Open your Bibles, if you would,
to Galatians 5. Galatians 5. The name of the
messages is our message offensive. We'll read here verses 1-15. Galatians 5. Now the setting
for this epistle is Paul is battling religious worksmongers who had
told the Galatians that they had to be circumcised in order
to be saved. Thus, missing grace and works. And in chapter 1, Paul called
what the false teachers were teaching, that you had to be
circumcised along with Christ to be saved. Paul called it another
gospel. Another gospel, which was not
the gospel. Which was not the gospel. Anything
that you add to Christ, even the smallest amount, even just
a pinprick of works, and it's no longer grace. It's
no longer grace. Let's read Galatians chapter
5, verses 1 to 15. Stand fast, therefore, in the
liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. Stand fast. Stand firm in the liberty, the freedom wherewith
Christ hath made us free. And be not entangled again with
the yoke of bondage. Now, remember what he's writing
about. He's combating again works-based salvation. Behold, I, Paul, say
unto you that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. Nothing. For I testify again to every
man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole
law. Now look at what Paul is bringing
forth here. If one is to say that you must be circumcised
to be saved, along with Christ, or circumcision, then you're
a debtor to the whole law. The whole law. And not one of us can fulfill
one law. Not one of us. Look at this. Christ is become
of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law.
You want to be justified by the law? Christ is no effect to you. You are fallen from grace. For
we through the Spirit wait for the hope of the righteousness
by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision
availeth anything, nor uncircumcision. But faith worketh by love. You did well. You did run well. Who did hinder you that you should
not obey the truth? What's the truth? Just trust
Christ. Just look to Christ. Plus nothing. Salvation is in
Christ and Christ alone. And we're seeing today that that's
an offensive message. That's an offensive message to
people who seek to justify themselves by their own works. But not to
God's people. Oh, it's wonderful. It's absolutely
wonderful. This persuasion cometh not of
him that calleth you a little leaven, leaveneth the whole lump.
A little bit of sin leavens the whole lump. You add anything
to grace, it's no longer grace. I have confidence in you through
the Lord that ye will be none otherwise minded, but if he that
troubleth you shall bear his judgments, whosoever he be. And
I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer
persecution? Then is the offense of the cross
ceased. There's our text. And if I, brethren, yet preach
circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offense
of the cross ceased. I would they were even cut off,
which trouble you. For brethren, you have been called
unto liberty only. Use not liberty for an occasion
to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is filled in
one word, even in this. Thou shalt love the thy neighbor
as thyself. But if you bite and devour one
another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
Take note of verse 11 there in Galatians chapter 5. And I, brethren,
have I yet preached circumcision? That's the works of man for salvation.
That's what that means. That's the works of man for salvation.
Because the context of the epistle is about that. He's battling
again. People who say you have to be circumcised to be saved.
Why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offense of the cross
ceased. So note then, if one preaches works, works to be saved,
then the offense of the cross is ceased. The offense of the gospel has
ceased. Now, gospel preachers, we don't
set out to offend people. No, not at all. The message is
offensive to natural men. It was offensive to me before
the Lord saved me. Was it so for you? Because it
was for me. I did not want to hear it. I did not want to be around people
who told me about it. But now, it's the only message
I want to hear. In the name that I once cursed,
now I love. And now I adore the Lord Jesus
Christ. The name above all names. Is
it so for you? It's a miracle of grace. It's
a miracle of grace. Paul is bringing forth here that
there's no offense in works-based religion. There's no offense
in works-based religion. It is the cross of Christ that's
offensive. It's the Christ of the cross
that's offensive. It is the pure, free, and sovereign
grace of God, the gospel of substitution, that is offensive to natural
man. It's offensive to natural man. You know why? Because it
shows the utter inability for man to save themselves. It unmasks
the lie that we think we can save ourselves. It tears the mask right off.
And what does it do? It leaves man condemned. It leaves
natural man condemned by their own supposed good works. And
man hate it. People hate it. Turn, if you would, to 1 Corinthians
1. Look at verse 18. For the preaching of the cross
is to them, and that's natural man, To them that perish, foolishness. It's nonsense to them. I was there. Praise God He didn't
leave me there. Is it so for you? But unto us which are saved,
what? It's the power of God. Oh my. It's the power of God
manifested. Manifested. Now man is By nature,
very religious. Very religious. There's all kinds
of different religions all over this world, aren't there? Natural
man is religious by nature. And religion is all about what
they do. Religion is all about what you do. Therefore, it's not offensive,
is it? It's not offensive. You notice
they all get along? All get along, don't they? It's
not offensive. People say, just let me believe
the way I want to believe. That's what they say. What is offensive to natural
man? What is offensive to man or woman who's dead in trespasses
and sins is the preaching of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ is the only full Now here it is. There's the only full
and complete Redeemer of sinners. That's what's offensive to men
and women. That's where the offense is.
That Christ is the full and complete Redeemer of sinners. Of those
who trust in Him. That's where the offense is.
The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. of the free grace of
God in Christ, it's a message of mercy, beloved. And for we
who have tasted that the Lord is gracious, we can say, Amen. The Gospel brings forth mercy
for the miserable. Mercy for the miserable. It's
a message of love. Love for the unloved. Also in the preaching of the
Gospel of God's free and sovereign grace in Christ, we see grace
for the guilty, don't we? Grace for the guilty. Grace given
to undeserving sinners. And this is good news for sinners,
isn't it? It's good news. The question is, are you a sinner?
Do you see yourself as a sinner before God? Because this is good
news for sinners. And we who are redeemed by the
Lord, we declare we're but saved sinners, aren't we? I sin more
than I want to, do you? Oh my. But praise God, I'm saved by
the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospel is a proclamation
of the free gift of God, the unspeakable gift of God, the
gift of life, eternal life, eternal life, which is only found in
and through the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, the Gospel of Christ
announces life to those who are dead in trespasses and sins. We fell in Adam. And the Gospel declares peace
to troubled hearts. Are you troubled? Are you burdened
by your sin? It declares peace to troubled
souls all in and through the Lord Jesus Christ in Him alone.
Nowhere else. Nowhere else is there peace with
God but in and through Christ and Christ alone. Nowhere else. And Paul calls the preaching
of this wondrous gospel of the grace of God in Christ the offense
of the cross. the offense of the cross. Beloved of God, the gospel of
substitution, the gospel of the grace of God has a history in
this world of being hated and despised, rejected by men and women in
this world. We see it when we read the Scriptures.
We see it when we read of the saints of old, enduring persecutions
for what they believed. And we see it in our own day,
don't we? We see it in our own day. This precious Gospel. This precious Gospel which we
love, which points us to the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the
object of our faith. It is He who is despised and
rejected still. of men and women. And this precious, precious gospel,
the gospel of the grace of God in Christ, the gospel of substitution
was once offensive to us in our natural state too. So we don't see ourselves as
better than anyone else, no. We see ourselves as ones who
have obtained mercy and received the grace of God in Christ and
Christ alone. And again, we're still sinners. But we're safe sinners, aren't
we? We who are the born-again, blood-washed people of God. And oh, how precious to the believer
in Christ is this Gospel. Because it tells us all about
Him. It tells us all about Him. We rejoice, don't we? In the
mercy of God. Shown to sinners such as us in
and through Christ. Again, look at verse 18 of 1
Corinthians chapter 1. For the preaching of the cross
is to them that perish foolishness. But unto us which are saved,
it is the power of God. In chapter 2 of the same book,
in verse 14, Paul brings this forth, that the natural man receiveth
not Receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. For they
are foolishness unto Him." They're foolishness unto Him.
Neither can He know them because they are spiritually discerned.
We cannot know about Christ unless He reveals Himself to us. And when He does, we praise His
mighty name. Turn, if you would, to John 15.
See, this Gospel has been hated for years and years and years.
And despised. And as I said, we who are redeemed,
at one time we despised this Gospel. To our shame. But now it's the power of God
unto salvation to us, isn't it? It's absolutely wonderful. Look at this in John 15, 19.
If you were of the world, the world would love His own. But
because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of
the world, therefore the world hated you. It hated our Master. Therefore,
it will hate us. And then in 1 John, it says,
marvel not, my brethren, if the world hates you. 1 John 3, 13.
Marvel not. Don't marvel in them. The people of the world hated
our Master. They're going to hate us too. And you ever get tired of people
hearing people say, well, you all think you're holier than
thou. Now, sit down with me for a little
while and I'll tell you that I'm just but a stage singer. Oh, my. I don't think I'm holier
than anyone else. I'm worse than anyone else. And
every believer says, yeah, that's me. We battle with Paul saying
we're the chief of sinners, don't we? Oh, my. We do. We do. Because that's
how we are. Oh, my. Why do natural men hate the Gospel?
So much. Because it strips them of any
merit before God. That's why. It absolutely strips
them of any merit before God. It wounds their pride, beloved.
It wounds their pride. And you know what else it does?
It exposes their self-righteousness. That's what the Gospel did to
me. It exposed my self-righteousness. I was religious. I knew doctrine. I could sit down and go toe-to-toe
with you about stuff. But I was lost. And I was the
most self-righteous man. Just ask my wife. She'll tell
you how I was. It was awful. But praise God,
by His grace, He saved me. He saved me. And so, the Gospel
of Salvation in and through Christ alone. The Gospel of substitution
of the perfect sacrifice for the Lord Jesus Christ exposes
man's self-righteousness. Strips us of any merit before
God. Our Lord told the disciples over
in John chapter 16, verse 2, they shall put you out of the
synagogues. Let's turn there if we would.
John 16, verse 2. John 16, verse 2. Our Lord told
the disciples, they shall put you out of the synagogue. Well,
that's organized religion, beloved. That's organized religion. Yea, the time cometh that whosoever
killeth you will think that he doeth God's service. Look at
that in John 16, 2. They shall put you out of the synagogue.
Yea, the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he
doeth God's service. Turn over, if you would, to John
chapter 9. John chapter 9. The Jews had
made a law that if one confessed that Jesus was the Messiah, then
they'd be cast out of the synagogue. Excommunicated. And this is spoken
of over here in John chapter 9, verse 22. And they're speaking
to the parents The man, he can see again. He's been healed.
He was blind, but now he can see. These words spake his parents
because they feared... Look at verse 22. These words
spake his parents because they feared the Jews. For the Jews
had agreed already that if any man did confess that he was Christ,
he should be put out of the synagogue. Cast out. Now, for a Jew to be cast out
of the synagogue, It meant he was cut off from his Jewish nation.
He was cut off from the promises, from the hope of Israel. It also
meant that they would be considered pagans. They'd lose their jobs. They'd be cut off from their
families. They'd be denied an honorable burial. But our Lord
brings forth that the time will come that even when religious
zealots will put you to death in the name of God. Turn, if
you would, to Acts chapter 7. Acts chapter 7. They will put you to death in
the name of God. They're convinced that you're a heretic because
you serve God. And we see this in what happened
to Stephen. Look at Acts chapter 7, verses
57 to 60. And they cried out with a loud
voice and stopped their ears and ran upon him with one accord.
And they cast him out of the city and stoned him." Why? Because he preached the Gospel.
Because he preached the Gospel. And the witnesses laid down their
coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. My, my, my. And they stoned Stephen, calling
upon God and saying, Lord, Jesus received my spirit. And he kneeled
down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their
charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. Now turn
to Acts 26. Paul professed in Acts 26 that
as a religious Pharisee, he did these very things. He went in thinking that he was doing
God's service. Killing Christians. Acts 26, look at verses 9 to
10. I verily thought with myself
that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus.
Now, remember, too, before we... Remember, Paul is a vessel of
mercy. He doesn't know it, does he? He has no idea. He's a natural
man at this point, what he's writing about. He's a natural
man. He's not saved. He hates Christ. He hates the
things of Christ. He hates the people of God. But look what he writes. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem
and many of the saints did I shut up in prison. Oh, my. having received authority
from the chief priests. And when they were put to death,
I gave my voice against them. And I promised them often in
every synagogue and felled them to blasphemy. And being exceedingly
mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strained cities." Paul was once a hater of the
Lord Jesus Christ. But by the miracle of grace,
he became a lover of the Master, didn't he? And a preacher. But he persecuted Christians
thinking he was doing God's service. Thinking he was doing God's service. So if what we preach is not offensive
to the religionists and to the worldling, then it's not the
Gospel of Christ. It's not the Gospel. The Gospel
preacher preaches and proclaims the Lord Jesus Christ is the
only full, complete Savior of sinners. Period. Nothing more and nothing less. Salvation is not in good works.
It's not in the church. It's not in religion. It's in
Christ and Christ alone. That's where salvation is. And
this is the message that the world hates. Why is the preaching of the Gospel
offensive to men and women? Number one, the preaching of
the total depravity and inability offends man's dignity and claim
to personal righteousness. The preaching of man's total
depravity and utter inability to save themselves offends man's
dignity and claim to personal righteousness. People just do
not think they're sinners. They think everyone else is.
They can always point you to someone who's worse than them.
Did you ever do that before? We did that, didn't we? We used
to do that. Now we just say, no, I'm the
chief. Oh, full of self-righteousness.
The Jews proclaimed Over in the book of John, when our Lord told
them that they were the father of the devil, they were highly
offended. Turn, if you would, to John chapter 8. John chapter
8. They were highly offended. John
chapter 8. And they proclaimed, we're not
born of fornication. We have one Father, even God.
John chapter 8, verse 41. You do the deeds of your fathers
Then said they to him, we be not born of fornication, and
we have one Father, even God. And now when they proclaim, we
be not born of fornication, they're saying, we're not sinners. We may not be perfect. What does
the world always say? Well, we're not perfect, but
we're not totally corrupt. That's how we're born. Dead in trespasses and sins.
And is this not what the natural man proclaims? Say, well, I'm
not perfect. But we're not all bad. There's
none good, no, not one, the Scripture declares. Look at our Lord's
response to these Jews. Verse 42-47, Jesus said unto
them, If God were your Father, you would love me. For I proceeded
forth and came from God. Neither came I of myself, but
He sent me. Why do you not understand my
speech? Even because you cannot hear my word. They weren't given
ears to hear the words of the second. Ye are of your father
the devil, and the lust of your father ye will do. He was a murderer
from the beginning, and a boat not in truth, because there's
no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh
of his own, for he's a liar and the father of it. Because I tell
you the truth, you believe me not. See, that's the problem
with people nowadays. They don't believe what the Bible
says. And it's always been so. They didn't believe Christ. What
did He say? Which of you convinces me of
sin? Well, no one could. He's perfect. He's spotless.
He's the sinless Lamb of God. And if I say the truth, why do
you not believe me? Look at this. He that is of God
heareth God's words. He therefore hear them not, because
ye are not of God. That's why they don't hear the
words. They're not of God. And the gospel of God's free
and sovereign grace and salvation through Christ alone is proclaimed
to all men, isn't it? Get up and preach the gospel
to all. It addresses old and young, rich and poor, Jew and
Gentile. And the gospel addresses all
men everywhere and all women as sinners. Men and women, we're
all a bunch of sinners. In God's sight and in our natural
state, we're guilty in Adam. We all fell in Adam. Every one
of us. In sin did my mother conceive
me, the Scripture proclaims. I was shaped in an iniquity.
I was brought forth speaking lies. That's what the Scripture says.
People just don't believe it. We're guilty by nature. Paul
said, when I would do good, evil is present with me. I find a
law within me that when I would do good, evil is present with
me. We have evil thoughts, evil desires, evil passions, and evil
intentions. We're all sinners by choice.
We choose sin. And we're sinners by practice.
That's what we are. And the Scriptures declare there's
no difference. There's no difference between Jew and Gentile. They're
all the same. They all together become unprofitable.
There is none righteous, not one. What does that mean? That
means everyone's guilty before God. That's what the Scriptures
declare. But people don't believe it.
They say, well, I'm not too bad. I'm a pretty good person. Not according to the Scripture.
I used to think, I told you guys, I used to think my good would
outweigh my bad. Matt and I were doing a study
the other day and we hit on the Scripture, talked about the balances
and how Christ is the just balance. So that whole theory of mine
before was, well, God would outweigh the good. No, it'd be like this.
Wayne's totally bad and Christ is totally good. That's how it
is. There's no Christ is the just
way. He's the perfect weight. He's
the perfect balance. Because He's the God-man. He's
the God-man. Only He is perfect. Only He is
sinless. There is not a righteous man
in this world by himself, by his own attitude, actions and
manner of life. The Scriptures declare this.
That there's none righteous, no, not one. And that's offensive.
That's offensive to natural man. They get mad. I got mad when
I first heard that. I'm sure it was so for you. God requires perfection to be
in His presence. Perfect righteousness. We preach that the only way we
are made righteous is by Christ and Christ alone. And that's
offensive to man. That's offensive to natural man. This message of the grace
of God in Christ, it offends the natural man. And the saint
acknowledges that this was our natural state even before we
were saved. And even though we're still sinners,
praise be to God, we're saved sinners. We rejoice in the mercy
of God that's been shown us. Why is the preaching of the Gospel
offensive to men and women? Number two, the preaching of
effectual redemption through the person and work of the Lord
Jesus Christ as our substitute and sin offering offends man's
pride. It offends man's pride. This
is the second point where the Gospel is offensive. The Gospel of the free grace
of God in Christ declares a full... I rejoice in this, a full, complete
righteousness which we don't have in our natural state. It
declares a full, complete righteousness purposed by God, provided by
God, purchased by God the Son on Calvary's cross for His people
by His death. And men get highly offended.
highly offended at this, is they would have God do all that He
wants to do and all that He can do, but there must be a little
bit of work left for the sinner to perform. That man might somewhat share
in the glory. No, it doesn't work that way. The preaching of the Gospel proclaims
a full, complete atonement that has been accomplished by the
Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Lord Jesus Christ alone, who
is God incarnate in the flesh, in the room and place of His
people. And God's people say, Hallelujah! What a Savior! That which God the Man That which
God demands. He provides for we who are sinners
in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. And this is offensive
to man, but it is true. This statement right here. There
is now, therefore, no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus. No judgment. No damnation. No curse to those who are in
Christ Jesus. Jesus Christ, the Lord, the God-man,
our Redeemer, our representative as a man on this earth in the
flesh, He fulfilled by His obedience and by His perfect life and by
His death upon the cross all the requirements of God's law
on behalf of His people. What a Savior! What a Redeemer! The Word was made flesh and dwelt
among us. And His righteousness is imputed
to the believer in Christ. to His people who are born again
by the Holy Spirit of God. Those He purchased on Calvary's
cross with the shedding of His own precious blood. And He satisfied
all that God demanded for us. His law is satisfied. His wrath
is appeased. And His people are free. Free. Turn, if you would, to Galatians.
Galatians chapter 2. Galatians chapter 2. Galatians chapter 2. We'll read
verses 15 to 21. We who are Jews by nature and
not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified
by the works of the law. Man is not justified by the works
of the law. Because we can't even fulfill
one law. But by the faith of Jesus Christ,
even We have believed in Jesus Christ. That we might be justified by
the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law. Look at
this statement. For by the works of the law shall
no flesh be justified. That's pretty plain, isn't it? That's offensive to man. See,
because it wounds their pride. They want to do something. They want to say, well, I have
a little bit in there. For by the works of the law shall no
flesh be justified. But if we seek to be justified by Christ, we also are found sinners.
Is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I
build again the things which I have destroyed, I make myself
a transgressor. For I through the law am dead
to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with
Christ, nevertheless I live. Nevertheless, I live. Yet not
I, but Christ liveth in me. In the life which I now live
in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me.
Oh, he loved his people, beloved. And what? And gave himself for
me. I do not frustrate the grace
of God, for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ
is dead and vain. If righteousness comes by what
you do, then Christ is dead and vain. That's what the Scriptures
say right there. And think of this. The believer
is clothed in the perfect, spotless righteousness of Christ. And
we have a perfect standing before God. All in and through the Lord
Jesus Christ. Even though we're saved sinners,
God sees us in Christ. He sees us in Christ and our
great God who is holy, just, righteous. He loves us, forgives
us, accepts us, and justifies us all in and through the Lord
Jesus Christ and Him alone. It is Christ who by Himself purged
our sins. It's not Christ and me or Jesus
and you. It is Christ alone who has purged
our sins. He is the believer's holiness.
All of it. All of it. He is the believer's
justifier. Completely. Completely. He is our acceptance with God. And nothing needs to be added
to what He's done. Nothing at all. And we are redeemed
with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are redeemed
fully The ransom is paid. Nothing needs to be added. It
is finished. Finished. Not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to His mercy He has saved us. Not by works of righteousness
which we have done, because there's no unrighteousness. Not by works
of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy
He has saved us. Paul said, I am not ashamed of
the Gospel of Christ. It is. It's a power of God unto
salvation to everyone that believes it. To the Jew first and also
to the Greek, for therein is the Gospel. Revealed from faith to faith,
and for it is written, the just. For therein in the Gospel is
the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. For it is
written, the just shall live by faith. The doctrine of substitution.
the doctrine of total, complete substitution. It is offensive
to natural man and woman. It's offensive because it offends
man's pride. It offends man's pride. The only
way, the only way that you and I can stand before a holy God,
the holy God of the universe, is to be washed white and clean
to be cleansed from all our sins and transgression. That's the
only way that we're going to be able to stand before our holy
God, cleansed by the precious blood
of the Lord Jesus Christ and clothed in His perfect, spotless
righteousness. Because He alone is the fountain
open to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem
for sin and uncleanness. Turn, if you would, to 1 Peter.
1 Peter. 1 Peter 1. 1 Peter 1, verses 18 to 20, and marvel to 21. Marvel at these
wondrous words. And this is written to believers.
This is written to the elect that are scattered. throughout
Pontius, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. Verse 1 says,
those who are the elect according to the foreknowledge of God the
Father, through sanctification of the Spirit and obedience and
sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. This is written to them
in verse 18. For as much as ye know that ye
were not redeemed with corruptible things of silver and gold from
your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers. Silver and gold can't redeem.
You can't buy your way into heaven. Look at this. How were we redeemed?
But with the precious blood of Christ as a Lamb without blemish
and without spot. He's a perfect, spotless Lamb
of God who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the
world, but was manifest in these last times for you. That's written
to believers. This is wonderful. Who by Him did believe in God
that raised Him up from the dead and gave Him glory that your
faith and hope might be in God. Who's your hope in? Who's your
trust in? Who's the anchor of your soul?
Christ and Christ alone. He's the only hope I have. I
have no other hope but Him. Is it so for you? If it's not,
I pray God would make it so. I pray God would make it so. Why is the preaching of the Gospel
offensive to men and women? The preaching of God's absolute
sovereignty in creation, providence, redemption, and salvation offends
man's claim to free will. Man, as I mentioned earlier,
always wants something that they can do to gain merit and favor
with God. And the Gospel of God's free
grace, when it's proclaimed, when the perfect salvation in
Christ is proclaimed, Either by their actions, natural man,
either by their actions or their thoughts, say this, we will not
have this man reign over us. They may not say those words,
but by their actions and by their thoughts, that's what they're
saying. We who are the blood-bought people
of God can say we know that to be true. Because there was a time when
we said those words either by our actions or by our thoughts.
Praise God. He's a merciful God, eh? Praise
God. The preaching of God's absolute
sovereignty and salvation offends the natural man. Because again,
it strips him of all ability. Because we have no ability. Man
thinks he's got ability to come to God, but he has none. He has
no ability to come to God. And what does the preaching of
God's absolute sovereignty and salvation do? It strips man of
all ability. It brings him to the dust before
the holy, sovereign God of the universe. Right where we should
be. Right where we should be. The
Gospel of God's glory and God's grace declares that God is sovereign
and almighty in the matter of salvation. The Scriptures say
this. Eternal life is the gift of God, not of works, lest any
man should boast. It also says, I will be merciful
unto whom I will be merciful. I will be gracious to whom I
will be gracious. It is not of him that willeth.
It is not of him that runneth. It is of God that showeth mercy. All that my Father giveth me
shall come to me. I pray not for the world, I pray
for them which Thou hast given Me." And then the Scripture says,
no man can come to Me except My Father which has sent Me,
draw him. That's from the words of the
Master. In Romans 8, the Scriptures declare
this. We know that all things work
together for good for them who are who love God, who are the
called according to His purpose, for whom He foreknew, He predestinated
to be conformed to the image of His Son. And whom He predestinated,
He called. And whom He called, He justified.
And whom He justified, He glorified." It's all His work. And that offends man. That offends man when you preach
that. And then, what shall we say to these things? What should
we say to the fact that salvation is all of God? I love what Paul wrote. If God
be for us, who can be against us? That's what we say. Oh, it's
wonderful. It's absolutely wonderful. Salvation's
of the Lord. It's of the Lord. It's of the
Lord and it's planning. And it's of the Lord in His execution.
It pleased God to bruise Him. To bruise Christ. It pleased
God to do that. Salvation of the Lord in His
application. It pleased God to reveal His
Son to me. Paul wrote. Salvation of the Lord is all
Him in His sustaining power. We are kept, the Scripture says,
by the power of God. And salvation is of the Lord
in His ultimate perfection. Here in His love, not that we
love God, but that He loved us. We love Him because He first
loved us. God in His sovereign grace gives
divine love to whom He will. And the new birth is from above. Totally and completely from above. This is what the Scriptures say.
You must be born again. We're born from above. Of His
own will begot He us with the Word of truth. It's all God's
work. From beginning to end. And this
is offensive to natural man. To natural man. But the Gospel
preacher proclaims this wonderful message. That salvation is of
the Lord. It's of the Lord. He's the only
hope for sinners. He's the only hope for sinners.
Salvation is of the Lord from the beginning to the end. He's
the Alpha and the Omega. Why is the preaching of the Gospel
offensive to men and women? Well, the Gospel must come by
revelation. And this offends man's natural
wisdom. Christ must reveal Himself to
us or we'll never know Him. But that's offensive to natural
man. That's offensive to natural man.
Because it offends their wisdom. Do you know what this does? The
fact that God must reveal Himself to us This puts everyone on the
same field as the learned man knows about as much about the
mysteries of grace as the unlearned man, which is nothing apart from
the Spirit of God. And this offends man. This offends
man. The last point is the Lordship
of Christ offends man's desire for recognition here and hereafter. In Mark 10, verse 37, the Scriptures
declare, they said unto him, Grant us that we may sit, one
on the right hand and the other on the left, in thy glory. When we preach the Gospel, we
proclaim the absolute Lordship of Christ. We don't make Him
Lord. God's already made Him Lord. He is Lord by birth. He's Lord before He even came
to this world. And it's God who made Christ
so. And what do we do as believers?
We bow to His Lordship, don't we? We bow to His Lordship. We bow our knee. We praise His
Lordship. Aren't you thankful that the
Lord reigns? We praise His Lordship because
it's He who has saved us from our sins. It's He who has washed
us in His precious blood. A natural man says, we'll not
have this. Not have this man rule over me. But the blood-washed Saint of
God proclaims the Lordship of Christ. We rejoice in it. We
rejoice in it. And you know that one day every
knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord to the glory of God the Father. One day they will. This offends man too. When you preach that, they say,
well, I don't believe in God. Well, one day you're going to
see Him. But it will be too late. You'll see Him in wrath then.
Oh, my. The Gospel declares that Christ
is the only way to God. He is the truth. And He is the
life. In the Gospel, Proclaims that Christ being the
only way, that there is no other way. No other way. But Christ
and Christ alone. And this is offensive to man.
This is offensive to man. The Apostle Paul said that this
message was offensive. Turn with your word to Galatians
chapter 1. We're closed with this. This message was offensive,
but he was sent and called to preach the Gospel. He did not
seek to please man. He did not seek to please man.
He was sent to preach the Gospel, what God had written in His Word
for God's glory and God's glory alone. Galatians chapter 1, verses
9 and 10. As we said before, so say I now
again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that
which you have received, let him be accursed. For do I not persuade men of
God? Or do I seek to please men? God's preachers don't seek to
please men. We preach what the Word says. We preach what the
Word says. For if I yet please men, look
at this, I should not be the servant of Christ. Heavenly Father,
we thank Thee for Your goodness and mercy and grace. Thank You
for the wonderful salvation that's proclaimed in the Gospel. which is all about you, Lord
Jesus, all about what you've done for sinners. And we who
are your redeemed, blood-bought people, we give you all the praise
and glory and honor for what you've done for us. We love you
because you first loved us. We pray that we would think upon
the things which we've learned today through this week. Oh,
Lord, we love you. We praise your mighty name. In
Jesus' name, amen.