If you take your Bibles and turn
back with me to 1st Corinthians chapter 1 1st Corinthians chapter 1 My
text be found in verse 22 through 24 Scripture says for the Jews require
a sign a and the Greeks seek after wisdom. But we, we preach Christ crucified. To the Jews a stumbling block,
to the Greeks foolishness, but unto them which are called both
Jew and Greek, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. I've entitled this message, Three
Types of Hearers and Three Effects. Three types of hearers. We preach
the gospel, every one of you are going to hear me. I hope
you can hear me. If you can hear me, then you
are a hearer. I'm going to preach the gospel
to you. And every one of us are going
to fit into these three categories. You are either going to be a
Jew, a Greek, or the called. This is it. A Jew, a Greek, or
a called. Now you may not be a Jew nationally,
but I'm going to show you that it is not just a Jew nationally,
but one that is religiously like the Jews. Greeks, most of us
are probably from this, some of us are from this band, Western
Greeks, but most of us, maybe not. But I'll tell you this,
you may not be a Greek nationally, but I'll tell you, you may be
a Greek intellectually, you may be a Greek as they are, and then
this last group, the called, you who are called, you are the
church of God, the elect of God. And so these three hearers, and
I want to see the effects of this gospel upon these three
groups. Now, the first point I've got is this, the reasons
we preach the gospel, Now as I preach this Gospel this morning,
you're going to hear it, but why do we preach the Gospel?
Why is this the means? Why do we do this? I'll give
you several reasons why the Apostle determined only to preach the
Gospel of Christ. Now this congregation that he's
preaching to, they were a troubled congregation. There were divisions
among them. Paul says, I've heard that there's
divisions among you. Now this division, it was about
preachers. Some said, I'm of Paul, I'm of
Apollos, I'm of Christ. They were divided by human understanding
and human affection. They like, some like this preacher,
and some like this preacher, and others like this preacher,
and so they began to argue among themselves as to who was the
best preacher and why they liked him. Paul says, who are we? Who is Paul? Was Paul crucified
for you? Were you baptized in the name
of Peter? No. And so they were troubled
in this. And there was division among
them. But I want you to get this. The remedy for all church division
is simple. Preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the remedy which Paul
used at this place. He preached Christ to them. His remedy was to preach Christ.
That's what he was sent to do. Look at that in verse 17. For
Christ sent me not to baptize, but what? To preach the gospel.
Is baptism important? Well, you bet it is. It's the
only means of public profession of faith. But look, that's not
our purpose here. I would love to be able to baptize.
I would love someone to believe on Christ and make a profession
of faith and be baptized. That'd be fine. Be wonderful.
But that's not my purpose. Our purpose is to preach the
gospel of Jesus Christ is what we're sent to do. And all those
who are sent that love him, they only preach this gospel because
this is the means God chose. This is the means God chose. And I want you to know every
time this gospel preached, there's a division made. Jesus said this, I came not to
bring peace, but a sword that doesn't sound. What's that mean? You know, the angels came, they
said peace on earth, goodwill toward men. But when Christ came
in, he said, I came not to bring peace. You see, he didn't say
he didn't come to let us all get along. Let's just all put
down our differences and get along. No, when the gospel is
preached, it's a sword. It divides. That's what it does. It makes a division. Look at verse 18. For the preaching
of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto
us which are saved it is the power of God. See the division?
When I preach this gospel, some of you say, well, I love this.
This is for me. I like this. But others say foolishness. Oh, stop doing it. That's just
foolish. What are you doing there? Why do you waste your time and
money? See, it made a division. It makes a division. Our gospel always makes a division. This gospel, if it is preached
with plainness and clarity, it is an offense to the natural
man. It's offensive. Tell a man he
is absolutely, utterly depraved from birth, and he doesn't like
it. I'm sorry, it's just the gospel.
It's just so. This is how we are by nature.
All of us, born dead in trespasses and sin. Tell them this, that
God chose a people. Before the foundation of the
world, God chose a people. They don't like that. Christ
redeemed only those people. They don't like that. And Christ
will only come and save those people. That's just so that's
just so and it always makes a division. It's offensive. It just the natural
man just boils up. He says, I hate it. I hate it. That's all right, because you
know what I did, too. When I when I was a natural man alone, I
hated it, too, until God saved me. God called me. But those
who count this foolish, this gospel foolish, Paul says, They're
separated under condemnation. But those who are saved understands
the power of God. Now in verse 19, Paul testifies
of another reason. Another reason why God chose
preaching. Look at that. He says, for as
it written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring
to nothing the understanding of the prudent. What is his purpose
in preaching to destroy man's wisdom? To bring what men think
is vital, to bring it to nothing. Isn't that what he did for you?
Your understanding when God came in power, what you thought you
knew, you realized, I knew nothing. That's what the gospel does. It destroys man's wisdom. It
does. That is when the gospel is preached,
all the wisdom of self-righteous works religion is completely
destroyed. We preach salvation by the free
and sovereign grace of God without the works of the law. That's
man's wisdom, man's wisdom is. Well, I got to contribute something.
I know Jesus did some of it, I know he died for my sin, but
I have to finish this thing. That's man's wisdom. God's gospel
destroys that. Destroys it. This is the purpose
of God. to silence man's wisdom by the
preaching and proclamation of the gospel. We proclaim that
Jesus Christ is the only hope for sinners, that He is the only
substitute for all of the elect of God, and we proclaim that
He has accomplished salvation for all that the Father gave
Him. We preach a successful Savior. What good is a Savior who is
not successful? We preach a successful Savior. He did what he came to do he
saved his people from their sins that's what he did and everyone
he saved he is going to call them he's going to call them
but how will he call them look at verse 21 for after that in
the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God I don't care
how much you study I don't care how much you read this book how
much you pray how much you fast, how much you really, really sincerely
work at it. You can never know God by your
wisdom. Just can't do it. The world, by wisdom, knew not
God. Listen, it please God by the foolishness of preaching
to save them that believe. Why do we preach? Because, listen,
it please God. I don't know what to tell you. I was I was an educator for a
long time. And in school, they had taught
us that audible learning is the worst. Man's wisdom of it is
audible learning is the worst. If somebody stand up talking
to you, declaring something to you, it just you don't retain
as much as you do visual charts and all these other things. That may be so with with human
academics, but in the matter of the gospel, you listen, God
chose what man called foolish, what man determines to be the
least effective, and God in grace chose that means. Why? So that no flesh should glory
in His presence. See, we get no glory for this.
If you hear anything this morning, If you believe on Christ this
morning, it's not in the preacher. It's not in my ability. It's
in his power to give it to you. That's it. The power belongs
to God, so it pleased God. That's why we preach. We preach
because we are sent of God and we preach one message. We preach
Christ and him crucified. That's what Paul says in our
text that we preach Christ and crucify. In chapter two, he says,
I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and
him crucified. We have one message that we preach
one gospel by which the wisdom of man is destroyed and by which
God's elect are called the preaching of Jesus Christ. Because the preaching of the
gospel declares that Jesus Christ is the power and wisdom of God
to everyone that is called. Look back now in your text, verse
twenty four, but unto him which to them which are called both
Jews and Greeks. This is what we learn. You that
are called. We learn something about Christ. We learn something
about Christ. We learn this. He is the power
of God. And he's the wisdom of God, and
we'll get to that in just a moment. Now, then, every time we preach,
there's there's going to be some hearers. And these hearers are
represented in our text, Jews, Greeks and the call. Let's deal
with these Jews first. Who are the Jews that hear? Verse
22, he says, the Jews require a sign. Now this group of people,
the Jews were very religious people. The Jewish nation were
very zealous in their religion. Matter of fact, They did what
most countries could not do and they bent the Roman government.
They were willing to be slaughtered in the midst of their governors
and most some of them were slaughtered in the midst of their governors
in order to maintain their religion. And so they were very zealous
in their attempts of outward obedience to the law of Moses.
Listen what Paul says of his of his kindred in Romans chapter
10. It's what Paul says, the Jews,
he said, I bear their record. They have a zeal of God. They're
zealous. But not according to knowledge.
Well, they being ignorant of the righteousness of God and
going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted
themselves to the righteousness of God. What did you do? They
went about to establish their own righteousness. They would fast and they would
suffer. They would go to great lengths. They would even count their little
mint leaves. When they tithed, they'd take
10% of them. They were very meticulous in
their religious zeal. This is surely true of all people
who seek to please God and be accepted by their religious works.
If you are seeking to be accepted by God based on something you
have done. You, my friend, are the same
as the Jews. You're ignorant of the righteousness
of God, and you're going about to establish your own righteousness. I don't care what it is. Some
people believe what you got to believe in Jesus and be baptized.
You see what they're doing? They've added baptism to Christ. They say, well, you've got to
eat the Lord's Supper. Well, they've added the Lord's Supper
to Christ. Well, you know, Christ died,
and you've just got to make a decision. Well, you've added your decision
to Christ. The volition of your will is
something added to the righteousness of Christ. You're a Jew. You're just like them. You may
be not adding like they did. They added a whole bunch. You
may be adding one thing. Remember what Paul says when
they added one thing in Galatian Galatian Church in Galatians,
Chapter five, they wanted to add one thing. And what that
was. Circumcision, they said that you got to do that one thing. Believe in Christ. Yes, we believe
in election, we believe, we believe they were they were probably
staunch Calvinists in Galatia. But you know what they added
one thing to Christ and what Paul say he said if you be circumcised
Christ shall profit you what nothing nothing so if you add
anything to Christ my friends you are a Jew I think one of
the most dangerous religions of our day is reformed religion
I think it is the closest the closest But if you read their
doctrine, what they're doing is they'll put you under grace.
They'll say, well, we believe salvation is by grace. We believe
in election, predestination. We believe in the effectual work
of Christ. We believe in that. But once
you are saved, you've got to start obeying the law. You've
got to sanctify yourself. Christ redeemed you. God chose
you. Oh, but you've got to do have
your part in sanctification. Friends, that's dangerous. You
add one thing to Christ, you're a Jew. I don't know what to tell
you. That's just so. That's just so. And you know what? These Jews, listen to what Paul
said. Go back to your text, look at
that. He said, these Jews seek a sign. A sign. Isn't this what all works religion
look for? A sign that I'm saved. They look for a sign. Jesus said
an adulterous generation seeketh after a sign. But no sign shall
be given to but that of the prophet Jonah. As Jonah was three days
and three nights in the belly of the whale, so shall the Son
of Man be in the heart of the earth. Only sign we need is Jesus Christ,
his death and resurrection. It's the only sign you need.
But religion looks for a sign. And so they start looking to
their works. They start looking at what they're doing. They start
looking at how they're acting. They start looking at these things
and they say, oh, see, look, I must be saved. Look at this
sign. In reformed religion, think about
infant baptism. They want to sign that God is
protecting their child, that somehow their child is a is a
is a recipient of grace and what they do, they they baptize it. They put a little water on it.
There's a sign. Works religion is always looking
for something. Listen, other than Jesus Christ
alone. This morning, what are you looking
at? What is your hope? How do I know that I am saying
what's the sign of this? Do you believe on Jesus Christ. Faith is the only evidence of
salvation. Faith and faith, what's the evidence
of faith, faith, evidence of faith is love. So these two things, when I believe
when a person believes he loves he loves Christ and loves his
people. But Jews, they seek more than just one, they they seek
signs, signs of feelings and emotions and experiences. People come to this place, they
say, well, man, look, nobody's crying. Nobody's shouting. Nobody. Nobody's jumping up in
pews or speaking in tongues. Nobody's. There's no sign that
God's here. I don't need that. You know why?
Jesus said he was here. That's all I need. He said where
two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the
midst of them. What I need people jumping over pews to do that
for. You don't need a sign. Jews, they're looking for something.
They'll come in this place and say, well, this place is dead. Why? They're looking for a sign.
So the Jews seek after a sign. Look at this next group over
here, the gospel Greeks. Greeks seek after wisdom. These
are intellectual men, men of reason. These Greeks represent
all who pursue worldly wisdom, philosophy, astrology, politics,
history, and even religion, if it tickles their intellect. You
remember when Paul was taken to Mars Hill in Acts chapter
17? He was taken to Areopagus. And Scripture says about these
Greeks that took him up there, he was preaching the gospel,
and they said, man, we're kind of curious about what you're
preaching. They said, come on up here with us, and we want
to hear this. So he's standing up there and he's got all these
learned people around him. And listen, the scripture says,
for all the Athenians and strangers which they spent their time in
nothing else but either to tell or hear something new. That's
all they wanted. Wanted something new. These Greeks
always desired something new. Now listen, there's some I've
witnessed too and when I declared them the doctrine of God's election,
they never heard anything about election, never heard anything
about predestination, never heard anything about effectual redemption
or particular, the effectual call and particular redemption.
They didn't hear any of this. And all of a sudden their ears
perk up. They say, wow, what's this new strange thing that I'm
hearing? They say, hey, I want to hear more of that. I said,
that's great. I'm thinking, hey, you know.
Maybe the Lord working on our heart, I don't know. So Time
passes, time passes, and they embrace this doctrine. They seem
to run well for a while. But you know, after a while,
hearing Christ crucified over and over and over and over and
over again, they get tired. And by and by, they just walk
on. Why? They want something new. See,
they're just like these Greeks. Paul said these people are always
learning, ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge
of the truth. What this means simply is this
they're never satisfied with Christ alone. Had a good friend. Very good friend in the gospel,
I thought we were. It was amazing, such a friendship,
we spent most of our time speaking of Christ together. And as he
started studying, the more he studied, the more he studied,
he said, you know, there's just something missing, Fred, there's
just something more. And I said, how can you say there's
more than Christ? He said, I just think there is.
So next thing you know, he's over being a Pentecostal. He's
over speaking in tongues and miracles and all these other
things. Why? He's Greek. He's a Greek. He's just interested in what
tickled his mind. And that's some people like that.
They hear the gospel, it interests them along, but pretty soon they're
gone to fables. And the last group we're going
to talk about is those that are called. This is one I'm interested
in. Am I called? Am I one of these? Look what Paul says about the
called. He says, for the Jews, they seek a sign. Greeks seek
after wisdom. But we. Who's the we? The called. He said, what do
we do? What's the difference? They want
signs. They want intellect. What do
we want? We preach Christ crucified. We preach Christ crucified. These are the ones who are saved
by the grace and power of God, those who are called of God.
But what does God use to call them? Is this gospel of Christ
and him crucified? Listen, I don't spend time preaching
myself, you know, since Paul said we preach not ourselves.
There's no there's nothing of value in me tell people this
all the time, I never desire to give you opinions because
my opinion just as good as yours. You see, I'm here to declare
Christ to you, just declaring. And you may not like it, or you
may like it. That's not my business. My business
is simply to declare Christ to you. Preach Christ in Him crucified.
We preach not ourselves, not our work, not our goodness, not
our ability to satisfy the justice of God. We preach Christ. And
God's people are not seeking after a sign. They're not looking
to their works. They're not looking for something
new. What are they looking for? They're looking for Christ. I
want to hear him. I want to hear him. This is our
message. He alone is the sum and object
of all we preach. I tell you that salvation is
not in a creed or in the acknowledgement of the doctrines of grace. It's
in a person. Salvation is in a person. You can know all there
is to know about the doctrines of grace and Miss Christ. The
doctrines of grace just reveal Christ to us. I want to see Christ. I want to know Christ. He alone is the object of all
we preach. And his faith in Christ and him
crucified that saves the sinner. I seek this morning to set forth
Christ and I hope and desire that God would speak to you.
that God would reveal your nature to you. That it is utterly, completely
useless in making you acceptable with God. What can you do to
make yourself acceptable with God? Name it. What is it? What
can you do to please God? You know what the Apostle said? He said, in my flesh dwelleth
no good thing. What about you? God reveal that to you. You're
going to have a need. I'm telling you, the only fulfillment
of that need is Jesus Christ. He alone satisfied God. His righteousness alone can cover
the center. His blood alone can atone for
our sins. And all who believe on Him alone
have His righteousness and blood and are acceptable unto God. This is a good news message. This is what we preach. Now then,
what's the effects of what we preach? What's the effects? Look at this in your text. We
preach Christ crucified. What is the effect on the Jew?
The self-righteous man? What is the effect under the
Jews? It is a stumbling block. A stumbling block. Lord, hundreds
of years before his coming, prophesied how the Jews would reject him. You got that before he even came
into the world, he prophesied of their rejection. him see this
I want you see it go to Isaiah chapter 8 see this 700 years
before the Lord came into this world as a man and he prophesied
what they would do look at this in chapter 8 of Isaiah and verse
14 I Can get there He says this and
he shall be for a sanctuary. Oh, this is good news. This is
talking about Christ. He's going to be a refuge. He's
going to be a refuge, a sanctuary, a shelter from the day of judgment. He would come into this world,
endure the wrath of God for his chosen people and be their sanctuary. But look at this. But he's also
going to be something else. A stone of stumbling and rock
of offense for both houses of Israel. You know what Paul says to the
Jews a stumbling block. What did Christ say 700 years
before he came in the world he said look I'm be a sanctuary
for some but for the house of Israel I'm going to be a stumbling
block stumbling stone. He says, Agen, and for a snare
to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and many among them shall stumble
and fall and be broken and be snared and be taken. Now then
look what he's going to do in verse 16. Bind up the testimony,
seal the law among my disciples. What does this mean? I'm going
to fulfill the law and the prophets. I'm going to bind up this testimony.
After Christ came, why do we not have a book after Revelation?
Testimony is bound up. It's all done. It's done. The whole thing is bound up to
his disciples, his people. You know, I don't need any more
revelations, do you? I got enough. This is this book is is enough.
He bound up the testimony sealed among his disciples. In verse
17, and I will wait upon the Lord. That hideth his face from
the house of Jacob, and I will look for him see he's hiding
his self from the self righteous those self righteous Jews he
hid his face from them this is the gospel of this religious
age is self righteous people stumble at the gospel of perfect
salvation now listen to me I tell you this already Remember that feast that the
Lord did that parable? He said the king made a feast
for his son. He said, send his servants out and you tell them
one message. All is ready. All is ready. Supper prepared. Bring nothing. Bring nothing. It's an offense to bring anything. All is ready. This is our message
of Christ, isn't it? All is done. Somebody once wrote this. It
was really good. It says difference between true religion and false
religion is do and done. Worst religion is always do. Do. You gotta do this. Don't do this. Start doing this. Stop doing this. Do. What is
our religion? Done. Isn't that the most amazing thing?
That Christ has accomplished our salvation and there's nothing
to add. Just to receive and believe and
trust which is provided as well. You realize that your faith is
not of yourself, it is a gift of God, not of works, lest any
man should boast. Our faith is even provided. You
could not generate faith except God draw you. No man can come
unto me except the Father which has sent me. Draw him. All is
ready. All is ready. You know what this
is to the self-righteous? It's a stumbling block. Well,
that just can't be so. I got to do something. OK, go
ahead. That's not the gospel. That's
what the Jews. It's a stumbling block. And look at verse 18 of that
in chapter eight of Isaiah said, Behold, I and the children whom
the Lord has given me are for a sign. You want a sign? You're looking at one. Christ
is a sign. And the children he had given
me. I'm a testimony, aren't you? I'm a testimony. I'm a testimony
of this. God saves sinners. That's a testimony to you. You're
a sinner. Do you need this? I'm a testimony,
I'm a sign to you that God, this is a faithful saying and worthy
of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to
save one class of people. Sinners. I remember sitting at a house
during Thanksgiving and these people professed to be believers
and I took them at their word and I started talking about my
sin. And they just looked at me, what
are you talking about? And I began to describe my nature
to them, I'm a sinner. They said, well how can you be
a preacher? I said, God only saves one group
of people, sinners. If you're not a sinner, you're
not saved. God saves sinners. So we are the sign, and this
is a stumbling block. Here's the difference between
self-righteous and the children of God. Those who are called
of God have true spiritual discernment. We have the only sign we need,
an empty tomb. And that it. How do I know he's
successful? How do you know he's successful?
Jesus Christ claimed to be the son of God. They proved it by
miracles and signs and wonders. But when he died upon the cross,
his disciples even thought it was over. They thought, how could
this be? But then he rose again from the
dead, and this is the sign of his victory over sin. This is
how I know my sin is gone. The tomb is empty. God raised
him from the dead because death had no more hold over him. My sin was gone. You know, my
favorite illustration of that was the great day of atonement.
That's my favorite. I love that one where the priest,
he lays his hands and confesses all the sins on that goat. You remember? And they take that
big strong man comes along and he takes that goat. and he lifts
him up and he starts walking and they watch him as he goes
in the distance and it gets smaller and smaller and smaller until
you can't see him no more that's a picture of what Christ did
with my sins he took him away never to be mentioned again and he took that second goat
picture of Christ again and he cut his throat and spilled his
blood My sin didn't go under the rug, my sin was paid for. His death paid for all my sin. Yet to the self-righteous, this
is a stumbling block. I don't know how, but it is.
It was to me until God called me. Look at this second effect,
the Greeks under the Greeks, it is foolishness, foolishness. Those who are wise in the things
of the world, the gospel is foolish. You know, the Greeks, Paul, when
he was preaching to them, he said this, I perceive you are
very superstitious. Greeks are not only intellectual,
but they're very superstitious. They had. statues of all these
gods and then at the end they had a little plaque there that
says to the unknown god just in case we miss one just in case
isn't this how the most who don't have any religion at all this
is kind of how they act they just you know they think well
there's many ways to God and you know every way is just as
good as the other well that's your way But I got my way. That's just like the Greeks.
They thought, well, this is this. This is the God here. Everyone
said this is the God over here to say, OK, well, both of them
could be God. Nope. Nope. Only one God. And Paul preached
to them the unknown God, the one they didn't know. The cross
of Christ, then, is to the spirit, them spiritually discerned foolishness. So then these men by nature seek
to pleasing the flesh and occupying their minds with intellect and
history and politics. They laughed at the story of
the crucified Savior and despised the God disciples for telling
it. They sought for wisdom. They were men of wit and reading
men of cultivation of arts and sciences, but and had from some
ages been in a manner. Very knowledgeable and learn
it. There was nothing in the plain gospel of Christ that fitted
their taste. I believe this is many of religion
today. They're just superstitious. They
just bow their head, tip their hat to God, and suppose that's
good enough. But they do not have the taste. for the gospel of Christ. This
what we do is foolishness. Now, the third effect is the
one that God gives to his leg, but verse 24, but to them that
are called both Jews and Greeks. Now, I want you to notice, the
called are made up of both Jews and Greeks. Now, listen, you
either once thought this was foolish or you once thought that
you could please God by your works. Now, we were in either
one of those camps, but when God called us, We did away with
our learning. We did away with our self-righteousness
and fully cling to Christ. Those who are called. This is
the effect of the gospel on those that are called. By nature there was no difference
in us, but what made the difference? What made the difference? Why
do you now love this gospel? Why do you love Christ? Why do
you desire to hear Him? Who made the difference? And
then what Paul asks, who maketh thee to differ from another? Or what hast thou you have not
received? What about your faith? Did you not receive that? What
about your love? Did you not receive that joy,
peace, meekness, temperance? Did you not receive these things?
Then why in the world we act like we didn't? We should be
the most thankful people upon the face of God's earth. Because
we received everything by divine grace, without merit, without
works. God freely gave it to us. We were in our sins, never seeking
God. You understand that no man ever
seeks God? How do I know that? Scripture
tells me that. There is none righteous, no not one. There
is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after
God. You may misunderstand that. None
that seek it have to go. I wasn't seeking after God. So
who found who? Did I find God or did he find
me? I know he found me. And he not
only found me. He called me. Just like he did
Lazarus from the day. Old Lazarus had been there for
four days and he started to stink. And they opened up that tomb
and Christ called his name and he came out. Exactly what happened
to me. I heard this for years. Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ and now shall be saved. And one day
I heard him say. And there was nothing else I
could do but believe. And even today, I believe because
he called me. Isn't that true of you? He called
us by his power. And what did what did this calling
give us? What did this what understanding
did we receive? Look at your text. He said, but unto us who are
called Jews and Greeks, what do we learn? Christ. Isn't that
what you saw? The first thing you saw when
you felt your need. What's the first thing you saw?
You saw Christ. You wanted Christ. You had to
have Christ. Without Him, I had no hope. I
must have Him. I saw Christ. His blood is the
power. Look, Christ, the power of God.
I found out this when He saved me. I found His blood was sufficient
to wash me of all my sins. His blood was sufficient to redeem
me. His blood had something no other blood had. Power. Power. How many lambs were killed? In
all the Jewish history, can we count how many lambs and goats
and bulls were killed? Listen, they had at least two
sacrifices a day minimum. Two. Believe me, there were much
more going on every single day. Now, how much of that blood redeemed? None of it. Paul said that in
Hebrews, he said, we're not redeemed by the blood of bulls and goats. But by the precious blood. Christ. So glad. That my sins were paid
for. I don't have to look over my
shoulder and wonder if God's justice is going to come back
to me because my sins were paid for completely fully paid for. That's power. I learned Christ
the power in his blood, the power in his righteousness. You see
his righteousness. I not only needed his his blood
to remove my sin, but I also needed a righteousness I could
not provide. And he provided righteousness. I saw the power
of his righteousness being made my own. And I saw this crisis,
the wisdom of God. Wisdom of God. The wisdom of
God in this, how can God be just and justify the ungodly? You
know, religion can't answer that. Not false religion. False religion. How can God be just and still
justly accept me? I really sinned. I am really
guilty of my sin. And God being holy must punish
sin. Now how can that happen? How
can he save me? One answer. Substitute. Substitute. The wisdom of God
in the gospel is substitution. Substitution. The just dying
for the unjust. That he might bring us to God. This is the wisdom of the gospel
that the Jew stumbles over. This is the message of the gospel
that is foolishness to the Greek. But to us who are called, we
know this, it is the power and wisdom of God. Christ is. And listen, I'm settled. Christ
is all. Christ is all. Are you settled
with that? Is Christ sufficient? To you
who are called, he's sufficient. And you know what I want to hear?
I don't want to hear anything else. I don't have any need of
anything else. This is not foolishness to me.
This is the power of God to me. What I've experienced. You are
called, you've experienced that, too. This is why we preach the
gospel continually. Because this is how we're comforted,
because we forget. We still have this old nature
of sin. We have these horrible circumstances
and providences that come in on us and and trouble us and
we doubt and fear. What do we need to hear? We need
to hear this gospel. That's sure. In all the world,
there's nothing more sure than the gospel of Jesus Christ. This
is the only thing sure. So the thing I really know for
sure. Is that Christ? Has redeemed Christ. is my salvation, my righteousness,
and he's called me. I don't know. I believe. And
I know this. He who called me is going to
keep me. He's the power of God is going to keep me. That's my
comfort in my trouble. And so then I ask you again,
which one are you? Did you rely on your self-righteousness? You
agree? Is this foolishness to you? Or
are you called Christ, the power of God, the wisdom of God? Let's
stand and be dismissed.