Thank you. That's one of my favorite
hymns. I need thy presence every waking hour. What but thy grace
can foil the tempter's power? I like that. Thank you. Jude,
the book of Jude now. This will be a two-part message. beginning tonight and second
part Sunday morning Lord willing. I have noticed in reading the
bulletins articles. Written by me and whom I. Gospel preachers whom I know
and have confidence in listening to messages, recent
messages by various men, that there seems to be the messages,
the articles seem to be more and more dogmatic, clearer. assertions of the true gospel
than ever before. Any denunciations of all this
false gospel is going on. I'm hearing that. I'm seeing
that. I'm reading that from the brethren. And I was kind of made to sit down
and ponder this and wonder why. Why have the messages, why do
they seem to be more powerful than ever, more dogmatic than
ever, more narrow than ever? Even our conversations among
ourselves always go in this direction. I believe this is just another
sign of the imminent and soon return of our Lord. We studied
that last Wednesday night, wasn't it? Or signs of His soon coming. We studied that last Wednesday.
I believe this is a seal of that, that God is putting it on the
hearts of preachers, the urgency of this message, the dangers
that we face, how that iniquity is so superabounding that the
love of many is waxing cold. As Peter said, judgment has begun
at the house of God. As one old writer said, it's
getting so hard to get a crowd to worship where the only attraction
is God. and this day of religious games
and all the heresy and all that's going on and all the signs and
wonders and so forth. Truth has fallen in the streets,
like Isaiah 59 said. Judgment is turned way backwards.
Truth has fallen in the street. Equity cannot enter. As Paul
said to Timothy, they turned their ears from the truth and
turned unto fables. And our Lord said in 2 Thessalonians
2, he said, because they received not the love of the truth, he
sent them strong delusions to believe a lie. So the time is
short, but blessed are you. Blessed are your ears hearing
what you hear. Blessed are you if you are hearing
this last day message. this message in these last days,
dark days. Well, look at verse 1, and this
is what Jude is dealing with. And Jude, look at verse 1. Jude, he says,
Jude, or his name is Judas, one of the apostles. Remember, there
were two Judases. And this is Jude, Judas, the
other one, servant of Jesus Christ, the brother of James. Brother
of the Apostle James, to them that are sanctified by God the
Father and preserved in Jesus Christ and called. So who's he writing to? He's
writing to the church. He's writing to the church, to
believers who are sanctified. Or as Paul said to the Thessalonians
and second Thessalonians, he said, God hath from the beginning
chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit
and belief. of the truth, believers whom
God has set apart or chosen to believe. That's the only reason
a man will believe this gospel, is if God chooses him to believe.
The only reason. Many of you know that from experience.
All of you know that from experience. But those who were in false religion,
well, all of you were in false religion. I guess. I wasn't raised in false
religion. I wasn't, but I still didn't
know Christ, and he still had to give me faith. At any rate,
nobody believed the true gospel. Nobody knows the true Christ
unless God reveals him, unless God gives faith. It's God that
sanctified it. The word sanctified means set
apart for holy use. That's what the word sanctification
means. Set apart for holy use. It also means declare holy. set
apart. How are we sanctified? Well,
look at it again. To them who are sanctified by
God and man working together to work out this... It doesn't
say that. This is not a joint effort between
God and men, and there are many well-meaning, I think well-meaning,
I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, men who confuse the
issue. of sanctification, saying that
God starts the work and it's something that we must continue.
That's not scriptural. There's a growth in grace that
Peter said grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord. Talk
about perfecting holiness in the spirit of the Lord or maturing
in Christ's likeness. But this work of sanctification
being set apart for holy use is done by God the Father. God
Almighty. Look over to Hebrews 2. Let's
settle this issue. If it is an issue with us, I
don't think it is, but Hebrews chapter 2. Hebrews chapter 2. We'll hear
what God says about sanctification. Verse 11, Hebrews 2, 11. Both
he that sanctify. Who's that? Well, it just said
God. He that sanctifyeth, and they
who are sanctified." Plain language in it. He who
sanctifyeth, and they who are sanctified. So you've got the
sanctifier and the sanctified, right? You've got the one that's
doing it, and you've got the one that's being done to. That's
clear, isn't it? Isn't that clear? Are all of
one. for which cause he is not ashamed
to call them brethren. Now Hebrews 10. Hebrews 10. Now look at verse 10. How does
God sanctify us or declare us holy? The word sanctify means
to be declared holy. Not only does it mean to be set
apart for holy use, that's election. That's God choosing us, setting
us apart for his holy use. to make us his sons. All right.
And then there's this thing of actually being declared holy.
Verse 10. By the witch will, whose will? God's will. We are sanctified. How? Through the offering of
the body of Jesus Christ. Once. Once. Look at verse 14. By one
offspring, he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. And I was going to have you turn
to John 17, but I won't for lack of time. But Christ said, I sanctify
myself that they also might be sanctified. Sanctify them through
thy truth. Thy word is truth. He said that,
John 17, 17 and 19. So it's the word that calls us
out, that separates us, that sanctifies us, sets us apart.
It's the word that sets us apart from the world. Who are my disciples,
Christ said? They that keep my word, that
believe my word. And it's the word that actually
makes the transformation, transforming power, sanctifying, making us
holy, making us like Christ. All right, it's not our work. It's not our work. It's his work. He that hath begun a good work
in you, he'll leave it up to you and hope you finish it. Is
that what that says? Philippians 1, 9 John, is that
what that is? 1, 6. He that hath begun a good work
in you will perform it will finish it until the day of. He's not
what God didn't leave anything up to man thank God. Thank God it's his work. Well
that and so you can just sit back and do what you want now
I didn't say that. Didn't say that. Call on him use the means
and so forth but remember this is God's work. Don't ever confuse
the issue this is God's work. Sanctified by God the father
and like I say it and that's the reason I don't like terms
like progressive sanctification all that because they're not
biblical terms. That's not a biblical term growth and grace is so I
prefer to use that you want to confuse people people are already
confused don't want to confuse them further. All right Jude
says God sanctified us and preserved us in Jesus Christ. Preserved in Christ Jesus. Any
of you ladies ever make preserves? Sure you have. I remember my
grandfather used to love fig preserves. Have you ever had
fig preserves? I don't hear of anybody eating
those anymore, but he loved fig preserves. His wife made those.
Well, preserves, you go through a process, don't you? A canning
process that kind of purifies and and preserves the fruit. The fruit is hand-picked and
then you go through a process by which it is sealed until the
day of eating it. Well, isn't that a picture of
us? Hand-chosen, hand-picked that
we should bear fruit unto God the Father and sealed until the
day of redemption. Till he says, you're right. And
then we go to be and you put off this. You know, fruit dies
when it's picked up. But when the one that eats it,
eats it, it bears fruit unto life. Oh, yeah, let's go on. And so we're preserved in Jesus
Christ. First Corinthians one thirty
says of God, are you in Christ? And here's another verse. Regarding
sanctification. Of God. Are you you've been made
big preserve. Christ preserves of God are you
in Christ who of God is made unto us wisdom righteousness. Sanctification and redemption
he is our sanctification. All right that's clear in the
So he gets all the glory. Man's not, he's not going to
share his glory with another, not even in this sanctification.
He's going to get all the glory preserved in Christ, preserved
by Christ. Christ said in John 17, I wasn't
going to have you turn there and read this. He said, Father,
I have kept them. I've kept them. All you have
given me, I've lost nothing. Once in grace, always in grace,
you better believe it. You better believe it. That's
the only place you'll rest. But I would change a word there.
Once in Christ, always in Christ. And he is grace, isn't he? He
is grace personified. Once in Christ, always in Christ.
He said, All the Father gives me shall come to me, and that
cometh to me I will no wise cast out. He said, My father, which
is greater than all. No man is able to pluck them
out of my father's hand. He's greater than all. And God
has put us in Christ for safekeeping. We're safe in Christ. Whom he
predestinated, he called. Whom he called, he justified.
Whom he justified, he glorified. Sounds like it's been done. Sounds
like good as done. It is as good as done. It is
as good as done, because he said, I've spoken it, I'll do it. I'll
do it. Heaven and earth passed away,
not my word. Preserved in Christ. And called, read on, and called. Set apart by God, chosen, preserved
by Christ, and his blood is that preserving fluid. called by the
Holy Spirit. So here you have the work of
the triune God. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of Lord God the
Father. Salvation is of Lord God the Son. Salvation is of
Lord God the Holy Spirit. It's the work of the triune Godhead. God the Father electing us, choosing
us. The author of salvation. God the Son redeeming us, purchasing
us. He's a redeemer of salvation,
God the Holy Spirit calling us, bringing us, the sanctifier,
the bringer of salvation. And he does this through the
gospel. That's how we're called. That's what he said to the Thessalonians.
He said, God called you by our gospel. That's how he calls you. That's how he calls you. And
it's not asking you. The gospel is not an invitation,
per se. It's not a call to see what you
will do with Jesus. It's a call to tell you what
he has done with you. There's the difference. It's a sovereign, I like the
word, subpoena. That's what I like. He said,
Other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I
must bring. And he sends the Holy Spirit,
who's like the, what was that fellow in the, the Balaam. He
sends the Holy Spirit like the Balaam, says, Rambam. God chose
them. I died for them. They're mine.
Them I must bring. Send the gospel to them. They're
going to hear my voice and follow me. And they'll come. They'll
come. That's the call. And it's an
effectual call. Everyone whom God the Holy Spirit
calls, whom Christ has purchased, whom God has chosen, will come. Didn't he say that? All the Father
giveth me. What? Shall come. They shall come. They shall. And him that cometh to me. The
world mostly knows the second half of that verse, don't they?
Him that cometh to me while no wise cast out. That's true. Why?
Because all the Father giveth me. Because of God are you in
Christ. All right. And now, read on.
He says, Mercy unto you. See, it's of the Lord's mercies
that we're not consumed. It's of the Lord's mercies that
we're sanctified. that were set apart from the
masses. That's of the Lord's mercy. The
Lord's been merciful to you, to me. You've been plumbed, as
it were, a brand from the burning. John, we're going to see our
old cronies suffering condemnation at the
hand of God while we are enjoy salvation at the hand of
God. Who made the difference? God
made the difference. It's of the Lord's mercies that
we're not concerned. He didn't leave you with a wrath.
No, you're sanctified. That's the reason he said, we're
bound to give thanks unto God, brethren, for you, beloved of
the Lord. God had chosen you from the beginning.
From the beginning. And like Spurgeon said, he had
to do it then, because if he had waited a year after you were
born, he would have never done it then. That's what they say, though,
when God looked down through time. This is election. God looked
down to see who would believe and what they're going to be
like. Oh, my, if he'd have waited to see what they're going to
be like, he wouldn't have chosen any. That's the reason they all had
to be chosen in Christ, because God's too holy to even look upon
them. And he considers us in Christ before the world. And
that's another subject. Mercy unto you who are sanctified. Mercy unto you who are preserved.
There's some people whom God is leaving to themselves. But
you're preserved, you're being kept by His power, by this gospel. Some people whom God is leaving
alone and leaving to their own vain imagination, leaving to
their own worldly wisdom, and the gospel is an absolute
ridiculous to them, and they believe a lie. Turning their
ears from the truth and believing a lie. Why? God's hardening them. Blessed are you, Joe. God has
chosen you and is keeping you and is softening your old heart.
Not hardening it, he's softening it. He said, I'll give them a
new heart. I'll take away the stony heart and give them a heart
of flesh. Who does this? God does it. That's mercy, isn't
it? Mercy is not getting what you
deserve. Blessed are the merciful, God's merciful unto those who
are called. You've heard the gospel, that's
mercy. Peace, he writes, I've got to hurry. Mercy unto you
and peace. God is angry with the wicked
every day. God hateth all workers of iniquity, the scripture says. Well, people, I know how you
feel. I'm just like you. We loathe
ourselves. We feel our wickedness, don't
we? Our iniquity, as David says,
is ever before. Our sin is ever before. Our iniquity
is like the wind that carried us away. Well, the Scripture says God
hates our workers of iniquity. But he doesn't hate us. Isn't
that peace? Why? Because God said, I'm not
going to hate them. They're in Christ. Peace unto you. While wrath, the wrath of God
abides on the ungodly, but not, and we know, we feel ourselves
to be ungodly. And he convinces us of our ungodly
deeds, like he wrote down here. But peace unto you. Why? Because Christ was chastised
for our sin. He made peace by the blood of
His cross. Buddy, there's only one place
we're going to turn for all of this. Christ. For mercy. For peace. Love. The love of God. Where
is the love of God? Huh? Where is the love of God to be
found? Does God love everyone? No, he doesn't. Romans 8 verse
39 says the love of God is in Christ Jesus our Lord. That's
where it is. God loves all those in Christ. Outside of Christ, God is a consuming
fire, and God hates Adam. That's what the Scripture
says. But God loves us. Why? Not for anything in us, but because we're in Christ.
The love of God is in Christ. Love for God's elect. And multiplied,
he said. Verse 2, it's multiplied. Multiplied. His mercy is multiplied. It endures
forever. How much mercy will God show
to us? Well, it's going on 40-some years for me now. I've got a good hope because
right there sits a couple that's going on 50-some years. That
must mean He's going to show me mercy another 10 or so. Ah,
wait a minute. There's somebody back there going
60-some years. Don't hang your head, Barbara.
60 years of mercy. What's that here? Ah, there's
about a 70-some years. Must mean mercy just keeps on
keeping on. That's the reason David said
in the Psalms so many times. His mercy endures forever. In
case you didn't hear it the first time he said it, I'll say it
26 times in one Psalm alone. Mercy endures forever. It multiplies. Peace, which no man can take
away from you, multiplies. If you keep looking to Christ,
that is. Gospel secrets keep being revealed to you. All right,
look at verse 3. Beloved, he says, when I gave
all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, I don't know if he had written
another letter or not. He says that he has written unto
them of the common salvation. It appears that he says, I'm
writing again to exhort you to something else. But that's not
important. What he says here is, I've written
unto you of the common salvation. Common salvation now listen salvation
is not a common thing it's an uncommon thing. It's rather extraordinary
what it is it's supernatural it's a miracle it's a mysterious
work of God and it's uncommon in our day it's not common in
our day. Even in the disciples days that
Lord are there a few that we say. It's an uncommon thing a very
few people who seem to have experienced salvation Dr. Scripture says
salvation after this sort. Salvation after this sort. But it's common, what he meant
by a common salvation here, is that it's common in that all
whom God has truly saved are saved the same way. That's what
he's saying by this common salvation. the common faith. Paul said to
Titus, my son, after the common faith. They all have this in
common. Everyone who has been saved have
this in common. They were saved by sovereign
grace. Period. No other way. There is no other salvation.
Not some as salvations of the Lord and other salvations of
the Lord and men. Not some whose salvation is saved
by grace and others who are saved by grace and works. Grace works.
Works. That's what they say. No! Not
some that are saved this way and others saved that way. No.
Common salvation. All that are saved have this
in common. They're saved by sovereign grace. Period. Exclamation point. They're saved
by sovereign grace, by God sovereignly choosing them. Election. by Christ
living and dying for them and only them. Particular redemption. We're not glorifying a doctrine,
we're glorifying the one who did it. There's a difference.
Sovereign grace, they're saved by the Holy Spirit calling them,
and not everybody else, but them, effectually calling them. That's
sovereign grace. This is common. It's common. that all are saved. The common
salvation. Now, she's not leaving because
she doesn't believe that. She's leaving. I don't know why. Go ahead. You don't have to explain. She believes this. Common. Common salvation. But as Paul said to the Ephesians,
we have one hope of our calling. One hope of our calling. What's
that that he calls us one spirit one hope of your calling one
Lord one faith one baptism. One God. Or as we read that in
Psalm 100 the Lord he is God. He is God our God is God as Pharaoh
said Moses God. Or Daniel, who was it? Darius said that Daniel's God.
He's Lord of Lord and King of King. He's God. One God and one father, and they're
all taught by this one father who got it. They're all taught
the same thing. It's a common salvation. That's
what he's saying. Common salvation. All right,
let's read on. He says, now it's needful for
me to write unto you and exhort you that you should earnestly
contend for the faith. The faith, that one Lord, that
one faith, that one hope of God. The faith. Which was once delivered
unto the saints. Which saint? Saint Abel? Yeah. Not just the New Testament. All
the saints, this is common, it's the same faith that, we had the
same faith in common with Abel, right? With Abel, with Abraham,
with Isaac, with Jacob, same faith. One Lord, one faith, one
faith. And he says, it's needful for
me to write unto you that you should contend earnestly, earnestly,
seriously. sincerely contend for the faith
which was once delivered." He said, I'm writing to exhort you
to boldly stand for this faith. It's needful. Now, people, this was the first
century. This was only 60 A.D. Just just 40, 50, 60 years at
the most after our Lord rose from the grave, went back to
glory. And he said, that's necessary that I exhort you to earnestly
contend with his faith. And he goes on to say, because
they're creeping in. And our Lord said many. Now that
was the first century. This is the 20th century, nearly
the 21st. So that means it's 20 times more
necessary that we be exhorted to contend for the faith. They
have multiplied exceedingly, these false prophets and so forth,
exceedingly. It's epidemic proportions. Elijah, was it? Yes, Elijah on
Mount Carmel stood against the prophets of Baal. and the profits
of what were those other profits. And I contend that the odds,
well odds, that the ratio is much greater than that now. It's
about 850,000 to 1. You see, it was confined to a
little small area there. Wasn't it? Over there in the
Middle East. And now this has gone out throughout the whole
world. The gospel has. And since the gospel has, so
have the enemies of it. The spirit of antichrist is spread
out there. So it's even more necessary now
that we be exhorted to contend for the faith. You remember how
I started this message? Talking about how I'm hearing
it in men's preaching and reading their articles, how they're getting
more bold and assertive than ever, more denouncing the false
gospel than ever. Why? Man, this thing's getting
so far out and so ridiculous. It's so ridiculous that if you
even say, you say anything concerning the truth, they think it's some
strange doctrine. No, like I was telling you, that
girl was talking to my wife and she was just talking to her from
the scriptures. And she said, I've been in religion all my
life and I've never heard any of these things. And she's a
Southern Baptist. And that's conservative religion,
it's supposed to be. Truth, Isaiah 59 says, truth is falling in
the streets, judgment's backwards. Listen to what Martin Luther
said, and I think I can quote it pretty close. He said, if we are not confessing
with the loudest voice that point or that doctrine which
the world is denying, at that time, if we're not confessing
at that time what the world is denying, we're not confessing
the gospel. Alright. Rothbard, back in 1950s, lit a fire in the South. And this is a result
of that. This church is a result of that.
But he went through a barnstorm in the South, like John the Baptist,
and here's what he... Here's the issue. The issue. And that's my generation, the
50s. That's when I was born, the 50s. And this was the issue. This is the issue. He stood up
one time in Central Park in Ashland, Kentucky, a town at the time
40,000 people or so, and had a tent-wide meeting, or a city-wide
meeting, a tent meeting down in Central Park where every pastor,
back then everybody went to tent meetings. He just went. I remember
growing up, going to all sorts of tent meetings. And Barnard,
and every pastor of every church in Ashland, Kentucky was at that
tent meeting. And he stood up, and he dropped an atomic bomb. He said, two biggest lies ever
been told. Two biggest lies ever been told. He said, one, God loves everybody. Two, Christ died for everybody. He said, ain't neither one of
them so. And buddy, there's been a crater
ever since that bomb has been dropped. And the sons of Cora
have been Right? And that's the issue today. What is the false gospel being
preached today? God loves you and Christ died
for you. God loves you, might go to hell anyway. Christ died
for you. It doesn't matter, though. You've
got to make it effectual. That's the issue today. Brother
Todd and I wrote a letter to the newspaper about particular
redemption, and he was absolutely scowled at. Six weeks running. Everybody that could write wrote
and burned him. Well, that's the issue today. And that's our faith. That's
the faith. We studied that Sunday night,
didn't we? How God is shed abroad in Romans
5, the love of God in our hearts. And the blood of Christ, the
love of God is my hope and my stay. It's my comfort. You tell me God loves a man that's
burning in hell right now, I don't, then that love doesn't do me
any good. How could you have any comfort
in that love? Huh? How could you? How could anybody?
They're not, they're not trusting in His love, they're playing
religion. They're bragging on how they
love God, is what it is, isn't it? If they just stop and think about
it. What comfort could my daughter have in thinking that I love
her and that I might kick her out at any moment? Huh? She could have no comfort at
all. Perfect love casts out fear. Whose love? God's love is perfect. He said, I've loved them with
an everlasting love. That means God's love is not
less for one person than it is for another. They say it is.
They say He saw less. No, His love is perfect. God's
love is eternal. That means He never stops loving.
God's love is effectual. He saves everybody He loves.
Now, if I had the power to save my daughter, I'd love her dearly.
I love her. What kind of love would let her
fall if it had the power to stop it? God has the power, and He
does. He said, I've loved them with
an everlasting love. Therefore, with lovingkindness,
I've drawn them. I must bring them. Why? I love
them. I'm going to save them. That's love. That's love. Sovereign. Hail sovereign love. Tear off singing that, Terry.
Go ahead. Deborah wants to hear you. "'Hail, sovereign love that
first began the scheme to rescue fallen man! Hail, matchless,
free, eternal grace that gave my soul a hiding place!' Almighty love said, Arrest that
man, didn't it? Deliver him from going down in
the pit. He's not going with the rest
of them. Why? I've found a ransom. He's mine, all mine, or thine,
mine, or mine. They'll be with me. I will that
they be with me where I am." And in the end, he's going to
say, they're here, all the children that thou hast given me. Every
last one of them is here. Why? Because God loved them,
and Christ died for them, and the Holy Spirit drops them. That's my hope. My blood of Christ
actually put away my sin, and God can't send me to hell." Is
that too bold? Well, he said, that's why we
have boldness to enter into the Holy of Holies, isn't it? Oh, it's twenty times more needful
in this twentieth century that we earnestly contend for the
faith. Isn't it? Earnestly contend. Well. It's needful. Let me just read
you an article. I'm out of time. I was going
to go through verses four and five and I'm out of time. Like
I started out with saying our brethren seem to be doing this
more earnestly than ever. And perhaps it's a sign of the
end. Let me read you an article by Brother Jack Shank. I'm going
to put it in I've already typed up this week's bulletin. I'll
put it up in maybe next week. Listen to this. Amos 3.3. You know what that verse of scripture
said? Good picky. Can two walk together except
they be afraid? He wrote an article on that.
Walking together. One thing I try not to be is
a mean old man. Sometimes I am, but at least
I try not to be. But having been approached of
late by some who desire a fellowship of preachers in this area, I
find it necessary to evaluate such a meeting of minds. And
every preacher in every community and every gospel preacher is
faced with this. I have been approached by these ministers. They have Franklin County Ministerial
Association. They have prayer breakfasts all
the time. They've called me and want me
to be in on them. Well, Jack says, I find it necessary to evaluate.
Will we agree? In light of past experience,
it's very doubtful. There are only a few scattered
here and there who see the Lord Jesus Christ as the sovereign,
effectual, victorious, redeeming Lord. I certainly do not know
everything or everyone, but I do know this. There can be no fellowship
if men do not know the same Christ and the same gospel. It is the
same Christ and the same gospel, or it's another. Paul said in
Galatians 1, if any man preach any other gospel, the curse of
God is upon him, it's false. You don't join in with him. You
do not receive him into your house. You don't tell him goodbye.
That means God's being. Is that too harsh? No, that's
what John said. Jack said, Do you think I would
not enjoy sitting with men who know and preach the same blessed
Christ that I do? Of course I would. To have neighboring
pastors whom I could have in my pulpit to preach the true
gospel would be such a blessing. but I know of only a handful
in the whole state of Texas." And folks, that's the biggest
state right now. There may be more, he said, that I'm not aware
of. Jack's seventy-some years old now. To be disliked is unpleasant. I would, did everyone like me.
But it's not to be. Is there any preacher in this
area who preaches the Lord Jesus Christ as he is, the Almighty
Lord who saves whom he will? Then I'm your man," he says.
I'm with you. We'll pray together. We'll sit
and we'll talk of our Redeemer and preach in one another's pulpit
and walk together. But if you do not know and preach
that Savior, then we do not agree and therefore cannot walk together.
We worship different gods. And one or the other is an idol. That's bold. That's just how
I like that. I like that. It's necessary that
we earnestly contend for the faith in our generation. I'm telling you, it's this world
is just about gone. Just about gone. And the few,
our Lord, said, When the Son of Man cometh, will he find faith
on the earth? Yes, in those he gives it to. But the Scripture says it will
be like the smattering and scattering of corn on the mountaintop, here
and there. When our Lord... Let me give
you a scriptural example. Our Lord preached the God of
glory came down here. And when he left, now he was
a preacher, wasn't he? The greatest preacher ever. Before he died, twelve men, that's
what was in that upper room, and a few women. When he rose, there were a hundred,
and went back, a hundred and twenty people in the largest
city in the Middle East, Jerusalem. A hundred and twenty people.
120 people. Now that has multiplied
exceedingly. He has people over the course
of time from the beginning. People as the stars and the sand.
Yes he does, but that's over the course of years. Millennials. Right? And in our day, I'm convinced
of it. It's just hard to find anybody.
It's hard to find. Anybody really wants to worship
God in the spirit and rejoice in the truth. He said in John
7, he said, any man will do his will. He'll know the truth, whether
it's of God or not. He'll know. He'll know. All right, let's
stand together. Thank God that he's revealed
it to us. Our Heavenly Father, we do indeed
thank you for including us in that number. We thank you, Lord. We are unfit.
We are unworthy. We are less than the least. We
are not fit to be called disciples. We are not worthy of the least
of thy favors. We are not one whit different
than anybody in our generation. We are just like the children
of Israel who perished in the wilderness. Except by your grace. Who makes
us to differ? You do. By your grace. Grace
makes the difference. And by your grace, O Lord, we
would be, we would be your faithful dogs, your calums, and enter
into the promised land with the Savior, our Joshua, the Lord
Jesus Christ. Keep us, O Lord. Keep us by your
power, by this gospel. Keep us. For your glory, for
your honor, for Christ's glory and honor, the glory of God the
Holy Spirit, we pray and ask these things are met together
tonight. Amen.