Last week we considered the verses
in Isaiah chapter 9 where we are told for unto us, unto us,
not unto the world, unto us, unto God's chosen people, unto
all those whose names were written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Unto
us, a child. We looked at this child who was
born being God Almighty in the flesh, Emmanuel, God with us,
is what we read in Matthew chapter 2. We looked at the fact that
this son was the only begotten son of God Almighty, and because
of that, because he was born of the seed of the Spirit, not
of the seed of Adam, we saw that the blood of this child that
was given on the cross at the age of about 33 years old was
the perfect blood of God. to pay the sins of God's people,
us, unto us. Unto us, not unto all, but unto
us. You don't need to turn there,
but allow me, if you would, to read three verses for you, one from
Psalms 40, verse five. We read this, it says, many,
O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works, which thou hast done,
and thy thoughts, which are to usward, Did you catch that? Usward. It's not unto the world. It's not unto all mankind. It's
unto usward. And I'm going to be making a
point about that. It goes on to say, they cannot be reckoned
up, speaking of the thoughts that are to usward, they cannot
be reckoned up in order unto thee. If I would declare and
speak of them, writes the psalmist, they are more than can be numbered. God thinks of us. the Creator of everything that
is thinks of us. His thoughts about us are so
much they can never be recorded. In Ephesians 1.19 we read these
words, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power, speaking
of God, to us-ward. Again, unto us-ward. according to the working of His
mighty power. 2 Peter 3, verse 9, we read it
this way. The Lord is not slack. He's not
slack concerning His promises, as some men might count slackness,
but is longsuffering to usward. Usward. He's longsuffering. Aren't you glad the Lord's longsuffering
to you? I'm thankful for that to me. I may have been praying
hard, Lord, you know, this water is about ready to come into the
house. If you could just give me a little reprieve. And you
know what? He did. He really did. Immediately. I'm not kidding
you. Within just a couple minutes,
it dropped an inch. And it just, I just said, oh,
there he goes. Not only did the Lord answer
my prayer, He drew me to ask Him. for his prayer. He's not
slack. He's not slack in his promises.
He says to you and I, I will always be with you. God help
us to keep that before us at all times. I'm weak in that. I'm forgetful of that. I can
tell you from experience of watching Kathy, that was pretty stressful,
folks. That water came up so fast, it
scared her to death. She was pretty stressed. She
cried a few times about it. I had to go put my arm around
her, and it's going to be alright. We'll be alright. It's just stuff.
It's just stuff. We'll be okay. We're all so weak,
aren't we, in our faith. Aren't you thankful? Aren't you
thankful that He's not slack to us-ward? Not willing, it says
after that, that any should perish, but that all, all of His elect,
all that the Father giveth Him should last week about a group of religious
people, a religious group that Mike is very familiar with. And
I share that with you because I've never been to one of their
religious meetings. So what I know of them, to be
honest with you, I've learned from Mike. And Mike was pretty
steeped in Seventh-day Adventists. And this is what we were talking
about, this religious people. And they don't believe in election.
They believe in something that's kind of a line that lines, but
they don't believe in sovereign election. That means God chose
the people for himself. They still believe that there's
a certain amount of righteousness you can earn by going out and
doing good works. They still believe that if you
worship on Saturday, you're worshiping on the right day, and that's
proof that you're saved. They still believe in those kinds
of things. I had this conversation about the
group of religious people who don't believe in election, possibly
because they had not been taught. This is what the person was telling.
It's possible, John, that these folks are Christians. They just
haven't learned about election yet. The guys teaching up there
at that church, they can't teach about election. They don't know
about it. But they could be Christians still. They might still be Christians. I say to this, to that, yes,
you're right, they might. But they're not gonna learn anything
about God the Almighty in that church, not being taught about
election. Election is taught from every
page in this Bible. God chose a people unto himself
before the world was. That's what we read in Ephesians
chapter one. They were predestinated unto him. Maybe their teacher,
she said, doesn't know about election. God has not taught
them of this vital doctrine, is what I was told. And just
because they don't know doesn't make them reprobate. I say that's
true. I never called them a reprobate.
I just called their religion false. I call their doctrine
a lie. And I'll tell you this right
now, just like I said last week, God Almighty, He who is truth
does not save his people under the preaching of lies. He will
call them out of that doctrine. He will call them out of that
religion and bring them to the truth of his son, the Lord Jesus
Christ, through his word. You say, well, you sure about
that, John? If you belong to God, he will not leave you in
a false religion. Look over Romans chapter 10.
Very familiar verses for you, but we're going to look at it
and I want you to read along with me on it. Romans chapter
10. Look at verse 13 with me if you would. In Romans chapter
10, verse 13, we read, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the
Lord shall be saved. Did you know you can't call upon
the name of the Lord without the Spirit doing a work in your
heart? Scripture's very clear about that. Without the Spirit
of God in you, you can't call the Lord Lord. Oh, there's a
lot of people who use the word Lord when they talk about their
Jesus, but he's not Lord to them. They make themselves out to be
Lords when they say, my will is above God's. Verse 14, how
then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe? How
are you going to believe in the true and living God if you're
hearing about some God, some God of your own imagination who
has no power to do anything? How are you going to believe
in one that you've not heard about? How shall they believe
in him in whom they have not heard is what it says, and how
shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except
they be sent? As it is written, how beautiful
are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring
glad tidings of good things. But they have not all obeyed
the gospel, as it says in verse 16. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who
hath believed our report? Who is it that believes our report?
Lord, I've been preaching your word, the sovereign grace of
Jesus Christ my Lord, and there's nobody listening to me. Who then
believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing,
verse 17, and hearing the word of God, the word of truth. But
I say, have they not heard? Yes, verily their sound went
throughout all, into all the earth, and their words unto the
ends of the world. But I say, did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke
you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by foolish
nation I will anger you. But Isaias is very bold, and
saith, I was found of them that sought me not. I was made manifest
unto them that asked not after me. But to Israel, he saith,
all day long I have stretched forth my hand unto a disobedient
and gainsaying people. Now let's go on into chapter
11, verse 1. Paul writes, he says, I say then,
hath God cast away his people? God forbid. Now listen, we're
talking about election. Paul then goes, for I am an Israelite
of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not
cast away his people, which he foreknew. What ye know not what
the scriptures saith of Elias, how he maketh intercession to
God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets,
and dig down thine altars, and I am left alone, and they seek
my life. What saith the answer of God
unto him? I have reserved to myself. See, Isaiah, or Elias, he had
no idea. He thought he was all alone.
He had no idea there were more, but look what our Lord tells
him. He says, I have reserved unto myself 7,000 men who have
not bowed to need of Baal, into the image of Baal. Even so then,
at this present time also, there is a remnant according to the
election of grace. Now look with me over, you would,
at the bulletin. We have our bulletin today. Look
at the verses on the front of the bulletin here. The Lord had
sent out, no, I'm sorry, that's a different one. And the disciples
came and said unto him, why speakest thou unto them in parables? The
Lord had began teaching in parables. Why are you talking to these
folks in parables? And he answered and he said unto
them. Now listen to the Lord's answer to his disciples. because it is given unto you. That's the title of my message
today. We're talking about the privilege that you and I have
to come here to this little place that God has provided for us.
To those of you who are joining with us on your computers, what
a blessing that God has given us electronic devices that we
can communicate to each other at such a far distance. I can't
imagine what it would be like for Cheryl or Shirley or any
of these other ones online who have no gospel preacher anywhere
near them. What would it be like to sit
there in their house and listen to a recording all day? It'd
be better than nothing. But here, God has given us the
ability to reach out to these folks and spend time talking
with them, fellowshipping with them. We were designed to fellowship,
folks. I know we've all heard of hermits.
Those are far and few between. Most of us have to have somebody
to talk to, don't we? We're designed for that. What
a blessing the Lord has given us. Because of our Lord's grace,
because of His love for people, because of His love for us, those
of us, unto us, because it is given unto you to know the mysteries
of the kingdom of heaven. Given unto you! Giving unto me,
giving unto all of his children when they hear the gospel preached.
But then it says this, look what it says right there at the end.
But to them it is not given. Oh, I love to tell you about
how blessed we are, folks. Why are we blessed? Because it
could be us right there at the end of that verse. It could be
you. In fact, we were just like that. But to them, it is not given. The truths of God's Word must
be revealed by God. Natural man cannot perceive his
truths. They cannot see the truths of
God, for the truths of God are enmity with the natural man.
That's what Scripture says. It's enmity. Enmity against God
the Apostle Paul declares there are people zealous for God going
about establishing their own righteousness Look over look
over at the same chapter of Romans chapter 10 this time look at
verses 1 through 4 Brethren my heart's desire and prayer to
God for Israel is that they might be saved for I bear their records
that they have a zeal a devotion You talk about religious people
The Jewish people are very religious. They are religiously wrong, but
they're very religious. They have a zeal of God, but
not according to knowledge. For they, those who have no knowledge,
who have not had the revelation of God's word given to them,
for those who have not had a new heart that can understand the
truth of God's word, they being ignorant of God's righteousness
and going about... Now, this is the two religions
in all the world, folks, right here. This is it. You have God's righteousness
and you have man's righteousness. And anything you try to do is
trying to establish your own righteousness. God's people rest
in Christ and in Christ alone. He is our righteousness. Our
only righteousness. Don't look at the flesh here
standing before you for any righteousness. Look to my Savior. He's perfect
and He's for me. And if He's your Savior, you're
just as perfect as He is. going about to establish their
own righteousness, having not submitted themselves unto the
righteousness of God. Not all who claim the title of
Israel are Israel. Some are imposters. Some have
crept into God's church. The gathering, that's what the
word church means. It means the gathering, the congregation,
God's people coming together. They crept into the gathering
of God's people and they were ordained of old to do so as we
read in the book of Jude. God Himself, He allowed them,
He allows them to sneak into the church. He allows them to
come in and corrupt His Word. And that's what the church of
today has done. And have done ever since the
day the Lord Jesus walked this earth. They have corrupted His
Word by saying, you must do this. God's done all He can. He's not
powerful enough to do the rest. You have to do it for Him. That
angers me, because that is not the God of this Bible. Our Lord
walked by the seashore and he said, come follow me. You think those men were idiots?
They were very smart men. They knew their profession well.
And they got up immediately and left it, because the power of
God spoke to their hearts, just as he spoke to each and every
one of ours. Ask her. Where are you going today, hon?
Where are you going? I'm going to church. Why? I don't know. Isn't that what I said to you? I don't know. The power of God
was calling us to His church to hear His Word. He does the
same thing today. It's no different than when He
first called us. He's calling us today, come!
Hear My Word preached! Rest in Me, He says to us. Your
peace is in Me, He says to us. And He says that through the
preaching of His Word. Oh, how I have learned more and
more and more about that as the Lord has given me opportunity
and inspired me to study more and more in His Word. Rest in
Him. If I'm learning anything more,
it's this, that everything I do just messes things up. Folks,
there are some in the world And this may be hard for you to hear.
You may have some very, very close relatives, friends, who
are going to a church that depends on you to do something for your
salvation. I don't know if my mom knew the
Lord. Does that shock you? My mom talked about things. Oh,
she claimed to be a Calvinist and believed in the five points
of Calvinism. You can believe in the five points of Calvinism
and not be saved, folks. Calvinism doesn't save you. Jesus
Christ is our Savior. He is our Lord. Believe in Him. But I'll tell you this. I'll
tell you this. If you believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ, every point of those five points of Calvinism are
true. The doctrines of total depravity,
unconditional election, Limited atonement and irresistible calling. Perseverance of the saints will
not save you. Christ Jesus, our Lord, the Son
of the living God, is the only salvation, but you cannot teach. You cannot teach Christ and Him
crucified without teaching those very truths. Let me prove it
to you. Why did Christ need to be crucified? Because you're
so depraved, you can't do anything for your salvation. You're so
depraved that you're dead in trespasses and sin. You can't
do anything perfect. And salvation must be provided
perfectly. The law must be met perfectly. And our God has met that perfectly
for us. Unconditional election. God chose
us from before the world was. Before anything was ever created,
our names were written in the Book of Life. We were chosen
in Christ. The covenant between God the
Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit was, I'll give
you a people, you save them, and the Spirit will call them
out of the darkness. Limited atonement. You cannot
preach of Christ and Him crucified if you preach that Christ went
to the cross and died for everybody. And then people go to hell. That
means your Christ is worthless. The Christ of Scripture accomplished
everything He purposed. And dying on the cross, He went
there for the purpose, and that purpose was to save His people.
We are saved perfectly in Him. Irresistible calling. Those of
us who have been called by God know for a fact. Know for a fact. We know for a fact. We would
have never come to God if He hadn't called us. You know it. If you belong to Him, you know
it. You can't preach Christ and Him crucified if you don't preach
the irresistible calling and perseverance of the saints. You
can't preach Christ and Him crucified if you think that God died for
everybody and some go to hell. If you think that God would lose
anything, then your God is weak and worthy of nothing. You cannot
preach Christ and Him crucified without teaching those truths.
These truths are revealed unto you. What an honor. What a privilege. What a privilege it is that we
have that God would call us out of darkness and give us the light
of His Son in our heart. Look over with you if you would
at Luke chapter 10. We're going to turn to four different
sections of scripture here real quick. So if you would, turn
over to Luke chapter 10 and read a couple of verses forth with
me, if you would. It's beginning at verse 18. Luke
chapter 10, beginning at verse 18, and he said unto them, I
beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Now, the Lord had
sent 70 men out to go preach the gospel, and they had left
the Lord, he had gone about his way teaching and stuff, and they
had gone out into Jerusalem and began to teach and preach that
Jesus Christ and him crucified, and he gave them power. Look
at verse 19, he says, I behold, I give unto you power to tread
on serpents, and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy,
and nothing shall by any means hurt you." So he's given them
power to cast out devils, to do whatever is needed to be done
to prove that they were sent of God. Do you know he's given
you that power? Paul of Mary, did you know you
had that much power? You do. Every time, every time
you turn away from some tempting sin, that crosses your mind,
you are tossing out a devil. You are tossing out a demon that
is working within yourself. God has given you the power to
do that. If you quit smoking, let's say
you smoke, can you quit smoking? I quit smoking, did you see that?
I quit smoking by the power of God, in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus, I don't
drink anymore. In the name of Jesus, I don't
get mad at people anymore. That's tossing out demons. God's
given us the power to turn away from our sins, and that's the
same as tossing out demons in our own life. Does that mean
we're gonna do it real good? No, that's not what I said. Are
we gonna do it as well as the Lord Jesus Christ did it? No,
that's not what I said either. God has given us that very same
power to turn away from our sins. Go on with me, if you would.
Look at verse 20. Notwithstanding. I've given you
that power, he says, but notwithstanding, notwithstanding, not counting
that in this, he says, in doing those things, rejoice not. Since I met Jesus, I've started
doing this. Rejoice not, he says to you.
Then he goes on and says that the spirits are subject unto
you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. There's what we rejoice in. I
know people who love to tell you all about the sins that they've
conquered, the devils that they put away in their life, the changes
of their life that they put out. Our Lord says don't rejoice in
that. but rejoicing your Savior, the One who wrote your name in
the book in heaven. The One who put your name on
His breastplate, right next to His heart. Rejoicing Him that
your name is written in heaven. Verse 21, and in that hour Jesus
rejoiced in the Spirit. He said, I thank Thee, O Father,
Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from
the wise and prudent, and has what? Has put it out there so
that you could learn it? Has put it out there so that
you can study on it and figure it out on your own? No, it says,
thou hast revealed. Do you know when he was on the
road with the two men to Emmaus, He had to reveal His Scripture
to them. He had to open His Scriptures
up to their understanding. And you know what was He opened
up in the Scriptures? All the things pertaining to
Himself. That's the preaching of the Gospel. That's what we
do every time we come together. We open up God's Word and we
expound on His Word pertaining to the things of our Savior Jesus
Christ. and has revealed them unto babes,
it says, even so, father, it seemed good in thy sight. All
things are delivered unto me of my father, and no man knoweth
who the son is but the father, and who the father is but the
son, and he whom the son will reveal. And he turned to his
disciples. Now, did you catch that? Look
at the next word. And he said privately. He said
privately. He said privately. Blessed are
your eyes. I wanted to preach a message
this morning on the privilege that we have. I hope God's Word,
I hope it's reaching out and grabbing a hold of you and shining
how privileged we are to know God. Because there's a whole
lot of people out here just like us, sinners, who have no idea
who they are. and are going to go through that
door marked death and go to hell. Blessed are your eyes which see
these things that ye see, for I tell you that many prophets
and kings have desired to see those things which ye see and
have not seen them, and to hear those things which ye hear and
have not heard them. Now look over at chapter 11,
just one page to the right. Over in Luke chapter 11, we read
in verse 27, And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain
woman of a company lifted up her voice and said unto him,
Blessed is the womb, this is talking about Mary, blessed is
the womb that beareth thee, and the path that thou hast sought.
And the Lord stopped right there and said, Now wait a minute,
but he said in verse 28, Yea, yea, Rather than that, blessed are
they that hear the word of God and keep it. Woo! There we go. See how privileged
we are? See how blessed we truly are?
Folks, all that stuff over there in that other building is just
stuff. It's just stuff. We have Christ. That's everything. Who cares about all that other
stuff? Is it uncomfortable? Have you
thought recently about how uncomfortable it would be if we lost all power,
electricity, and everything? Now, I know, Cody, you and your
mom know a little bit about how to do that. We're coming up to
live with you guys' bad habits, by the way. Everything, lose
power, and all of a sudden, you got nothing. Worst thing for
me was I wouldn't be able to get up and take a hot shower
in the morning. I got to take a hot shower. I love hot showers. I'll
stand in a hot shower for hours. You know, warm food, that's kind
of cool, too. A little bit of water that's
not contaminated, that's all right, you know. Hot shower,
though, and pie. Gotta have pie. Blessed are your
ears, for they that hear the word of God and keep it. Turn over to the book of John.
Go to the right, if you would, just a few pages of John, chapter
20. Look with me at a couple verses there. We won't be much
longer, folks. I'm on page three, and I've only got three and a
half pages, so. Over in John chapter 20, look with me if you
would, beginning at verse 24. We just looked at this just recently.
But I want you to see the wonders, the privilege, the honor that
you and I have looking to God in faith, believing because He
has said so, believing because He has given you and I The gift
to believe. Thomas, verse 24, but Thomas,
one of the 12 Chaldeans, was not with them when Jesus came.
Now, Jesus had just revealed himself, he had risen from the
dead, the tomb was empty, and Thomas was not with the other
disciples, as it says there. Then, verse 25, it says, the
other disciples therefore said unto him. They had gone back,
and now Christ had gone to reveal himself to some others, and Thomas
come wandering along. Whoo! What's going on, guys?
What are you all so happy for? Buddy, I'm telling you, the Lord
has risen. The other disciples therefore
said unto him, unto Thomas, we have seen the Lord. But he, Thomas,
said unto them, hell yeah, right, except I shall see his hands,
the print of the nails, and put my finger in the nails and thrust
my hand into the side, I'm not going to believe. Remember what
I talked about? That could be you and I. That
could be exactly John Reeves, could be right there doing the
same thing. If it wasn't for God's loving hand, I would be
right there doing that same thing, saying, I'm not going to believe.
Verse 26, And after eight days again his disciples were within,
and Thomas was with them this time. And then came Jesus, the
doors being shut, stood in the midst, and he said, Peace be
unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, now he knew the other ones had
seen him. He's going to prove himself to Thomas now. He's going
to reveal himself to Thomas. Reach hither thy finger, and
behold mine hand. And reach hither thine hand,
and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, be not unbelieving,
but believing. And Thomas answered and said
unto him, My Lord, my God. Now look what Jesus responds
to him. In verse 29, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou
hast believed. Are you and I privileged? Do
we have an honor? Are we honored by God to be able
to come out of the world and come here and worship Him in
truth and in spirit? Oh, I don't know about you, but
I sure am. Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed. Let's look at one more, if you
would. Turn over to 1 Peter chapter 2. In 1 Peter 2, we begin at
verse 1. Therefore, laying aside all malice,
and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that
ye may grow thereby. If so be that ye have tasted
that the Lord is gracious, to whom coming as unto a living
stone disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious.
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up with a spiritual house
and holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices accepted
to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained
in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a cheap cornerstone,
elect, precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be
confounded. Unto you, therefore, which believe,
he is precious. But unto them which be disobedient,
the stone of the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of
the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to
them which stumble at the word, being disobedient, whereunto
also they were appointed. But ye, ye, us, usward, those
of us who God has honored with his love, those of us who have
the privilege of knowing the true and living God and his truth. Those of us who have been given
the honor to come together and worship him in spirit and in
truth are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation
of peculiar people. that ye should show forth the
praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness." Did you
notice who our praises are for? Isn't that what we read back
there in Luke? Isn't that what we read? Don't
be all rejoicing in whatever devil you're throwing out. Rejoice
that your name is in heaven. Giving the praise to our Savior
Jesus Christ. that we should show forth the
praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His
marvelous light." I opened you through sharing my conversation.
That conversation that I had closed with this statement. My
friend told me, if I go to hell, it's my fault. If I go to heaven,
it's God's fault. That's what God's people do right
there. That's what we do. Folks, We who have been called
with a holy calling are warned over and over, beware, not just
of false teachings, not just of false prophets, but of ourselves
as well. We are told over and over again
that our old nature battles with our new. 2 Corinthians chapter
13 verse 5, we read these words, examine yourself. Examine yourself
whether ye be in the faith. The very faith that we just read
about a moment ago back in Luke, or back in John. Those who have
faith in Christ. Prove your own selves. Know ye
not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you. Take
no confidence in what you do, what you feel. Repent from your
repentance. Turn to Christ and turn to Him
alone. Our rest is in Him, and it is
in Him alone. He is either our all in all,
or He is not God at all. Now I want you to go back and
look one more time with Luke chapter 10 with me, if you would.
Back to Luke chapter 10. In verse 19, behold, he says,
I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and
over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means
hurt you. notwithstanding in this, in those
gifts that God has given us to tread on serpents and scorpions,
in the fact that He has given us power over the enemy, the
power to turn away from self and to turn to Him, and nothing
shall by any means hurt us, notwithstanding in this, rejoice not that the
spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice because your
names are written in heaven. What an honor. What an honor
that we have. This is what it is to glorify
our Lord and Savior, folks. Giving Him credit. Giving Him
the glory. Giving Him the glory for all
of our salvation. I know that I would not come
to Him, and because He knew that, He came to me. He came to each
and every one of us. When we were running from Him,
shaking our fist at Him, saying, I will not have the sovereign
Lord rule over me. And then He shows us that He
already does, whether we want Him or not. I am God, He says,
there is none other. We give Him the credit for any
works that we do. We give Him the credit for any
good thoughts that we might have. The honor that I have to come
here out of the world and worship Him, because of Him. Give Him the
glory. Rejoice not in the good works
God has given unto you, but rejoice in Him, rejoice in His works,
and teach those that you have been given to teach His grace.
Rejoice because your names are written in Heaven. Amen.