It's on the inside middle page,
the bottom right hand side. It's an article written by Pastor
Donnie Bell, a man who has come to this pulpit several times.
A very, very wonderful man, a good preacher. And he titles his article, Redemption. Redemption is the ransom of chosen
sinners out from under the curse of God's broken law and offended
justice by the sacrificial substitutionary sin atoning death of our Lord
Jesus. Redemption is the satisfaction
of justice by the blood of Christ in the deliverance of God's elect
from all possibility of condemnation. The redemption of our souls by
Christ's shed blood also includes and guarantees the redemptive
deliverance of our souls from the bondage and the dominion
of sin, and the redemption of our bodies from the grave at
the time of resurrection. All who are redeemed by the blood
of Christ must and shall be saved by God's grace in Him. Once again, good morning. Good
to have you folks with us today. This day, the world is involved
in a great celebration. Many consider it as a holy day. A day to concern ourselves with
what the world believes is the time our Lord was resurrected
from the dead. They call it Easter Sunday. They even call the Friday before
this day Good Friday. I was talking with Pastor Kevin
Thacker about that yesterday. I said, you know what I think
of Good Friday? He goes, what? It comes right
after Good Thursday. It comes right before Good Saturday. And then right after that comes
the Sunday, and then we've got good Monday, good Tuesday, and
good Wednesday. So it just keeps right on going. We, too, are celebrating this day. It's
the first Sunday of the month. That's the day we get to eat
potluck. And we do it every Sunday, first Sunday of every month.
Well, almost every Sunday. Occasionally, we take a break
from it, like when we have a conference or a special meeting the week
before. And so it's not every first Sunday,
but usually we get together once a month and eat. And that's a
wonderful time. I like pie, as you all well know. And if anybody was looking underneath
this pulpit, you could tell. We are celebrating today the
first Sunday of the month where we get to eat potluck and then
afterwards, Lord willing, we have another short message to
prepare our hearts for coming to the table. The
table of remembrance. Twice a month we gather together
and we participate in what our Lord instituted as called the
Lord's Supper. And I'm sharing this with you
because of this. God's people celebrate a risen Lord sitting
on His throne right now and every day of the year. I don't wait
for one day of the year when the world thinks they know about
the date that He arose from the dead. I was looking at some pictures
of family member somewhere else
in the United States, and we'll just leave it at that, and they
were so excited and so blessed with the time that they got to
spend in Jerusalem. Oh, it was just, it was such
a a peaceful and religious experience that I can't even put into words.
And she was standing in front of a hole in a wall that they
say is the tomb of the Lord Jesus. And there's people in line to
go to this hole in the wall. And what are they doing? They're
calling it a religious moment, a religious experience. And to
be quite honest with you, what they're doing is they're worshiping
a hole in the ground. Look how close I am to God where
He walked this very moment. Look how close I am to God right
here. The book that talks about Him.
It's a hymn book. And it talks about the Lord Jesus
Christ from beginning to end. In our second message, we're
going to look at that a little bit. Every day is a day to consider
this point of the resurrected Christ. Not a day goes by that
I don't think of the blessings of my Lord as my substitute.
Do you go through a day where you don't see your own sin? I don't. Because I sin every day. The only time I can lay in my
bed and say, Lord, I thank You that I haven't sinned yet, is
before I open my eyes and become aware of what's going on in the
world. After that point there, I can't thank Him for that anymore.
I have sinned. It's what I am. It's what every
person is. We are sin. We sin because we
are sinners. And because we are sinners, we
need a Redeemer. So as I go through every day
of my world in today's world, I thank my Lord for the blessings
that He has given me as being my substitute, redeeming me from
the cost of my sin. I think of my Lord as He became
flesh for me. God Almighty came down from heaven
and became man. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was manifest in the
flesh. Great is the mystery of godliness.
God was manifest in the flesh. And He did it for me. How can
I not be thankful for that? How can you not be thankful for
that if He did it for you? Not a day goes by that I'm not
thankful for my Lord and His righteous walk for me. Because
if it wasn't for His righteous walk for me, I would be doomed. If it was not for the fact that
He was made sin for me, then I wouldn't be made righteous
in Him, and I cannot be in the presence of God Almighty unless
I am as righteous as His Son. And when you get up in the morning
as a child of God, one who has received a new heart, one who has received the truths
of God's Word, and you think about that love
that God had for you, the love that brought God down
from heaven in the flesh so that He could die, so that He could
shed His own blood for you, for me. I think of my Lord in providing
Himself as my sacrifice. I think of my Lord in taking
all of my sin into the grave. He laid down His own life. Nobody
took it from Him. Wicked hands crucified Him, absolutely. But it was by the determined
counsel of God Almighty. It was by His determinant counsel,
not the men. Folks, we worship a God who rules
everything. Everything. He knows the hairs
on our head. He rules it all. I think of my
Lord's resurrection from the grave. Not only did He lay down
His life, He had the power to take it up again. That's the
power of God. The world wants to say that Jesus
went to the grave, shed His blood for all mankind. It's called
universal redemption. Well, if that's the case, your
God is weak and unworthy. The God of this Scripture right
here is not weak. He has all strength, all power,
and all glory go to Him. and His blood was effectual in
every way, and I stand on that, I have assurance in that. Do
you? I tell you, if He's called you
out of the darkness that you once walked in, not knowing Him,
and revealed Himself to your heart, to your spirit, you stand
on the same assurance. Salvation is of the Lord. I think about my Lord's ascension,
His resurrection, and what He's doing now. How can you not help
but think about where He is right now, especially when your flesh riles up and says
a word that you know you shouldn't have said? Or your flesh riles up and your
mind thinks about something you shouldn't have thought. A child of God knows that our
Lord and Savior is sitting on His throne right now ruling over
everything. He's not coming back to this
earth to sit on a throne here on this earth made by hands.
He's sitting on the throne made by God Almighty. With all power
in heaven and earth. And in things under the earth. I think of these points, the
points of His grace. You see, that's what it's all
about, grace. Unmerited favor. We don't deserve anything. We
can't earn anything. I don't care how good a person
you are. I don't care how good a person your grandmother was. If she
doesn't know the Lord Jesus Christ, she's in hell. Well, some of you grandmothers
are still living, so I apologize. I didn't mean it that way. I'm
old. Mine have gone on to be wherever
they're at. Because of His grace for me,
because of His love for me, I think of Him every day, not one day
a year. Every day is where His grace
is greater than my sin. Turn with me, if you will, once
again to 1 Thessalonians chapter 2. And while you're turning to
1 Thessalonians, allow me just to put forth some thoughts that
we've gone through for the last few Sundays. Paul is writing
from prison. And he's writing to the church
at Thessalonica that called out. That's what the word church means.
Did you know that? This building is not a church. It's a church
building. It's a church house. It's a house where the people,
the church, come together to worship the Lord Jesus Christ.
We were called out of the world. under the preaching of His gospel.
The gospel of Jesus Christ in Him crucified and risen again
on the third day sitting on His throne. Paul is encouraging, thanking
this church of Thessalonica. Notice in verse 4 of chapter
1, Knowing, brethren, beloved of your election." That's the
called out. In verse 6, he calls them the
followers of the Lord. Those who faithfully follow the
Lord. How do they faithfully follow
the Lord? Because the Lord is faithful to draw them to Him.
In verse 5, we read and spoke about the Word in power. How
the power of God comes to the people of God with power. Not
with weakness. Not with the weakness waiting
for you to do something, but with the power of God that draws
you to Him. Brings you to Him. You say, well,
does He bring me kicking and screaming? No. No. when the Lord calls one of
His people. It's like a blind man who can
see. All of a sudden we see. It's
like going into a room and turning the light on. And you see all
the furniture was there. It was so dark you couldn't see
anything a moment ago. Now you see the furniture. A blind man
now sees, I was blind just a moment ago. The revelation of God shows
me that a moment ago I was standing in darkness, lost in my own sin
of who I am. And all of a sudden now I see the
power of God in His Word and the truth of His Word. We then spoke about how the Thessalonians
turned from their idols that they had once served in verse
9. They had turned from the idols of their flesh. Oh, I made a
decision for Jesus. You think that's new today? No. The nature of man has not changed,
folks. We think maybe we're a little
more sophisticated today because we have all these fancy things
that God has allowed us to put together and come up with different
things, you know, like cars, airplanes, putting hearts in
one person from another. The hearts of men have not changed. People today come into this world
just as they did back then, dead in trespasses and sin. It takes
the power of God to show you what you are before God. You
don't make a decision on it. In fact, the truth about God's
Word is actually foolishness to the natural man. How can they
know it? And then we talked about being
delivered from the wrath to come in verse 10. Folks, I'll tell
you. I'll tell you. Today is the day of salvation. If you're sitting here today
and the first time you have heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ and
the love that He has for His people, and you're saying, that makes
more sense to me than anything I've ever heard any preacher
say, It's not this guy in front of you saying that to your heart,
it's Jesus Christ Himself talking to the hearts of His people.
I'm just a man. It takes the Spirit of God to
move a heart. Today we turn to chapter 2, and
I'd like to read, if you would with me, verses 1 through 12. Chapter 2 of 1 Thessalonians,
beginning at verse 1. For yourselves, brethren, know
our entrance. Now this is Paul, once again,
speaking to these very ones. He says, for yourselves, brethren,
know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain. It was
not useless. Trust me, when the Lord Jesus
Christ By His power opens your heart. You see the power of God,
the true power of God. They knew that the words that
Paul had said when he brought the message to them was not in
vain. They knew that it was the power
of God touching their heart. But even after that, Paul says
in verse 2, we had suffered before and we were shamefully entreated
as you know at Philippi. We were bold in our God to speak
unto you the Gospel of God with much contention. The world hates
the Gospel of Christ because it takes away the will of men.
You know why the Israelite priests were so angry about these preachers
in the book of Acts, John and Peter? You know what made them
so angry? We can't have that. We can't have these two guys,
these unlearned men, come into the synagogues and preach Jesus
Christ and Him crucified. Why? Because it revealed that
they were using their own power. That they were using the authority
as ministers and priests to manipulate the people. See, the story of Jesus Christ
and Him crucified is free grace. All the other religions require
you to do something. How do you think that guy on
TV, who keeps asking people every Sunday morning, just send me
your money, just send me... What do you think keeps him going?
People sending him money. They're doing something. They're
doing something for their salvation. The gospel of Christ is free.
There's nothing you can do. He comes to you and gives it
to you, and when He gives it to you, it's a good thing. I know once I was blind, but
now I see. Verse 3, For our exhortation
was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile, but as we were
allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak,
not as pleasing men, but God which trieth our hearts. For
neither at any time use we flattering words, as ye know, nor cloak
of covetousness. God is witness. nor of men sought
we glory." They didn't look for the glory of men. Paul didn't
preach for the glory of men, he preached for the glory of
Christ. That's what the Gospel of Christ is all about. It's
about giving Him the glory for everything. Salvation is of the
Lord. Religions in today's world, they
want to bring you, if you'll just make a decision, then you
can be saved. If you'll just pray the prayer,
then you can be saved. If you'll just worship on Saturday,
then you can be saved. Hogwash! If Christ will come into your
heart and be merciful to you, then you will be saved. That's what happened to me. Isn't
that what happened to you? Through the preaching of His
Word, He opens the hearts of lost sinners. He says, I am God,
and I have died for you, and you see the love of God for you.
How can you not love Him back? How can you not turn willingly
to a God who willingly gave Himself for you? did they seek glory, neither
of you nor yet others, when we might have been burdensome as
the apostles, verse 6, of Christ, and verse 7. But we were gentle
among you, even as a nurse cherishes her children. So being affectionately
desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you not
the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were
dear unto us. For you remember, brethren, our
labor and travail for laboring night and day, because we would
not be chargeable unto any of you. We preached unto you the
gospel of God. Ye are witnesses, and God also,
how holy and justly and unblameable we behaved ourselves among you
that believe. And you know how we exhorted
and comforted and charged every one of you as the Father hath
done His children. that ye would walk worthily of
God who hath called you unto his kingdom. Now Paul gives us
an account of his ministry among the Thessalonians by expressing
his deep personal regard for them and his thanksgiving to
God for them, encouraging them in their faith, their trials,
and their afflictions for the sake of the gospel. He reminds
them of his tenderness, his compassion and faithfulness in ministering
to them. Exhorting them also to walk in
a manner of life that is worthy of their holy calling. And we
are in this world, but not of this world. Hold your place here in 1 Thessalonians
and look over at Philippians chapter 3. That would be to the
right if you would. Nope, wait a minute. Nope, wrong
way. Left. Philippians chapter 3. We are not of this world, folks.
If God has called you out of darkness, this world is no longer
for us to be. It's a shadow of death. It's
a valley of shadow of death. Why is it a valley of shadow
of death? Because death no longer has its hold on me. My Lord died
for me. He conquered death. Where is
the sting of death for a child of God? Philippians chapter 3, look at
verses 17 through 21. Brethren, be followers together
of me and Mark, them which walk so as ye have us. For an example,
for many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell
you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.
whose end is the destruction, whose God is their belly, and
whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. For
our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for
the Savior, the Lord Jesus, who shall change our vile body, that
it may be fashioned. like unto His glorious body according
to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things
unto Himself." Does that give you a picture of somebody weak? Does that give you a picture
of some Jesus who's waiting for you to do something? No. The picture of a weak Jesus are
those who are enemies of the church. Those who are enemies
of the cross of Christ. Those who feel that it is something
they must do to add to the salvation of God's children. Now once again, go to the left
and look to 1 Corinthians chapter 7. Just before the book of Romans. 1 Corinthians chapter 7. Look with me if you would at
verses 29 and 31. But this I say, brethren, the
time is short. It remaineth that both they that
have wives be as though they had none, and they that weep
as though they wept not, and they that rejoice as though they
rejoiced not, and they that buy as though they possessed not,
and that they that use this world are not abusing it, for the fashion
of this world passeth away." This world is not my home. I'm
just passing through. Heaven's not my home. Lord, what
will I do? Back to our text in 1 Thessalonians. As Abraham was, so are we. You recall the story of Abraham.
He was a Canaanite. And the Lord called him out of
that. He says, where do you want me
to go, Lord? Don't worry about it. I'll show you the way. And Abraham continued to go from
place to place to place. Every time he'd go somewhere,
the Lord would show him the next place to go. And he lived in
tents. He dwelt in tents. And he kept
moving. This world is not our home. Our
home is in heaven. where the Lord Jesus Christ has
gone on to prepare mansions for us. Streets of gold that will
be enjoyed for an eternity in the presence of the Lord Jesus
Christ, the risen, exalted King. He was soldiers, tent dwellers. Abraham trusted the Word of God.
He trusted God at His Word. He was given the gift of faith.
In Ephesians 2 verse 8 and 9 we read this, "...for by grace are
you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is
a gift of God, not of works which any man should boast." These
dear folks in Thessalonica believed and lived as such. Their walk
was a walk of faith. Did they do good things? Yes,
they did. The world could see that they
were children of God by the good deeds that they did, but they
didn't do good deeds to be saved. He who began a good work in you
will complete it. I don't stand here before you
and tell you how to walk your life. God does that in His Word,
and He'll bring you to that walk. even if it's through trials and
tribulations and painful experiences. These folks had faith in God's Word that
it was true. Salvation from the wrath to come
is of the Lord. Look with me if you will Again,
continue to hold your place there in Thessalonians. We'll come
back to it. But turn over to Ephesians chapter 1 for a moment.
That's to the left. Right between Philippians and
Galatians. Ephesians chapter 1. Our Lord tells us in His Word
to hold fast to the simplicity of the Gospel. Too many men stand
before others and they try to preach a message, or I don't
even know if you want to call it preaching, and they make it
so deep and so, look how deep this goes into the Word. Do you
know the Gospel of Jesus Christ is so simple a child can understand
it? And it doesn't get any more simpler
than what we see right here in Ephesians chapter 1. Look at
verses 3 through 6. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ." All blessings come
from Him, don't they? Isn't that what we just read? Who hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. According as He hath chosen us
in Him, in Christ. We are chosen in Christ before
the foundation of the world, as it says. He's known as the
Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. God the Father
gave God the Son a people before a star ever twinkled in the skies.
And God the Son in the covenant of grace said, I will become
flesh and lay down my life for those people. Those sinners who
could not be in the presence of God because of sin, I will become sin for them, so
that they may become righteous in Me. According as He has chosen
in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestinated
us under the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according
to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of
His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved."
It's as simple as this. God the Father chose a people
for Himself. Look at verse 7. In whom? Speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ,
in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of
sins according to the riches of His grace. It's as simple
as this. God the Son redeemed His people
for Himself. Now look over at verse 1 and
again at verse 5 in chapter 2. And you hath He quickened, given
life, who were dead in trespasses and sin, who were blind in sins
and dead, He hath given life. Now look at verse 5. Even when
we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, By grace
you are saved. It's as simple as this. God the
Holy Spirit calls His people unto Himself. Now back in our
text in 1 Thessalonians. And look at verse 13. What a statement Paul is about
to make. 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse
13. for this cause." For the cause
that Paul was speaking about, and how they were witnesses unto
God also, and how holy and justly and unblameable that they had
behaved among themselves for those that believe. For this
cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received
the Word of God, which ye heard of us, now notice who gets the
glory here. You see, that's the child of
God. We seek to give God the glory for everything. Because
all glory will be His. Plain and simple. He will not
share it with another, saying that it is your decision to come
down and save yourself is stealing the glory from God. It's trying
to say, well, here's a little bit of glory for you, Lord, but
the rest is mine, because I'm going to make my own decision here. For this cause, writes Paul,
also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye, you folks, you
believers of the Lord Jesus Christ received the Word of God which
he heard of us, he received it not as the Word of men. Pastor
Gene stood here in this pulpit and preached, but it was not
him who spoke to John's heart that day when I heard the Gospel.
It was the Lord Jesus Himself. We experience grace We don't just hear about it from
a man standing before you. We experience His grace. What
I mean by that is we experience His love for us, but He sheds
abroad in our hearts the love that He laid down His life for
us. Oh! I know what I deserve. I experience
the grace of God in hearing about it in His Word. Ye received it not as the word
of men, and here's the title from a message today, but as
it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually
worketh also in you that believe. These dear folks in Thessalonica
believed and lived as such. Their walk was a walk of faith
that God's word is true. I don't need to change anything
in this book, and we know that there's religions out there that
do, don't we? Sprinkling. That's changing the
Word of God. The Word of God says baptism.
Baptismal. Baptisteo. Immerse. Sprinkling is not immersion. These folks Walk in faith that
God's Word is true. That's exactly what Abraham did.
Abraham took God for His Word and left Canaan. He went where the Lord told him
to go. Noah. Did not Noah spend all that time
building an ark that people laughed at him for? What's he doing, that crazy old
guy? He's over there putting a bunch
of sticks together. It's supposed to float or something? He's bigger than any of the houses
around here. And it took him a hundred years
or so to do this. Could you imagine how people
laughed at him? He did it in faith. Eight souls. were saved. How many do you think were outside
drowning in the day the Lord brought water on this earth? I've heard that there were more
on the earth of that day than there are here today. I don't
know how they come up with that, but it doesn't matter. I know
there were more than Verse 13 is perhaps the greatest
compliment Paul could have given these dear folks. Possibly the greatest blessing
that he could pray would come their way. Paul, without ceasing,
praises God that it is true of them. They heard the gospel of
Christ from Paul, but they did not only hear Paul, they heard
God. And they received the gospel
of God's glory, not in logic of men, but they received it
as the Word of God. Look at verse 5 of chapter 1,
one page back. What does it say? For our gospel came not unto
you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Ghost. The very one who calls his people.
The very one who gives life. The very one who gives life to
a poor dead sinner so that when Jesus says, Lazarus, come forth,
the power of God is exercised and Lazarus came forth. He didn't
sit in the tomb and say, oh yeah, maybe later. He came forth wrapped in his
death wrappings. They wrapped you up. That means
he had to float. Imagine how people thought about
that. The Lord said, loose him. Knowing, brethren, for our gospel
came not unto you in word only, but also in the power and in
the Holy Ghost. and in much assurance, as ye
know what manner of men we were among you for your sake." Folks,
God works through the preaching of His Word. We read in Romans
chapter 10, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord
shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him
in whom they have not believed, and how shall they believe in
Him in whom they have not heard? And how shall he hear without
a preacher? And when the Word is heard in
power as the Word of God, it works effectually. It works effectually
to the quickening of dead sinners and the enlightening of dark
minds. Henry Mahan wrote this, he said,
men need to cease from arguing Scripture and hear the Word of
the Lord. See, the problem is that natural man
cannot hear. They will not hear, for the wisdom
of God is foolishness to the natural man. The natural man
cannot see the truth of depravity." What do you mean telling me I'm
deprived? I've never hurt anybody. You know, I've actually been
a pretty good guy all my life. Isn't that what the young rich
man came to the Lord and said? Yeah, look at all the stuff that
I've done. What did the Lord tell him? Give up everything.
Give everything you have to the poor and follow Me. And he walked
away sad. Natural man cannot understand one sin, one wrong thought. Do you know what they say? When
you look at God's Word and you say, I can't believe in a God
who said that. He says, I have chosen you. You
have not chosen me. That's God's Word. Those who believe in universal
redemption are saying, that is not true. That's a sin. When you think that I don't need
a God, I'm doing just well on my own. That's a sin. That's
making yourself a God. That's making yourself more than
you are, and all we are is worms. Oh, wretched man that I am, Paul
says. A man who was used of God to
write so many books for him. Oh, wretched man that I am. Natural
man cannot see the truth in election. How dare you say to me that I
don't have a free will to make a decision? How dare you say
that only God's elect will be saved? How unfair is that? Who are we to talk against the
potter? Isn't that what scripture says? The potter has the right to make
vessels of mercy and vessels of wrath, and that's exactly
what God Almighty has done and is doing. We just don't know
that we're a vessel of mercy until the Lord calls us out and
says, get out of those guys with the wrath. I've already paid
that wrath for you. I've already taken that upon
me. You don't have to go through it again. Natural man cannot understand
the truth of limited effectual atonement. The Lord Jesus Christ
went to the cross and paid the price for His people in full. Sit down. Rest. Stop trying to
work for your salvation. Salvation is of the Lord. He
said it is finished. So listen to the Word of God.
It's finished. Natural man cannot see the truth
of irresistible grace. I was running from God and He
came to me with irresistible grace and showed me His love
for me. Why would I run from that kind
of love? Why are you running from that
kind of love? Because you haven't seen it yet.
You haven't experienced it yet. Because I guarantee you, when
you experience the love of Jesus Christ in your heart, you will
come to Him willingly. Not just come, but run. My dear wife, regrettably has
spent five years living with this man who stands before you,
not understanding why is he going to church every Sunday. The pastor
up there must be brainwashing him. Oh, and then the Lord began
to do a work in her heart. And she came. And by the power of God, He saved
her too. That's so awesome. The natural man cannot see the
persevering grace of God and keeping His people through it
all. and delivering them to Himself
for eternity. You want to see the Gospel this
morning? You want to see the Gospel in short form? You can
give me another five minutes, can't you? Look at Ephesians
chapter 2. Again. Ephesians chapter 2. Beginning at verse 2. No, let's just begin at verse 1.
And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sin.
Wow, there's a version right there. You can't get more simpler
than that. you who were dead in trespasses
and sin, he hath quickened, he hath made alive. Verse 2, there
in times past ye walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit
that now worketh in the children of disobedience. Verse 3, among
whom also we all had our conversation in times past. in the lusts of
our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind,
and we're by nature the children of wrath, even as others." And
here's the gospel, but God. That's it. There's the simplest
form of the gospel right there, but God. There's the good news. But God, God who is rich in mercy,
for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ by grace
ye are saved, and hath raised us up together and made us sit
together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come, He
might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness
towards us through Christ Jesus. Now look at verse 14-20 of chapter
2, 1 Thessalonians, back in our text. 14-20 and we'll close with
that. Knowing the truth, In the Word
of God, for ye brethren, it says in verse 14, brethren became
followers of the churches of God, which in Judea are in Christ
Jesus. For ye also have suffered like
things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews.
Folks, I'll tell you, I have a lot of family spread all over
this country. And one of my most favorite aunts
stuck her finger in my chest and said, I will not have that
Jesus rule over me. You will not take away my free
will, she said. You have suffered like things
of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews, who
both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets. and have
persecuted us, speaking of Paul, and they please not God and are
contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that
they might be saved, to fill up their sins always, for the
wrath has come upon them to the uttermost. But we, brethren,
being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart,
endeavored to more abundantly to see your face with great desire.
Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I, Paul, once
and again, but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope, or
joy, or crown of rejoicing, are not even ye in the presence of
our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory
and joy." Paul's talking about the wonderfulness of their belief. Their belief in the truth. Paul said, I don't want to know
anything of you. I don't want to know anything of you, save
Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And that's what he heard from
these very ones. What do the people of this world hear from
you? What do they hear from you? God help us. God help us to point them to
our Savior. Don't look at John Reeves. You
look at me and you're going to be sorely disappointed. Don't
look at yourself. We don't trust our faith. We have faith in the Lord Jesus,
but that's not where our trust is. Our trust is in the one who
is faithful, whose word is true. How do I know that? I just do. Do you? Stand with me