Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church
located at 905 Yadkin Street in Kingsport, Tennessee would
like to invite you to listen to a message of sovereign grace
by their pastor, Gabe Stoniker. And now, Pastor Gabe Stoniker. I want to invite you this morning
to grab your Bible and open it with me and read along as we
look at these scriptures this morning. We're going to look
at quite a few of them and sometimes it really helps to
see things with your own two eyes. So if you have one handy,
I encourage you to open it with me and let's look at these things
together. And let's begin with Job 42.
Turn with me to the book of Job chapter 42 and let's read verse
five together. It says, I have heard of thee
by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee. I have heard of thee by the hearing
of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee. You know, there's
a difference in knowing something with your head and knowing it
with your heart. There's a difference. There's
a difference in feeding the mind and feeding the soul. It's one thing to know that it's
the Lord who provides, but it's another thing altogether to have
to wait on His provision. Do you know what I'm talking
about? We can all know, oh yes, the Lord provides, but it's another
thing altogether to be put in that position where you are waiting
on His provision. It's one thing to know that it's
the Lord who leads His people, but it's another thing altogether
to have to stand still and wait for Him to show you the path. Just wait on the Lord. It's one thing to know that He's
our help, but it's another thing altogether
to need it. need it, oh, I need it, Lord,
help me." Our God in mercy and in grace,
He sends circumstances to His children to confirm in them the
difference. There's a difference. And He
sends these different circumstances to confirm that difference in
them. It's one thing to believe in
the Lord Jesus Christ. But it's another thing altogether
to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And with every trial,
with every sorrow, with every pain, with every need, with every
cause for crying unto and looking unto Christ, with each one of
those, He takes a little bit more of this precious Word. And
with each one, He transfers it from the head to the heart. That's what's happening in the
trials and the afflictions that we go through. A trial comes
to one of God's children and we all know to say, well, there's
a reason for it. We know to say that, don't we?
There's a reason for it. It's one thing to believe there's
a reason for it. It's another thing altogether
to know what that reason is. for God to teach a sinner, I
don't know the outcome. We don't. We don't know what
tomorrow holds. I don't know the outcome and I don't know
the details, but I do know that this is for the glory and honor
of God and it's for the good of God's sheep. I know that.
We know the story of Job. We know everything that God allowed
him to go through. He lost his children, he lost
his cattle, he lost his houses. Great trial. A great trial of
pain and sorrow. And after it was all over, at
the end of it all, Job says in the last chapter of the book,
verse 5, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but
now mine eye seeth thee. Did Job see God with his physical
eyes? No, he didn't. He's talking about
the eyes of true faith, true living belief. That's what he's
talking about. Not just a mental agreement,
he's talking about soul conviction. Paul said, I'm persuaded. I'm persuaded. Job said, I heard
of thee. I had heard these things, I was
told these things, but now I've seen it with my own two eyes.
I've seen it. Look back at chapter 1, Job chapter
1. Verse 1 says, there was a man
in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was perfect
and upright. and one that feared God and eschewed
evil." Does that mean that he was by
his own nature holy and righteous? Is that what that means? No. It means he was covered by the
blood of Christ. That's what it means. That's
the only way a sinner can be perfect and upright. It means
God's Holy Spirit had come to him. He feared God and he eschewed
unbelief. Evil. Unbelief. He was a believer. Verse 7 right there in chapter
1, it says, And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence cometh thou?
And Satan answered the Lord and said, From going to and fro in
the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord
said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is
none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that
feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the Lord,
and said, Doth Job fear God for naught? Hath not thou made an
hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he
hath on every side? Hast thou blessed the work of
his hands, and his substance is increased in the land? Job
was a servant of the Lord, one who looked to Christ and trusted
Christ, one that God had separated and hedged about. God didn't
allow all this to happen to Job in order to save him. That's
important to know. He allowed all this to happen
to him because he had saved him. And in love and in mercy and
in grace, he taught Job this difference. between hearing with
the ear and seeing with the eye of faith. You know, you can hear
about the Grand Canyon, and you can hear about the Grand Canyon,
and people can tell you about the Grand Canyon, and you can
believe everything you hear. But until you see it, you'll
never enter into the vastness of it and the beauty of it. Same
thing for the ocean, you can hear about that ocean, you can
hear about the ocean, but until you hear the ocean with your
own two ears, the crash of those waves. Well, Job is the most extreme
case that has ever been known. And the reason our God allowed
him to go through all that was so that number one, whatever
we go through, No matter what our Lord allows us to endure,
we always know in our hearts it's nothing like what the Lord
allowed Job to go through, nothing like that. There's always somebody
enduring a much greater trial than we are, always. Our Lord
has spared us from so much more than we could ever realize. May our trials remind us to pray
for others. but also we find comfort in the
fact that if the Lord's grace was sufficient for Job, after
all he had been through, if God's grace was perfectly sufficient
for Job, then God's grace will surely be sufficient for me.
Surely, if Job made it through all that by the grace of God,
then that grace will be sufficient for me. Now God taught Job some
things. He convinced Job of some things
to the point that Job said, I heard of you, but now I see you. What did Job see? He saw the same thing that every
child of God sees in Christ. When they look to Christ, they
see something. I want to show you a few people
in the scriptures who were allowed to see And my hope is that we
might see the same thing they saw. I heard with the ear, now
I see. Go with me over to Genesis chapter
32. Genesis chapter 32, and look
at verse 24. It says, and Jacob was left alone. And there wrestled a man with
him until the breaking of the day. That's Christ. Verse 25
says, And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he
touched the hollow of his thigh. And the hollow of Jacob's thigh
was out of joint, and he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me
go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee
go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is
thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be
called no more Jacob, but Israel. For as a prince hast thou power
with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him,
and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore
is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of
the place Peniel. For I have seen God face to face,
and my life is preserved. Do you know what Jacob saw when
he looked at Jesus Christ? He saw God. He saw God Almighty. Oh, how blessed were his eyes.
He saw something very few people get to see. He saw God. When
you see Jesus Christ, do you see an infant in the arms of
Mary or do you see God? When you see Jesus Christ, do
you see a wimpy man who said he was a carpenter but he probably
had the softest hands in the world? A soft man, a weak man? Or do you see God? Ask the Apostle
Paul what he saw when Jesus Christ knocked him off of his horse.
He saw God. Ask that thief on the cross what
he saw in this one that was hanging next to him. He said to that
other thief, does not thou fear God? In this one, in Jesus Christ,
in God. Do you know what Jacob saw? Verse
26 says, he said, let me go for the day breaketh. And he said,
I will not let thee go except thou bless me. He saw the blessing. He saw all spiritual blessings
in heavenly places in Christ. Have we seen that? That's what
I want to know today. Have I seen that? If God is going
to bless me, it's only going to be in Christ. I heard. Now I see. Let me show you another
one. Go with me over to Psalm 51. Isaac said to his father Abraham,
he said, dad, I see the wood and I see the fire, but where's
the lamb? And Abraham said, my son, Jehovah
Jireh, the Lord will provide. Abraham saw the promise. In Christ,
he saw that promise. Moses walked up on a bush that
was burning with fire and God spoke out of that bush and he
said, take your shoes off, you're standing on holy ground. Moses
saw judgment. Now look right here at Psalm
51, verse three says, David says right here, I acknowledge my
transgressions and my sin is ever before me. Against Thee,
Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight,
that Thou mightest be justified when Thou speakest, and be clear
when Thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, Thou desirest truth
in the inward parts, and in the hidden part Thou shalt make me
to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall
be clean. Wash me and I shall be whiter
than snow. Do you know what David saw? He
saw mercy. Mercy. Do you know how blessed
a set of eyes are to be able to see that? When he looked to
Jesus Christ, he saw mercy. Verse one says, have mercy upon
me, oh God. According to thy loving kindness,
according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out
my transgressions. Mercy is not getting what we
deserve. That's what mercy is. And David knew and every child
of God knows that what I deserve is absolute punishment from my
God. Every child of God knows that
my sin is ever before me. And the only way that I can have
any hope of eternal life, any hope of Being spared any hope of spending
eternity with Christ is if I find mercy. I must have the mercy that can
only be found in Christ. While so many people are trying
to go about their life earning heaven, trying to go about their
life doing right, living right, doing good deeds that they believe
will stack up and cause them to be accepted in the beloved. What they don't realize is their
sin has already condemned them. But in Christ, there's no condemnation. In Christ, there's mercy. There's mercy to be found. Look
to Christ. I pray God would give me the
same eyes he gave David. I want to see mercy in him. I want to find mercy in him.
I want God to show mercy to me. I pray God would show mercy to
you. God be merciful to us. We're sinners. That's what we
are. We don't deserve it. We don't
deserve it at all. But in Christ, there's mercy
to be found. I heard about these things. Now
I see. Now I see. Go to Isaiah chapter
six. Verse one in Isaiah six says,
in the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting
upon a throne high and lifted up and his train filled the temple.
You know what Isaiah saw? When his eyes were opened to
see the Lord, do you know what he saw? He saw God's holiness. Verse 2 says, Above it stood
the seraphims, each one had six wings. With twain he covered
his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did
fly. And one cried unto another, and
said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth
is full of his glory. And the post of the door moved
at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with
smoke. Have we seen that? Have we seen that? We heard about
it, but have we seen it in the Lord Jesus Christ, His holiness? Lord, open our eyes that we may
see. Now let me show you some things
that our Lord truly does convince His people of through trials
and afflictions. He really, honestly convinces
His people of these things. The first one is in Matthew 8.
If you're turning with me, let's go to Matthew 8. Verse 1 says,
When He was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed
Him. And behold, there came a leper
and worshiped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make
me clean. Do you know what that leper saw
when he looked to Christ? He saw his ability. He saw the
great physician, that's what he saw. He became convinced in
his heart, if I'm gonna be healed, Jesus Christ is the one who's
gonna heal me. It's not going to be a man. It's
not going to be a medicine. Now, he's going to use means,
but he's going to get all the glory. Verse 2 says, Behold,
there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt,
thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand
and touched him, saying, I will. Be thou clean. And immediately
his leprosy was cleansed. It's one thing to know this with
the head. It's another thing altogether
to know it in the heart. Oh, He's able. He is able. If you are willing, you're able. Right here in Matthew 8, verse
5 says, when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto
Him a centurion beseeching Him and saying, Lord, my servant
lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. and Jesus
saith unto him, I'll come and heal him. The centurion answered
and said, Lord, I'm not worthy that thou shouldest come under
my roof, but speak the word only and my servant shall be healed.
Do you know what that centurion saw when he looked at Jesus Christ? He saw his sovereignty. He said,
you speak the word only and it'll be done. Have we seen that in
Jesus Christ? Truly, His sovereignty. Speak the Word and it'll be done. My ears have heard, do I see
it? Do I know in my soul that my
God is sovereign? All He has to do is say the Word.
It's great mercy and grace for the Lord to do whatever needs
to be done to convince His child of that. Great mercy and grace. Rest, soul. Rest. Your God is sovereign. Rest. Turn over to Luke 2, just a few
more places. Luke chapter 2, verse 25 says,
And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
And the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation
of Israel. And the Holy Ghost was upon him.
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost that he should
not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came
by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought
in the child Jesus to do for him after the custom of the law,
Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord,
now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to
thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." Do you know
what Simeon saw in that child? He saw God manifest in the flesh. When he saw the Lord's Christ,
he saw his soul's salvation. That's what he saw. And do you
know what God convinced him of when he saw that? Verse 28 says,
then took he him up in his arms and blessed God and said, Lord,
now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to
thy word. I can die in peace. I can die
in peace according to that word. It's one thing to hear about
that peace. People sing that song, I have
peace like a river. It's one thing to hear about
that peace. It's another thing altogether
to have it, to have it. In Luke 23, go with me over to
Luke 23, John, Whenever the Lord came to John,
he was baptizing, and John saw the Lord coming, and he pointed
everyone toward him, and he said, Behold the Lamb of God which
taketh away the sin of the world. And do you know what John saw
in Christ? Do you know what he saw? He saw
a substitute. Behold the Lamb that takes away
the sin of the world. Well, right here in Luke 23,
verse 46 says, when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said,
Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And having said thus,
he gave up the ghost. Now when the centurion saw what
was done, he glorified God saying, certainly this was a righteous
man. Do you know what that centurion
saw? He saw the just die for the unjust. That's what he saw.
He saw God satisfied. He saw it finished. Have we seen
that? Has God convinced our souls of
that? Has God convinced us that all
things work together for the glory of God and the good of
His people, especially the trials and the afflictions? Has He convinced
us of that? Well, I want to close with this
verse of Scripture. Turn over with me to 2 Corinthians
4. Verse 17 says, For our light
affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." We don't ask for trials. We began
this with Job and saw how through all of Job's trials, Job said,
I heard of thee, but now I've seen you. We don't ask for trials. They're not easy. They're just
not easy. But they are purposed by God.
They're ordered by God. They're allowed by God. So our
prayer is, Lord, when they come, would you open our eyes to see
your hand in it? Would you open our eyes to see
your word in it? Lord, would you open our eyes
to see your good in it? And would you write that on our
hearts? Would you cause us to see that
God is doing this, the Almighty God? Would you cause us to see
that our substitute has already taken care of our
great need and everything from this point on is bringing us
to Him, leading us to Him. Would you cause us to rest in
what He has finished? Would you cause us to rest in
that? Write that on our heart. Let us say with Job, I have heard
of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee. I see you. I see you in these
things. Lord, show us Christ in all things. Let us see Him as He is, as He
has revealed Himself to be in the Word of God. Cause us to
continually look to Him. Cause us to continually trust
Him. Cause us to continually believe
Him. Until next Sunday morning, may
our Lord bless His Word. You have been listening to a
message by Gabe Stoniker, pastor of Kingsport Sovereign Grace
Church in Kingsport, Tennessee. If you would like a copy of this
message or to hear other messages of Sovereign Grace, you can write
to our physical mailing address at 905 Yadkin Street, Kingsport,
Tennessee 37660 or log on to our website at kingsportsovereigngracechurch.com. If you would like to come and
worship with us, our service times are Sunday morning Bible
study at 10 o'clock a.m., worship at 10.45 a.m. and 6 o'clock p.m.,
Wednesday evening at 7.30 p.m. Please tune in next Sunday morning
at 8.30 for another message of God's free and sovereign grace.