Good morning. Let's all stand
together and sing the hymn of the day in the bulletin. Yeah. Great Father of glory, how rich
is thy grace! What wonderful love is displayed
in thy face! In Jesus thy youth image with
brightness we view, and hope to be formed in that likeness
anew. Oh, wonders of wonder. astonished I gaze to see in a
manger the ancient of days from sin to release thus that yoke
so long worn My God, my Creator, hath Mary was born. sinners my lord bowed his head
for unworthy sinners he suffered and bled my spirit rejoices the
work is all done My soul is redeemed, my salvation is won. Great Father of glory, how rich
is thy grace. What wonderful love is displayed
in Thy face! In Jesus, beloved, we're washed
in His blood. And with confidence come to the
throne of our God. Be seated. We'll sing hymn number
235. 235. ? Bless me not, O gentle Savior
? ? Hear my feeble cry ? ? While on others Thou art calling ?
? Do not pass me by ? Savior, hear my feeble cry. While on others Thou art calling,
do not pass me by. Let me at a throne of mercy find
a sweet relief. Kneeling there in deep contrition,
help my unbelief. Savior, Savior, hear my humble
cry While on others Thou art calling, do not pass me by Trusting
only in thy merit, would I seek thy peace. Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
save me by thy grace. Savior, hear my feeble cry. While on others Thou art calling, do not
pass me by. Thou, the spring of all my comfort, more than life to me. Whom have I on earth beside thee? Whom in heaven but thee? Savior, hear my feeble cry. Love one other's outward calling,
do not pass me by. If you have your Bibles with
you this morning, if you would open with me to 1 Timothy chapter
1. We'll read all of chapter 1 and
about half of chapter 2. 1 Timothy 1, Paul, an apostle of
Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and Lord Jesus
Christ, our hope. Unto Timothy, my own son in the
faith, grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father in Jesus
Christ our Lord. As I besought thee to abide still
at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest
charge some that they teach no other doctrine, neither give
heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions rather
than godly edifying, which is in faith, so do. Now the end
of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a
good conscience, and of faith unfeigned. from which some, having
swerved, have turned aside into vain jangling, desiring to be
teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor of
whereof they affirm. But we know that the law is good
if a man use it lawfully, knowing this, that the law is not made
for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient,
for the ungodly and for sinners. for unholy and profane, for murderers
of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers,
for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men-stealers,
for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing
that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel
of the blessed God which was committed to my trust, and I
thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that he counted
me faithful, putting me into the ministry, who was before
a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious, but I obtained
mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of
our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love, which is
in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and
worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners, of whom I am chief. How be it for this cause
I obtain mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth
all longsuffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter
believe on him to live, excuse me, to life everlasting. Now
unto the king eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God
be honor and glory forever and ever, amen. This charge I commit
unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went
before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare,
holding faith, and a good conscience, which some having put away concerning
faith have made shipwreck. of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander,
whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. I exhort, therefore, that first
of all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of
thanks be made for all men, for kings, and for all that are in
authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness
and honesty. For this is good and acceptable
in the sight of God our Savior, who will have all men to be saved
and to come unto the knowledge of the truth, for there is one
God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time,
whereunto I am ordained a preacher and an apostle. I speak the truth
in Christ and lie not, a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and
verity. I will, therefore, that man pray everywhere, lifting
up holy hands without wrath and doubting. Our most high and heavenly Father,
Lord God Almighty, we come into your holy presence once more
through your blessed son. As we just read, Lord, thank
you for being our intercessor, our only intermediator, for being our all in all, our means of salvation. Lord, we thank you for revealing
yourself to a number that no man can number. Lord, we thank you for the men
you have sent to study the word and to stand before us and to
preach. Lord, we thank you for the one
who will stand today. I ask that you would be with
Brother Chris as he comes to proclaim the gospel. Lord,
we ask that you would send your spirit to be among us, to allow
us to worship you in spirit and in truth. I ask that you would
bless him and bless his heart as he stands here. Bless the
word to him and bless it to us. Give us hearing ears. Loving
hearts, Lord, cause it to edify our souls. Teach us thy way, Lord, and we
ask that you pass us not, as we were saying earlier. Please
don't leave us to ourselves. Please keep us and keep us clinging
and cleaving to thee, Lord, and only looking to thee for all
things. Lord, we just read to We pray,
coming with Thanksgiving, and we do, we thank you for everything
that you've given us, everything you've provided us, Lord, you've
been so merciful and so gracious to us, concerning things in this world,
the things in this life on Earth, but even more so, the things
you provided for our souls, a perfect and pure salvation. Lord, we pray that you would
cause your word to go forth all over this place, all over this
county, and this state, and this nation, all over the world, that
it would go forth and flourish in the hearts of your saints,
wherever they may be. Lord, as we read, we pray for
our leaders. We pray for this nation. Lord,
we know and trust that thy will be done. We ask for grace to
believe it. And we ask for grace, Lord, for
each and every moment of every day. We ask that you would continue
to provide as you have thus far. I ask for mercy and grace for those
who are weak and weary, those who are unable to be here. And
pray for our pastor and Sister Shirley as they're traveling.
Lord, that you would continue to be with them. Lord, most of all, we ask that
thou will be done on earth as it is in heaven. For Christ's
sake, amen. Hymn number 110. 1 tan. A lesson did my Savior bleed
and did my Sovereign die. Would He devote that sacred pen
for such a worm as I? Was it for crimes that I have
done? He groaned upon the tree. ? Amazing pity, grace unknown
? ? And love beyond degree ? ? Well might the sun in darkness hide
? ? And shut his glories in ? ? When Christ the mighty Maker died
? and the creatures sin. But drops of grief can ne'er
repay the debt of love I owe. Here, Lord, I give myself away. Tis all that I can do. We're certainly pleased and honored
to have Brother Larry Criss with us again. It's been a little
while since you've been here. Time flies. But most everybody
here knows you well. There's a few new faces here
who don't know you, so I've got to introduce you. He is a pastor
in Sylacauga, Alabama. A beloved brother and friend
for many years. to our pastor and to many of
us, all of us. I've known him as long as I can
remember. I'm glad to know him, thankful for him. Brother, you
come on and bring forth the word. Thank you. Thank you, Houston.
It's a delight. It's a delight to be with you.
I've been coming here for a while. I think the early 90s. was the
first time your pastor invited me down. I appreciate him inviting
me down again. I always enjoy being here. I feel like I'm just right at
home, James. I've known you folks, most of
all of you, for quite a while. I appreciate your pastor. He's
a faithful man. How long has he been pastor here
now? 40 years, longer than that? Over 40 years, yeah. Thank God
for that. That requires grace, and I know
He's a faithful man, and I appreciate him. Appreciate all those that
preach God's glorious gospel. Would you turn with me to Romans
chapter 11? Romans 11. We'll read the first
six verses. Romans chapter 11. Paul has been speaking about
God's electing grace. And he knew how some people would
react to that. So he anticipates that objection
and he answers it here in chapter 11. I say then, if God cast away
his people, God forbid. For I also am an
Israelite. If God cast away his people,
then I would be cast off, Paul is saying. For I also am an Israelite,
of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not
cast away his people, which he foreknew. Want ye not what the
scripture saith of Elias, how he maketh intercession to God
against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets,
and dig down thine altars, and I am left alone, and they seek
my life. That wasn't true. Elijah wasn't
alone. He felt like it. He thought he
was, but he wasn't. This is God's answer in verse
4. But what saith the answer of God unto him, I have reserved
to myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to
the image of Baal. Even so, at this present time,
Paul applies that to his time, the day in which he lived. And
we can apply it to our day. There is a remnant according
to the election of grace. And if by grace, then it is no
more of works. Otherwise, grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it
is no more grace. Otherwise, work is no more work. Verse 6 will be our text. And here's the title. One or
the other. Not both. Not both. If salvation in its entirety,
as Paul tells us here, is all of grace, and that's what we're
taught throughout God's Word, then there are some definite
consequences to that blessed truth. And here's the first one
Paul tells us plainly in this text. If salvation is all by
God's grace, then it can't be of works. It can't be a worse. It's got to be entirely of one
or entirely of the other. You can't mix them. They just
won't mix. If it's all of God's grace, then
it can't be a worse. Both can't be true. These are
opposing things. They're in conflict with one
another. Both can't be true. There is
no meeting ground. There is no common place where
they might meet and be reconciled to one another. No, salvation,
Paul tells us here, is all of grace. So it can't be of my works. You would think that common sense
would dictate that, wouldn't you? But when it comes to God's
word, men will act like they have or they do have common sense
when it comes to things of the world. But when it comes to God's
word, common sense just flies from out the window, doesn't
it? People begin to tell you what they think. For example,
we've all encountered this. I've had people say to me, yes,
I believe. I believe what you do, they'll
say. That salvation is all by grace, but God gives everybody
a chance. Salvation by chance. I hope not. I hope not. I mean, people will
say salvation God, if God doesn't give everybody a chance, then
it wouldn't be fair. God wouldn't be fair. Now both of those statements
are contrary to God's Word. Salvation is not by chance. Salvation is by the deliberate
purpose of God. God saves people on purpose. Imagine that. This is what Paul
wrote in 2 Timothy 1 verse 9, God who has saved us and called
us with the holy calling not according to our works but according
to his own purpose and grace And when did He make such a purpose? When did He make such a determination
which was given us in Christ before the world began? Now that sounds pretty conclusive
to me. It sounds like that God saves
by grace alone on purpose and it's according to His eternal
purpose. When I hear people object to
that, I want to ask them, well, how else could God act? If he
doesn't save people on purpose, then how does he save them? I
mean, is he like me, has a new idea? I mean, does he wake up
in the morning and purpose something that he didn't purpose before?
How could God not save people on purpose? Thank God that he
does so. And that's good news, isn't it?
That's good news. I was visiting my granddaughter
some years ago, my oldest son's daughter, one of them. And she
was, oh, I don't know, five or six years old. And I just popped
in on her. I'm the pawpaw. I don't need
to let them know ahead of time. So I just popped in. And I noticed
she was a little fidgety. Slid up next to me and she whispered
in my ear, Pawpaw, we have a birthday party to go to and if you don't
leave soon, my mom is going to kick you out. Well, God's grace kicks works
plum out, doesn't it? Kicks works plum out, and that's
good news, isn't it? That's worth hearing. My mother,
oh, several years ago, told me she went to a church service
that someone had invited her to, either one of my siblings
or a neighbor, and she told me what the so-called worship service
consisted of and what the man preached and asked me what I
thought, and I said, Mom, I tell you honestly, I wouldn't get
out of bed for that. I wouldn't even get out of bed
for that if that's all they have. Stay home and listen to CDs. Some of you may have drove a
few miles to get here. God forbid that I should stand
here and tell you that your everlasting salvation depends upon you. that your everlasting salvation
is determined by what you do. Tell you that God's done all
he can, and now it's up to you. That's not good news. That's
not good news. Thank God that it's not of him
that willeth, or him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.
Oh, until God gives a man grace, Until God works grace in his
heart, he'll never, never believe otherwise. But grace knocks works
plumb out of the saddle. Remember the Pharisee our Lord
spoke of in Luke 18? He spoke that parable to certain
who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and they
despised others. And that Pharisee stood, and
he was a bragger, wasn't he? Oh, what a bragger. I thank you
God. I'm a self-made man. I've done
all this myself. I have laid myself a foundation. God, you've got to accept me.
You have to be impressed with that. And then there was another
there in the temple. He wouldn't even stand near to
the Pharisee. He wouldn't even lift his eyes
toward heaven. He was far from being a bragger. He was a beggar. That's what
we are by nature. We're beggars. We have nothing
to pay. God's justice demands payment,
and we've got nothing to make the payment. And that poor Pharisee
that despised public, and I'm sorry, that despised public and
knew it. But you remember what the Lord
Jesus Christ said? He said, I say unto you, Oh,
I declare, these words must have grated upon the ears of that
Pharisee. He would have hated to have heard
these words concerning the public, and our Lord said, he's going
home justified. Justified. The God of glory. The absolute perfect, holy, righteous
God says concerning that publican that he's not guilty. Can you
just imagine that publican skipping his way out of that temple, looking
at this Pharisee and singing, only a sinner saved by grace. Oh, this is my story. To God
be the glory. I'm only a sinner saved by grace. And if God is trying to save
everybody, Why aren't they saved? If God wants to save everyone,
if His will is to save everyone, why aren't they saved? Is God
not able to do what He wants to do? Huh? Is God not able to carry out
His purpose? If He's not, then He has no claim
to omnipotence, and He's not worth trusting. He can't be relied
on. If He needs my help, or if He
needs your help, you and Him, we're all in trouble. Oh, listen
to what God Himself says by the prophet Isaiah. This is the purpose
that is purposed upon the whole earth. And this is the hand that
is stretched out upon all the nations. For the Lord of hosts
hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? And his hand is
stretched out, and who shall turn it back? Sounds like to
me God has his way, doesn't he? Again, Isaiah 43, I, even I,
am the Lord, and besides me there is no Savior. I have declared
and have saved, and I have shown, when there was no strange God
among you, therefore you are my witnesses, saith the Lord,
that I am God, yea, before the day was I am he, and there is
none that can deliver out of my hand. I will work, And who
shall let it? Who shall stop the glorious God? Paul in Ephesians 1 verse 9 says,
Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according
to his own good pleasure, which he purposed in himself. Purposed
in himself. According to the purpose of him
who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Brother Henry Mayhem. in his
Bible class commentaries made this statement concerning our
text. On Romans 11 and 6 he said this,
salvation is by the pure unmerited grace and mercy of God. And I'm so thankful that it is.
The works, the efforts, and the deeds of men are not involved.
If salvation comes to us because of our works, however small,
then it is not of grace. If you can find any reason why
God should save you other than by his free grace in Christ that
he was pleased to show mercy on you for, then you are advocating
salvation by works. There's no reason in me why God
should have saved me. He saved me for Christ's sake.
He keeps me for Christ's sake. He will receive me to glory for
Christ's sake. I'm in good hands for Christ's
sake. Oh, thank God for that. Grace kicks works plum out. Man does everything in today's
salvation. We have a salvation that doesn't
require grace. A Christianity without Christ. Old Barnard said this, old Ralph
Barnard. He said, Preachers are wrapping
salvation up in a neat little package and selling it to the
unsuspecting men and women. Preachers are trying to present
the great mysteries of redemption in language which the natural
man can understand and approve of so that he can make his peace
with God and go about his regular routine and fleshly pursuits. A Christianity without Christ. A salvation without grace. A conversion that makes the work
of the Holy Spirit not needed. After man does everything that
he can in this salvation, after all the decisions, and walking
all the aisles, shaking all the hands, opening up his heart after
he does everything that he's been told to do, what's he left
with? What does he have left? What
does it all boil down to? A false hope. a false hope, because
salvation is knowing the Lord Jesus Christ, period. Nothing else, nothing in addition
to. God in Christ is pleased to forgive
sinners, and sinners that receive such grace rejoice in it, don't
they? or to be able to sing from the
heart. My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest
frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. Isaiah chapter 28, verse
16. Therefore, thus saith the Lord
God, behold, I lay in Zion. God laid the foundation of the
church. I lay in Zion for a foundation,
a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation,
and he that believeth shall not make haste. Believers are standing
on that God-laid foundation of Jesus Christ himself, the rock
on which the church is built. And that's why, yes, the storms
will come. In the world you'll have tribulation.
That's a promise of Christ we don't like to think of, but he
promised in the world you can count on this. You'll have tribulation. But concerning that multitude
before the throne, the elder told John, they all came out. of great tribulation. God's grace
will bring us out of every trial and every conflict. Believers
are standing on that foundation, upon the rock Christ Jesus, and
that's why the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.
We stand in that one who stood for us from all eternity, our
surety, the Lord Jesus Christ, standing after all things written
of him, have been accomplished, standing in sovereign majesty. Oh, what a Savior. Ruling all
things with absolute authority. Having been given power over
all flesh. You mean saved. No, all flesh. Saved, lost. All flesh is in
His hands to give eternal life to as many as God has given Him. Yes, there He stands, my great
God and Savior, interceding for His redeemed, willing that they
all be with Him where He is. That's what he prayed in John
17, didn't he? Father, in addition to everything
he'd already interceded and prayed for on behalf of his people,
his church, all believers, he said, Father, I will also. I
will this also. that all those whom you have
given me be with me where I am." Wow! Oh, and a dear one, a believer,
leaves this world, where are they? They're with Christ. That
very moment, they take their last breath here and breathe
in the atmosphere of heaven, and there and then, immediately,
they're beholding the King and His beauty. Oh, and they're so
thankful to sing that salvation is of the Lord. Yes, there stands
my great God and Savior interceding for His redeeming. After this,
Revelation 7 and 9, after this I'll be held low a great multitude.
which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and
people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb,
clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands, and cried
with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God, which setteth upon
the throne, and unto the Lamb. And every one of those redeemed
ones are glad to rejoice and confess that it's not of him
that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth
mercy." If salvation is entirely of God's grace and not of works,
here's a second reality, truth. Salvation by grace is the only
message that gives sinners real hope. The message, the gospel,
according to man's will, gives sinners no hope. Oh, but the
gospel of God's free, unmerited, undeserved, unsought-for grace,
that gives sinners hope. It's the only hope there is for
a sinner before a righteous God, a good hope through grace. William
Cowper, Cooper, he wrote many great hymns. I think probably
the most famous hymn is, There Is a Fountain. Did you know when
that man, through much of his life, was given to severe bouts,
fits of depression, after one occasion when he attempted to
commit suicide, he was committed to a mental hospital. He thought,
all hope is gone. There's no hope for me. And there
was a friend that visited him, a believer, and tried put before
him the good news of the gospel. And old Cooper Cowper said, that
was the first time that I'd ever seen a ray of hope. Salvation by grace gives sinners
hope, nothing else can. When his friend had left, Cowper
opened his Bible and in the providence of God his eyes fell on these
words from Romans 3, whom God, that is Christ whom God has set
forth to be the propitiation through faith in his blood. God
used that verse of scripture to open Calper's heart and reveal
Christ to him. This is his testimony. There
is shown upon me the full beams of the sufficiency of the atonement
that Christ has made. When Jesus Christ died, he put
away our sins. He by himself purged our sins. He didn't try to do it. He didn't
attempt to do it. He didn't have to do it. It is
finished, he himself said. He entered one time into the
holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us. There shone
about me the sufficiency of the atonement that Christ has made,
my pardon in his blood, the fullness and completeness of my justification,
and in a moment I believed. He was so thrilled that he wrote
that psalm. And it was based upon Zechariah
13 and 1, this verse. In that day there shall be a
fountain open for sin and for uncleanness. There is a fountain. filled with blood, drawn from
Emmanuel's veins, and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose
all their guilty stains. They're gone. They're gone. And
I like the last verse of that good old hymn. Dear dying man,
thy precious blood shall never never lose its power to all the
ransomed Church of God, be saved to sin no more. Now I have made
mention to you, I'm sure, on more than one occasion of the
fact that I grew up in the mountains of West Virginia. When I was
a kid, there were no, what do they call them, devices. There
was no smartphones. There wasn't too many phones
of any kind. So we would entertain ourselves. And on occasion, one
of my friends would come and say, listen, I found a new swimming
hole. Like nobody had ever seen it
before, like Columbus discovering America. He said, let's go to
where it's at. Let's go. Let me show it to you.
So we hiked through the woods. And we come to this place. And
on this occasion, to get down to the water, you had to jump.
of a cliff and it's pretty high and we thought well maybe how
do we know how deep the water is so somebody would make their
way down and swim out to the center and dive down and pop
back up and say oh it's safe It said you can jump because
I didn't touch bottom. Jump in, jump in. Listen to what
Paul said. Know you not that the unrighteous
shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Don't be deceived, neither
fornicators nor adulterers, nor adulterers. nor infeminine, nor
abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covenants, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the
kingdom of God. And such were some of you, but. And such were some of you. And
such we would still be, except for this, but, but, you're washed. You're sanctified, you're justified
in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of His grace. Oh, come to this fountain so
rich and sweet. Cast thy poor soul at the Savior's
feet. Plunge in today and be made complete. Glory to His jump-in sinner. You won't touch bottom. The blood
of Jesus Christ, this fountain, is ever flowing. It's ever sufficient. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's
Son, cleanses us from all sin. His blood still reaches deeper
than the stain has gone. As old Calper found out, the
truth of salvation by grace answers this question, and only it can. How can a man be just with God? How can a man be just with God
considering what man is and considering who God is? How can these two
ever be brought together, reconciled? How can I, a guilty, helpless,
worthless sinner, be justified in the sight of a perfectly holy,
justice-demanding God? What's the answer? Scott Richardson
used to put it this way. Darryl, you'll remember hearing
this from old Scott. God must first do something for
himself before he does anything for you. There are multitudes
of folks that try to answer that question by making the demands
of God less than they are. They lower God's standard down
to where they can reach it, and they think because it's good
enough for them, it'll be good enough for God. They think because
they accept it, God will accept it. God's demand, God's standard
is perfection. It's perfection. No wonder the
prophet said all of our righteousness are filthy rags. Our Lord said
you thought that I was altogether such a one as yourself. You ever
have people talk about you like you're not there? Does that annoy
you? I mean you're standing there
and people are talking about you and you're right there and
you want to say, ask me. Why don't you ask me? People
talk about God as if he's not there. There was a local newspaper
one time, the churches in the area would advertise their services
in the Sunday's edition. And in this edition, there was
a car dealer's ad got mixed up with a church's ad and it came
out like this, Jesus Christ at the lowest price in years. Jesus Christ is not a spare tire. Jesus Christ is not a doormat
to heaven or a fire escape out of hell. Jesus Christ is God
Almighty, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. And Jesus
Christ doesn't stand in any sinner's heart begging them to do something
for Him. Oh no! Our Sovereign God and
Creator enters into man's heart. He opens the door. He floods
that heart with glory. We jump in. And we come out perfectly
clean. Jesus Christ did not lower God's
standard. He met God's holy law head on. He said, I didn't come to destroy
God's law. I came to fulfill God's law. And in that life, he fully satisfied
God's justice. And on the cross, bearing the
sins of his people, he enabled God to be just when he justifies
a sinner. God's holiness, God's righteousness
now is an argument just as much as His mercy is why He should
forgive sinners. He would be unjust not to for
those for whom Christ died. Therefore I say, At this time,
his righteousness, to declare his righteousness that he might
be just and the justifier of all who believe in Jesus Christ. Again, as a young boy growing
up in West Virginia, I never did go to church much. But my
grandmother, every now and then she would tell my mother, you
need to get those children in church. They're heathens. Especially Larry, he's nothing
but a heathen. She wanted to make me a religious
heathen. But we would pack up, Mom would take us to church.
And this church was owned and operated by a poor old woman
who, like that Pharisee, thought she was working her way to heaven. Oh, she reeked with self-righteousness. I mean, they that went there,
just a few old women they'd run all the men off, they thought
that their religion consisted in touch not, and taste not,
and wear not, and go not, and laugh not, and smile not, and
enjoy not. And of course, they were miserable. And I'm just a young boy, Houston,
and I'm looking at these folks. They looked miserable. I thought
to myself, if that's Christianity, you can have it. Why would I
want anything to do with that? Oh, they just look so unhappy.
And anybody who is serious and tries to work their way to heaven
will be miserable, because it can't be done. You'll never have
peace. Unless it's a false peace. Oh,
how different that is to this. The Lord hath appeared of old
unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee. I have loved thee
with an everlasting love. Therefore, with loving kindness
have I drawn thee. Loved, the hymn writer said.
Loved with an everlasting love. Led by grace that loved to know.
Spirit breathing from above, you have taught me it is so.
All this full and perfect peace. all this transport all divine,
in a love which cannot cease, I am His and He is mine. Is there any joy that can compare
to this? When Jesus Christ is pleased
by His Spirit to speak these words to you, be of good cheer. Thy sins, which are many, are
all forgiven thee. Peace I leave with you. My peace
give I unto you, not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not
your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Grace be unto
you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Here's
the last blessed consequence of salvation by grace. If by
grace every believer has a good hope, the only hope of being
kept here and being brought to glory. Grace is but a foretaste
of glory. If you receive grace, it's the
guarantee that you'll receive glory. Everyone whom Jesus Christ
calls out of darkness, everyone that he redeemed, everyone that
God committed into his hands before the world was created,
he's promised to bring the glory, and God will receive. If salvation's
by grace, I can live with that, can't you? Can't you live with
that? And you can die with that. And
you can face eternity with that. And you can stand before a holy
God with that. Because salvation is all of grace. Until that day, imagine this,
that we see Jesus Christ and worship him with an unsinning
heart. I can't imagine what that's like.
Oh, but one day I'll know. In 2019, On Christmas Day, I was at my
son-in-law's house, Robin's son, up in Indiana, and a dear, dear
friend of mine and my pastor for 20 years was in a hospital
in Cleveland, Ohio, Brother Don Fortner, and I called him. And we talked a while, and I
said, Don, I'm sorry you're having to spend Christmas away from
home, away from your family in a hospital. And I want you to
know, Don, I thank God for you. I thank God for knowing you all
these many years. I'm going to miss you, I told
him. And he said, Larry, he stopped
me. He said, Larry, don't you feel sorry for me. Don't feel
sorry for me. He said, God has been so good
to me, and if anybody should ask you. about me, you be sure
to tell them this, that there is nothing sweeter or of greater
comfort than going out to face God knowing that Jesus Christ
has put away all my sins and I'm accepted in Him. Trusting
your own works won't bring that, will it? Won't give peace like
that. Won't enable you to face death
and eternity and a holy God, but a good hope through grace
will. One more story about my granddaughter.
You know how we grandparents are. You can't stop us. I was
looking at a picture of some grandbabies before service, but
I was visiting them again one time, and she was taking pictures.
I said, what are you doing? She had her phone. I said, what
are you doing? She said, Papa, I took your picture.
I said, let me see that. I looked at her, and I said,
oh, Allie. She's Allison. I said, Allie, Pawpaw needs to
go on a diet. And she said, what does that
mean, Pawpaw? I said, I need to lose weight.
She said, oh no, Pawpaw, you're perfect. You're perfect. Listen, only faith. can enable us to believe and
accept and rejoice and trust in this, to rest in this. You're
looking at a sinner who in the sight of God Almighty is perfect. For Christ's sake, accept it
in the beloved. After God's work of grace, after
being cleansed in that fountain rich in the blood and grace of
God. Here's the result. Thy renown went forth among the
heathen for thy beauty, for it was perfect. It was perfect through
my comeliness that I put upon you, saith the Lord." This is
how the hymn writer expressed it. In the Beloved, God's marvelous
grace calls me to dwell in this wonderful place. God sees my
Savior, then he sees me in the Beloved, accepted and free. 2 Thessalonians 2, let me wrap
this up. Verse 13, we're bound to give
thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord,
because God had from the beginning chosen you to salvation. through
sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth, whereunto
he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast
and hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether
by word or our epistle, Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and
God even our Father, which have loved us and have given us everlasting
consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and
establish you in every good word and work. One old hymn writer
put it like this, "'Twas grace that wrote my name in life's
eternal book. "'Twas grace that gave me to
the Lamb who all my sorrows took. "'Grace taught my heart to pray. and made my eyes o'erflow. It's
grace that's kept me to this day and will not let me go. Will not let me go. Jesus Christ
will not let me go. Oh, let thy grace inspire my
heart with strength divine. May all my powers to thee aspire,
and all my days be thine. Yes, if salvation is all of grace,
then it is well with my soul. God bless you. Thank you for
your attention. All I can say to that is amen,
brother. Thank you. Thank you for that. Let's have
a word of prayer. Lord God Almighty, once more
we come to your blessed son, the Lord Jesus Christ, whom we've
just heard. What a blessing, Lord. What a
privilege. Thank you for your mercy. Thank
you for your grace. Thank you for sending your spirit
to be among us. We thank you for the word that was just brought.
Lord, bless it to our hearts if it would please you. Keep
us rejoicing in our dear Savior as the day goes on. Cause us
to come back and meet again, Lord, this evening if it would
be thy will. Cause your word to flourish according
to thy will, Lord, all things according to thy will. For Christ's
sake, amen. Sing with me. Peace, peace, wonderful
peace, coming down from the Father above. Sweep over my spirit. We'll meet again, Lord willing,
at six o'clock this evening. You're dismissed.