That's a good hymn, isn't it? You can be seated. You're afraid
to play that last verse, aren't you? I had to ask myself, did we sing
that last verse or not? See, Hannah, even the older piano
players mess up. It's a wonder you can keep track
of the verses. That's why you're playing anyway. Aren't you glad it happened to
you and not her? 1 Corinthians 1. Nothing in particular
prompted me to look at this and deal with this, but I just read
it and decided to do so. We've been a long time away from
the epistles. We've been in the Gospel of Matthew. We've been in an Old Testament
passage, 1 Samuel. We have been out of the epistles
for a long time. I can't remember when the last
time we dealt with the epistles. I'm certainly not. Comparing scripture. With other
scripture and one is more vital than another but yet the epistles
are for the churches and they deal with. Everything that we
go through and. It's just real good to stay close
to the epistles good for the church. Everything that we will
experience and need is found there. The Lord gave the apostles,
I think it's what he meant, somewhat what he meant when he said greater
things will you do than these? When he's told the apostles that,
remember? Meaning that he would give them, that they would expound
more fully upon everything he said. Because he said many things
and all of it's not recorded for us. And he said many things
in their private hearing. They walked and talked with him
for three and a half years, 24 hours a day. And everything he said was a
revelation and divine wisdom. And I believe that as the years
went by, they these things came to mind. To them that he said
to them and they began to write them down. So there you have
the epistle. The title of this message is
In Defense of the Gospel and its Preacher. Paul said to the Philippians,
he said, I'm set for the defense of the gospel, and he was. As every gospel preacher is,
set for the defense of it, especially today when it is so horribly under attack, and
the false gospel is so prevalent. And Paul had to defend himself,
didn't he? Even in the church at Corinth,
this church here, he had to defend himself against those who brought
false charges against him. There was not a more honest and
true and faithful man than the apostle Paul, and yet There were
those who. Who tried to bring him down. And so he had to defend himself,
he said later on in this epistle, he said. He said, I'm going to
talk like a fool and commended myself and so forth, but he had
to and I want to commend him. I do. He told young Timothy,
be not ashamed of the gospel, nor of me. Nor of me. And today even you know if Paul
is called in question and the word of God Paul if Paul is not
God's apostle what he wrote is not the word of God and then
we throw this book away right. So we need to believe and be
certain that he was God's apostle as well as other men. He began in verse one saying
Paul. He addressed this. They don't
sign at the end. They sign it at the beginning.
That's the way the old letter is. Paul. Called Paul. Called to be an apostle. Called
to be an apostle. Blessed. Chosen to be an apostle. Gifted to be an apostle. Apostle means messenger. Like
the word angel. It's really not a lofty title,
the angel of the church at Laodicea to the angel of the church at
Ephesus. Angel means messenger. That's all it means, messenger.
Paul wasn't taking a lofty title here. He just, he knows it's
a small a, small a. He doesn't call himself doctor
or reverend or anything like that. He's saying I'm a messenger
of Jesus Christ. Christ called me, he said, and
gave me a message to deliver. Christ gave me a message, and
Christ is the message, the messenger of Jesus Christ. He is the message.
He's the one that does the calling, and He is the message through
the will of God. A messenger or apostle of Jesus
Christ through the will of God. It was obvious, wasn't it, that
Paul was called by God, equipped by God. It's obvious, isn't it?
It needs to be equally obvious concerning everything. He does. And read on, he said, and Sosthenes,
Sosthenes, our brother, who's this Sosthenes fellow? Well,
if you read the story of when the Lord raised up the church
at Corinth, this fellow named Sosthenes was a chief ruler of
the synagogue, a Jewish ruler in the synagogue in this town
of Corinth, that Jewish synagogue all over the then known world,
and after a while, he was the chief ruler. Well, when Paul
preached the gospel at Corinth for 18 months, remember, he wanted
to leave. Remember, Paul got frustrated
because he didn't see any fruit there, no people there, and he
started to leave. He wanted to leave. And the Lord spoke to
him and said, you stay right here. I have much people in this
city. Remember that? Are you with me? Well, he started
to leave, and the Lord said, I have much people in the city.
As it turned out, this became a large church. Well, anyway,
this Sassanid fellow, the Lord saved him. Chief ruler of the
synagogue, a Jewish ruler. Not many mighty or noble are
called, but this is one of them. And Melanie, what happened to
him was that the Jews took him and beat him. Sassanid. Beat him up. Within an inch of
his life. Cast him out. Cast him out of religion. But
the Lord put him in Christ. And the people of Corinth, they
knew Sosnitz. They saw this miracle take place.
His salvation. The church there who witnessed
that and experienced much of the same persecution. And so,
Paul is writing and he says, Sosthenes is with me. He was mentioned by Paul as another
witness and a credible one at that. You only suffer for what
you really believe. You'll only take a stand, your
life at stake, your reputation, lose it, your job, you lose your
job if you really believe. So, he's a credible witness in
it, Sosthenes. And at the mouth of two or three witnesses, the
thing is that you see why I mentioned this. And as if, you know, if I were writing
you a letter and I said, Paul. Your pastor. And Scott's. So, you know, Scott, you know,
Bill Scott's come on now, John. All right, let's Marvin. You
don't know of another Marvin, do you? Donnie. That means something to you.
Well, it did to these people. Sassonade. Oh, Sassonade. Oh, I'm so glad to hear it. And
they'd sit up and pay attention. All right, he went on to say,
unto the church of God, which is at Corinth. Church of God. See, this Corinth was God's church. It's God's church. Like this
one. It's not my church. It's not
Mahan's church. It's God's church. And it is a church. It's not
a business. It's a church. Church is a family. It's a family. It's God's family.
That was the first message I ever preached to this church. In Ephesians
3, on God's family. of whom the whole family of heaven
earth is now. I don't forget that first. God's family this is God's family
God's church. And I like that. I like that
though I have great responsibility this is his church. And he's
going to take care of it and me and you. spiritual family
of God, which exists and operates by the grace of God. This family
operates by the gift of God, by the grace of God, by the support
and provisions of God Almighty. Right? Just as you support your
family, God supports his. It's his family. And it is directed
by the Spirit of God. See, this is God's church. And
you can take comfort that this is God's church, and I believe
it is. Well, I know it is. There's too many evidences. You're
the epistle written. But this is directed by the Spirit
of God. I'm thankful for that. Aren't
you? He says, to them that are sanctified
in Christ Jesus. Every member of God's church
was chosen by God, no less than the apostle Paul, called by God. You remember Paul's calling on
the road to Damascus? Miraculous, wasn't it? Mine was,
too. Yours was, too, wasn't it? Huh? Will you ever forget when
you first heard the gospel? I mean, really heard the gospel
like you heard a voice. Well, you did. You did. Our Lord said of my
sheep, hear my voice, my voice. Don't they? Absolutely. You don't
hear an audible voice, you hear it through a man preaching, but
yet Christ said that. And it's not figurative, it's
real. All of God's people are called
by preaching of the gospel and to them that are sanctified.
Sanctified means set apart. God Almighty takes us out of
the world. Separates us, makes us to differ. That's what sanctified means,
make to differ. Who makes us to differ? God put a difference between
you and the Egyptians. Nobody in here claims to be better
than anybody out there. Right? Nobody. That's what people
think when you talk about election. But we're not glorifying ourselves.
We're not saying we're better than or higher than or holier
than than anybody else. What we're doing is glorifying
God for making us different, for choosing us and calling us
by His name. That's all we're doing. Glorifying
God for His sovereign electing grace and setting us apart and
putting us in the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what it is to
be sanctified, sanctified in Christ, set apart from the world,
put in Christ, taken out of the world, put in Christ. If you ask me what salvation
is in a word or phrase, it's to be in Christ. It's to be found
in Christ, win Christ. Sanctified put in. There are
three things that set us apart from the world. Number one, God's
choice. It's God that justifies it, right? Like the Pharisee and the publican.
And I can't go there, I'll stay there. Number two, Christ's blood. Right? What set apart the Israelites
from the Egyptians in Egypt that night? Inside that house were
a bunch of sinners. Outside that house were a bunch
of sinners. Who was saved? The ones in the house. Why? Blood on the door. Right. So we make much of the
blood, don't we? And the third thing is the regenerating
work of the Holy Spirit. God's people are different. They're
not of the world. It does not yet appear that it
is fully, fully, but as he is, so are we
in every respect. All right, look at The next line,
he says, to all with all that in every place call upon the
name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, both theirs and ours. Right now,
as I speak, there are other men standing up in other pulpit,
men whom you know, saying the same thing. To people just like
you. People, you know, people you
love, brothers and dear brothers and sisters, all of them in every
place calling on the name of the Lord. People who were called
by the Lord to call on the Lord. That's what Joel 2.32 says. Whosoever
shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved, for in Jerusalem
salvation shall be to them as many as the Lord our God shall
call. I didn't quote that perfectly,
but that's pretty much what it says. Called to call. As I quoted Sunday Morninger,
tried to. I am sought of them that ask
not for me. I am found of them that sought
me not." That's what that is. And he says, grace be unto you,
verse three, grace be unto you and peace. Grace. James said
this, he said, every good and perfect gift. Grace means gift. Every good and perfect gift or
grace cometh from above. from our part. Grace beyond you
what grace is to God's people. We'll just name something. All
grace. He's the God of all grace. We
need it all. And he gives it. He delights
to give. And he gives us more. Grace beyond you. Saving grace. All these graces. And peace. Read on. Peace. Peace with God. All in Christ have peace with
God, don't they? Brother William doesn't have
to make his peace with God. I didn't have to go to his bedside
and hope that he would make some decision or make his peace with
God. I didn't have to say last rites
of his bed. Christ did that at Calvary. You understand? We have peace
with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. He made peace. He is
our peace. We have peace with God. God's
not angry with us. He ought to be. He's not. God
loves us. Smile. Those of you in Christ,
God loves you. God loves you. You're at peace
with God. And peace of mind. Don't you have peace of mind? Paul, who wrote this, he said
that. He said, from henceforth let no man bother me. One of
the brethren used to say to the believers, he said, used to say,
hang a sign over your heart. Do not disturb. I'm resting.
Say that to every all the religious people you meet out there, you
know, don't disturb. I'm resting. Grace and peace, peace of mind,
peace of heart, peace among yourselves. We have peace among ourselves.
Been a long time since there's been any real problems to speak
of. I really can't think of any.
real spat that we've had since you all have straightened up
over the years. Now, we've all grown. It takes growth on both parts
to grow. I thought about myself, you know. We all still come far short,
but I had to learn this job on the job. An awful good teacher,
but you don't learn anything until it's hands on. You don't
learn anything until you do it. You can hear all you would, but
until you just actually practice it, you don't learn. And it takes
years to really learn anything. And so we're all growing in grace,
aren't we? And grace means forgiveness and
forbearance. Longsuffering, doesn't it? Right.
Peace be from From God, it's all from our Father. That's what
James said. Every good and perfect gift comes
from God, our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. They're
one. They're one. He said, I thank my God always
on your behalf. He's not only thanking God for
them, but he's thanking God for them. In other words, Paul He
gave his life. He did. He gave his life by the
grace of God, he gave his life for the church. And they were
his life. And they were on his mind all
day, every day. I know for a fact, though, that
he wasn't on theirs all day, every day. But that's what it
means to be an apostle or a pastor. That's what it's all about. And
so, he says, if you're taking the gospel for granted, if you're
not, you know, remembering just how good the Lord's been to us,
I'm doing it for you. That's what he says, on your
behalf. So it goes both ways, thanking God for them and thanking
God for them. Just like you would your children,
like Job did. Remember, Job went and offered
Prayed for his children and said, maybe that they're not, they're
not. Stan, he died not knowing, didn't
he? That's sad. I mean, they died.
All his children died. He wasn't sure. Every one of
them. Every one of them. He prayed for them. But
for the great, he said, I pray, I thank God for the grace of
God, which is given you by Jesus Christ. And in everything, here's
the particular grace he thanks God for, for them. But in everything
you're enriched by him in all utterance and in all knowledge.
In everything you've been given this, this, an understanding,
a degree of understanding, not perfect understanding or knowledge. He thanked God that they had
been enriched And this is riches. Spiritual riches are true riches,
lasting riches. To be rich in faith is rich.
You see, there are those who have much and have nothing. Don't
even have good sense. Then there are those who have
little and have everything. There are those who are rich
in this world and are going to die like dogs. And then there
are those who are poor in this world and are going to die like
kings. Which would you rather have?
Which riches? Spiritual riches, earthly riches,
riches that never fade away or riches that rot and rust and
corrupt? The unsearchable riches of Christ
or the wood, hay and stubble? So he
says, I thank God in everything you're enriched by him. in all
utterance and in all knowledge, meaning that they knew the truth. They knew the gospel. And they could tell it and tell
others what they believed, who they believed. You know, most
folks don't know what they believe. They really don't. Most folks
don't. Brother Ed, most folks really don't know who God is
or don't They don't know what they believe. I listen to people
all the time talk about their religion, their God and all that,
who obviously don't have a clue about the God of the Bible. But
I venture to say that if you talk to anybody in this room,
I hear, that's been around the gospel very long and all, and
you'd hear the truth from their lips. They know whom they have believed
and why. Never don't you when you say
the same things that you've been around a good while. When when the Lord one time they. Ask the Lord something he said
ask him to hurt me. That's how you can tell who the
Lord's disciples are ask them to hurt. You talk to most of
our people. And it's been effectually called.
You talk to. Most of our people. And they'll
know they know the gospel. Even our children. At least know
it in their head. No. One time years ago a child. From 13th Street was in school
I think first grade. And. The teacher got up and said,
does anybody know what the three hours are? This is true, and
the child had been raised under the gospel for years, I know. She said, stand up. And that
little child said, ruined, redeemed and regenerated. Honestly, And
that teacher didn't have a clue what she was talking about. And you ask any of our children,
they know something about the fear of God. In everything, you've
been enriched by Him. That's why it goes on to say,
the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you. Do you know who you have
believed, Deborah Huff? You better. You're teaching our
children. I know you do. I've heard you too many times.
You've called and preached to me too many times. and others
among you. Preach to me. We preach to each
other, don't we? I just, I'm the only one who
gets to do it up here. And the testimony, the gospel of
Christ is confirmed in you. Is there anybody, I'm asking the wrong person is,
I'm going to ask Barbara Ross, Barbara, is there anybody that
can convince you otherwise of this gospel? Now, I'm asking
the wrong person, aren't I? It's pretty obvious what she
believes in, and you're going to find that when you get around
her, whether you want to or not. I like that. In other words,
Barbara, this gospel is confirmed in you, isn't it? There's nobody
going to convince you otherwise. You know whom you have believed,
and you're persuaded who he is. What he's done, where he is now,
why he did it, who he did it for, aren't you? Yeah. She's
just nodding her head emphatically. So are the rest of you. Confirmed
in you. This gospel of Christ. So that,
he says in verse 7, you come behind in no gift, waiting for
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. All these religious people
out there today like to talk about the gifts. Don't they? This is the gift. This is the
unspeakable gift, the gift above all gifts, the gift of understanding. In fact, when our Lord said to
the disciples who came back rejoicing that the spirits were subject
unto them, our Lord said, don't rejoice in that. Rejoice that
your names are written in heaven. Rejoice that you know and understand
me. A lot of these gifts, most of
these so-called gifts today are fake. Fake. Fake. All they are. This is the
gift. And it is a gift, isn't it? A
revelation. Knowledge of the truth is a gift.
And so you come behind and you're not in fear of anybody. Don't
let anybody, don't let these super-Christians think, make
you feel out of bounds. And we're waiting for the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ, aren't we? Oh, my. I said this the other night.
We were talking about the other night, Wednesday. It's all running
together. I don't know when it was. Anyway,
we were talking about the Lord's return Sunday, how that I believe
it's going to be when God's people are gathered together, where
the carcass is, the eagles are gathered, Matthew 20. And. You know, the disciples, when
they were all together, when the Lord left, it was it was
just marvelous. Don't you know, they all stood
there and watched this. They watched him ascend in the
glory. Don't you know, Jeanette, don't
you know, that was just. It was I can't put into words,
don't you know, they were just filled with glory and wonder
and amazement, and they stood there gazing into heaven. I don't
know how long they did, but they stood there a long time, gazing
into heaven, and all of their mouths wide open. And that's
when the angel said, Why stand you gazing into heaven? The same
Jesus shall so come in like manner as you've seen him go. So I believe
it's going to be the same. God's people are going to be
together, doing what they always do together, worshiping Christ,
just like the disciples of old. We're going to hear that trumpet.
And we're going to see you. How are we going to see you when
we've got a roof over? We're going to see you. And it's going
to be marvelous. We're waiting on the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ, like that little boy. He said, you go. Father said, you go, you wait.
I'm coming. So, Robin, that's what we do. Stephen? You're right
there again. What are we doing? Waiting on
the Lord. We come here waiting on him to
teach us, lead us, guide us, tell us what to do, where to
go. Disciples. That's what disciples do, don't
they? Who, verse 8, shall also confirm you unto the end. This
gospel is confirmed in you, and someday Christ is going to present
you, confirming you. Did any of you ever go through
confirmation when you were young? I'm sorry. I'm sorry you went
through that. It didn't mean a blooming thing,
did it? But buddy, one day somebody's
going to confirm us. That confirm means he's mine. Who's going to do that? Christ. Christ himself is going to confirm
you. What? How? I'm going to confirm
you unto the end that you may be blameless in the day of our
Lord Jesus Christ. Abe, we were talking about this,
weren't we, the other day, how that we're not going to have
to say a word. No, we're not going to have to say a word.
Just Christ being there. Just Christ being there is our
hope of glory. And if our names are called,
He'll answer. Verse 9, God is faithful. Why
is this? Because God is faithful. This
is our salvation, people. Our salvation is that God is
faithful. He's faithful to his word, he's
faithful to his promise, he's faithful to his covenant, he's
faithful to his son, he's faithful to the blood, he's faithful to
his word, he's faithful. What God has said, he will do. What God has promised, he's able
and he's willing and he'll do it. And you can trust him. Yes,
you can. He's faithful. And he had faithfully
provided for us in every way. By whom you were called under
the fellowship of his son Jesus Christ our Lord. This is a fellowship. Truly this is our fellowship.
John said that. This is our fellowship. I enjoy certain things. I was telling
somebody I said when you get to a certain age. About the most
you look forward to sitting down to a good meal. That's it. And if the company is good, that
makes it that much better, doesn't it? But truly, now this is, this
is what, this is, it doesn't get any better than this. This is our fellowship and God's
called us unto this. We're called to the table. This
is kind of like sitting around the table and we're eating. Yeah, we are. Feasting on the
manna, the body, the blood of Christ. We're sitting around
the table, and it is a round table where everyone is equal. And all our feet are hid, and
our lame legs, like on a fellowship. And the king's here. We don't
see him, but he's here. And the fellowship, that's what John
said with the father and with the son. Jesus Christ, our Lord. And I said in verse 10, and you
know, do you know that I was going to go through this whole
book of 1 Corinthians and do it? I thought that might happen and
maybe I'll continue Sunday. But verse 10, he said, Now I
beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that you all speak the same thing, that there be no divisions among
you. but that you be perfectly joined
together. Perfectly joined means mature,
united with a mature purpose, reasonable, rational, thinking,
understanding, mature. Men in understanding, women in
understanding. Children in malice, but men and
women in understanding. Do you understand what Paul meant
by that? the children in malice or that is not having the men
and women and understand that there be no divisions among you
perfectly to really join United with one man same man and the
same judgment or understanding discernment. And I don't have
time to fully deal with that. And maybe we'll continue that
Sunday. All right. Thank the Lord for
this tie that binds. Stand with me. Our Lord and our God, thank you,
thank you, thank you for the gospel of our salvation,
which is Christ himself. Thank you, Lord, for choosing
your people, calling them by your gospel, by your grace, saving
them apart, sanctifying them. and putting them in Christ and
putting them together as a family. We thank you, Lord. It's your
church, your family. We ask that you keep it as only
you must and only you can. Again, we thank you for every
member of your body. And may you cause us all to grow
in grace and the knowledge of Christ and by the measure of
every part of this body that we all grow Or by the. The whatever each part provides
according to your grace we all might grow into the measure of
the stature of the fullness of Christ. Until we all be. Finally and eternally joined
together with him someday this is what we're why we're here
and our purpose pray that you'd make it clear to us it's in Christ's
name we met here tonight amen your dismissed. We're going to go ahead and get
started. We're going to go ahead and get
started. I don't know. I don't know.