I'd like to ask you to open your
Bibles if you'd like to join me in the Book of Romans, Chapter
10. Last night, Pastor Fortner preached an awesome message.
Thank you so much. That was a message to me also,
as our pastor mentioned at the end there. I enjoyed that. The Lord blessed me greatly with
the words that he brought before us. Remember, for those of you who
were here last night, how he mentioned that all these years
he's been preaching, it's amazing how you can go through and you
think you pretty well know what's going on with that person, and
all of a sudden, boom, this little nugget of gold pops out over
here. A little diamond pops out over
here. Look at that. This is a man who
has been preaching for a long time, who studies, I would bet,
probably 24 hours a day. We've come to the conclusion
around here that he doesn't sleep much. So you might be able to imagine
just a little bit about how inefficient this poor sinner
standing before you this morning feels. I don't study near as
much as he has. But my hope is not built on my
efficiency. My hope is built on Jesus Christ
and his righteousness. My efficiency means nothing.
The efficiency of Him who is God Almighty in the flesh means
everything. That One who is perfect in all
that He does says here in Romans chapter 10 verse 13, For whosoever
call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. That's who I'm here to talk to
you about this morning. The Lord. But notice it says
something there. It says something before we see
the Lord. We see whosoever calleth upon the Lord. Who are those who call upon the
Lord? Allow me to read a section of
scripture in Joel that is familiar and close to what we just read, Joel
2.32, and it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on
the name of the Lord shall be delivered. For in Mount Zion
and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance. Not the world, not all of the
other countries that were there at that time. Mount Zion and
Jerusalem shall be delivered. As the Lord hath said, and in
the remnant whom the Lord shall call. So whosoever calleth. Kathy and
I have had the opportunity from time to time to wander around
cemeteries. It's kind of interesting to look
at the headstones of people who have gone past before us, especially
the older ones, those that have been around for a long time.
And we've wandered around a few in our days. Interestingly enough,
though, we've never heard anybody calling from the grave. Now,
you may say, well, of course not, dummy. They're six feet
under dirt. You're not going to hear them
calling. Well, I've also had the opportunity
to deliver chemicals to those places like the morgues and mortuaries
where cadavers are laying on tables waiting for the person
to prepare them for burial. And I can tell you this, that
if I'd ever heard One little thing from any of those cadavers,
I'm sure I would have ran and ran and ran and ran and ran.
But no, no, they all laid there nice and still, not moving at
all. You see, that is exactly the
condition that all mankind are in when born into this world. We all come into this world from
our mother's womb, dead in trespasses and sin, spiritually dead. In
fact, we loved our condition, that condition of death and darkness,
and we hated that which is the light of the world that our Pastor
Fortner spoke of last night. We are enmity with the One who
gives life. That's what it says in Romans
8, right? In Ephesians 2, 1, you don't
need to turn there, it says, and you hath He quickened. who were dead in trespasses and
sins, where in times past ye walked according to the course
of this world, according to the prince and the power of air,
the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience,
among whom also we all had had our conversation in times past
in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and
of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as
others." That's God's Word. God tells us we were just as
everyone else, no different from everyone else who has come into
this world. We walked as children of wrath. I tell you now, folks, we must
worship in spirit and in truth. And too many pulpits today are
not telling the truth. They're not telling people about
how sinful they are. If you don't know how sinful
you are, how do you know how much you need a Savior? The truth is that the spiritually
dead can't do any more than a dead person can, let alone call upon
the name of the Lord. Lazarus was so dead that he had
surely began to stink. That's what Mary said, or Martha. Yet he who wears the Urim and
the Thummim over his heart, he who the pastor spoke of last
night, quickened, gave life to Lazarus that he could come forth
when he was called. But that's not all that we see
in our text, is it? Look at verse 14 and 15. 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 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. We must preach Christ and Him
crucified. That's our responsibility. It's
not our responsibility to stand before you and tell you about
how good things the church has done in the name of Jesus, because
that's what a lot of churches do. I've been to a few myself.
When the Lord first called me and I wasn't sure what was going
on and why I was coming to this place, I began to branch out
and go to other places to see some of the closer ones at home.
One of those very churches that I went to, they called a worship service because they stood and
spoke about the young people and how they had raised enough
money for an ambulance for a poor town in Mexico. Now that's a
great thing. I'm not trying to put that down at all. That's
a wonderful thing. But it's the same as somebody
standing before you and telling you about how St. Patrick, because
today is St. Patrick's Day, started so many
churches all over whatever country that was that he was in. That's
not the gospel. That's not the good news. That's
not what sinners need to hear. Sinners need to hear about a
Savior. We must preach Christ and Him
crucified. There is only one gospel and
God has sent sinners to preach to sinners about the one who
can save sinners. My title this morning is All
Him. That's what this is right here.
This is a hymn book. It's about Him, the Lord Jesus
Christ. from cover to cover. And every
true believer will come to see Christ, who He is, what He did
for His people, and what He's doing right now. He has told
us, go into all the corners of the earth and preach the gospel.
And Jesus Christ, the Lord, is that gospel. I have three points
that I'd like to make this morning. And they are seen over in chapter
11, just a page over, a page or two at the most. The very last verse, verse 36. For of him, point one, and through
him, point two, and to him, point three, are all things to whom
be the glory forever. Amen. My first point of him,
if you'd like to, you can turn over to Colossians 1. Our text says, for him are all
things. The Lord Jesus has always been
the Lord Jesus. He just had not been a man until
a couple of thousand years ago. The great three are eternal.
They always have been and they always will be. They are one. He who spoke all things into
existence is the Son of God. He who required the milk from
his mother's breast formed his mother in her mother's womb. The Word of God speaks of this
three in one throughout all of Scripture. You don't need to
turn there, but in Genesis 1, 26, and God said, let us make
man in our image after our likeness, plural. In 1 John 5-7, for there
are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word,
and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. In John 1-1, we
read, 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, and all things were made by him, and without him
was not anything made that was made. And then in verse 14, And the
Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory,
the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth. Again in John 1.10 we see where
it says, He was in the world and the world was made by Him
and the world knew Him not. In the 14th chapter, verse 6,
it says, Jesus saith unto them, I am the way, the truth, and
the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. If ye had
known me, ye should have known my Father also. And from henceforth, you know him, and have seen him. Speaking of himself. And John 10, 30, where it says,
I and my father are one are not enough, look at verses 12 through
19 of Colossians 1. Giving thanks unto the Father,
which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance
of the saints in light. Interesting, that light that
Pastor Fortner spoke of last night. who have delivered us from the
power of darkness and have translated us into the kingdom of His dear
Son, in whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness
of sins, who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn
of every creature, for by Him were all things created that
are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible,
whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers,
all things were created by Him and for Him. And He is before
all things, and by Him all things consist. And He is the head of
the body of the church, who is the beginning of the firstborn
from the dead, that in all things He might have the preeminence.
For it pleased the Father that in Him should all the fullness
dwell." This, folks, this One who created
all things, who became a man, this is why every knee shall
bow to Him. Because every knee was created
by Him and for Him. Well now, wait a minute, John.
Wait a minute. Are you trying to tell me that
even the wicked were created for Him? That's exactly right. In Romans 9, 17, again, you don't
need to turn there, it says, for the Scripture saith unto
Pharaoh, even for this same purpose, get that? Even for this same
purpose have I, speaking the Lord, raised thee up. that I
might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared
throughout all the earth." Pharaoh was brought into this world for
one purpose. He was given all the wealth that
Egypt had for one purpose. To be destroyed. That the power of God might be
talked about all throughout the earth and all throughout the
time. God raised up Pharaoh in all of Egypt, and then he destroyed
them, that his name would be declared throughout all the earth.
The same God who raised up Pharaoh for that purpose also brought
famine into the land where Jacob dwelt, leading all of Israel into a land where they would
fall into bondage for 400 years for his purpose that he might
deliver them and all the world would know. We are responsible for our wickedness,
yet God allows it for his purpose. My sins are my own and I know
that. I can see the love that I once
had for it. I can see the darkness that I once walked in and how
it ruled over me. I can see because He who is life
itself gave me life to see that darkness. I didn't make a decision for
Christ. I didn't walk an aisle and say a prayer. I didn't... I didn't use my will. No, I didn't know what it was.
Until later, after hearing several messages from this man over here.
Messages of the Gospel of Christ in him crucified. That it was
my God, my God who drew me here. I can see because He who is life
gave me life, He quickened me. That I would hear and see His
truth through the preaching of His Word. In the 14th chapter of John,
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh. How are you going to call upon
the Lord if you've never heard of Him? No man cometh to the Father but
by Me. And this brings me to my second
point. Through him. Turn over to Romans, if you would,
chapter 5. In Ephesians 2.4 it says, but
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 toward
us through Jesus Christ. For by grace are ye saved through
faith, and if not of yourselves, it is a gift of God, not of works,
lest any man should boast. So when we read whosoever, that
means all of those who have been given the gift of faith, not
of works, lest any man should boast. Not of walking up the
aisle, not of getting into the pools of baptism, not of singing
or saying some prayer, not of praying to some statue that you
think is a statue of Mary or of Jesus. No, not of works. If there's anything that you
can do, you will turn it into something you pray to. Thankfully,
our Lord is very clear on that point. So then it is not of him that
willeth, as it says in Romans 9, nor of him that runneth, but
of God that showeth mercy. Our faith, our belief is God's
gift to us, not our gift to Him. Our faith comes from Him, and
that's why He tells us, even when our faith is as small as
a mustard seed, it's still efficient. For it is from Him who is all-sufficient. Even when you think your faith
is so small, it's still perfect, and it's enough. Maybe the Lord needs you to have
short faith for a bit to turn you back to Him. To remind you
that you're weak and that He is strong. No, God is so holy that He cannot
even look upon sin, yet through the sacrifice of His Son, His
only begotten Son, we have peace with the Father. Through His
blood that was shed on the cruel cross, we are redeemed. Our price
is paid. The wages of our sins are covered. When He who knew no sin was made
to be sin for His chosen people, He perfectly paid that price.
There are no empty seats in heaven. All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me, He says. His blood was the perfect payment,
and it was done sufficiently. Saving His own to the uttermost,
as Pastor Fortner brought out last night, He who is perfect
in every way left all those sins of all of His elect there in
that grave. He who was delivered for our
offenses was raised again for our justification. God sees His
people just as though they have never sinned. God sees the blood of His Son
and is well pleased. Verse 1 of chapter 5, Therefore,
being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ. through Him. By whom also we
have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice
in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory
in tribulations. That's a tough one to learn right
there. I know there are many who are going through a lot of
tribulations. And I know some are very, very
harsh. But even those tribulations,
even those troubles and trials that we go through of this world
are but for a season. The graces and mercies of Christ
are forever. Knowing that tribulation worketh
patience, and patience experience and experience hope. And hope
maketh not a shame, because the love of God is shed abroad in
our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when
we were yet without strength in due time, Christ died for
the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous
man will one die, yet preadventure for a good man some would even
dare to die. But God commendeth His love toward
us, and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Much more than being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved
from the wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more
being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Because He lives, we shall also
live in Him. No man comes to the Father but
by Him. In the 18th verse of Ephesians
it says, for through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto
the Father. And this brings me to my third
point. To Him. To God be the glory. Great things
He hath done. Turn over to 1 Peter. Chapter
5, please. Thus saith the Lord. You hear me? Thus saith the Lord. God will not share His glory
with another. Yet Christ, who thought it not
robbery to be equal with God, said this in his priestly prayer
in John 17, Father, the hour has come. Glorify thy son, that
thy son also may glorify thee. As thou hast given him power
over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many
as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that
they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom
Thou hast sent. I have glorified Thee on the
earth. I have finished the work which
Thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Thou
me with Thine own self, with the glory which I had with Thee
before the world was. God brings salvation to His chosen
people by the preaching of His gospel. And the gospel is His Son, Jesus
Christ, in Him crucified. This is He who is King of all
kings, Lord of all lords. He rules over dominions. Principalities
are His creation. Powers are His to give. Yet He
who has all power became a servant. humbled himself and became a
man that he would save his people. Humbled himself and became a
man for me, for you, for his chosen people. All of those names
that were written in the book of life before a star ever twinkled. That's God's Word. They were written before anything
was created. He became a man, our creator,
that he might save us. Abraham put it this way to his
son. When his son asked him, Father, where is our sacrifice? Where is our offering? Abraham
said, God will provide himself. His Son, our Lord and Savior. He who has all power became a
servant and humbled Himself that He would save His people. That's
why His name is Jesus. Scripture says, for He shall
save His people. Are you with me in 1 Peter chapter
5? starting at verse 6. Humble yourselves,
therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you
in due time. Humble yourselves. Don't let yourself get to be
thinking so big. I fall into that trap every time
I play golf and hit one good shot. You've heard me say this
before. There you go, right down the
middle. I could probably beat Tiger Woods. And in the next
shot, the Lord reminds me of who I really am. Whee! Humble yourselves. Oh, how easy
it is to think of ourselves as more than we are, especially
when others put us on a pedestal. That's probably the That's probably
the hardest thing for a pastor to deal with. So many people quickly put their
pastor on a pedestal and forget that he's just like us. They're sinners saved by grace. Humble yourselves. Casting all of your care upon
Him As we heard in your message last night, for He cares for
us so much. We're on His heart all the time. All the time. Even before time began. Be sober, be vigilant, because
your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom
he may devour. Now don't take that wrong. God
will never forsake his chosen people. Many times we may think so. David
did. How often do we read in the Psalms,
Lord, why hast thou left me? Why hast thou turned away? I think David truly thought the
Lord had when he wrote those things. Yet God tells us, I will never
leave you nor forsake you, even when your faith is as small as
a mustard seed. The devil walks around roaring,
but notice that that's all he does. That's all he can do. God's in control of the devil
too. Whom resist steadfast in the
faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished
in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all
grace, who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus,
after that he had suffered a while, make you perfect, establish and
strengthen and settle you, To Him be glory and dominion forever
and ever. Amen. To worship the Father, you must
worship the Son. He is the only one able to save
to the uttermost. Is your faith in Him? Are you trusting in anything
that you may have done? Or may do? Turn away. Turn away from that which is
of the flesh. And turn to Christ. Turn thou me, O Lord, and I shall
be turned. For thou art the Lord my God. To God be the glory, great things
He hath done, for of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all
things, to whom be the glory forever.