It is all according to the good
pleasure of his will. He said that in Ephesians 1 verse
5, according to his good pleasure. Ephesians chapter 1. There was a recent sin survey
that I have alluded to, a sin survey that
was held in our, not our local, but in the Roanoke newspaper. I've made mention of that several
times. It's, after all of the folly that I
read in that paper, that was one of the worst. But in that survey, men and women
listed the various things that they considered to be sinful.
And out of all of those things listed, the greatest sin of all
was missing. The greatest sin of all, or that
sin which every other sin has at its root There was an old preacher years
ago, an old Puritan, I forget his name, it may have been Henry
Law, it may have been William Jay, I forget who it was. He
was sitting in his study one day, and a man came in and began
to confess to him what a terrible sinner that he was and had been. He began to tell the man, oh,
but I've done this, Mr. Law or Mr. J or whoever it was. I've done,
oh, I've been such a bad sinner, I've been a drunk. And the preacher
just sat there, uh-huh. And he said, but I've been an
extortioner, unjust. But, oh, I also committed adultery. And, but I, you know, I was trying
to get a rise out of it. And I've, oh, I've just all mannered,
I did this, I stole, I did this and that and the other, and the
man said, uh-huh. And he waited on him to finish. And the man,
and the man apparently finished, and the preacher said, is that
all? And the man said, Is that all?
Could anybody be any worse? Could there be anything worse? He said, Well, you didn't list
the greatest sin of all. You didn't list what caused you
to do all those things in the first place. Unbelief. You see, the children of Israel
didn't go into the promised land because of war. Granted, they
danced around a calf naked. That's horrible, isn't it? Terrible.
They made him a calf in the first place. That's bad enough. And
granted, they did all of these things, but they entered not
in because of what, the Scripture says? Unbelief. Unbelief takes many forms and
is revealed in many different ways. Let me give you a few. Here are a few things that are
unbelief and the way unbelief is revealed. Number one, refusal
to believe God is unbelief. Refusal to believe not just that
there is a God, but refusal to believe God, all that he says,
all that he does, all that he is. Being God, that means what? It
means we're in his hands. He's God. He can turn us, do
with us as we will. Men don't believe that. They
don't like to believe that. Refusal to believe God's word,
refusal to believe this book, but to twist it and distort it
and disregard it altogether is unbelief. In other words, God
wrote a book, John, and men Not only do they twist it and malign
it and abuse it and misuse it and misapply it, that's bad enough,
but some disregard it altogether. Spitting in God's face, that's
unbelief. No interest, that's my next point, no interest in
God or His Word is unbelief. God wrote a book and men are
not interested. Oh, you're not interested in
what I have to say? Have you ever talked to somebody,
sat there talking to somebody, and their mind is a thousand
miles away? Huh? Maybe you're talking to me. I'm
bad about that. Sorry. I may be listening to you. But
some people have a hard time getting eye contact. But some
people, it's obvious, though, while you're talking to them,
they're not listening, are they? They're either waiting on their
turn to speak. Or they're a thousand miles away, right? Doesn't that
make you mad? Doesn't what I have to say, isn't
it important to you? That's what you feel like saying.
I know you think you're smarter than I am. Disregard of God's
Word is doing the same thing, isn't it? Not interested in the
Word of God? God's not interested in you,
then. Here's another thing, no interest in God's son. Now, if there's anything, if
there's anything that God grows angry at, it's that. Not interested
in my son? You mean I sent my son down here
to earth? Didn't have to, but I did. Sent him down here, and
I'm the one that brutally murdered him and killed him and he did
this for unworthy wretches and you're not interested? You see the, what's the word,
heinousness, awfulness of unbelief? Remaining hard and unmoved by
the plainest of God's warnings is unbelief. God said, why will
you be stricken? In Isaiah 1, he says this, John,
why will you be stricken anymore? Why should he send the plagues
to Egypt? He sent the bubonic plague, the
black plague, the plague, the plague, the plague, seven plagues
in Egypt, and on and on and on the plagues go, and now we've
got AIDS. He said, why should you be stricken
anymore? Will you repent, he said? Will
men turn to God as a result? They won't believe, though one
rose from the dead. But God keeps sending them, doesn't
he? Why? To make men accountable. But that's unbelief. Not acknowledging. That's what he said in Romans
1, wasn't it? The judgments of God are clearly sane. And not
only do they ignore them, but they take pleasure in those things,
and in them that do. Another thing is being unthankful.
Unthankfulness is horrible part of unbelief, being unthankful,
or not acknowledging God and the providence of God. There's
a verse in Scripture that says, men did not like to retain God
in all their knowledge. In other words, I'm so smart,
I know so many things, and I'm pursuing after them, but I haven't
got time for God. in whom we live and move and
have our being, by whom and before whom and through whom and to
whom are all things, and I'm pursuing these things, I'm worshiping
the creature rather than the Creator, I'm concerned about
all these things, but not God? Oh, what a fool. That's unbelief. God said, you're more interested
in my creation than not the one who made it? And maybe the granddaddy of them
all, unbelief, is self-righteousness. That cuts at the heart of the
gospel. That cuts at the heart of why
Christ came to begin with, doesn't it? If there's any way we can
make ourselves acceptable to God Almighty, other than Christ
coming down here and doing what he did, then he need not have
come. He died in vain. And Joe, that's
what preachers, that's what people are saying. that my church attendance
amounts for something, my baptism accounts for something, and what
I do or don't do amounts to something, and God is going to reward me
accordingly. He will reward you, all right,
for your works of iniquity, filthy, self-righteous rag. Granddaddy
of them all. Keep your place in Ephesians
1. I'll get to my text in a moment. Psalm 53. I was going to quote
this to you. I had it all written down, but
I want you to look at it. I want you to look at it. Psalm
53. I don't want you. You got a Bible? Look at it. You got a Bible? Look at it.
Psalm 53. It doesn't pay at all for me
to write these verses of Scripture down and quote them if nobody
is going to pay attention to them. I want you to look at it.
This is God's word. Psalm 53, it says this in verse
2, God looked down, well, let's go up to verse 1. The fool has
said in his heart, there is no God or no to God. Corrupt are
they, have done abominable iniquity. There is none that doeth good.
Paul quotes all of this in Romans 3. Look at verse 2 and 3. God looked down from heaven upon
the children of men to see if there were any that did understand,
that did seek God. Any that did understand that
he was God, that did seek after him, to worship him, to know
him, know how to get to him. He said in verse 3, every one
of them has gone back, or that is, turned from God. They have
all together become filthy. There is none that doeth good.
No, not one. All right now, do you believe
that? Do you believe that? That's the record. That's what
God says about you. That's what God says about me.
Right? You believe that? If you don't,
you don't believe the record. You don't believe God. Let me look every one of you
right in the eye. Do you believe that about yourself? Huh? All right, if you do, then you
have to know that salvation is of the Lord. This is why God
has to take the initiative. This is why no one should get
upset when we talk about God's eternal election, covenant, predestination. God has to take the initiative
in salvation. Why? There's nobody that understands
nor even seeking after God out of this year. And that, were
you in the beginning? Thank God he was seeking you.
That's salvation. Because he said, and here's depravity,
he says, you will not come to me that you might have life.
In other words, that's man's obstinate unbelief and rebellion.
I don't want, not interested. Here's the gospel people, not
interested. That's depravity. You will not
come unto me that you might have life. And here is inability.
He said, No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath
sent me draw him. In other words, here's an old
sinner like John. John, for years, not interested
in God, the things of God, not interested in the gospel. He
heard it. You heard it on the radio somewhere. You heard it.
You're without excuse, John. And he heard it, and he said,
I'm not interested. I'd rather be down at the bar
or whatever. You know, I'd rather be doing
my own thing. Not interested. But God, who's rich in mercy for his great
love, wherewith he loved John Davis of all people. John Davis,
who's not interested in him. God was interested in him, and
God said, you're coming, you're going to be interested. He drew
you with the gospel. Chords of love, the scripture
says. Come on, you're coming. Don't want to, you're coming. And you try every which way.
It corrals you, doesn't it? Corrals you. And all of his people
are made willing in the day of his, that's the day of his power.
The gospel is God's power. The preaching of the gospel.
I'm not going to yell at you this morning. Try not to yell. I'm
going to preach truth. I'm going to preach truth. And I'm going to put my hope
and my confidence and my trust in the Holy Spirit of God to
apply this truth to somebody. I'm not going to yell. I'm not
going to cry. I'm not going to laugh. I'm not going to scream.
I'm going to just preach the truth, if I have to just read
my notes. The power of God is in the gospel.
It's in the Word of God. And he makes all of his people
willing in the day of his power. Now back over to Ephesians 2.
And I'll get to my text here finally. My wife told me one time, I hate
long introductions. Well, that's all right. I'm the preacher. She's the wife. And I don't either. I don't like
them either. I like for a man to get to his
text and get on with it. God, this is why God, the things
I'm saying, the utter inability and depravity of man, is why
God must be the author and the finisher of salvation. It's why
God must purpose salvation, why he must purchase salvation, why
he must apply salvation. Because you will not come and
you cannot come. Thank God Christ did come. This
is why God had to start it, why God had to perform it, and why
God has to finish it, because without him we can't do nothing. Ephesians 2 says, Because you
are dead in trespasses and sin. Do you see that? Whether we believe
that or not, it's so. We are dead in trespasses and
sin. Why is it easier for us to lie?
Why is it easier for us to cheat? Why is it easier for us to be
after the things of this world and love ourselves rather than
others and love God and so forth? Why? We're dead in trespasses
and sin. We're not much better than a
beast, controlled by our fleshly, carnal lusts and appetites and
a love for ourselves by nature. And this is why salvation is
in those two words in verse two. Salvation is in a but God. Because you're dead, but God. That's where salvation is found.
You know, two simple, one simple word, one very complex name. But God, verse, I'm sorry, verse
four. But God. But God, who is rich
in mercy. For his great love wherewith
he loved a people." Salvation is in those two words. But God
saves some of these unworthy, unseeking, unfit people, sinners. God just up and decides to do
so. And he does it, it says, verse
8, "...by grace are you saved." by grace. It's all a gift of
God. They didn't earn it. They didn't
do anything to deserve it. They're all unworthy of it. They're
no fit vessels. It's all of grace. And he says,
through faith. That's what I wanted to get to.
Through faith. Are you with me? I see eyes going
like this. Through faith. Through faith. What did I start talking about?
The very first thing out of my mouth was talking about unbelief.
Alright, you're going to have to have faith. You're going to
have to have faith. You can't get it. You can sit
here until the cows come home. And you will not get it. Try
as you may. That's the reason you have such
a hard time listening to me right now. You cannot make yourself
do it. It's going to take the Spirit
of the living God. By faith, he says, that's not
of yourselves. Right? It's not of yourselves. Where does it come from? Even
that's a gift of God. Verse 8. By grace, you say, through
faith, and that not of yourself, it's the gift of God. It's all his Word, you see, from
start to finish, from the choosing to giving the faith to come to
Christ. and finally being brought to Christ in heaven someday.
It's all of God. If you make it, it's going to
be all of God. It's all of God. It's a supernatural,
powerful work. All of God. Ephesians 1, 19. Look at verse 19. It says, It's
all according. The last part of verse 19 says,
It's all according to the working of his mighty power. Salvation is of the Lord, of
the Lord. Now, why does God do this? Huh? I've already told you that nobody's
deserving of it. Nobody's even seeking after it.
Nobody's interested. Huh? Even in this group, those
who call themselves interested are—settle down, preacher. Even in this group. Those who
call themselves interested give evidence right now of appearing
to be not interested. So why does God do this? Why
should He save anybody? I'll just take myself for example,
Joe, I won't pick on you, I'll pick on me. Why would God save
me? One day I may be interested,
the next day I'm not. I'm more interested. Why would
God save me? I wouldn't. Let's just be honest. And look, old Barnard used to
say, you better be glad I'm not God. I'm glad I'm not God, because
I wouldn't be saved. I wouldn't save me if I were
God. You unworthy, you ungrateful
wretch. I'm not going to save you. That's what I'd say about
me and those just like me. Huh? Why does he do this? Why
does God save anybody? to the praise of the glory of
his grace. That's the only reason. Not so
you'll be happy and meet mama. Not so you can continue your
golf game in heaven. To the praise of the glory of
his grace. Look at verse 12. It says the
same thing. That we should be to the praise of his glory. Verse 14 says the same thing.
The last line says, "...under the praise of his glory." That's
the only reason. The only reason. The glory of his mercy, the glory
of his grace, the glory of his love. His glory. He did it all for his glory. He did it all for his glory. He did it all for his glory. If you're saved, he'll do it
for his glory. Now, why don't people believe
God? Why don't people believe what
I've said thus far? There could be somebody in here
right now that takes issue with what I've said. I haven't really
said a lot. I've just quoted some scripture
here. Why don't people believe God is God? Why don't people believe that
God is God? I mean, Creator, Ruler, Absolute
Controller. Why? Can you think of a reason
why people wouldn't believe that? That he does with his creatures
as he will? That he works all things after
the counsel of his own will? He doesn't wait on or depend
on anybody or anything? He decides who, what, when, where
and how? Why wouldn't people believe it?
Well, a couple of reasons. Number one, if people believed
God like that, who is their God, though they don't know him? That
is God. But if people believed a God
like that, what would that mean? It means we have to answer to
him. You're sitting here this morning,
and you don't believe what I just said about an almighty, sovereign
God. You're still going to have to
answer to him, whether you believe it or not. Whether men believe
it or not, you're going to have to answer to him. Number two,
another thing is, if men believe in a God like that, people that
believe in a God like that That means all your own pride, all
your wisdom, all your strength, all your own personal vain glory
goes out the window. No room for boasting. Right? If you believe that salvation
is of the Lord, there's nothing you can do to make yourself acceptable,
nothing you can do to make God look down on you with pleasure.
It means all of your doings and glory goes out to win to that
nobleman for boasting. You're a beggar. You're a basket gate. You're
a sinner before a holy God, and he can save you, or he doesn't
have to. You see why men don't like that? I understand. I understand. But
it's beside the fact. The fact is, that is the God
of the Bible. He says it over and over again.
I wish people, Margaret, I wish people would just take Isaiah,
the book of Isaiah, and start in chapter 40 and read on through
it. And how many times God says,
I'm God, there's none else. Over and over again he says,
I'm the Lord, there's none else. Remember now the former things
of old. things that are not yet done.
I have spoken and I am God." Over and over again, he graciously,
mercifully, he doesn't have to do this job. He doesn't have
to remind men. He doesn't have to write Isaiah,
the book of Isaiah, does he? But he does. Do men read it? No. But over and over again,
Like I told you, I talked to a preacher not too long ago,
and this fellow's been a pastor for 25 years. He said, I've never
preached out of the book of Isaiah. He said, I'm going to start soon.
I thought to myself, man, you'd better get out of the pulpit
just as fast as your legs will take you. Never preached out
of the book. Turn over to Isaiah. All right, let's just look at
it. Isaiah chapter 23. Isaiah 23. Look over here at Isaiah.
I quote this verse all the time. Isaiah 23, verse 9. Isaiah 23,
9. I'm going to have you look at
several scriptures with me. Isaiah 23, 9. Look at it. Every
eye, every one that has a Bible. As Brother Barney would say,
you ought to buy yourself a Bible and look at it. Everybody's got
a Bible, though, but it's got dust on it. Well, let's open
it up, blow the dust off of it, and look at verse 9. It says,
"...the Lord of hosts hath purposed it to stain the pride of all glory,
and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth."
You know how a judge charges a man with being in contempt
of court? Have you ever seen that? Or been in your courtroom
in person or seen it on television where a man begins to talk out
of place, out of turn, the judge is talking and a man starts talking,
he says, you're in contempt of court. This is what God says, that every
mouth may be stopped. God says, I'm God, but, but,
you're in contempt of God. O man, who art thou that replies,
I can't help myself. I've got to. You're in contempt
of God. Be quiet. Be still and know that
I'm God. How many times does he say that
in Scripture? I'm God. You've got to know this. You
better know this. This is where salvation starts. The fear of
this Lord. We've been talking about this
a lot lately, haven't we? Look at Isaiah 42, and God says
He is determined to stain the pride of every fleshly glory,
bring into absolute contempt all the honorable, or those who
call themselves honorable. That which is highly esteemed
among men, what does the Scripture say? Is an abomination to God
Almighty. Now, that doesn't mean a violation
of hospitality. Abomination means abomination,
detestable, abhorrable to God. Verse 8, Isaiah 42, 8, I am the
Lord, and that is my name, capital L, capital O, capital R, capital
D, Lord, and my glory will I not give to another. Not in any way,
shape, form or fashion. Look at Isaiah 43, verse 7. Isaiah 43, 7, across the page. Everyone that is called by my
name, God say, I saved them, I've created him for my glory. Look at verse 21, verse 21 of
the same chapter. This people have I formed To
make them happy? No. For myself they shall show
forth my praise. Look at chapter 48. We read it
in the, in case you didn't read it the first time with me, we'll
read it again. Isaiah 48, verse 11. Isaiah 48,
verse 11. For mine own sake, even for mine
own sake will I do it. Why or how should my name be
polluted? I will not give my glory unto
another." And then lastly, Isaiah 66, the last book, the last thing
God has to say in this great book of the Old Testament. Isaiah
66, verse 18. He says, "...I know their works
are sinful, and their thoughts wicked. But it shall come that
I will gather all nations and tongues, and they shall come
and see my glory." The ultimate issue behind all
things is the glory of God. God Almighty will get glory in
a person's salvation or he will get glory in their damnation. He's going to get the glory.
The wrath of man shall praise him. And this glory God will not share
with another. Not this preacher, not this hearer,
not anybody. But the problem is, every man
and woman, including us, wants some of it. No one. We want a
little credit. John, I don't care what it is.
We want a little credit for something. Let me give you an illustration.
You all have seen these athletes that have accomplished great
things, you know. And he'll ask them and say, oh,
you played a great game, or you're sure a great ball player. You sure can play a good game
of ball. I'm bad, I'm good, I'm great,
I'm the best there was. I'm the greatest! I am the greatest! But I thank God, you know, on
the side, I thank God. But I'm the greatest. And you
take this athlete, one of these athletes that, you know, accomplishes
all these things. Steve, he can go to the Hall
of Fame. He can accomplish everything there is to accomplish. Why isn't
he satisfied with that? You know, he'll retire. That's funny. Every time I hear
of a player retiring, I think, he's just wanting more money.
He's just wanting a bigger contract. He retires, you know, on top
of the world. Why doesn't he stay retired?
Why does he come back and try to make a comeback? Huh? And they end up failing every
time. They're going downhill until finally everybody says,
well, I wish he quit. Right? Why doesn't he get out while
he's ahead? Why? Why don't they do that? They can't stand to
be outside of the glory. The adulation of the crowd, you
know. Can you imagine what it'd be like for you to walk in a
crowd of people of this size or more, thousands, and everybody
stand up and, there he is! Here I am. That's how you'd feel. Yes, it's me. That's what they ought to say,
shouldn't they stand? It's me, it's me, Mr. T. But they do, don't they? Yeah, I am something. Boy, they
like that. It gets, oh, there's no nothing
that fills the blood of a man or a woman like that praise and
that glory and that honor. And they can't stand to let them
go one season without it, and they miss it bad. Why else would a man be a billionaire
and run for President of the United States? I mean, he could
buy Washington. He could buy him an island. He
could have every pleasure and does have every pleasure that
his flesh could lust after. No, he wants the glory and the
honor. and their fame and their recognition
that goes with it. And this quest for fame and for
honor and glory, it trickles down. It's just the trickle-down
theory. It trickles down all the way
from the upper echelons of power, Congress, you know, it's a power
move. From there all the way down to two little kids standing
on a sandlot playground deciding who's king of the hill. You got
a little feel about that. Did you ever play king of the
hill? I did. Rarely won it, Stan. Little,
you know. He was always a bully, too. He
always won. I don't know why we wanted to
play that game. He wanted to play it. But, you
know, king of the hill. I am king of this pile of dirt.
Man, I don't want everybody to know. It can take the form of two people
entering into an argument. Two nobodies arguing over nothing.
The one person wants to be thought right. Right? Husband and wife. Pride. Glory. Vain glory. Right? This is why not many wise
men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. Listen to me now. Here's the
key to this whole message. Not many are called It's called
this calling of God, that is to be one of his children, one
of his disciples, a believer. It's called the prize of the
high calling. It's a prize. What a prize. It's called a holy
calling. It's called a heavenly calling,
partaker of the heavenly calling. You know what that calling is?
You know what you get? God calls you. OK, Barbara, he
sets his eye on you, his pre-foundational, eternal, predestinating eye on
you. You know what you get to be,
Barbara? I mean right now. You know what you get to be?
Nothing! You get to, God comes to you
and calls you and says, You're nothing! Why? So that God might be everything
to you. You remember that quote by Martin
Luther in a bulletin a couple of weeks ago? It said, God makes
everything out of In the beginning there was nothing. Nothing. And God spoke. He made something. So he says, if you're going to
be something, you've got to first be a nothing. Now, there's not
people lining up. There's nobody. We don't have
an overflowing crowd. You ushers, get more chairs.
I don't have to tell that to Stan. And the fellows, you know,
get more chairs, we're going to have an overflowing crowd
this morning, and I'm going to tell everybody what sinners they
are, what nothings they are, how God doesn't need them. And
you better get some chairs, because they're going to be just swarming
to get in to hear that. No, they're not, are they, Roberta? Here are a few. That means God is made high.
To be nothing at all, we're called to be nothing at all, that Christ
might be all and in all. And many people, there aren't
many people lining up to hear that, to be humbled. He said,
if you be humbled, you'll be exalted, didn't he? Humbled now,
exalted then. Right? Religions turn this thing
all around. You'll be a somebody. Come to
the church on the triangle, the friendly church, where everybody's
got a permanent smile on their face. The friendly church on
the triangle, where everybody's somebody. And we'll call, we'll
recognize you. You give a big offering, we'll
really recognize you. We'll put your name on the back
of the This is the church. It's a friendly
church, but we don't always fake those smiles. But it's a friendly
church on a hill beside the Big River, where everybody is nobody,
where Jesus Christ is all. All right? I've told you before, I would
love to put on the front of our building that this is a hospital
for sinners, good people not allowed. I wish we could put
that on the bulletin board, no good people allowed in here. But they need to hear the gospel
too, self-righteous do. But blessed be God. Now turn
back, if you're back there at the text, Ephesians 1, blessed
be God's name, there are some sinners There are some in here.
You don't believe it, but I'm going to get done with this in
forty minutes. There are some sinners who really
need a savior. I mean bona fide. They know they're
held as hermits. There are some common people. There ain't nobody, no bank president.
No, we'd take a bank. Nothing against the bank president.
I'm just trying to use some lofty position, you know. But there's
common people here. There's some common people who
hear the gospel gladly. That's what they said. That's
what the Scripture said when Christ preached, that the common
people heard him gladly. the self-righteous Pharisees
gnashed their teeth. We're not that bad, isn't it? We'd be not sinners. But the
common people who are sinners, they hear this gladly. I mean,
God has mercy on guilty, wretched, no-good sinners like me? Yeah,
he does. abundant mercy. And when he shows
it, it lasts forever. It never fails. He'll have mercy
on you tomorrow when you're asked, tell me more. There are some people who in
here feel themselves to be without hope, without help, without strength,
without God, and can't do themselves a bit of good. And they come
to hear about him who his all their help, all their hope, all
their strength, and will do it all for them. All for them. And they are completely willing
that he get all the glory for it. Completely willing that he
get all the glory for it. Are you? Completely willing. You know, lately they've been
talking about Thomas Jefferson. And, you know, the Lord used
that man, I know, to write some things for the sake of freedom
in his country and all that. And this state of Virginia makes
a great deal of him, because he's one of the founding fathers. He's born here and all that. But Thomas Jefferson was one
of the most ungodly men to live on the planet. And I can go on
record as saying that. And if you admire him, you know that man took the Bible
and took out everything in it he didn't believe? He got him
a penknife like that old king in the Old Testament, got him
a penknife and cut out everything out of the Bible he didn't like.
All the miracles, anything he could not, he was a so-called
wise man, an intellect, an academic fellow, a brilliant man, and
everything he could not logically explain from the scriptures.
The miracles of our Lord and this and that and the other,
he took it out. And he made Jesus Christ out to be just a man. Thomas Jefferson, ungodly wretch,
and he's burning in hell right now. Unless the Lord saved that
man in his last day. I see no account of it. And he's
right. But he wrote what is called the
Declaration of Independence. Didn't he? Brother Terry said
the other day, he said, he wrote a more important document. And
you know what it's called? Play on words here, but it's
good. It's the Declaration of Dependence. Ain't nobody independent in God's
book. Nobody independent of God. And
God, Sammy, God wrote a book and it's the Declaration of Dependence. And only those who are totally
dependent on God Almighty believe it. Every word of it. Dependent. Do you? Well, I think there are some
of you that do. In verse 15, he says, after I
heard of your faith in the Lord, it amazes me that you people do sit here and
listen to make all you want. It amazes me really. I mean there's
some smart people as people some education is some had some some
some pretty women and some There's not too many good-looking men,
but there's some nice-looking, some nice people here, some good
people, good people as far as good people go, you know. You're
as good as anybody else. That ain't saying much, but you're
as good as anybody else. You know, you're just as wicked
as anybody else out there. Like one fellow said, I'm not
going down there to church, nothing but a bunch of hypocrites. That's
OK. There's always room for one more. Right? anybody else, sure you are. But it amazes me that you come
and sit and listen to me tell you how bad you are. But that's
what God's word is full of, isn't it? Because like Scott, Scott
didn't say it, I said it. Because you didn't hear the good
news until you first heard the bad news. You see? The gospel won't mean a thing
to somebody who's not a sinner. Christ is not all to somebody
who's not a nothing. Right? Mercy doesn't have one
meaning to a man or a woman who's not what? Guilty. I can't contain
the sin, I'm sorry. Grace doesn't mean a thing to
someone who can do something for themselves. But you take
an old boy or a woman who says, I can't do anything, I can't
pray, I can't read, I can't sing, I can't do nothing, I can't believe
God, help me God, be merciful to me, the sinner. God says,
I will. Now, grace means everything.
It's everything. It's all his salvation, Joe.
And he'll be singing about it till Long after the cow has come
home, after he's gone home, he'll be
saying, Grace, grace. And I thank God that some of
you believe. Some of you believe. I heard
of your faith. Verse 16, I don't cease to give thanks for you,
making mention of you in my prayers. And this is my continued prayer,
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation and
the knowledge of him, that you come to know him even more. Know
Christ, grow in grace in the knowledge of him. The eyes of
your understanding be enlightened. Know and understand Christ as
your only hope, your only righteousness before a holy God, your only
acceptance with a holy God, your only mediator, your only covenant.
head, your only advocate, your only go-between, your substitute,
your sin offering, your blood before the Lord, your righteous
substitute, your Savior, your Christ, the hope of your calling,
how it's the Holy Spirit who must call you. That he that does
call you will do it. And that you may receive the
riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. Verse 9, and what
is exceeding, may see the exceeding greatness of his power to us
who believe. That you're going to look back
on it all and see the greatness of his power. The greatness of his power in
doing all this for you. I'm going to start to pen it. What is the greatness of his
power according to the working of his mighty power? That is
making you believe. Making you believe. All men don't
have faith, but if you do, praise God that you do. The greatness
of his power. Do you believe? Do you? If you don't, you're a fool. That's what Psalm 53 says. The fool has said no, no God. I don't believe that. Everything
I've said this morning, you must believe it. Because I didn't say it. We looked
at more than 20 verses of Scripture together. If you do, if you do
believe, you thank God that this didn't come flesh and blood,
didn't reveal it to you. But my father, which is in heaven,
he just up and decided one day, Charles, if you believe, he just
up and decided one day, I'm going to make Charles believe and not
his brother or not his sister, make Charles believe not his
mother or father or his co-worker or not his neighbor. Charles!
Well, why not this man? No. Leave him alone. Charles! Do you think Charles would be
singing about election in heaven? No. Oh, to the top of his life, won't
it? To the top of his life. Listen
to this out of Gatsby's hand by this Tucker fellow, and I'll
quit. Forty-two minutes, will you give
me forty-two minutes? Listen to this. These old writers, they
wrote something. Deep in the everlasting mind,
the great mysterious purpose lay. of choosing some from lost
mankind, whose sins the Lamb should bear away. Them, loved
with an eternal love, to grace and glory he ordained, gave them
a place which cannot move, and chose for them the means and
end. In these He was resolved to make
the riches of his goodness known. These he accepts for Christ's
sake, and views them righteous in his Son. No goodness God foresaw
in his and his own, but what his grace decreed to give. There
is no comeliness in them, there is, which they did not from him
receive. Faith and repentance he bestows
on such as he ordained to save, and from him their soul's salvation
flows, and he shall all the glory have." to the praise of his glory. That's why he did it. That's
why he does it. The only reason he'll save anyone. He doesn't have to. It is all
to the praise of his glory, the glory of his grace, the glory
of his mercy, his person. The glory and honor unto God
be the glory of the great things he has done. All right, stand
with me. Thank you.