Come thou fount number 17. I'm now 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, come fix 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 sawed me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God, He to rescue me from danger Interposed
His precious blood O 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. Thank you. Read Job 32. Job 32. So these three men ceased to
answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. Then was kindled
the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel, the Buzite, of the
kindred of Ram. Against Job was his wrath kindled,
because he justified himself rather than God. Also against
his three friends was his wrath kindled because they had found
no answer and yet had condemned Job. Now Elihu had waited until
Job had spoken because they were elder than he. When Elihu saw
that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then
his wrath was kindled. And Elihu, the son of Barakel,
the Buzite, answered and said, I am young, and you are very
old. Wherefore, I was afraid, and durst not show you mine opinion. I said, days should speak, and
multitude of years should teach wisdom. But there is a spirit
in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. Great men are not always wise,
neither do the aged understand judgment. Therefore I said, hearken
to me, I also will show mine opinion. Behold, I waited for
your words. I gave ear to your reasons while
she searched out what to say. Yea, I attended unto you, and
behold, there was none of you that convinced Job or that answered
his words. Lest ye should say we have found
out wisdom, God thrusteth him down, not man. Now he hath not
directed his words against me, neither will I answer him with
your speeches. They were amazed, they answered
no more, they left off speaking. When I had waited, for they spake
not, but stood still and answered no more, I said I will answer,
also my part, I also will show mine opinion. For I am full of
matter, the spirit within me constraineth me. Behold, my belly
is as wine, which hath no vent. It is ready to burst like new
bottles. I will speak that I may be refreshed. I will open my
lips and answer. Let me not, I pray you, accept
any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto
man. For I know not to give flattering
titles. In so doing, my maker would soon
take me away. Let's pray. Father, we come to you thankful
this morning for this passage of Scripture and Father, we're
thankful that you've allowed us again to come together and
Lord, that you provided a place for us to come. And Lord, we
ask that you continue to raise up this church, Father, raise
up Your son in this church and father we ask that you continue
to Add to it take away from it as you see fit father. We just
ask that whatever your will is that it be done And lord, we
ask that you watch over The pastor that you've sent us we ask that
you watch over Him as he brings us the message and lord that
you open our eyes and ears and hearts father to hear the message
that you would have us to hear. And Father, we ask that you bless
the conference that's coming up, Lord, and watch over the
men as they travel. We ask that you watch over them
as they study, and we ask that you open our hearts to the messages
that they bring to us. And Lord, that you give us a
good time of fellowship with friends. And Father, we just
again ask that you watch over and care for this congregation
in Christ's name. Let's sing number 10, O God our
help in ages past. O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come, our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home. Under the shadow of thy throne,
still may we dwell secure. Sufficient is thine arm alone,
and our defense is sure. Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame, From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same. Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
bears all its sons away. They fly forgotten as the dream
dies at the opening day. O God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come. Be thou our guide while life
shall last, and our eternal home. Thank you. Let's take your Bibles and turn
to Genesis chapter one. Let's go to Genesis chapter one. We're gonna be looking at verses
20 through 23. Let me first give us a summary
of what we've seen in creation so far. On day one, the Lord
brought forth the uncreated light. And it was made to shine upon
the earth. Now, the light is the Son of
God. This light is the Lord Jesus
Christ. And it pictures him who came
in the flesh. And when God brought forth that
light, it designed his, it spoke to his design to be gracious. He had a purpose of grace which
he would work in the earth, that at that time had lay in darkness
and was without form and void. It reminds me of what our Lord
said in John 3 when he said, God sent not his Son into the
world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might
be saved. Day two, we see the firmament,
which is a covering in which all living things dwell. It pictures
the sin atoning sacrifice made by the death of Christ in whom
his people live. Day three, we saw the gathering
together of the waters. The gathering together by Christ
of his people to himself and the land appeared out of the
water. That picture is the resurrection
of Christ out from the grave. And we saw the abundance of that
land so that it was full of herbs and fruit and it bore that seed
after its kind. And that picture is the spiritual
seed of Christ's people who are born again of his Holy Spirit. Day four, we see the ascension
and exaltation of Christ and the witness of Christ's work
upon the earth. That was declared in the sun,
the moon, and the stars, which to this day still testify of
that light which God brought upon the earth. They testify
of that first uncreated light. And so it is that these things
are also a type of the witness which our Savior has left in
the earth to declare what he has accomplished for his people. Now in day five, we have God's
creation of the creatures of the sea, the fowl of the air,
those are the birds, and God's blessing upon them. I wanna show
you three things under two points. First, we're gonna see the picture
that's declared here in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
What is the creation of these things? How do they picture the
gospel of Christ? Second, I wanna talk to you about
this blessing which God pronounces here on day five under two headings. First, the universal nature of
the blessing, and then the particular nature of the blessing. I've
titled this message Creatures Blessed of God. So let's begin
with this gospel picture here. Everything described in creation
literally happened exactly as the scriptures say they did.
This is exactly how it happened. But the meaning of these days
is declaring to us the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's showing
us that God created the heavens and the earth. It's showing us
that Christ is preeminent in everything. And so all the laws,
everything that we see and understand, how it works in nature, was all
given by God to work and declare the gospel of Jesus Christ. They're
not just happy coincidences that speak of his work of salvation. No, it was given to us to declare. These things work the way they
work because they declare what Christ has done for his people.
through days one through four, we saw the coming of Christ,
we saw the crucifixion and death of Christ, we saw the resurrection
of Christ, we saw the ascension and exaltation of Jesus Christ,
and at the end of day four, we have the witnesses which Christ
left upon the earth when his work, when his earthly ministry
was completed or fulfilled here. And so to this day, the true
church bears witness of the life who is the light of men. We preach Christ crucified, and
that according to the scriptures. So the church is testifying,
bearing witness, and we have the scriptures which testify
and bear witness of the Lord Jesus Christ. because these,
this word, these scriptures testify of Christ. They speak of the
Lord Jesus Christ throughout. And then the third witness, which
Christ gives us, is the witness of the Holy Ghost, who must attend
the preaching of that word to make it effectual to the hearts
of dead sinners. We would be left dead and lifeless
without the gift of the Holy Ghost, but the Holy Ghost takes
the things of Christ, and he's the one that makes the word effectual,
that word preached concerning Christ, he's the one that makes
it effectual unto the hearts of his people. John describes
it this way. In 1 John 5a, he says, there
are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water,
which is the scriptures, and the blood. And these three agree
in one. Why does he say the blood? Because
it's the blood of Christ that is the effectual power of Christ's
blood which gives life and salvation to his people who testify of
the witness of Jesus Christ and what he's done to redeem his
people. He did it. That's the blood.
It's testifying of His power, of His glory that saves sinners
from death and gives them life in Himself. And so Christ's life
is manifest in them, and therefore they bear witness and testify
of who Christ is and what He does for sinners, what He's done
for them in delivering them from death. Now the blessed effects
of that witness on earth is precisely what is seen here in day five. That blessing, that witness,
the effect of those three witnesses is seen on day five. With the witness of Christ going
forth in the earth now, the spirit, his word, and the redeemed church
preaching that gospel word, an abundance of spiritual life is
wrought in his people, those who are made to hear the gospel
by the grace of God. There's a remnant of living souls
pictured in the fowls of the air and the creatures of the
waters. And just note that sometimes
in scriptures people are described as waters. In Isaiah 8 verse
7, it describes the king of Assyria's army as being a river of water
which overflows its banks and comes in and floods the whole
land. They're described as water. And then in Revelation 17, verse
one, it speaks of the Whore of Babylon that sits upon many waters.
And in verse 15 and 18, it then tells us that those waters are
multitudes of peoples and nations and kings. It sits on many waters. And so, just as The sea is not
just fish now, but a remnant has been created. It's a remnant
of people who have been delivered by the Lord. And just as the
sky isn't just covered from end to end with birds, no, it's a
remnant of living creatures out of those things that the Lord
has saved. Now, with that in mind, let's
read verses 20 through 23. Genesis 1 And God said, Let the
waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath
life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament
of heaven. And God created great whales,
and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought
forth abundantly after their kind, and every winged fowl after
his kind, and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them,
saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas,
and let fowl multiply in the earth. and the evening and the
morning were the fifth day. And so this fifth day pictures
the day of grace in which we live, where the Lord is powerfully
saving his people. It's the day in which we see
the remnant of our God being saved by the Lord Jesus Christ. With the work of Christ as the
servant of God being completed from his advent when he was born,
all the way until his exaltation and ascension. With that work
being accomplished, that work that we now trust in, it's published
in the earth, being witnessed by the spirit and the water and
the blood. That is the redeemed, all right?
So that's what's pictured here. That's the gospel picture in
day five. It's the day of grace, that the
remnant of God is saved by the preaching of the gospel. This
brings us now to this blessing which was spoken of in verse
22. This is the blessing where it
says, and God blessed them. This is the blessing that every
child of God desperately wants and desperately needs. We want
this blessing of God. This is the first time that we
read anything about God's blessing in verse 22. And God blessed
them. If there's anything that we need
or desire, should need or should desire, it's this blessing of
God right here. He blesses the fish and the birds,
and then after he created Adam and Eve, we're told in verse
28, and God blessed them. In Genesis 9-1, God blessed Noah
and his sons. In Genesis 12-2, God told Abraham,
I will bless thee. The blessing of God in scripture,
that one that I want, is the blessing given in grace. It's
given by God to undeserving sinners. people who did nothing to deserve
it, nothing to earn God's favor or blessing. It's freely given
by God to whom he will bless. Turn over to Numbers chapter
six. Let's look at one strong example
of this blessing of God. In Numbers six, and it's gonna
be in verses 22 through 27. It says, and the Lord spake unto
Moses, saying, speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, these are
the high priests, saying, or these are the priests, rather,
saying, on this wise, ye shall bless the children of Israel,
saying unto them, the Lord bless thee and keep thee. You see,
when man gives his blessing on another man, It's only fleshly,
it's only temporary, it's only carnal. It has no lasting, eternal
blessing. Only God can give that eternal
blessing. He's the one that does it. Now,
verse 25 through 27. The Lord make his face to shine
upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up his countenance
upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon
the children of Israel, and I will bless them. Every one of these
blessings spoken of here are given by God to his child in
the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Every one of those
is in Christ. His face, which it speaks of
here, is the blessing of the face of Jesus Christ. It's in
Christ that we know God. He says, he that hath seen me
hath seen the Father. We know the true and living God
by the Lord Jesus Christ. That's how God reveals himself
to us. We know him through Christ. You'll
remember in 2 Corinthians 4, 6, for God who commanded the
light to shine out of darkness, This creation account here hath
shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of
the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. That is the
face that God is talking about. That's the blessing of God that
we know him through his son, through the face of Jesus Christ. Then he says, the Lord make his
face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee. God is just to be
gracious to his people. Why? Because he sent his son
to propitiate the wrath of God, to appease the wrath of God by
putting it away, by satisfying the justice of God in himself
for his people. And that's why God is just to
be gracious to his people. God doesn't just wink his eye.
I'll just pretend I didn't see that. That's not how God does
it. He paid for every sin of his people. He put them away
justly, fully, satisfactorily. And so God is just to be gracious
to you, his chosen people. It's a blessing for God also
to lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace. This is speaking of the fellowship. When you behold someone's countenance,
it's in fellowship with them. You're meeting with them. You
know them. You're speaking with them. That
fellowship has been established for us, given to us by the reconciliation
of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's what he's done. Because
of that reconciliation, we have peace with God in the mediator,
Jesus Christ, the mediator between God and men. And so we now enjoy
that fellowship because the enmity which is in us by nature has
been taken away by Christ. And you that know him, it's because
the enmity, you that believe him, it's because the enmity
has been put away by Christ. And he puts his name upon his
people. Speaking of Christ, the prophet
Jeremiah said this, this is his name, he's speaking of Christ,
this is his name, wherewith he shall be called the Lord our
righteousness. And then 10 chapters later, speaking
of We the Church of Christ, he says, this is the name wherewith
she shall be called the Lord our righteousness. All you ladies
here took the name of your husband. You all took the name of your
husband. The church takes the name of her husband, the Lord,
our righteousness. He's our righteousness. And God
said, I will bless them. If you are in Christ, you are
blessed of God. You are as safe and protected
as those eight souls whom the Lord put in the Ark of Noah.
That's how safe you are. The wrath of God came down from
above and waters rose up from beneath and we're all around
that ark. And if you were outside the ark,
you were in the judgment of God yourself with nothing standing
between you and holy God. But those eight souls in the
ark were safe and protective and sound. They went through
the judgment safe and carried through in the ark, which is
Jesus Christ. We found grace in the eyes of
the Lord by the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, I said there would be two
other headings with regards to this blessing. First is the universal
nature of this blessing, which is seen in our Savior. Every
day of creation declares the person and work of Jesus Christ. God is declaring to all men everywhere,
there is one God, one Savior, one salvation. There's not many roads which
lead to God. Anyone who says it doesn't matter
how you come to God as long as you're sincere. You can come
to him through the Catholicism, you can come to him through Muhammad,
you can come to him through Buddha or Confucian or anything you
make up. That's a lie. That is a bold-faced lie. There's not many roads that lead
to God. There's but one, one Savior, one salvation. As Christ
himself said, there's no man as loving, as gracious as the
Lord Jesus Christ. And he said, I am the way, and
the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father but
by me. by the Lord Jesus Christ alone. None, therefore, are excluded
from the preaching of this gospel. Why? Because there's only one
gospel. And those that are the Lord's
must hear this gospel. God will, he must bring this
word to his people, wheresoever they are. One Savior is what
Jesus Christ was preaching to Nicodemus. One Savior in John
3, 16, that wonderful scripture which says, God so loved the
world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish but have everlasting life. People often go to that verse
trying to defend or teach the lie which is universal atonement. That's not what Christ is saying
there. That's not what he's teaching. What he's teaching there is a
universal Savior in that there is but one Savior. There's only one Savior. There's
one God, one Savior, one salvation. It's accomplished in the Lord
Jesus Christ. And his people are scattered
throughout the world. That's what he's saying. He's
talking to Nicodemus, who's a Jew. And the Jews believed that when
the Messiah came, he would establish an earthly Jewish kingdom that
would subjugate the Gentiles and step on them and make them
their servants and their slaves. And Christ is correcting Nicodemus,
saying, no, Nicodemus, I am the savior of both Jew and Gentile. He's saying, whosoever believe
it in the only begotten Son, whether he be Jew or Gentile,
will not perish, but they shall have everlasting life. Now let
me give you some scriptures to back that up. Looking at Isaiah
49, let's go to Isaiah 49, verse six. The father is speaking to
his son. Isaiah 49, 6, the father speaking
to the son, and God said, it is a light thing. This is too
easy, too small that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the
tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel, the
remnant of Israel. I will also give thee for a light
to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end
of the earth. He's saying you're the savior
of all my people scattered throughout the earth. The Apostle Peter
declared in Acts 4.12 saying neither is there salvation in
any other for there is none other name under heaven given among
men whereby we must be saved. If God saves you, He's going
to save you in the Lord Jesus Christ. There's not many roads
that lead to God. There's one sufficient, perfectly
sufficient road of salvation. It's the Lord Jesus Christ. He
is the way. He's the way to the Father. If
God has blessed you, you will be found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Because that's what our God declares. There is one Savior, of whom,
as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is overall God-blessed
forever. Amen. And so the blessing of
God that we want and that we need is Jesus Christ. Now turn to Ephesians chapter
4. Ephesians chapter four. And we're
gonna look at verses four through seven. I'm just gonna read them
and you'll see why. Ephesians 4.4, there is one body
and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling. one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all
and in you all, but unto every one of us is given grace according
to the measure of the gift of Christ. And so this brings us
now to our second header where we see the particular nature
of this blessing. We've seen the universal nature
in that there is but one Savior for all the earth. There's one
Savior. Now we're gonna see its particular
application by God to his people. Paul said there in Ephesians
4 7, but unto every one of us is given grace according to the
measure of the gift of Christ. Who is this us spoken of here? Well, according to the scriptures,
it's speaking specifically and only of believers. All men have
not been given grace according to the measure of the gift of
Christ, but believers have. Believers have been given the
grace of God. That's why they believe, because
God has been gracious to them. and has revealed faith in them
which looks to and trusts in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ
rather than trusting their own works of righteousness. Our trust
and hope and confidence is fixed in the Lord Jesus Christ alone
and not in what I do or don't do. It looks to Christ. We see
this particular blessing of God throughout the scriptures. And
we're gonna go to John chapter 10. John 10. Let's look at a
few verses here. In John 10, we'll pick up in
verse 11. Christ tells all those that were
standing there hearing him preach. There was a lot of people, a
big mixed congregation. mostly people who did not believe
him. And he said, verse 11, I am the
good shepherd, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Christ is narrowing down those
for whom he gave his life. He's narrowing it down to a specific
people and declaring them to be his sheep. That's who he gave his life for.
Now look at verse 14. I am the good shepherd, and know
my sheep, and am known of mine. There were many there that did
not believe that he was the Christ. They had their doubts. They just
looked at him as another man, maybe a prophet, but not the
Savior. But he did have some of his sheep there present in
that hour. He had his disciples, and they
believed him because they are his sheep. Then he gives a nod
to the Gentiles, look at verse 16, those who would eventually
hear and see that light and believe. He says, another sheep I have,
which are not of this fold, they're not Jews, but them also I must
bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one
fold and one shepherd, so that there is but one church made
up of Jew and Gentile. And then the division happens
because Christ divides his people. There are sheep and there are
goats. And he tells us that he shall
set the sheep on his right hand and the goats on the left. So looking at verses 17 through
19, we see this division begin to take shape. Therefore doth
my father love me because I lay down my life that I might take
it again. No man taketh it from me, but
I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down and
I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received
of my father." And it tells us there was a division therefore
again among the Jews for these sayings. The natural man does
not like hearing that he's not the determining factor in salvation. God is. God is. And the carnal
nature is enmity against God and despises to hear that God
is the one that determines my salvation. You're saying I can't
take Christ's life when I want to and make it mine? No. Christ says, no man taketh my
life for me. I give my life. I lay it down.
I lay it down for my sheep. You can't just appropriate it
to yourself. It's for my sheep. I give it. I give my life for
the sheep. In another scripture, in Psalm
3 8, salvation belongeth unto the Lord. And listen to this,
thy blessing is upon thy people. Lord is thy blessing for all
men everywhere? No, it's for thy people. It's
for thy people, Psalm 3, 8. And so here we see now in John
10, 26 through 28, he says, but ye, you Jews who are hearing
me and despising, hating that salvation is the work of God,
and that he sent me to lay down my life for my sheep. You despise
that. But he says now, but ye believe
not, because you're not my sheep, as I said unto you. Notice he
doesn't say, but because you don't believe me, you're not
my sheep. He says, you don't believe because you're not my
sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I
know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal
life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand." What's he saying? He's saying the blessing of God
is upon his people. That's the blessing that God's
people need. And that's the blessing he gives
freely according to his grace and purpose. So we see there's
a particular blessing of God witnessed in his people by the
gift of faith, which he gives to his people freely. Turn now
to Romans 9. Romans 9, and let's pick up in
verse 11. 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. Here the scriptures are speaking
of that particular blessing of God in Christ for his people.
Verse 13, as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I
hated. God blessed Jacob with the blessing
of salvation. He did not bless Esau with that
blessing of salvation. He passed by Esau and he did
not bless him because Esau is a goat. But Jacob is a sheep
for whom Christ gave his life. And that particular blessing
was given to God's child, to Jacob. Verse 14, what shall we
say then? Is there unrighteousness with
God? God forbid. Paul says, I know what you're
thinking. You're thinking that this is not fair. God can't do
this. Oh yes, he can. He's not unjust
at all. Why? Because he tells Moses,
he says in his word, He saith to Moses, verse 15, I will have
mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on
whom I will have compassion. So then it's not of him that
willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. It's neither your will nor your
works that save you, that obtain this blessing of God for yourselves.
It's purely by the good will and purpose of God according
to his own will and purpose, what he would do in himself. He's determined to do this by
himself. So God is telling us that his
blessings are particular for his people. There's one Savior,
and thankfully this Savior is the Savior of both Jew and Gentile. There's no type of man, no race
of man that's being excluded. Jew or Gentile. Rich or poor. Male or female. Educated or uneducated. Free man or slave. King or the
lowest person, a street sweeper. It doesn't matter who or what
you are. God has, Christ has his people
scattered throughout the world. He saves all whom he will. We see this in Revelation 5,
9 through 10. Let's go there, Revelation 5. It says in Revelation 5.9 they
sung a new song saying thou art worthy to take the book and to
open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed
us to God by thy blood. The blood witnesses Who's our
Christs? All right, and here's the particulars
defined. You've redeemed them out of every
kindred and tongue and people and nation. Not every person
without exception, but some from every kindred, tongue, people,
and nation. I do that now because I would
always forget what that means. You know, some people put like
a They get a tattoo, like fear this, you know, like they put
it on their knuckles. Well, I think of KTPN, K-T-P-N. That's just how I remember, Kindred
Tongue People Nation. And so the Lord has his people
in every nation, of every people. Preach the gospel to all because
the Lord has his people scattered among the nations, scattered
among the people that you know and fellowship with or are friends
with or in your family. He's got his people. but not
everyone is redeemed by Christ, but those who enjoy this blessing,
they were redeemed by Christ. He says in verse 10, and has
made us unto our God, kings and priests, and we shall reign on
the earth. That's not said of every man,
but of every kind of man, of every type, of every kindred,
of every tongue, of every people, of every nation, because there's
only one Savior given to all his people scattered throughout
the world. Last, let's turn to Ephesians
1. Ephesians 1, verse 3. It says, blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. In that one
salvation, every blessing that we have is in Christ and it's
never outside of him. according, verse 4, as he hath
chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that
we, like Jacob, should be holy and without blame before him
in love. having predestinated us unto
the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according
to the good pleasure of his will. There's no mention of your will
or mine. It's God's will that determines
who are blessed by him. to the praise, verse six, of
the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the
beloved, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness
of sins according to the riches of his grace. Not my works, but
his grace. wherein he hath abounded toward
us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us, his
sheep, the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure,
which he hath purposed in himself. that in the dispensation of the
fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in
Christ." All things, all his chosen seed in the Lord Jesus
Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even
in him. In whom also we have obtained
an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him
who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.
He does not need or look for any outside influence from us. He's already done exactly what
is perfect, good, righteous, and holy according to his own
will. That we should be to the praise of his glory who first
trusted in Christ. And we know that the father is
the one who first trusted in Christ. And what it's saying
there is that the father is absolutely brilliant. and entrusting the
sheep whom he chose and committing them to the care of Christ by
putting his people in Christ's care to obtain their salvation
perfectly because there was no way we were going to save ourselves
in Adam. This was not going to happen. none of his people are lost because
Christ is perfect. So day five is the day of grace,
when it's witnessed and heard by the sheep of our Savior, for
whom he laid down his life, made to hear and to live by his grace. This blessing is universal in
that there is but one Savior. There's one salvation. There's
one God. There's one way of salvation.
This is the way that all God's people come to Him, is in the
Lord Jesus Christ. And this blessing is particular
in that His chosen people are the ones whom the Father blesses.
His chosen people, He gives them to Christ, and they do come,
because He has given His life, shed His blood to redeem them,
and gives them life in Himself. This is the glorious salvation
of His grace. Amen. Let's pray, and then Brother
Joe will close us in hymn. Our gracious Lord, we thank you,
Father, for your grace and mercy. Lord, we thank you for this glorious
good news that this is the day of grace in which you broadcast
and publish your gospel freely to all. Lord, because you will
call your people out. You'll call your sheep out from
the masses, that remnant for whom you gave your life. Lord,
you call them and give them faith to hear and to believe the Lord
Jesus Christ. Lord, we thank you that this
salvation was not kept from us and only for the Jews, but Lord,
that you've blessed your people scattered throughout the world,
both Jew and Gentile. And Lord, we thank you that your
particular blessing, which is given for your people alone,
Lord, that you were gracious to us and made us partakers of
that blessed hope which is given to your saints. Lord, thank you. Thank you for this mercy. Thank
you for your grace and peace in the Lord Jesus Christ. Bless this people, Lord. Father,
help us this week and help us to prepare and to do anything
else that we can do that you would gather together and call
your people from all around to come and hear this glorious gospel
word from three faithful men which you've raised up and sent
to us to preach this word. We pray, Lord, that you would
cause many to hear it. and to rejoice and to join with
us, Lord, them being your sheep. We pray for this, Lord. We pray
that you would help these men in their studies and preparation,
and especially as they preach this word to us. Help us to not
be sick or have issues, but set us free, Lord, to be able to
come and hear this word freely and to rejoice in the fellowship
of one another. It's in Christ's name we pray
and give thanks. And Lord, we thank you for the
care of the other churches who are moved with compassion and
want to help us in any way they can. We pray, Lord, that you
would lead them and guide them. And Lord, help us. We do ask
for your help. We need it. We need it, Lord.
And we ask that you would establish this work. We pray for the visitors
we've had recently and in the past that you would cause them
to come and knit their hearts with ours under the preaching
of the gospel and the love for Christ your Savior and ours,
Lord, for our salvation. It's in Christ's name we pray
and give thanks, amen. If you'd like, we'll all stand
and sing a closing hymn, number 63. Take the name of Jesus with
you. 63. Take the name of Jesus with you,
child of sorrow and of woe. It will joy and comfort give
you. Take it, then, where'er you go. Precious name, oh, how sweet. Hope of earth and joy of heaven. ? Precious name oh sweet ? ?
Hope of earth and joy of heaven ? ? Take the name of Jesus ever
? ? As a shield from every snare ? If temptations round you gather,
breathe that holy name in prayer. Precious name, oh how sweet,
hope of earth and joy of heaven. Precious name, oh how sweet,
? Hope of earth and joy of heaven ? ? O the precious name of Jesus
? ? How it thrills our souls with joy ? ? When his loving
arms receive us ? ? And his songs our tongues employ ? Precious
name, oh how sweet, Hope of earth and joy of heaven. Precious name, oh how sweet,
Hope of earth and joy of heaven. ? At the name of Jesus awing
? ? Falling prostrate at his feet ? ? King of kings and heav'n
will crown him ? ? When our journey is complete ? ? Precious name,
oh how sweet ? ? Hope of earth and joy of heaven ? Precious
name, oh how sweet. Hope of earth and joy of heaven. Thank you.