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 invite you to turn with me
in your Bibles this morning to Matthew chapter 10. Matthew 10
and we'll begin reading in verse 11. It says, and into whatsoever
city or town you shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy,
and there abide till you go thence. And when you come into an house,
salute it. And if the house be worthy, let
your peace come upon it, But if it be not worthy, let your
peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive
you nor hear your words when you depart out of that house
or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto
you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah
in the day of judgment than for that city. Our Lord is telling
this to those whom He's called to preach. Look at verse 7 with
me. He said, And as you go, preach,
saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Now verse 1 says,
And when He had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He said
this to His twelve disciples. That's who He said it to. But
turn with me over to Luke chapter 10. Luke chapter 10 verse 1 says,
After these things the LORD appointed other seventy also, and sent
them two and two before His face into every city and place, whether
He Himself would come. Therefore said he unto them,
the harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few. Pray ye
therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers
into his harvest." So he said this same thing to 70 more. And
he recorded all of this to say the exact same thing to every
single man that God has called to preach the truth. Every single
one. So back over in our text in Matthew
10, verse 11, it says, into whatsoever city or town you shall enter,
inquire who in it is worthy? Who in it is worthy? Ask who is worthy? What a question that is. What a question that is. Who
is worthy? Let's not be too quick to answer.
Who is worthy of the gospel? Really? Who is worthy of the
gift of God? Who is worthy? of His blood? Who's worthy of His death? Anybody? Let's not be too quick
to answer. Who is worthy of the peace of
God, the Prince of Peace Himself? Who is worthy of Jesus Christ? As I hear that question, as I
ask myself that question, My mind answers, I'm not. I'm not. I'm being honest with
you right now. I'm not. That's a very convicting question
to me. And the reason it's so convicting
is because this text in Matthew chapter 10 says some people are. Verse 11 says, Into whatsoever
city or town you shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy,
and there abide till you go thence. When you find the worthy ones,
stay with them. Verse 12 says, And when you come
into an house, salute it, and if the house be worthy, let your
peace come upon it. But if it be not worthy, Let
your peace return to you. Our Lord is saying some people
are worthy and some people are not. That's very convicting. Turn with me over to Luke chapter
20. The Sadducees are asking the
Lord a question about a woman who was married to seven different
brothers. Luke 20 verse 29 says, there
were therefore seven brethren. And the first took a wife, and
died without children. And the second took her to wife,
and he died childless. And the third took her, and in
like manner the seven also. And they left no children, and
died. Last of all, the woman died also. Therefore in the resurrection,
whose wife of them is she? For seven had her to wife. And
Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry
and are given in marriage, but they which shall be accounted
worthy to obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead
neither marry nor are given in marriage. Neither can they die
any more for they are equal unto the angels and are the children
of God being the children of the resurrection. Our Lord said,
they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world. Turn to Luke 21 verse 36. Our Lord said, watch ye therefore
and pray always that you may be accounted worthy to escape
all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the
Son of Man. Accounted worthy. Turn with me
over to Acts chapter 5. The apostles were apprehended
for preaching the gospel and they were brought before a council.
And verse 40 says, And to him they agreed, and when they had
called the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they
should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And
they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that
they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily
in the temple and in every house they ceased not to teach and
preach Jesus Christ." They were counted worthy to suffer shame.
The Apostle Paul told the Ephesians, walk worthy of the vocation wherewith
you are called. He told the Colossians, walk
worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing. He told the Thessalonians, walk
worthy of God who hath called you unto His kingdom and glory. He said in 2 Thessalonians chapter
1, listen to 2 Thessalonians 1 verse 11, wherefore also we
pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of
this calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness
and the work of faith with power. Now let me ask this question
again. Who is worthy? Who is worthy? You and I are
sinners, right? We can acknowledge that, can't
we? We can acknowledge our heart. We can acknowledge our mind.
We can acknowledge our words. We can acknowledge our deeds. We can acknowledge this flesh,
can't we? We're sinners. We've sinned against
God. Are you and I worthy to suffer
for Christ's sake? The answer's no. It's no. Are you and I worthy to walk
before God, pleasing him in his kingdom? The answer's no. Our
Lord said there's none good, no not one. He said all of our
righteousnesses are as filthy rags. He said we're dead in our
trespasses and sins. The answer is no. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13,
examine yourselves whether you be in the faith. Prove your own
selves. Now one of two things is about
to happen. We're going to find out through
God's word who is worthy. And one of two things is about
to happen. We're either about to become
really sad because we just heard the worst news of our lives.
In and of myself, I am not worthy. and in and of yourself as you
are in your flesh by nature, you are not worthy. So we're either gonna become
really sad because we've just heard the worst news of our life
or we're gonna become really glad because we just heard the
most relieving news of our life. We just heard the gospel. Now
let's examine ourselves. Who is worthy? What are God's requirements to
be worthy of Christ and His salvation? All of the requirements are back
in our text, back over in Matthew chapter 10. Our Lord called His
disciples He equipped them with their abilities and their message
and then he told them who it was for. Look with me at Matthew
10 verse 6. He said, but go rather to the
lost sheep of the house of Israel. God's first requirement to be
worthy is you've got to be lost. Lost. That's good news to me
because I can be that. I can be lost. A dumb, ignorant,
lost sheep. Paul wrote, examine yourselves.
Outside of Jesus Christ, if you're left to yourself, have you seen
your own sin? Have you seen your own self?
If it's left up to you and your free will, can you make it on
your own? Can you satisfy God's holiness
and God's demands on your own? Can you make it or are you lost? I'm lost. I'm lost. Lord Jesus, Savior, pilot me. I'm lost. I'm blind. I don't know the way. I don't know the way. I don't
know what to do. Lord, don't leave me. I'm lost. I'm lost. If you can honestly say that
in your heart, you might be worthy. Because our Lord said, I came
to seek and to save that which was lost." Lost. Are you lost? Let's look at God's next requirement.
In Matthew 10 verse 8, he said, heal the sick. in order to feel the healing
touch of the Master's hand, in order to be worthy of the balm
of Gilead. You've got to be sick. Look with
me at Matthew chapter 9, back one chapter. Matthew 9 verse
12 says, But when Jesus heard that, He said unto them, They
that be whole need not a physician. but they that are sick. In verse
13 he said, but go ye and learn what that meaneth. Go ye and learn what that meaneth. Go ye and learn what that meaneth. David learned, didn't he? David learned. The Lord let him
catch a glimpse of the condition he was really in, didn't he?
Turn with me over to Psalm chapter 38. Psalm chapter 38 verse 1, David
wrote, Oh Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath, neither chasten
me in thy hot displeasure, for thine arrows stick fast in me
and thy hand presseth me sore. There is no soundness in my flesh
because of thine anger. Neither is there any rest in
my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone
over my head. As in heavy burden, they're too
heavy for me. My wounds stink and are corrupt
because of my foolishness. I am troubled. I am bowed down
greatly. I go mourning all the day long,
for my loins are filled with a loathsome disease, and there
is no soundness in my flesh." Sick? Sick, is that you? If it is, you just might be worthy. You might be worthy. Our Lord's
next requirement, back in our text, back in Matthew chapter
10, verse 8, he said, cleanse the lepers. Who is worthy of
the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb? Our Lord said, lepers are
worthy. Now let's examine ourselves. Do you see a little bit of good
in you? Or are you forced to cry out,
unclean, unclean? From the sole of my foot to the
crown of my head, I'm nothing but a filthy, rotten leper. Lepers represent sinners. Oh, I'm a sinner. That's what
I am. I'm a center back in the old Testament. The
law was given to Moses. The commandment was given to
him. that anyone who saw a spot on their flesh and thought it
could be leprosy had to go to the priest. And the priest had
to inspect him, and if there was a small spot on them, then
they had to be put away for seven days and then come back to the
priest. And if that spot was a little
bigger, or if that spot had not grown, then he was pronounced
unclean. unclean and he had to be separated
from the people. But if he came back and that
spot had covered him head to toe, if he was totally white
with sores head to toe, then he was pronounced clean and he
was free to go back amongst the people. If you can say that, if you can
say there's no good spots on me, most everybody says, yeah,
I see a little spot wrong with me. I got one little spot here
and one little spot there. And every now and then I'll tell
a little white lie, but I'm really not that bad of a person. I'm
not a center through and through. I'm not covered in sin. But if you can say, oh, I am,
I'm a sinner. I am nothing but a sinner. God
have mercy on this sinner. If you can say that, then you
might be worthy. You might be worthy of this healing.
Let's look at our Lord's next requirement. Matthew 10 verse
eight, he said, raise the dead. raise the dead in order for a
man or woman to be worthy to receive eternal life. In and of Himself, in His own
flesh, He's got to be dead. He's got to be dead. Turn with
me over to 2 Samuel chapter 9. 2 Samuel chapter 9. Listen to the words of Mephibosheth. Verse 7, it says, And David said
unto him, David said unto Mephibosheth, Fear not, for I will surely show
thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore
thee all the land of Saul thy father, and thou shalt eat bread
at my table continually. And Mephibosheth bowed himself
and said, What is thy servant that thou shouldest look upon
such a dead dog as I am? Based on the scripture, do you
know what he sounds like to me? Worthy. You know, you go tell a man you're
dead in your trespasses and sins. You go tell a woman you are dead
in your trespasses and sins. And do you know what most people
are going to say to that? No, I'm not. No, I'm not. Don't you say that to me. Well, I'm very sorry to say then you're
not worthy. This is the truth. The truth according to God's
Word. If I'm not dead in my trespasses
and sins, then I'm not worthy of eternal life in Christ. The
Spirit of Christ quickens the dead. It quickens the dead. Our Lord's last requirement is
in Matthew 10 verse 8. He told his disciples to cast
out devils. Turn with me over to Isaiah 61. Isaiah 61 verse 1 says, the spirit
of the Lord God is upon me. because the Lord hath anointed
me to preach good tidings unto the meek. He hath sent me to
bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to them that are bound." What makes a sinner worthy to
be delivered by the work of Jesus Christ? That sinner has got to
be held captive. He's got to be captive of Satan
and his army. If I'm going to be worthy of
deliverance, I must acknowledge that everything in me that is
in my flesh is only evil continually. That's all that's in me. That's
all that's in my flesh. Turn with me over to Ephesians
2. Ephesians 2 verse 1 says, And
you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins,
wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this
world, now listen to this next part, according to the prince
of the power of the air. That's our enemy. The Spirit
that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also
we all had our conversation in times past, in the lust of our
flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind,
and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." But
God. But God. That's the gospel. But God. If a person doesn't
possess God's Holy Spirit, then he possesses some other kind
of spirit. And every other spirit than God's Holy Spirit is an
evil spirit. Back in John 8, our Lord said,
you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. What makes a person worthy of
deliverance in Christ? Here's what it is. Here's what
makes them worthy. in them must dwell no good thing."
Is that you? Can you acknowledge that truth
about yourself? If that is you, you might be
worthy. You just might be worthy. Back
over to our text in Matthew 10, verse 11 says, And into whatsoever city or town
you shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and there abide
till you go thence. And when you come into an house,
salute it." Salute it. Preach these things to that house. Verse 13 says, and if the house
be worthy. If the house is lost. If the house is sick. If the
house is full of lepers who cry unclean, if the house knows that
they're dead in their trespasses and sins, if the house is afflicted
and tormented over their captivity to sin, then you speak peace
unto that house. They are my lost sheep. The ones
that my father gave to me before the foundation of the world.
You show my lost sheep the way, which is Christ. You tell my
sick sheep about their great physician, Christ. Tell my sinful, leprous sheep
about their great shepherd who became sin for them. You tell
my evil tormented sheep that captivity has been led captive. Verse 13 says, and if the house
be worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it be not worthy,
let your peace return to you. If it be not worthy, if they
say, I'm not lost, they may be lost over there, but I'm not
lost. If they say, there's nothing
wrong with me, I'm not sick. If they say I'm past my sin,
I used to be a sinner. I was a leper. You don't even
know what I used to be. I was bad. I used to be so bad. Not anymore. If they say, don't
tell me I'm dead. If they say, the devil ain't
got nothing on me. He can't touch me. Oh, how sad
that is. Verse 13 says, if the house be
worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it be not worthy,
let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive
you nor hear your words when you depart out of that house
or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto
you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah
in the day of judgment than for that city. Now, if a house is
worthy, it's only because God made that house worthy. He did
all the finding. He did all the healing. He did
all the cleansing. He did all the raising. He did
all the delivering. All glory goes to God, right? So let's ask this question one
more time. Who is worthy? Who is worthy? Revelation 5 says
all God's people are going to sing a brand new song. They're
going to cry, thou art worthy. Thou art worthy. He alone is
worthy. Until next Sunday morning, may
the 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.