This morning, I usually try to
bring an article written by Pastor Gene Harmon. This morning, it
is no different. He writes in a previous bulletin,
he says, all who are dead spiritually, religious or not, speak a different
language than those who have the Spirit of Christ dwelling
in them. Even that old wretched man. that God's children are
still plagued with it will at times fill our thoughts with
the language of the world. However, those who have heard
the life-giving voice of Jesus Christ have been enlightened
by the Spirit of Christ who dwells in us. And all of us speak the
same gospel language of sovereign grace, All of us believe the
one true gospel of God's sovereign, amazing grace that He freely
bestows upon His elect through the perfect redeeming work of
His Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior. Grace for the glory of Christ,
our blessed Redeemer, flows from the lips of those who have the
honor of talking about spiritual truths. I say amen to that. I invite you this morning to
turn in your Bibles to the book of Isaiah, chapter 12. Listen to these words. I love to tell the story. What
story? The very same story Pastor Gene
was talking about in that article. Grace. Grace. Grace. Brother Steve Doyle preached
one time in Gene's absence. That was the title for his message,
one of the best messages I've ever heard from this pulpit.
Grace. Grace. More grace. I love to
tell a story of unseen things above, of Jesus and His glory,
of Jesus and His love. I love to tell the story because
I know tis true, it satisfies my longings as nothing else can
do. I love to tell the story, tis
pleasant to repeat what seems each time I tell it more wonderful
and sweet I love to tell the story, for some have never heard,
the message of salvation from God's own Holy Word. I love to
tell the story for those who know it best, seem hungry and
thirsty to hear it like the rest. And when in scenes of glory I
will sing the new song The new new song will be the old old
story that I have so long to sing. I love to tell a story. The story of our Savior who came
from glory is an old old story indeed. Who do you think told
the story first? God Almighty. He told it to Adam. by slaughtering an animal and
taking the hide of the animal, the skins of that animal, and
clothing Adam. You know what that is, don't
you? That's a picture of the righteousness of man, which was
none. A naked man. That's what the Lord said. They
were naked. And now they are clothed with something else.
For there was nothing to clothe them of their own. And he told
his two boys about it, Cain and Abel. That's how they knew, one
knew that he was to bring an offering, a sacrifice. And Cain,
he brought one made with his own hands and the Lord had no
respect for it at all. You see where the story began?
Not just with them, it began even before that. The story begins
with this, in the beginning God created It actually even starts
before that, because Scripture tells us that there was a covenant
made between the three and one before a star ever twinkled in
the sky. So the story of Christ and His
glory goes way back, further than you and I could ever come
up with. There are many who say that Christ was not preached
in the Old Testament, but those who have had the light of God
shined in a new heart, those who have been given new ears
to hear, They see the true glory of God the Father written in
His Word from cover to cover. Today the story begins when the
day of life comes to a believer. Look at verse 1 of Isaiah chapter
12 with me. And in that day, thou shalt say, O Lord, I will
praise Thee, though Thou wast angry with me. Thine anger is
turned away, and Thou comfortest me." Whew! In that day. Pastor Gene's going
to preach on that very thing. He said, John, go home tonight
and consider these verses. And I did. And wow, the messages
just started flowing from there. He's going to preach on it in
three weeks. You can listen to him. He's going to preach for So if you want to go to sermon
audio, you can hear him preach. It will be live, I believe. If God before you, if your name
was written in the Lamb's book of life before the world was,
if you are one for whom the Father hath given to his Son, If you
are one for whom the Son shed His own blood, cleansing you
from all your iniquity, if you are one of His chosen people,
chosen from before the foundation of the world, this message is
for you. And in that day thou shalt say, There's a lot of people who say,
Christ, look at all the good works that we've done. Look at
all the devils we've cast out in your name. And what did our
Lord say to those men? I never knew you. That word knew
is something intimate. God knows everybody, but he never
knew them intimately. There's a day coming when every
one of God's children and those of you and I who have come to
that day know what this is saying. Thou shalt say, O Lord, I will
praise Thee. Though Thou wast angry with me,
Thine anger is turned away, and Thou comfortest me. We have to
be brought to know that we are sinners. Oh, how backwards we
have it in this life. What a good little boy you are.
What a good little girl you are. Never telling us that we were
sinners from the day we were born. In that day, it's speaking of
the day of your regeneration. The day you first heard the Gospel
preached? Not hearing with the ears of
the flesh from a man who stood before you with the flesh, but
hearing with the ears of the heart, the new heart that God
had given you. And if you have heard that message,
you know what I'm talking about. Because the first thing God teaches
us when He regenerates the soul is how lost in sin that we were. How lost in sin that the flesh
is. How dead humankind is, spiritually. There is no life in us. In that day is the day of regeneration. In that day you have received
by the irresistible grace, faith to believe in Him. That's what
He calls it in Ephesians 2. God-given faith, a gift of Him,
not of worthless mansions, both. In that day, when a child of
the Most High, one who is chosen from before the world was, one
who is said, of whom the Father giveth me, I shall lose none. a man or a woman or a child are
called from the natural darkness that all mankind are born into,
all mankind born into being dead in trespasses and sin, you will
cry out, O Lord, I will praise Thee. We praise Him for His mercy
that we can now see. Once I was blind, but now I see. We praise Him for His grace Why? Because we once knew that we
were blind. Picture that man who was born
blind that the Lord healed, because that's a picture of each and
every one of God's children. Could you imagine trying to describe
to that man the color blue? Try it sometime. Just picture
it in your mind. Blue is... Well, it's blue. That blind man couldn't tell
the difference of what you're talking about one bit, and that's
the way the world is around us. That's the way John Reeves was,
until the day the Lord opens our hearts and shines his light
in us. We know that we were blind. We
know that the light was turned on, and it was God who turned
it on in us. Not of us, O Lord, but of Thee
be the glory. We know by the preaching of His
Gospel there was a time when we could not see the truths of
God. We know now by the preaching of His Gospel that we were blind
and could not see the truths of His Word. We know now that
by the preaching of His Gospel we have been made aware of our
state before a thrice holy God, and with understanding of what
we deserve, we cry out, praise His name. In that day when He opened our
blind eyes, we cried out, praise You, my Lord, for Your mercy.
Your anger has been turned away. What I deserve has been laid
on my Savior. Where was it turned to? It was
turned to my substitute. You want to bring the Gospel
down into one word? There it is. What I deserve was
laid on my substitute. The Lord Jesus Christ. Where was it turned to? It was
turned to my sacrifice. The same sacrifice that Abel
pointed to when he slaughtered that animal and served it up
for a sacrifice. Where was his anger turned to?
It was turned to my scapegoat. His anger was turned upon the
One who hung in my stead, the One who was perfect, the only
One who knew no sin, the One who came down from glory that
was His and was made in the likeness of man, born of a virgin, not
of the seed of Adam, but of the seed of the Holy Ghost. Where
was it turned to? Where was the anger of God that
I deserve turned to? It was turned to the only man
that ever walked this earth in perfect submission to his righteousness,
to his law, perfectly fulfilling every dot, every T. Never once
was there any guile in his lips. It was turned to the one who
was God in the flesh, Our Lord said to Abraham's son through
Abraham, the Lord will provide Himself a sacrifice. His anger
was turned to God in the flesh, My Savior. His name is Jesus
Christ. We shall call Him Jesus for He
shall save His people. He is the Son of the Living God. And because He laid down His
life and He took it up again, For my sins, I am comforted in
this simple flesh. We were talking about this in
our Bible study this morning, about how often. How often do
you need forgiveness from the Lord? Every moment of every breath
I take. Romans 8.1, it says this. You want to talk about something
great to hear? This is awesome to hear. There is therefore now
no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. Is that
good news? To a sinner, that's great news,
isn't it? Where was the wrath of God that
I deserve turned to? It was turned to my Lord and
Savior. And He took all of it. Where was the wrath that all
of God's children deserve laid upon? It was laid upon our Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you see His mercy? Do you see His love for you? It's because He's shown it to
you. There was a day in everyone's hearts where we all walked saying,
I will not have that man that hung on that cross rule over
me. And even in that day, He still ruled over us. Look at verse 2 with me if you
would please. Isaiah 12 verse 2, Behold, stop what you're doing. Listen to this. hear the good
news, God is my salvation. Not something John has done,
not something anyone else can do, not something I have bought,
nothing you can buy, no, God is my salvation. I will trust
and not be afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my
song. He has also become my salvation. Folks, this is the gospel song.
It's a song of triumphs in Christ, and for the church, triumphs
in our Lord and Savior. There is victory over death,
and that is in our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. The blood shed
on that cross just over 2,000 years ago was the blood of the
Lord Jehovah. And knowing that very fact, we
see the power in that blood and it is comforting to a sinner's
soul. The Son of God is my salvation. There is nothing of this flesh
that can add anything to it. But here's some good news. Not
only can I not add anything to my salvation, I can't take anything
away from it either. Who's going to separate God's
people from the love that is in Christ Jesus? I try. I do. And so do all of you. I know, because the flesh profiteth
nothing. In the flesh we are weak. There
is victory in our Lord and Savior, and when He says there's victory,
that's absolute. Same thing as when He says, shout.
When the Lord says, shout, is there any possibility that it
won't? No. My sheep hear my voice, is what
He said. Knowing the power in that blood
is comforting indeed. The Son of God is my salvation.
There is nothing in the flesh that can add anything to it,
nor is there anything in the flesh that can take away from
it. Salvation is of the Lord. It is finished were His final
words on that cross. And my faith in Him is a resting
place, not in my device or creed. I trust the Ever-Living One.
His wounds for me will plead. He is my strength. There is nothing
in this flesh that I can put any trust in. To a true believer,
Christ is all. If we begin to think more of
ourselves than we should, as Peter did when he walked on water
and began to sink, so shall we. But here's good news. The Lord
has loved us from before the world was, and He will not let
you go. You cannot lose your salvation.
Christ has already secured it. It's done. Remember, I'm talking to God's
people. I'm talking to those who shall praise Thee, though
Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away, and Thou
comfortest me. In that day, I'm talking to God's
people. That's what Isaiah was doing.
He was a prophet of God, preaching Christ to the people of Israel. Here's what you're going to do
when the Lord calls you out of darkness. You're going to praise
His name. There's no maybes about it. There's
no ifs. It has nothing to do with you.
It has to do with Him. I love that because John used
to run his own way for a long time. Just as each and every
one of us sitting in this room today. My faith is in Him. He is my
resting place. I don't have any trust. I don't
have any confidence in this flesh that stands before you. My trust
and confidence is in Him. Once again we see the greatness
of His mercy, the greatness in His grace, the greatness in His
love for us. Verse 3, Therefore with joy shall
ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. Folks, the wells of salvation
are not many. It's like Mike said here a moment
ago about the river, the Red River. It ran once. But because it ran once, it continuously
runs forever and ever. It covers all of our iniquities. Not just the ones we had, but
the ones we have. And the ones we will have. Salvation is complete in Him. The wells of salvation, let me restart that. Folks, the wells
of salvation are not many for there is only one well, but that
well is one that will never dry up. It's a continuous well to
all who come to it. A well that continuously fills
the cups of his people. Just as the Lord did with those
men in the ship that were fishing, when they saw that it was Him,
He said, cast your net on the right hand of the ship, and the
nets were full. So full that they almost burst. Any normal time they would have
burst, but it was a miracle of God that they didn't. Turn if
you would, hold your place there in Isaiah. We're going to come
back to it and finish that chapter, but hold your place there and
turn over to the fourth chapter of John, will you please? John
chapter four. Before I join you there, allow
me to read from John chapter 7 verse 38. We read this, He
that believeth on me. Who are the he's? He that believeth
on me, as the scripture hath said. Those who believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ according to the scriptures. Out of his belly shall flow rivers
of living water." Oh, the Red River runs, brother. And it just continues to run.
Brother, I'm telling you, I had no idea you were going to sing
that song this morning. Look how it all rolls right along
with the song. This is God's doing. These are the things that
we take such a joy in seeing the Lord working in. Once again, we see a picture
of the mercies of God and that they are continuous. But as we read in Ephesians 1,
3, it says this, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings and heavenly
places in Christ. All these rivers, all these wells,
all these blessings are in Him. Look with me if you would, verses
1-14 of John chapter 4. When therefore the Lord knew
how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made to baptize more of
the disciples than John, though Jesus Himself baptized not, but
His disciples, He left Judea. Now I want you to look at these
words very, very carefully. He, our Lord, left Judea and
departed again into Galilee. And He must needs, in other words
of necessity, He must needs go through Samaria. Christ Jesus
must needs? That's the same thing as the
shalls. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me. Isn't that
right? He must needs go to Samaria because there's somebody in Samaria
that must come to Him. He must go through rescue California
because there's somebody in rescue that must come to Him. Oh, getting
the picture? Here's the rivers. The wells
of living water. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria
which is called Sychar, near the partial of ground that Jacob
gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there, Jesus
therefore being worried." Oh, doesn't that bless you? That blesses me as much as knowing
that Christ Jesus Himself sang hymns. Did you know that? Christ
sang hymns with the disciples one evening. Sat around singing
a hymn. I'd love to hear his voice. We
do. We do, right here. How sweet
it sounds, doesn't it? He thirsted. Now Jacob's well
was there, Jesus therefore being wearied with his journey, sat
thus on the well, and it was about the sixth hour, there cometh
a woman of Samaria to draw water. And Jesus saith unto her, Give
me to drink. For his disciples were gone away
into the city to buy meat. Then saith the woman of Samaria
unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of
me, which am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings
with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto
her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith
to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldst have asked him, and he
would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir,
thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep, from whence
thou hast the living water. Art thou greater than our father
Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and
his children, and his cattle? And Jesus answered and said unto
her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again. Whoever
drinks of the well of the world will continuously thirst. But
whosoever, verse 14, drinketh of the water that I shall give
him, did you catch that? that I shall give him shall never
thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well
of water springing up into everlasting life." Notice the word springing. Springing gives you the indication
that it's not just a spring, it's just not come up for a little
bit and it's done. It's continuous, is it not? Springing. A continuous flow of mercies
renewed over and over. We need those mercies renewed
each day, each hour, each moment, don't we? Go back to our text
now and close with me in verses 4-5, back in Isaiah chapter 12. And in that day, in that day when the Lord comes
to one of His chosen people, reveals what it is they deserve. Reveals to the mind the sinners
that we are. Oh, the grace of God shines bright,
doesn't it? And in that day shall ye say
praise the Lord, call upon His name, declare His doings among
the people." Oh, our God is so great. Do you know what He did? Do you know who He is? Do you know
what He's done? Do you know what he's doing right
now? Oh, he's being God, because that's
who he is. And he's doing exactly what God
does, rules over everything. And the Lord Jesus Christ sits
on his throne this very moment, working everything out according
to his counsel for the good of his people. And if you're one
of his, You can praise Him for that. Knowing what we deserve,
we praise Him for His mercy and grace upon us. Verse 5, Sing
unto the Lord, for He hath done excellent things. This is known in all the earth.
In other words, let this be known in all the earth. The great commission,
as I said two weeks ago, is this, go ye unto the world and preach
the gospel unto every creature. Cry out, verse 6, and shout,
thou inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel
in the midst of thee. How great is your God. Is your
God sitting around watching?