all right open your bibles back
to acts chapter three with Acts chapter 3, I'm going to
go ahead and get right into the message. Acts chapter 3, read a couple
of verses with me. Acts 3.19, Peter concluding his message, he says,
Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted
out. Verse 26, he said, Under you
first, God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless
you in turning away every one of you from his iniquity. Repent, he said, that your sins
may be blotted out. He says God has sent Christ to
bless you in turning you away from your iniquity. Now, there are many reasons why
people go to church. I'm not new at this, and I've
heard a lot of reasons. I hear people talk. People come
because they have troubles, and I'm not making light of or
diminishing the troubles that we have. We all go through them, but people
begin coming to church or going to church, so to speak, when
they have troubles. Marital troubles will cause people
to begin to go to church, so to speak. Marital troubles. Personal
troubles. People, their lives become a
mess, and so they're looking for something. Financial troubles. Many troubles. Troubles in the
family. in the home. They figure, well,
if we can get our home together and under the whatever. Trauma. People go through traumas,
sicknesses, terrible sicknesses, maybe life-threatening sicknesses,
and people begin to go to church. They start thinking about eternity. It doesn't usually last too long,
and whenever the sickness is over, they pretty much forget
that. But they begin to come. Death. Someone dies suddenly, unexpectedly. Friend, family, something. Somebody dies, so people go to
church. Social reasons. People go to
church for social reasons. And this is what most so-called
churches are using today. We're a family church. You want
to have a good family, don't you? You want your family to
prosper. We have a lot of things for your
family. And again, I'm not making light
of family. I love family. We have a singles ministry. If
you're single, you're looking for a mate. So many reasons people
go. I could go on and on with that.
Someone once called the church, or what people call the church,
a poor man's country club. Poor man's country club. You
know, a place to go and socialize and pay your dues. You don't have to pay much, but
pay your dues and look for a club to join. Everything I just said is so.
And most everyone in here came, perhaps, at first, for one of
those reasons. Am I right? I did. You've heard my story.
I get up here and talk all the time. And you've heard my story
many times. I was after that girl right there.
That's why I came. That's absolutely the only reason
I came. I got my eye on a pretty little girl, so I went to church
with her. All wrong reasons. I recognize
that God brings his people to hear the truth by different means. And all the wrong reasons. Those
are all the wrong reasons to come here. You know? All the wrong reasons. Why should
we go to church? What is this all about? There's a thing called worship. Worship. What's that? You hear
that a lot today. And they go and they do all sorts
of things. in the name of worship. Now,
what is worship? Well, basically, worship is acknowledging
God Almighty. It's acknowledging God, coming
to give thanks to God, everything. Coming to glorify God, or that
is, give Him all the honor and glory and credit, everything.
Shouldn't we? He set aside from the beginning
a day for people to come worship. Ought not people to worship God
who gives them everything? Yeah, sure should. Give thanks.
Yeah, sure should. Worship, giving thanks. But let me tell you what this
is all about. What we're doing here, what I'm
standing up here for, and what you need The thing, the real
issue here, and what you need to know about, it's a life and
death matter. All right? That's what this is
about. Here's the issue. And it's a word that's scoffed
at and laughed at and abused and maligned today. It's a word called sin. And like I said, you hear all
kinds of things about it. They named a city after it. Las
Vegas. Sin City. Men, the world is laughing
at this. This is the most old-fashioned,
laughable thing, and people just love to talk about it and laugh
at it. Sin. But it's not a laughing matter. That's why we got all the troubles
we got. That's what this whole mess is
all about. That's why this whole thing is
in a mess. That's why God said he's going
to destroy this mess. It's a thing called sin. And
it's in us. That's why we have marital troubles.
That's why we have personal problems. It's not somebody else. It's
us. The issue is sin. It's responsible for all the
trouble in the world, all the trouble in ourselves, all the
trouble in our home, everything. And it's the reason this book
was written. That's why this book was written,
to tell us about it, what it is, where it came from, What that means to us, what it's
done to us, what can be done about it? That's what this book's
all about. And it gives story after story
after story upon thousands of years of the consequences of
it. And the underlying story of it
all is about the only one who can do anything about it. Sin. It's not a laughing matter. It's not something to be joked
about. And every prophet, we just read
that, every prophet in the Old Testament, his message was, every
prophet, without exception, got up and he said this, and let
people laugh at this, repent. Every prophet, repent. What does
that mean? Basically, repent means be sorry
for your sins. Repent means turn from it. Repentance is toward God. You
turn from yourself and everything you are to God for help from
it, from this thing you're seeing. That's what repent means. And
every prophet from the beginning, that was their message. John
was the last of the Old Testament prophets. What did he preach?
First thing, repent. Kingdom of God is at hand. Jesus
Christ. Who is that prophet that we read
about here? The prophet to end all prophecies,
the prophet of whom all prophecies were written. Jesus Christ, his
message was, repent. Not God loves you, but repent. The kingdom of heaven
is at hand. That was his message. It's the
first words out of his mouth. Peter preaching here, he said, your sins need to be
blotted out. He says, God's blessed you. Talking
to some people, God blessed you to turn you away from Because
if he doesn't, you're going to die in him. You're going to die
because of him. Now, let me see if I can't tell
you something what sin is. Or rather, I'm going to show
you what God says it is. One time, years ago, in the Roanoke
Times, they did a survey. The question was, what do you
think is sin? Do you remember that? Oh, I remember
it. I wish it had never been written,
but all people wrote in by the hundreds and thousands, giving
their opinion. Well, I think sin is this. I
think sin is that. Let me tell you what God says
sin is, okay? Let's look and see what this
Word says it is. First of all, I want to show
you from 1 John, the first epistle of John. Back there in the back
toward the end, right just before Revelation, a few books, a few
chapters. 1 John, chapter 1. Like I said, sin is why we're
in trouble, and why trouble's in trouble.
Sin is the trouble, and it's in us, and it's in this world. This world is full of it. It's
the reason this world is a mess. I mean, it's an absolute cesspool. And I'm in it. And it's in me. And it's the reason we'll never have
complete happiness or joy or peace on this planet. Never. Because of this thing called
sin. It's going to plague us until the day we die. Never again, if. 1 John 1. Now, I said, let's
look at it. Verse 8. If we say we have no
sin, if you're not looking at it with me, then listen to me,
all right? If we say we have no sin, we
deceive ourselves. And the truth is not in us. The
truth, God's word is the truth. It's not in us. If we say, we
have no sin. I told you a while ago, we have
personal problems. We have marital problems. We
have family problems. Why? Well, preacher, you just don't
know that woman I'm married to. Oh, yes, I do. I will soon be
married about 25 years. She's been married that long,
too. The problem is not with her.
The problem is not somebody else. That's what Adam said, did he
not? In the garden, first thing, when sin entered in, Adam said,
what's that woman? You didn't have made that woman.
If I wasn't married to this woman, everything would be all right.
No, Adam. You sin. Right? Let me just add this little note.
The grass is never greener on the other side. I have horses. I've had several horses over
the years. I've got my property fenced in. And I've heard lies. Do everything I can that those
horses might have good, green grass. But it's never satisfying. And Brother Henry, they have
literally torn my fence all to pieces. Why? If I can just get that grass
right there. I ain't the same grass, Kelly.
I sowed the exact same grass everywhere. Outside the fence,
inside the fence. But, oh, that looks good. It's
got to be better than what I got here. They'll tear that fence down
and lots of times they got themselves in it and got themselves in a
mess trying to get to that greener grass. It's not greener, I try
to tell them. It's not. Motley, honey, same
grass. I'll even take her out there
and say, look, see? They'll get in a mess trying
to get to that. In fact, just have that. That's enough said about marriage.
It starts right here. If any say we have no sin. Problems in the world. We have
problems in the world because everybody's full of it. Everybody's
like us. That's a frightening thought,
isn't it? For those of you who know yourself, that's a frightening
thought. Everyone's full of sin. The whole
creation, the scripture says, groaneth because of it. Now,
if somebody says, listen to me, somebody in here right now, and
you're the only ones listening to this. If someone says, well,
I've got some thoughts. Yeah, I'm not perfect. And I've got some thoughts, but
I'm not, man, then anything I had to say from here on is not for
you. You're free to go. If this, whoever just got some
thoughts, go on. I have nothing more to
say to you. You don't need this. You don't
need God. You don't need Christ. You don't need this religion.
You don't need this gospel. This gospel is for sinners. This
gospel is for people who have an incurable disease. This gospel
is for people who are dying of a cancer called sin, and they
know it. This gospel is for people who
take all the blame, not blaming on somebody else. That's who this gospel is for. This gospel is for people who
realize, yeah, I went after the grass on the other side, and
it wasn't greener. That's who this gospel is for—sinners. Read on. 1 John 1, verse 9. If we confess our sins, he's faithful and just. to forgive us our sin. Us, you're
talking about us, Stan. Us, me, me, not you. Folks, stand
and straighten up. Everything will be much, this
world will be a better place. It's me. It's me. God, do something about me. Do
something with me. That's what this is all about.
Verse ten, if we say that we have not sinned, We make God
a liar. His word is not in us. If I think I've just got some
problems I need worked out, I am deceived. My problem is a deep-rooted
problem called sin, and it's me. That's my problem. It's a problem with God. That's
why I'm in trouble with God. That's why I'm in trouble with
myself. That's why I'm in trouble in
this world. It's this thing called sin. And I've got it. And as I said, for those who
say that they're, you know, looking for this or that and the other,
well, and we talk much of this. Every
time you hear me stand up, you'll hear me say something about sin,
old-fashioned as it sounds. And many come and hear it, and
they quickly get tired of it and go in search of a singles And I say, fine. But that's not
going to make you happy. Because the real trouble is what
I'm talking about. So if you find the finest person
you could ever marry, you're still going to have trouble. That's what Paul said in Romans
7. Read it for yourself. Romans 1 Corinthians 7. He said, marry a believer, but
you're still going to have trouble. Why? Because you both got this
thing in you. That's the real trouble. Something
needs to be done about that. All your troubles won't be over,
no. But your trouble with God will. And someday all troubles
will be over. But not here. All right, there's
much talk about the Holy Spirit today, isn't there? Much talk about the Holy Spirit.
It's real popular. Here's what the Lord Jesus Christ
says about the Holy Spirit. This is what the Lord Jesus Christ
says the Holy Spirit does. This is what the Lord Jesus Christ
says that when people get together in a worship service and preaching
and so forth, all this goes on. This is what the Holy Spirit
does right here. Doesn't make people fall on the
floor and start babbling like idiots. Doesn't make people jump
up and down and swing from chandeliers and all of that stuff. No, sir. This is what the Holy Spirit
does. Whenever he begins to really operate on a human being, this
is what he does. All right? You want to read it
with me? John 16, verse 8. He's talking about the Holy Spirit,
the Comforter. He says, I'll send him to you. He will reprove the word of sin. When the Holy Spirit comes, when
I send the Holy Spirit, and he blows where he lives to, John
3 said. He goes wherever Christ sends
him. He operates on whoever Christ says operate on. Not where people pretend. that he's there, and so forth. Whoever Christ sends the Holy
Spirit to on a human being, in them, to work upon them, this
is the first thing that he does, reproves of sin. The word reprove
is convince, convict. Reprove. You've been reproved,
haven't you? If you had a true parent, father or mother, when
you were young, And you were reproved. I mean, you understood what they did. You understood. It's not that
way anymore, is it? That the Holy Spirit will
reprove the world. The world? Everybody in the world?
No. John 3.16 doesn't mean that.
And neither does this. Christ said he has a people out
of. Scripture says God had the people
out of the world, out of every tribe, kindred, nation, and tongue
under heaven, the world. Not just Jews, but people out
of every tribe. He will reprove. He will, the
Holy Spirit will teach. The Holy Spirit will convict
people. persons out of every nationality
on earth, the world. All right? He will reprove them
of sin. What does he reprove them about
sin? How? How? Well, look at verse 9. It says,
"...of sin, because they believe not on me." All right, the Lord is going
to take each of these things and tell us what it is. The Holy
Spirit will convict, will convince, will reprove of sin. Why? What's sin all about? Not
believing. Unbelief. Tammy, in that survey they did
of sin, not one person said that. What is saying not one person
said? You'd ask anybody, any true believer,
they'd tell you. It's the first thing out of their
mouth. I remember my pastor telling
a story about an old preacher years ago. I forget his name,
but one of the old true preachers. was sitting in his office one
day study and the man came in and was all torn up. Something
happened you know some trouble. And he began to pour out his
heart to the preacher began to tell him all manner of things.
Confessing his sins which you're not supposed to do not supposed
to confess your sins to a man. He can't do anything about You're
not supposed to confess your sins to me, to a man, not to
a fellow behind a little screen. He's worse than you are, if he
sits there and listens to them. Anyway, this old preacher, and
this fellow came in and said, I did this, I did that, I got
drunk, I did this, I did that, you know, I was, oh, I was, I
cheated on my taxi driver, just on and on he went, you know.
Each time a fellow said, I did this, the preacher said, is that
all? He said, well, no. The other
day I was in there and he confessed something and the preacher said,
is that it? And he kept going on naming all
these bad things and the preacher finally said, is that all? And the man was kind of shocked.
He said, well, ain't that enough? He said, no. He said, you haven't confessed,
you haven't spoken about the worst thing of all, unbelief. What's that? What is that? What does that mean? You want
to turn with me to Romans chapter 1? Christ said, sin, he'll convict
of sin because they believe not on me. Who is he? He's God. Who is God? He's our creator. He's our judge. He's not our
sugar daddy. God's not our sugar daddy. God's
not an old white-haired granddaddy up there waiting, hoping you'll
just every now and then say something to him. Or just when you get
in trouble, when I get in trouble, call on him. No, sir. Romans chapter 1 verse 19 says,
that which may be known of God is manifest in them, two people. God has showed it unto them. We wake up in the morning, we
breathe air. It goes into our system, and
it's a miraculous thing. It goes into lungs that are full
of—well, I can't give you a complete medical explanation of it, but
it's amazing. Without this invisible substance
that is perfect to sustain these bodies of life, without it, we're
dead. We're dead. People asphyxiate. It just takes a second. I'm dead. Get in the water. Under the water,
you can't get to it. You're dead. You're deprived
of it a while, you're in a coma. You're dead. Without this invisible
Perfect substance called air. Where'd it come from? Oh, plants. Photosynthesis. Nature. Mother
Nature. Well, evolution. God made it. And the world over is breathing
in His air. Cussing Him with it. Mother Nature! As an old preacher used to say,
you better be glad I'm not God. Mother nature. Read on, verse 20. Invisible
things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen.
Clearly seen. Absolutely clearly seen. This
place, this planet is too complex, too marvelous, too amazing. We
talked about this Wednesday night, didn't we? We believe something
like that. I'll tell you who. One who doesn't
like the thought of a God. And that's what Peter said. They're
really ignorant. No, I don't believe God. I don't
want there to be a God. I don't want a God, thy answer
to. I don't want that. I don't like
that. I'll just believe what I want to believe. Keep breathing
His air. Keep eating His food. It just
comes out of the ground. It just comes out of the ground.
Clothes that we wear, it just comes out of the ground. Ain't
mother nature good to us. Water that we go without water
a little while, boy, it dries up our playhouse, doesn't it? Where does that come from? Out
of the sky. It just falls out of the sky. I don't believe there's
a God, nor people that say they do. God ought to be glad I'm here
Sunday morning. Oh, man. God ought to be glad. Well, let's
recognize so-and-so for coming to worship God who gives him
life, who gives him food and water and clothes him, and he's
living. And not in hell, because God
is merciful. Thank Him for coming to church. You see what an absolute rotten
mess this world is in, huh? And it's all because of preachers.
Standing up and telling people how much God needs them. This is at the heart of sin.
This is what I'm talking about, unbelief. People don't believe
God is God. People don't believe God is God.
People don't believe God is holy. In spite of it, he says it over
and over again throughout the Word. We are by no means clear
of the guilty. Guilty of what? Not acknowledging
God. Look at it. Down in verse 28,
God, they didn't like to retain God in their knowledge. And they began filled with, and
you see, this is, are you with me? This is what all this other
stuff comes from. We talk about sin, and people
think, well, sin is, well, homosexuality, sin is drunkenness, sin is, well,
those are sins. But sin, the root of the matter,
is within us, and it's unbelief, not knowing God. Read on. Verse 28 says, They did not like
to retain God in their knowledge. God gave them over to a reprobate
mind to do those things which are not convenient, being filled
with all unrighteousness. Then he goes on to list all these
things. After unbelief. You see, we come
forth from the womb not giving God a thought. Right? They don't give God a
thought. We have to drag our children
here. Don't we? We have to drag our... Well, if you're a real parent,
you wouldn't drag them. They would sit there very quietly.
Let me get out of that. But the fact is, as children,
we don't want to come worship God. We're not interested in
God. Oh man, why do I have to sit
for 60 minutes to hear about God? I've got things to do, places
to go, people to see, adults. Why do I have to sit here for
60 minutes? It never changes, does it? Unless God sends His Holy Spirit through
this right here, through the preaching of God's Word. Not
me, I can't convince anybody. But through the preaching of
the word, and the first thing he convicts a human being is,
you've lived a lifetime without thinking about God. Why should
he let you live another minute? Isaiah 1, God said, I brought
up the children, they rebelled against me. I fed them, I clothed
them, all this. I've stricken them, judgments
have come, all of this. He said the whole head is sick,
the whole heart is stank, didn't it? Isaiah 1, read it for yourself. Sin is unbelief. Sin is not believing
God. Sin is not believing Christ.
Why did that man named Jesus live here on this planet? The
man named Jesus lived on this planet years ago, 2,000 years
ago. This book says he's God. Why? Why did he come here? What did
he do? What's it all about? Why did he come here? Well, to
show us how to live. If we'll just live like him,
then God will be happy with us. Look at the next thing in John
chapter 16. Look at the next thing. John 16, if you're still
with me. Some of you are, I can tell.
Some of you aren't, I can tell that too. He says in John 16, when he has
come, he will prove the world of sin and of righteousness. He says, sin, they don't believe
on me. Verse 10, of righteousness, because I go to my Father and
you see me no more. Of righteousness. What's that
about? Righteousness. The Holy Spirit
will convict of righteousness. The first thing he does is convict
of sin, that you haven't given God thought. of sin, indwelling sin. Everything
about you is wrong. You see, when the Holy Spirit
begins to convict somebody of sin, he doesn't just convict
them of getting drunk or having an affair or anything like that. He convicts them that I'm a rotten
human being. But the reason I did that, because
I'm rotten. If you read Romans 7 for yourself,
that's a sinner convicted by the Holy Spirit. Paul said this
in Romans 7, he said, the things I would do, that I want to do,
I do not. He said, the things I don't want
to do, that's exactly what I do. He said, oh wretched man that
I am, who's going to deliver me from this fellow called me? But the reason my marriage failed
is because I'm a failure. The reason I'm in this trouble
is because I got myself in this trouble. The reason this, the
reason that is because I'm the problem. That's where it begins. God convicts a person, I'm the
problem. Not something else, not my circumstances,
not my atmosphere. It's me. I've got it in me. So we convict unbelief of what
we are. And God teaches. You know, everybody
thinks if you be good, you go to heaven. Don't you? Most everybody. That's
the reason people say, well, just quit this. And, you know, some things need
to be quit. But that's not going to make
God happy with you. If I just start doing this, if
I can look a certain way or act a certain way or quit this, quit
that, now God looks on the heart. There's only one way to get to
this God who's holy. God who is holy, the scripture
says in Exodus 34, who by no means cleared the guilty. And
he must be. People, God must be holy. God
must be perfect. God can't allow sin. He must, but why? Well, look
at the world. He allowed it to enter into this
world according to his purpose. Look at it. It's a mess. God's heaven, eternal life, eternity. No sin can enter it. It must
be eradicated completely, totally. And for God to have anything
to do with us, and for us to be in His eternity, we've got
to be without sin. Are you with me? I mean 100%
completely without sin. Who can? Scripture says there's none that
doeth good according to God's standard. Because God looks on
the heart. A fellow does something good,
he may have an evil motive behind it. Probably does. All these
people handing out charity checks in the paper, why do you think
they have their picture in the paper handing out a big check
to some charity? They want credit for it. That's
positively evil in God's sight. Huh? God looks at the motive.
Who can? None. Oh, now wait a minute. Somebody did. As one human being
lived on this planet, who was absolutely holy in thought, never
thought an evil thought, word, never spoke an evil word. Indeed,
from his youth, just from a baby, till the day he died, thought
about God 24 hours a day. Did everything he did for the
glory of God and no self-glory. Did everything he did out of
service and love to everybody else. Everything. Who are you
talking about? Jesus. That man named Jesus. Why did he do that? Well, if
you'll live like him, then God... Oh, no, no. It's too late! It's
too late! Besides, we can't do it. I can't
live like him. I try, but I can't. God looks on the heart. Why did
he do that? Now, I'll tell you. And the scriptures are full of
this. It's called imputed righteousness. Imputed righteousness. Let me illustrate it. Suppose
my wife has a credit card and she has my name on it. And she
goes out there and incurs all sorts of debts, thousands, thousands,
10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100,000, $2 million, and she doesn't have
a dime. All this debt keeps piling up. What's she going to do about
it? Well, the law is going to come get her and say, pay up.
I can't. I don't have a job. I don't have any money. Sorry. But she doesn't have to pay it.
She's got my name on it. You understand? Scripture says
God laid on him Christ. the iniquity of his people. We sing that song, Jesus paid
it all, all the debt. The law says, you've broken me. God says, you haven't acknowledged
me. Jesus Christ came to this earth and did. He did it all
perfectly. Not to show us how, though he
did show us how, but he did it chiefly, principally, to to charge that to us, to give us that holiness, that
perfect righteousness. And so, thereby, God looks at
us and says, well, you have kept the law. Well, you are holy,
aren't you? And the best way you can describe
this is, and the scripture talks about a robe of righteousness,
a robe. Say, I'm I'm naked. Scripture uses that term, doesn't
it? So we're naked before God. God sees everything. For the
light of his countenance. We may look good to men, but
not God. We're naked. God said we need
a covering to cover our nakedness, our sin. Jesus Christ came down
here for thirty-three years, lived a perfect, spotless, pristine
life, like weaving a robe, and he took it off. He laid down his life. Scripture
says, A body hast thou given me. a body of a human being to
live a life glorifying the God, to work out a righteousness as
a man, to live perfectly in glory to God and thanks to God for
the glory of God. That's why God created man, for
his glory, all sin to come short of it. Even now, every believer
is way short of it. Not Jesus Christ. He said, I've
glorified you on earth. When he was thirty-three years
old, Life finished. I've done it. Every waking moment. God says, and I'm well pleased
for His righteousness sake. But He didn't do it for Himself.
He didn't do it to show us how to weave our own little robe.
Oh, here, I'll patch this up. Look, I've gone to church all
my life, God. Isaiah 64, 6, says it's a filthy rag. God won't
accept it. He looks on the high. But Christ
made this road for naked people, for naked people. You ever been
naked? Maybe you like to go naked. I
don't know. I don't. Even when I'm alone in the house,
I feel naked. I'm serious. Where did that come
from? Man was in the garden created
naked. He wasn't ashamed. As soon as he sinned, he felt
naked. Why? We're a full-blown garden. You ever been naked? Not everybody in here have a
dream that you run out in the street naked or something. You
ever had that dream? Oh, it's a horrible dream, isn't
it? You run across the street stark
naked. I dreamed one time I was preaching
at Ashlawn, and my dad was there, everybody was there, and I got
up and didn't have my pants on. I was horrified. I couldn't believe
it. My dad had me in the back screaming, what do you mean?
Don't ever do that again. Oh, Rick, that was the worst
dream I've ever had in my life. But I'm not making light of it.
Before God Almighty, God looks at this world, and everybody
in it, and says, no good. No good is no good, no not one. That's what God says. Psalm 14,
the Lord looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if
there were any that did understand. Understand what? That God is
God. Any that did seek after God.
Well, God made me, so I thank God and look after God. No, there's
none. None, he said. None. They all together become
unprofitable. That's why God's going to burn
the planet up, none of them any good. Like an anthill, that's
for plants, that's God's Word. But for some, God, by the Holy
Spirit, for some, shows them, oh, I'm naked. I've lived a whole
life without thinking about God. That the best thing I do is full
of sin? What can I do?" Christ says, Here! Here! Cover him with his
righteousness. And the Holy God looks at that
sinner. He's covered! Why are you screaming,
preacher? I don't know. Because people
don't hear this. People are going to—Romans 10,
the whole chapter is written about people trying to establish
their own righteousness, their morality, their churchgoing,
their this, their that. I quit my drinking, aren't you
happy? No, but your wife is. But I'm not. But I'm looking
on your heart. You're part of quitting now.
You're part of this, part of that. And you ought to attribute
everything you are and have done and haven't done for me. Huh? But you haven't. And so that's
what the naked sinner, a guilty sinner, a convicted sinner by
God says, oh, what am I going to do? Why is me? I'm undone. Who shall deliver me? God says, I've got to deliver. He's called Jesus the Christ.
He's called Jesus Christ the righteousness, Jesus thy blood
and righteousness, my beauty are my glorious dress. You sang
it. You might not have known what
you sang, but you sang it. How am I going to get to God
someday? Only one way. Covered in the righteousness
of Jesus Christ. How's that come? How do I get
that? Faith. Just believe it. Brother Henry, you're naked.
I've got a robe here. How are you going to be covered?
I've got a robe. I've got the only one that will
really cover you. Brother William Hodges is not
here, but he likes the illustration about the hospital gown. Man, his goodness, everything
he does is kind of like one of those hospital gowns. You ever
worn one? You're not covered. You're not covered. You may look
good up front, but you will reveal yourself, given time. That's man, all his goodness,
all his religion, everything he does. It's like a hospital
gown. He looks good up front. But I've got the only robe that
will really cover you. I mean, really cover you. Top
and bottom. No pun intended. How are you
going to get it? You're going to have to ask me
for it, aren't you? Say, Brother Paul, would you
give me that robe? Well, I'd be delighted to. That's why I made it. But it's
only for those that are naked. How do they know they're naked?
God, the Holy Spirit. And I've got to quit. He says
it's righteousness because I go to my Father. He went to the
Father. How'd he get there? He was righteous. How am I going
to get there in His righteousness? The next line says of judgment,
the Holy Spirit will convict, convince, or prove of judgment,
because the prince of this world is judged. Judgment. Nobody's
talking about this anymore. Nobody's talking about this anymore.
Judgment. God's judgment. Read it for yourself
over in Revelation chapter twenty-one. Read it for yourself. Talks about the judgment. People,
they refuse to believe this, but it's true. And Christ came
down here for judgment. To judge the prince of this world,
whom he gave its face, whom he gave space in this world for
a little while. He's called the prince of the
power of the air. He's called the ruler of the
darkness of this world. The God of this world, Christ
calls him, the God, small g, of this world, whom he gave some
dominion over some. And Christ came down here in
prophecy of the very beginning, Genesis 3, to step on his and to remove all power from
him, and put a chain about his neck, and to remove from his
captivity his people, Christ's people that he chose. And now I'm no longer under captivity. You say, well, I feel like I'm...
Oh, no. Oh, no. God, you see, we're still sinners,
and we're still plagued by sin, all believers. Still plagued by it. Why? Why
aren't we completely free from sin? Why doesn't God take away
sin from us? You wouldn't be interested in
this message, would you? It would be an empty church house.
Because I've been talking about sin. If there were no sinners,
if we were no longer sinners, Brother Gabe, mercy wouldn't
mean a thing to us, would it? Grace wouldn't mean a thing to
us, would it? You want to know what God thinks about sin, look
at Calvary. God did that to his son, who
had sinned his people, us. You want to know what God will
do with sin, look at Calvary. Put it on display, make it, expose
it, and then kill it, punish it, forever. Our Lord said, when
he convinces of judgment, he'll convince you, the believer, that
the only way you're going to miss the judgment, the only way
you're going to get out of being judged, is if Christ was judged
for you. The only way you're out from
under the captivity of that one is if somebody else is stronger
than you. We're goners if we don't belong
to Christ, we're a goner. You and me. I'll be first and
you'll be right behind me. Yes, sir. We'll hit the road. I'm going to join the rodeo,
buddy. If there's no truth to this, I will. I'll hit the road.
I've always wanted to be a cowboy. But if I belong to Christ, I'm not going anywhere. That's
good news, isn't it? Judgment. It's not in my hands. I'm so glad. So glad. Oh, I'm so glad. He'll convince
you of that. Salvation's in his hands. All
right. I told you everything I know. I know the young people are saying
that. Yeah, we wish you'd have stopped.
That is too serious. Let's sing 474. 474. Maybe this song will really mean
something to somebody. 474. Let's stand and sing a couple
of verses. 474. Lots have I gotten, but what
I received, grace hath bestowed it since my birth. Most is excluded,
but I'm obeyed. I'm only a sinner saved by grace. Only a sinner saved by grace. Only a sinner, saved by grace. This is my story, to God be the
glory. Saved by grace. Last verse. Slaughtered a sinner
whose power was lost. He just ain't good to tell what
he knows. Much more to tell in a... I don't know if I'm going to
be able to do it, but I'm going to try. Okay, let's go. Okay. We're going to go ahead and get
started. Thank you.