Well, it's good to be with you
again. We look forward to our study, and our study is going
to be in the Book of Acts, Chapter 4, this morning. The Book of
Acts, Chapter 4. Would you join me there? And
as you turn to Acts, Chapter 4, I was thinking this morning,
as in my office, that it is so wonderful to have the Book of
Acts. It is such a delightful book
to read and to see the truth of God's gospel in that book
and the stand that the disciples made for their Savior, the Lord
Jesus. And to those we find speaking
in the book did not have the book of Acts. Isn't that interesting? They're walking in a time when
they did not have what we know as the New Testament. And they're not even writing
at the time. The Holy Spirit gave this to Luke a little later
after these events took place. And it would become part of the
Bible some years after the last actors were dead and buried.
But now we have it. All of these that spoke for God
were holy, saved, and regenerated as we find them in the book of
Acts did not have this book. They had the Old Testament. And
it's interesting to me that in the book of Acts chapter 1, chapter
2, chapter 3, and chapter 4, the Old Testament, and some of
it is quite large portions of it, is quoted 17 times. So that's their text. And then
we get to read their message. So as we look here today, we
find that the Apostle Peter is going to bring out some such
good truths from the Old Testament. But I'd like to read verse 2.
Bring up a point. We've gone over this, I know.
But I want to just bring up a point that is not brought up by the
Sanhedrin court when they have Peter and John in front of them.
In the book of Acts chapter 2 and verse 2, let's read that together,
Acts chapter 2 and verse 2, the scriptures share this. And suddenly,
excuse me, Acts chapter 4 verse 2. I have moved just a little further
than that. Being grieved. that they taught
the people and preached to Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
They laid hands on them and put them in hold until the next day
for it was now even time." Now it's interesting when we go back
about 40 or 50 days, it has to be a little more than 40, but
probably not more than 50 or 60 days prior to this. Time when they arrest Peter and
John that this is the word about the resurrection of the Lord
Jesus Christ that this same counsel Gives to the world. So if you
would join me in the book of Matthew chapter 28, this is the
record This is their word of what happened that day. Now,
here they?re discussing the problem of preaching the resurrection
of Christ. But over here in the book of Matthew chapter 28, Matthew
chapter 28 verse 11, we read these words. Now, none of these
words are brought up to the disciples, Peter and John. when they're
standing before the council. They do not refer back to what
happened just such a short time prior to this and what they did
to deal with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Here in the
book of Matthew chapter 28 verse 11, now when they were going,
behold, some of the watch came into the city and showed the
priest under the priest all the things that were done. And when
they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel,
they gave large money unto the soldiers. saying, say ye, his
disciples came by night. Oh, now why didn't that council
say, you two guys were involved in this conspiracy. You two guys
hid this body. He's not raised from the dead.
You put him somewhere. They didn't say a word about
any of that that was brought up here in the book of Matthew
chapter 28. Now, this is a terrible thing
to say to a group of soldiers whose life could have been on
the line for sleeping on guard duty. And yet they are given
large sums of money to say this. And then it goes on saying, ye
his disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept. And then it goes on to say, and
if this come to the governor's ears, we'll lie for you. If it comes to the governor's
ears, we will persuade him and secure you. We'll not let anything
happen to you. We're giving you large sums of
money. You're the ones that were guarding the grave where the
Lord Jesus was. It is now open. You let them
know that the disciple stole his body away, and we'll cover
this lie. Well, in 50 or 60 days later,
They had the opportunity to share that very thing that they had
paid dearly for with those disciples and say, you two guys were involved
in this. Well, that's not what they said
here. They have them arrested because they're preaching the
resurrection of Jesus Christ. So as we look here into the book
of Acts chapter four again, would you look with me beginning with
verse seven, the book of Acts chapter four, Acts 4, verse 7,
we read these words. Now Peter and John have spent
a night in jail without the opportunity for bail or their phone call. And there are brought before
this Sanhedrin court of 71 men. Generally, it is understood that
these men sat in a semicircle, and the guys that were accused
or brought before them sat in the middle of them. And it appears
what happened here. When they had set them in the
midst, they asked, by what power or by what name have you done
this? Now, last week, we noticed that
the Lord had been charged with the same thing. Who gave you
authority to do this? We didn't. Who gave you authority
to do this? And then Peter, filled with the
Holy Ghost. Now when we look at being filled
with the Holy Ghost, there are certain things that God does
for his people that are so misused today. When God fills his people
with the Holy Spirit, they're gonna have their eyes on Christ.
When God fills his people with the Holy Spirit, they're gonna
have their eyes on the Word of God. When God fills His people,
they will be looking for Christ in the scriptures. They will
not be falling for some idea that people come up with. This
is the sign that you're filled with the Holy Ghost. And it always
turns out to be some fleshly activity. Spiritual activity,
yes. Fleshly activity, no. filled
with the Holy Ghost means God has saved us by His grace, and
we now have the indwelling of the Spirit, and it gives us some
understanding. The last verse that Mike read,
I believe over there in the book of II Peter, that we may grow
in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. That's what he gives us the opportunity
to do every day as we read his word, as we pray that he'd reveal
that word to us, as we hear a message preached, as we come together
today. It is God's pleasure to share with us the things that
are Christ's. So Peter's filled with the Holy
Ghost, and you know what? He doesn't jump around. He doesn't
speak in some unknown tongue. What does he do? He said, ye
rulers of the people and elders of Israel. Now, something about
Peter could also be brought up at this point. About 50 or 60
days prior to this, Peter was in almost the same position as
he is now. He was in the same area as he
is now. And a young lady came up to him
and asked him a question. And finally, he swore and says,
I do not know him. I asked a young man last Friday,
I said, tell me the difference between what Judas did and what
Peter did. They're about that close together.
One of them had grace. One of them had the indwelling
spirit. One was saved by the grace of God, and the other one,
Christ said himself, it would be better that he had not been
born, but he was born on purpose to do what he did. Now, he met
judgment. Peter was brought to Christ.
He went out and wept bitterly over it. There was some repentance
that God had given him. He didn't just go away and feel
sorry that he had got caught. He truly come before the Lord
with grieving in his heart for what he did. Now this day, given
the opportunity, those Sanhedrin court are gonna recognize what
boldness he had. In front of all of these great
authoritative people, what boldness he would have to charge them
with the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. All right, let's read
here. It says, Peter filled with the
Holy Ghost said unto them, ye rulers and people and elders
of Israel. Verse nine, chapter four, if
we this day be examined of the good deed done to this, to the
impotent man by what means he has made whole. Now it's just
been a, it's been, it's been so interesting to see the, overflow
of what happened when that man was healed. It was absolutely
in the providence of God that Peter and John met that man that
day in such a capacity that they'd probably never had in the past. This man is just crippled And
they didn't even think about it. But this day, now Peter is
bringing up to this host, because they recognize the fact that
a significant thing has taken place. They recognize this man
was crippled, and now he's walking around, and he's not even given
a limp. And he says, If we be examined for the good deed done
to the impotent man by what means he is made whole, be it known
unto you all, all seventy-one, and if there happens to be some
people out in the foyer that gets to hear this, be it known
unto all the people of Israel, that by the name of, by the authority,
by the power, by the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus
Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead,
and they're bringing up that subject that they've been hauled
into court over. And they're not going to fall
and say, well, you know, we'll back down from this. They bring
it right up with gusto and bring it right to those people. They
did not change their doctrine. They did not change their teaching.
They did not change the gospel to suit these folks. They brought
it just like it is, just as simple and just as powerful as it was
brought to them in that day God was pleased to save them. So,
whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand
here before you whole." Now verse 11, here's Peter's text that
he's going to go on and use that we read from over there in the
book of Psalms, Psalm 118. He said, this is the stone which
the builders This is the stone which was set
at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner." One translation put it this way,
this Jesus is the stone. Now, in our translation, it says,
this is the stone. Well, he's just made reference
to the Lord Jesus Christ, but it would have been kind of enjoyable
if they'd have put, this Jesus is the stone. Another one says,
he is the stone. And another one said, he is the
stone. So there's some discussion about
that, but there's no discussion on who Peter's talking about
at this point here in the book of Acts chapter 4. If you will turn with me, I'd
like to go back to the book of Isaiah 28, because this subject
is mentioned a number of times in the Old Testament, and remember,
this is all they had at the time. Peter didn't bring this up, but
I can't help but think that when he mentioned Psalm 118, verses
22 and 23, that some of those guys, Gamaliel, Didn't say, oh no, that agrees
with Isaiah. All right, let's look here. Book
of Isaiah chapter 28. Isaiah chapter 8. They're using the scriptures
that these folks say they believe. They're using the Old Testament.
that these folks said they held to. And there we read in the
book of Psalms 118. Now, join me here in the book
of Isaiah, chapter 28. Isaiah chapter 28, and there
in verse 16. Isaiah chapter 28, and in verse
16, it tells us this. Therefore, thus saith the Lord
God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation stone, a tried stone,
a precious stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. He that believeth on him shall
not make haste or not have issues with this. God reveals that truth
to us and we find out that Isaiah is talking about a stone. a great
stone, a precious stone, an elect stone, we will find out. This
is speaking of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the qualities
that He has about when He says something, it will come to pass.
He is strong. He is a sure foundation. He's
an everlasting foundation. And He will not lose anybody
that He attaches to that stone. Backing up to the book of Deuteronomy,
this is what Moses said about the comparison between the religion
of the rest of the world and what God had revealed to Israel. In the book of Deuteronomy, chapter
32. Book of Deuteronomy chapter 32,
as we think about this stone, the stone of stumbling on a rock
of offense. We have this subject mentioned
many times in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament.
And we'll look at a few of those. But here in the book of Deuteronomy
chapter 32 and verse 31, he's making a comparison. He's comparison,
comparing the rock. of everyone else. As Mike quoted
that theologian, it just again shares with us how thankful we
are that we've seen something. I mentioned this morning as he
was talking to me about that, how I was truly an Antichrist
in my religious days, because I had other things besides Christ.
Christ is the important thing, and God saves you by His grace,
and it takes that characteristic away. All right, here in the
book of Deuteronomy, chapter 32 and verse 31, Moses says,
here's the comparison. for their rock is not our rock."
Now, I appreciate what the translators did. They got a small R on their
rock and a capital R on our rock. That's just the way it should
be. Even our enemies themselves being judges. they can see the
difference between their religious affiliation and what the Jews
have. Look what he did for them. He
freed how many thousands, millions out of Egypt in a day, and destroyed
the entire Egyptian army in a day, and sent them out into the wilderness,
and led them, and fed them, and did all that. There's no way
that people around there didn't notice that. In fact, when we
get to the book of Joshua, we find one specific lady, Rahab
the harlot by name, that says, we heard of you when you crossed
the Red Sea. Now for 40 years, that message
has been going on. Now whether she was 40 at the
time or her parents just told us about it, it doesn't say.
But we do know that she went on and had a child that's in
the line of the Lord Jesus Christ. So we heard, this has been common
knowledge among this people, this idolatrous people, that
God, your God, spared you at the Red Sea. In the book of Matthew,
Matthew chapter 16, if you'd turn with me to the book of Matthew
chapter 16, we find the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, He never,
ever told Peter that He was the rock. He did not create a religion
that Peter was the rock. He never gave the authority to
anybody to say that Peter was the rock. I can just see the
Lord Jesus Christ here in Matthew chapter 16 and there in verse
18 as He's in this discussion. You know, He's just shared with
Peter. the most blessed information
about where Peter stood and how he stood in verse 17. This is why you?re blessed, Peter.
It?s not because you made a statement about, ?The Lord thou art the
Christ, the Son of the living God.? It is because of this statement,
and it says there in verse 17, ?Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona,
for flesh and blood hath not revealed unto you. You would
never have come to this conclusion on your own. And nobody could
talk you into this. Nobody could get you on your
knees and pray the prayer into this. This is hath revealed unto
you, but my father, which is in heaven. Now, look under verse
18. He just made that statement about
himself. And then he says, and I say unto thee, thou art Peter.
And upon this rock, Now Peter has, if you look at his name
up, it means a stone, a rock. But this rock is not their rock. This rock, and upon this rock,
I will build my church. There's not enough of Peter to
build the church on. He doesn't have the capabilities,
number one, and he doesn't have the spiritual aptitude, number
two. There is no way that Peter could
take what God did on the cross and that is how he could have
his church built upon himself. He took away their sin. So he
says here, I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it. So the church, As he brings the
church to himself, as he is the foundation stone of the church,
nothing is going to take them away from that position. Now,
it never mentions that he will not chastise us or chasten us.
Doesn't mean that he won't teach us and do that in various ways,
but we find that he will never punish his children for their
crimes and their sins. That went to Christ. Christ took
all of that, and He did it willingly. In fact, when it was over, He
said, it's paid for. It's finished. So the gates of
hell shall not prevail against it. The most serious, serious
accusations that could ever be given against the church are
not going to have any effect on it. The gates of hell cannot
overpower the security that the church has in the Lord Jesus
Christ. In the book of Matthew, chapter
21, we find here that the Lord brings up the subject that Peter
did. And this is not something that has not gone unheard of
among the people of Israel there in Jerusalem. In Matthew, chapter
21, We read in verse 42, Matthew chapter 21, verse 42, the subject
is brought up here again. Have you not read in the scriptures?
You know, the apostle Peter could have said that to those that
Sanhedrin court that day. Have you read? Haven't you read
this? But he didn't. He just simply said a quote from
Psalm 118. Now, the Lord Jesus can bring
this up and he says, have you never read in the scriptures?
The stone which the builders rejected, the same has become
the head of the corner. This is the Lord's doing and
it is marvelous in our eyes. Therefore say I unto you, the
kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation
bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this
stone shall be broken, but whosoever it shall fall, it will grind
him to powder. Now that's the truth of the matter
and look at the reaction of the folks that heard it. Next verse.
And when the chief priests and the Pharisees had heard this
parable, they perceived that he spoke of them. Now can't you
just hear them rumble among themselves as Peter mentioned Psalm 118? Is he talking about us? He must be talking about us.
because the Savior had them talking about Him. And then verse 46,
this is what they wanted to do in their heart. They were restrained,
and we're thankful for the restraining hand of God on ourselves and
others. I believe it's a wonderful thing
not to be threatened by going to jail or some other heinous
punishment given against people that preach the gospel. and hold
the truth of the gospel. I'm thankful for God's restraining
hand in that manner. Here we have it, but when they
sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude because
they took him for a prophet. Aren't you glad they feared the
multitude? God used that as the security. All right, it wasn't
his time anyway. But he brought up that subject,
as we read there did, you never read in the scriptures, verse
42, the stone which the builders rejected The same has become
the head of the corner, and this is the Lord's doing. In the book
of Luke chapter 20, if you would turn with me to the book of Luke
chapter 20, as we find this subject continues on that Peter brings
up, it is throughout the New Testament, throughout the Gospels,
Psalm 1 is here. The rock is mentioned in the
book of the Old Testament and here the someone that is here
brings up this subject time and time again that the scriptures
were speaking about him. In the book of Luke chapter 20
verse 16 we have these wonderful words, it says here, He shall
come and destroy these husbandmen and shall give the vineyard to
others. And when they heard it, he just
spoke a parable, when they heard it, they said, God forbid. And
he beheld them and said, what is this then that is written? The stone which the builders
rejected, the same has become the head of the corner. And whosoever
shall fall on that stone shall be broken. You know what God
does for us? He permits us to fall on that
stone, bow before that stone, come to that stone, confess that
stone. But he said, if I have to fall
on you, I'll ground you to powder. And that's just another way of
saying you're going to be on the left hand side when judgment
comes and you will face eternity without God, without help and
without hope. All right. And the chief priests,
it says, verse 18, whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall
be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind
him to powder. Well, that's almost what he said
there in verse 16. Give it to others. All right,
the chief priests and the scribes. Now, who are these folks? The
same people that Peter's in front of. There might be two or three
difference, but majority of them, the high priest and the elders
of them, the chief priests and the scribes, the same hour sought
to lay hands on him and they feared the people for they perceived
that he has spoken this parable against them. Well, you know
the gospel to begin with is against us. Ruined by the fall. No hope in
yourself. Can't help yourself out of the
mess you're in. You need someone to deliver you. But then the
gospel says, I have a substitute. I have a deliverer. Turn with
me, if you would, to the book of Mark, chapter 12, as we find
the Lord in just a little bit different words. Mark, chapter
12. And there in verse 10, Mark, chapter 12 and verse 10, we have
these words. Mark chapter 12 and verse 10,
it says, and have you not read this scripture? The stone which
the builders rejected has become the head of the corner. This
is the Lord's doing and marvelous in our eyes, and they sought
to lay hold on him. All right. Travel with me over
to the book of 1 Peter. Peter is kind of the spokesman
that day. He's been kind of the spokesman
through this incident. John doesn't have a lot to say.
We don't have the message by John. But you know what John's
doing? He's saying, Amen. Amen. Everything that Peter's
saying, everything that Peter's doing, Amen. Thank God. This is God's great wondrous
doings. Here in the book of 1 Peter,
we have Peter is led by the Holy Spirit. And I have to say again,
I just want to keep repeating this and just repeating this
and repeating this, that Peter is nothing but a secretary. And
he would admit that. I'm a nobody. Trying to tell
everybody about somebody who can save anybody. But he never
took the credit for writing the word of God. It was the Holy
Spirit that gave him these words. And so it is. When we read the
book of Acts, written many years after the events that took place
there. How many years? I don't know and I don't know
if scholars know. I didn't look it up. But it was 10 years or
five years after that. They didn't have to speak oral
history. And finally combine all of this
and make it the Word of God. The Holy Spirit moved on Luke,
the physician, and gave him the words in the original that he
wanted written down. And that's how we have it. There's
no need for oral history. There's no need for the mistakes
of oral history. We have the history written down
as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance. And so it is with
Peter, 1 Peter 2, and there in verse 4, if you'd read that with
me. To whom coming as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men,
but chosen, but chosen of God and precious, Ye also, in comparison,
who is it that Christ brings to himself? Who is it Christ
died for? Who is it Christ that loved from
an everlasting love? Ye also, as lively stones are
built upon a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to offer up
spiritual sacrifices accepted to God by Jesus Christ. How are
we made living stones? He calls us out of darkness to
His marvelous light. He raises us from the spiritual
dead. He finds us dead, dead, graveyard dead spiritually. I
am so impressed when I read about the Valley of Dry Bones how many
times it just pictures what we find out in the ministry of the
Lord Jesus or His disciples. Dead, graveyard dead, and God
breathed into them and they became living souls. That's what must
happen to us. So Peter shares this with us,
it was disallowed of men, lively stones are brought to that, but
the Lord Jesus Christ is chosen of God. You know it says He is
elect and precious? Our election is based upon Him.
Not anything we did, not anything out of that. All right, back
up, if you would, to the book of Romans. As we think about
Peter's words, it's continuously brought up here in the New Testament
as well as the Old Testament. In the book of Romans chapter
9, Romans chapter 9 and verse 30, Romans chapter 9 verse 30,
it says, what shall we say then? that the Gentiles will follow
not after righteousness have attained to righteousness, even
the righteousness which is of faith. Everyone that God gives
faith to, everyone that God gives faith to has been born again
and they are realized that he has extended to them, given them,
imputed to them the robe of righteousness. But Israel, which followed after
the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore, because they sought
it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law, For
they stumbled at the stumbling stone. One of the commentators
said that, in a picture form, that when they refused the head
of the quarter, they threw it out as a stone to walk on, and
that stone stuck up about this far, and everybody that walked
there stumbled over that stone. Jesus Christ, they stumbled over
His authority. They stumbled over His humanity
and deity. They stumbled over His message.
They stumbled over the gospel. They stumbled over what He did
on the cross. They stumbled over that He went to the cross with
the power and authority that He did. They stumbled over the
Word of God. So He truly is a stumbling stone. There's not a thing that we know
by nature that doesn't cause us to stumble over that stone. We have no impression spiritually. So it goes on to say, wherefore,
because they sought it not by faith, but it is by the works
of the law, for they stumbled at the stumbling stone. As it
is written, behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone. stone
and a rock of offense, and whosoever believeth on him shall not be
ashamed." So as we find that the disciples, Paul and the rest
of them, the Lord Jesus, they share with us often as we go
through this, how that verse of scripture in Psalm 118 is
to be used, the characterization that's around it, what a blessing
it is. Now, if you join me back in the
book of Acts chapter 4, Acts chapter 4, we find this subject
brought up by the Apostle Peter. What did Peter intend when he
brought up this Old Testament passage? Now, I'm thankful that
Peter could rest assured, just like anybody else that knows
the gospel, that the Holy Spirit sometimes just brings a word
that we couldn't, we can't bring it to our mind. Brings us things
out of the Word of God that are just Well, where'd that come
from? Well, the Holy Spirit. And here
it is in the book of Acts, chapter 4, verse 11. Chapter 4 and verse
11. What did Peter intend when he
brought up this Old Testament passage? What was in this verse
telling the crowd of 71 members of the Sanhedrin court? What
was in there that he was declaring? What is the spiritual meaning
of this passage from the Psalms? And of whom did it testify? Well, let's look here in Psalm,
or excuse me, Acts chapter four and there in verse 10. Acts chapter
four and verse 10, this is who it testified of, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. He
is that stone. And in verse 11, this is the
stone which was set of not of you builders, which has become
the head of the corner. Jesus, this Jesus is that stone. The experts, the architects rejected
Jesus for their building. This very rejected stone God
made chose to the head of the corner both the foundation cornerstone
and the highest position of the building. It is all glorifies
Him. He as the chief cornerstone because
His salvation upholds everyone. He has that foundation stone.
He is the rock. or stone of offense. Many defy
Christ to their own hurt. He is the precious cornerstone.
Now there's a couple of examples that I want to read found over,
and we went through some of this when we were in 1 Kings about
25 years ago. But if you'll turn with me to
the book of 1 Kings chapter 5. The building of the temple. There
is not going to be any structural stability. One of the prophets
said that the problem that Israel had is they were mixing or building
without the proper mortar. It just wouldn't hold. Well,
they were building their buildings with their own works. It just
won't stand. Well, here in the book of 1 Kings
5, would you join me there? 1 Kings 5 and verse 17. And the king commanded, and they
brought great stones, costly stones, and huge stones to lay
the foundation of the house. And Solomon's builders and Hiram's
builders did hew them, and the stone squares, so they prepared
timber and stones to build the house, and all of this was done
off-site. There was not the sound of a
hammer. or a saw while this temple was being built. And in chapter
7 of the book of 1 Kings, chapter 7 of 1 Kings, verse 9, chapter
7, verse 9, all these were costly stones. according to the measure of huge
stones, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the foundation
unto the coping, and so on the outside toward the great court.
And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones
of 10 cubits, about 18 feet. This way, that way, and the other
way. Cubed, 18-foot cubed. How did
they handle those? It doesn't tell us how they did,
but they did. Costly stones. And some stones were eight cubits.
And above were costly stones, after the measure of huge stones
and seated. Who is this typifying this costly stone, these huge
stones, these giant stones that were moved into place to support
the temple? Who is this speaking about? It's
speaking about the Lord Jesus Christ. And then if you look
with me to the book of 2 Chronicles. 2 Chronicles chapter 3. 2 Chronicles chapter 3. It is no mistake where these
costly stones were moved to. Now we may not know where they
were quarried, but we know where they were moved to. We may not
know all that went into them, but we know where they were moved
to. Because it tells us in 2 Chronicles 3, then Solomon began to build
the house of the Lord at Jerusalem in Mount Moriah. He goes on to say, where the
Lord appeared unto David his father in the place that David
had prepared in the threshing floor of Ornan, the Jebusite. Now, if we go back a few generations
from David, we also find that Mount Moriah is a very important
mount, and that's where Abraham was told to take his son up and
offer him as an altar, and there, a substitute was found. So this Mount Moriah is so valuable,
so pictorial, and Mount Moriah is where that temple was. It
is the temple of substitute, or this is the place of substitute.
And who is our substitute? The Lord Jesus Christ. And how
well is he? Huge, costly, giant. This is who he is. Many years ago, over in Ireland,
there was a preacher preaching, and he was closing the service,
and he sang what we're going to sing in just a moment, The
Solid Rock. The Solid Rock. And there was
a man in these open air meetings, like there often were in those
days and probably would be today, that was scoffing the preacher
preaching the gospel. And he said to the preacher,
every time he got his breath back, he says, tell us about
the shamrock. You know how they like the shamrock. He said, I'll get to that, I'll
get to that. And they sang that song, the solid rock. And in that chorus, it says all
of the ground is sinking sand. This preacher said, all other
ground is shamrock. Brother Mike, if you'll come.