His choosing of them in love,
having predestinated us unto the adoption of children. You see, it was the purpose of
the Father to elect His people to be holy and stand before Him. In love, the Father, with immutable
and perfect love, predestinated these saints to be His children. But I have you know that their
holiness and their adoption as sons was never left up to them. God in eternal purpose never
left their election, never left their salvation up to them or
to chance. He didn't leave it to our merits,
praise God. Why? This could not be because
we were all born of Adam's fallen race. We were all born ruined
sinners. We were not born holy, but we
were predestinated to be holy. But this is not how we were born.
We were born all together in sin. We were born all together
depraved and wicked. Now I know this is offensive
to the natural man. It's offensive to the religionists
of our day. It's offensive to speak of total
depravity in this generation because men still believe that
man is a sinner but he still has some life left in him. False religion believes man is
a sinner but he still has a free will, that Jesus died for his
sins but man must make into the world, and death by
sin. So death passed upon all men,
for all have sinned. And even these in heaven, we
will confess this, that He quickened us from the dead. We were quickened
and you have pressures all hopes of free will,
works, religion, when he said, no man can come to me, except
the Father which hath sent me, draw him. No man has the ability
to come to Christ. Why? Because he's dead. He's
dead, he's lame, he's blind, he's leprous, unable to approach
unto God. So then, how were these men saved? Because there are going to be
many people saved. John sees much people in heaven.
Many being saved. But how will they reach heaven? Well, not by their free will,
not by their merits of the flesh, not by their obedience to the
law. But they will reach heaven and be accepted of God into glory
because the Father purposed us to be holy. That's what it says in Ephesians,
look at that. According as He had chosen us in Him before the
foundation of the world, that we should behold Him without
blame before Him in love, having predestinated us of the adoption
of children. How? By Jesus Christ. This is how. This is how those
people enter into heaven, is by Jesus Christ. That's how God purposed. purpose that his only son should
be their surety. That word means guarantor. The
one that guarantees, the one who takes full responsibility
for their salvation is the Son of God. The Father said, I love
this people and the Son said, I love them and I will bear the
blame for them. I will bear responsibility The Son of God was decreed in
the eternal counsel of God to be their Savior. And this perfect
salvation decreed by the Father, prophesied in Scripture, now
has come to pass. It has come to pass. All that
God promised for these elect has come to pass. for those elect." That's what
the scripture says in Hebrews chapter 9 and verse 12 it says,
"...neither by the blood of bulls and goats or calves, but by His
own blood entered in once into the holy place." You listen,
having obtained, obtained, obtained, obtained eternal redemption. Oh, He didn't make it possible. it. Behold, the Son of God did
not come in the flesh to save men by some blind chance or by
the free will of man to make his offering effectual, but he
came to save his people from their sins. I tell you, these
people are in heaven because So Jesus died in their stead
and obtained eternal redemption for him. If you are ever going
to heaven, it is because of this. God chose you and Christ died
in your place. Those are the reasons these people
are in heaven. These are the ones in heaven who are their
elect. How did they get there? By Jesus Christ alone. He said, Thou shalt call His
name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sin. Our Lord declared in Isaiah chapter
42, He said, That servant, My servant, whom I uphold, Mine
elect, in whom my soul delighteth, The Gentiles, they're the unruly
Eden who had no justice or judgment. They deserved only condemnation. But God says, I will save them
by my service. I will save them. And what is
going to be the result of this salvation, Lord? What is going
to be the final outcome of your servant? He shall not fail. He
shall not fail. Nor be discouraged until he hath
done it. Therefore, behold, I tell you,
Jesus has done it. He's done it. The work is done. The redemption accomplished. He has redeemed His people. He
has bought them. He has paid for all their sins. How did He do it? Paul says in
verse 7 of Ephesians, I know this is also offensive
to the natural man to speak of Christ's successful work. The
lost religionist delights in Jesus dying for everybody and
saving nobody. I have no delight in that. The
only delight I can find for my soul is this. Christ has redeemed
me. He is paid the debt of who? All those that God gave Him. Go to John chapter 7. I
want you to see this because this is the comforting word to
everyone who has Christ as their Savior. This is comforting. John
chapter 10. I want you to see that these
are not my words that Christ died for. died for only the elect. But
it is what Christ himself said. It's not just what I'm making
up. Look at John chapter 10. John
chapter 10 verse 11. Jesus said, I am the good Look at verse 14. I am the Good
Shepherd. I know who? My sheep. Well, who are these sheep? An
unknown of mine. They're the ones who know Him.
He knows them. He died for them, and they know
Him. Do you know Him? Do you know
Him? If you know Him, then you know
this. He died for you. You believe
on Him? You follow Him? Then He died
for you. And He knows you. Now that's
altogether important, isn't it? Because I tell you sometimes,
you know what? You may lose your mind. It may
just be gone. One day you wake up and you don't
know your own name. Well, it's good news for those
who are His sheep because He said, I know you! And that's
what really counts. If He knows you. You know Him. And if you lose
your mind, that don't matter. He still knows you. He died for
you. I lay down my... He said, I know
my sheep and have known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, so
know I the Father. And listen, He doubles down on
it again. I lay down my life for the sheep. The sheep. I have which are none of this
fold, them I also must bring. And there shall be, they shall
hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one shepherd."
Now who are these sheep? Those Pharisees that same day
they said, why do you make us to doubt?
Tell us plainly if you're the Christ. That's what they said
in verse 24. And Jesus said, I told you. You believe not. The works that
I do in my Father's name, they bear witness in me. Now why did
they not believe Him? Were the works not strong enough? Were they not powerful enough?
Were His words not plain enough for them? They did not believe
Him. Why not? Jesus tells us why they
did not believe. But you believe not. Why, Lord? Because you are not of my sheep. You got that? That may be offensive, but those
are plain words. Plain words. Have you ever asked why men will not believe? You who believe, do you not ask
that? Why? Is it not plain enough for you?
God has an elect, Christ died for them, and you are a sinner,
ruined, and you should come to Christ. You should believe on
Him. men will not believe. Why? Because
they are not of my sheep. But here is the evidence of the
sheep. Now I tell you what, I want to
know I'm his sheep. I want to know that he is my
shepherd. I'm ever going to be one of these
people John speaks of in heaven. What's the evidence Lord of your
sheep? Verse 27, my sheep hear my voice. Have you heard Not only have I heard it, look
at this, I know them and they follow me. Do you follow Christ? What is that? It is to believe
on Him. It is to trust in Him. are manifest by one evidence
of grace, and that is faith in Him alone. Alone. Oh, would to God there would be some
thirsty sinner in need of mercy. See the broken cisterns. False religion and worldly pleasure
that cannot satisfy them. Have you seen the manatee of
sin and the world and the pleasures of the flesh? They've come to Christ. Believe on Him, and He said,
I am the door. If any man enter in, he shall
be saved. I tell you, yes, whosoever will
come to the waters of life and drink shall be saved. You know how I know that? Because
everyone who drinks was chosen of God and redeemed of Christ.
Every one of those shall be called by the Holy Spirit. This is the
work of God that you believe on him whom he has sent. It is
the work of God. Faith is the work of God in the
heart of the sinner. Now did your faith save you? Now we know this. Faith is not
the cause. Faith is just the evidence we
are saved. It's not the cause of it. Was
it our almighty power of decision that saved us? Is that what those
people in heaven are saying? Is that what they're praising
God for? Hallelujah! Praise God for my free will and Nowhere in Scripture is that
praise offered in heaven. We who believe on Christ, we
are His sheep. We believe because He laid down
His life for us. We believe because we are quickened
by the Holy Spirit, and Jesus freely gives us eternal life.
And now what He said, My sheep hear My voice, and I know them,
and they follow Me, verse 28, and I give unto them eternal
life. Neither shall any man pluck them out. I don't know that. Do you believe
on Christ? Do you believe on Christ? No.
Jesus said that. He said, except a man be born
again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. So these people
in heaven, John sees, they are born again. How? By the Spirit of God. It is by the Spirit of God these
are born again. whose purpose after our regeneration
is to keep us in the faith until the end. Believer now, I know you
suffered many trials. Now, for a season, Peter said,
if need be, necessary, you wouldn't have
a trial. Our trials, this season of trials, we must endure manifold
temptations and trials of our faith. Through the heaviness
and sorrows of this life, the dragon will pursue us. The beast
and worldly governments may overcome us. The whore of false religion
tries to seduce us. And even though they may spoil
all our goods, They will not keep us from glory. Matter of fact, if they take
all of our goods, what is that to us? We have an inheritance
incorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved, where? In heaven for you. If all the world forsake us,
what do we care? We have a friend that's sticking
closer than a brother. Our Savior would never leave
us nor forsake us. And the text that John sees,
he says, and after this I saw, heard a great voice of much people
in heaven. This text is comforting and reveals
to us that all our trials and troubles are but light affliction. when compared to the glory which
shall be revealed in us. For all those whose names are
written in the Lamb's book of life, chosen of God, redeemed
of Christ, every one of them shall be called, every one of
them shall be brought to Christ, and every one of them shall be
brought to heaven. Not one to be lost. Isn't that what we've been studying
in Revelation? Church victorious. You remember how many of the
144,000 were sealed? All of them. How many of the elect will be
sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise? All of them. You know that there are Or 23 thrones? How many? Or 24
elders? 24 thrones? What does that tell
us? Everyone that God chose in Christ's
redeemed will be where? In heaven. This much people is
God's chosen elect people. Now then, lastly, let's see this. What are they singing? What are
they singing? What is their shout? This great
voice? What will the elect be doing
for eternity in heaven? Praising Jehovah. Praising God. Therefore, believer, knowing,
knowing that our salvation is sure, let us then endure. Let us then endure in faith.
Let us fight believing and trusting in the
power and love of Christ, in the blood of Christ, who is able
to save us to the uttermost. Behold now, in our text again,
here it is, much people in heaven, praising God, praising God. In that day, all the redeemed
will be gathered in heaven us to God out of every kindred,
nation, tongue, and people. Salvation. We praise God for
salvation. Isn't that what we're doing this
morning? This morning are we not praising Jehovah? What part of this message have
I reserved for your praise? Has there been any praise given
to won't be in heaven either. All praise, all praise goes to
God for this salvation. It was God who chose me. It was
the Son who redeemed me. I receive this out of the free
and sovereign mercy of God, I shall be saved and enjoy heaven forever."
Praising God for salvation. There is no room for our millions
to glory in heaven. None whatsoever. There is no
praise to the will of Now who does salvation belong
to? It belongs to God. Now who does God give salvation
to? Whomsoever He will. And pray to God He gives salvation. is we will praise Him for His
glory. Do you not know this? That everything is for the glory
of God. Everything that is done is for
the glory of God. Whether it be the salvation of
sinners or the damnation of sinners. Everything redounds to the glory
of God. Consider then our By sending the greatest object
of his love and desire, his son to die under the justice of God. For such haters of God as we
are. Now why would God do such a thing? I think it is, I love you. But I wouldn't give my son for
it. And I know this, you wouldn't
give your son for me. Of course, it wouldn't do us any good if
we gave our sons for each other anyway. But God gave His Son
for us. Why? I'll tell you why. For the praise of the glory of
His grace. Isn't that what He says in Ephesians,
that whole chapter in Ephesians that I just read to you? At the
end of every section, the Apostle gives us the reason Ephesians
chapter 1 again, he says, having chosen us that we should be holy,
having adopted us and ordained that we be by Jesus Christ, listen,
according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of
the glory of His grace. Then he says about redemption,
in whom we have redemption, forgiveness of sins, and that it calls us
by the Holy Spirit, he tells us, experimental salvation when that
Holy Spirit is given to us as an earnest endowment and we believe
in Him. Why? To the praise for the glory
of His grace. Everything in our salvation is
to the praise for the glory of His grace. You know what the difference
is between true and false religion? I'm not talking 60-40, 20-10,
99-1. No. Who gets all the glory? If your salvation has any glory
for you, then your salvation is empty and it is not of God. If you have one thing to offer, If you have one thing to give,
you get some glory for it. This is the whole point. That's
a false religion, robbing God of His glory. If a man has no
power, he cannot by any means come to Christ. Therefore, Paul
concludes this, and redemption. Why? That no
flesh should glory in his presence. When we get to heaven, who's
getting the glory? No, who's getting all the glory? God. God is. This is the song of redemption. honor and power. Behold, the
honor of God is found in the fulfillment of His promises. The honor of God is found only
in the fulfillment of His promises. This is why we lay all of our
soul upon God. We lay all of our soul upon because He cannot lie. And not only because He cannot
lie, but because of His omnipotent power that can do what He promised. Now listen, I can promise you
something. I can, with all of my soul, want to it. Even so it is with false deities.
False deities promise salvation, but they get no honor because
they cannot fulfill it. They have no what? Power! You know that's one of my favorite
stories of the missionary, Walter Brooks told it about a young
Mexican boy and their idolatrous religion. They have all these
idols. His father was an idolater. He had all these little statues
of his gods. The young boy These idols, they don't have
any power, they can't save, come to Christ, come to Christ. He
said, oh no son, these are my gods, these are my gods. One
day the boy took a hammer and he smashed all of the gods, all
of his idols. And he put the hammer right next
to this last idol. And when his dad got home, he
got mad and he said, what did you do son? You destroyed my
idol. And he said, no dad, he did it. Because he ain't got any power.
That's what I've been trying to tell you, Dad. He ain't got
any power. He can't do anything for you.
I like this. God mocks false gods. He says,
you know, tell me what's going to happen. Do good. Do evil. Do something that we
may be dismayed. Do something. False gods have
no honor because they have no power. Our God has honor because
our God has power. What He's promised you, He has
power to do it. He has power to do it. You know, Manoah, in Judges 13,
that's a... Samson's father said, the angel
of the Lord, which was Jesus Christ, He asked him this question
after he promised him a son. He said, what is thy name that
when thy sayings come to pass that we may do thee honor? And you told us what's going
to happen. Now when it comes to pass, what's your name so
we can do you honor? You see, and when all of this
has come to pass, what are we going to do? We are going to
honor God because of His name. We're going to honor God because
of His power to do it. And look at this next thing,
verse 2. This is what we're going to honor
God for His judgment. And true and righteous are His
judgments. Now, as this text is going on,
the whore is burning in hell. The smoke of her is rising up
to heaven. And you know what the saints
are doing? They're praising God for the damnation of the wicked. They praise Him for His judgments. Now I know as we go on this earth
we pray for our lost friends, our loved ones, our children. We desire them to be saved, we
weep over them, we lament the fact that they will not come,
but I tell you there is coming a day when our weeping Why? Because you're going to
see things then how God sees them. See, we have a problem. We don't
see things as they really are. God sees things how they really
are. In that day, we will see things as God sees them. And
as the smoke of our children, the smoke of our family, smoke
of our friend rises from hell, what will we say? Hallelujah. Just and right are thy judgments. But I noticed this Right now. But now I can praise
God for His judgment in this. Listen. Jesus Christ has taken
all my sins and God judged them in Christ. And because God is just, He cannot
demand twice for anything. Isn't that good? Aren't you glad He's just? Aren't
you glad He's not like you and me? How many times a week we're
giving somebody only to turn around and do it again and charge
them again. God's nothing like that. God is just and Christ
poured our sins in His own body. God punished and hold it and
now you are set free. You see, we didn't skirt sin. We didn't skirt judgment. Judgment
is past for us. No more judgment. There is therefore now no condemnation."
Why? Because you're in Christ Jesus.
Because He's just and holy. And the last thing we'll praise
God for is this. Look at verse 5, And a voice
came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God with all His servants,
and you that fear Him, both small and great, as it were, the voice of a great
multitude, as the voice of many waters, as the voice of mighty
thunder, saying what? Hallelujah! For the Lord God
Omnipotent reigneth. In this day we will fall down
and worship God because He sits on the throne and does whatsoever But if thou wilt, you can make me whole. Isn't that what we've done when
we come to Christ? If you will, you can make me whole. And what
did we find when we came? Did we not find Him both willing
and able? Both able and willing? I knew
He was able long before I knew He was willing. But now we've experienced that
in our conversion. We've experienced His ability
and His will to save us. Why? Because it is His sovereign
will and decree to save us. And this same One who has willed
and decreed to save us is the One sitting on the throne of
God. He is the Lord God Omnipotent,
All Powerful. So then, no matter your circumstance,
it is tough, it is hard, whatever your troubles are, they're difficult,
I know. But rest in this truth, your
God rules over every trouble. And if you've got trouble, And He didn't do it to be cruel. He did it to draw you to Himself. Now tell me, is that not what
every trouble does for you? Believers, is that not what troubles
do? They draw us to our God. And I tell you, one day we will
be finally drawn to Him, never interrupted. We praise Him for His judgment
and we praise Him for His sovereignty. Praise God. That is the song of everyone
in heaven. Who are these? They are His elect,
His redeemed, His called. Are you one of them? Praise God
I am. Praise God I am. May God bless
this.