All right, if you wish to follow
along, turn back to Galatians chapter one. A week before last, I tried to
say a few things about what Paul wrote in this letter in the first
couple verses. I want to continue on with the
next three verses, but let's read the first five just to kind
of stay in the context. Paul, an apostle, not of man,
neither by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who
raised him from the dead, and all the brethren which are with
me under the churches of Galatia. Grace be to you and peace from
God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself
for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world
according to the will of God and our Father, to whom be glory
forever and ever. Amen. Now, as you know, but I
will reiterate this, a serious problem had crept into the midst
of the churches of Galatia. The gospel of free reigning grace
was exchanged for something more along the line. Yes, Christ does
save. Yes, Christ is necessary. but
only when mixed with legal circumcision. And that was the main thrust
of these Judaizers, as they're often called, these legalizers
that had come into the churches of Galatia. They did not deny
Christ altogether by any means, but they wanted to mix in this
legal circumcision. Now Paul knew that this one singular
addition to justification before God constituted a Pandora's box. A Pandora's box. Just this one
thing, just this one addition, and that's really all it was.
In the start, that's really all it was, just this thing of legal
circumcision. as needed to go along with Christ
for justification before God. This constituted this Pandora's
box of many legal complications. We know the scriptural phrase,
a little leaven leaveneth a little. Just a little. A little leaven
leaveneth the whole lump. Now this era was so dangerous
I mean, so dangerous, there's a lot of things that are dangerous
in this world. But this error was so dangerous that Paul gives
the following warnings, look at chapter three. Oh foolish Galatians, that's
a strong word, isn't it? Oh foolish Galatians, who hath
bewitched you that you should not obey the truth? You mean,
Doing what God said in the law concerning circumcision is not
the truth, it is under the covenant of grace. That ye should not
obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently
set forth crucified among you. So think about it, he actually
here warns of how were you actually saved? Do you see it? This only
would I learn of you. Now he knows the answer. but
he's impressing upon these people's minds to think about themselves
in this light. This only what I learned of you.
Received ye the Spirit, and that of course is God the Spirit.
Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing
of faith? It's one or the other, it cannot
and is never both. Never both. Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the spirit, are
you now made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things
in vain, if it yet be in vain? He's putting a red flag up to
him. Again, this error was so dangerous
that Paul gives another following warning. Look at chapter four.
He writes these words, chapter four, verse eight. How be it
then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by
nature are no gods, but now, after that ye have known God,
or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and
beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? You observe days and months and
times and years. I am afraid of you. I am afraid of you, lest I have
bestowed upon you Labor in vain. That's pretty sad. Sounds like
Paul's quite serious here. One preacher I heard preaching
from, he was preaching, he was Don Fortner, he preached one
message from every book of the Bible through. And he said you
could just sense Paul's anger in this letter. And yet at the
same time, his love and devotion and care for these people. Because
a man's never your enemy because he tells you the truth. But the
truth, as the old phrase is, the truth, not sometimes, the
truth always hurts. Especially when you're not walking
according to it. The truth always hurts. But even
more, this area was so dangerous that Paul gives another warning
here. Look at, let's see, chapter five. Now think about it. How were you actually saved?
That's what he'll ask them in chapter three. What we have is
chapter three. He had concerns about their actual conversion.
chapter four, verse eight through 11. But Paul was so concerned
about the Galatians' inclusion of this one legal act in the
justification, just one legal act. He was so concerned about
that that Paul expressed the utter emptiness such an act has
concerning God's true gospel. Chapter five. Stand fast, therefore,
in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not
entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I, Paul,
say unto you that if ye be circumcised, and that's if you're circumcised
for a religious reason, for help or aid and justification before
God, Behold what I, Paul, say unto you, that if ye be circumcised,
Christ shall profit you nothing. If that's really the case, if
it's not that you've just been tricked, if it's not that you've
just been hoodwinked, if it's not that somebody just took the
old shell game and you forgot where the F.P. was, no. If this
is really the correct, Christ profits you nothing. For I testify
again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to the whole
law. See the Pandora's box open? He's
a debtor to the whole law. Look at it. Christ is become
of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law.
Now, this is not in fact, but it's what they were claiming.
And even the claim of it was this dangerous, that he gave
this warning. Christ has become of no effect
unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law, you're
fallen from grace. Sounds pretty serious, doesn't
it? Now, since this is so serious, how does one begin when you begin
to address someone who has been so bewitched by such a legal
monstrosity? And that's what I'm calling it.
Circumcision now, listen to me, circumcision now, in seeking
in any way to find some favor or some merit or some acceptance
with God, it is a legal monstrosity. It is to say that what Christ
did on the cross is emptiness. Emptiness. There is only one
foundation to combat legalism, and that's my, my title's this. The One Foundation to Combat
Legalism. There is only one foundation
to combat legalism. And it's this simple, and yet
this complex. Preach Christ. Preach Christ. Preach Christ. Preach Christ. As a matter of fact, in this
book, And I'm not throwing off on any of the other books, so
don't twist what I'm about to say around. But in this book,
Paul talks about the person and work of Christ in just six short
chapters. What we have divided up into
just six short chapters, more than any, even more than the
book to the church at Rome. It's constantly Christ, Christ,
Christ. Every chapter has Christ mentioned
over and over and over. He just hammers on what? No. Who? Christ. Christ. Christ. And somebody says, but
it can't be that simple. It is that simple. It is that
simple. Just preach Christ. Look at it.
Yes, he goes to the problem quickly. And you see that in verse six,
right? He moves to the problem. I marvel.
that you're so soon removed from him. And notice this legal monstrosity,
just this one thing of legal circumcision means you've moved
away from him, God. You see, it's that serious. But
before Joey even does that, he says, grace be to you. And peace from God the Father
and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Why, because he's the only answer
to this problem. He's the only answer to this
problem. Who gave, look at it, he goes right to it. Who gave
himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present
evil world according to the will of God the Father to whom be
glory forever and ever. So be it. Preach Christ. Paul does this
constantly through this letter. And when I began to see that,
it just dawned on me a couple weeks ago. He just sticks with Christ, Christ,
Christ, Christ. He's like a fish caught by a
treble hook, and it's embedded so deep into the fish's mouth,
you just can't spit it out. Paul was hooked on Jesus Christ. He had been apprehended or arrested
by Jesus Christ. and he's still in his chains,
his handcuffs. My brothers and sisters, it's
good when God won't let you get away from Jesus Christ. Because
if he ever let you get away from Jesus Christ, you never really
knew him to start with. You might have convinced yourself
you did, if it happens to me, but it's just not so. So let's
move along. Consider these two thoughts,
just two. Yes, there is no question. Paul quickly addresses the problem. And he goes into, there's a lot
of detail in just these short chapters. It's astounding. It may take me longer to preach
through Galatians than it did through the book of Romans, because
I'm gonna, sometimes we're gonna stop and part for a while. Because
there's so much, it's such rich truth here. And again, I'm not
throwing off on any other book, but this, it's just rich. He
addresses the problem. I marvel that you're so soon
removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ
and to another gospel. But quickly the spirit moves
him to write which is not another. But there be some that trouble
you and would pervert the gospel of Christ. These were not some
pagan heathens. These were men who believed the
Bible. who believed in the Messiah,
who believed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, who believed
the facts about his birth, life, death, burial, resurrection,
and ascension, but didn't know the truth about it. You ever
thought about that? They knew the facts, but they
still didn't know the truth. That's a little frightening,
isn't it? which is not another, but there'd be some that would
trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ. I think
that's a strong word. We talk about some sexual perversions,
and I'm not even going to mention all that stuff, but that's the
word we use when we're trying to enforce how monstrous it is. Paul's saying this, another gospel,
it's not really another. It's a monstrosity. and he's
talking about, listen to me, I know there was, the law for righteousness before
God, the preaching of that is a monstrosity. It's dangerous to men's souls. And it's not, it's only true
now in the day of grace, it's always been true. Always. Abraham had no law, except as
it was written in his conscience, but he did not know all of the
details of it. Abraham walked and lived by grace,
through faith, looking for Messiah to come. He saw Christ's day. He was happy about it. He was
happy about it. So Paul, yes, he quickly addresses
the problem. And it's serious, but the we,
Paul includes even himself, But though we or an angel from heaven
preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached
unto you, let him be accursed. Oh, but we're just supposed to
love everybody. You better not. You turn your emotions over to
the wrong person, you're in trouble. Especially if that person is
preaching a false gospel. A perversion of the gospel of
Christ. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach
any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him
be accursed. Ah, but first, before he even
mentions the problem, Paul lays the one foundation to gospel
truth. Christ. Christ. Now think about it. Now we'll
do a lot with this one, but grace and peace. Note the order. God must always give grace first
before there's any true peace. Any peace that I have or you
have or anybody hears this message at a later date, anybody who
thinks they have peace and it didn't come from God through
grace, it's no peace at all. It's a false peace. It's a dangerous
peace. It's a peace that may well lead
your soul to damnation forever. You know, you've heard people,
well, I'm at peace with myself. That's one place you ought never
to be at peace with is yourself. Yeah, I've heard people say that,
right? Make your peace with God. And Forrest Gump said that about
Lieutenant Dan in the movie. And people eat that up. He made
his peace with God. No, he didn't. It comes, peace
comes from God. And it only comes by God's grace
because he's the God of how much grace? A-L-L. I got no grace
in me whatsoever unless God Almighty put it there. Because he's the
God of all grace. Grace and peace. Grace and peace
has deity as its only source. No human action whatsoever. None. See, grace and peace to
you. I'm sorry, grace be to you and
peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ. That's the only source of these
two things. Secondly, all glory, all merit, and I emphasize the
all, all glory. All merit, all praise from first
to last is to this deity, God the Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ. Look at verse five. To whom be
glory forever and ever. He said, so be it. It's just
the way it is. Tommy, you said you can't even
take credit for being able to nail a board up. Why? Because even, and thank
you for that. Because it's even in him that
we live and move and have our being. The most utterly rejected
person on this earth can do nothing unless God Almighty gives them
the ability from heaven to do it. All glory, all merit, all
praise from first to last is to God Almighty the Father and
God the Son. And it's not just a little tip
we're giving God. It's because he earned it. He
has the right to the glory and the honor and the praise. He's
earned it. Thirdly, this is what I want
to dwell on. This is what Paul dwells on.
Christ's work is key. It's key in this thing. All the
grace and peace, even if God would give you grace and peace,
it means nothing apart from what Jesus Christ accomplished when
he died on that tree. Christ's work is key. His work
is solo. His work is unassisted. Notice
what he says. Who gave himself for our sins. You see that? Now, I thought
about that. I looked up that word gave. And we think, well, you transfer
something from one hand to another, from one place to another, from
one person to another, and that's certainly included. But this
word here, who gave in the Greek, he yielded up himself. You see,
he yielded up. Think of what he laid down, at
least visibly and outwardly. Think of what he laid down to
come here and be made flesh, just to be made flesh. As Earl
used to say on occasion, God Almighty confined himself to
the womb of a virgin for nine months. He could have just appeared in
flesh, but he had to really be a part of us. This is no game
with God. This is real. And Jesus Christ
had to actually be able to associate, put himself into our level, come
down here and be what we are. Though he had no sin in him,
he lived in a body that suffered the consequences of sin all around
him. It could be hungry, thirsty,
tired, sweat, and stink from the sweat. I'm not trying to
be vulgar now, but stink from human excrement. God Almighty,
he gave himself for us. Most of the time we think that
means he died for us. That's certainly true, but he did a
lot more than just die for us. He was born for us, he lived
for us, he suffered for us, and he died for us. who gave himself,
and what does it say, who yielded up himself for, or that is, on
account of, and in light of our sins. His primary goal was not to make
us better people, but to make us right in God's sight. If all
he had to do was make us right in God's, just right, just different,
just better people, he could have just give us new creation,
new man. but justice has to be satisfied.
Sins must be dealt with. You think about it, God could
not have just come down and just give us new man, a new nature,
give us birth from above and that everything be okay. Our
sins still stood in the way. Sins had to be dealt with. I want you to think about who
gave himself for our sins. This is one act. He does not
and has never and will never do this over and he didn't have
to. He offered one sacrifice for
sin forever. You know what the book says?
It says, according to the writer of Hebrews, chapter one, verses
one through three, he purged our sins. And then he sat down
on the right hand of God the Father. So what does this book
teach about Jesus Christ and him purging sins? It took place
almost 2,000 years ago. He is not now purging sins. They
are purged. Here's getting down to the nitty
gritty. Everyone that professes to be a Christian, free will,
free grace, Arminian, Calvinist, whatever it might be, Everyone
who professes to believe the Bible, to believe in Jesus Christ,
says, yes, Christ died for our sins. Do they not? You know what
the big difference is? Some people don't believe he
actually accomplished anything when he died for our sins. He
just, they believe he made something or many things possible. And
they say, well, it's right here in the text. Well, let's look
at it. Who gave himself for our sins that he, here's their key
word, might. Might. I sat down and I got out
my books and I poured over this. And I am gonna give you a little
bit of a Greek lesson this morning. That he might deliver us from
this present evil world. See, they say, okay, see, it's
might. And of course, the word might in English means to make
possible. That's the actual meaning. It's
the same meaning in Greek. I'm not gonna sit here and lie
to you. You see, a real good Calvinist would skirt that issue.
No. But no, just like in English,
so is the Greek and almost every other language. I can't say it
about them all, Joe, because I'm not a language expert by
any means. But almost every language will have a word and it has variations
of meaning according to context. You see it? And I thought about
giving some examples, but it don't matter, you know that's
true. But it does say, who gave himself, he yielded up himself
for our sins, that he might. Now in the Greek, it means this,
to make possible. But it also can mean this, in
order that he would be able to. You see it? You look at the meaning
of that word, it's base word and the actual word, in order
that he would be able to, it would be possible for him, because
folks, he couldn't deliver us from this present evil world
if he didn't give himself up for our sins. He made it possible for him to
save us. Huh? You see? He made it possible. And God's
possibilities are always absolutely certain. They're not ifs like
our possibilities. Because look at the context,
who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from
this present evil world according, here we go, to the will of God
and our Father. Now it's either this, God willed
to save everything, and God's will fell flat to the ground.
in spite of what Christ did, because this book does not teach
everyone will be saved, does it? Or it means that when Jesus
Christ came into this world, he gave himself for somebody's
sins, and he so did it that now he might deliver us from this
present evil world according to the will of God the Father. You see, that's the difference
between free will and free grace. We all believe in the facts of
his life, death, burial. We believe in the facts, but
not everybody believes the truth. John said we got to believe.
I'm paraphrasing. We got to believe the record
God gave of his son, or we make God a liar. Right? So when Hebrews
said he purged our sins before he sat down, then Joe, when did
he purge them? Not once you believe, not once
you repent, not once you come forward and pray the prayer.
He purged our sins when he died on the tree. and you hath he
reconciled in the body of his flesh through death. So when
did he reconcile us? When he died on that tree. Yet
there are some who profess to be Christians say well he made
it possible for us to be reconciled if we do this, we do that. Now
am I building a straw man or am I telling the facts? You see
we believe the record God gave his son, they just believe his
son is real. That's basically it. It says, Christ was made
a curse for us. And let me read that, I don't
wanna misquote that one. That's in this same letter, verse
13 of chapter three. Christ hath redeemed us from
the curse of the law. When, when he converted me by
the gospel? No, no, uh-uh, no. My conversion by the gospel is
only valid based upon this fact right here, this truth right
here, this act right here of the Son of God. Christ hath redeemed
us from the curse of the law. Not when, but be. Made a curse for us. As it is written, cursed is everyone
that hangeth on a tree, that the blessing of Abraham might
come. There's God opening up the door of great possibility. This is the will of God. That he might deliver us from
this present evil world. You see, the act of Christ at
Calvary has a certain result. He actually accomplished some
things when he died on that tree. And we are brought by the preaching
of the gospel to believe that record. When you either believe
that record, you believe that Christ did what he did and accomplished
what he accomplished when he died on that tree, or you don't
really believe him. You can have your baptism, it's
just another ritual apart from Jesus Christ being crucified.
You can have your bread and unleavened, your unleavened bread and your
wine, but it's just another ritual apart from the person and work
of Jesus Christ. You can join the church and you
can give and serve and help, but it's nothing apart from the
person and work of Jesus Christ. You see, we've even made rituals
out of things in the new covenant. Baptism, the Lord's table, right? We even make rituals out of them
rather than being what they are. Baptism, the answer of a good
conscience toward God. Taking the unleavened bread and
the wine is doing it, what? In remembrance of Christ. It's
not about, we don't do that so all factions can come together.
I used to be taught that a lot. We used to hear that a lot. Well,
if you're gonna take the Lord's table, you better settle everything
with your brother or sister. We're not doing it to remember
one another, to get along with one another. We do it in remembrance
of Christ. Notice that he might deliver
us from this present evil world. A couple things here. He did
that judicially when he died on that tree. He did that legally
when He died on that tree. He reconciled us, He redeemed
us. When He was quickened, because
we were in Him, we were quickened when He came out of that grave.
It's judicial, it's a decent word. In other words, it's real. When you have judicial matters
or legal matters, it has to do with law, and make sure that
I's are dotted and the T's are crossed, right? And Christ said,
I didn't come to destroy the law, but what did he do? I come to fulfill it. And bless
God, he did. He did, both in his positive
aspect, this do and live. This do and live, and in his
penal, If you do this, you will die. He did both. Did he not? He even died under the sentence
of God Almighty. But aren't you glad God didn't
just leave it that way? In other words, let me try to
bring this together here. Christ, when he died for us,
everyone, it's not about, well, I believe Christ died only for
the elect. That don't mean squat. Do you believe that he accomplished
what he came to do? That he fulfilled the will of
the Father? That's what matters. Now is that only for the elect?
Yes, it's only for the elect. But there are a lot of people
that believe Christ died only for the elect, but they hate
the fact that scripture said he was made sin. They believe
in sovereign grace. but they don't really believe
he was made sin. That's not believing the record God gave the son because
God said, he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin
that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. That's a judicial
legal foundation accomplished some odd 2,000 years ago. But
aren't you glad God didn't leave us where we were and then just
have to wait till we get to glory to find out whether Christ died
for us or not? Aren't you glad? Turn to 1 Corinthians. Now I
know this passage is used in a totally different way than
what I want to preach from it. It's usually used to browbeat
people who've made a profession of faith, but not living like
they're supposed to be living. It's meant to scare them, you
know? Look at what Paul says, 1 Corinthians chapter six. And
you know the context, so let's just read what really is pertinent
to what I'm talking about. Verse nine, know ye not that
the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived,
neither fornicators, nor adulterers, nor adulterers, nor effeminate,
that's men who act like women. That's what effeminate means.
Nor abusers of themselves of mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous,
nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, and that's
just a small portion of the list, let me say, shall inherit the
kingdom of God. And such were some of you. Do you see that? God didn't leave
us like that. Now that's all still in the flesh,
but God didn't leave us like that. He gave us new birth, birth
from above. We have a whole different outlook
now upon ourselves and God Almighty and Christ. We see everything
differently now. My lands, I see myself so much
differently than I did when I was five years old, walked down,
made a profession of faith. And that wasn't because I've
grown and studied the word of God, that's because all of a
sudden, God Almighty through the preaching of the gospel crossed
my path. and having given me life from above, I heard that
message and I couldn't help but believe it. And my world has
never been the same since. I'm still just as frail and faulty
and corrupt as I ever was, but bless God, he's given me something
now that's glorious. And Paul, you've done mentioned
it, Joe's mentioned it. And such were some of you. Aren't you glad? If you were
an idolater, and we all were to some degree. Remember, Paul
read it covetousness. And Paul said, which is idolatry.
So if you just ever wanted what somebody else has got, you were
an idolater. Now, chew on that one for a while.
Don't have to bow down to old Buddha, sitting there cross-legged,
do you? No, just want something that
God Almighty hadn't given you and he's given to somebody else.
Paul said it's idolatry. I thank God he don't leave us
there. I thank God that when I walk into the grocery store,
and this might get me in trouble, I don't say I don't think about
it, But I see that candy bar, and I thought, well, if I had
a stick in my pocket, I would have to pay $3 for it now. Now, my mind will
think all kinds of, this flesh will think all kinds of weird
garbage. But you know what I say? No, Walter. Why? Because I'm afraid I'll go to
hell? No, because I figure that guy'll catch me, and then I'm really
in trouble. I lose my job, I lose my standing, I lose my wife,
maybe everything. Huh? Why? Because I'm such a great person?
No, because God almighty said, breathe life into me. There would
have been a time I'd have walked along. I mean, I was given a dime one
time because we all, you know, it was your birthday, they took
up a special collection from the kids and the old folks and
however old you was, you put that much money in the plate.
I was 10 years old, I was given a dime, put it in the plate.
You know where that dime went, don't you? In the bottom of my
shoe, under my sock. We laugh, it's okay. That's thievery. It was supposed to be for God,
right? And I stuck it in my shoe. And such were some of you, but
notice this ain't just, I've pulled myself up with my own
bootstraps. I've reckoned within myself I'm
gonna be a better man. And that can happen. That can
happen. If you're drunk, you can go to
AA, they'll help you get off of it, right? But you'll still
go to hell a sober drunk. Because you already at least
was one. The desire's still gonna be there, they just teach you
how to try to avoid it, and you still die and go to hell. Sober
as you can be. And such were some of you, but
it's not about us. But ye were washed, that comes
from the outside. It's not what we do, it's what's
been done, not just for us judicially, but now what's been done to us
and in us. You see it? but you're washed, but you're
set apart, you're sanctified, but you're justified, all but
here's the key, in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit
of our God. God did it all. Aren't you glad God didn't leave
you where you was when you was unconverted? Even more than that. Aren't you glad God didn't leave
you in the darkness of your false religion and false beliefs? but
he gave you eyes to see and ears to hear and a heart to perceive
the glorious truth of the sovereign God in saving sinners, ungodly
corrupt sinners through the personal work of Jesus Christ. And now
you see it and you can't get away from it. Even when you fall
flat on your face, you still can't get away from it, can you?
If God ever really saves you, you'll never be able to just
forget Christ. Now you might have some medical
problem or something, but you will never just, well, I just
believe, I just believe I'm not gonna serve the Lord and believe
God today. It don't happen that way. Why? Because who gave himself
for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world.
And one day we will be literally. delivered from this present evil
world, including myself. I will be delivered from myself. I am to a degree, that might
not be the best way to put it, I am to a degree delivered from
myself now, but bless God, back one day, I'll be totally done
with this. And I don't even know what that's gonna be like, but
I know it's gonna be, as Paul says, glory revealed in us. In us, Romans chapter eight.
You see, this one act of Christ and even its results, you see,
conversions, you see it? Let me put it to stop. Regeneration
and conversion. Perseverance. No matter if you
fall flat on your face, God lifts you back up again. He doesn't
leave you there, does he? He doesn't leave you there, not
if you're his. When you miserably sin, he chastens you, but he
does it how? in love. Now it may not feel
like love, Jack, but bless God it is. Huh? Bless God it is. This one act and its certain
results is eternally ordained according to the will of God. Ephesians chapter one. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ
by the will of God to the saints which are at Ephesus and to the
faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace be to you and peace. And
he never, Paul never switches that order around. From God our
Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, blessed be the God and
Father. Paul was thankful to God for what he's about to preach
here, what he's about to say. A lot of people don't like it.
He loved it. He praised God for it, didn't
he? Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places
in Christ. And I've illustrated this before because it helps
me. I hope it's helped you. Maybe today it'll help you. Remember
when the children of Israel left Egypt? They had with them everything
they would need for that trip. Everything. They didn't stop
at the Walmart. and buy food, it rained down
from heaven. Their clothes didn't wear, shoes
didn't wear out. And the gold, all the stuff that
the Egyptians said, here, get out of here, take this, take
that. Now did they see that those things were gonna be a tabernacle
one day? They were already blessed with all, see it? See the illustration?
They already had it all. They might not have been able
to recognize it in its present state, but bless God, they had
it. And that's what Paul's talking
about. Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly
places in Christ, according as he has chosen us in him before
the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without
blame before him in love, having predestinated us under the adoption
of children by Jesus Christ himself. We didn't go looking for it,
he came and brought it. See it? Look, according to the good pleasure
of his will. to the praise of the glory of
his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved, in
whom we have redemption through blood, the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded
toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the
mystery of his will. Aren't you glad God didn't leave
you in the darkness? But he lets you see this, even
though it's, Joe, it's like, It's so little, I mean, spiritual
blessings are so vast and we only really can get a hold of
the little bits of it, but it's all there. And God'll give us
just whatever little bit we need for the time. He will, because
he's abounding toward us all wisdom and prudence. Having made
known in us the mystery of his will, according to the good pleasure
which he hath purposed in himself. that in the dispensation of the
fullness of times, he might gather together in one all things in
Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even
in him in whom we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated,
here's the last part, according to the purpose of him who worketh
all things after the counsel of his own will. My brothers and sisters, God
was thinking about you before the world began. When he dwelt,
before an angel was created, before a star, before the universe,
he had us on his eternal heart and mind. And he loved us enough
to come down here and become one of us. and he's eternally become one
of us. He's still in a body of flesh
and blood. Now glorify, I grant you. But he's gonna be a man,
Jesus Christ is gonna be a man forever. Forever. Eternally. You know why? Because
he loved us. Because he loved us. Legal deeds,
how do they look now? Huh? They kinda start to pale,
don't they? Well, I believe I'll keep the
Sabbath day. Really? He is our rest. He is our rest. Legal deeds, flesh deeds, religious
deeds, even if they're sincere deeds. Let's not mix them with
Christ and his work. Now, you know, baptism is valid. The Lord's table is valid, but
it's not our righteousness before God. It gains us that money you
put in that box over there. I thank God for you. Thank God
for you. But it gives us no credit before
God whatsoever. Aren't you glad? If you really
are, you're saved. If you're a little wishy-washy
on that, I stand in doubt of you. I stand in doubt of you. Heavenly Father, may these words
May they, your words have been an encouragement to us. May they,
what Joe has preached, and Paul's preached, and I've preached this
morning, your word, not our words, not what we said about it, but
what your word said, may it strengthen us in the coming days. Be with
many who we know and care about, who's having all manner of difficulties. Lord, we don't know what's needed,
but you do. Lord, by your sovereign, free mercy and compassion, supply
that which is needed for the hour, in Christ's name, amen.