Our text this evening will be
in the book of Acts. It will be in chapter 13, but
I want to begin, if you would, by turning to chapter 2. The
Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2. Pastor Gene and I speak probably
five days a week for a little bit of time, not as much as I
used to driving to Sacramento in my work. I would drive for
45 minutes to the other side of Sacramento and so I always
spent that time in conversation with Gene. And our conversations always came
around to this. What an honor. You know, we could be doing a
whole lot of other things this evening. There's a whole lot
of stuff going on out there in the world that most of us have
walked in at one time or another and participated in. And what
an honor it is that God would bring us out of those things,
which are on a path to death. Everything will be destroyed
eventually. Sin in the world has caused the world to be cursed. There's a curse upon everything
that is in the world. It's all going to burn up in
the end. We could be on that very same
path, the path that we all have walked at one time or another.
But the Lord, in love, in grace, and in mercy, has chosen to shed
those three points on His people. What an honor. What a privilege
it is to preach that message, the Gospel message of Christ
and Him crucified for His people. It's a privilege and an honor
to be charged with declaring the Word of God, the Word of
Truth, and our Lord says in His Word, Woe unto those who bring
not this Gospel. The Lord has sent His Word to
be preached unto this valley of dry bones right here. This
little valley between the hills right here at Rescue. A little
place over in Marysville. Another place up in the Dalles,
Oregon. Another place down in San Diego. And I can't tell you how many
places back east, New Jersey being one. God has sent His preachers with that honor, with that privilege,
to preach to valleys of dry bones, to people of whom he will cause,
cause to hear his word. And through the preaching of
this glorious gospel, his glorious gospel, he will call them by
his spirit from the darkness of which they once walked in,
giving them life that they might live unto him. It says in Isaiah
46.11, Yea, I have spoken it, that's the word of God going
out. I will also bring it to pass, that's the power of God
making it happen. I have purposed it, that's the
will of God, of which no man can turn. He says, I will also
do it, and that's the assurance that God's people have that it
will be done. One of my favorite pieces of
scripture, and I repeat it and say it often, all that the Father
giveth me shall come to me. Not maybes, not ifs, but shall. God's word is true and it's sure.
In 1 Corinthians 1.18 we read this, for the preaching of the
cross is to them that perish foolishness. It's foolishness
to the world to tell them about a God who rules over everything,
including the will of men. A God who deserves, has earned,
and has the right to be called God. But unto us, unto us which are
saved, it is the power of God. In 1 Corinthians 1 verse 21 we
read it this way, For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world
by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching
to save them that believe. And then we read this in Luke
10 verse 21, In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and he said,
I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou
hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed
them unto babes. Even so, Father, for it seemed
good in thy sight. What an honor it is to stand
before lost sinners and preach the Word of God. Salvation is
of the Lord. What a responsibility it is to
preach the Word of God. I had a man here in this church
one time come and say, John, I'm not here
to join in on your parties, your party type attitude. Folks, this is a family reunion.
I'm sorry, but when this man got off the airplane, Him and
his wife. When this man was here, and we
got back with that Chinese food, and I got to see you and your
family, Kimberly for the first time, Clay, all of those who have traveled
here from so far. I can't tell you what love there
is in my heart for these people. I can't help but rejoice and
show my love for them when I see them. And it's that way every
Sunday morning when I see these two ladies sit down here in the
front. How wonderful it is to see you folks. Polly Mary, I'll
tell you, it's not easy for her to drive at night. Even though
she lives just a block down the road. I still think I should
drive you home, Polly. OK. All right. If you insist. My brother Bill, a man I dear
love. This is the same feeling I have
for you as I have for every one of God's people who come here
every Sunday or every Friday night. I could not wait to embrace
my brethren. And to the outside world, it
looks like it's a party. Look at those people. They're
having such a good time. But folks, the worshiping of
God, the worshiping of our Lord is a serious matter. Yes, I'm
thankful and just blessed to embrace you and hold you, but
this is, we're here for a reason. We've come all the way from wherever
it was we were, and I know Kathy and I are just across the walkway,
but we still had to come over here for a reason. We who know by revelation of
God what we are before a thrice holy God have come here for one
reason. It's to praise and worship the
one who loves us and gave himself for us. It's called a common
salvation. Are you over in the book of Acts?
Chapter 2. Read with me verses 41 through
47 if you would, please. Then they that gladly received
his word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto
them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly
in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of
bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul,
and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all
that believed were together, and had all things common. and
sold their possessions and goods and were parted them all, men,
as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with
one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to
house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
praising God and having favor with all the people. And the
Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." We
come to hear the message of substitution. These folks had one thing in
common. You know, Clay, I know a little bit about you, and I'm
ashamed to say I don't know more. We have not had much time to
spend together. The last three years, a couple of hours here
and a couple of hours there when we've been here for the conference. But I don't know what I have
in common with him but one thing. That's the common salvation.
It's not common as in something lowly and just common, like a
common penny. But it's common between Him and
I. It's the same message of salvation. It's the same message of Christ
in Him crucified. It's the same reason Pauli, Mary,
and Cheryl, and all the other members of rescue come down here
on Sunday and have with the one thing we have in common is the
message of Christ and His love for His people. It's substitution. I heard Henry
Mahan say that one time on a recording. I've actually never seen him
in person. But what a preacher that man
is. And he said it absolutely right. You can sum up if you could. Let me rephrase that. He said
if you could sum it up in one word, it would be substitution.
Sinners saved by the grace of God. By His grace and by His
mercy, He sent His Son into this world to be our substitute. To take our sins upon Him, He
who knew no sin, to be made sin, that we would be made righteous
in Him. And that story is the same story
that Kathy and I just sung about. It's the same story that started
all the way back here in the beginning of this book. It's
all about Christ from cover to cover. Adam and Eve sinned. Adam willingly, with his eyes
wide open, said, I will not follow what God said. I'll eat of that
fruit because I love my wife and I will die with her. And all mankind, since that very
moment, have followed that nature. We all know what's right is from
wrong. That's why there are so many
different religions out there, so many different ways that people
think that they can make it right with God doing this or doing
that. It amazes me that people in old
times used to literally sacrifice young children, thinking that
that would appease their gods. That's how crazy. That's how
wild the imagination of man is. They'll come up with things like
that. Or even worse, they'll come up with things like, I don't
need a God. I don't do anything wrong. That's the way John was
for 40 years. How about you? How were you before
the Lord opened your eyes and showed you what you were before
a thrice holy God? This is the message that every
prophet in the Old Testament, every preacher in the New Testament,
it's Paul's message that we see in Acts chapter 13. Would you
turn over there with me please? Acts chapter 13, Paul is preaching
the message that every one of God's preachers preach. This
is the message that Christ preached when He walked this earth. There
were two men on the road to Emmaus, and the Lord hid Himself from
them, and He preached to them from the Scriptures." What does
it say? He expounded unto them the words of God, the words of
the Old Testament, of all the prophets concerning Himself.
I love that. The first time I heard somebody
say, Christ preached Christ, wow! He did! Look with me if you would at
verse 26 of Acts. Take a look with me if you would
at verse 26 of Acts chapter 13. Men and brethren, Children of the stock of Abraham.
Now, we'll stop for there just a moment. Children. Children
of the stock of Abraham. Paul is addressing a certain
people. The stock of Abraham. Well, we
know what that is, don't we? That's the people of Israel. Read what it says next, though.
And whosoever among you feareth God. Who is this stock of Abraham? Well, the scripture calls them
the children of promise. In Galatians 4, 7, you don't
need to turn there, I'll read it for you. Wherefore thou art
no more a servant, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of
God through Christ. And then we also read in verse
28, Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. Folks, Israel is not physical
Israel. Israel is the spiritual Israel. We come into this world spiritually
dead. We have to be given life. When
God used the people of Israel, he used them as a picture of
his people throughout all time. We are heirs of Christ. We are
joint heirs with Christ. And we are the people of Israel.
But notice what's next. Whosoever among you feareth God.
Whosoever. Do not all mankind fear God? They fear some God, don't they?
They fear the wrath of some God, at least. Oh, how men fear the wrath of
God. Drives them to do things, just
like I mentioned a moment ago, about sacrificing children, sacrificing
young virgins, or worshipping trees. Or even worse, worshipping something that they
call God, who cannot be God at all. See, to be called God, you
have to have all power. That's all there is to it. Anything
less than all power is nothing more than a piece of imagination
that man has come up with. And that's what the God of this
world is, a figment of man's imagination. something or someone
that has been imagined to fit their needs, to fit their desires. Those who have a fear of God,
the ones that I was speaking of, those who, the whosoever
who fear God is talking about those who have a reverential
fear, or in other words, in awe. Picture this for just a moment,
if you would. If you were, okay, I'll just pick something, the
President of the United States, whichever one, doesn't matter
what name you want to put there, whatever one you think you'd,
what if the President of the United States showed up out in
front of your house today with all of his entourage and came
in and says, I'm going to sit down and eat with you. Would
you not kind of like, oh, wow, that's pretty cool. That's not quite what I'm talking
about, but it's a little teeny inkling of what I'm trying to
say. Reverential awe. How can I best say this? Two men went into a temple one
day. Two men went into a temple. And one stood before everyone
in the temple and he said, Lord, thank you, Lord, for not making
me like others. I give unto this, I do this,
and I do that. Thank you, Lord, for not making
me unto others. You know who had the reverential
fear of God? It was the man who was down on
his knees over there without even the ability to look up.
What did Moses do when he stood before God? He got on his face
in the dirt. Reverential fear is not fear
of God's judgment against you, but fear of the magnitude of
the One who is before me. Fear of the One who has all power
in heaven and earth. Fear of the One who can say this
in Psalms 33.8, let all the earth fear the Lord. Let all the inhabitants
of the Lord stand in awe of Him. Or in Proverbs 1.7, the fear
of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. We read in Psalms
86, 8 through 13, among the gods, the little gods, there is none
like unto thee, O Lord, neither are there any works like unto
thy works. All nations whom thou hast made
shall come and worship before thee, O Lord, and shall glorify
thy name. For thou art great and doest
wondrous things, thou art God alone. Teach me thy way, O Lord. I will walk in thy truth. Unite
my heart to fear thy name. Proverbs 3, 7, we read this.
Be not wise, and thine own eyes fear the Lord. See, this is the
problem with the world. We come into this world with
no reverential fear for God, the God of all creation. There
is no awe. He's just a common thing to the
people. Not common as in I was explaining
a moment ago between Clay and myself and those others here,
but common as in, ah, it's just a penny. We don't really need
it. They have no reverential fear
for the one that created everything. They have no awe, they have no
true understanding of who He is. Oh yeah, we have the fear of
punishment and we try to appease, at one time we tried to appease
whatever God likened unto our hearts, but foolishness is the
ways of men. We could not see the darkness
for our own sin and what it was. reverential fear we must be made
to have, made to revere God. It's called we must be born again
as the word of God declares it. Those who are chosen Those who
are loved of God before the foundation of the world are the ones given
life, given this reverential fear, this aweness of who He
truly is. And our awe of Him is by His
revelation. The book of God tells Christ
Himself was speaking to the apostles. He says, who do you say that
I am? Peter stood up and he said, you're the son of the living
God. And then the Lord said this very interesting thing to him. He says, blessed are you. Flesh
and blood hath not revealed that unto thee, but my Father in heaven.
Reverential fear must be revealed and it must be revealed by God.
As we read in that article from Don Fortner, it's preached by
God. It's given to us by God. It's
given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The blind will
see. The deaf will hear. The lame
shall walk. And this is the way he reveals
these things. Salvation is of the Lord. Hold
your place there and act. Actually, you're familiar with
these words. I'll just read it for you quickly.
In the beginning was the Word. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was
in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him,
and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was
life, and the life was the light of men, and the light shineth
in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not." Down in
verse 10 it reads this way, He was in the world, and the world
was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His
own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received
Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even
to them that believe on His name." The word of this salvation sent
is this. Look with me if you would at
verse 27 through 39 of chapter 13. We're talking about the word
of this salvation being sent to God's people. I think I missed
that part. So I'm going to back up for just
a second before we read on with verse 27. The men and brethren,
the children, the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth
God, it is to you You who feareth God, that the word of this salvation
is sent. And then we continue on in verse
27. For they that dwell at Jerusalem, speaking of the leaders, it says
next, of their rulers, because they knew not Him, they knew
not Christ, they knew not who the Christ was, they didn't even
know who God truly was, nor yet, as it says, the voices of the
prophets, they didn't even believe what the prophets were saying
about God. The very prophets that they read
from every Sabbath day, as it says, the very ones that they
read about, they turn and have fulfilled them in condemning
Him. I'll read that through now without
comment. For they that dwell in Jerusalem
and their rulers, because they knew Him not, nor yet the voices
of the prophets, which were read every Sabbath day, they, These
rulers, they have fulfilled them, the very words written, in condemning
him. And though they found no cause
of death in him, the Lord Jesus Christ yet desired a pilot that
he should be slain. This is the death, the crucifixion
of our Lord Jesus Christ right there. And when they had fulfilled,
in verse 29, all that was written of Him, they took Him down from
the tree and laid Him in a sepulcher. But God. Don't you love those
words? But God. Everything else in the
world around us can go on, but those words can bring comfort
to God's people. But God. But God raised Him from
the dead, and He was seen many days of them which came up with
Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses unto the
people. And we declare unto you, glad
tidings, how that the promise..." Remember, we looked earlier,
we are the children of promise. the stock of Abraham, how that
the promise which was made unto the father's God hath fulfilled
the same unto us, their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus
again, as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art
my son, this day have I begotten thee. And as concerning that
he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption,
he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of
David." You know what the mercies of David was? On David's deathbed, his mercies
were plainly spoken. Although my house be not so with
God, he has made a covenant with me. His name shall be called Jesus,
for He shall save His people. Verse 35, Wherefore, He saith
also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer, thine Holy One, to
seek corruption. Death could not hold our Lord,
for God Almighty was running through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Wherefore, he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer
thine holy one to see corruption. For David, after he had served
his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was
laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption. but the Lord Jesus, whom God
raised again, saw no corruption. Be it known unto you, therefore,
brethren, men and brethren, that through this man is preached
unto you the forgiveness of sins. And by him all that believe are
justified from all things from which ye could not be justified
by the law." by the law of Moses. Christ is our justification. If you thought for one moment
that you could fulfill the law, and even if you could, it still
wouldn't be good enough. Only the righteous blood of our
Lord and Savior can justify His people. Christ in Him crucified,
and raised again, sitting on the throne of all glory, working
all things out according to His counsel." Now look with me if
you would at verse 23 of this same chapter. Look back at verse 23 for just
a moment. Of this man's seed, of David's
seed, in verse 22, actually, Go back halfway through 22 where
it says, and said, I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man
after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will. Of this
man's seed hath God, according to his promise, raised unto Israel
a Savior. And then it's very clear who
that Savior is. It's Jesus Christ. Now let's
go back to our text in 13 and look at verse 40. After Paul had gone through his
message and declared the Lord Jesus Christ, after he had declared
the word of this salvation that was sent, Christ in him crucified
and raised again, sitting on his throne, who it was that raised
him from the dead, he says this, beware. Beware therefore lest
that come upon you which is spoken of in the prophets. Behold, ye
despisers and wonders and perish, for I work a work in your days,
a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare
it unto you. And when the Jews were gone out
of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that which Beside that, these words might
be preached to them the next Sabbath. And when the congregation
was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed
Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue
in the grace." Now I went a verse too far. Verse 42, and when the Jews were
gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these
words might be preached unto them the next Sabbath. The title
for my message this morning, this evening, The Word of This Salvation Sent. God's preachers and their responsibility
is to go into all the corners of the earth and preach the gospel
of Christ and Him crucified. In these verses we see where
the Lord is doing a work in the world today. There are those
who are hearing the word of God, but yet they are not hearing
it with the word of power. 1 Thessalonians 1 verse 5, we read
this, for our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also
in power. That's the power of God Himself,
and in the Holy Ghost, showing who Christ is, God Almighty in
the flesh. Showing that God humbled Himself
and became a man. Why? So that He could walk perfectly,
establishing a righteousness for you and I. We have no righteousness
of our own. There was a day we all thought
maybe we had a little bit, didn't we? I don't need a God. I'm not a
bad guy. I haven't hurt anybody that I
know of. Or maybe I have hurt somebody
and I need to go and do something. Lord, what must we do to be saved?
The Gospel comes to some in power. Not in word only, but in power. Salvation is of the Lord, not
of the men who stand before people and preach Christ, but of God
Almighty revealing Himself through the preaching of His Word. How
are you going to call upon the name of the Lord if you have
not heard who the true Lord is? If you're hearing about some
weakling God who's waiting for you to do something, waiting
on you to help Him save you, That's not the God of Scriptures.
God does not save people through lies. He is truth, plain and
simple. But when the word of truth is
spoken of by God's preachers, and the power of God is put behind
that word, we read words like this, look at verse 46. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed
bold and said, it was necessary that the word of God should first
have been spoken to you, but seeing you put it from you and
judge yourselves unworthy of the everlasting life, lo, we
turn to the Gentiles. And when the Gentiles heard this, folks, I'm a Gentile. I'm as
Gentile as it gets, I don't think there's a drop of Jew blood in
me. And the Gentiles, when they heard
this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord and as many
as were ordained to eternal life, believed. And the word of the
Lord was published throughout all the region. Our gospel came not unto you
in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in
much assurance, as ye know what manner of men were among you
for your sake. And then in Hebrews 4.2, we read
it this way, for unto us was the gospel preached, now listen
to these words, as well as unto them, But the word preached did
not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard
it. Our Lord said in John 3.16, Whosoever
believeth. Do you believe? Do you believe in the God of
Scriptures? The one who is seen in the face
of his son, the Lord Jesus Christ. You know, if you don't worship
the Son, you do not worship the Father. There's plenty of so-called religious
people out there who say they believe they worship God, but
they will not worship the Son. they call him another prophet.
Isn't that what some of the people, some of the apostles answered,
they said some people call you Isaiah, some people call you
Elias, Jeremiah, whatever, one of the prophets? Unto you, unto you folks sitting right
here tonight, The Word of God was sent. The
Word of who the Lord is, Christ Jesus. What He has done. He became a
man so that He would walk perfectly for us and we would be righteous
in Him. All the sins of His people would be laid upon Him. He would
be made sin that we would be made righteous in Him. And I
don't understand completely what that means. But I know that the
Lord says so. I know that Jesus Christ never
sinned, I would never call Him a sinner, but I know that He
was made sin on my behalf, that I would be made righteous in
Him. You see, also in Hebrews 11.6 we read this, but without
faith it is impossible to please God. You must believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ according to Scriptures. Not according to
man's desires of who Christ is or who God is, but according
to who God is, according to His Word. Let me close with Romans
chapter 1. Turn to the right, if you would,
just a couple of pages. Romans chapter 1, just three verses. Speaking of
this one who is the Son of God, Speaking of this One who the
Word is, the Word was made flesh, concerning His Son Jesus Christ
our Lord, verse 3, which was made of the seed of David according
to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power
according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection of the dead.
by whom, by this one called Jesus, by God Almighty in the flesh,
by the blood of Christ, we have received grace and apostleship
for obedience to the faith among all the nations for his name,
among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ. To all that
be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints, grace to you, peace
from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. I pray the
Lord has blessed you with his word this evening. Stand with
me.