All right, if you wish to follow
along turn to the gospel according to Luke chapter 9 Luke chapter 9 Luke chapter 9 I will begin reading
in verse 28 and it came to pass that about an eight days after
these sayings, he, that is speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ, he
took Peter and John and James and went up into a mountain to
pray. And as he prayed, the fashion
of his countenance was altered and his raiment was white and
glistering. And just think of that. This
actually happened. And behold, there talked with
him two men, which were Moses and Elias, who appeared in glory. Now that doesn't mean up there.
That means they appeared in their glorified bodies. Who appeared
in glory, and spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at
Jerusalem." Picture this, Moses and Elias speaking with Jesus
Christ as his very clothes, his clothes were white and glistering. And what do they speak with Jesus
Christ about? Think about that sometime. Here
are men who are already in glory. Dead, gone, what are they worried
about? Better word, what are they concerned
about? His death, which he should accomplish
at Jerusalem. I've been speaking to you about
a few things here lately and let me just say, when it comes
to certain subjects of scripture, be very careful. Be very careful,
because there's one subject in Scripture, if you get it wrong,
all the other points in Scripture makes no difference. What did Moses and Eli speak
with Christ about on that mountain? Who appeared in glory and spake
of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. If God gives you By His grace,
even the smallest amount of faith to comprehend and believe and
rest in the truth related to this statement, you have far
more than most all the theologians have in our day. And you have
far more than all of the prophetic preachers, especially them, in
our day. Now, I'm not going to read any
further. I'm not even going to deal with the text in its context,
per se, as I considered that the blessed Savior had His deceased
to accomplish. I like that word, don't you?
His deceased to accomplish. As one told us here several years
ago, and I agree with him fully on it, There were many that wanted
to kill Jesus Christ not long after he began his public ministry. But they could not because his
time was not come. And as the time went on, they
on several occasions wanted him dead and would have done it themselves. but they were prevented by the
sovereign purpose of God Almighty. So much so that later, up nearing
the time before, just before he accomplished his death, a
group got together and said, we can't do this on the Passover. But our Lord Jesus Christ, by
preaching the truth, not by some malicious intent, but by preaching
the truth to these men over and over and over, had put them into
such a fevered pitch that that's the very time they then wanted
him dead. But all of this we know, even
from this one little verse, all of this was based upon this fact.
He had his decease that he had to accomplish. Think of that
word. That's the title of my message.
Accomplish. He had his decease which he had
to accomplish at Jerusalem. So as I considered that statement,
I thought anew that seeing that he had a death, his death, to
accomplish, I have every reason to believe that he had something
to accomplish in his death. Did you hear what I said? He
had his decease to accomplish. Therefore, of necessity, he must
have had something to accomplish in his death. And I thought,
are you going to preach along that line again? And I thought,
yeah, again. Now, I hope no one misunderstands
me here, but I've been trying to do this for about 34, 35 years
now, and I've been doing it with this group for about that long.
And I say this not to criticize because I include myself. I know
many of you all very well when it comes to sitting in an assembly
and hearing the gospel preached and listening to it. And I can
tell when a preacher touches on a subject that you really
love, especially if you're one prone to give an amen out loud. But I also know this about all
of us. Oh, oh, if God would only stir
our hearts about all of his word, we hear doctrines that we really
like. And I, I've been there. I mean, I was there in such a
way one time. And this, you know, having, having
Houston here reminded me of that I had to be rebuked afterward.
And I'm not even going to somebody I know, somebody's gonna say,
what did the preacher do? Well, ask Penny, she can tell
you. But later, it took a while, didn't
it, Penny? Took a few days. I sulked and pitied about myself.
Found out some things about myself in that meeting down there in
Crossville. If we were truly caught up with
what is stated in this verse, we'd never worry about ourselves
again. But we don't. We don't. Think about it. This is the very
heart of the gospel of Christ. That is those things that he
accomplished when he suffered and died. This is the difference
between the message of the gospel of God's free reigning grace
and that perversion of the gospel that is preached all around us
by all different kinds of denominations. And there's not one denomination
that is not subject to that error, not one. That lets us know that
it's not about the denomination. It's about the truth of God and
it's about men and women, that's what it's about. I'm here to declare that this
book says Jesus Christ not only accomplished his death at Jerusalem,
but when he accomplished his death at Jerusalem, he accomplished
some things in his death. Look at number one, be turning
to Isaiah chapter 53. And then again, I thought as
I wrote that down, not again. Yes, again. Isaiah chapter 53. Let me give you this statement. It was prophesied concerning
Jesus Christ that he would accomplish divine satisfaction to God. Now do you hear what I said?
This is not about, what this prophecy is not about, whether
you and I will be satisfied with anything. This prophecy was about God the
Father being satisfied with what Jesus Christ accomplished when
he died on Calvary's tree. Look at just one verse, chapter
53 and verse 11. He, this is speaking of the Lord
here, as we sometimes, God the Father. He shall see the travail
of his, that's Jesus Christ the Son. God manifest in the flesh. He shall see the travail of his
soul. And I can't even begin to explain
that to you. I have no idea what it was like.
I don't know. And you and I don't ever want
to know. We don't ever want to know. He shall see the travail
of his soul, that is the father, shall see the son's soul travail,
and shall be satisfied. Think of that. Satisfied. If you're satisfied,
what else do you want? Nothing if you're truly satisfied.
And we either believe the scripture exaggerates, Or we believe some
distort the scripture. Some sadly distort the scripture. When God the Father seen the
travail of the son's soul, he was satisfied. But then look at the next few
words. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify
many. So it shows me there is a connection
here between this justification and this satisfaction, right?
Divine satisfaction to God. But did He justify those who
deserve justification? No. Look, He shall justify many,
and that means exactly what it said. Not every one without exception,
but there is many. It's not a little bitty group,
it's many. He shall justify many, for He
shall bear their iniquities. That's what Jesus Christ accomplished
when He died on that cross. He accomplished that. He satisfied
God Almighty concerning the iniquities of many. Now, folks, I don't know about
you, but one of my thoughts, there's many thoughts I get from
this, I sure would like to be one of those many. I know that most so-called preachers
and most so-called churches will not preach that way in our day. They simply tell, well, men and
women, well, the many means all without exception, and you're
included. and God is satisfied on your behalf. That may not
be so. I can't tell any individual,
this is for you. Let me show you a couple reasons
why. He accomplished this for sinners. For sinners. He shall bear their what? Iniquities.
Now first of all, if you have no iniquity, you got no reason
to believe this was for you. Right? If you're not in need
of justification from iniquity, not justification by merit. Mason,
there can be such a thing as justification based upon merit. But we got no merit. I got iniquity. I got iniquity. This is for sinners.
And according to the Apostle Paul, I won't read it, Romans
5, Verses six, seven, and eight. Jesus Christ did this only for
sinners. So much so, we're such bad sinners. It's sad we even have to be told
that, but we do. That we're called ungodly. God
commended his love toward us and that while we were yet sinners,
Jesus Christ died for who? The ungodly. I'm not just a sinner. I'm an ungodly sinner. Any sinners in the house this
morning? Any sinners hearing my voice on that TV? Any sinners
hearing what I'm saying this morning? I'm saying if you know
you're really a sinner, this message is for you. That's right,
if you really know you're a sinner. Well, isn't that the rub? Isn't
that the rub? But pastor, all men are sinners. I can hear somebody saying that.
Right? We've all sinned. For all have
sinned and come short of the glory of God. Preacher, everybody's
a sinner. That is absolutely true. It's
absolutely true. We're sinners in Adam. We were
made sinners in Adam. No one goes to hell because of
Adam's sin. But everyone was made a sinner
because of Adam's sin. That's what the book says. That's
exactly what it means. All are sinners in Adam. All
are sinners in birth. We're a sinner when we're born.
We come forth speaking lies. And as soon as we can audibly
say words and form them together, we'll start manifesting that.
And we're all sinners by nature. And we're all sinners by practice. But here's the question, go out
here today after this little short meeting here is over and
go up here to the mall, maybe at Beckley or go down to Princeton
if that's where you live, go to the mall and just start asking
every person you meet in the mall, are you a sinner? Are you
a, do it, find out what happens. See if they're gonna say, oh,
I'm a sinner in Adam, I'm a sinner in birth, I'm a sinner by nature,
and I'm a sinner by practice. Is that what they'll tell you?
Most will probably say, I'm no sinner, who are you? Probably
figure you need to be some soul winner trying to get them on
the Roman's road. And there's a point. There's a point when
most people, when you ask them if they're a sinner, they won't
even really admit they're a sinner by practice, let alone the other
things. They'll say, well, I've done
a few bad things. I work in a place that, listen,
there's men, they'll tell you, oh yeah, I've messed up. But
they still don't know they're sinners. We don't even like to admit we're
sinners by practice, let alone, oh, I messed up a few times.
No, we're sinners. We're sinners. And let me tell
you something, it's not about you and I convincing someone
of their sin, or you and I reproving someone of their sin. As a matter
of fact, the Lord of glory himself, and it's recorded by John, if
you want to read it later, in John chapter 16 and verse eight,
God alone can reprove a man or a woman of being a sinner. And
when he has come, that's the spirit of truth, whom Christ
sent to this world once he had accomplished what he came to
accomplish and went back to glory, then and then only did he send
this blessed Holy Spirit. And what's the first thing he's
supposed to do? Reprove the world, that means Jew or Gentile, bond
or free, rich or poor, male or female, young or old, that's
what it's talking, he will not Maybe he will reprove the world
of sin. We try to use Scriptural psychology, I say
we, I mean humanity, so-called Christian religion as a whole,
tries to use scriptural psychology, and we're going to convince men
they're sinners, and then once you convince them they're a sinner,
and maybe they can write it on a sinner's card or something,
I'm a sinner, you've seen the little pamphlet, just confess
you're a sinner, acknowledge you're a sinner, and now you're
ready for salvation. God Almighty's gotta work that
work in your soul, or you'll never see you're a sinner. because
he is the one who will convince or reprove or bring to fruition
the fact that a man or a woman is a sinner. And what's the main
reason, the main thing, is the problem of our sin? Of sin? Because
they believe not on me. Every other sin falls up under
that canopy. Now I will say this right now,
then I will kind of end up with very similar words. I don't care
what you think about your sin or what you do about your sin.
If you do not believe the Son of God, you will perish in your
sin. Now someone says, now you're
putting a check mark upon what Christ accomplished. Oh no! Oh
no, look at it. Here's the second thing. Christ
accomplished this divine satisfaction, but let's look at what he accomplished
when he done it. Turn to Galatians, and let me find my, chapter three.
Look at what Christ accomplished. Galatians, chapter three, verse
13. Christ hath See that? Already that lets me
know this is something he's already done. Mason, that lets me know
it's accomplished. That word hath means the same
thing, accomplished. I don't care what the dictionary
says, scripturally speaking, hath means accomplished in scripture. Christ hath redeemed us from
the curse of the law. How? How? Now listen to me by
sending the gospel to us. No, no, that's not the gospel's
purpose. Look, Christ hath redeemed us
from the curse of the law. How did he already accomplish
this? Being made a curse for us. For it is written, cursed is
everyone that hangeth on a tree. So this lets me know he was prophesied
to come and justify many. Part of what he accomplished
in doing that was he was made a curse for that many. Was he
not? Made, and he redeemed them from
that lost curse. Now here's another thing. Christ
accomplished reconciliation. Look at Romans chapter five. Romans chapter five. And I'm
just gonna read one part, because we're looking at what did he
accomplish when he died on that tree. Look at the first part
of chapter five, verse 10. For if, and that if is not an
if of possibility, it's an absolute if of divine purpose. For if
when we were, what? Enemies. Enemies. Before we were ever believers.
Before we were ever converted by the preaching of the gospel.
before we were ever regenerated by the power of God's Holy Spirit. When we were still what? Enemies.
For when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God. Is that what that says or not? Reconciled to God by the death
of His Son. So when was reconciliation accomplished? when Jesus Christ died on that
tree. Now here's what false religion,
perverted gospel says. They really want to teach. They
don't say it this way because they know the book doesn't say
it. They'd like to say what the book says, but then they'll twist
it in other words. They like to teach this. Well,
God was reconciled to us when Christ died, but now we have
to do something to be reconciled to God. and he died to reconcile
himself to us, he did that for everybody. But now it depends
upon you being reconciled to God. Isn't that the crux of what
is taught today? But that is not what this book
teaches. God said he reconciled us to himself. God didn't need
to be reconciled, God had not offended. And as a matter of
fact, Jesus died for the ungodly because God Almighty loved them
to start with. He was not angry with them, but
he in love chose them before the foundation of the world,
even in his son. They were children of wrath,
even as others, but that's their wrath toward him, not his wrath
toward them. Oh, this many that Christ accomplished
this divine satisfaction for, God Almighty's never been angry
with them. God Almighty didn't come to love
them. He's always loved them. And Christ
was their surety and sacrifice even before he came into this
world. Now somebody says, I can't understand
that. God doesn't say understand it. It doesn't say to him that understandeth
and is baptized. It says to he that believeth
and is baptized, he shall be saved. But he that believeth
not, you can be baptized all you want. But he that believeth
not, believeth what? That he actually accomplished
some things. That's the gospel. Not he did
this one thing for everybody. Now if you'll do something for
him, and it varies by denomination, you know that's true. And if
you'll do this thing for him then, then you'll be reconciled
to God. That's not what this book teaches. For who did he do this? The ungodly.
For sinners. Can you relate to that part?
This is a faithful saying, the word of all acceptation. Why?
Why all acceptation? Because that's one thing, God's
people, those whom God has saved, is saving, as Joe pointed out,
and shall save. One thing they never get over
is that they're sinners. And even in the end, and I mean
the end, when we awaken his likeness, when everything's wound up and
we're in that place where dwells nothing but righteousness, he's
still going to be to us our lamb. I can't explain it. I'm gonna
be done with sin, Mason, but I think I'll still be totally
aware of sin. And the fact that I was, and
I think that's the only time we're able to truly say I was,
I used to be a sinner. That's in that final, I used
to be a sinner. Right now, I still got, standing
behind this podium, preaching to you the gospel of free, sovereign
grace, I got to say to you, I'm a sinner. I'm ungodly. That's
what I am by nature. That's all I am by nature. Think
of this, Christ accomplished the legal, judicial demise of
sin. According to the writer of Hebrews
in chapter nine, verse 26, he put away sin. Here are the words,
don't read the words and then you don't need a preacher to
interpret those words. You need a man to proclaim those
words to you, that's what you need. That's, most people who
read the Bible, then they'll tell you what the Bible means.
That's what most so-called preachers do. They're not God-called preachers.
God-called preachers read what the Bible says and then simply
reinforce, this is what it says. They proclaim it, they preach
it. He hath appeared to put away sin. Put it away. What's that
really mean? You don't have to be a theologian.
When you put something away, it's like this. It's not there no more. Is it that simple? It's that
simple. The words are that simple. He
appeared to put away sin, how? How? By the sacrifice of himself. So when did he accomplish putting
away sin? When he offered himself as a
sacrifice. And how many times did he do that? Once. Once, forever, so much so that
the writer, I think, he just couldn't stand it. When he began
this whole thing, and this whole thing in the book of Hebrews,
here's what he actually said, that Christ accomplished this
by himself. Now let's read that one, Hebrews
chapter one. I do wanna read that one. Oh,
what a glory it is when God gives you faith to see this. and not
this false gospel out here. Not this thing of, well, Jesus
accomplished his death at Jerusalem, and he did that for everybody.
Now you do this, this, or this, or whatever, and then what he
did will be a benefit to you. I'm telling you, anything God
gives you, repentance, faith, whatever it is, it's based upon
this offering, this sacrifice. Look, verse three, speaking of
Christ, read it, you'll see, that's clear. Who being the brightness
of his glory, the express image of his person, and upholding
all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself,
don't you, he just starts out with that, by himself, purged
our sins. What's purged mean? Well, I don't
have anything right now I can really purge. But if you ever
had a stain on your shirt right here, I get them a lot when I
eat out. Might as well just when I eat,
just go ahead and throw some on there. I always do. You ever seen one
of them Tide pens? Ain't they amazing? Give a thing
a little push and rub, and that gone thing will be purged. The
stain's gone, that's what purge means. Isn't that simple? It's
that simple. That's what the words mean. When
he had, how though? By himself. He didn't ask us
for our cooperation or help or anything. When he had by himself
purged our sins. And when did he do this? Before
he even ascended up and sat down with the right hand of God the
Father. Isn't that what that says? Fourthly, Christ accomplished
sanctifying the people. That's stated in Hebrews 10 verse
10. You know, people argue about sanctification. mortification,
whatever kind of occasion it is. But most people, sadly, who
profess to be Christians have no idea that when Jesus Christ
died on that cross, when he accomplished his decease at Jerusalem, he
accomplished sanctification for everyone for whom he died. He
set everyone for whom he died apart. Go back and read it, read the
whole chapter, but specifically that's stated in chapter 10,
verse 10, And then, not only did he sanctify them, but in
the same sacrifice, he perfected them, according to verse 14.
Somebody says, explain that. So I can answer, it ain't about
explaining it, it's about proclaiming it. And oh, God help me to believe
it. God help me to bow down to Christ
in it. Is there any sinner here? Is
there any sinner hearing this message, the words of my voice? Is there any sinner so wrought
upon by God that you're willing to trust your eternal spiritual
well-being upon Christ alone and what he has, has accomplished? Now the reason most people have
not done that, I'm talking about the physical, most people have
no idea this is what it's about. They are taught, they are lied
to. Jesus loves us all, Jesus died for us all. Now if you'll
believe, if you'll believe and repent, or you'll believe, repent,
and be baptized, or some will just say be catechized, whatever,
then what he did will accomplish something. That is a lie. Paul
calls that a perversion. It's a perverted gospel. The
gospel is it's done. Do you believe him? And it is
that simple. And yet that absolutely impossible
to believe apart from a work of God Almighty bringing you
down to that place to where you're such a sinner that you got no
other hope but that kind of message. In that kind of Savior. In that
God. If God's brought you to that
place, then cling to Him, believe Him, rest in Him with all your
might. And I know you're gonna say,
I don't have none. Well, rest in the fact that you don't have
any, just rest in Him. Let's not argue about the words,
you know? Think about this. Christ requires
no sinner to satisfy God concerning their sin. Think about that. I didn't come up with that, I
worded it my own way. Christ requires no sinner to
satisfy God concerning their sin. And yet, that is what most
people think they're supposed to do. God's already been satisfied
when it comes to iniquity. We're already reconciled to God
by the death of his son. We're already liberated, redeemed
from the curse of the law because he was made a curse for us. He's
already sanctified and perfected his people. Do you believe him? If you do, you're one of his.
You're one of his. Think about it. Again, Christ
requires no sinner to satisfy God concerning their sin. He
calls upon men and women to rest in him who satisfied and accomplished
the work. Well, shouldn't we, pastor, shouldn't
we ask for forgiveness of sins? Sure. I'm not gonna sit around
and argue. Sure. But let me tell you something.
You remember when he is coming to the world, the spirit of truth,
when he's coming to the world, he will prove the world what's the
first thing of sin, what's the first reason? Because they believe
not on me. You can ask God to forgive you
of your drunkenness, and you should. You should turn from
it. From your, Just go down that
fornication, your drugging, whatever it is, but you could ask God
to forgive you all of those things. You don't believe his son, you
know what'll happen to you? You'll perish under the just
judgment of God. Let's go back and look at that
passage I read to you. He should accomplish his decease. The father then spoke from heaven
in the end. This is my beloved son in whom
I'm well pleased. Hear ye him. What did he say?
You come to me. You rest in me. You see, people,
this world that is packed full and just deceived by all the
lies that's in false religion, they're actually told, just cry
out to God. He loves you, cry out to God.
Confess your sins, you'll be okay. You miss Jesus Christ,
you'll miss forgiveness. You'll miss forgiveness. Ask
for forgiveness, sure. But to ask for forgiveness with
no justice that's already satisfied is to request injustice of God. Now you think about that. Did
he really satisfy God or not? Did he truly reconcile or not?
Did he truly redeem from the curse of the law or not? Did
he truly sanctify or not? Then if you're asking for forgiveness
before God and he didn't already do those things, you're asking
God to commit injustice. To ask for forgiveness of God
with no trust in his son's accomplishment is to insult God. And that's what unbelief is.
Unbelief is not not believing. Unbelief is refusing to believe. Oh, I'll believe whatever except
for that. Accomplished. Now that's where it's at. I'll
believe in whatever except for that. It's already accomplished. And folks, it is that simple.
It boils all down to that. But it's also this glorious.
Houston, I believe that. I believe that man that did that.
I rest in him, Mason, because I've got nowhere else to go. Every time I ask God for forgiveness,
you know what happens? Oh, he forgives me. But you know
what I find out? I gotta repent of my asking for
forgiveness. When I repent, I gotta repent of my repentance. You
know, the fact that we have to repent and should repent every
day lets y'all to let you know something wrong with you. Christ accomplished all that
God demands. Just rest in Him. Rest in Him. Father, oh God. Not just teach
us these things, of course teach us these things, but oh, God,
spare us from the error around us, and God, even more honestly,
the error within us. Help us in Christ's name. Amen.