Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. There are few accounts
in the scriptures which more clearly demonstrate the accomplishment
of the absolute will of the Lord than the narrative concerning
the prophet Jonah. Many free will advocates will
opine that Jonah could have gone directly to Nineveh and avoided
this trial. Yet it was necessary that he
be in that fish because it was necessary that he might be used
as an illustration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly,
so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the
earth. As a child of God, it was necessary that he be brought
to the end of himself, confessing salvation is of the Lord. It
was necessary that he go to Nineveh and preach repentance, so that
the Lord might use their repentance in judgment against the generation
of the Jews who denied his lordship. The men of Nineveh shall rise
up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn
it. For they repented at the preaching of Jonas, and behold,
a greater than Jonas is here." So we see Jonah as one who is
an illustration of one who was sent by the Lord. We read in
Paul's epistle to the Romans of those whom the Lord will send
to bring glad tidings of the gospel to those he is predestined
to receive it. For whosoever shall call upon
the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call
on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they
believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they
hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except
they be sent? As it is written, how beautiful
are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring
glad tidings of good things. We see this manifested as Paul
and Barnabas were sent to preach to the Gentiles in Antioch. And
when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, glorified the
word of the Lord, and as many as were ordained to eternal life,
believed. We see another illustration of
this sending as the Ethiopian eunuch rode along in his chariot
pondering the word of God. And the angel of the Lord spake
unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the
way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. Philip
knew the direction he was to go, but he had little idea to
whom he was sent until the Lord pointed him out. When the Lord
awakens a man to seek the truth of God, he will send a messenger
with the gospel. And upon hearing Christ and Him
crucified, that man will believe. Paul pointed out that the eloquence
and wisdom of men does not confer any power upon that gospel, but
the power is of God. And I, brethren, when I came
to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring
unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know
anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And
I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of
man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. Those
whom the Lord sends are sinners just like those to whom they
are sent. We also are men of like passions with you, and preach
unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the
living God, which made heaven and earth and the sea and all
things that are therein. The men whom the Lord sends are
often ignorant and unlearned men. And if any man think that
he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
The Lord sends men to preach in order to confound some men,
as well as to illuminate others. For we are unto God a sweet saver
of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish. To the
one we are the saver of death unto death, and to the other
the saver of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these
things? For the preaching of the cross
is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it
is the power of God. Those whom the Lord sends have
but one message, but God forbid that I should glory save in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the one mediator between
God and men. Those whom the Lord sends must
preach. For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory
of. For necessity is laid upon me. Yea, woe is unto me if I
preach not the gospel. They are not chosen by men for
this task, but rather compelled by the Spirit. No one can prevent
that which the Lord ordains to occur. So shall my word be that
goeth forth out of my mouth. It shall not return unto me void,
but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall
prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal
life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand. Have you heard his word? For
a free CD containing 15 of these radio broadcasts, send an email
to forthepoor at windstream.net.