For me to say that it's an honor,
it's an honor to be here. I cannot go anywhere, I cannot
go anywhere except people comment on the Lord's blessing in this
place and on your pastor and I'm so thankful. I thank God
that he would permit me to be in a place that He's been pleased
to bless. I pray this evening that the
Lord might be pleased to bless His Word to our hearts that we
might behold Him for His honor and for our good. I'm going to
ask you to take your Bibles and turn with me to the book of Proverbs
chapter 20. Proverbs chapter 20. Proverbs 20, and I'd like to read one verse,
verse 14. Proverbs 20, verse 14. The Holy Spirit under the hand
that pinned these Proverbs, Solomon, says this, it is not, it is not,
saith the buyer. But when he is gone his way,
then he boasteth. Now, I never want to set forth
anything out of the Proverbs unless I cause myself to remember,
and I want to just remind you, when the disciples ask the Lord,
Why do you preach in parables, in proverbs? This is what He
said. Because it's given unto you to
know the mystery of the kingdom of God. And unto them it's not
given. Now, I know this, that this evening,
this word right here is a word from the Lord to His people. We desire tonight to behold Christ
in this. Now, what's being said out with
the Proverbs, they're written in a way that, humanly speaking,
they always Humanly speaking, naturally speaking, you understand
what the natural meaning is. Now, what is actually being said
right here? It is not, it is not, saith the
buyer. It has something to do with a
buyer. Somebody's buying something. It's not, saith the buyer, but
when he's gone his way, then he boasteth. Now, let me tell
you what was just said there. It is just in the natural man. I don't care what anything costs. I want a better price. That's
what it is. The actual meaning of this is
bad, bad, nothing, nothing, says the buyer. But when it is left
to him, The man comes and he's looking at something that he
wants to buy, a car, a boat, whatever, a piece of property.
He looks at something that is for sale and he asks the person
that has the piece of property, what do you want for that particular
item? And the person that owns the
piece of material, the merchandise, gives a price. And it's just
in us to say something like this. What? How much? No, no, no, no, no,
no. That's way out of line. I can
get something like this probably better over here at a much better
price. I want to deal with you if I
can, but what you're asking is just way too much. It's just too high. And since
the buyer sees himself as being shrewd enough to get the cost
adjusted downward when he does or if he does get it and he feels
that he's conquered the seller what he does when he's gone he
boasts you know you come over here and i want you to see this
cream puff that I have bought. I got this thing for a steal. I made the best negotiation that
you have ever seen in your life. Now that's just the way we are. If we can just get it at a better
price, we're happy. Knock a little bit off. Make
me feel like I've gotten a deal. Naturally speaking, that's the
way the natural man thinks. But here's the problem. That's
the way the natural man thinks when it comes to salvation. That's
the way man by nature thinks. Now I've got three points here. Here's the first point. Number
one, there is a price. concerning man's salvation. There
is a price. Alright. The Lord has revealed
the price of salvation. Now listen, if you want to know
what is the cost? What's the cost of salvation? Here it is right here. Leviticus 18.5 and it says this,
now here's what it's going to cost. You shall therefore keep
my statutes and my judgments, which if a man do, he shall live
in them. I am the Lord. This is the terms,
this is the price for acceptance with Almighty God. Psalm 24,
three to five asks this question, who shall ascend into the hill
of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy
place? Now here's who can. Here's the one that is permitted. He that hath clean hands and
a pure heart. What does that mean? No guilt,
no guilt. who hath not lifted up his soul
unto vanity. What does that mean? He's never even desired one time
in his life, in his heart, never even thought a worthless or vain
thought. Or sworn deceitfully, he shall
receive the blessing from the Lord. and righteousness from
the God of his salvation. Now here's what man by nature
foolishly thinks and reasons when he hears that. That price cannot be that strict. There's no way. Well, listen
to what God has to say concerning the strictness of it. Leviticus
11, 44, 45, for I am the Lord your God. All souls are mine. Almighty
God has made us and we're not our own. We're God's. I am the Lord your God and you
shall therefore sanctify yourselves, separate yourselves, and you
shall be holy. For I am holy, neither shall
you defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that
creepeth upon the earth, nothing that is forbidden by the law. This is the standard. How strict
is the price? I am the Lord that bringeth you
up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. Ye shall therefore
be holy. For I am holy. The only problem
is that man does not believe God. He does not believe. If a man, if a woman would be
accepted before God, what is the price? All you have to do is obey God Almighty perfectly. In every point of God's law,
in every thought, in every word, in every deed, but I want you
to remember something now. Man that puts his trust in what
he's done, whosoever shall keep the whole
law and yet offend in one point, he's guilty of all. So here's
the price. If you'll have salvation upon
some work that you've done, that work that is an inward and outward
manifestation of your heart, it must be perfect, not the best
that a man can do. If there is any infraction before your supposed salvation by your
works. Have you ever done anything before? If you're going to approach God
on your terms, it's going to have to be terms that Almighty
God says pleases Him. And there's only one that the
Lord ever spoke and said, this is my beloved Son in whom I'm
well pleased. If you're going to live forever
with God Almighty, remember when Adam fell in the garden, the
scriptures revealed that man died spiritually. The whole human
race plunged into immeasurable depravity and despair. Now man
is born separated from God. We come forth from our mother's
womb speaking lies. CONCERNING APPROACHING THE LORD
ON OUR MERIT, SCRIPTURE DECLARES, JOHN 6, 65, NO MAN CAN COME UNTO
ME, EXCEPT IT WERE GIVEN UNTO HIM OF MY FATHER. HOW BAD ARE
WE? WELL, FROM THE SOLE OF THE FOOT
EVEN UNTO THE HEAD THERE'S NO SOUNDNESS IN IT, BUT WOUNDS AND
BRUISES AND PUTREFYING SORES THEY'VE NOT BEEN CLOSED, NEITHER
BOUND UP, NEITHER MALIFIED WITH OINTMENT. SO FROM THE FOOT to
the head, every bit. There is no part of man that
is unaffected. There's no part that's sound. There's nothing but bruises and
dripping sores of rebellion against Almighty God. God looked and
saw that every thought of the imagination of man was evil continually. And concerning Almighty God's
attitude towards sin, Habakkuk 113 says, Thou art of purer eyes
than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity. So that's the price. You ought
to know there's a price. What is it? It is absolute holiness
and perfection and obedience. Obedience without any discrepancy. No discrepancy. That's the price. Here's my second point. Man thinks
the price is too high. You tell a man that is resting
in His own works. You just read a verse of scripture. What is the hope of your salvation? Well, I, whatever you're getting
ready to say, you know, whatever. Okay, and then read the scripture. Not by works of righteousness
that we've done, but according to His mercy. according His mercy,
not by works of righteousness. And I'm telling you, in a man's
heart, this is what he's going to say, that's too high. That's
too high. No, no. Man thinks and hears
the Word of God. and does not believe that he's
a sinner, does not believe that we're all as an unclean thing,
that all of our righteousnesses, this is too high, according to
the natural mind, all of our righteousnesses are as filthy
rags and we do all fade as a leaf and our iniquities like the wind
have taken us away. He hears what God Almighty declares
concerning salvation by grace through faith alone. Not according to any work or
merit on man's part and man's going to say not, not, no, no. Too high, too strict. Those terms
are ridiculous. You're asking way more than is
reasonable. Surely you don't think that every
other place in this city, right here, where a message is being
preached concerning man-centered works religion, you surely don't
think that all of those are wrong. And you're the only place in
this city where the truth is being proclaimed. That's just
too high. That's just ridiculous. Salvation,
they won't say it, but they'll think it. Salvation can be had
at a cheaper price. Salvation can be had They hear
salvation by grace and they say, I do believe in salvation by
grace. They'll say that. Now I'm saying
this because I just had someone about two weeks tell me this. We believe in salvation by grace. We do not believe in salvation
by works. We believe that God graciously
offers And all you have to do, and I'm thinking just listen
to what you're saying. All the while proclaiming that
they believe in salvation by their own will and the scripture
is read, which were born, not of blood. nor the will of the
flesh, nor the will of man, but of God." Man believes that he
can reconcile himself back to God. Man believes that he has
spiritual ears to hear. But what the problem is that
the lie that Satan told Eve in the garden is the same lie that's
being told right now. Hath God said that if you disobey
Him, that if you eat of the fruit, that you'll die? Too high. You're not going to
die. all you have to do. Now listen,
listen, they say. Be sincere. You can be saved, they say, under
a message that is not this gospel of God's grace. You can be saved.
You may come to a higher knowledge when you start believing these
doctrines of grace, but you were saved back there. All you have to do is get in
the right church and keep the Ten Commandments and be the best
you can and treat others as you would have others treat you and
be baptized and walk down an aisle and do many other wonderful
works in His name and you'll be His gods. Man born in Adam believes Satan's
lie that the cost is too high. Man boasts when he thinks that
he has negotiated his salvation in whatever he's done. In his
heart, he boasts in whatever he's done. He boasts in the negotiating
process of his own salvation and believes himself to have
been the great negotiator of life eternal. by His works and takes great pride in boasting
of His decision, of His wisdom, so-called wisdom. And the Lord
says, many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, we prophesied
in Your name. We cast out devils and we've
done many wonderful works in Your name. We bought our salvation by our
works. We paid the price and the Lord
will say, I never knew you. But here's my third point. Is
there any hope for mankind? Yes, there is. God Almighty in Christ has paid
the debt. for His people. God Almighty in the blessed Savior
has purchased by His own blood that which was required. Now I've got some good news for
every sinner that needs a Savior. I'm going to tell you right now
the price don't change. The price does not change. Almighty
God, there is a price for salvation. What is it? It is absolute obedience
to God's law. Holiness before God Almighty. Now you listen to this precious
declaration of hope concerning one that Almighty God has chosen
to show mercy. You deliver him from going down
to the pit. I found a ransom. Now let me
just tell you about this ransom that God found. It's a ransom in whom God is
well pleased. It's a ransom who has met and
paid the price of redemption. It is a ransom who satisfied
every demand of the law for justice by being made sin for his people. What is it going to cost? Now here's where we are. We're born sinners and we're
all guilty. We're all guilty. Now, what is
the penalty for our guilt? Now, here's the penalty. And
I'm going to tell you right now, the price don't change. It's
not going to change. The wages of sin is death. Now how can God be just in dealing
with my sin and justify me? That is, that
the law would look at me and say, no charge. How? One way, 2 Corinthians 5.21,
I'm telling you this For he hath made him sin. Now I've got a debt and this is the
price. This is the price of my rebellion
against God. Debt. When the Lord Jesus Christ went
to the cross, he went to the cross for his people. John 10, 15, I lay down my life
for the sheep. And for the sheep, and here's
the price, there's no negotiation, no reduction. When he went to
the cross, one of the most glorious truths that I would not even
remotely begin to say that I can enter into the depth of it, but
I can tell you what the Spirit of God has said. He made Him
to be what His people is, what they are, whichever. They are sin. From the head to the foot, no
soundness. And He was made what we are. And there at Calvary, this was
the price. This is the price. It's going
to be paid or there will be no salvation. Sin is going to be
dealt with. Almighty God does not sweep it
under the rug. And when the Lord Jesus Christ
laid down his life and he died at Calvary, a debt was paid. A debt owed to the justice of
God Almighty and the wrath of God was spewed out upon him. That's the cost. There's not going to be one that
will ever say JUSTICE WAS NOT TRULY SATISFIED IN THEIR SALVATION. YES IT WAS. YOU DELIVER HIM FROM
GOING DOWN THE PIT. I FOUND A RANSOM AND I'M GOING
TO DEAL WITH THE RANSOM ON THE BEHALF OF MY PEOPLE IN AN ABSOLUTE
OBEDIENCE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST LAID DOWN HIS LIFE AND THE LAW
WAS SATISFIED The laws demand for justice. I mean, we hear every day of
heinous crimes being committed, and because of our court system,
and a lenient judge will say, I'm gonna, well, I'm gonna say,
and you said, what about justice? Justice is not done. Justice
was done at Calvary. The debt, the battle has been
won. THE DEBT HAS BEEN PAID! CHRIST
SHED HIS BLOOD! I HAVE NO DEBT TO ANSWER FOR! I KNOW THE PRESENCE OF SIN IS
STILL HERE! BUT I'M TELLING YOU, THE DEBT OWED TO IT! GOD ALMIGHTY
HAS JUSTLY PUT AWAY THE SIN, THE DEBT OF THE SIN OF HIS PEOPLE!
BUT WHAT ABOUT THEIR HOLINESS? Their debts put away with how
can God be just and then say no charge? The righteousness that was earned
by the Lord Jesus Christ, the obedience of Christ is imputed. How do you know? that it's imputed to anyone. How do you know? They believe
God. They believe Him. Robed in His righteousness, the law looks at one such as
me, robed in Him, and the law looks and says, No charge. Never has been a charge. Never has been an infraction
of my demand. No charge. Sin has been put away
and the ransom, paid, righteousness imputed and the ransom himself
that God found, he never once sought for a compromise, never
once in the garden of Gethsemane, oh my father, if it be possible,
let this cup, what cup? 2 Corinthians 5.21, being made
sin, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless. Not as I will, but as thou wilt. You're a just God. A ransom. He who puts his people in that blessed remembrance of
that everlasting covenant of grace. Isaiah 51, 22. Thus saith thy Lord, the Lord,
and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people. Behold,
I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the
dregs of the cup of my fury. Thou shalt no more drink it again." The price of a man's soul, obedience
to the law. justice to God's broken law. It's never changed. Here's the
problem, I can't pay. But he has. Almighty God has wrought salvation for a people
that he's everlastingly loved and now in closing Isaiah 55 Verse 1 says this, O everyone
that thirsteth, thirsts for life, thirsts for
righteousness, thirsts for obedience before God, come to the waters,
living waters of the Word Himself. Come to the waters, and he that
hath no money, you that have nothing with which
to buy, ye have nothing of any worth in yourself. Come ye, buy
and eat. Yea, come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price. By faith, by faith. He that believeth on the Son
hath life. Our Lord Jesus Christ in John,
last verse, John 7, 37. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried saying,
if any man thirst, don't look, don't look to you,
don't look to you. Let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, out
of the scripture, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall
flow rivers of living water. Salvation has a price. It's a high price. It's a price
set by God Almighty. Man thinks that he can pay. All that try to pay themselves
are going to perish. But for you that cannot pay,
For you that have nothing, for you that have nothing to pay. Almighty God is gonna show mercy
and has shown mercy to you. He's shown you something. You
blind Bartimaeuses, you Mephibosheths, I got some good news for you.
The ransom has paid the debt and there's life in him.