Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. Paul was never one to mince
words and sets forth in no uncertain terms that the Lord Jesus Christ
is the Savior of sinners. He never indicates that the Lord
is trying to save anybody, hoping someone will be saved, or waiting
on anyone to let him into their heart. He is the one who has
purchased eternal redemption for His elect, saved His own
to the uttermost, washed them in His own blood, justified them
by His grace, sanctified them by the offering of Himself, imputed
His righteousness to them and their sin to Himself, holds them
in the palm of His mighty hand that they shall never perish.
He ever lives to make intercession for them, upholds all things
by the working of His mighty power, and will receive His elect
unto Himself to inhabit that place which He has prepared for
them without the aid of man in any fashion. The message of the
true gospel is not a plan or a formula, which if men will
cooperate with, then they will receive blessings in this life
or that to come. Rather, the true gospel is a
magnification of the glory of the blessed God. It is a plain
message which informs those whom God is pleased to enable to hear
that Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners. It is not a message
about what He is trying to do or hopes to do, but is a declaration
of what He has already accomplished in the behalf of those who are
powerless to save themselves. The true gospel is a proclamation
that Jesus Christ has completely satisfied the demands of the
law, which rightly condemns those who have broken its precepts.
He has removed all grounds of condemnation for his people and
has imputed his righteousness to their account. It is an exhortation
impelling those who have been given faith to believe its precepts
to cast themselves at his feet for mercy. It is a sweet balm
to them which heals their diseases and calms their troubled conscience.
Those who think the gospel is a formula or plan say that they
preach in order to get men saved. Paul was ever aware that the
purpose of preaching the gospel was to magnify the glory of God
in redemption. About his own ministry he said,
according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was
committed to my trust. The privilege of preaching the
gospel is only given to those whom he has sent. This is a solemn
calling and one which must never be entered upon without a due
consideration of the glory which belongs to him who is worthy
of all praise. The God who dwells in the light
to which no man can approach is a jealous God who will share
his glory with none. He intends to manifest the glory
of His grace in the earth and the ages to come by the unfolding
of His purpose in redeeming and elect people, which He has loved
with an everlasting love. The proclamation of the gospel
is a sweet fragrance to the Lord, for we are unto God a sweet savor
of Christ. He takes delight in the exaltation
of His Son, whom He has given a name which is above every name,
and is pleased to send forth men into the earth to declare
His glory. While there are some who are
given ears to hear that gospel and take delight in it, which
is a savor of life unto life, there are others who will not
hear it and even despise it, which is a savor of death unto
death, considering it either foolish or unnecessary. Yet the
Lord our God takes delight in the proclamation of Christ's
glory and redemption, both in the fact that some are saved
and some perish according to His eternal counsel and purpose.
Who is sufficient for these things? Who can fathom the way and purpose
of God? Our mouths must be shut and we
become silent before Him as we ponder the awesome glory that
belongs to Him who is the God of the dead and the living. All
boasting by the creature must come to an end, and we find ourselves
prostrate and trembling in the dust before him, who will show
mercy to whom he will show mercy, and whom he will, he will harden.
Oh, where shall you appear, O sinner? And how shall you know the way
of life eternal, except that he in sovereign mercy should
be pleased to grant you that life? Where shall be your pride,
O religious man, in that day when he shall come to judge the
quick and the dead? What shall your plea be before
his awful throne? And if the righteous scarcely
be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Blessed
are the souls that hear and know the gospel's joyful sound. Peace
shall attend the path they go and light their steps around.
Their joy shall bear their spirits up through their Redeemer's name.
His righteousness exalts their hope, nor Satan dares condemn. The Lord our glory and defense,
strength and salvation gives. Israel thy King forever reigns,
thy God forever lives. For a free CD containing 15 of
these radio broadcasts, send an email to forthepoor at windstream.net.