With this if you would you want
to follow along please turn to John chapter 17 John chapter 17 I'm going to
read the last three verses John 17 and verse 24 father I
will that they also, whom thou hast
given me, be with me where I am. That they may behold my glory,
which thou hast given me, for thou lovest me before the foundation
of the world. O righteous Father, the world
hath not known thee, But I have known thee, and these have known
that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them
thy name, and will declare it, that the love wherewith thou
hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. I'm gonna try this morning What
I want to preach is on assurance this morning. But before I start,
I have to say this. I cannot give you assurance. It's not that I don't want to,
but I can't. Because assurance is not mine
to give. And here's the truth. Just remember
this. If any man says he can give you
assurance, he's wrong. He's wrong at best. At worst,
he's just lying. Now, however, I can preach about
assurance. I can read it to you from the
word of God. I can read to you, which I just did, the very words
of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the reason I want to do that
is because here's the thing. He is our assurance. He is our assurance. Just like
we say, our salvation is a person. Because he lives, I live. He's our salvation, He's our
life, He's our light, and yes, He is our assurance. Because
He gives us the words of assurance, because we are privileged to
speak words of comfort to His people. Matter of fact, we're
commanded, comfort ye my people. But I'm gonna start here in verse
24, with the first three words, and this just kind of stopped
me when I was looking at this, because Jesus Christ says these
three words. He says, Father, I will. And man, whenever you, you look
in the book of John, all throughout the book of John, there's a lot
of places where it says this is, and it struck me a long time
ago. This is the work of God. Guess
what? We're gonna look at it here in
just a minute. John 6, 39. This is the will of God. This is the
Father's will. It's John six and verse 39. Which hath sent me, that of all
which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise
it up again at the last day. Now, where it says this is my
Father's will, that's a noun, the word will. This is my will. This is a thing which I have
determined. Now the reason I use that word
is because where Christ says this, Father, I will, that's
the verb. That's an action of Christ. And what he is saying is, Father,
I've determined. I've determined. Because the
word that's a noun is derived from the verb. You know what
that means? They're both saying the same
thing. The Father's will and Christ's
determining action, I will, are in total and complete agreement. Because Christ's actions, all
of them, all of them from the beginning, have been according
to his Father's will. That's what he told us. Christ's actions are in complete
accord with the Father. He told us, I and my Father are
one. Are one. So this is something Christ is
praying here, his high priestly prayer they call it, Agree with
Earl. I like to call it the Lord's
Prayer because it was our Lord praying to the Father Now everything
Jesus Christ said was true Here's the thing most people don't realize
everything Jesus Christ says is a fact Why? Because he said it He said it
He is the voice of God Hmm and when he says father I
will I want to pay attention And he says that they also whom
thou hast given me You know I'm gonna talk about
now, right You got to talk about those whom
the father has given to the son Y'all are going off on that election
stuff again I Heck yeah. Why not? You know how many times
he says that or a variation of that statement in this one prayer? The Father in John chapter 17?
Five times. Five times. And then I read it
to you a little bit in John 6, 39. In verse two, he says, as
thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give
eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. Verse six says
this, I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest
me out of the world. Thine they were, and thou gavest
them me, and they have kept thy word. And go to verse nine. This is verse nine, you will
not hear read in most churches ever. Not just today, ever. I pray for them. I pray not for
the world. But for them which thou hast
given me, for they are thine. I read that last week. We was
talking about Israel. believers Thou art mine Thou
art mine Verse 11 says this and Now I am no more in the world,
but these are in the world and I come to thee holy father keep
through thine own name Those whom thou has given me that they
may be as one as we are And we have it in verse 24. They
also, this whole prayer, Christ is talking about those that the
Father has given him. Those that have been given to
him by the Father. Five times. You understand? Sometime, somewhere,
someplace, there was a selection made. by the father and those
that the father selected, he gave to the son. And it was at
least before this 2,000 years ago. Ephesians 2 tells us when. It was before the foundation
of the world. Don't start with that old excuse.
I mean, and I'll tell this to the people on TV. Don't start
with that old excuse. about how what this means is
God chose to give to Christ those that chose to come to Christ.
Because that's not true. That's what we call a lie. And now I believe there's a multitude
of people out there who believe this one lie, which is nothing
but a variation on the first lie. Thou shalt be as God. I believe there's a multitude
out there, and I still say it's a lie. Walter could be the majority,
and it's still a lie. Why do I say it's a lie? Because
Christ told us it was a lie. With his own mouth, as recorded
in scripture, John 15 and 16, just a little while before this,
he told his disciples ye have not chosen me. But I have chosen you and ordained
you that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit
should remain that whatsoever ye shall ask in the father of
my name, he may give it to thee. Give it to you. Ephesians 1 and 4 says we were
chosen in Christ. God chose us in Christ before
the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without
blame before him in love. I understand where Christ is
talking about those that have been given him. He's talking
about the elect, not just people who believe at this present moment.
Because look at verse 20. Neither pray I for these alone,
but for them also which shall believe on me through their word. Through the preaching of the
gospel. through this incarnate word written in this word of
God. We have the words of Jesus Christ
himself. And he was praying this prayer,
this whole prayer, not only for those disciples there, those
that believed then, but also for us right now. Because we
believe because of their word. He's give us their word. And
he give us ears to hear his word. The Father has given these to
the Son. Because you understand, when
Christ starts talking about assurance, he tells us who. He tells us who, but now he's
gonna tell us what. that they also be with me where
I am. Now isn't that about one of the
greatest things that was ever written? There it is, this is what Jesus
Christ has told the Father, I will. That they also, and he tells
us who they are. Those that thou gave me, I will
that they also be with me where I am. Now folks, for me, that
settles it. And I hope it settles it for
you. But here's the thing. Do you think there's any chance
that any that the father gave him are not gonna be with him?
The world does. Religion does. Those that the Father gave me
will be with me. And this agrees again with John
6, 39. All the Father giveth me shall
come to me. And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast
out. That's another one. This is the Father's will which
is sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose
nothing, but should raise it up the last day. Is there any
chance of that not happening? Understand, what Jesus Christ
said is so. You understand? He said it, it's
gonna happen whether we believe it or not. whether the world
believes it or not. What do you tell them? I pray
not for the world. That's the assuring words of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Those that the Father has given
me will be with me where I am, where I am. Mm. Don't worry about where you are. God knows where you are. Jesus
Christ our Lord knows where you are. Don't worry about where
you are. Know to whom you are going. We're gonna be with him. Don't worry about where you are.
Look at this. First Thessalonians chapter four. But I would not have you to be
ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, this is
verse 13, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no
hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even
so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the
word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the
coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. It means died, had gone before. For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the archangel,
and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise
first. Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the
Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with
the Lord. Why? Jesus Christ determined
it. Jesus Christ declared it. It's
going to happen. Verse 18, wherefore, comfort
one another with these words. Hmm. That ought to make you rejoice.
That ought to make you rejoice. Where the Lord is is where we're
going. When he comes back, we're going
to meet him in the air, one way or the other. He's bringing back
those that have gone on before us. And so shall we ever be with
the Lord. Now if you want to argue about
when that happens, when it's going to happen, is it before
this, is it after that? I'm not here to argue about it.
I'm just here to see what Paul wrote under the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit. That's going to happen. You understand? He's coming back with his saints.
We're going to be changed if we're still alive. If we're dead,
we're coming back with him. And then So shall we ever be
with the Lord. Comfort one another with those
words. So shall we ever be with the
Lord. And he says this, that they may
behold my glory. Job said it. Years ago Old Testament
years ago Job said it with mine own eyes even though I die and
Buried and the worms eat my body With my own eyes, I'm gonna see
God Who's Joe planning on seeing
plan on seeing Jesus Christ I No man's seen the Father. But
we get to see Jesus Christ. And if you've seen Jesus Christ,
you've seen the Father. If you know Jesus Christ, you
know the Father. I and my Father are one. Their
wills are the same. Their will is singular. It's
not the Father has his will and Jesus Christ has his will. No,
it's only one. And guess what? It's the Holy Spirit's will also. Now the question is, does that
make you rejoice? We're gonna be with Him. We're
gonna behold His glory. And what glory is it? The glory
the Father has given me. The glory that He had before
the world began. Ah. This is the day I'm looking
for. And this is the day that all
of his people, all that the Father has given him, this day is promised
to them. This day is promised. There's
only one glory, that's the glory of God. And he says, I'm jealous
of my glory. I'm not sharing it with anybody. He's not sharing it with Christ,
it's Christ's glory too. He's God. Jesus Christ is Lord. That's the only way Jesus could
have glory, is that he's God manifest in the flesh. Oh, for
thou loved me from before the foundation of the world. Thou
loves me. He says it again in verse 25,
O righteous father, the world has not known thee. Understand if you know Christ,
it's a blessing far beyond anything the world will ever know They can't know God They don't
want to they will not have this man to reign over them They won't
do it. They can't do it, and they don't
want it And I was just exactly like them from 35 years ago, for the first
23 years of my life. I didn't care nothing about God,
I didn't know anything about God, and I was right happy with
it. And right now, I'm right ashamed of it. When you come to know a little
bit about Christ, you know his light shines all the time. But that didn't help me a bit
when I was blind. The world is blind right now.
If our gospel be hid, it's hid to those that are lost. When the God of this world has
blinded their minds that they can't see, they can't hear, they
can't understand, and they won't have the glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ. But Jesus Christ, to those whom
the Father has given him, I have declared unto them thy name. And I will declare it, I will
declare it, that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in
them, and I in them. God chose His
people in His Son, and God loves His people in His Son. From before
the foundation of the world, God loves His people, those that
He has given to the Son. Understand that pretty much always,
the conclusion is the same as my introduction. I can't give
you assurance, but I can point to it. I can point to it. Jesus Christ is our assurance.
Jesus Christ is our assurance. Do you believe Him? Do you believe
His word? His words to us, those that the
Father gave to Him, His words to those people comfort me. You understand, I wasn't here
when any of this happened. But I read these words, and you
understand, I see what God has done to me in these words here. You understand? I understand what
that publican said. when he said, God, be merciful
to me, the sinner. I understand when Jesus Christ
said, and I rejoice, he said, I came not to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance. The question is, do you know
the category and do you fit in it? Those that the father gave to
the son were given to him before the foundation of the world Those
that the father gave to the son are given the life of Jesus Christ
They're given the spirit of God and Those that the father gave
to the son are loved eternally by God in Christ Jesus How can you know your assurance? Do you believe your assurance?
Do you believe Jesus Christ? Do you love his word? Do you
love his way? We sing a song, thy way, not
mine, oh Lord. Is that the way it is with you? Do you love his word? Do you
love his way? Is he your only hope? Here's
a question. Do you wanna gather together
with his people? Because he says, you love me,
you're gonna love one another. Not saying, do you gather, because
sometimes you may be in a place where you can't gather. But the
question is, do you want to gather together with the people of God?
Do you want to gather to hear his word preached? Do you want
to hear Him proclaim? And does your heart rejoice when
somebody praises the Lord Jesus Christ as He really is? And does the hearing of Him,
when you hear Him preached, does it make you glad? Does it make
you glad? Does it make you rejoice? If
so, be comforted with these words. Father, I will that they also
whom thou hast given me be with me where I am. That they may behold my glory
which thou hast given me, for thou lovest me before the foundation
of the world. And one day, so shall we ever
be with the Lord. Comfort ye my people with these
words. Our Heavenly Father, we're thankful
for this time, this place. Lord, we are so thankful for
your work, your will, and your way in this world. You said that
you've chosen us out of the world. We're in it now, not of it. Thank you, Lord, for that. And
thank you for your son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who prayed for
us, who determined for us all things in salvation, in righteousness,
in justification, in redemption. It's his work. Be with Walter
as he comes to preach your gospel. In Christ's name, We ask for
all your blessings. Amen.