If you would and you want to
follow along please turn to 2nd Corinthians chapter 3 2nd Corinthians chapter 3 I'm
going to read the first five verses Verse 1 do we begin again to
command commend ourselves and Or need we, as some others, epistles
of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? Ye
are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all
men. For as much as ye are manifestly
declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written
not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God, not in tables
of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. And such trust
we have through Christ to Godward. Not that we are sufficient of
ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency
is of God. who also hath made us able ministers
of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit. For the letter killeth, but the
spirit giveth life. And we'll stop right there. I believe I have a message to
preach today. And I believe it is a message
from God. I know it's a message from his word, but I want you
all to pay attention to what I have to say. I'm not here to hear myself talk,
even though I might love to talk. That's not the purpose today,
right here, right now. And having a message, I have
instruction which is one reason why I had brought that dopey
piece of paper. I do have instruction, but it's for myself and for you,
both. I remember Earl talking about
that. If the message doesn't mean anything to me, how's it
mean anything to you? Understand you don't preach in
a vacuum. I think Earl said that too. If
not, he should have. I think he did. I know he did
say this. The message is for me as much
as it is for you. Maybe more, I hope not, but maybe
more. Because I need his message. The
word of God written and spoken is for all of his people, and
preachers are included in that. To be honest, I don't know of
a message from God that I don't need, if it's a message from
God. And we are to try the spirits.
We are to search the scriptures to see if these things be so,
and I invite you to do it. And welcome to the people streaming. And welcome to the television
audience, because we're probably going to put this on there. And
I invite you and encourage you to follow along. Check what the
scriptures state and give heed to God's instruction. I agree
with Rolf Barnard. If my voice is the only voice
you hear, it's not gonna be of any spiritual benefit. But if you hear God's word, it's
a benefit. It's always a benefit. It may
vex you, it may make you mad, it may upset you, but that doesn't
mean it's not for your benefit. I can attest to that. These are these are instructions
and comments Paul wrote to the Corinthians Paul tells these
Corinthian believers that they themselves are an epistle Written
in our hearts known and read of all men it says declared to
be the epistle of Christ Why he tells us what but with the
spirit of the living God. Not in tables of stone, but in
fleshly tables of the heart. Now, how can Paul say that? These people believed God. It's not that they believed Paul,
it's that they believed God. Now, I do want to put this in
right here. This is not a case, I've heard this said before,
It's wrong, okay? I'd rather see a sermon than
hear one. Most people would. But I'm gonna
tell you something, if you're blind, you're not gonna see anything. That's not what Paul's talking
about here. He's talking about the fact that these people received
God's message from God's man and believed God's message and
believed Christ. by the power of the Spirit of
God. What did he say? Verse four,
and such trust have we through Christ to God. Okay? Understand, Paul's writing,
the trust we have that you are an epistle is not in you. That's
not where the trust is. Not where the trust is it's not
in you the trust that Paul has that these are an epistle is
through Christ to God word Paul never you can check his
writings Paul never put any confidence in anybody's flesh Our trust is in Christ Jesus
why I Because if you are saved, if you are an epistle of Christ,
it's because of his power, his work, his redemption, Christ's
reconciliation, his salvation, his mercy, his grace, his love,
his wisdom, his everything. The trust that we have, and it's
a hard thing. Now I'm not gonna go into that
right now because I will tell you this He says these people
were our epistle through Christ to God word That's where our
trust is Our trust is in that Christ has done the work in you
and he is the hope of glory in you I Want to say this Here in
this small place, we have seen people come and we have seen
people go. And we have seen some people
come who stay. Those who continue in Christ
Jesus are disciples indeed. And I'm here to tell you, none
other, none other. We've had some profess, we've
had some be baptized, some stay for years. and then leave. I mean, we've seen it. We've
all seen it. We've seen them leave. Now, those that leave
the gospel and the truth, and here's the key, and don't come
back, because some have left, but they came back and apologized
even. One of them I know for certain.
You understand? We are in this world and we are
not perfect. And we're not saying anyone's
perfect. We're not talking about people who have to move for a
job or for whatever reason. Not at all. It's not that you
have to be right here, right now, no. But if you leave the
gospel and the truth, John had words for you. John had words
for you. He said they went out from us
because they were not of us. Because had they been of us,
they would have no doubt continued with us or with somebody else
in another place. But that it might be manifest
that they weren't of us, they're gone. And that's the truth because
our trust is not to be in you and it's not to be in me. Our
trust is in Christ Jesus to God word. Those that leave the gospel and
don't come back, Those were not written upon the spirit, by the
spirit of the living God. His foundation, his foundation
is sure. Not my foundation, not your foundation.
His foundation is sure. What does it say? Nevertheless,
the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord
knoweth. them that are his. And let everyone
that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. Don't wanna
leave that out. Let me tell you something. To
separate yourself from the people of God and from his gospel and
from his truth is iniquity. People don't think of it that
way. It's just a personality clash. I don't like that person
over there, or I don't like the preacher, or we don't have a
choir, or we don't have a Sunday school. No, no, no, no. You don't
depart from the name of Christ. That's iniquity. If Christ is
preached, therein you're supposed to rejoice. Especially if he's
preached plainly and cleanly and by his word, we're to rejoice
in the words of Christ. Paul said if you preach strife
and envy and stuff, there is Christ is preached, I'll rejoice. But if it's preached clear and
true and from his word, why not rejoice? Why not rejoice? We
trust through Christ to God word. Why? It says Paul wrote, not
that we are sufficient of ourselves. See the trust? Now this is speaking
of talking about the congregation at Corinth. That's who Paul's
writing his letter to. And he does say, ye are our epistle,
because there's more preachers there than him. And this is speaking
from the preacher's point of view. And he says, we're not
trusting in you. Our trust is to Christ, to Godward,
toward God. But then he says, not the trust,
the trust is not in ourselves. Understand? I'm not trusting
in you, and I'm not trusting in me. And I'm not trusting in
any other preacher, no matter how much I like them. That's
not where the trust is. The trust is not ourselves, not
that we are sufficient of ourselves. Even of ourselves, preachers,
proclaimers of the word of God, what? through Christ to God. We are not sufficient of ourselves,
and that is an absolutely not. Excuse me. This is so true now
as it was before, we believe. You wanna see that? Let me see
if I, where did I mark it? I think I did, yeah. Mark chapter
10. Hopefully a very familiar passage
of scripture mark chapter 10 and verses 26 and 27 This is the disciples speaking
to Christ Well, let's read verse 23 just
the context and Jesus looked round about and saith unto his
disciples How hardly shall they that have riches? enter into
the kingdom of God. And the disciples were astonished
at his words. You know why? Well, they thought
prosperous people were blessed of God. That's what they thought. Now, what does the world think
today? Big churches. Mega churches. God's got to be in that. Oh,
heck no. I'm being polite. Heck no. No. Bigger is not always better. Matter of fact, usually the majority
is always wrong as far as scripture comes. They're saying there's
a broad way that leads to destruction. There's a straight gate and a
narrow way that leadeth unto life everlasting. And few there
be that find it. But this, even in Christ's day,
these people are blessed of God, aren't they? And Christ is saying,
it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle
than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. And this
shocked them. This shocked them. And they were
astonished, out of measure. They didn't get it. It goes against
common knowledge, Walter. We were talking about that on
the phone. Everybody knows that religious rich people are blessed. Spurgeon even talked about that.
He said, I've seen more people ruined by riches than I have
by poverty. I'm not gonna go into that, but
that's what Christ told him. He says, because here it is,
they asked him, they were astonished out of measure, saying among
themselves, who then can be saved? That's the question of the day.
Who can be saved? Who can be saved? Christ said,
it's not up to you. With men, it's not difficult. With men, it's difficult. No,
that's not what he said. He didn't say it was difficult. He didn't
say it was hard. He didn't say it took a lot of
work and a lot of mental, what do they call it, determination,
mental skill, anything. With men, it's impossible. With
men, it's impossible. Who then can be saved? And this
is Christ's answer. With men, it's impossible, right?
With men, it's impossible. He told his disciples in another
place, you didn't choose me. Why? With men, it's impossible.
I've been reading books, and I confessed this to Walter over
the phone yesterday. I get into these patterns, you
know? I'll read something, then I'll read fiction, then I'll
read some theology, and then I'll read this and I'll read
that. in any of the fiction I'm reading and most of the, any
kind of a science book, okay? Two things are facts, established
facts in this world. Free will and evolution. That's exactly what the, I mean,
you can find it in any book you want to. Both of them are wrong
and both of them are lies. But it's common knowledge. Everybody
knows we were descended from monkeys. I think it's a shame
to blame the monkeys for it. That's just me, you know? Y'all
hard on monkeys. I remember when, Henry, I think
you said it, Walter, we talked about it, he says, you know,
dumb as an ox, he says, y'all are being mean to the ox. You
know, because the ox knows his master's crib. We don't know
that. The problem's with men, it's
impossible. Not difficult. It's not even,
it's not even available, Walter. Jesus Christ died to make salvation
available. Jesus Christ died to make salvation
possible. No, with men it's impossible.
It's impossible. But, that's one of the best buts
in the world right there. But not with God. For with God,
all things are possible. Yes it is. I'm gonna tell you
something. We are not sufficient, and here
it is, we're not sufficient to communicate the truth. Or grace,
or the spirit. Two men. That's what Paul said,
we're not sufficient for preaching. Now ain't that something? Boosting that. I agree. And I've heard other people say
this, Earl said it, Henry said it, Walter said it, I'll say
it. I don't believe in the division of clergy and laity. Of preachers
and people who don't preach. What do you say? I don't believe
in that. Because you understand, I need
this message as much as you do. You're the epistle written in
your hearts by the Holy Spirit, and so am I. Or I got no business
being up here. And I'm not sufficient for these
things, neither are you. And I don't trust in you, and
I don't trust in you, and I certainly don't trust in me. Oh my. However, I know this,
because Christ said it, with God, all things are possible. Again, I'll tell you, nevertheless,
the foundation of God stands sure. The Lord knoweth them that
are his. Because you understand, we're
not sufficient to communicate the spirit. Well, here's another
thing. Be perfectly honest about it.
And I'm sorry, most preachers won't be perfectly honest about
it with you. We're not sufficient to discern, read, to think or
judge a right of a work in grace in your heart. I don't know. I have a good hope. I have a
good hope. Because you're here. And you
haven't left. And many, many people have left.
We've said it before, we'll say it again. More people have left
than are here now. Now I don't know what that says
about we're not sufficient. I know I'm not sufficient. More
people, the guy left after I spoke to him one time. I'll take the rap for it, I will.
But I suspect there was more wrong there than just me speaking
to him. But anyhow. We're not even sufficient
to communicate. We're not sufficient to discern. The foundation of God stands
sure. The Lord knows them that are his. And with God, all things
are possible. God saves, and God knows. And we're not sufficient. And
here it is where Paul admits, not that we think anything as
of ourselves, Like I said, Paul's writing to those who preach.
Knowing we are nothing of ourselves, I am not sufficient. Walter is
not sufficient. Paul's not sufficient. Earl wasn't
sufficient. No man is sufficient, whoever
preached the gospel. I'll take the word of Paul on
that. Being inspired by the Holy Ghost
and written in the scripture, I'll take the word of Paul on
that. And that preacher, every preacher, better know that he's
not sufficient. And I'll put it to you this,
he will, he will. He will. God will show you, you
are not sufficient. If you don't know it, I think
they do. Because preachers are not to think they are anything
of themselves, and I try not to. But God will show his preachers
that they are nothing of themselves. Here's where all of God's people
should live, preacher or not. For we are the circumcision which
worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus. It doesn't
stop there. And, and have no confidence in
the flesh. No confidence in the flesh. None. We don't think anything of ourselves.
Why? Because we are still beings of
flesh. And in our flesh dwells no good
thing. I mean, I don't know how else do you say that? In the flesh, no man can please
God. And we have no confidence in
the flesh. Because that's what we do think.
In my flesh dwells no good thing. And we have a sufficiency. We have a sufficiency. Not of
ourselves. What did he finish up with this
verse? But our sufficiency is of God. Now, how much of my sufficiency
is of God? All of it. Listen folks, it's
a sufficiency. It's a completion, it's a totality,
it's everything. We don't have any sufficiency
in ourselves, we have all sufficiency in God. With God, all things
are possible. With men, everything's impossible. But with God, all things are
possible. All sufficiency is of God. Our grace. is of the sufficiency
of God. We are saved by grace, through
faith, and that not of yourselves, it's the gift of God. Not of
works, lest any man should boast, for we are his workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus. He's the sufficiency. Unto good
works. He's the sufficiency for that.
He's gonna work in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Why? He's our sufficiency. Our sufficiency is God. Paul
is writing, God's grace is sovereign, Walter. Our sufficiency is of God. And
on that paper I read you this morning, they didn't go into
it. I will be gracious, to whom I
will be gracious. I will have mercy on whom I will
have mercy. And if you want to go to Romans
nine from there, he said, and whom I will, I'll harden. You
understand, some people want to take one part and forget the
rest. I remember, I was just listening
to a message of Henry Mahan coming up the road, he says, I might
not like particular redemption, but there it is. You understand? There's lots of things that when
I first read them, I didn't like. I didn't like John chapter six,
Walter, it confounded me. When he says that no man cometh
unto the Father except by me. You know why? Because with man
it's impossible, and with God all things are possible. Am the
way the truth and the life and no man cometh to the father but
by me By me Not with me not even through
me in this case by me By me what because with God all things are
possible our sufficiency is of God Our light He's the light. He's the light. You understand? Outside of him, there's nothing
but darkness. Without him in you is nothing
but darkness. See, that's what some people
don't understand. The light shines all the time. The problem is
we don't see it. My problem at one time was that
I could not see it. If our gospel be hid, it is hid
to them that are lost. What's it say after that? Whom
the God of this world has blinded. Blinded their minds. Why? That they won't see. They won't
see the light. They won't see Christ. But our
sufficiency is of God. You understand, if you're an
epistle, Written in our hearts and known and read of all men
for it is manifestly the declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered
by us Written not with ink but with the spirit of the Living
God not in tables of stone, but in the fleshly tables of the
heart If that's true it's because of Christ in you the hope of
glory It's not because of you. It's because of him and our sufficiency
is of God Such trust we have through Christ toward God Our
sufficiency is of God our light any light we see is only seen
by the seeing eyes he gives And any light we see is Christ who
is the light? Our knowledge The sufficiency is of God for
knowledge Paul tells in another place, grow in the grace and
the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. How do you
do that? Through his work. Through your
study, through your reading, and through hearing his word
preached. I'm not talking about progressive sanctification. You
don't get better saved every day, no. You just maybe, maybe learn a
little bit more of the sufficiency of God in your salvation. Our very faith is of the sufficiency
of God. We're saved by grace through
faith, and that not of yourselves. It's the gift of God. Faith is
the gift of God. I know people don't like to hear
that. They say, you Baptists use that
all the time. And I say, I'm not Baptist anymore.
I'm Sovereign Grace. Was born Catholic, what do you
want? I just went to Baptist church
because that was the name on the door. But the truth was preached. And some of them, not so much
anymore, but some of them. But you understand, faith is
the gift of God, but not only that, Jesus Christ is the author
and the finisher of faith. If He's given it to you, it's
His faith that He gave you. And our sufficiency is of God.
Our sufficiency of God. What is it? Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places, In what? In Christ. Our blessings are of the sufficiency
of God. And our sufficiency is of God,
and we trust, what? Through Christ toward God. And that's preacher or not. It's just believers. Because
this is as true, if it's true of Paul, it's true of all of
us. All believers. In conclusion, this was not a new thought to
the Apostle Paul. Not at all. Matter of fact, this
is pretty much how everything started in Corinth for Paul. Because this is what I need,
I need to hear Our sufficiency is of God. And this is what I
want to hear, is that our sufficiency is of God. And I want to hear
about Jesus Christ, and I love to hear about Jesus Christ. Because
I need his sufficiency. I want his sufficiency. And this
Bible is full of his sufficiency. And if my message is not of his
sufficiency, there's a wrong note somewhere. because it's not his message. I need the all-sufficient Christ
Jesus of the scripture. But look here in Acts chapter
18, verse nine. Just for some background, verse
one, this is after Paul departed Athens, he came to Corinth, and
he met Aquila and Priscilla. And he reasoned in the synagogue
every Sabbath, as verse four, and persuaded the Jews and the
Greeks. And Silas and Timothy came. And Paul was pressed in
the spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. In verse six, when they opposed
themselves and blasphemed, he shook his raiment and said unto
them, your blood be upon your own heads, I am clean. From henceforth
I go unto the Gentiles. And he departed the fence and
entered a certain man's house named Justice, one that worshiped
God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue. And Crispus,
the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all
his house. And many of the Corinthians,
hearing, believed and were baptized. Then spake the Lord to Paul in
the night by a vision. Because he was getting ready
to leave, evidently. Be not afraid, but speak, and
hold not thy peace. For I am with thee, and no man
shall set on thee to hurt thee, for I have much people in this
city. And he continued there a year
and six months, teaching the word of God among them. Now, let me ask you something,
folks. How sufficient is that? How sufficient is that? Because
this is how Christ Jesus works. This is how God works. This is
truly how salvation is worked in the hearts of his people.
Jesus Christ gave his gospel to Paul to preach. And Jesus
Christ gave Paul a message to preach. and told Paul to speak
and not hold his peace. And then Jesus Christ gave Paul
the very people to hear the message of Jesus Christ. And they heard and they believed. They heard and they believed.
Why? Christ told him, I have much
people in this city I already have them. I already have them. Paul didn't know it, but Christ
did. I'm going to tell you, they didn't
know it themselves, but Christ did. Oh, isn't that great? You guys talk about election
again. I didn't say election, you did. Shame on you. Sir, it's true. I have much people
in the city. You're going to argue with somebody,
argue with Christ. And I'm going to tell you this, it's not going
to do you any good. Because you're wrong and he's always right.
I have much people in this city. He's telling Paul to go preach
to them. Why? Because he promised to send his
gospel to his people. And they heard and they believed. And others didn't. What? With man, it is impossible. But with God, all things are
possible. People wonder why we keep saying
grace, grace, grace. And then we'll say grace, grace,
grace again. The Lord knows them that are
his. And here's the other thing. I
love this statement. Know none to God. all his works
from the beginning, from the beginning. He knew Paul was gonna
be here. He knew Paul was gonna get vexed
with those Corinthians that opposed themselves and blasphemed. You
understand, your opposition to God, if you have an opposition
to God and to this Jesus Christ, you're not hurting God. You're
hurting yourself. And some people will hurt themselves
to death. unless God says different. The
sufficiency has always been of God. That's his way from the
beginning. Don't get discouraged, don't
be cast down. Listen, don't look for your results,
look for his. Paul said it this way. I have watered, or no, I'm sorry,
I have planted, Apollos has watered, But, and this is another big
but, God gives the increase. God gives the increase. And listen
folks, if there's not an increase, God gave that too. It's his business. It's his business. Our sufficiency is of God. We worry, we fret, and we shouldn't. Because God cares for his people,
always. And you understand, those people
in Corinth still had to hear a preacher, Walter. God sent
him one. He might have been getting mad
and getting ready to leave, I don't know. He might have been discouraged.
God says, I've got much people in this city, and he did. And
we end up getting two letters written in our Bible 2,000 years
later. And the truth of God is still
the same. We think nothing of ourselves. We are not sufficient
in ourselves. Our sufficiency is of God. Heavenly Father, we're thankful
again for this time, this place. Lord, you are all and we are
nothing. We are words. praise your holy name, you sent
your son to save his people from their
sin. And he has, and he's calling
them out, he's bringing them in, and he's bringing them unto
you. Thank you, Lord, for your sufficiency,
which we need every day. In Christ's name, amen.