now
and for evermore. Amen.