Good morning. Good to be with
you all. I'm thankful for your pastor and
thankful he's able to go out and minister to the folks out
in Indiana. I'd ask you to open your Bibles
with me this morning to Psalm 37. Psalm 37. Look with me at verse 29 of Psalm
37. Here we read, but the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord. He is their strength in the time
of trouble. Now David, it's believed, wrote
this psalm in his old age. If you look back in verse 25,
it says, I've been young and now I'm old. This is a statement
declared by David had seen some things, hadn't he? Had experienced
some things. This is written under the inspiration
of Almighty God. And here's the beauty of it.
It's as true today as it was back there when David wrote this. And listen, David's not the only
one who said this. Jonas said the same thing. Remember
that? He said, I'll sacrifice with
the voice of thanksgiving. I'll pay that which I have vowed.
Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord. Jeremiah,
he said the same thing. He said, truly in the Lord our
God is the salvation of Israel. And here again in the Psalm,
David declares this. This same message. Salvation. The salvation of the
righteous of the Lord. It's a message just as sweet
and just as needful for our generation. The salvation. I want us to go
home today with that in our heart. The salvation of the righteous
is of the Lord. These nine words, in just these
nine words, I believe is the heart of the gospel. The gospel
of God's sovereign grace. Brother Henry wrote this. He
wrote this in one of his commentaries. He said that the banquet of mercy
is served by one host. the Lord Jesus Christ. He prepared
the feast. He invites the guest. He makes
them willing to come. And He clothes them in a robe. Talking about a dinner jacket.
He clothes them in a spotless, spotless robe of righteousness. His righteousness. The salvation
of every believer from start to finish is of the Lord. This gospel message, it's for
old and young alike. In my Bible, beside this passage
of scripture, somebody said this, words to live by. These are words to live by. John wrote this. This is the
testimony. God has given us eternal life,
and this life is in His Son. It's in Christ. And these words,
the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord, are words to
die by. Remember what Simeon said when
he saw the Lord there in the temple, when he took Him up in
his arms, He said, let thy servant depart in peace. How is that?
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before
the face of the people, a light to the Gentiles and the glory
of thy people. The salvation of the righteous
is of the Lord. Look at verse 38 of our text. Our brother mentioned this in
his prayer, that men would be broken. Listen, transgressors, the rebellious sinners, the transgressors
shall be destroyed. The end of the wicked shall be
cut off. The rebellious sinners, they're
going to be destroyed. The end of the wicked, those
guilty of sin, it says they're going to be cut off. They're
going to perish. The end of sinful men, death. That sounds familiar, doesn't
it? Romans 6.23 says this, the wages of sin is death. I hope I have you here this morning.
I hope we can all enter into this this morning. It would be
easy. It's so easy to sit and become
like that self-righteous Pharisee with this thought in heart. Oh, I know some sinful men. Not me. It's easy to think that, isn't
it? Turn with me to Luke chapter
18. Luke chapter 18, verse 11. The Pharisee stood and prayed
thus with himself, God, I thank thee that I am not as other men
are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast. Twice in a week I give
tithes of all that I possess. You know, outwardly, as we say
on paper, this fellow looked pretty good, didn't he? Let me ask you, is this the man
that went down to his house justified? No. It was that publican. That
publican who couldn't even raise his eyes. Look at verse 13 and
14. The publican, standing afar off,
would not lift up so much his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon
his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. I tell you, listen, this isn't
anybody speaking. This is the Lord Jesus Christ
speaking. Look what he says here in verse 14. I tell you, this
man went down to his house justified rather than the other for everyone
that exalted himself shall be abased and he that humbled himself
shall be exalted." Who does God save? God saves
sinners. Aren't we thankful? Aren't we
thankful that God in his mercy is pleased to save sinners? When Adam fell, all the way back
to the garden. When Adam fell, we fell. Sinners by nature. Sinners by
choice. Sinners by practice. It's not
just what we do. It's what we are. Dead in trespasses
and sin. It's that wicked, corrupt, sinful
heart that every one of us is born with. And we'll have until
the Lord's pleased to give us a new heart. To take away that
stony heart. Transgressors shall be destroyed
together. The end of the wicked shall be
cut off. I hope that gets our attention.
Just for a little bit. Look at verse, back to verse
38. Back here in Psalm 37. Look at verse 38. Transgressors, the transgressors
shall be destroyed. The end of the wicked shall be
cut off. But, don't we love that? Don't we love that word in scripture?
But, the salvation of the righteous
is of the Lord. Now, quickly here this morning,
let me give you five things on this statement. Five things on
this blessed truth, this that's our hope, the salvation of the
righteous is of the Lord. First, it's sound doctrine. It's not a catchphrase. It's
sound doctrine. In Revelation 13, 8, we read
that the Lord Jesus Christ was the Lamb slain from before the
foundation of the earth. Almighty God planned and purposed
the redemption of His people from the beginning. It wasn't
an afterthought. It wasn't Adam felt, well now what am I going
to do? No, God planned and purposed
this from the beginning. And here's the thing, we plan
and, speaking for myself, I plan and purpose to do a lot of things.
But if you come take a look at my garage, you'll see a lot is
left undone. But not so with Almighty God.
No, that which He planned and purposed, He's going to accomplish. He's going to complete. Turn
to Isaiah, Isaiah 46. Beginning with verse 9 of Isaiah
46. Here we read again in verse 9
of Isaiah 46, remember the former things of old, for I am God and
there is none else. I am God and there is none like
me. Declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying
my counsel shall stand, I will do all my pleasure. calling the
ravenous birds from the east, the man that executes my counsel
from a far country. Yea, I have spoken it. I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it. I will also
do it. I've spoken it. I'll bring it
to pass. I've purposed it. I'll also do
it. Listen, Almighty God, may the
Lord Jesus Christ our surety, our representative, a federal
head for an elect people. And those people, given him,
given to him to redeem them and to bring them to glory. And he
says, I'll accomplish my purpose. In Adam, we died. In Christ,
we live. given life, made alive. In Adam,
we're made sinners. In Christ, made righteous. In Adam, we're separated from
God. In Christ, we're brought to Him. In 1 Peter 3.18, Christ
also has suffered, once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust,
that He might do what? Bring us to God. I mean, put
to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. This work, it's
His work. The salvation of the righteous
is of the Lord. The scriptures declare that we're
sheep going astray, but now return, return to the shepherd and bishop
of our souls. Almighty God, God the Father,
made him, made the Lord Jesus Christ to be sin for us, made
him to be something he could never be. And in doing so, he
made us something we could never be. He made us righteous, righteous in the sight of almighty God.
He made him who knew no sin. The spotless Lamb of God made
Him to be sin for us that we might be made the very righteousness
of God in Him. There on the cross He suffered
and died for the sins of His people. He redeemed us to God
by His own blood, by His precious blood. And we read by one offering,
one offering, He hath perfected forever, them that are sanctified. Now false religion, the religion
of this world says God's done all He can do and it's up to
man. My friends, if salvation is left
in the hands of man, we have no hope. They say this, they say it's
up to you to accept him, to make a decision, to take a first step. Me and my boys, young men, I
got to get out of the habit of saying boys, right? They're young
men now, but we mow a cemetery not too far from where I grew
up, and there's probably say, 500 graves. It's not a real big
cemetery. But listen to me. Let me ask
you this question. And I promise you, I'm not trying
to be cute. I'm not trying to be clever.
But what if I stood out in the middle of that cemetery and said,
if anybody wants to live, just stand up. Just take a first step. What would happen? Two things. One, nothing. And two, somebody
would probably come grab a hold of me at some point and say,
what's wrong with you? But you know what? Men stand
in pulpits all across this country and spew that same garbage. Huh? Listen, here's the problem. Here's
the problem. A dead man, a dead man can't
hear. Huh? A dead man can't make a
decision. A dead man can't take a first
step. Why is that? Simple question. He's dead. He's dead. And that's where God finds us. Dead, dead, dead in trespasses
and sin. Only God, only Almighty God can
give life. His people, it says this, His
people are made willing when? In the day of His power. It's all of Him. The salvation
of the righteous is of the Lord. Second, it's a necessary fact. It's a fact. The salvation of
the righteous is of the Lord. It must be so or there is no
salvation. There is no hope. God's Word
declares there's no other name given among men whereby we must
be saved. Consider the children of Israel
there at the Red Sea. Pharaoh and his army They were
fast approaching. And the children of Israel, we
read, they were sore afraid. And they said this, they cried
out, were there not enough graves in Egypt that you brought us
out here? We're going to die. We're going
to die in the wilderness. And Moses spoke to the people. He said, fear not. Fear not. Stand still. Don't be afraid. Don't do a thing. Just look. See. See the salvation of the
Lord, which He will show to you this day. The salvation of the
righteous is of the Lord. It's a necessary fact. Only He
can save. Christ and Christ alone. The
leper, remember that leper, he said this, he said, Lord, if
you will, if you will, not I'll let you, oh no, no, if you will,
you can make me whole. Turn with me to the book of Acts,
Acts chapter four. Acts chapter 4, verse 10. Be it known unto you
all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from
the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which
has become the head of the corner. Verse 12. Neither is there salvation in
any other, for there is none other name under heaven given
among men whereby we must be saved." The salvation of the righteous
is of the Lord. Third, it's a sweet consolation. Is that a consolation to you?
Is that a consolation? Is that a comfort? Does that
word comfort you? If it's of anybody else, there's
no comfort, is there? The salvation of the righteous
is of the Lord. Listen, I'm lost. Apart from Christ, I have no
hope. My best works, filthy rags, That what his word declares in
his sight. Consider Naaman. Consider that leper Naaman. What does the scripture say about
him? Naaman was a great man. He was an honorable man. He was a mighty man. Naaman was
a man of wealth. He was a man of influence. I
mean, when he came, he brought a letter from the king, didn't
he? Naaman was something to see. Out of sight of God. What else
do we read about Naaman? All that other stuff meant nothing
because Naaman was a leper. There were many lepers. There
were many lepers in Israel in the days of Elisha. God had mercy on one. He was pleased to heal one of
them. I promise you that was a sweet
consolation to him, wasn't it? A comfort to him. Remember that
little maiden girl? The one that was taken in battle
and served Naaman's wife? And what did she say? She said,
would God my Lord were with the prophet that's in Israel, He'd
recover him. She knew something about that
sweet consolation, didn't she? Simeon waiting. What was he waiting
for in the temple? Waiting for the consolation of
Israel. Waiting for the comfort of Israel. Listen to the words of our Lord.
Turn to John chapter 10. John chapter 10, look at verse
27. My sheep hear my voice and I know them. The Lord Jesus
Christ says that of his people. I know them and they follow me
and I give unto them eternal life. and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which
gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck
them out of my Father's hand." Isn't that a sweet, isn't that
a sweet consolation? The salvation of the righteous
is of the Lord. Fourth, it's a reason for humility. There's no room for pride in
that statement, is there? We bring nothing. No room for
boasting. And we see that throughout the
scriptures. Naaman learned it. He had to be brought down, didn't
he? He had to be brought down. David said this, the Lord preserveth
the simple. I was brought low, and he helped
me. Nebuchadnezzar, he said, I praise
and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose works are
truth, and those that walk in pride he is able to abase. A reason for humility. No reason
for pride, not when it's Not when it's His work. Not when
the work is all of Him. Paul, writing to the Church of
Rome, he said, if Abraham were justified by works, he'd have
reason to glory. But not before a holy God. Who maketh thee to differ from
another? And what do you have that you
didn't receive? And if you received it, why do
you glory in it? God's people don't earn a righteousness. The only wage we earn is death. The wages of sin is death. Listen,
it's not by works of righteousness which we have done. but according
to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ
before the world began. We don't earn righteousness.
We have to be made, made righteous, made the very righteousness of
God in him. The salvation of the righteous.
is of the Lord. And then fifth, it's a reason
for great comfort and hope. Look at the rest of the text
here. Psalm 37, look at verse 39. Salvation of the righteous
is of the Lord. He's their strength in time of
trouble. Look at verse 40. The Lord shall
help them and deliver them. He shall deliver them from the
wicked and save them because they trust in Him. He's their
strength. He's our strength in time of
trouble. It says the Lord shall help them. The Lord shall deliver them.
The Lord shall save them. They that trust in Him. Turn with me to one more passage
of Scripture. Turn to Acts chapter 27. I believe this is well illustrated
here. This is that perilous voyage
of Paul going to Rome. And just look with a few verses
of Scripture here. Look at verse 20. It says, Acts
27, verse 20. And when neither sun nor stars
in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all
hope that we should be saved was taken away. A place of no hope. The thought of us saving ourselves,
it says all hope was taken away. Look at verse 21, but after long
abstinence, Paul stood forth in the midst of them and he said,
You should have hearkened unto me and not of Lucifer Crete to
gain this harm and loss." Look what he says here, I exhort
you to be of good cheer. For there shall be no loss of
any man's life among you but of the ship. Paul, how can you
be so confident? Verse 23. There stood by me this
night the angel of God, whose I am and whom I serve. Can that be any but the Lord
Jesus Christ? Would Paul ever say that there
was one he served and one who he said, I'm his, whose I am
and whom I serve? Same. Fear not, Paul. Don't be afraid. Thou must be
brought before Caesar, and, lo, God hath given thee all them
that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer. I believe God that it shall be
even as it was told me. Turn down to verse 31. And there were a few men on that
ship that thought, well, we'll just slide down the rope into
one of those lifeboats. We'll get out of here on our
own. What did Paul say to them? He said to the centurion and
to the soldier, except you abide in the ship, you can't be saved. Only one place. Only one place
of safety. Abide in the ship. Verse 34.
Wherefore I pray you to take some meat, for this is for your
health, for there shall not... How well are they going to be
kept? Huh? Listen. Not a hair is going to
fall from the head of any of you. Scriptures say our very
hair... They're numbered, aren't they?
How well does he know his sheep? Huh? We're in his hand. Kept in his hand. Turn down to verse 42. The soldier's
counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim
out and escape. Now that word escape, it means
to flee. It means to flee under your own
power. Read on. But the centurion, willing to
save Paul, kept them from their purpose. Almighty God orders
and directs all things, doesn't he? And he commanded that they
which could swim should cast themselves into the sea and get
to the land, and the rest, some on boards, some on broken pieces
of ship, and so it came to pass that they escaped." All, all,
every last one of them, all 276 of them escaped safe to land. And that word, that word escape
there, it means something different. It's not the same word that escapes
up in verse 42. This one, listen, it means this. It means safe. Completely. It means preserved, rescued,
healed, made perfectly whole. Now let me ask you this. Who
delivered them? A ship full of criminals. Who
delivered them? Paul didn't, did he? The centurion
didn't. They didn't. He did. The Lord Jesus Christ did. Almighty
God delivered them. What am I saying? The salvation
of the righteous, it's of the Lord. It's all of
Him. All right. Thank God for His
Word.