As I said in the first service,
it's so good to be with you. Let's take our Bibles again and
turn back to Acts chapter 9. We had previously looked at the
first two characteristics of a different kind of sinner. The first one was God arrests
a sinner that he is going to show mercy to. He is going to
stop him. He is not going to let him continue
where he is going. And that sinner that the Lord
has shown mercy to is one that Almighty God is going to call.
Call him Saul. And the Lord gave that called
sinner an inquiring heart. Who are you? an inquiring heart
that never ceases to inquire. Thirdly, the third characteristic
of a different kind of sinner is that God Almighty takes that
sinner to whom He has shown mercy spiritually. He teaches that
sinner. That's a different kind of sinner. We all hear the name Jesus. Everybody uses, that stands in
churches pretty much today, they talk about Jesus. But the one to whom God has shown
mercy is a different kind of sinner. Acts 9, when Saul of
Tarsus said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus,
whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against
the pricks. Now, this is a different kind
of sinner. He is one who is taught by the
Spirit of God. that this is the Savior. I'm
Jesus. That's what Savior means. He's
taught of God. He's taught two things. The Lord
told him, he said, I'm Jesus, the Savior. Not you and me are
the Savior. It's not that you have a say
in this thing or you have a free will. This is a different kind
of sinner. One that is taught that God Almighty
saves. and that the Lord is not trying
to do anything. At his birth, the shepherds that
were abiding in the fields were told, the Savior, Jesus, thou
shalt call his name Jesus, because what? He might save his people. Thou shalt call his name Jesus,
for he shall save his people. A different kind of sinner is
one that is taught that God Almighty saves, that He has a people from
the foundation of the world that He's everlastingly loved, and
He's going to save those people. But there's another thing that
they're taught. Who art thou, Lord? He said, I'm Jesus, whom
you're persecuting. This is another thing that man's
taught. that we're rebels against God. See, man by nature thinks
that, well, we're not really that bad. There's a little good
in all of us. No. Contrary to Scripture, there's
none good. There's none that do us good.
Not one. Not one. This is a different
kind of sinner. I'm Jesus. The great I Am. The Savior that you're persecuting. You ask men, stop somebody on
the street today and ask them, do you think that you're a sinner? Oh, well, yeah, sure. I'm saying,
you know, we're all sinners. You know, we're just sinners.
No, I'm talking about a God hating, God despising, rebel, putrefying
from the crown of your head to the sole of your foot, stinking. Just I'm talking about an absolute
God hating, resentful sinner. Well, now, I'm not that bad. I mean, I might have a few shortcomings,
but I'm not that bad. No, this is what God teaches,
that there's absolutely nothing. And you know, that's still amazing. Now, we know that. We know it. And we believe it. But I'll tell
you this, we don't believe it as we ought. We just don't. But
a believer will tell you, I know, no matter how bad I think I am,
I'm worse than that. I know I am. A sinner to whom
God has shown mercy, he's a taught sinner, blessed by Almighty God. He said, it's hard for you to
kick against the pricks. Let me tell you what he told
him. He said, Your stiff neckness, when it's hard, it's hard. I got to thinking about that
one day. It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks. Now,
you showed me one person that that's hard, the way we think
it's hard. Not hard for me. Not hard. I thought it's not too hard for
a rebel, but that's not what the Lord was saying. He wasn't
telling him it's hard. Like, it's a tough thing for
you to rebel against God. Now that comes real simple. What
he told him was, when it's hard, that word is stiff-neckedness. What he's saying is, your stiff-neckedness
is what resists the call of God. I'm Jesus whom you're persecuting,
and it's the stiff-neckedness of your heart. Oh, Stephen told
those Pharisees, Acts 7, 21, you stiff-necked and uncircumcised
and hard in ears, you do always resist the Holy Ghost. As your fathers did, so do ye. Oh, no, as far as just being
a rebel against God, if you think of the word hard there as being
something tough to accomplish, that's not what the word means.
Oh, men do that real easily because that's their nature. But what
he's saying is, it's the stiffness of your heart and your ears.
You do always resist the Holy Ghost. A different kind of sinner
is one that Almighty God teaches two things, who He is and who
you are. Now, that's a different kind
of sinner. And I believe there's some of you sitting here today
just like that. God taught you something. A sinner to whom God has shown
mercy is a submissive sinner. Verse 6, And he, trembling and
astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Saul trembled, the Scripture
said, alarmed at the realization of his former plight. Think to
yourself, what if Almighty God would have
left you alone? I'll tell you exactly what you'd
have done. Number one, you'd have justified everything you're
doing. You'd have been just as pleased with yourself. You'd
have been just as happy as you could be. Going to church, you
know, filling up a little time, realizing that as far as you're
concerned, you hadn't done anything against God. I'm just, the Scripture
says, he trembled and astonished. Lord, what would you have me
to do? Amazed is what, astonished, amazed
that God had shown him mercy. The Scripture says that God has
a people that no man can number. But God knows them. I don't know,
that's what it means. It means that I don't know who
they are. No man can number them. Who are
God's elect? I don't know. I see some evidence
of those that I'm convinced are. But who are they? No man can
number them. But when you look at any given
period of time, there are in that period of time apparently
just a few, just a remnant. Just a remnant. You ladies, what's
a remnant good for? Well, you take it and take a
few little scraps. I mean, just the remnant, what
was left over. Normally what I think of remnants
is just something to pick up and throw in the garbage can.
Just a remnant, just a few little straggly looking pieces, just
a remnant. But Paul says there is now, there's
a remnant according to grace, according to election, a remnant. And God's people realize this.
They realize that they are what they are by the grace of God.
You realize that He left me alone. And you bow to that. Lord, what
would you have me to do? Amazed. Amazed that God hadn't
already put you in hell. Amazed that the Lord didn't leave
you to yourself. Those that God has shown mercy
to. Realize, I was born just like anybody else. Not a bit
of difference in rebellion, in darkness. And God was pleased
to show me the error of my way. And He gave me a heart to bow
to that. And I'm thankful. I realize that
He left me to myself. I know what I've done. How do
I know that? I can look around. I look around
and see what everybody else will do and what I would definitely
do had God not called me. What would you have me to do? Not what I'd do. I was talking
to Brother Todd Nybert one day. I was talking about, well actually
I was talking about when I was considering praying about moving
to Katy. I told somebody the other day
of all the decisions that I've ever made in my life. That's
the one right there that I can pretty well share. I'm sure I
think that was the right thing to do. I think that was the right
thing for me to do. That's where I had to go. But
do you know I struggled with that? I struggled. Somebody says,
well, how do you know what to do? The Lord will show you. And the heart of a believer is
this. I want that. I want what He wants. And I struggle and pray after
and seek after. Lord, what would You have me
to do? What's pleasing to my Master?
Lord, where would You have me to go? What would You? Let me ask you this, you that
believe. Do you think it's the Lord's will that you come and
assemble yourselves together and hear His Word? Sure you do.
Don't forsake the assembling of yourselves together. I read
something. Tell us, Sammy, coming over,
I read something the other day and I thought that's so good.
A religionist. Basis, the worship of God or
the attendance, even where God's word is preached, a religionist
that's sitting under the hearing of the gospel, that's never heard
anything is what I'm talking about. A religionist is one that
governs his busy schedule. Now, I'm sorry that that governs
the worship of God around his busy schedule. You know, if he
doesn't need to, you know, go turkey hunting or go to a turkey
call or or, you know, he he governs the worship of God around his
busy schedule. Well, I just don't have time.
I know you go on vacation and I know that some of you probably
have to work maybe on Sunday. I'm not talking about that. I'm
talking about when you can. A religionist governs the worship
of God around his busy schedule, a believer. governs his busy
schedule around the worship of God. He's going to be there.
God's people want to be there. They're submissive. Do you think
it's the right thing that I should be honest? Honest with men? Honest with the government? You
know, I mean, is it the right thing? Somebody paid me one time
in cash. I sold them some artwork. They
said, Listen, I mean, if I just kind of give you some cash right
there, you know, you know, you don't have to turn this into
the government, you know, is it any cheaper? I said, I said,
I don't care if it's cash or check. I got a conscience. Is it the right thing to do to
be honest? Render unto Caesar that which
is Caesar. They're submissive. They bow to God's word. Should I support this work here?
These lights, they've got to be paid for. You know, you have
a pastor. Got a salary, and is it the right
thing to do? I told somebody, and I mean this,
the spiritual maturity of a person is evidenced by their generosity. Generosity by their money, their
time, their attendance. The spiritual maturity of a person
is governed. They're submissive. What would
you have me God's people are not stingy, Stan. They're not
stingy people. What would you have me to do?
Do you think that you're going to out-give God? No, you're not. Absolutely, I wouldn't say this
to embarrass anybody, but I'll tell you this. One of the most
generous men I've ever met in my life, and he was sitting right
here, I'd tell him, is Brother Henry Mahan. I'm telling you,
I've never in my life, he's been such an example to me just. And
let me ask you, have you ever seen that anything that the blessing
of God? I mean, what a, you know, well,
I didn't, that's not even in my notes. All right. Number five,
those to whom God has shown mercy, they walk by faith. Lord, he
said in verse 6, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said
unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and shall be told thee
what thou must do. Saul of Tarsus was on his way
to Damascus to take those who were of the way. And they knew
it. They knew he was coming. There's
a verse coming up here. And they knew he was coming.
What would you have me to do? You go into that very city where
you were going, where they knew you were coming. And it will
be told thee. You know, don't you think, you
know, that maybe if I knew what was going to come up tomorrow,
that I'd be able to kind of govern my life a little bit, John? You
know, I'd kind of maybe make a few little changes today if
I knew what was going to happen tomorrow. But you know what God's
people do. They know this, that the steps
of a good man are ordered by the Lord. That there's not one
thing that has ever come your way. You that are God's people,
the elect of God. Not one thing. I don't care. I don't care what it is. Not
one thing. The Scriptures set forth that
Almighty God, He works. Now, how many things does He
work? All things after the counsel of His own will. All things. Now, you talk about even that,
you know, the work and my, you know, if I, you know, I was talking
to Nancy yesterday and, you know, she's gone through that knee
replacement stuff and, you know, I said, Nancy, and not one thing,
not one thing about that operation, not one, not one thing, not one
thing has happened is not according to the will and purpose of Almighty
This is exactly, and God's people bow to that. Everything that
comes my way, arise and go into the city, and it shall be told
thee what thou must do. The Lord's people, they walk
and they believe God. What's going to happen today?
Whatever He's purposed. What am I going to do? That which
I must. He's going to order all things.
He's going to do all things. Necessity is laid upon a believer. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9,
16, For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory in, for
necessity is laid upon me. Yea, woe is unto me if I preach
not the gospel. Why does your pastor show up
every day to study? Why does he do that? Because
he must. He's got to. Well, does he have
a choice? No. No, he really doesn't. I
mean, you know, let him rebel against it and watch what happens.
What I must do. Sixthly, a sinner to whom God
has shown mercy is an abased sinner. They're brought down.
Look at verses 8 and 9 in Saul. arose from the earth when his
eyes were open. He saw no man, but they led him
by the hand, brought him to Damascus. And he was three days without
sight, and neither did he eat nor drink." Now, this fellow
right here is the one that later on would tell us, he said, y'all
want to know what my credentials were at one time. And boy, he
started rattling off all that stuff. You know, I was a Pharisee
of Pharisees, and I was this and I was that. You know, Hebrew,
Hebrews, and I was this. I was born here in this tribe
and this, that, and the other. And he said, all of that stuff
is refuge. We just read in the first service,
you know, what he considered a grand title. He said, don't
be ashamed of me, the prisoner of the Lord. Prisoner. You that are bound to him. A
bond slave to him. Aren't you thankful for that? That's a different kind of sinner.
One that God's brought down, taught, not proud and haughty,
but given a heart that bows. I know that old heart that's
rebellious is still there, but I'm going to tell you something.
There's a new one there, too. There's a new one. It amazes
me how men will stand and usually they'll try to take the effects
of the old nature and justify everything they do. Well, you
know, I'm just a sinner. Well, you know, I can't do anything
else. I'm just a sinner. Yeah, but let me ask you this.
What about that new nature supposed to be there? Let's talk about
that. A sinner that God has shown mercy
to, this is a different one. He brought down, abased. Matthew 23, 12 says, Whosoever
shall exalt himself shall be abased. He that shall humble himself
shall be exalted." Saul had exalted himself in his own mind and before
others too. And let them know exactly. Every
man born in Adam exalts himself. And do you want to know how that
exaltation evidences itself? Now listen, this is a real revelation. It evidences itself this way
in a man believing that he has the ability or has the free will
to do whatever he wants to do for Almighty God. And you talk
about the epitome of exaltation in a man's mind is to think that
he holds the key. I'm the one that makes the final
decision. I have the ability, God wants
to do something for me, but I'll tell you when God can do something
for me, when I let Him. Boy, what arrogance. A different
kind of sinner is one that God has taught. That's rebellion. Now, that's a different kind
of sinner right there. And only God's people are taught that,
that God Almighty is the Savior. Number seven, a sinner to whom
God has shown mercy is a guarded sinner. What do I mean by that?
Well, look at verse 10. And there was a certain disciple
at Damascus named Ananias. And to him said the Lord in a
vision, Ananias, and he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. This fellow Ananias, He was a
preacher. He was a preacher. A different kind of sinner is
one that God watches over and guards and protects by sending
them a preacher. He sends them a pastor. Jeremiah
3.15, I will give you pastors according to mine heart which
shall feed you with knowledge and understanding that you that
believe Let me tell you something that's different about you. Let
me just change a word in here too. And it says, And there was
a certain disciple at Rocky Mount named Paul, Paul Mahan. And to him said the Lord in a
vision, Paul. And he said, Behold, I'm here,
Lord. And you know what God did for
you? He sent you a preacher. He sent
you a pastor. A pastor after his own heart.
And he's watched over you. And he's guarded you. Hebrews
13. Turn over there. I just want
you to look at this. Hebrews 13, 17. Hebrews 13, verse
17. Obey them. that have the rule over you. Obey. That means trust them. Be persuaded of them. Listen
to them. Obey them that have the rule.
How do you do that? Attend God's gospel preached
through God's man. This is a different kind of sinner.
God sends you a pastor. A man that God has raised up. Why? Because they watch for your
souls. Do you think your pastor cares
for you? You know he does. You know he
does. Look at the blessing. What a
different kind. God sent you a pastor that preaches
God's message concerning God's salvation. Obey them. They watch for your souls. Why?
They must give account. Now, what kind of an account?
I see three things. 1 Timothy. Let's flip over to
1 Timothy 1. 1 Timothy chapter 1, verse 1. I tell you this, the first thing
that I know about a pastor that gives account, he's going to
give account before Almighty God. 1 Timothy 1.1, Paul, an
apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior,
and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope. Almighty God calls a man, and
He calls a man to give that man to a people. God has been pleased
through the foolishness of preaching, as I've heard men say, not foolish
preaching, but the foolishness. Can you imagine? This is how
God watches over you. Think of what God has taught
you through your pastor, through the preacher, that God has raised
up in this community, this part of this state. You're a guarded
people. That's a blessing from Almighty
God. He gives account. He's got to
give account. In his heart, he gives account before God. He's concerned. Why? He knows
who called him. He's not in it for the money.
I mean, it's the right thing. He's worthy of double honor.
But here's a man that realized he comes to this study and he's
looking. His brother Henry said, God's
people are not looking for a message. They're looking for God's message.
He sent you a pastor, what a blessing. You come, you sit, and when your
pastor stands up, you know it. You trust him. You know this. Paul's not going to, by the grace
of God, he's not going to lie to me. He's not going to try
to steer me wrong. Gives a count. He gives a count.
Secondly, to the church. Look, 1 Timothy 3. 1 Timothy
3, verse 1 to 7. This is a true saying. If a man
desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. Look
at verse 7. He must have a good report of
them which are without, lest he fall into reproach and snare
of the devil. He gives an account. Paul said,
Obey them that have the rule of you. They give an account.
He gives an account to you. You hear what he says, and it's
consistent with the Scriptures. And you rest in the consistency
of that message. He gives account to you. But
I tell you this, he's going to also give account to himself.
1 Timothy 3, verse 8 and 9. Likewise, must the deacons be
grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, nor greedy,
a filthy looker, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure
conscience. It matters to him what he preaches. He gives account before Almighty
God. He gives account to you. He gives
account to Himself. He's God's preacher. Those that
Almighty God has shown mercy to, they are a guarded people. Guarded over. Watched over. The Lord does not abandon His
people. He said, I'll never leave you
and I'll never forsake you. What does He do? He sends you
a preacher. They study the Word of God and they teach. And God
the Spirit takes that message and teaches you in your heart. Before him, Psalm 147, 3, he
healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds. The
salve of God's message through God's preacher to God's people. Oh, what a fellowship. This is
a that's a different kind. Oh, how beautiful. are the feet
of them. How beautiful are the feet of
them. You know what the word beautiful means? Timely. How timely. How many times have
you sat there and God's man stand up and he preached something
and you say, oh boy, that's just exactly what I need. I needed
to hear that. How beautiful, how timely are
the feet through the message of God Almighty to His people.
Number eight, back in Acts 9, the center to whom God has shown
mercy is a worshiping center. I know that there's a phrase
that I hear often, and it's in these places. It's something
like when people They're going to kind of differentiate between
different segments of the message. They say, now this is praise
and worship. This is the praise and worship.
And I think that I don't know exactly what they mean, but... ...segment. Well, what are you
going to do in this segment then? I mean, you know, worship. Worship. It actually means the kissing
of the hand, to lick the hand. We've come this morning, and
whether we're singing, whether we're hearing, or we're attending
the praying, this man right here, a different kind of sinner, is
one that is a worshiping sinner. Verse 11, And the Lord said unto
him, that is, unto Ananias, Arise and go into the street which
is called straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one
name's Saul. of Tarsus, for behold, he prayeth."
For the first time. But I thought he was a Pharisee.
He was. But I thought he was a religious man. He was. The
Lord said he prayeth. First time that this man has
ever prayed. Oh, I'm not saying that he didn't
say his prayers. I remember when I was in college,
I used to come in after a night of reveling. And do you know,
I never remember a time ever, ever that I didn't go to bed
and say my prayers. Had a set of prayers, you know,
staying. I'd go through my prayers. And
boy, I was thinking in my mind, you know what? It doesn't matter
what I've done. I've just, you know, I've settled the score
with God. I'm in the Lord, you know. We're in good shape now. My prayers. Saul, to that point, had done
just like everybody else. He just had a set of prayers,
just vain repetition. But a different kind of sinner
is one that worships. Behold, he prayeth. Well, what does a man do before?
Well, I tell you what he does. He prays with himself. He prays
to himself. Here is his own God. The Pharisee
stood and prayed thus with himself, and this is what he said, God,
I thank Thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners,
unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. Does God hear the prayer? I am talking about with love
and affection. of those that are dead. Well, let me ask you this. Let
me read you this scripture, and then you just answer that for
yourself. Job 35.13, Surely God will not hear vanity. And Psalm
39.15 says, 39.5, Barely every man in his best state is altogether
vanity. Job 35, verse 13, God will not
hear vanity. He will not hear uselessness. He will not hear it. Every man
at his best state is altogether at his best stand. What it means? When Peter stood up and said,
everybody else may forsake you. I'll never, I'll never. I thought,
you know, that sounds like a pretty good stand. Well, you know what
happened, don't you? Man that God has shown mercy
to, a different kind of sinner, is one that worships. They bow
before Almighty God. Number nine, a sinner to whom
God has shown mercy is a chosen sinner. Verse 12, back in Acts
9, he has seen a vision, a man named Ananias coming in, put
his hand on him that he might receive his sight. And Ananias
answered, Lord, I've heard by many of this man how much evil
he hath done to thy saints in Jerusalem. And here he hath authority
from the chief priest to bind up all that call on thy name.
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel
unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and
children of Israel." Here is a different kind of sinner, a
chosen sinner, one chosen by Almighty God, one that Almighty
God has set his affection on everlastingly. He says, because
I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore, have I chosen
you. Chosen because He loved him. Never, any time, has Almighty
God not loved His chosen. Chosen in Christ. Chosen before
the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without
blame before Him in love. Now, there is a different concept.
One that God has chosen to show mercy to. I'm going to have mercy
on whom I'll have mercy. On whom I will, I'm going to
show compassion. It's God. God Almighty has chosen
you. Psalm 47, verse 4 says, He shall
choose our inheritance for us. The excellency of Jacob. and
he loved. He said, I made a covenant with
my chosen, Psalm 89, 3 and 4. I have sworn unto David my servant,
that is, the Lord Jesus Christ, of whom David was a type. Thy
seed will I establish forever and build up thy throne to all
generations. Paul said, We are bound to give
thanks to you, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the
beginning A chosen view to salvation through sanctification of the
Spirit and belief in the truth. There is a different kind of
sinner. A chosen sinner. Number 10. A sinner to whom God
has shown mercy is an obedient sinner. Verse 16, 17. I will show him how great things
he must suffer for my namesake. And Ananias went his way and
entered into the house and put his hands on him and said, the
Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way, as thou
camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive my sight, and
be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from
his eyes that it had been scaled, and received sight, forthwith,
and arose, and was baptized." I see two things in there about
two different men, and both of them were obedient. And Anais
was told by the Lord, You go, and you go to this house right
here, and you can You see, this certain man, he said, ìLord,
IÖî He said, ìHeís a chosen vessel unto me.î And he went. He went. When Almighty God, when a believer
is convinced, ìThis is the Lordís will. I believe this is what
God would have me to do.î You know what youíre going to do?
Thatís what youíre going to do. Those that God has given a heart,
a direction, a yearning, a hungering after, and nobody is going to
talk you out of it. Ananias obeyed him, but I want
you to look what Saul did. He was baptized. Let me ask you
this. Is it optional for a believer
to be baptized? I know baptism is not salvation. I understand this. I understand
that. Salvation, but it's the confession
of our faith. Is it optional? No. No. A man or woman that God calls
out of darkness, this is the way they confess. They're baptized. Those who have had the scales
of spiritual darkness and unbelief removed by God's Spirit, they
confess the Lord that they love in baptism. Well, I tell you
what, though, I don't know. I just don't know. God's people
are obedient people. They bow to him. Number 11, a
sinner to whom God has shown mercy is one that is a participant
in the body of Christ. Look at verse 19. And when he
had received meat, he was strengthened, then was solved certain days
with the disciples which were at Damascus. God's people called out of darkness. They're like birds of a feather.
They flock together. They're where God's people meet.
They're where God's message is preached. That's where they are.
You tell me that there is a believer that can attend any place where
anything is being preached, and I'll tell you that that's not
a believer. God's people go where God's message
is. Well, don't you think that God's
people will go over here and that they could go over here
to where some false doctor is being preached and sit there
and be satisfied with it and they're still God's people? No.
No, they're not going to hear my sheep hear my voice and they
follow me. They follow the message of salvation
by grace. They follow after Christ who
set forth as the sovereign God. who chooses, elects, and effectually
calls and teaches under a pastor, that's where they're going to
be. That's a different kind of sinner. Well, don't you pass
about a dozen churches on your way here? At least. At least. Well, don't you think it'd be
just as convenient? No. God's people are going to
be there. Look at Acts chapter 2. I'm going
to close. Well, I've got one point after
this, and I'm going to be finished. Acts chapter 2. And verse 42,
it says, and they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine. And
look this, and fellowship, Acts 2, 42, they continued steadfastly
in the apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of
bread and in prayers. God's people, that's the kingdom
of God, and individuals of that kingdom have a common interest. Their Lord is their common interest,
a common love, common joy, common peace. And that's where God's
people are going to be. A different kind of sinner is
one that will not hear anything that does not honor his Lord. If it dishonors my God, if it
makes my God to appear to be a beggar, I'm not going there.
My Lord is not a beggar. My God is God. Ask David, say,
where's your God? He says, He's in the heavens
and He's doing whatever He wants to do. That's what He's doing.
Who is your God? Who is your God? I'll tell you
what a believer says, My God is God. He's God Almighty. Well, what if somebody comes
and sits for a while and they leave and they never come back
again? And they die in unbelief. They
weren't God's people. They weren't. Is that too hard?
And then lastly, a sinner to whom God has shown mercy, he's
a witness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 20, And straightway Saul
of Tarsus, that boy, I mean just not three or four days before
that, was a rebel, hater, rebellious before Almighty God, and straightway
he preached Christ in the synagogues that he's the Son of God. But
all that heard him was amazed and said, Is not this he that
destroyed them which called on his name in Jerusalem? Well,
yes and no. Yes and no. Yes, that is. That's
the same man. And I know he's got the same
characteristics because he said that in his flesh there dwells
no good thing. But no, that's not the same man.
That new man there. There's a new nature there. Is
that him? Well, yes and no. Is this the same man right here
that back years ago before God called me up? Is this the same
man that attended a false gospel? Well, yes and no. There's a new man there. That
one that God has shown mercy to is a witness of the Lord Jesus
Christ. All that heard him were amazed
and said, Is this not he that destroyed them which call on
this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent that he
might bring them bound unto the chief priest? For Saul increased
them more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus,
proving that this is the very Christ." How does he prove it
in scriptures? How does he prove it? How does any man prove it?
Set forth. Establish. who through the Scriptures,
through the preaching, Paul said, I'm not ashamed of the Gospel.
It's the power of God unto salvation. I haven't preached anything that
your pastor doesn't preach. I haven't preached anything that
I haven't preached before. Maybe a different text. But it's
the same message. They're a witness of the Lord
Jesus Christ. I didn't come here today to tell
you about how bad, you know, dancing, smoking, drinking, cussing,
You know? What's a different kind of sinner?
Paul says, I'm determined. I've got one message. I'm going to
preach Christ and Him crucified. That's the only comfort that
a believer has. You know, we're all sinners. I understand that. Old nature is there. But that
new nature, that Almighty God has imparted, put in, speaks
of one thing, speaks of their master. And every time a believer
comes together, they want to be comforted in this way. Total
depravity, there's no comfort in total depravity. I can tell
you all day long how totally depraved you are, and that's
true. But tell me how He's put away
my guilt. Tell me what He has done for
me. Show me how Almighty God was made sin. Whenever the Lord Jesus Christ
hung on that cross, the Scripture says that He hath
made Him sin who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness
of God in Him. When He was on that cross, who
was there? Well, you say, the Lamb of God.
That's right. Spotless Lamb of God. That's right. Holy, undefiled,
and separate from sinners. And let me tell you what happened. All of God's people, from the
beginning, their guilt, their nature, He
hath made him sin. Upon that cross, the Lord who
was made sin, upon that cross was sin. Upon that cross was sin. You
say, that's the Holy Lamb of God. And He had made him sin. Now, you try to explain that
any other way, and I say that as reverently. I talked with
Scott about that. I said, you know, I can't even
hardly in my mind, I try to bring myself to the point to say that.
To bring my point to make that statement, and the Scripture
says that. Scott said, we never, never want to say anything disrespectful. But he said, you never. take
away the glory of what he did in putting away his people's
guilt. He said if he wasn't made what
you are, you don't have any hope. He put away your guilt. There
was the spotless Lamb of God made sin and God dealt with his
people's sin in him and forsook him The Lord said to his people,
I'll never forsake you. I'll never forsake you. But his father forsook him so
that he would never forsake you. Now, there's a different kind
of sinner that God's done something for, put away his guilt. Now, there's some hope there.
Okay, people. Oh, I'm sorry. Gabe's coming.
Nancy's got a letter out on the bulletin board of thanks to all
of you. on the bouldering board downstairs.
So if you can't read that, she wants to relate to you how thankful
she was. She can't personally tell all
of you, but she doesn't want to leave anybody out. So read
that letter. Okay.