A Salutation and Words of Comfort

Q: What does the Bible say about being sanctified in Christ?

Being sanctified in Christ means being set apart by God for His purposes, made holy through faith in Jesus. Sanctification in Christ means being separated and set apart by God for His holy purposes. According to 1 Corinthians 1:2, believers are called saints, and this designation is not based on human effort or merit but on God's sovereign choice. Just as Paul exemplified his call as an apostle through the will of God, so it is with all believers who are sanctified in Christ. This setting apart signifies that believers are made distinct from the world, cleansed through Christ's righteousness. The act of being sanctified is purely an act of God's grace, marking believers for His own and defining their identity as part of His family.

Q: How do we know that believers are called saints?

Believers are called saints because of their being set apart and made righteous through Jesus Christ. The term 'saints' is attributed to all believers who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus, illustrating their identity in Christ. Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, emphasizes that the designation of 'saint' is not based on personal holiness or accomplishments but on God's calling and grace. As stated in 1 Corinthians 1:2, all who are sanctified in Christ Jesus are called saints, reflecting their position before God. This role signifies not just moral excellence but a transformation through Christ, where believers are seen as holy and pure in the sight of God due to Christ's redemptive work.

Q: Why is grace central to Christian belief?

Grace is central because it represents God's unmerited favor towards sinners, providing salvation through faith in Christ. Grace is the foundation of Christian belief, as it signifies God's unearned kindness bestowed upon undeserving sinners. In Paul’s opening remarks to the Corinthians, he frequently emphasizes grace as derived from God. The entire salvation experience is grounded in this grace, which not only initiates but also sustains believers throughout their spiritual journey. God's grace is not merely a concept but the very essence through which redemption occurs — believers are saved by grace alone, underscoring the truth that all glory belongs to God rather than to human achievement. This grace brings peace to believers, reinforcing their confidence in God's faithfulness.

Q: How does God's faithfulness reassure believers?

God's faithfulness reassures believers by confirming His promises and upholding them until the end. The reassurance that stems from God's faithfulness is highlighted throughout Scripture, particularly in Paul's letter to the Corinthians. Paul states that God is faithful and that He will confirm believers unto the end (1 Corinthians 1:8). This assurance means that God's commitment to His people does not waver, regardless of personal struggles or failures. Believers find comfort in knowing that their salvation is secure not because of their actions but because of God's unwavering promise. The faithfulness of God provides a foundation of hope and certainty in the believer's life, ensuring that He will complete the work He began in them.

Q: What is the significance of calling upon the name of Jesus?

Calling upon the name of Jesus is essential for salvation, representing faith and reliance on Him. The act of calling upon the name of Jesus signifies an acknowledgment of one's need for salvation and a deep reliance on Him as Lord and Savior. In Romans 10:13, it is affirmed that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. This calling reflects faith in Jesus’ finished work on the cross and emphasizes that salvation is available to all who recognize Christ as their only hope. It is not merely a verbal acknowledgment, but a profound commitment to trust in Jesus, reinforcing the relationship between the believer and their Savior. In essence, this calling transforms the believer's life, leading them into a relationship with God characterized by grace and peace.

The letters or epistles of the Apostle Paul to the Church
are full of comfort and encouragement. Even though the church was full
of trouble, like at Corinth, he didn't deal with the trouble
until after he comforted them. These first few verses, his opening
comments to them were full of comfort and encouragement. Then
after that, he begins dealing with problems they're having. And I'm commanded there in Isaiah
40 to comfort. Comfort ye. It says it twice,
doesn't it? Comfort my people. Tell them
what? It's finished. Warfare is accomplished. Tell them that. Every time they
get together, you'd be sure to tell them that. Warfare is accomplished,
or iniquity is pardoned. And Paul, in these first words,
is comforting the church. Let's read the first two verses,
and this is for the church. It's for you. I prepared this
message for the church at Dingus and preached it there, but I
couldn't think about you the whole time. But you're one and the same with
dingus. Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through
the will of God, and Sosthenes, our brother, unto the church
of God, writing to the church which is at Corinth, to them
that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, withal,
that in every place even Rocky Mountain. They call upon the
name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Paul says, My Lord, our Lord,
their Lord, and ours. One Lord. Paul, he says, he begins with
Paul. He said, I was called to be an
apostle, just like all of the prophets and his fellow apostles
and every preacher of the gospel. If you've got a true preacher
of the gospel, and whatever man you hear, if he's a true preacher
of the gospel, it's because God called him, not because men made
him one. It's because God called him. This is the way it is. Paul said,
I was called to be an apostle by the will of God. Not man's
will, not my own will. As Mr. Hadner said, no prophet
ever applied for the job. No apostle, no preacher, no true
preacher ever applied for the job, ever. But they were called. And you know, it's the same way
with even every believer. Every believer. He says over
in verse 26, you see, you're calling, don't you brother? Huh? You see, you're calling.
Were you calling on God, Henry? Now, you see, you're calling. God called us first, didn't He? Before we ever call on Him, He
called on us. And He calls whom He will. And
Paul said, I was called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. I was called to be an apostle. Now, the word apostle means a
messenger. Messenger. Of what, Paul? Of Jesus Christ. In other words,
I'm called a messenger and Jesus Christ is my message. So you
want to know how to judge the prophets, judge those that call
themselves apostles, judge preachers by this right here. If he's sent
by God, a messenger called to be a messenger of God, he preaches
Christ. That's what Paul said, I'm called
a messenger of Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, he said
to the prophets in Isaiah 43, I believe it was, he said, you're
my witnesses whom I have chosen, that you might know me and be
my witnesses. And then Christ, when he went
calling his apostles, he said, you didn't choose me, I chose
you. And I've chosen you, he said,
to go out and make me known." My witnesses. You can call a
fellow anything but a preacher if he preaches anything but Christ. Call him anything but a preacher
if he preaches anything but Christ. All right? Now, he mentions a
fellow here in the first verse. If I hadn't mentioned the name
Sosthenes, who would know who this man is, or what he did,
or what he's all about? I've got to admit it, that if
you'd have asked me, I'd have said, I don't know. Who is this
Sosthenes? Paul says, through the will of
God, and Sosthenes. Paul and Sosthenes under the
Church of God. Who is this Sosthenes fellow?
He's only mentioned about one other time. Now God just doesn't
say anything. There are no words in passing
with God. God just doesn't bring up names,
drop a name here and there. No idle words. It has a real
meaning and it's written for our learning, for our good. Now
this will be a comfort to you, a blessing. Sossinate. Who ever heard of sossinate? I tell you all he did. He was
one of the first members at the church at Corinth. When God established
the church at Corinth, Paul went there and stayed eighteen months
preaching. Sosthenes was a religious fellow. He was a leader or ruler
of the synagogue at the time. He was a religious fellow. Self-righteous,
evidently a Pharisee. Ruler of the synagogue. And he
heard Paul preach the gospel. And God opened his heart and
he believed. And you know what happened to him? All it says
about Sassanides was that they took him and beat him up. Beat him up for believing the
gospel. That's it. That's the last mention
of Sassanides. Or is it? No, God is not unfaithful
to forget. He said, if you confess me before
men, I'll confess you before angels." Sassony. Who in the world has
heard of Sassony? The whole world has heard of
Sassony. Now, you confess me before men, and I'll confess
you before angels. This will be had and remembered.
That woman with the alabaster box, what did she do? She was just a notorious sinner
is all she was. What did she do? She brought
a box of ointment, myrrh and cashew nuts. and broke that box
and anointed the Lord's head with it, and he said this will
be a remembrance for her. She's done a good work. What's
she done? Never preached a message? Or
did she? Huh? Sosthenes. Sosthenes. Charles Ross. Who? You go out in the world, and
unless you own a sewing machine, you've never heard that name
before. Charles Rosset? I've heard of
Ross Perot. I've heard of this and that.
Angels know that name. You don't think so? Ah, boy. And you know, there's
something else here. It's just a word, just a name.
He's just dropping a name here. There's something else here,
though. Paul, now the great Apostle Paul. The great Apostle Paul, through
whom God spoke. He said to the Thessalonians,
you receive the word as it is in truth, the word of God, not
the words of a man. What Paul said was the word of
God. Paul and Sosthenes. This is what we say. Me and Sosthenes, we're in agreement
on this thing. Who? Sosthenes. I agree with him. Did you catch
that? Like Peter said, hey, fellas,
you Jewish, high-muckety-muck Jewish, we're going to be saved
like those Gentiles. Paul says, I agree with Sosthenes. What's he saying? What do I say? Well, you say what God says.
What are you all saying? We agree. We're in this thing
together. All of God's people are in perfect
agreement about things essential. I asked this question at Binghamton,
and all of God's people agree about everything essential. Is
that right? That's what John 6.45, all God's
people should be taught of God. All right? All right? What's essential? Would you tell me one thing in
here that's not essential? Ed, what's not essential? Non-essential
truth. I have known men, and I know
men whom I have for many years. The brother that's coming here
on Sunday, Brother Fortner, I've known him for 20 years or more. No, more than that. Before I
was married, 25 years I've known Brother Fortner. We're in perfect
agreement. I mean, the one thing I can think
of in 25 years that we've ever disagreed on concerning God's
Word, not one thing. Isn't that amazing? And I can stand up here this
morning and say this, Paul, the lesser, and Don Fortner, this
is what we say, God's God. That's one gospel. And on and on we go. See, see,
God's people are in perfect agreement. Paul, and oh, how God exalts the base, doesn't
it? This man, Sosthenes. Well, and
in verse 2, he says, Under the church of God, which is at Corinth,
to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be sanctified.
Under the church. This is written to the church.
I'm speaking to believers this morning. If you're not, may God
use something here to break your heart and cause you to want to
be one. Speak to you. Well, this is to the church. to the Church, to every believer,
it says they are sanctified in Christ Jesus. They are sanctified
in Christ. Every one of them. Sanctified
in Christ. What does that mean? Sanctified. I wish I had another pen. Is
there another pen? Is there a pen down there? Sanctified. Let me illustrate. Very simple. Even a child can
understand this. Sanctified That means to separate. That's what it means. It means
to set apart. You know that. That's the chief
meaning of the word sanctify. I know you can go on with it,
made holy and so forth, but the chief meaning means to set apart,
sanctified in Christ Jesus. How does God set apart? What
sets apart believers? I wish this were black. Just pretend these are both black.
All right? Two, what are these? Pens, right?
Just two pens. Just common, ordinary pens. There's
158 zillion pens all over the face of the earth. Right? Throw away this pen, there's
a hundred billion more just like it. Pens. That's all they are
is pens. Right? It will never be anything
but a pen. Right now, on this earth. Alright? Two pens. Let's pretend they're
both black, they're both just a light. I'm going to choose one of those
pens. Is one of them better than the other? Can one do something, can either
of them do something for me? Can they do something for me?
They can't do anything without a dead pen. Right? All right. I'm going to choose
one of those pens. I'm going to choose the black
one. All right. Got that? You understand that? What's the difference? between
that pen and this pen. Is this pen better than that
pen? This pen is wholly different
now, completely different now. What's the difference? What separates these two pens? This one is in my bosom, covered. I chose it. It's mine. I put
it in me, it's mine, left that alone. That's sanctification. Anybody understand that? What sets us apart? Now we're
all clean-shaven, aren't we? Now we look good. Our wives'
opinions. We'd be accepted anywhere. We'd
go any, I'm sure, go anywhere, any religious organization, they'd
have us in there. We don't have our lips not hairy,
our hair not too long. We're all right, man. This sets
us apart now. Does it? The way we look, is
that what sets us apart? Well, we'll get us some clothes
now, Steve. We've got to get us some right clothes to wear.
That'll set us apart. Will it? Pen's a pen. Flesh is flesh. Dog's a dog. Huh? There's a bunch of dogs
in my neighborhood. Oh, there's a bunch of dogs.
I mean, they're always everywhere. Dogs, dogs, dogs. I love dogs,
but I don't love, love every dog. There's two dogs that I
love. I chose, I bought, they're my
dogs. They're my dog. Are they special dogs? Are they
different than other dogs? Annie ain't nothing but a pound
dog. They're dogs, all right? There's a neighborhood dog that
keeps coming up. Now, Mindy and Hannah think this
dog is just so cute, they think we ought to take her in. She
thinks we ought to, too. She eats all Abner and Annie's
food. She's just around like, hey, I'm one of your dogs, aren't
I? And Elsa. I put up with her. I put food
out. You know what she eats? Their
food that's meant for Abner, meant for Annie. They're eating
on that food. There's a barn out there that
Abner and Annie get in out of the rain on, and she gets in
too. She's not my dog. You hear that,
Mindy? And she's not her dog. And every now and then I'll say
to her, and cute as she may think she is, but she's not my dog.
Every now and then I'll say, get, get home. And Annie and Admiral Cowell
down there say, it's all right. You stay. of my dogs. Just dogs. Black dogs. They're my dogs. You see, I've set them apart.
They're my dogs. I don't need another dog. I didn't
need two dogs. I don't need one dog. But they
needed me. Annie Shore needed me, didn't
she? And I chose her. And I paid for her. And I brought
her home to Annie, my beloved, and made her mine. And I'm teaching
her. I'm feeding her. But she's still
a dog. But she's my dog. She sleeps
in my house. I feed her. I'm going to never
cast her aside for any reason. She's done all sorts of bad dog
things. Because she's a dog. No matter
how cute that other dog is, how obedient it appears to be, it's
this. But to my dog, no matter how
bad that dog is, you're my dog. I keep saying that. You're my
dog. Sometimes I even say good dog. And there's no goodness
in her. Do you understand? Sanctification. It has nothing to do with what
you do, what you are, what you wear, how you look. In Christ. So therefore, he has
made unto us sanctification. Jeanette, can that be any clearer
or any simpler? And so what are dogs, all dogs
that are going to heaven, when they talk about sanctification,
what are they talking about? In Christ, being found in him,
not having my own righteousness. But the righteousness was right
by the faith of Christ, sanctified. Oh, people, if you don't go any
further, that's good news, isn't it? Isn't that good news? Sanctified
in Christ Jesus. called saints. St. John, St. Paul, St. Peter, St. Heather. Just as much as
St. Paul. It doesn't sound right, does
it? It doesn't sound right to Jennifer.
It doesn't sound right to Heather. But God calls them saints, just
as much as St. John. That didn't sound right
to Peter. If Peter arrived and he saw this
written all over the place, St. Peter, don't do that. He'd rip
his clothes. Take that off of there. What makes a person a saint? Heather and Jenny will tell you, it's not them. Nothing they did. It's God chosen and put them
in Christ and call them a saint. Ask Jacob. Let's ask Jacob. What's
your name, Jacob? What do you think he's going
to say? Debra, what do you think Jacob would say if you asked
him what his name was? Now, God changed his name, didn't
he? What do you think Jacob would
say? What's your name? Well, I'll have you know, I'm
a tongue-talking, born-again, spirit-filled Israel. Jacob. That's Jenny there. What's your
name? She'd say, Sinner. Always have been, always will
be. Won't be anything but a sinner. I'm a sinner. God says, Saint. What are you? Leper! All the
way? Not one whit clean in you? Are you completely a leper from
the sole of your feet to the top of your head? Are you unclean?
Unclean! God says, clean. I don't understand preachers and
sinners do. Lepers do. Called saints. You know, we don't
call ourselves saints, do we? We don't run around calling ourselves
Christians. I'm a Christian. You're a Christian. Well, you
ought to be a Christian. I'm proud to be a Christian. They're
proud of themselves. That's exactly what they are.
Oh, I love Jesus. I'm a Christian. I'm a Christian.
I love Jesus. I did this. I did that. Who are they proud
of? Who are they giving the glory
to? Who's getting the glory there? You ask a believer, one who's
really trusting Christ, giving him all the glory for their salvation,
yes, are you a Christian? Are you asking me, is Christ
my only hope? Are you asking me that all my
hope of salvation and acceptance with God is based on, is found
in the Lord Jesus Christ? Are you asking me If there's
a Messiah, a mediator, an intercessor, an advocate for sinners at the
right hand of the throne of God, are you asking me if there's
blood on the mercy seat from the Lord Jesus Christ for all
sinners? Are you asking me if he's my salvation? Is that what
you're asking me when you say, am I a Christian? Yeah, I guess
yes, then I am. But I'll be a sinner to the day
I die, and I'm not going to call myself Christian. That makes sense to you? It sure does. Call them saints. Who calls them that? Well, they
don't call themselves that. Bless your heart. It'll bless
your heart. God calls us saints. I call you
saints. You call me a saint? See, we
call one another Preachers talk about beloved,
beloved saints. I call you, I think of you. That
goes well to me. St. Stanley. That sounds good
to me. That just sounds right to me. He's a saint to me. Well, what
doesn't sound right to you doesn't sound right to me. Do you see that? Called saints.
With all that are in every place are called saints that call upon,
verse 2, all that are in every place call upon the name of Jesus
Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. This is what it takes
to be a saint, just call. Lord, would you call, would you
save me lest I perish? Would you have mercy upon me
in Christ? Let the blood of Jesus Christ be propitiation for my
soul on the mercy seat. Call upon the name, the only
name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
O Lord, would you save me through the blood and the righteousness
of Jesus Christ? Jehovah said, Kenu, Saint. Yes, I will be thou clean. The Lord of all saints. One hope,
one Lord, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one faith. All call
on one name, believe one gospel. Verse 3, so he says, Grace to
you and peace to all that are called saints, sanctify all you
that are in Christ, called saints, call upon the name of Christ,
grace unto you and peace from God our Father, grace and peace
from God. These two words, this is the
gospel right here, these two words. It's going to mean something
to us someday, these words. It's going to be more than just
words to us someday. See, Old Zerubbabel is going
to lay the top stone in heaven, that temple, and shout something. One word. Old Zerubbabel. What's he going to shout? Old
Zerubbabel. That top stone. When he lays that top stone,
he's going to shout one word. What's he going to shout? Grace, saved by grace. All of
God's people throughout eternity are going to be singing about
God's grace. Sovereign, free, effectual, eternal,
saving, keeping grace. Grace means gift, unspeakable
gift. What is that gift? What is the
gift? It's a who, it's not a what. It says grace and peace. Peace. He is our peace. He is
the gift of God, the unspeakable gift. The wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our
Lord. And the peace of God, he is our
peace, who hath made peace by the blood of his cross. He raised
some peace to you, St. Stanley, from God, our Father. Yeah, our Father. He's your Father.
You can call him, you can say Abba. You can say Abba, Father. from our Father and from the
Lord Jesus Christ. Now verse 4, Paul says, I thank
God, I thank my God. I thank my God. This thought
occurred to me. We go to a ball game on Friday
night or somewhere, anywhere, and they give an invocation,
a nice Well, they give this prayer, you know, some fella, supposed
to be a preacher or something that's up there, maybe even a
woman, and she makes her little prayer. What do you do? I don't bow my head. Hey Shadrach, Meshach, y'all
gonna bow? I ain't going to bow my head.
That's not my God. You see, that's not my God. Now, if I know the man believes
my God, the God, God who is God, and you with me now? The man,
yeah, man, who's standing up and calling upon the living God,
the true living God, not this idol that all of Babylon is calling
on. Now, I'm going to bow. And I'm
going to pray to my God, and I'm going to thank my God, but
unless I know it, I'm not going to bow. And if anybody asks me, Preacher,
you didn't even bow your head. What an open door that would
be. Didn't you pray? Not to your
God. Paul says, I thank my God. Stan, he's careful to say that
all the time, isn't he? My God, and your God. My gospel and your gospel, the
gospel, not another. I thank my God always on your
behalf, he said. All right? All right, who is
Paul thinking? Paul is a preacher. Here's Sunday
morning. Paul stands up. Paul the greater. Stands up before
a Sabbath day crowd to preach, all right? And he gets up and
he stands up. What does he say? He's got this
crowd of people that come. come supposedly to worship God,
to give thanks, that all these people aren't much of sinners,
no good, worthless doctors. And they could. What's Paul going
to say? I'd like to thank you all for coming today. I'd like
to thank you, and at the end of the service we'll give you
all an opportunity to accept Jesus. Won't you please? He said in 2 Thessalonians 2,
he said, we're bound to give thanks to God always for you. True preachers of the gospel
don't get up and thank worms for coming. True preachers of
the gospel don't get up and thank men for doing anything for God,
do they? Huh? You understand that? True preachers
don't get up and thank men for doing anything for God. Paul
said, we're bound to give thanks to God always, in every place,
at every time. For you brethren, beloved of
the Lord, foreknown, elected, called, chosen, sanctified, put
in Christ by God, because God has from the beginning chosen
you. Don't thank men for choosing him, we thank God for choosing
them. See that? Here's a true preacher. And he stands up and says, I
always thank my God on your behalf. If you don't thank him, I will,
he said. For the grace of God. You see
that? For the grace of God is what
we're given. That's why we're here. Henry,
that's why we're here, to give thanks to God for his sovereign,
electing, saving grace that's in the Lord Jesus Christ. Right? That's it. Not to recognize anybody
but him. Not to thank anybody for doing
anything, but to thank him for doing everything. Huh? He say amen, so I say amen. I thank God, if you're not going
to say amen, I'll say it. Amen! That's what he did for
me. What he did for this fellow, I thank God always on my behalf. For the grace of God given to
me, it's all by Jesus Christ. I wouldn't be standing here.
I want to tell people everywhere, you know, when they say, find
out I'm a preacher, I want to say, I wasn't always a preacher.
That's what I want to tell them. They think, you know, they think
preacher, they think, well, they think all sorts of things. But
they think it's some fellow that grew up, you know, just went
to a school and I lived in a whatever and never did anything. I was at the building supply
one day. I was at the building supply one day. And I was standing
there with a fellow in front of me. And this fellow was cussing,
carrying on telling some kind of story to the fellow behind
the counter. He was down, you know, just cussing
up the storm and all that. And the fellow behind the counter
was going, Why? Preacher. He ain't never
heard that before. And I want to tell everybody,
I ain't always been a preacher. You don't understand, man. The
only reason I'm here is because necessity is laid upon me. The
only reason I'm here is by the grace of God. The only reason
I'm standing back there and he's standing up there cussing and
I want to stand up there cussing and he's standing back there
is by the grace of God. And I've got news for you every now and
then. Well, I've heard it and I've said it. Who makes us to differ? If that man knew that, he wouldn't
hate preachers so much. You understand? If he knew that, that all my,
you know, I don't, really, you read the article in the bulletin?
Young believers, young believers think they're little. Older believers
think they're nothing. Mature believers think they're
less than nothing. And you want to tell everybody,
hey, it's all grace. Grace, the grace of God given
to me by Jesus Christ. He decided who got it. He decided
who got it, given to me by Jesus Christ. You see, the measure
of grace, the measure of the gifts, all by Jesus Christ, who
gets it? How much does he give, by the
way? How much does he give? A little bit? The Lord never
gave anything a little way. My parents say that this year,
this upcoming Christmas, that they're going to cut down. They're
not going to give so much. I've heard that before, you know. And so they'll take out a fifth
mortgage. could give to their children. How much does our God
give? The grace given by Jesus. How
much does he give? My cup runs over. He just keeps giving, and he giveth
more grace, and he giveth more grace, and more grace, and more
grace. And verse 5, look at this. He considers this the greatest
of gifts. He describes some of these gifts,
verse 5. In everything you are enriched
by him. Believer, you're rich. You say, well, my car's got 170,000
miles on it, and my roof leaks, and you're rich. You see, rich being rich does
not consist in the toy or toys that you possess, but rather
in the joy that you possess. The kingdom of heaven is not
in meat and drink, but in righteousness, peace and joy. I believe believers go through
the worst heartaches of anybody, the hardest trials It doesn't
consist in the toys you have, but in the joy you have. Not in how many things you have, but in having one thing. You understand? Not in having
many goodly pearls. You know, I've got a whole string
of pearls. It's just all you need is one. One pearl of great Rich and famous. Believers are rich and famous. Do you know that? I mentioned a couple of
names while ago, and very few people outside of Franklin County
have ever heard of those names, right? But you don't understand. Everybody in glory knows those
names. Rich? I hadn't seen, the ear
hadn't heard, neither had any of the heart of man, the things
that God had prepared. He said, I'm going to prepare
a place for you. We keep waiting on, you know, when we get a new
house. Well, it's going to, our brother and sister are building
a new house, and I'm so happy. And they'll be happy for a while,
until the first leak. Until the first, and it's going
to happen then. It's all going to start crumbling,
and they'll spend a couple of years building. I know, a couple
of years building this house, and twenty, thirty, forty years
repairing it. Isn't that right? It's wonderful. So our Lord said,
I'm going to prepare a place for you. You don't need to bring a hammer. Going to prepare a place for
him, my father's house and many mansions. If they were not so,
I would have told you. I'd go to prepare a place and
we'd be finished. We'd be finished when we moved
in. Finished, men, did you hear that? Finished. Nothing left
to be done. Perfect. Through and through.
Ah, boy, rich and famous. Famous. Known by God. Believers are rich. What role
are we rich in? Paul said to the Ephesians, he
said, Bless God that blessed us with all spiritual blessings
and heavenly things in Christ Jesus. I hadn't seen or hadn't heard. Paul came back and said, I can't
tell you what I heard. I can't tell you. It would be
like trying to describe the Son to a blind man. But I'll tell
you this, we've got Christ in Christ all day. Love, joy,
peace, faith. Let me ask you this. Believers
are rich in joy. Brother Don Bell and I were sitting
talking about this. And, oh, he was just rejoicing
over all that the Lord has done for him, not only salvation,
spiritual things, but the things in this life, you know. I really
believe believers rejoice and can enjoy the things that God
has done more than unbelievers. Believers wake up in the morning,
they see a sun coming up, and unbelievers look at it and say,
oh, that's pretty, and go on their way. And believers say,
look what God did. Look what he did. Look at that. That's
the Lord's hand. Heaven declared his glory. Firmly
showed his handiwork. Day in and day out of his speech.
Rejoice, you know, like that woman. And everything that comes,
oh, it's the Lord. Everything good and even bad,
it's the Lord. And they rejoiced. And if the
Lord gives them much, so great is the Lord. If the Lord doesn't
give them much, well, I've got more than I've served. See, they
can enjoy things and be content with such things as they have. Joy, the Lord gives believers
joy. If you don't have joy in the
Lord, and I'm not talking right at this minute, I'm talking overall
joy and rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ and the gospel and
all that God is and he's done and is doing. some measure of
real joy in your heart. Now let me ask you this. If you're
poor in this joy, you say, I don't feel it very often, you're not
drawing from the account. See, you're not drawing from
the account. Our Lord's got a blank check for his people. You understand that? A blank
check. Our Lord Jesus Christ didn't
have a home, a car, one suit of clothes, one pair of shoes,
didn't know where his next meal was coming from. He said, My
joy! That's the reason I say he must
be a joyful man. Wow, he had the Spirit of God
without measure. He drew from it daily. Joy! If we don't have it, it's because
we're not drawn from the bank account. Got to check! Is there
enough? Go ahead. Draw from it. Peace. Peace. Peace. If you don't have much
peace, you've got to check. You understand what I'm saying?
Huh? Got to check, Barbara. Do it now. God will endorse it. It'll be good. It won't come
back. It won't come back. Cash in on
it. Is that too familiar? Everybody
in here can understand what I'm saying. Love, joy, peace, faith. Faith. Faith. I don't have much faith. But
it stretches out your hand. I can't just with it. Give. I don't have anything. Give. But I don't install it. Give. And I tell you, it'll give you. You have to step on stuffed bag
with it. Come back Wednesday night and
we'll talk more about that. You've got a bottomless barrel and a
bottomless bottle to drop from. Come back Wednesday and we'll
talk more about that, all right? If you're worried, well, let
me even close. He says in everything you're
enriched by him, enriched by him, in all utterance and in
knowledge. He brings these two things up, utterance and knowledge.
Now, there's not a person in here, starting with me. If I asked you to come up here
and stand and say something, no person in here wouldn't shake
in your abode, would you? If I asked you to come up here
and tell what great things, you're scared right now. Everybody's
afraid, I don't want to do it. Don't worry. People, I approach this every
time like that. But there's not a person in here
that couldn't stand it enough that I say, tell us what great
things the Lord's done for you. Can you tell us anything what
the Lord's done for you? Could you? You know, could you? Could you
utter something? Could you utter something? Never. Could you utter
something? I think I know what it'd be. Mercy! I've got lots of that. Huh? Could you utter that? I
bet I know the next word out of your mouth. If you can think
of three words, just be it. Grace. I've got lots of that. Blood. Huh? Not a person, not a believer
in here could stand up and say, But better than that, though,
I really believe. You've been, you've gone to work,
you've gone to school, you've gone here and there, and somebody's
confronted you, and as soon as they confront you about what
you believe, you get scared to death. Don't you, John? You get
scared, you think, oh Lord, you beg the Lord, give me some wisdom,
give me something to say. You clam up, don't you, Sherry?
But somehow, it gives you utterance. It gives you utterance. Even our children, even our children
stand before their high school teachers and put before the whole
class. Can you really believe that?
Even our children can say something. Out of the mouths of babes, he's
ordained strength, praise, because the end is still, to shut up
the avenger. Stephen, you reckon Stephen was
ready to preach that day? Huh? When Stephen stood up, you
reckon he was ready? He didn't ask for that. that they couldn't stand before
his wisdom. This is what Paul means in 1
Corinthians when he says, Where is the wise? Where is the scribe?
Where is the disputer of this world? I could put Sarah Williams
in front of the dean at Farram College, and she'd bring his
wisdom down, I guarantee you. I wish somebody would take me
up on that bet. I guarantee you. And he couldn't
stand before the wisdom of that 12-year-old cow. She knows God means God. She
knows dead means dead. She knows salvation means Christ. You understand what he's saying?
Oh, I thank God. Infliction of blood didn't reveal
that to you, did it? And all utterance, utterance,
and in all knowledge. Sherry, you know everything.
You know that? Yeah, you do. Look at chapter
2, look at verse 15. Nobody else has the term, Sherry.
Chapter 2, verse 15, look at it. Sherry says, He that is spiritual
judges or discerneth all things. What are you talking about? Verse
16, we have the mind of Christ. If you know Christ, you know
everything. If you don't know Christ, you don't know anything. Because hath not God made foolish
the wisdom of his word? Huh? You understand that? You say, but I don't know anything.
If you know Christ, You've been enriched in all utterance and
knowledge. You know it's all, Christ is
all in all, don't you? And they'll be searching, they'll
be looking for that note, John. They're all running up and down
their neck looking for it. You found middle C. Here it is. And they'll say, is that all
you know? Well, man, I know all. That's all I know. He's made
unto us wisdom. Not the wisdom, Paul goes on
to say, which the world teaches, but the hidden wisdom and mystery,
which none of the princes or leaders of this world knew. If
they had known, they wouldn't have killed him. Who is wisdom? If you go home and read the rest
of this chapter and the next one in light of this message,
you'll see what all he's talking about. He talks about where is
the scribe, where is the scripture, wisdom and mystery, made known
unto us, and we know it all. We're not bragging on the flesh
at all. What we're saying is that Christ is all and in all,
and he's confirmed this in you. Verse 6, the testimony of Christ
was confirmed in you. The testimony of Christ is confirmed
in you. Like I said, I call names because
I'm preaching to people. And you can relate to people,
can't you? You can relate to people. Ed
Berry, I don't know how long you've known this gospel. It's
been a good while now. When the Lord first revealed
the gospel of God's sovereign, electing, saving grace, he laid
hold on it, didn't he? This is it. This is the truth.
Do you believe differently now? Do you believe exactly like you
did then about who does the calling, who does the choosing, who does
the saving and where salvation is? Exactly? It's been confirmed. See, you were hung on a nail,
and God keeps driving nails to confirm it in you. And verse
7, look at this, you come behind in no gift, I'm going to quit,
all right? I'm going to quit. You come behind
in no gift, don't let those people that you
work with, those Those tongue-talking, born-again,
spirit-filled fellows, don't let them intimidate you. They got the gift, they think
they got the gift. No, sir. You come behind them, no gift.
They don't even have the gift. The gift of God is not babble.
Does that sound familiar? The gift of God is to speak of
Christ. or gifts of God's Holy Spirit
are not in how charismatic you can appear. But there is an anointing, and
you remember what that was. There is a charisma. It sure
is. It's the things of Christ. And
you come behind in no gift. The gifts of the Holy Spirit
are love, joy, It's all a gift. And you don't come
behind us. Don't let anybody intimidate
you. Just because they can talk like Fred Flintstone, that doesn't
mean they've got spirit. But if you talk of Christ, and
verse 8 says, he'll confirm you unto the end. You've been confirmed.
Isn't there something in religion that a confirmation day, somebody
in there, is it Catholicism have a day of confirmation, his confirmation
day? Or is it Judaism? Get you, Judaism,
Catholicism have confirmation day. I'll tell you that. Is it
when they're real young or when they get a little older? About
twelve? I wonder where they got that. We have confirmation day. They
bring a boy in, a girl in, and they confirm. Is that confirming?
That confirm anybody? Believers are confirmed when
God made a covenant for the world again. It was confirmed between
Christ and God. Believers are confirmed the day
he calls them by his grace, by their gospel. They hear, they
repent, and they believe. They are confirmed. Like I said,
Ed, when he first heard it, he said, That's it, isn't it? He
said, That's it. Here I stand. That's the truth,
isn't it? That's the truth. It's being
more and more confirmed in your mind. And, buddy, will we stand
with our God someday? That's it. It is it. We're confirmed
unto the end. We're presented blameless in
the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Why? Three words. God is faithful. Not you. Not me. God is faithful. Ever if you
make it, it'll be because God is faithful. That's it. All right? Here's a faithful saying.
Now, wait a minute, don't leave me there. Here's a faithful saying.
You say that I'm ready to quit every
day. You don't know what I've done.
what I've been, and you don't know what I'm just going through,
I don't have faith. God is faithful. He that hath begun a good work,
finish it. He's able to present you faultless,
blameless. God is faithful. Here's a faithful
saying, too, and worthy. It's been about a good while
now. This is the last thing I'm going
to say on the subject, but it's worthy of hearing. It's a faithful
saying and worthy of all acceptation. Christ Jesus came into the world
to save what? Sin. Did you hear what he said
to me? Let's sing this, Stayed Upon
Jehovah. What was that number, 287? Like a river of glory. Yes, 287 is God's perfect
peace. Where does it come from? Stayed
Upon Jehovah, the Rock of Ages. It's left for me. Let me hide
myself. All right, let's stand and sing. Like a river glorious is God's
perfect peace, Over all Victoria in its pride and greed. Fuller every day Her fainthearted
romance Keeps her on the way Straight up on Jehovah Hearts
are fully blessed I believe there's been love Every joy or trial fallen from
above, placed upon our dial by the Son of God. they who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true. On Jehovah hearts are fully filled as He
promised Heavenly Father, take these words of comfort that
are meant for your people, and comfort the most despondent,
desperate, distressed, in death, discontented, poor, sinful heart
with these words of comfort. cause them to stay themselves
upon Jehovah and find perfect peace in him, we pray. Don't let the fowls
pick it away or the thorns choke it. Rehearse these things in
our mind. Bring them to remembrance and
give dread joy and peace until we meet again. In Christ's name,
amen.

A Salutation and Words of Comfort

What does the Bible say about being sanctified in Christ?

How do we know that believers are called saints?

Why is grace central to Christian belief?

How does God's faithfulness reassure believers?

What is the significance of calling upon the name of Jesus?

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A Salutation and Words of Comfort

What does the Bible say about being sanctified in Christ?

How do we know that believers are called saints?

Why is grace central to Christian belief?

How does God's faithfulness reassure believers?

What is the significance of calling upon the name of Jesus?

Sermon Transcript

About Paul Mahan

Comments

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