All right, I invite your attention
to Romans chapter 16. And as I said, after that message
from Joe, I'm a little reluctant to give you what I have this
morning. But I thank you for that, Joe, I do. And if that
goes on the TV, that's good. Romans chapter 16. I'll read
probably the first 16 verses because that will, I believe,
suffice for what I have to try to share with you here this morning. Romans chapter 16. I commend
unto you Phoebe, our sister, which is a servant of the church
which is at Synchria. that ye receive her in the Lord
as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business
she hath deed of you, for she hath been a succorer of many,
and of myself also. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my
helpers in Christ Jesus, who have for my life laid down their
own necks, unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the
churches of the Gentiles. Likewise, greet the church that
is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Eponidas,
who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ. Greet Mary, who
bestowed much labor on us. Salute Andronicus and Juna, my
kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles,
who also were in Christ before me. Greet Ampel and Plias, my
beloved in the Lord. Salute Urbain, our helper in
Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. Salute Apelles, approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus'
household. Salute Herodian, my kinsman.
Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the
Lord. Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa,
who labor in the Lord. Salute my beloved Persis, which
labored much in the Lord. Salute Rufus, chosen in the Lord,
and his mother, and mine. Salute Asyncritus and Philagon,
Hermes, Patrobus, Hermes, Hermas, Patrobus, Hermes, and the brethren
which are with them. Salute Philologus, and Julia,
and Nereus, and his sister Olympus, and all the saints which are
with them. Salute one another with a holy kiss. The churches
of Christ salute you. And I would encourage you, of
course, to go on and read sometime later the rest of that. Let me
begin by saying this. The scripture, the word of God,
God's written word. The scripture is, is never mere
literary cordiality and formality. Some people read these last few
verses, especially these 16 verses basically that I read to you,
and they think Paul's just being cordial here. Just like at the
end of a letter we would put sincerely, Walter A. Pendleton. But no scripture is ever mere
literary cordiality and formality. Even here, in these greetings
and salutations, Paul the Apostle references the glory of the grace
of God and His dear Son. Even when he's just saying, Salute
so-and-so, greet so-and-so, the Spirit of God is moving him,
Mason, to give testimony to the gospel of the grace of our God
in His dear and darling Son, Jesus Christ. Even here, in these
greetings and salutations, Now some people may read it so well
now we're getting verse 17 you get on to some warnings Oh, no,
look at the salutations. Don't bypass these things even
here Paul references God's choice Even here Paul references the
salvation of some of all kinds Look at these names He references
the salvation of some of all kinds. Even here in these greetings
and salutations, we find the Apostle Paul referencing our
mutual love. Our mutual love. God's people
love one another. If you don't love God's people,
you don't know God. But not only does he reference
our mutual love, but he references our labor. He references our
labor in the Lord. No, we don't boast in our labor,
but we do encourage one another by love in the labor of the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ. And not only that, he references
our sanctification, our being set apart. And that's the four
things I probably, that I will try to share with you this morning. Now, while false Christianity
either ignores or denies, or maybe a little taste of both
of that. While false Christianity ignores
and denies the election of grace, Paul the Apostle does not shrink
even from the truth of individual election. That's what I want
to express. That's what I want to hype. Individual
election. Salute who? Rufus. Then he says
about Rufus, now it's true of everybody else. Everyone else
here, Mason, that was a believer in Christ, was chosen by God
in Christ before the foundation of the world. But yet, even in
these greetings and salutations, he said, Rufus, chosen in the
Lord. You think about that? Rufus. He didn't say you're all chosen
in the Lord, though they certainly were all. No, salute Rufus, chosen
in the Lord. Now think about it. God did not
choose a plan. God chose a people. Now, there are a lot of people
talking about the election, but they're saying God elected a
plan. No, God didn't elect a plan. God elected a people. God didn't
choose a plan. God chose a people. God did not
choose that men could be saved. God chose whom he would save.
That's the doctrine. That's the teaching of who God
is. And the doctrine of the election
is vital because God did the electing. Therefore, it's about
God. You deny or reject the election,
you're denying who God is. You're denying what God has done.
And remember, here in this greeting and salutation, we see that election
is personalized. Rufus! Rufus! As if to say just Rufus, although
we know it's true, but Rufus chosen in the Lord. Isn't that,
that jumped out at me when I began to read that. Rufus chosen in
the Lord. Now we know this is vital because
in this same epistle, wait a minute, Romans chapter nine. Started to say sorry, but I'm
not gonna apologize for it Romans chapter 9 look at we're talking
about end of it. God didn't choose a plan He chose
the people, but he didn't just choose the people collectively
either He chose individuals But more than that He chose some
individuals and not others Individuals look at it Romans 9 verse 10
and not only this But when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even
by her father Isaac, she had conceived, and if you know the
account, she had twins. She had twins in her womb. Look,
for the children being not yet born, neither, neither having
done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election
might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. Not of any
works. God didn't just choose the worst of the worst. He chose
the individuals he wanted to choose. He didn't choose the best of
the best. He chose the individuals he wanted to choose. It had nothing
to do with any of their efforts, good or evil. It was said that the purpose
of God, according to election, might stand not of works, but
of him that calleth. It was said unto her, the elder
shall serve the younger, as it is written, Jacob have I loved. That's an individual. People
argue against that all the time. We're talking about two boys,
twins, in the womb. Jacob have I loved, but Esau
have I hated. That's just who God is. And if you don't like that, then
you don't like God. If you don't love that, then
you don't love God. If you don't believe that, then
you don't believe God. Rufus, chosen in the Lord. Isn't that amazing? That I can
say to each and every one of you here this morning that believes
the Lord Jesus Christ, I can salute you and greet you by name
and say of you as if it was just you, chosen in the Lord. Isn't that glorious? I'm not
just in the mix, Joe. He particularly set His eternal
love and selection on me. He chose me. That's a glorious
thing. And you know what's even more
glorious? Not because of anything in me. That makes me happy because I
know a little bit about me. There's nothing in me that would
cause God to choose me. And everything, Mason, that I've
done, any love that I have for God's people, any labor I have
in the gospel, He put it there because He chose me. He didn't
choose me because He seen it would be there. He's the one
that would put it there. Rufus, chosen in the Lord. We're not chosen collectively.
Yes, He chose the church. There's nothing wrong with saying
that. But He chose each individual member of the church. and others
He did not choose. He reprobated them. That is,
He rejected them. Jacob have I loved. Esau have
I hated. And I tell you, after God reveals
Himself to you, after He begins, I should say, to reveal Himself
unto you in His Son, you will say, I marvel that God would
love a Jacob. I can understand why He'd hate
Esau. Understand why God would hate me he has the right to hate
me yet this world is being lied to every day that God has to
love you Ain't nothing in me and nothing in you for God to
love Except what he puts there by his grace That's Rufus chosen
in the Lord our God is holy hate as well as holy love I have to
beware because I have a tough time distinguishing between a
holy hate and a holy love in me. I gotta be careful with that. God don't have to be careful
with it. When he hates something or he hates somebody, it's holy. It's holy. And when God loves
somebody, he loves them holy. H-O-L-Y and W-H-O-L-L. Mmm, thank God God is holy hate
as well as holy love And that's just who God is if somebody doesn't
love that they don't love God They don't love God our God is
reprobate or as well as the receiver He has the right to receive he
has the right to reject And that's just the way it is
That's just the way it is. Oh to fear the Lord God Why because
he don't have to he didn't have to choose me Do you imagine what
it was like when Rufus either read or was read this letter
Rufus? Chosen in the Lord Ain't that good news But yet
most of the people that you would speak to and say, God chose Rufus. I don't like that. That ain't
fair. It ain't up to you. It ain't up to me. Rufus chosen
in the Lord, all to fear the Lord God. He owes grace to not
one son or daughter of Adam. He didn't owe grace to Jacob.
He freely gave it to him, in Christ, before the world began. He chose Rufus, and it had nothing
to do with Rufus. Was Rufus any better than anybody
else here? I mean, this Phoebe, Paul said, you give her whatever
she needs. Right? She needs a $100 check? She says she needs a $100 check?
What do you do? Give it to her! Because she's
been sent. I trust this woman. This woman's
helped me. She's been a succorer, a helper
of many. And even me, Paul says, whatever
she has need of, you give it to her. That's right. That's
a blank check, folks. Ain't it? That's a blank check. But yet, he comes along and says,
Rufus. Well, who's Rufus? He's chosen in the Lord. He's
chosen in the Lord. Isn't it amazing when he said
chosen in the Lord? Look at it. Where's it at here? Let me find it again.
Where is Rufus? Help me. I'll help you. There
he is. Verse 13. Salute Rufus, chosen in the Lord.
And it doesn't say a word. Ain't it amazing? It doesn't
say a word about his love and labor. Although I surely guarantee you,
Rufus had love and labor as well. But isn't it amazing when he
talks about the choice, Paul leaves that out, don't he? Isn't
that amazing? Even in these greetings and salutations,
that ain't accident. The Spirit of God was moving
this other man to write Tertius, and he was writing as Paul was
speaking. It's clear when you read that. And he was writing
as Paul was speaking. When Paul was speaking, God Almighty
was speaking. And Tertius was writing this
down. Rufus, and Paul's chosen in the Lord. And just salute
him, greet him, and his mama and mine. Oh, what a glory, what
a glory. No, God owes not a one of us
grace. The only thing that God owes is what He's determined
sovereignly to do in eternity. That's the only thing God owes
to any man. Only because He purposed it, sovereignly decreed it to
come to pass. All but glory to His free reigning
grace, He does save some. He doesn't owe anybody any of
this grace, but He gives it to some. Think about it. He saves
some. I said he saves some. He's not
trying to save some. He definitely ain't trying to
save all. That's another lie spread by
false Christians, false preachers in this day. He saves some, males
and females. As a matter of fact, he starts
off with the females here, don't he? Phoebe. Phoebe. He saves some. Females and males. Phoebe, our sister. Nereus and
his sisters. That has to mean Nereus. I don't
even have to know Greek to understand that, Neil. Nereus and his sister. That makes Nereus a what? A male.
Right? He saves some, females and males. He saves some Jews and Gentiles.
Salute Andronicus and Juna, my kinsmen. They're Jews. They're
Jews. But then he mentions all the
churches of the Gentiles. You see that? He saves some.
That's glorious. You see, that today is just like,
oh, ain't it nice God included a few Gentiles. No, the whole
point is God is saving some of all kinds. That gives me hope. Don't it you? Think about it. Husbands and wives. He doesn't
do this for all husbands and wives, but he still saves some
husbands and wives. Greet Priscilla and Aquila. You read about them back in the
book of the Acts. Husband and wife are tent makers.
Paul resided with them because he was a tent maker at one time
he did. Husbands and wives, God saves
them. Mothers and sons. Rufus, his
mom. and mine. Notice the endearing to this
woman that Paul has. Rufus's mother, she was a mother
to me as well. Mothers and sons, even some twins. Salute triphina and triphosa. They were twins. Twin sisters
as a matter of fact. But we know this, God don't choose
all twins. Now does he? We just read that. Does he? But
that doesn't mean, because you're a twin, that one of you's got
to go the bad way. Isn't that glorious? He saves
some of all kinds. Right? Do you see the truth of
the gospel here? Salute triphina and triphosa. Oh, thank God. Even in our little
group, we have a set of twins. Both of them, by the grace of
God, have been called by the grace of God. One of those twins
married a one who is a twin. That twin, thank God, by the
grace of God, has been called in the grace of God. But his
twin, at least up to now, hasn't been. At least as far as what
I know, hasn't been. You know why? Because God Almighty
is absolutely sovereign. He does as He pleases, not only
amongst the armies of heaven, oh yes, but also amongst the
inhabitants of the earth. But thank God, He saves some
of all kinds. Oh, but preacher, I'm so corrupt. That's all right. The election
had nothing to do with your works. Isn't that good news? Isn't that
good news? Remember God does not purpose
this for all without exception Go back and read Matthew 10 34
35 36 Christ said I am don't think don't even think it and
yet men will say it They'll say opposite of what Christ said,
don't even think it. Do not think that I've come to bring peace.
I'm come to bring a sword. And a man's enemies will be those
of his own household. I'm come to set a man at variance
against, but he doesn't do it to everybody. You said God did
it. That's right. I meant to say
exactly what Joe said. When God said, I will put enmity.
That's exactly what he's talking about right there Christ come
along the seed came along the seed of the woman come along
and confirmed that very thing Don't think I'm come to bring
peace. I'm come to bring a sword If God saved your spouse, oh
Thank God for it God saved your child. Oh, thank God for it. I God saved your grandmother,
your grandfather, or somebody you just care about, oh, thank
God for it. Because He doesn't have to do
that, and He doesn't do that for everyone. And there's been
people, even in our small group, that dislike God immensely. Yea, I should say, even hates
God because of that very truth. I have several beloved family
men, kinsmen, My own flesh and blood that God Almighty saved,
but He didn't save them all. He didn't save them. I need to
give Him glory for both sides of that coin. I have trouble
with that. I confess to you to my shame,
I have trouble with that, but I need to give God the glory
for both sides of that glorious coin. God does not purpose this
for all, but not only this. Not only this thing, but in these
greetings and salutations, we love one another. Yes, sir. My
well-beloved Eponidas. Yes, sir. Do you see that? My
well-beloved Eponidas. Greet and playas. My beloved
in the Lord. Amen. Isn't that glorious? Remember what Paul said to Titus.
At one time, we were hateful. And what else? Hating one another. That's right. Folks, before God
Almighty called me by His grace, I would have despised each and
every one of you sitting here believing what you're believing
today. And I say that with shame-facedness,
thanking God for His forgiveness. You know what? The very fact
that I love you boggles my mind. Because I'm not a loving person. Even if you deserve to be loved,
I'm not a loving person by nature. I know men don't. Now granted,
I'm talking about loving men and women who love the gospel
of God, who loves God as He has revealed Himself. It's easy for
one sinner to love another sinner. It's easy when you've got two
sinners that both lie about God and they love each other's lies.
Isn't it? That's easy enough. Oh, but to
love someone that stands up and says this is who God is? And
I believe this God as He is? Huh? It takes a miracle of grace
to love somebody like that. You know that? The fact that
we're still together, oh, just a few handfuls maybe, but the
fact that we're still together is a testimony to God's free
and reigning grace. And if God wants to, we're so
small, but if God wants to, he'll reach all the way out to Colorado
and bring two or three, okay, right over here. Ain't that amazing? Here's some folks, 30-some years
ago you were worshiping in a building in Mabiscot, West Virginia, and
all of a sudden God picks up a couple handfuls of people from
Mercer County and moves them right up here to Raleigh County
to meet with you. That's an act of God's grace,
folks. There's all kinds of church buildings
that these people could have attended from Mercer County all
the way to Raleigh County. Is there not? But no, it's because
our hearts are knit together in first love for that God and
His Son and His Gospel. And because we all believe that
same God, that same Son, that same Gospel, we can't help but
love one another. We're commanded to do it, but
bless God, He gives us the ability to walk in that command. You
know that? To love one another. And not only that, to labor,
labor in the gospel service. I know there are people who think
we're against works. No, no. No, no. We're not against those
works that God before ordained that we should walk in, man.
We're against every other work other than those. But we're not
against though, we rejoice in the, it's a glory to labor for
the Lord, you know that? Sometimes it's tiring, sometimes
it's taxing, sometimes it's mentally and emotionally and physically
drains your everything. But it's still a joy. You ever
had a job that you really liked to do, you didn't mind to do?
Jack, some people, some say you like to mow. I don't understand
Jack in that now. But, you know, Jack likes them
all. But, you know, it don't matter how laborious it is when
you love it. You know what I mean? It may
be the most laborious, boring thing in the world to most everybody
else, but if you love it, you like to do it. That's just the
way it is. Now that is naturally so, spiritually
speaking, if you understand what I'm getting at there. That is
natural to you if you're a spiritual man or woman, if you've been
called by the grace of God. You love to love God's people,
and you love to labor in the Lord, and labor for one another.
These folks laid down for my life, they laid down their own
neck, put their neck on the chopping block, put their own physical
bodies at risk for me, Paul says. Some others, they're locked up
with me. Because they stood with me. Look
at it there. That's amazing. Oh no, we're
not against love and labor. No sir. And as I said earlier,
oh God help me not to become complacent in this. If a man
hath friends, you can't make them in Christ. If a man hath
friends, he must find himself friendly. Quit griping about
your brother and sister's faults and just start loving them and
laboring for them in the Lord. Your life will be a whole lot
more blessed. Well, I heard this message and
so-and-so said something wrong. You come up here and let me let
you come up here one Sunday and you speak public to us and then
let us sit back and look at your words. We can pick one another's
words apart. Even the best preachers among
us, most wise and gifted among us, still going to make mistakes.
We need to quit the belly aching and griping when we hear a message,
well he said that wrong. Rejoice in what he said right.
Rejoice in how God used him to feed you. When you ought not
be fed, you don't deserve to be fed. We don't deserve to sit
in this place and hear the marvelous words of God. You know that? Oh, God, help us. Help us. But that's why we're commanded
to love one another as well. You know why? Because if we thought
it was just natural to us, we'd become complacent in it. It doesn't matter. I'm going
to do it anyway. Remember that part of us that
at one time was hateful and hating one another? It's still there.
And it can raise its ugly, nasty, corrupt head again. Oh, God help
us to keep chomping away at that. Smothering it. Put its head under
the water till the bubbles quit coming up. As soon as you quit,
guess what? Its head will pop up. It'll take
one more big deep breath. So you gotta stick it back under
the water again. Just keep chopping and hacking
at it and in one of these days folks one of these days we will
awake in his likeness What a what a glory And to bestow labor and
love in the gospel service labor and love toward one another Upon
one another isn't that an amazing thing we live in a society. It's
all about me me me and It's amazing that I can even think this way. You, you, you. Because I still
think me, me, me. There's still a part of me that
loves me. That wants me to be satisfied. But oh, to be given the grace
of God to satisfy somebody else. Even if it means I go unsatisfied. That's love and labor in there.
That's love and labor. What a testimony. He said sum
up some of these people. They're even laying down their
own necks. That's something. Oh God help me to be that way. And you know, I know you feel
that way too. But remember, you've been this way for a while and
afterwards, it's complacency. I'm warned, we're warned about
that. The place where I work, you're warned about that all
the time. You know why? It'll get you in trouble. Be
complacent in my job, it'll get you in trouble. Be complacent
in the gospel, it'll get you in trouble. It'll get you in
trouble without question. Without question, this is a testimony
to God's free and reigning grace. But after that, the love of God
and His kindness toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but by His own mercy and grace. That's why
we are where we are today. We'd be biting and devouring
one another into little bitty pieces and spitting one another
out were it not for the grace of God. Without question, we
owe this to God's sanctifying grace. Do we not look at it see
Paul's references to this sanctification even in his greetings and salutations
We are sanctified that is separated from society. Look at chapter
16 verse 5 the last part Eponidas who is the firstfruits of Achaia
unto Christ So God Almighty had called this Eponidas out of society
out of the general masses He's a first fruit. Do you see it?
Peter puts it this way. You don't have to turn, but 1
Peter chapter 4. Let me just read this to you.
1 Peter chapter 4. For as much then as Christ has
suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with
the same mind. For he that has suffered in the
flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the
rest of his time in the flesh to the lust of men, but to the
will of God. For the time past of our life
may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles. We
were walked in lasciviousness, lust, excessive wine, revelings
as partyings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries, wherein,
now look at that, wherein they think it strange that ye run
not with them to the same excessive right. Speaking evil of you. God calls his people out of this
morass. Yes, sir. That's right. Now,
in my old man, I'm still a part of that morass. Oh yeah. And
I can fall, oh fall, and fall so hard, and fall so far. I have. I have. But thank God he withholds me
with his hands He Roy jr. Will not let me go if I'm really
one of his If he sent me if he's called me out as a first fruit
of anything Huh? Called me out of the first one
of the first fruits of a kale. Maybe a first fruit of Mercer
County Whatever doesn't matter if God Almighty's called you
out. I He set you apart from everything else that He called
you out of. Do you see that? Even mentioned here. Just referred
to. Firstfruits of a chaos. But here's another thing. The
elect are sanctified, that's separated from each other. Look at God's appointed time. Chapter 16, verse 7. Salute Andronicus
and Juna, my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, who are of
note among the apostles, who also were in Christ, before me. Do you see it? Do you see it? Before me. Now some people have
some trouble with this. Well I thought we was chosen
in Christ before the world began. We were! But in time we're not
placed in Christ until God's appointed time. And these two
here, Andronikos and Juna, they were placed in Christ Jesus before
Paul was ever Paul when he was still threatening belching out
these threatenings, God separated them from him. Do you see that? Even though Mason, he was one
of the elect, God separates his own and calls them by the gospel
unto himself at his appointed time. And whenever he first called
Andronicus and Juna, I bet you they wasn't buddy-buddy with
this guy now they knew as Paul the Apostle. Were they? Uh-uh. They were probably a couple that
he would love to have locked up in jail. Right? What changed? Did He change?
No. No. God Almighty crossed His
path on the road to Damascus. And God changed this man. Do
you see it? Well, if they're one of the elect,
they'll be alright. No, if they're one of the elect, God will call them
out. And He'll call them out of the morass in His own good
time. And until he does, don't act
like somebody might be one of the elect. They may be one of
the reprobate. It's God's business. Be careful,
right? You understand what I'm saying?
Be careful. They were in Christ before me,
he says. Here's the third thing about
this sanctification. You see, let me just say this
about this. God distinguishes even among
the elect in time. even amongst the elect in time.
We got no right to think anybody is one of the elect until God
Almighty calls them out of that darkness. Then and then only
can we say, there's one chosen in the Lord. There's one God
set apart. We can hope for it all we want,
but that's hope's just a wish until God Almighty acts. You
understand what I'm saying? So thirdly, The third thing about
sanctification here in these greetings and salutations, the
elect are Christ's purchased property. In other words, this
is a redemptive sanctification. There is purchased property.
Look at chapter 16, verse 16, the last part, the churches of
Christ. Notice how he said, notice that
one little word. He could have said the churches in Christ salute
you. That certainly would have been
true, would it not? But he says, the churches of, that's in the
possessive sense. That means that these churches,
Mack, are owned by Christ. And you remember what that group
of people that's testified to in Revelation chapter 5 and verse
9? John said, I wept because there
was this book here and it was sealed with seven seals. And
no man was worthy to take that book and open up them seals.
But he was told, oh, the line of the tribe of Judah, he's prevailed. And he has the right, Neil, the
right to go over and take that book out of God the Father's
hand. Take it out of his hand and start
opening up the seals. And then when John sees him,
though, what does he see? He sees the line of the tribe
of Judah. But in what light does he see him as? The light. The
Lamb. And until you see Christ as the
Lamb, you ain't never really seen Christ. But look at what
it says, and I want to read that because I don't want to misquote
it. Revelation 5. Think of it. We're set apart
by a redemptive price being paid. It's the churches of Christ as
well as the churches in Christ. Look at it. Verse 9. Revelation
5 that they sung a new song saying thou art worthy to take the book
and to open the seals thereof for thou was slain and has redeemed
us to God by thy blood out of That right there tells you the
people that Jesus Christ shed his blood for is not everybody
in the world Because his redemption was to redeem a people out of
You see it out of what every kindred and tongue and and people
and nation. Now bless God if that's what
they're singing around the throne, that's what we ought to be singing
right now today too. Right? Bless Christ the Lamb. He redeemed me. He bought me
with a price. My soul and my body are His. And Paul says, therefore glorify
God in your body. Even in your body, Neil. Why? Not because it's such a great
thing to do for the Lord. No, He owns me lock, stock, and
barrel. He has the right to expect of
me to say, God, it's Yours. Therefore glorify God in your
body, which is God's Hmm I like being owned by Christ Don't you? I'm glad he owns me. I'm glad
he shed his precious blood for me Hmm let me sum this up So now think of it this way,
all scripture is given by inspiration of God. And it's profitable. Even some greetings and some
salutations. Right? You go back there and I know
you're so and so begat so and so. And sometimes it can be pretty
boring literally. Literarily. In a literary sense. It can be very boring. Oh, but
Christ is there, folks. Even if I don't see it, Neil,
even if I can't preach Christ from it, He's there in that text.
His truth and His gospel is there somewhere. Oh God, show it to
me. Oh God, show it to me. All scripture is given by inspiration,
and it is what? Profitable. Profitable for what? Everything. Everything. Even greetings and salutations. And lastly, oh, the debt of love
I owe to my Redeemer friend. of Jesus Christ. For me, to even
have, Joe, the privilege of standing here and speaking about God,
took the death of the Son of God. Did you know that? It took the death of the Son
of God for me to have that privilege. It took the death of the Son
of God for me to have the privilege to love you. It took the death
of the Son of God to give me the privilege to spend myself,
body, soul, and spirit toward the gospel cause of our Lord
Jesus Christ. What a debt. A debt to doctrinal
wholeness? Sure. Sure, I want to be doctrinally
whole, but more than that, I want my all to be given over to Jesus
Christ and His glory and His honor. Oh God help us and Joe
when we do fall and fall we shall Thank God he owns you He ain't
he ain't it might not be good English, but he ain't gonna lose
you If he bought you with his blood, he will have you in glory
one day and you will be like him Some of our brothers and
sisters already have experienced that God left us here to deal
with this. Didn't He? And you know what? Oh, God help me not to be bitter
against you for that. Yeah, that's right. The ones He took, that was a
gracious act, folks. They're done with this! They're
with Christ. And that brother, you know, going to heaven, that's not,
it's being with Christ. That's what Paul said. To be
with Him, to be absent from the body. What's the glory of that?
To go to heaven? No! To be present with the Lord. What a glory. Father, teach us
these things and we know we must learn it patiently by Your Word. All so often, Lord, we miserably
stumble and fall, but we thank You for Your unswerving grace,
Your free mercy that You show upon us in Jesus Christ. Oh God, help us to honor Him. For it's in His name we pray.
Amen.