Well, let's open to Luke chapter
10. Luke chapter 10. As you will remember from our
studies in Luke 10 so far, our Lord sent out 70 missionaries,
70 evangelists. They went forth preaching the
gospel the gospel of the kingdom, and the Lord gave them unusual
gifts, and when they got back to the Savior, they were especially
ecstatic about their ability to cast out demons in His name. This was their joy. They were
filled with delight. This was their happiness. They
were happy that they were used in such a mighty way. And our
Lord said to them in the 20th verse, He said, notwithstanding
in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject to you. In
other words, don't find your joy in the things that those
accomplishments in life Those things that make you feel better,
don't find you joy in those things because they're fleeting. But
rather, he says, in this rejoice, because your names are written
in heaven. Now if we're going to have joy,
and I want to have joy, and everybody does, You know, people say to
you, are you a happy person? Well, I want to be happy. I'm
much more, how shall I put this, I'm easier to get along with
when I'm happy than when I'm sad. Aren't you? Well, who doesn't
want to be happy? Who doesn't want to have joy?
But if our joy and if our happiness is in any way united to or attached
to or connected with something in this life, something that's
tangible, then our joy and our happiness will be short-lived. Because you know and I know that
life on this earth consists not only of things that are pleasant
to the flesh, but also it consists of things that are not very pleasant
to the flesh. And if that's where our happiness
is found, if that's where our joy is found, then we're not
going to have much joy. Well, then you say, Pastor, where
is joy to be found? Well, only in the Lord Jesus
Christ. In the book of Philippians, we
read there are three distinctive characteristics that God's people
have. Number one, we worship God in
spirit. Number two, we rejoice in Christ
Jesus. He's our joy. He's our delight. He's our happiness. And you see,
He never changes. So we read Jesus Christ the same
yesterday, today, and forever. And if He's our joy, then our
joy won't change. We're happy in Him. We're happy
in what He did. And to just finish out that idea
there from Philippians, the third chapter, Let me just refresh
my memory here. Let me show you this. Philippians
chapter 3. Before I read in Luke, go to
Philippians 3 and verse 3. For we are the circumcision. What does that mean? Philippians
3.3. For we are the circumcision.
It means simply this. We are the true people of God.
We are God's people. Well, can God's people be described? Yes, they can be. God's people
are described this way. We worship God in spirit. And then here it is, we rejoice
in Christ Jesus. And then number three, we have
no confidence in the flesh. We rejoice in Christ Jesus. We are rejoicing people. As you
read through the book of Philippians, you find that the Apostle Paul
admonishes the Philippian people. He says rejoice. But he doesn't
just say rejoice. He says, rejoice in the Lord,
always. And again I say, rejoice. And in rejoicing in Christ Jesus,
we rejoice in who He is. We rejoice that He's God. For
nobody could save us but God Himself. Nobody but one equal
with God could do business with God as our mediator. We rejoice that He's God. Being
God, He's up to the task of saving His people from their sins. He must be God. Only God could
take on this stupendous work of saving His people from their
sins. Only God could stand face to
face with God and meet every requirement that God laid down
in the covenant of grace for the salvation of His people.
We rejoice that He's God. Those of us who believe the Lord
Jesus today, who find our joy in Him, He is our life. He is our all. It delights our
heart. It gives us great joy and happiness
to know that our Savior is none other than God Himself. He is God our Savior. He is Jehovah. Jehovah is my
salvation. And if your salvation is in any
other than Jehovah, you have no salvation. We rejoice in Christ
Jesus that He is God. And we rejoice in Christ Jesus
that our God is man. Bone of our bone. Flesh of our
flesh. Great is the mystery of godliness. And there is no controversy about
this among the people of God. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. God! Holy God! Everlasting God! Infinite God! Sovereign God! Almighty God! Was manifest in the flesh. That's
my Savior. We rejoice in the fact that He's
the Son of Man. He's God our Savior. He's touched with the feelings
of our infirmities. Say, nobody knows the things
that I'm going through with. Nobody's ever faced the pains
and the troubles and the trials I've faced. Oh, yes. He's faced
them all as a man. As a man. Therefore, we read
in Hebrews the second chapter, our great high priest, he's able
to succor those who believe him. That is, he helps us with feeling. With feeling. It isn't merely
that he's almighty God who helps us, and that's enough. But he
helps us with feeling. He helps us out of love. Out
of compassion. Oh, great compassion! Oh, boundless
love! He reaches down to save us, and
rescue us, and embrace us unto Himself, and He does it not only
as that One who is all-powerful, who has all power in heaven and
in earth, but that One who loves us with an everlasting love. We rejoice in Him who is God. and man. We rejoice in Him. We find our
joy in Him, in His great work of redemption. Oh, child of God, find your joy
right here. Jesus paid it all. All the debt
you owe, Though sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it
white as snow. Doesn't that give you joy? That's
the joy that nobody can take away from you. Now, if your joy
is to be found in having money in the bank account and feeling
good and all the family well, well, perhaps you will have some
joy for a little while, but that's not going to last. If your joy is to be found in
always having good reports when you go get your physical, if
your joy is to be found in everything running smoothly in the family,
then, well, maybe you'll have a little joy there, but I've
got a feeling you're going to run some bumps in the road. But if He's your joy, if the
grace of God's your joy, If salvation by His mercy is your joy, that's
a joy that will never end. And our Lord over here in Luke
chapter 10, let me tell you, this is what He says. In all
of your successes, don't rejoice in those. Even spiritual successes. He says in this, rejoice not. but rather rejoice in this, your
names are written in heaven." Your names. This is not an impersonal
election. This is an election of love.
Your names. Your names. Before the world
began, your names were written with God's indelible ink. In
His book of life, the Lamb's book of life, in this rejoice. Because that's something that
can never be reversed. This is God's sovereign election
unto salvation. Find your joy here. And isn't
it amazing? As much as we rejoice in, God's
people rejoice in, His election of grace, there are many people
who find no joy in that election. But rather, when the subject
of electing grace is raised, their wrath raises. And they're
upset. But not God's people. we rejoice. Why was I made to hear thy voice,
and enter while there's room, when thousands made a wretched
choice, and rather starved than gone? Was the same love that
spread the feast that sweetly forced me in? else I had still
refused to taste, and I perished in my sin. Tis not that I did
choose thee, for Lord, that could not be. My heart would still
refuse thee, hadst thou not chosen me. He chose me unto salvation. This is my joy. And you can't
take that away from me. And you may grumble about election. You may argue about God's sovereign
grace until you're blue in the face. And you may despise this
glorious doctrine until you see the face of God and He casts
you into hell. But God's people rejoice in this. We're always joyful in this glorious
doctrine. He chose us unto salvation in
Jesus Christ before the world began. We rejoice. That's an unconditional election. No conditions placed upon me. God never has expected anything
out of me. Everything God demanded of me,
He demanded of my substitute. My substitute assumed all responsibilities
for my salvation in that covenant of grace when my name was written
down in that book of life. In this rejoice, let me ask you,
can you rejoice in this? Do you rejoice in this? God's
free and sovereign grace. The God of the Bible, the only
true and living God, is absolutely sovereign. And He always exercises
His sovereign rights over men, especially in the exercise of
His saving mercy, love, and grace in Christ Jesus. I know it's as high as the heavens,
and it's as deep as hell itself. But it's so obvious in the Scriptures. Grasp it. Take hold of this. God's sovereign grace. Salvation
by grace alone. Conditioned upon the obedience
of Jesus Christ alone. If God's grace ever embraces
you, if these things ever overwhelm you, you will find rest for your
soul in Christ Jesus. Our Lord said, don't rejoice
in this, your accomplishments. Rejoice in what I've done. Rejoice
in grace. Rejoice in sovereign mercy. Why is it that some are converted
while others remain dead in sins? Why does God send the gospel
to one country, leave another country groping about in the
darkness and superstition of idolatry? Last Saturday, we were in Fukuoka,
Japan. We went to a little village outside
of that to a big, well they were having a festival and they had
a big shrine to a god there. I took a picture of it because
it told the name of the god. I took a picture of it and there
was a big well of water. And you saw everybody going up
and washing their hands and purifying themselves before they went into
the temple. And some were even sipping the
water and rinsing their mouth out and then spitting the water
out so that they would be ceremonially purged of all filthiness before
they went into the temple. Had a little sign there, and
the sign said You're to be reverent when you go into the temple.
You're to bow, clap twice, bow again, clap once. And then it
said, and see, religion's no different in this land or that
land. And then it said, and give a
contribution. But think about it. There's Japan,
and we had a wonderful visit. No gospel. There's no gospel
church. Last Sunday, people don't go
to church on Sunday. There are no Bibles. Now, we're a pagan society over
here. Don't misunderstand me. We live in a pagan land. Don't
we? Sure we do. God is not known. But there are some locations
in this nation where the gospel is set forth. But you go over
there, and as far as I know, and of course I'm not fully knowledgeable
of the whole country, but we've been to Hiroshima several times,
and Osaka, and Kyoto, and other cities in Japan. We only saw one, what they'd
call a Protestant church. Just one Protestant church. There's
no gospel. And yet here this morning, you
and I are, with the Holy Scriptures opened before us. We've sung
the songs of Zion. We've had the Word of God read
to us. Our brother has led us in calling
upon the name of the Lord. And now we're listening to the
gospel of grace. Grace for sinners in the Lord
Jesus Christ. We have the gospel and they don't
have the gospel. Who makes the difference? Who is it that ordains whether
His Word will be preached over there or over here? Or over here
or over there? Who makes the difference? This
is the God of the Bible. This is the God who blinds some
and gives sight to others. Notice in verse 21, In that hour
Jesus rejoiced in spirit, And He said, I thank Thee, O Father,
Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid these things from
the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes. He
hides it from some and He reveals it to others. Why do you believe? Why do you embrace the Gospel?
Why is it that Jesus Christ, the Lord, is dear and precious
to you? He's your all and you find that
you are complete in Him. Who makes the difference? Who
gave you faith to believe Him? Who raised you from a spiritual
grave? Did not the Lord make the difference?
Then no wonder the apostle says in 1 Corinthians, What hast thou
that thou hast not received? Then why do you boast as if you
didn't receive it? Who makes you to differ? Who
makes you to differ? The Savior rejoiced in spirit. He says, Father, I thank Thee. I thank Thee. Thou hast hidden
from some and revealed it to others. I thank Thee, O Father, that
Thou art the sovereign God." I'm thankful He's that way. And
I worship Him that way. And I'll tell you this, you have
not worshipped God until you have worshipped Him as the God
who's altogether sovereign. until you have bowed at His footstool
and acknowledged that He has the right to do with you and
everybody else according to His will. And you've not worshipped until
you rejoice that God does just exactly that. Who is this God? Can you move Him around? Is God
one who, you know, I hear people say prayer changes God. Prayer
changes things. First of all, God doesn't change. And all of our prayers, they
don't move God around. God's not waiting up in heaven,
well, let's see what they'll ask for today. We ask God for that which we
desire because we depend upon Him. We rely upon Him. But we must never think that
we in any way change God. God is who He is. He's always
the same. He's as holy today as He's always
been. As sovereign today as He's always
been. As gracious today as He's always
been. He does not change. We worship
Him that way. And He's been hiding His truth
from men and women and young people for lo these 6,000 years
or so. He hides it from whom He will.
And He reveals the truth to whom He will. I'll tell you this. He's got every reason to continue
to hide it from us because we don't deserve to know anything.
We've fallen in at Him. We've rebelled against God. We
balled up our fists in His face. And we said, we'll be gods, not
you. You can't tell us what to do.
I wrote that article on the back of the bulletin today. The idolatry
of free willism. We've made an idol out of our
wills. And God says, I will do all my
pleasure. notwithstanding what you say
or what you think you'll do. God hides from some and reveals
to others. Why is this? Why does God conduct
the affairs of salvation in such a manner? Well, look at the last
statement of verse 21. For so it seemed good in thy
sight. For so it seemed good in thy
sight. It is the Lord. Let him do what
seemeth him good in his sight. I ask you, is it wrong for God
to send the gospel to one and not to another? Is it wrong for God to withhold
His truth from an entire society and then to another society,
shower them with His Word, scatter Bibles throughout the land? Is
it wrong of God to do that? It is the Lord. He does as He pleases. And I'll tell you, this matter
of God's sovereignty ought to be a sweet, sweet comfort
to the Lord's people. He sent us His Word. He sent
us His truth. He revealed the gospel of substitution
and satisfaction to us. Do you have an understanding
of how God can be just and justify the ungodly? Do you see the necessity of there
being a perfect mediator? One who would come on our behalf
to die in our own place instead? To endure the penalty for sin,
which is death? so that God might be a just God
and a Savior. Do you understand that? Do you
rejoice in the truth of substitution? Do you rejoice in the truth of
salvation conditioned only upon the obedience unto death of the
Lord Jesus Christ? You say, I do. Well, the reason
you believe is because even so, Father, for so it seemed good
in thy sight. And if God has revealed the Gospel
to you, everything else is just fine. Whatever happens, let come what
may. It's okay. Let the King of Terror's death
itself look us in the face with that stern frown of His. It's
okay. It's okay. Because we can face
death without fear. And the thoughts of the judgment
facing God, we can think of the judgment of facing the Lord,
we can think of that with boldness. Because as Christ is, so are
we in this world. And we rejoice. We rejoice in
the Lord. Well, who is this One who is
our Savior? What authority does He have?
Well, look at the 22nd verse. He says, All things are delivered
to me of my Father. And no man knoweth who the Son
is, but the Father. and who the Father is, but the
Son. And He to whom the Son will reveal
Him. We live in a day of make your
decision for Jesus. Well, there needs to be more
than a decision made. There needs to be a revelation
of Christ Jesus to our hearts. That's the reason when we stand
before you to preach to you, we're not asking you to come
to the front and accept Jesus. You know, that isn't even biblical
language to accept Jesus as your personal Savior. Is that found
anywhere in the Scriptures? It's found nowhere in the Scriptures.
You look through the book of Acts, nobody in the book of Acts,
no preacher in the book of Acts, no evangelist in the book of
Acts, no apostle in the book of Acts ever ask anybody to accept
Jesus as their personal Savior. What we do ask is this, Oh God,
God of grace, God of glory, God who gives life, God who gives
sight, God who gives hearing, O God, Thou that givest the new
heart to believe You, do something for sinners today. Invade the
heart. It's not about you opening up
your heart to Him. It's about Him coming and giving
you a new heart. And there will be a heart to
love Him and believe Him and worship Him and adore Him and
rely on Him fully for all of your salvation. He to whom the Son will reveal
Him. Oh, Son of God! reveal the Father
to somebody today. And thank you for revealing the
Father to me. Thank you for the revelation
of grace. Oh, how indebted we are to God. We owe Him everything. Everything. This One who has
all preeminence, I give you this and I'll quit. Notice again at
the first part of verse 22. All things are delivered to me
of my Father. Here is the preeminence of our
Savior. This sets forth His majesty and
His deity. This is the one to whom the Father
has given all preeminence and all glory. No man but the God-man
ever used words like these. This reveals to us that He's
the head over all things. He says, all things are delivered
unto me of my Father. It shows us that while He is
the same as the Father, He is distinct from the Father. No
man knoweth who the Son is but the Father, and who the Father
is but the Son. And these words tell us that
He's the great revealer of God to the sons of men. Oh, I tell you, He's mighty to
save. He's mighty to save. He was mighty
to handle all the sin debt that was laid upon Him. He bore it
away and paid it in full with His own precious blood. He's
mighty to save, having established perfect righteousness for all
of His people by His death on the cross. I'll tell you, if Christ Jesus
was not God as well as man, we might indeed be filled with despair. But with such a great Savior
as this, we may begin the life of a child
of God with boldness, and we may press on full of hope, and
await death and judgment without fear. because we're in Christ
Jesus. He's revealed Himself to us.
Oh, thank you, Lord, for revealing grace. Revealing grace. Well, let's sing a hymn.