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 begin this radio broadcast
by asking us some vital questions. And the first question is this.
What is salvation? What is salvation? We open up
the scripture every week, and we look at these things every
week, and then we ask a simple question like, what is salvation? And we think, huh, I asked myself these questions.
What is salvation? How do I explain it? How do I
describe it? And here's my answer. What does
the scripture say about it? That's the answer. When a question
or issue comes up, the answer is always, what does the scripture
say about it? Well, here's another vital question.
What is the gospel? Really, what is the gospel? You know, that's gonna be the
issue till the day we die. That's gonna be the question
that we search the scripture for till the day we die. Because
Paul said in Romans 1 16, I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation." So what
is the gospel? Well, the word gospel means good
news. I love that. I'm so thankful
that's what it means. The gospel means good news. It's an announcement of good
news. So here's the next vital question.
What is the good news? What is the announcement? What
is the declaration? What is the gospel about? Well, look at Mark chapter one
with me. We're going to turn to a few
scriptures. So if you have your Bible with you, open up to Mark
chapter one and let's look at this together. Verse one says,
the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God. That word of means about. The gospel is good news about
involving Jesus Christ. Now look at Mark chapter 1 verse
14. It says, Now after that John
was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel
of the kingdom of God. The gospel is good news about
His kingdom. It's good news to His kingdom,
His people, His chosen family. The gospel is good news involving
Jesus Christ and His kingdom. Well, what is it? What is it? What's the good news? Well, turn
with me over to Acts chapter 20. Acts chapter 20, look at verse
24. Says, but none of these things
move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might
finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have received
of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God. The gospel is about grace. It involves Jesus Christ, His
kingdom, and His grace. The grace of. The grace that belongs to. The grace that comes from. The
grace that is given to us by God. Alright, now, everybody
talks about grace. Everybody does. Every single
person talks about grace. What is grace? That's a vital
question. What is grace? Well, grace is getting what you
don't deserve. That's what grace is. It's a
gift. Turn with me over to Romans chapter one. Romans 1, verse 1 says, Paul,
a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto
the gospel of God. Verse 9 says, For God is my witness,
whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without
ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers. Grace has
something to do with God and His Son. Verse 16 says, For I
am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power
of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth, to the Jew
first, and also to the Greek. The gospel is about Christ. John
3.16 says, For God so loved the world that He gave. He gave a grace. He gave this
world something that it didn't deserve. A gift. He gave His
only begotten Son. that whosoever believeth on him
should not perish, but have everlasting life." The gospel is about Christ. The Christ. The Lord asked his
disciples, who do they say that I am? They. What are they preaching? And they said, oh, they say you're
a good man. They say you're a good prophet.
like Elias or Jeremiah. They say you're a good example,
a good humanitarian. And then he asked Peter, Peter,
what do you preach? Who do you say I am? And Peter
said, thou art the Christ. Thou art the Christ. Well, what about the Christ?
What does that mean? What does it mean to say Jesus
is the Christ? And how's that good news to me?
You go and tell somebody, I have wonderful news for you. I have
amazing news for you. I have the greatest news you've
ever heard in your life. Jesus is the Christ. They're gonna say, well, how
is that good news to me? What does that mean? Jesus is
the Christ. You tell somebody that and they
will not understand. But here's what the word of God
says about it. Turn with me over to Romans chapter
10. Romans chapter 10 and verse 15
says this. And how shall they preach except
they be sent, sent by God, a called man with God's message? As it
is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach
the gospel of peace. Peace. Peace. and bring glad tidings of good
things. Peace. Who is the Christ? He's our peace. You tell somebody, I have wonderful
news for you. You have peace with God. Our peace with God depends on
the fact, it hangs on the fact, it rests on the fact that this
man Jesus is the Christ. This gospel is an announcement
of peace. Man by nature has no idea that
he is at wrath with God, born into this world wicked. And God said he is angry with
the wicked every day. Angry. You go up to somebody
and tell them, I have terrible news for you. God is angry with
you. What do you mean he's angry with
me? He's angry with the sin that has consumed you and me. I'm
talking to myself. We are born into this world sinners. We are born into this world covered,
infected, diseased by sin. It's in every fiber of our being. And our God hates sin. And our God must punish sin. Sin must die. It must die. And you go up to
a sinner and you tell him, even though you are born an enemy
of God in sin, this man, Jesus, who came and lived and died,
is the Christ. and He made peace between you
and God. This gospel is an announcement
of peace. And that's good news to me. Oh,
that's good news. Turn with me over to Ephesians
chapter 1. Ephesians 1 verse 12 says that
we should be to the praise of His glory who first trusted in
Christ, in whom ye also trusted, after that you heard the word
of truth, the gospel of your salvation." Your salvation. The gospel is about your salvation. That's good news, isn't it? Isn't
that good news? A person who is dying, a person
who is drowning, a person who is about to go down and finds
out rescue is coming. Oh, that's good news. Salvation
is coming. I'm going to be saved. I'm not
going to perish. That's good news. The gospel
is about how our salvation was accomplished by Jesus Christ
for His kingdom and only His kingdom. And it was all freely
given by grace are you saved. And this spiritual peace, this
appeasement is only found in one person, the Christ. Turn with me over to 2 Thessalonians
chapter 1. 2 Thessalonians 1 verse 8 says
this, In flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not
God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now listen to this vital, vital
question. Who is the Lord Jesus Christ? Well, turn with me over to 1
Timothy 1. 1 Timothy 1 says in verse 11, according
to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, the blessed God,
the Lord Jesus Christ, is the blessed God. The fact that He's
the Lord means He's God. The Lord means Jehovah. God is
Jehovah. And the fact that He is the Lord
means He's God. The fact that He is Jesus means
He's man. Call His name Jesus. He'll save
his people from their sins. The fact that he is the Christ
means he is totally, completely, 100% both. Both God and man. In him, man is united to God. Sinful, vile, rebellious man
united to God In Christ, yes. Yeah, that's
good news, isn't it? That's amazing news. It's amazing
grace. The gospel is the good news about
how a sinner, a sinner, is justified before God. That's what the gospel
is. Paul called it Christ and Him
crucified. Christ and Him crucified. The
truth is who man is. The truth is what man has done. Man is a sinner and he's rebelled
against the Holy God. The gospel is who the Lord Jesus
Christ is. The gospel is what He has done. He is the Savior, and He washed
His people from their sins in His own blood. Who Christ is
and what He's done for us to God, to Himself. He is God. Now, our very first question
was this. What is salvation? And the answer is, it's not a
what. It's a who. Salvation is a person. It's not a knowledge. Well, you
know, this is what I used to know, and this is what I know
now. You know, I'm getting it. I'm
learning. No, it's not a knowledge. Salvation is not an action. Well,
I see a big change in myself. Well, that's wonderful, but that's
not salvation. Salvation is not a decision. Well, I've decided to put it
all in God's hands. Salvation is not a decision.
Salvation is a person. It's a person. Salvation is the
Lord Jesus Christ. If a sinner has received salvation,
then it means a sinner has received the Lord Jesus Christ. Not accepted. People say, I've
accepted Jesus. No, no, not accepted. The choice
is not yours. It's received. Received. Now turn with me over to John
chapter 17. John chapter 17 verse 21 says,
that they all may be one as thou father art in me and I in thee,
that they also may be one in us. That the world may believe
that thou hast sent me and the glory which thou gavest me, I
have given them. that they may be one even as
we are one, I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made
perfect in one, and that the world may know that thou hast
sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me. I in thee, that they also may
be one in us." Isn't that amazing? Christ in us. Christ in me. Christ in the Father. Christ
in me. Union with Jesus Christ is salvation. Christ in us, us in Him. We must be in Him. We must be in Him. Now turn with me over to 1 John
chapter 5. 1 John chapter 5 verse 11 says,
And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life.
And this life is in His Son. Verse 20 says, And we know that
the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that
we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true. Even in His Son, Jesus Christ,
this is the true God, eternal life. This is the true God and
eternal life. We must be in Him. Salvation is being in His life. It's living in Him. Here's salvation. When He lived on this earth,
I lived in Him. Everything He did, I did in Him. Salvation is being in His death,
dying in Him. When He died on that cross, I
died in Him. That's where I died. It's appointed
unto man once to die, and salvation is dying in Him. Salvation is
being in His resurrection. It's being raised in Him. When God the Father raised Him
from the dead, God the Father raised me from the dead in Him,
being raised with Him. I must be in Him. Now, I've heard that my whole
life. I've been listening to men tell me that my whole life. And I remember a time when I
used to hear that and think, what in the world does that mean?
What does that mean? I hear what you're saying. I
must be in him. But really, what does that mean? That's a vital question. What
do you mean I must be in Christ? Well, that sparks our next question,
and this question is as vital as they come. It's as vital as
they come, and here it is. How does a person get in Christ? If I can search these scriptures
and see I must be in Christ, here's the question, here's the
vital question. How does a person get in Christ? If the gospel is all about Jesus
Christ and what he has done for his people, if the gospel is
all about how a sinner can be justified with God, And if salvation
is union with Jesus Christ, Him and me, and me and Him, how does
a person get in Christ? Well, turn with me to 1 Corinthians
1. 1 Corinthians 1, verse 30 says this, but of Him
are you in Christ Jesus? who of God is made unto us wisdom,
and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, that according
as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Of
Him are you in Christ Jesus. That's the only way. There is
one way that leads to eternal life, and it's only of Him. Look at verse 26. It says, For
you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after
the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. Not many
wise after the flesh. Wisdom is not the way. Fear is. Fear is the beginning of wisdom.
Fear of being outside of the way. The wise, what the world
calls wise, they think they have all the answers. They think they
have God figured out. They think the way is in their
knowledge. It's not. Of Him are you in Christ
Jesus. Verse 26, it says, not many wise
men, not many mighty. Mighty in their own eyes. They
believe salvation is in their might. They believe that they
have the ability. Verse 26 says, not many noble. Noble in their own eyes because
they believe they're worthy. Verse 27 says, but God hath chosen. God hath chosen the foolish things
of the world. That is good news. That is good
news. You know why? I'm foolish and
I acknowledge it. Verse 27 says, God hath chosen
the weak. That's good news because I'm
weak. Verse 28 says, base things of
the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea,
and things which are not. That's wonderful news. I'm lower
than the least. I hate myself. I'm nothing. I'm a nobody. Verse 29 says that
no flesh should glory in his presence. No flesh. But verse 30 says, it's all of
Him. It's all of Him. Salvation is
being in His choice. The choice is all of Him. Salvation
is being in His perfection, in His righteousness. Perfection
is of Him. Salvation is Him pouring His
living water all over us, cleansing us. That cleansing is of Him. Salvation is being covered, covered
in His blood. Redemption is of Him. Verse 30 says, But of Him are
you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness
and sanctification and redemption. Now here's our last vital question.
Who gets the glory in salvation? Who gets the glory in salvation
if I don't have a say in the matter, if nothing I do can earn
it, if by nature I'm the exact opposite of worthy? And if the
Lord Jesus Christ is the one who went all the way to the death
of the cross to accomplish salvation for his people, then who gets
the glory and salvation? Verse 31 says, that according
as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Let
him glory in the Lord. And we do, don't we? We do. We glory that it's of Him. It's all of Him. To God be the
glory. Great things He hath done. Great things. 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.