Well, turn to Hebrews chapter
1 with me. And as I mentioned in the first
hour, it really is a delight and a privilege for Robin and
I to be here. And there's some of you we don't know, but there's
a bunch of you that we've known for a long time. And we don't
get here very often, but we're so thankful to the Lord to be
here today. And I sure hope that in the future
when we get back again we'll be able to spend a few more days
than we have this time. So I trust that the Lord will
work that out. But in His time and we can rest in that. But
let's consider the Word of God here today. And as we Consider this. Let's ask ourselves,
what is the most important thing for you and I, really, to know? What is the most important thing
for you and I to know? Well, it's to know God, isn't
it? Nothing else matters, apart from
this, really. Nothing. But how can we know God? That's
the question. How can we know God? go up into
heaven and speak to him? If I could use the words that
God gave to Job. Did we lie in his bosom from
eternity? Were you and I there when he
laid the foundations of the earth? Did we walk with him through
the heavens as he cast out that multitude of stars calling each
one by name? How can we know This One who
is the Almighty, Eternal, Immortal, Invisible. Well, it's obvious
if we're ever to know God, He must reveal Himself to us. He
Himself must speak to us. And what a wonder it is of God's
grace that He does just that. He does reveal Himself to sinful
men. He does speak to us. Can you
imagine if He didn't? What our state would be without
any hope, any hope. And this is what we read here
in this first verse of the first chapter of Hebrews. God, who
at various times and in various ways spoke in times past to the
fathers by the prophets, has, in these last days, spoken to
us by His Son. Now, you've probably noticed
this. The writer to the Hebrews does
away with all formal introduction in this epistle. You know, you
see in the epistles of Paul, he always introduces himself
and has some word to who he's writing to. Why not here? I think because it's so pressing
what he wants to impress upon these Hebrew believers that he's
writing to. He wants to immediately focus
their attention in this, what does he say, in these last days
of the Jewish economy. He wants them to think about
who it is God has appointed to speak to them and to speak to
us. Now this epistle is written to
Hebrews. We know that. To Israelites who
had heard the gospel, professed faith in Christ, professed faith
in the promised Messiah. But these Jews had an unhealthy
attachment to the law and to the prophets. As time went on, they began to
draw back into these old forms of service and worship. And the
writer, I believe is Paul, has a great concern for these folk. And he's writing to them to deal
with exactly that. Now, it's remarkable that even
today there are believers who are confused and in error about
all these same things, the law and the prophets. So is it any
wonder that here we have this book of Hebrews? It's to help
you and I. You know, I really don't think
it's too much to say that all this confusion and error would
just dissipate and vanish away if we would just hear these words
In these last days, God has spoken to us by His Son." And that's
what I want to emphasize today. What is He speaking about? I'm
not going to bring anything new to you. I just want to impress
upon you the importance of what is contained in that statement.
The express purpose of the writer to the Hebrews is to extol and
magnify the Lord Jesus Christ as the full, final, and complete
revelation of God fulfilling all prophecy, all promises, all
types and shadows of the worship of God given to the people of
Israel. That's what he wants to impress
upon them. This is his message. Let go of all these types and
shadows and hold on to Christ alone, who is infinitely greater
and of surpassing excellence. The Apostle put this so clearly
in this illustration he gave to the Colossians, where he said,
and they were struggling with these same things as false preachers
were coming in and leading them astray. And he says, so let no
one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a feast day or a
new moon or Sabbaths, which are, what? A shadow. of things to
come, but the body is of Christ. Some translations have substance,
but body is a better translation because what is the apostle doing
here? He's putting this contrast up
before them. All of these things that came
before under the old covenant worship were what? They're a
shadow, but the body is Christ. Let's think of that for a minute.
We understand body. Picture standing out in the sunshine. The sun is there and it's casting
a shadow. your shadow on the ground. Well,
if you're to come to know this person, this person that's standing
there in the sun, if you want to know what they look like,
what their features are like, what color hair they have, what
sort of body, is it a man or is it a woman, everything that
you want to know about this person, what are you going to do? Are
you going to go look at their shadow? No. You're going to look
at the body, aren't you? You're going to look at that
person. This is the simple, but it's a powerful illustration. is being given here to us in
the Word of God. All of these things under the
Old Covenant worship that God gave to the nation of Israel,
and not just the Old Covenant worship, but in fact all the
historical revelation that God had delivered to them. For example,
deliverance. This is a historical reality,
right? That God delivered the people
of Israel out of Egypt, out of bondage. But why did God bring
all that historical reality about? It's a picture. of the spiritual
deliverance accomplished by who? By Christ, the body. This is
what he's speaking about here. And this is what the writer wants
to emphasize. Because, in effect, what were
they doing? What is still happening today? People are holding on to the
shadow. Well, if faith is embracing Christ and holding on to Him, That's not going to be accomplished
by holding on to the shadow, is it? What's a shadow? Nothingness. Try and grab on to it. Nothing. Nothing. They had a purpose in
a place up until this point in time when God now speaks through
His Son. The writer is so anxious. to
communicate these glorious truths about the Lord Jesus Christ.
In these first three verses of Hebrews, it's almost like he
wants to pack everything into these verses, and they're glorious
verses. Let's read there, one to three. God, who at various times and
in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
has in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom he has
appointed air of all things, through whom also he made the
worlds, who, being the brightness of his glory and the express
image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his
power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down at
the right hand of the Majesty on high." You know, I read them
and I wish I was preaching on all three verses, but we can't
do that. We're just going to look at this
first part that God, in these last days, has spoken to us by
His Son. And that'll be enough for us
today, I think. But how, looking at these verses, how could we
possibly mistake the authority and supremacy of this person
that's described? These verses are packed with
the richness and the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, we should never read these words
without being impressed, without the significance of them, that
God has, in these last days, spoken to us by His Son. By His Son. This is what is important. Who better to speak to us and
to reveal to us this immortal, invisible, all the wise God than
His Son, who is the brightness of His glory and the express
image of His person. And we want to hear Jesus, don't
we? We want to see Jesus like Norm
just read this morning. That's our concern. We want Him
to speak to us. We want Him to know His presence. And what does the Word say? His
presence is known above all in what? In His Word. In His Word. This is how He speaks
to us. And this is why, in our churches,
we place such a great emphasis upon the Word of God. You know,
people look for so many things, and there's more to the worship
of God than just the preaching of the Word. There is no question
about that. But the Word of God is the means
that God uses to speak to you and I. It's how he makes his
presence known to us. And this is why the word of God
is so precious to us, isn't it? The Lord Jesus Christ is the
prophet of God. He's the final prophet. This
is what the writer here is saying to the Hebrews. See, they're
concerned with all of these things and these prophets and prophecies. He's saying Christ is the final
prophet. The final prophet. God has spoken
to us by His Son. And He spoke to the Hebrews,
and He speaks to you and I today. Doesn't He? He does, and this
is our hope. Look, keep your place here in
Hebrews, but turn over to Romans chapter 10 for a moment. I want
to emphasize this aspect that It's the presence of Christ in
preaching that is all that matters in terms of the preaching of
the Word. Here in Romans chapter 10, these
beginning, let's see, let's begin there in verse 11. And, you know, again, these are
verses which every one of us know. We've heard these many,
many times. And particularly as a missionary,
this is a often used as a great missionary
exhortation, isn't it? Well, it is that, I'm not going
to deny that. It's a good exhortation, it's
a great exhortation, but it's so much more than that. And actually,
in the context, I don't know if you ever recognize this, it
doesn't come in the context of missionary exhortation. Now,
look, let's just think of it for a moment now. Now, for verse
11, For the scripture says, whoever believes on him will not be put
to shame. Now, here he's going to make
three statements, glorious gospel statements. You know, how could
anyone hear these without being moved? Whoever believes on him
will not be put to shame, for there is no distinction between
Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich toward all who
call upon him. Verse 13, for whoever Whoever
calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. These are what? These are promises. You know,
that's what the gospel is. This isn't an invitation. It's not an offer. It's a promise. The gospel is a promise of all
that God has done and all that God will do in the salvation
of His people. And here are these great promises. But then, see, here's four questions
now. Here's four questions. Verse
14. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not
believed? And how shall they believe in
him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without
a preacher? And how shall they preach unless
they are sent?" You see? It's just reasonable, isn't it? If they're to call, how are they
going to call in someone who they don't believe in? And how
will they believe if they haven't heard? And how will they hear without
a preacher? And the preacher, how will he
preach unless he's sent? But who sends him? We heard this
this morning. Not the church. Yes, the church
does, but it's Christ who sends, that they might hear and that
they might believe, and that they might call upon the name
of the Lord and be saved. And so, as it is written, he
continues, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach
the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things.
But here again, but they have not all obeyed the gospel, for
Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report? It would seem hopeless,
wouldn't it? But what does it say? So then,
How does faith come? Faith comes by hearing. That's the only way. Faith comes
by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Hearing by the Word
of God. Now, hearing who? This is the
big question. Hearing who? Hearing Christ! How do you hear Christ? See,
these are simple questions, but they're vital questions. They
are the most important questions you would hear in your life. How do you hear Christ? By the
Word of God. Think of that. This is how God
speaks to us. This is how Christ speaks to
us. This is how Christ makes His presence known to us. Now
look, in verse 14, look, see I read it because my translation
says, And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not
heard? But it should be, how shall they
believe him whom they have not heard? See, they had heard of
Christ. Look at the context. Who's Paul
writing to? Brethren, verse 1. Verse 1 of
Romans 10. Brethren, my heart's desire and
prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. That's the
context, you see. He's speaking about his unbelieving
brethren, the nation of Israel, who had turned away from Christ,
who was right there before them, in front of their eyes. The greatest
preacher the world has ever heard, as I mentioned this morning.
Preaching the word of God to them, doing marvelous signs and
wonders in their midst, but they didn't believe. They'd
heard of Him, hadn't they? They'd heard of Him, but they
hadn't heard Him. They hadn't heard Him. And this
is what Paul is speaking about there. See, how has faith come? By hearing Christ speaking to
you. Not with this hearing of the
ears, but hearing Christ speaking to you in the Word, in your heart,
as the Holy Spirit opens the eyes of your understanding. that
you do hear Him. Not only those whom God has shown
such grace to, but anyone here who doesn't know Christ. As you
come, All of us, whenever we come to
hear the word, this should be in our minds. As the word is
preached, we're coming to hear Christ. You're not here to hear
me. If all you're hearing is my voice
and my words, it'll profit you nothing. If Norm stands up here
and all you hear are Norm's words and Norm's voice, it'll profit
you nothing. You come to hear, as Norm preaches
the Word of God, as I preach the Word of God to you, plead
to hear, plead with the Lord, the God of grace, that you'll
hear Christ, and you'll know His presence in His Word, because
this is His Word, isn't it? And He speaks to us through it.
And oh, but don't we know the rich blessing of that, those
of us who know Him? The Israelites had heard of him,
but they hadn't heard him. You know, that's why that passage is so
rich, isn't it? When Christ on that road to Emmaus. Isn't that true? You know, again,
that's another one of those passages that every believer, as we read,
you know, we're right there. And think of this. We don't have
any trouble in understanding what those disciples experienced
on the road to Emmaus. You know, here is Jesus walking
with them, and we read there, and beginning at Moses and all
the prophets, he expounded to them in all the scriptures the
things concerning himself. Now, who did they hear expound
all these things? I'm talking about the disciples,
these two disciples as they're walking on the road. Who is this
person to them? A stranger. A stranger, right? They didn't see that it was Jesus. And they didn't recognize him. But here is this man, this stranger,
and he expounds to them in all the scriptures the things concerning
himself. Their eyes didn't recognize him,
right? But their ears did. That's what
they said. Didn't our hearts burn within
us? So they didn't recognize Him with their eyes, but when
they thought about it, this is what they said. You know, He
was expounding these things in the scriptures and our hearts
burned within us. Their ears recognized Him. You see, Jesus... I've always
wondered why Jesus wasn't known to them. Haven't you? Haven't
you? And there's many, you know, I've
read all sorts of reasons, but I think this is the reason. Christ
is emphasizing the importance of His Word over the visible,
right? Yes, they can see Him, they can
recognize Him, but this was never important. The physical seeing
of Christ. It never was important when Christ
walked upon this earth, and it's still not important today. What's
important is hearing Him, hearing His words speak to us, and that's
when our hearts burn within us. Isn't that true? Now, turn back
to Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 1, and you know, today, today, words
are diminished in our day. Words are diminished in our day.
More and more, It's images which drive our culture and our society. You see it everywhere. And Christians,
we need to be aware of this, because it's not images which
drive the truth of the Word of God. No, the truth of God. You know, we say, and I've said
it too, said phrases like this, that have impacted our understanding,
a picture is worth a thousand words. Haven't you heard that?
Well, that's a lie. That's a lie. You know, it's
interesting because I just read a few weeks ago a secular writer
writing about something having nothing to do with the Word of
God or anything, but he understood this and he said, here's this
picture that was being misused everywhere, worldwide, and he
said, no, A picture isn't worth a thousand words. It's going
to take me a thousand words to explain to you what this picture
means. That's true, isn't it? A picture
can mean anything. What makes truth? It's words
that make truth, isn't it? It's through words that truth
is communicated to us. And why is that? Because it's
through words that meaning is communicated. Now, why is this
important? Why is this important? Because
in these last days, God has spoken to us by His Son. That's what
we're told. That's why it's so important
for us to understand this. He hasn't spoken to us in images,
so to speak, right? And now, the Bible does speak
about the revelation of God in terms of seeing, doesn't it?
To seeing Christ. but seeing in what sense? Not
in the physical sense, not in the natural sense. This seeing
that is being spoken of is what? Faith. The seeing is always by
faith, is always in terms of faith. All right, well what did
we just hear? Faith comes by hearing, and hearing
by the Word of God. Faith does not come by seeing.
You know, this is something that we deal with on the mission field
all the time. It's something that should be
dealt with today. In the U.S. there's such a movement
towards images to portray truth. It's just true. It's just happening. That's not God's way. It never
was and it never will be. Faith does not come by seeing. Seeing comes by faith. And that's what Job meant when
he said, after all of the dealings of the Lord with Job, this is
what he said, I have heard of you with the hearing of the ear,
but now my eye sees you. Therefore, I abhor myself and
repent in dust and ashes. But he's not saying that he saw
a natural vision of the Lord Jesus Christ, was he? That's
not what Job was speaking about. Job didn't receive a vision of
God, which gave him a greater knowledge of God. What does Job
mean? He means that as the Lord had
dealt with him in all of these circumstances, speaking to him,
speaking to his comforters, revealing himself through the word that
he gave to them. Job, his eyes of the understanding
of Job were enlightened with this truth. And by faith, through
the hearing of the word that God spoke to him, what had happened? He'd come to a greater knowledge
of God. and of his transcendent glory. And that's what he meant. In
this, by faith, seeing God by faith. And he'd come to this greater knowledge of who
God is. That's what Job is saying there.
Here in Hebrews, this is the emphasis in this first statement
there of verse 1. God at various times and in various
ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets." Now,
look, the 45th Psalm is a prophetic psalm of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Don't turn there, but look, here in verse 8 and 9 are quotations
from that psalm. Now, that Psalm 45 begins in
this way. My heart is overflowing with
a good theme. I recite my composition concerning
the king. My tongue is the pen of a ready
writer." That's Psalm 45. Look at it later. It's a glorious
psalm. It's a wonderful psalm. Now,
who is this whose words are like words which flow from the pen
of a skillful writer? Who is it? Who is the composer
of such a masterpiece? Well, the writer, it is the psalmist,
that's true. But that's not the writer, that's
not the author. The writer is the Spirit of God. He's the author of all the scriptures. He's the skillful writer who
composed this glorious composition over a period of a thousand years,
more than a thousand years. You know, if you You think of
a book of masterpieces. Well, there is no masterpiece
like the Bible, the Word of God, sitting on your shelf. Nothing
like it! Nothing like it! Incomparable
in its nature, because it's the Word of God, breathed out by
the Holy Spirit into the hearts and the minds of all of these
men who wrote these scriptures. Well, who's the composition about? Who did he speak about? His composition
is concerning the King. His composition is concerning
the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at those verse 8 and 9 quoted
here in Hebrews. And this is from Psalm 45. But to the Son, he says, who's
he saying this to? To the Lord Jesus Christ. To
the Son, he says, your throne, O God, is forever and ever. A scepter of righteousness is
the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness
and hated lawlessness. Therefore, God, your God, has
anointed you with the oil of gladness above your companions."
This is the great work of the Holy Spirit. This is who he speaks
about, isn't it? In all of the scriptures, as
we read, he speaks about Christ. This is who he reveals. This
is the great work of the Holy Spirit. He reveals Christ to
us. in all his glory. And this is
what Jesus told the disciples when he was speaking to them
about the promise of the Holy Spirit. He said, he will glorify
me for he'll take of what is mine and declare it to you. This is why the word is so important.
This is the theme of all the scriptures and there isn't any
greater theme. There's no greater subject. And we're told here that God
spoke to the fathers, He now speaks to the Hebrews. God who
spoke in times past now speaks in these last days. God who spoke
by the prophets now speaks by His Son. Now, in the past age, And that's what
he's speaking about. God, who at times passed, spoke
by the prophets. In this Jewish period of revelation,
God spoke through many different prophets in many different ways.
But the writer says that, see, the Jewish economy is coming
to an end. They're in these last days when
the full and final and complete revelation of God will be given.
And who will it be given through? Through His Son, not through
not through any prophet, but through this final prophet, all
revelation for now and for eternity would be fulfilled and complete
in the one person of His Son. That's what we're being told
here. God has in these last days spoken to us by His Son. The work of the prophet and the
Word of God are inextricably linked. Isn't that true? Think
of that. What is a prophet? He's the one
who delivers the Word of God to the people. That's what a
prophet is. And he would be no prophet if
that weren't the case. And so, what does Christ do as
the final prophet who speaks to us? He delivers God's Word
to us. Turn over to John chapter 1,
and let's just look at a few things that point out how important
this is and the emphasis that the Word of God places upon this. John chapter 1, and we'll just
look at a few verses through different chapters of John. Now, Of course, we immediately
think of that first verse, don't we? Who is it speaking about? The Word! In the beginning was
the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Well, why does Christ have this
Word, this name, Word? Because He reveals God to us
through the Word. Jesus is the final prophet because
he's the eternal word. Who can reveal this eternal,
immortal, invisible God who dwells in unapproachable light? Who
can tell us about him? Well, down in verse 18, no one
has seen God at any time. The only begotten who is in the
bosom of the Father, he has declared him. only one could bring to earth
the complete revelation of the Triune God. The Son of God, who
is in the embrace of the Father from all eternity, is able to
declare Him. And that's what Jesus, too, in
speaking to Nicodemus. Think about that. Turn over to
chapter 3 in verse 11 there. This is what Jesus is speaking
about when he says to Nicodemus, Most assuredly I say to you,
we speak what we know. We, the triune God, speak what
we know and we testify what we have seen and you do not receive
our witness. If I have told you earthly things
and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly
things? Now listen. No one has ascended
to heaven, but he who came down from heaven, that is, the Son
of Man who is in heaven." You see, there is no prophet like
this prophet. What other prophet has ascended
to heaven? But notice Jesus says even more
than that. He's here now, speaking to Nicodemus,
but where else is he? He's in heaven. He's in heaven. He alone has come down from heaven.
He alone can testify of the Father. To Him alone the Father shows
all things. Look at verse 19. Then Jesus
answered and said to them, chapter 5, sorry. Turn over to chapter
5. In verse 19. Then Jesus answered and said
to them, Most assuredly I say to you, the Son can do nothing
of himself but what he sees the Father do. Here's one who can
truly reveal the Father, because there's this perfect unity between
the Father and the Son. This is how Jesus puts it to
emphasize this. He cannot do anything. If we
want to talk about something that Christ can't do, well, He's
telling us. He can't do anything that the
Father doesn't do. So perfect is the unity. For whatever He
does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves
the Son, and, listen, shows all things that He Himself does." If we want to know God, I think
this is the person who's going to show us the Father, isn't
it? You don't need to turn there,
but in chapter 17, as Christ is coming to that hour to go
up to the cross and make atonement for the sin of his people, this
is what he prays. No, turn over there. Just turn
to chapter 17. We're in John. Turn over to chapter
17 in verse 6 and see the emphasis that Christ What he makes is
he makes this prayer for his people to the Father. John chapter
17 and verse 6, let's begin there. He says, I have manifested your
name to the men whom you have given me out of the world. They
were yours. You gave them to me and they
have kept your word. Now they have known that all
things which you have given me are from you. Listen, for I have
given them the words which you have given me, and they have
received them, and have known surely that I came forth from
you, and they have believed that you sent me." God has spoken
to us by his Son. Now, if all this wasn't enough, The Lord gave us a dramatic illustration
of this in the transfiguration on the mountain, didn't he? If there ever was a demonstration
that the Lord Jesus Christ is this final prophet, superior
to all other prophets, it's this event on that mountain. It shows
us the supreme importance of hearing Christ speak to us. hearing Christ speak to us. Why? Because there is no other
prophet like this prophet. He alone is the Son, the eternal,
only begotten Son of God. John, like you know there in
that first chapter too of John, says this of Christ, speaking
for all the... Disciples, he says, we beheld
His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,
full of grace and truth. Overbounding, overflowing, abundance
of grace and truth. And as the Son, what could we
say? Glory is His right, isn't it?
Glory is His due. He's the heir of all things. He's the brightness of His glory
and the express image of His person. And this was His prayer
as He carried out this great work of atonement. He says to
His Father, glorify Your Son. This is His prayer. Glorify Your
Son. And His Father answered Him liberally,
didn't He? And we see that in this transfiguration
on the mountain. You don't need to turn there.
We all know it, don't we? We all know it. Here is Jesus
honored with glory, with the glory of God, in the sight of
his disciples. He was transfigured before them.
The light streamed from his face in this heavenly splendor. His
face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. The human flesh no longer cloaked
that burning, and that shining glory of God within. In this
man dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." And this
is what these disciples witnessed. The glory transformed the human
nature, and the human nature became part of this radiant glory
on that mountain. And then Moses and Elijah appeared. They appeared on that mountain,
and they're speaking with Jesus. And to Peter, and to James, and
to John, this was wonderful! This was glorious! Here were
Moses and Elijah. Think of this. And the Israelites,
brought up. Every man, every Israelite was
taught to revere and to listen to and obey from his birth, or
her birth. These men. Moses, the great lawgiver
of the nation of Israel. Israel constituted by God through
this man. And here they are, this great
prophet Elijah. What a glorious prophet and what
great work that the Lord accomplished through the hand of this prophet
Elijah. And we read of those. These Israelites,
these men were brought up under the teaching of the law and the
prophets. And here they were, not from
the past. Think of it, see? Here are Moses
and Elijah, not from the past, but from heaven! What a wonder! And here are these two great
prophets of Israel. They'd been called by God, appointed
by God, commissioned by God. God put his words in their mouth,
and they spoke to the children of Israel. You see, to these
disciples, they're thinking, what could be more wonderful
than to have Moses and Elijah, the law and the prophets, be
here, in person, speak to us. And what did Peter say? Lord,
it's good for us to be here. Let us make three tabernacles.
One for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. This will be
wonderful. You know, the three of you can
teach us and speak to us. No, no, no, no. Let go of all
these types and shadows, all of these forms of worship given
through Moses and the prophets. Why? Because Christ is the full,
complete, final fulfillment of all these things. And that bright
cloud overshadowed them, and the Father spoke, and what did
He say? This is my beloved son, hear him." That's what he said. This is my beloved son in whom
I am well pleased. There is none like him, none
like him, hear him, hear him. And when the disciples lifted
up their eyes, who did they see? Jesus alone. Jesus alone. You know, I'm slow, and I'm stupid,
but I think even I can understand what the Lord was trying to show
them. Hear Him. Hear Him. God has, in these last
days, spoken to us by His Son. And His Word, you know, His Word
is a living Word, isn't it? Why? Because He's a living God. He spoke then, He speaks now,
because he's a living God. And, too, you know, in Ecclesiastes,
it speaks, it says, in the word of the king, there is power. And that's true too, isn't it?
He's the king, and in his word is power. Now, let's just finish
up. Let's just finish up. Even the words preached, listen,
even the words preached and written by the prophets, and all this
New Testament revelation that was given to the apostles, words
given to them, but they're given to them by who? By Christ. These aren't their words. These
aren't the words of Moses. These aren't the words of the
prophets. Yes, they are. They were delivered to us through
them, but they're the words of the Living Word. They're the
words of Christ. They're His words and they're
words about Him. Hear Him, hear Him, as the Apostle
Paul quotes the words of the prophet Isaiah. You know, I read
that passage in Romans 10. He's quoting the prophet Isaiah.
He says, whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame. That's Christ's words. And then
he quotes the prophet Joel. Whoever calls on the name of
the Lord shall be saved. Those are Christ's words. They're
not Joel's words. They're not Paul's words. They're
Christ's words. These are the words of Christ.
Now listen. Here, just, we can turn anywhere,
but just consider that passage we read and think, this is what
Christ says. He's rich. He's rich toward all
who call upon Him. Is there any restriction? No. Whoever believes, whoever calls,
whoever calls upon Him will be saved. What grace! What a wonder! Whoever, think
of this now, whoever believes in Him for righteousness, for
forgiveness of sins, whoever believes in Him for sanctification,
whoever believes in Him for redemption from the bondage of sin, whoever
believes in Him for entrance into the presence of God, whoever
believes in Him for adoption as a son and a daughter of God,
whoever believes in Him for life, eternal life, will never be put to shame. Never
be put to shame. There is not one soul in hell,
and there never will be, who called upon the name of the Lord.
Not one. Not one. And this is what Paul
said to Timothy. He said, I know whom I have believed. and he is able to keep that which
I've committed unto him against that day. I know him. I know
him. I know his presence through his
word. He speaks to me in the scriptures.
All these things he's given me, I've entrusted back to him, and
I know I will never be put to shame. I know him in whom I believed. He's rich toward all who call
upon him. whoever calls upon the name of
the Lord will be saved. These are Christ's words. This
is the promise of Jesus Christ. They're good words. It's a good
promise. God has spoken to us by his son. Hear him, hear him, amen.