Open your Bibles, if you would,
to the book of Hosea. I thought we would go further
tonight until I started studying more the last two verses of chapter
one. So we're going to get from the
last two verses of chapter one to the first verse of chapter
two. That'll be it for tonight. It was wonderful as I was studying
this, and Zane, I took your advice. I started reading Hakaron. Hosea,
oh my gosh, I just set aside the other notes I had and just
started reading him and Gil, and it was a real blessing. And so, this is a pretty incredible
little portion of scripture here. In Hosea chapter one, May we who are the redeemed of
the Lord tonight marvel at what's set before us and how sweet the
promises in verses 10 and 11 are. And always remember, I had to
uncouple myself from my teachings when I was in religion that said
the promises of God are for Israel. the nation, but they don't apply
to the people of God. That's what I was taught in religion.
I was taught that. That they were only for the Old
Testament, they were only for Israel. Well, I wasn't really a Berean
then, because the scripture says that all the promises of God
in the New Testament are yea and amen in Christ. I in for a big surprise. Remember
what I said to you before that Spurgeon used to say, take the
promises of God as God's elect and pray them back to God? Because
they're ours in Christ. All those blessings are ours
in Christ. And we know that we have all
spiritual blessings in Christ. That's all we need, isn't it?
And I'm not talking health, wealth, and prosperity stuff at all.
I'm talking about spiritual blessings that are for the Israel of God. And we're gonna see in this portion
of Scripture here that, I will call them my people. who
are not my people. In our minds, we were at enmity
with God. We were enemies in our mind with
God. We're Gentiles. Romans 9.25, Paul writes, as he say also in
Osea, Isaiah, I will call them my people, which were not my
people. and her beloved, which was not
beloved. And it shall come to pass that
in the place where it was said unto them, You are not my people, there shall they be called the
children of the living God. My, oh my. That's in Romans,
if you want to write that down, Romans 9, 25 and 26. And then
in 1 Peter, chapter 1 verse 10 so let us remember always again
that the promises of God are all founded in Christ in the smallest attention to
the gospel will confirm this those who were not his people
are now called his people Those who were Gentiles are now His people, the true
Israel of God. And in 1 Peter 2.10 it says this,
writing to believers, which in times past were not of the people,
but are now the people of God, which had not obtained mercy,
but have now obtained mercy. I say all that to introduce us
to the next few verses in our text. Remember the word lo, am
I, that we looked at last week means not my people. This brings forth that lo is
only added now to express the ruined state of Israel. Remember
we looked at that last week. They broke God's covenant. The
word, now think of this, the word am I still remains though,
doesn't it? There's a low in front of it,
which makes it negative. Not my people, but the word am
I still is there. Which signifies my people. And look at the last verses of
chapter one. Yet the number of the children
of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea. which cannot be measured
nor numbered, and it shall come to pass that in the place where
it is said unto them, ye are not my people, there it shall
be said unto them, ye are the sons of the living God. Who's
called the sons of the living God? Amen. God's people are called
the sons of the living God, aren't they? Beloved, this is speaking of
the Israel of God. Then look at this. Then shall
the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered
together. Remember the kingdoms were divided? Jew was divided from Gentile,
weren't they? Who are we one in? Amen. The middle wall of partition
has been broken down, hasn't it? This is cause for great rejoicing,
beloved. Look at this. Then shall the children of Judah
and the children of Israel be gathered together and appoint
themselves one head. Isn't that interesting? Who's
the head of the church? Amen. Appointed by God, right? And we, what do we do? We bow
down to that fact, don't we? We don't make them Lord, God
already made them Lord, but we bow down to that. We have one
head. Saved Jews, saved Gentiles have
one head, the Lord Jesus Christ. It's wonderful. And they shall
come up out of the land For great shall be the day of Jezreel. So both Israel and Judah shall
be formed in one, gathered to the glorious Shiloh. Gathered
under one head. Gathered under one head. The
husband of the body. The church. The fullness of him. that filleth all in all. Jew and Gentile are bought together.
They're one in Christ. So we who are the redeemed of
the Lord can say with the psalmist, with reference to the church,
that in her latter day glory, glorious things shall be spoken
of thee. The city of God. My oh my. What's going to happen
when it's all done, it's all finished? Christ is going to
present us a spotless bride. Without blemish. Oh, how glorious that's going
to be, isn't it? Oh, it's going to be amazing.
So let's marvel at how this first chapter brings forth the low
and impoverished state of the church, okay? Remember, we're
like Gomer. We're children of Horetum, right?
We fell in Adam. Gomer's a picture of the church
in her lost estate. We're gonna see, I was reading
on too, we're gonna see, we're gonna be redeemed. Hosea's gonna
redeem Gomer, who redeemed us. Christ our Lord by his precious,
precious blood. It's such a beautiful picture,
beloved. And this should bring us great delight. This should fill our hearts with
joy. This is a fact. We've been gathered together
into one. Think of how we all come from
different places. And here we are gathered together
in this body here. It's amazing. Then think of the
other churches. I was talking to Donny Bell today and Norm
last night. Think of those churches. You got 13th Street, you got
other ones all through, but we're all one in Christ. We may be separate
bodies of believers in separate places by God's providence, but
we're united in Christ. Isn't that wonderful? It's absolutely wonderful. So we've seen how this chapter
brings forth our low and our impoverished state. We're bankrupt,
right? We come into this world spiritually
bankrupt. Spiritually bankrupt. Death and
trespasses and sins. But little do we know that we're heirs. Because Galatians says that in
our natural state, you can't tell the heir from a servant. Isn't that amazing? Do you know
this whole world is for God's elect? Norm Wells said this one time.
You remember those fellows that came to Israel? And they pretended they were
from a fireplace. And Joshua found out, but he
didn't slaughter them all. He said, you can be hewers of
wood and drawers of water for Israel. You ever contemplate this? Norm
Wells told me this years ago. Donny Bell and I were talking
today about how this world is for God's elect. All the medical
breakthroughs are for God's elect. Everyone else gets the residual
effects. Airplanes are invented to take a preacher one place
to another, take believers to different places, and then bring
us back home, right? Everybody else gets the residual
effects, right? Norm said one time, he said, everybody in this
world who's not a believer is a hewer of wood or a drawer of
water for God's elect. Now, we don't know who they are,
okay? So I preach the gospel to everyone, right? With hope
that I know the Lord's going to save his sheep. I know that.
It's a fact. He's going to do that. But we know not everyone
is saved. But they serve a purpose, too. See, that's where we start going,
oh, my goodness. What? My mom and dad weren't believers,
but I sprang from them. Here I am, one of God's elect.
Had no clue growing up. Here I am. How do you explain that? Well,
it's God's providence, isn't it? He chose my parents. Chose my grandparents. And all
through that lineage, they were moved to the exact place where
I'd be born or where you'd be born. You ever think of that?
You were born in the exact place that God ordained for you to
be born. Before there was ever time. You guys have been married for
years now. No, seriously though, all are
ordained by God, right? Isn't that wonderful? Zane once
told me, he said, God chose Kathy for me, and I chose Kathy, but
it was God who chose both of us for each other. And he said, no one else could
put up with you, right? And I said, amen, I know how
that feels, because no one else could put up with me but Vicki,
right? And he said, true, come on. But we're made that way for
each other. Isn't that wonderful to think
that? That's how intimate it is in our lives. The very hairs
of our head are numbered. What joy that brings us as believers,
to know that God is actively moving in our lives, guiding
and directing all things for his eternal purpose, which we've
seen unfold in the book of Acts, right? So even this, even this,
years ago, he says to Jose, this is a real story. Remember, scriptures
are real. This is real. This is not some
character that somebody wrote. This is a real man who lived
in a real nation of Israel, And God spoke to him and told him
to go marry a lady of the night, a prostitute. And he married
her. He chose her. Again, it's all
a picture. And then he's going to redeem
her, we're going to see. It's all a picture of what Christ has
done for us. The one head. Who were gathered together. Isn't
that amazing? Jew and Gentile are one in Christ. One in Christ. There's no national
distinction anymore. There's no skin pigmentation
distinction. That's all it is. Our different
skin pigmentation is the only thing that's different with us.
We all have the same blood, the same bodies. No one's better
than anyone else. My. We're human. And I like this. We're the human
race. One race of people. See, man divides based upon ethnicity. We're the human race. God sees
us all as humans. Isn't that amazing? And out of every tribe, kindred,
tongue, and nation. Look what it says. Look what
it says in that first chapter. Look what it says. This is amazing. Remember, this is every tribe,
kindred, tongue, and nation. Verse 10. Yet the number of the children
of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea. Which what? Cannot
be measured nor numbered. You ever been to the sea? Or even a lake? and you pick
up some sand and put it in your hands, you're holding hundreds of thousands
of little pieces of sand right there. And our Lord says, his
people, you won't be able to number. My, we're a remnant here, but
in glory, we're a number that no man can number. And let us
not think, start thinking when I say remnant, let us not think,
and we're the only ones. No, don't, don't ever think that
way. Where the Gospels preach, God's
people are. Right? And God has a people all around
this world. We know. Look at, look what happens
with the internet. The message is going out, not
just from here, but from all the other churches too. Going
out in the internet. And the Lord's drawn in his sheep.
It's wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. And you
know what? We see, we see our impoverished
state, the impoverished state of the church at our fall is
we're, we're Gomer. And we're going to see God putting
away our sin. Because Gomer is redeemed later
on. Oh, it's wonderful. And think of this. Gomer was
in a, according to man, irrecoverable state. She just kept falling into the
same cycle. We're going to see that. She's
going to leave Hosea, and he's going to bring her back. We fell in Adam. We're in an
unrecoverable state by our strength, by our ability, aren't we? We
cannot recover ourselves from the fall. But there's one who can recover
us. And he is, isn't he? By the shedding of his precious
blood and all by his almighty power in his name is the Lord
Jesus Christ, God. the Son of God, who became a
man to save us from our sins. It's wonderful, beloved. Let
us rejoice. Let us be filled with joy. And
so let we who are the born-again blood-washed people praise the
mighty name of Jesus. He's the mighty one. He's the
holy one. And we're saved by His mercy
and grace and power. Saved for His name, for His name's
sake. So let us praise his name for
the things that he has accomplished. And remember, he's sinless. His perfect work of salvation
was accomplished for we who are sinners. Because there was no
way we could save ourselves. But there's hope. There's hope in God Almighty,
isn't there? There's hope for sinners in Christ. Have you trusted Him? Oh, if
you haven't, I pray God will make you will in the day of His
power that you cast yourself upon Him. Because I'll tell you,
this sinner will tell you, He's the only hope for sinners. And He's marvelous. He's wonderful. I can't even express to you how
I feel about him. Donnie and I were talking about
how sometimes when we're done preaching, we just feel like
we didn't, we didn't say enough. And we never, you know. But,
but like Zane and I talk, it's not in our hands. It's in God's
hands. And we just let it go. And that's
what Donnie said too. Just give it to God and let him,
let him use it however he wills. but if but you you know the joy
we we have as preachers and preaching that that's just a little bit
of what's bottled up inside us oh my it's wonderful give me the ability lord to proclaim
you how i feel about you oh my and think about this wonder of
salvation in christ We're all by nature and practice ruined.
We're just like Gomer. According to man's standard,
she's worthless. According to man's standard.
But isn't it neat? The things that man considers
worthless, God considers precious. Oh, praise his mighty name. And
we know we are unworthy of this grace, don't we? That's what
makes it more amazing, isn't it? He's had mercy on us. Hosea, to go and take a wife
from the prostitutes, that's incredible. But he doesn't. Oh my. Now think about this too. We're
all by nature. children of whoredoms, dead in
trespasses and sins. When you put the parallel pictures
here, Hosea's children were children of whoredoms because only one
of them, they believe, was his actual son. The two other ones
weren't. And so they're children of whoredoms, and so they have
the word low on them. Oh, my. And they, they richly deserve
to be called lo ruhamah, which means not pitied,
and lo am I, which means not my people. We deserve by nature
to be called that. Right? We sinned against our God. But what mercy, what mercy do
we have in Christ? Yet by God's infinite mercy and
grace, we're bought into the grace of adoption in Christ. Bought into acceptance in and
through the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our spiritual head. all according to God's plan and
purpose. Donnie said he wrote a sermon,
preached a sermon on Sunday. And the theme of it was, before
there was ever a sinner, before Adam was even in the garden,
there was a Savior. And his name is the Lamb slain
from before the foundation of the world. Now that's mercy,
isn't it? That's grace. Oh my. So we deserve to be called
not pity by nature and by nature we deserve to be called not his
people. But marvel. Marvel at the matchless
mercy of our great God. Marvel at the everlasting love
of God for his people. for the elect of God, a people
chosen by God and redeemed by God. And let we who are the people
of God marvel at the high privilege we have of being called the children
of God. Because not everyone is the children
of God. He created all of humanity, yeah? But the children of God are the
title for his people. His elect. My, oh my. So being one of the
redeemed, let us ascribe all glory and honor and praise to
the Lord Jesus Christ, in Him alone. He alone is worthy, right? He's
redeemed us by His blood. And then, let us praise God the
Father, let us praise God the Son, and let us praise God the
Holy Spirit. Salvation's in the Lord, right?
Father chose us in Christ, Christ redeemed us, and the Holy Spirit
regenerates us and gives us faith to believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ. Glory to the great God! God the Father, Son, and the
Holy Spirit. So let we who are the redeemed
keep our eyes, keep our eyes on the precious Savior, the Lord
Jesus Christ. Salvation's all in Him. You know,
He's the cause, and He's the means, and He's the whole end
of our salvation. Isn't that wonderful? We're just
receivers. of grace and mercy in and through
Christ from our great God. How can we but not praise Him?
How could we but not rejoice? He's the Alpha and the Omega. Oh, how we love Him. He's the
author and the finisher of our faith. Therefore, let we who
are the redeemed earnestly desire to love Him more and more. Lord,
increase my faith. Increase my love for you. And
remember, we only love Christ because He first loved us. Isn't that amazing? And you know
what? The more we hear the gospel, the more we hear about how our
precious Redeemer has redeemed our eternal souls. Well, what
did the Song of Solomon write? He comes the fairest of 10,000
to my soul. the lily of the valley, the bright
morning star. Oh my, he's wonderful. I'll tell
you what, he's wonderful. And then let us consider where
the safety of our soul is found. In religion, man will tell you,
you gotta do this and this and this. Therefore, they're saying
the safety of your soul is in your hands. They say, well, God
saved you, now you gotta keep on keeping on. Praise God. The safety of my soul is in Christ
and Him alone. And we will keep on keeping on
because Christ keeps us. Isn't that wonderful? Praise
His mighty name, beloved. All those He saves, He keeps.
He's a saving God and He's a keeping God. I love it. What a wonderful Savior. Oh,
my. Oh, oh, for grace to know the
love of Christ more, which passes all understanding. Do you know
in heaven we're going to see the fullness of that love? Do
you know that? We see through a glass darkly now, right? But
then face to face. Oh, we'll know Christ. We'll
see him. We'll see him face to face, beloved.
It's wonderful. We'll be able to comprehend with
all the saints the breadth and length and depth and height of
God's everlasting, unchanging, matchless love for us. Now it just makes our mind fizz,
doesn't it? But then we'll be able to comprehend it. Oh my. And you know what it's
going to make us do? It's going to make us shout,
worthy is the lamb. We're slaying. To receive glory
and honor and blessings. That's what we're going to be
singing, beloved. Oh my. It'll be wonderful. Now let's look at verse 1 of
chapter 2 read it. We're going to read it along
with verses 11 11 and 12 of Chapter 1 There's a chapter
break here, but verse 1 goes with 11 and 12 You're going to
see it as we flow through it. It's it's amazing. It's right
there. It's It's an attachment between
the two of them here look at this Hebrews chapter 2 verse I mean not Hebrews Hosea
chapter 11 or 1 Hosea chapter 1 verse 11 and and verse 1 of
chapter 2 then shall the children of Judah and the children of
Israel be gathered together and appoint themselves one head and
they shall come up out of the land for great shall be the day
of Jezreel look at this say unto your brethren Remember what they
were called in the first chapter? Lo, am I. Lo, Rumah. Now they're gone. Lo's gone.
The pitied ones in my people. Who's God's people? God's elect.
God's elect, beloved. A number that no man can number.
It's beautiful. In Christ, the low is removed,
isn't it? We were chosen in Him before
the foundation of the world. Look at this. Say unto your brethren, am I,
and to your sisters, who am I? Again, there's no low. There's
no low. We see the Lord's gracious dealings
with his people in Christ, in bringing us from a state of sin,
children of whoredoms, dead in trespasses and sins in Adam,
to in Christ, forgiven, cleansed in the precious blood of the
Lamb, pitied, pitied. Remember, he's a Lamb slain from
before the foundation of the world, right? And we're in him. It's wonderful. Oh, marvel, as we see our Lord
call us his people again. Am I in Ruhemah? Turn, if you
would, to Hebrews chapter 2, which means pitied and my people. So God's elect are identified
as those who God pities, is compassionate to, and those who are his people. Brothers, how long have we been
his people for? Amen, brother. Now, we fell on Adam, didn't
we? And we were enemies in our mind. But his love was always
on us. Never changed. Oh, my. You know, we got kids, and when
they were little, sometimes we get mad at them, right? God never
gets mad at His children. Isn't that wonderful? I'll tell
you what. Oh my. It's wonderful. Look at this in Hebrews chapter
2 verses 11 to 13. Do you know? Do you know that
we who are God's people are called His brethren? Now note what,
if you still have your finger in Hosea 2, look what it says. Say ye unto your brethren, right? Key word there. Brethren. Okay,
look at this in Hebrews 2 verses 11 to 13. For both he that sanctified and
they who are sanctified are all of one. That's Christ in the
body. For which cause he's not ashamed
to call them, what? Brethren. Say unto your brethren,
am I pitied in Ruahimah, my people? Oh, it's beautiful, isn't it,
beloved? saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren. In the midst of the church will
I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust
in him. And again, behold, I and the
children which God hath given me. That's us. That's the redeemed. Oh, this
is beautiful, beloved. Look at Hebrews verse 2 11 again
for both he that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all
of one So we're one in Christ Jew and Gentile Remember remember
how it said the people of God Israel be as the sand of the
sea. No one can number them That's us and then look what it says
here For which cause he's not ashamed
to call them brethren. I My, oh my. Listen to this. This portion
in Hebrews comes from Psalm 22, where it said this of Christ,
I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the
church. He's declared God's name to us,
hasn't he? He's revealed himself to us,
hasn't he? And then it becomes this, I will
declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the congregation,
will I praise thee. Our Savior praises God, the Father. And we praise God, the Father,
Son, and the Holy Spirit, don't we? For their mercy and goodness
to us. The three are one. So Christ
who sanctifies and those he sanctifies have one Father. Have one father. And stand in relationship as
brethren. Remember, a body thou hast prepared
for me. Christ became bone of our bone
and flesh of our flesh, didn't he? He's as much God as the Father
and the Holy Spirit and has no beginning or end. But when he
came to this earth, he was submissive to the Father's will. To save us from our sins. It's
absolutely amazing. In this relationship, Christ
acknowledges, and we marvel, he's not ashamed to call us brethren,
worms such as us. You know why he's not ashamed
to call us brethren? Because he redeemed us with his precious
blood, beloved. He gave his life for us. He loves
us so much. Oh, my. I couldn't wait to preach
this message today. It's wonderful. And what wonderful truth is here?
We have one Father. We're of one family. We're of
one body. And we have one Savior, Jesus
Christ, who's Lord over all. And when I mean He's Lord over
all, He's Lord over all. Every ruler in this world, things
visible and invisible, He reigns. That's our Savior. That's our
God. Cause for great rejoicing, isn't
it? Oh, my. We are called brethren, and Jesus
is not ashamed to call us his people. And don't we as a church
rejoice in that truth? Because we know we're sinners
saved by grace alone, through Christ alone, with no ability
to save ourselves. That's what makes it incredible. Think of how precious the blood
of Christ is, that it redeemed us from all our sins, and not
just your and my sins, but all the elect of all the ages. Bought
and paid for in full. You remember them stamps we used
to get to play with when my parents went to the grocery stores? I
loved those. Paid in full. Hey, look, Dad,
look, Mom, it's paid in full. Man, that was a thrill to be
able to do that. Stamped in the blood of Christ, paid in full. My, paid in full. The debt that the elect of all
the elect of all the ages owed, paid in full. And God the Father
is fully satisfied with that sacrifice. Some say, well how can one man,
how can one man save a multitude of people that no man can number
because of who He is. He's God incarnate in the flesh. The Word became flesh and dwelt
among us. And we beheld His glory, the
glories of the only begotten of the Father. And by faith we
behold Him, don't we? Sister Kathy, isn't he the fairest
of 10,000 to our souls? Oh my! There's no one like him,
is there? Oh, there's no one like him,
beloved. My, oh my. So let us rejoice tonight as
we've looked into this wonderful topic of our salvation in and
through Christ and how We were enemies with God
in our minds and not his people by nature, in our nature. We were always his, but we had
an enmity with him, didn't we? He says, you who were not my
people are my people. Turn, if you would, to 1 Peter,
1 Peter. May we rejoice tonight as we
leave here, just praising our great God for his mercy, and
may his love burn in our hearts, beloved. And may God kindle that.
May we be filled for joy as we leave here, and may we contemplate
and meditate on the wonderful truths that we've looked at tonight.
And may we praise him for his goodness and his mercy, which
is shown to us all in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. And think
of this. This work of redemption is a
grand work. It's greater than creation of
all the universe. God saves sinners by becoming
a man. That's the grand work. My, the heavens declare His handiwork,
doesn't it? But it's nothing compared to
Christ saving a multitude of sinners. And praise God, we're
included in that number. What a gracious God. What a wonderful
God. Look at this in 1 Peter 1. Christ has accomplished our redemption. It's done. And he's obtained
eternal redemption for us. Look at this. 1 Peter 1, verses
3 to 12. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy
hath begotten us again into a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus
from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible. That means you
can't mess it up, right? Is that not right, Zane? Yeah,
incorruptible, undefiled. It's pure and it's perfect because
it's in Christ. You see? If it was ours, it's
all defiled. But it's in Christ. It's undefiled.
Look at this. And that fate is not away, reserved
for you in heaven. Only once in Canada, I think,
or once with Vicki on our anniversary, I called up a restaurant and
reserved a table. I'd never really done that. And we walked in there,
and there's your table, Mr. and Mrs. Boyd. Our inheritance,
it's already reserved. It's reserved. Isn't that wonderful? We're just
as secure as the saints in glory. Think of that. Oh my. Obtain brother, amen. Look at that. This is wonderful. This is wonderful. Undefiled,
faith not away, reserved in heaven for you. So now he identifies
the saints. Look at this. Brian, this will
make our hearts sing. Who are kept by the power of
God. You remember, those of us who
came out of religion, you remember? Gotta keep on keeping on, right?
You remember that? I remember that. Oh, you gotta keep going.
You gotta come on alongside us, we'll help you. You're just one
sinner, you can't help me. I'm already, since you preached
that message, I have no hope. I'm walking out the door worse
than I was when I came in. But doesn't this fill your heart
with joy? Doesn't this make your heart sing? Kept by the power
of God. Who are kept by the power of
God through faith, God-given faith. We must believe on Christ,
right? We do, by God-given faith, don't we? We do. We look to Him. As small as our faith may be, As weak as our faith may be,
as we're tossed sometimes like this, aren't we? Our faith and
our hope is in Christ. It's in Christ because we're
kept. Think of all the things you've
been through that may have destroyed you at one time. And know this,
the reason you and I got through those things is because we were
kept by the power of God. Oh my! It's wonderful. It's absolutely
wonderful. Look at this. Kept by the power
of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last
time. That's when we'll be revealed as God's people, right? Spotless
Jude. Look at the end of Jude. You'll
see that in Christ presenting us to the Father, a spotless
bride. Wherein ye greatly rejoice now for a season, if need be,
ye are in heaviness. Remember, the people that Peter's
writing to, they're going through various trials and temptations
for their faith. They're being persecuted for
their faith. That the trial of your faith, being much more precious
than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might
be found unto the praise and honor and glory at the appearing
of Jesus Christ. Now look what he just said there.
He said that our trials are more precious than gold. You know
why? Because they drive us to Christ. They show us our inability, and
we see His magnificent, almighty power on display, don't we? And
taking us right through whatever circumstance we're going through.
My, my, look at this. Receiving the end of your faith,
even the salvation of your souls, of which, oh, I missed a verse
there. The trial of your faith with
fire might be found under praise and honor and glory at the appearing
of Jesus Christ, that's the general resurrection when he comes back,
whom having not seen you love, look at that, we've never seen
him, but we love him by faith, in whom though now you see him,
not yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full
of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation
of your souls, of which salvation the prophets have inquired and
searched diligently, who prophesized of the grace that should come
unto you. So the Old Testament preachers,
prophets, they all taught of Christ. Searching what or what
manner of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, did
signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and
the glory that should follow. I just noticed something here.
Look what it says in verse 11. Now, how are the Old Testament
saints born again? Because they have to have faith,
right? They have to be born again, don't
they? I had a fellow tell me this week that the Old Testament
saints didn't have the Holy Spirit. And I said, well, then how can
they be saved? Right? Abraham believed God. It was counted to him. How did
he believe? He didn't muster it up, did he? He's born again. Now look what it says here. Look
at that! The Holy Spirit was in the prophets,
right? and the Old Testament saints,
when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and
the glory that should follow, unto whom it was revealed that
not unto themselves, but unto us, they did minister the things
which are now reported unto you by them, that have preached the
gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven,
which things the angels desire to look into. Now look at that,
the angels desire to look into the gospel. Do you know the angels,
they can't experience salvation? You ever think of that? They've
not been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. They desire to look into these
things. Isn't that amazing? Oh my. My oh my. So this grand redemption, this
grand act of redemption, salvation of all the elect by the Lord
Jesus Christ in and through Him, is a great source of joy for
the redeemed of the Lord. Great source of joy. Well, we're
upon this earth, and you know, when we've gone home to heaven,
it'll be a great source of joy for us there. Turn, if you would,
last place we're gonna look, and we're gonna close with this,
Revelation chapter five. Do you know, you ever hear someone
say, you ever think of this, how would someone who doesn't
enjoy worshiping with the saints here on earth ever enjoy heaven? They won't. They can't. Right? You talk to people about
God's election, they say, that's not fair. Well, we don't want
fair, because then everybody would be going to hell. But I
remember hearing Henry Mahan said, you put someone who was
unsaved in heaven, they'd hate it. Because they hate God. That died in their sins, they'd
hate it. They still hate God, beloved. God's people who love
God on this earth by God given grace and faith Do you know we're
gonna love Christ even more in glory? We who sing praises to
him now from our hearts born-again blood-washed hearts. Do you know
we're gonna sing praises to him in glory? Let's look at this
and may this cause our heart to rejoice this week And may
we meditate upon this wonderful portion of scripture this week
because I'll tell you what this is a great blessing Revelation
chapter 5 verse 9 And they sang a new song. Now
this is the redeemed of the Lord. This is God's born-again, blood-washed
saints in number that we saw in our text that no man can number.
Here we go. Saying, thou art worthy. Remember there was a book and
no man was found worthy? But they said, weep not, the
lion of the tribe of Judah hath prevailed to open the book. Oh my, here he comes. Thou art
worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof, for
Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed who? Us. In glory we're gonna be singing
Salvation's psalm, Brother Brian. We're gonna sing, worthy is the
Lamb, has redeemed us to God. He's recovered us, hasn't he?
By thy blood, look at that, by his blood. You remember, he's
the God-man in glory. By thy blood, out of every kindred,
I love this, I love this. Out of every kindred and tongue
and nation, or people and nation. Look at that, beloved. That's
amazing. Oh my. And I beheld and I heard
the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts
and the elders and the number of them was 10,000 times 10,000
and thousands and thousands. That's a number you can't measure. That's what that's for. Oh my. Saying, here we go. Here we go.
Here's salvation. Here's heaven's song. Look at
this. Isn't this wonderful? Saying, worthy is the lamb. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor
and glory. And look at this, and every creature
which was in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and
such as are in the sea and all they that are in them, heard
I saying, blessings and honor and glory and power be unto him
that sits upon the throne and unto the Lamb forever and ever. We're going to be singing glorious
songs to him forever and ever, beloved. Someone once said to
me, won't you get tired of that? Nope. Not at all. Oh, to see our King forever?
And to be in the land of no mores? No more pain, no more sorrow,
no more sickness, no more crying, no more sadness. No more departures,
no more goodbyes. Oh, my. We won't have to say, Lord, well,
I'll see you on Sunday. Well, we. Oh, my. Oh, it'll be wonderful. Oh, it'll be wonderful. Glory
to the name of Jesus. Praise his mighty, mighty name.
Brother Dan, can you close us in prayer?