We're going to be looking at
several different scriptures and I'll have us turning a little
bit here and there. So first of all I'd like us to
turn to Deuteronomy chapter 19 and then put your finger in John
chapter 8. We'll be looking at one verse
in Deuteronomy. And then we'll be looking at
a portion in the book of John. Today I'd like us to look at
this one verse of scripture for the setting of this message.
And then we'll eventually go to 2 Peter and verses 16 to 21. But we're going to make our way
there by looking at a few other scriptures before we get there.
The verse I'd like to look at in Deuteronomy is Deuteronomy
chapter 19 verse 15. And we will see the laws concerning
witnesses against someone. And there is a portion in this
verse that we'll look at and it applies to the Lord Jesus
Christ and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And we see
that there are three witnesses from scripture which testify
that the gospel of salvation in Christ Jesus alone by the
grace alone for God's glory alone is the one true gospel. Salvation
is of the Lord. And we will see it clearly today
in the scriptures and what we look at what the scriptures proclaim.
Deuteronomy chapter 19 verse 15. One witness shall not rise
up against a man for any iniquity or for any sin, in any sin that
he sinneth. At the mouth of two witnesses
or at the mouth of three witnesses shall the matter be established. So one man can't rise up against
someone and accuse them of something. According to the scriptures there
needs to be witnesses. Two witnesses or three witnesses.
So the scriptures here bring forth, again, that that which
is bought against a man in the Old Testament must be bought
against them at the mouth of two or three witnesses, either
for acquittal or for condemnation. Now let's go to John chapter
8. John chapter 8. We'll look here at the Master's
words. Our Lord's speaking to Pharisees here. John chapter
8. We'll look at verses 12 to 20. Then speak Jesus unto them,
the God-man. This is the God-man speaking.
This is no ordinary man. This is God incarnate in the
flesh, our Savior, our Redeemer. He says this, I am the light
of the world. That's a statement, isn't it?
That's a declaration. There's no room for any debate. He states clearly and plainly,
I am the light of the world. He that follows me shall not
walk in darkness. In our studies in 1 Thessalonians,
in chapter 5, where we're at now, we've seen that we're called
children of light now because we don't walk in darkness anymore.
And that darkness spoken of there is not the darkness of natural
light. That's the darkness of how we were born, dead in trespasses
and sins. So we no longer are in the darkness. We have the light of life. That's
the Lord Jesus Christ. The Pharisees therefore said
unto him, Thou barest record of thyself, thy record is not
true. Jesus answered and said unto
them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true. For I know whence I come, and
whither I go. But ye cannot tell whence I come,
and whither I go. See, he came from heaven down
to this earth. He's going back up again. And
now we know he's coming back again too, isn't he? See, but
they had no idea of this. They were natural men in spiritual
darkness. You judge after the flesh, see
that? You judge after the flesh. He says, I judge no man. And
yet if I judge, my judgment is true. So what do we conclude
there? Well, we conclude at the great
white judgment throne where Christ is the judge. His judgment will
be true. For I am not alone, but I and
the Father that sent me. Oh, we see here, he was sent
by the Father. He's on a mission, isn't he?
He's sent on purpose, for a purpose. And that's to save his people
from their sins. It is also written in your law.
Now he's going to the scriptures, isn't he? Now he's appealing
to the scriptures. That the testimony of two men is true. I am one
that bear witness of myself. And look at this. And the Father
that sent me bears witness of me. Then said they unto him,
where is thy father? Jesus answered, you know not
me nor my father. See the state of natural man,
we're in darkness. This shows us a picture, even
though these are religious people, this shows us a picture of our
natural state. We don't know Christ and we don't
know the Father. And said they, where is thy father?
Jesus answered, you neither know me nor my father. If ye had known
me, ye should have known my father also. These words speak Jesus
in the treasury as he taught in the temple. and no man laid
hands on him." Look at this, "...for his hour was not yet
come." The time of his appointed death, right, had not yet come.
Look at this, we see clearly that God has a purpose and a
plan. You know, I was just rejoicing
this week as I went through 1 Thessalonians 5. Let's turn there real quick.
I'm going to take a little bit of time for this because when
I was studying for this verse, These verses that I preached
on on Wednesday night, I was so, just so taken away by these
scriptures. And we see here how, you ever
hear people say, well, God wants to save you, but he can't? You
ever hear that? I've heard it so many times, it makes you sick.
People say it all the time. Now, this scripture that we're
looking at right here absolutely destroys that notion. Look at
this. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. And
this will just make your heart sing if you're one of these people.
Look at this. 1 Thessalonians 5 verses 9 and 10. For God, now
this is something God did. Look at this. For God. God did
this. For God had not appointed us to rise. Look at that. Where
did our wrath fall then? Because justice had to be satisfied,
right? So where did our wrath fall? It fell upon Christ. He's
not appointed us to wrath. God has not appointed us to wrath,
look at this, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. When
did this appointment come about? Amen sister, before the foundation
of the world. Isn't that wonderful? So do we
have anything to do with our salvation other than being receivers
of it? No, it's the mercy and grace of God, beloved. It's all
by the mercy and grace of God. For God hath not appointed us
to wrath, but to obtain salvation. How? By our Lord Jesus Christ,
through his perfect, finished, accomplished work. And then look
at this, who died for us? Now remember, Paul's not writing
to the whole city of Thessalonica. He's writing to the church. He's
writing to the born-again, blood-washed saints of God, who is the church.
We have a building we meet in, but you and I are the church.
We're the ecclesia here in Elmont, right? That's where we are. We're
the called-out ones in Elmont. And so he's writing to a group
of believers at Thessalonica, and he says, God has not appointed
us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who
died for us. Now Christ died for all the elect
of all the ages, didn't he? It's wonderful, isn't it? Who
died for us? Look at this, that whether we wake or sleep, we
should live together with Him. Well, so much for someone who
says you can lose your salvation, just say, well, whether I wake
or sleep, I live with Christ. And it gives all the glory to
God. He gets all the glory. And this is the one who we're
looking at today. This is the one who died for our sins. The
Lord Jesus Christ. Turn if you would to Mark chapter
14. We're continuing here. The enemies of Christ brought
false witnesses against him. But they could not agree, as
there was no fault in the Son of God. Why? Because He's the
sinless, spotless sacrifice. And again, as we saw in that
text, 1 Thessalonians, we were appointed to obtain salvation,
and we know it's only in and through Christ. It's wonderful.
So he was here on a mission, beloved. And that's why we saw
in John that they couldn't lay hands upon him because his hour
had not yet come. The time appointed of God for
Christ to die upon Calvary's cross, according to the foreknowledge
and determinate counsel of God, had not yet come. So they couldn't
lay a hand on him. Look at this, Mark 14, verses
53 to 59. There's no fault in him. He's
the sinless, spotless one. And they led Jesus away to the
high priest, verse 53. And with him were assembled all
the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. And Peter followed
him afar off, even unto the place of the high priest. And he sat
with the servants and warmed himself at the fire. And the
chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus
to put him to death. Look at this. and found none.
They brought accusations against him, but they weren't true. There
was no fault in him. None. For many bear, look at
this, for many bear false witness against him, but their witnesses
agreed not together. Now back to that text in Deuteronomy,
remember? There was not two or three that
could agree with each other. They had all different accusations.
Isn't it amazing how God just confounds the enemies of Christ? It's amazing. And there arose
certain and bare false witness against him, saying, We heard
him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands.
Within three days I will build another made without hands. But
neither so did their witness agree together." Look at that.
So the enemies of Christ are confounded. They can't even agree
with one another. So today I'd like us to look
at a threefold witness to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the true gospel of God's free and sovereign grace. And we're
looking at a three-fold witness from Scripture, in the Scripture
alone. Using these words, at the mouth of two witnesses, or
at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. This is what's being bought before
us in the Scripture, and this is what's being laid down in
the Holy Scripture, for something to be counted as fact and not
fiction. And it must be established in
the principle of two or three witnesses. One grace preacher
bought forth that this is what Peter's doing in 2 Peter 1, verses
16-21. Turn there if you would. What he said as he gives before
us in the scripture threefold witness of the true gospel of
the Lord Jesus Christ, of who he is, of what he's done. Let's
read verses 12 to 21. in 2nd Peter, 2nd Peter chapter
1, starting in verse 12. Wherefore I will not be negligent
to put you always in remembrance. So what's the one thing that
the preaching of the gospel does? It puts us in remembrance of
what Christ has done for us. And why do we have to be reminded?
Because we're so quick to forget. We get caught up in the world
and the things in the world, right? We just do. And so we
need to be reminded, reminded of these things, though you know
them. Look at that. You know them. You know them,
but I'm going to keep putting them before you. That's one thing
that Brother Scott and Brother Henry were masters at. Just putting
Christ before the hearers. Constantly. Even though you know
it, constantly. And that's what gospel preachers
do. We put Christ before you. Even though you know the truth,
we still keep putting them before you. You know, and when I'm studying,
I'm being reminded too, constantly. See? I'm a sheep too, I need
it just as much as everybody else. Even though we know the
truth, because it's been revealed to us, praise God, but we still
need to hear it. Even though you know them, and
look at this, and be established in the present truth, even though
you're grounded in it, you still need to hear it, again and again. And again, it's good for us to
hear the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, isn't it? It's good for
my soul. I know it's good for yours, too. Because the scriptures
tell us that. Yea, I think it meet, as long
as I am in this time, and I'm not going to stir you up by putting
you in remembrance. So Peter said, as long as I'm
alive, I'm going to keep preaching Christ, and I'm going to keep
putting you in remembrance of what Christ has done for you
and for me. Because it's good for us. Because
we forget so quickly. Oh, it's wonderful. Knowing that
shortly I must put off my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ
has showed me. So he knew that his death was soon. Moreover,
I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decrease, so he
calls his death his decrease, to have these things always in
remembrance. Look at this. For we have not
followed cunningly devised fables. I was talking to a dear brother
and sister yesterday, and our dear sister brought forth how
people believe a lie so quickly, so quickly, whether it be in
the world or whether it be in religion. People are more apt
to believe a lie than the truth. Look what Peter tells us here,
for we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made
known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. So here's someone who's
penning these words by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, who
was eyewitness to the majesty of Christ. Now, when we hear
the news, sometimes we're earwitnesses, and then sometimes we see it
on television, right? But we're not right there. He
was an eyewitness and an earwitness to the things of Christ. He saw
Him like we see each other. That has some weight, doesn't
it? It has some weight. And note, he says, cunningly
devised fables here in verse 16, as opposed to the apostles
who were eyewitnesses of those truths. And here in the text,
in verses 16 to 21, Peter will give us a three-fold witness
of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at verses 17 and
18. For he received from God the
Father, this is speaking of Christ, honor and glory, when there came
such a voice to him from the excellent glory, this is my beloved
Son in whom I am well pleased. In this holy voice which came
from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mount."
Now remember, Peter's an eyewitness to that, and an earwitness to
that. He saw Christ, right, when he manifested his glory, just
a little bit, just a little bit. And he heard the voice. He was
right there. He heard that voice. So he's saying, don't believe
these cunningly devised fables. You know, when people say, well,
you've got to do this to be saved, or you've got to do that to be
saved. That's all cunningly devised fables. Salvation's in Christ
and Christ alone. And here we have an eyewitness
and an eyewitness of the things that happen. I like what he said
there, an eyewitness of his majesty. Oh, my. Look, it says here, when
there came a voice to him from the excellent glory, this is
my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. He's pleased with Christ.
And he's pleased with all who are in Christ. And this voice
which came from heaven, we heard. He heard it. See, he's stating
it. He heard it when we were with him in the Holy Mount. Oh,
my. So here's the second witness.
The son's a witness of himself, and then the father is a witness
as well. He proclaims of the son, this
is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. And next, look
at the third witness, is the prophets of old. So actually,
the three witnesses are the apostles, because Peter gave a witness
of them there, said I was eyewitness to his majesty. The father's
a witness. father's a witness when he said
this is my beloved son in whom I'm well pleased and the third
witness is the prophets look at verses 19 to 21 here we have
a more sure word of prophecy where and he do well that you
take heed is into a light that shineth in a dark place until
the day dawn and the day star rise in your hearts knowing this
first that no prophecy of this of the scripture and that's speaking
at that time of the Old Testament right because there was no New
Testament at that time is of any private interpretation You
know, when I read the scriptures and I find something in scripture,
I always check other commentators to make sure that I'm not thinking
I found something that's not really there. I always make sure
someone else got light on it before I even speak about it.
Because scriptures are now private interpretation. You know, if
the Lord's showing us something, he surely showed somebody else
something too. Oh my. Scripture's not of any private
interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will
of man. Look at that. Not by the will
of man. Not by someone saying, well, oh, I've got the truth
over here. Remember the Gnostics? Gnostics said, well, there's
many ways to God. Christ is just one of the mediators.
That's what Paul's writing against in the book of Colossians when
he's hitting that head-on and bringing forth the preeminence
and the supremacy of Christ. He's hitting that error head-on.
Salvation's in Christ and Christ alone, nowhere else, nowhere
else. There's no other mediator between
God and man except the man Christ Jesus. No other mediator at all. So he says here, knowing this
first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in
old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as
they were what? Moved by the Holy Ghost. Look
at that. There's the true author of the
scriptures. the Holy Ghost. There's the third witness, the
Holy Spirit of God. So we have here before us in
this text the threefold witness of the true gospel of God's grace,
written by Peter, who writes again to suffering saints just
like us, going through tribulations and trials and pains and heartaches
just like we do. See, there's nothing new under
the sun, is there? Take comfort in this, that the Lord... I know
it's hard when we go through things. I know it's hard. It's
a heartache. Sometimes it's an agony in our minds. Sometimes
it's an agony in our bodies. But know this and take comfort
in this. And I'm preaching to myself. take comfort that we
can look at the saints of old. And the Lord took them right
home. He can do the same for us. He took them through all
those trials and tribulations. The Thessalonian saints, they
were being persecuted by their own countrymen, just as the Jewish
saints, the ones who'd been born again by the Holy Spirit of God,
and had come out of all the religious, Jewish religious ceremonies,
they were being persecuted by their own countrymen. And Paul
writes and says, your brethren in Jerusalem are going through
the same thing as you are going through. And we know there's
nothing new under the sun, so we know they went through the
same trial. It doesn't change the fact that they hurt, though,
does it? And that their heart doesn't change the fact at all.
But take great comfort that God, just as He took care of them
and took them home to glory, and they're there now. They've
been there. Those Thessalonian saints have been there 2,000
years rejoicing with our Savior. Oh, my. Here, take us home, too,
beloved. He's going to take us through
it all. He's going to take every one of his suffering saints home.
So Peter's writing to the suffering saints to prove that the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ is the one true gospel, and to comfort
them in their tribulation, to comfort them. Like I read that
scripture there over there, God has not appointed us to wrath,
but to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who died
for us. What comfort that would be. Vicki
and I were talking about that. You imagine these saints are
going through all these things, they're being persecuted by their family members,
by their countrymen, and to receive a letter with that in it. Oh
my, my. I was talking to Brother Ken
last night, and we were talking about that very verse, and just
what comfort it brings. What comfort it brings. My, oh
my. So Peter brings forth that we're
not following cunningly devised fables, but we have a sure salvation
and a sure Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, God himself, God himself. And we will see today that these
three witnesses of Christ, who these three witnesses of Christ
are, beloved of God. And let us consider our first
point here. Our first witness to the Lord
Jesus Christ and who He is, is the witness of the Apostles.
Look in 2 Peter 1.16. For we have not fallen, cunningly
devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His
majesty. Now the gospel which the Apostle
Peter preached and proclaimed was all about Christ and about
the fact that he was God incarnate in the flesh and the fact that
he came to save his people from their sins and he did it. He
proclaimed that Christ was deity. He proclaimed that Christ was
God incarnate in the flesh. Wonder of wonders. That should
never become common to us, eh? He's God in the flesh to come
to save us from all our sins. God did that for us. God hath
not appointed you to wrath. God did that. But to obtain salvation
in Christ. God did that. He did that for
us, and this is what Peter proclaimed, and this is what Paul proclaimed.
This is not some cunningly devised fable. And remember too, the
enemies of Peter and the apostles and Paul, they must have claimed
this. Ah, it's just a bunch of... Well, what do people nowadays
say? Ah, that's just stories. Same kind of thing. They say,
well, that book's so old. Just a bunch of stories. Well,
when you look into that book, and the Holy Spirit gives you
eyes to see, you see it's not just any book. Wonder of wonders. God is the author of that book,
and it's amazing. So they did not preach some cunningly
devised fable. No, they preached that Christ
is the way, the truth, and the life. And this is still true
today. Salvation is only in and through Christ. And Peter, the
Scriptures claim, was an eyewitness. He walked and talked with Christ.
He walked and talked with Him. He was a witness to the miracles
that Christ performed. He was a witness to these things.
He saw them with his own eyes. And oh my, he was a witness at
the transfiguration. He was a witness when Christ
manifested his glory. And when the father said, this
is my beloved son, hear ye him. He is a witness of all that.
And here was Moses and Elijah. Moses represents the law, and
Elijah represents the prophets. And they appeared to Christ.
And the scriptures declare that when they spoke to Christ, they
spoke of his decrease. They were talking about his death
and what he was going to accomplish at Calvary's cross. My, and the
law and the prophets, they what? Testify of me, Christ said. Oh, goodness. And the first witness
again here is the apostles who were with him, as Peter proclaimed
here in verse 16, eyewitnesses of his majesty. And when I hear
that, I think, you know, first thing I think is they were eyewitness
to the king of kings, but they were eyewitness to his majesty
being manifested as well. They were eyewitnesses to the
miracles that he performed. turning water into wine. Lazarus,
come forth. Raising the dead. Oh, my. They were eyewitnesses to these
things. Look at verse 16 again. For we have not followed cunningly
devised fables when we made no one unto you, the power and coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
Note, that which had been revealed to them, they made no one, didn't
they? Because it says here, we made no one unto you. They couldn't
but help tell people about the great things that Christ had
done. They couldn't keep quiet. They were sent by God to proclaim
Christ, and they did that. They proclaimed what they had
saw with their eyes. They proclaimed what they had
heard with their ears. They proclaimed what they had
witnessed with the miracles which Christ performed. They proclaimed
that Jesus Christ was in fact God incarnate in the flesh. John
chapter 17 verses 2 and 3, and they were witnesses to this,
says this, as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that
he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only
true God in Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. They knew him,
they knew him in the flesh, they heard him, and he'd revealed
himself to them too, just like he has to us. They were eyewitnesses. Remember too, remember a few
weeks back we looked at they were eyewitnesses to his ascension.
Could you imagine seeing that? Seeing the Lord just all of a
sudden just right up and in the cloud take him away. Oh my goodness,
they saw that. Peter was an eyewitness. So the
ones writing this was an eyewitness of that. of the Lord's ascension
as well. They witnessed his majesty. They
witnessed his deity. They witnessed his magnificence.
They witnessed the great splendor and power of our Lord. They witnessed
it all. So Peter is one who can write
about him, isn't he? One who can tell us about him,
but he's inspired by the Holy Spirit to write these words.
Again, who's the true author of the scripture is the Holy
Spirit of God, the one who regenerates us. Turn, if you would, to 1
John 1. The Apostle John penned these
magnificent words, again, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit
of God. And remember, he's an eyewitness, too. The Apostle
John was an eyewitness. The Apostle John was the one
who laid his head on the bosom of Christ. I like to think he
heard the heartbeat of God. Isn't that amazing? Because I
remember putting my head on my brother's chest and on my dad's
chest, and you could hear the heartbeat. When I was a little
tyke, he laid his head on the breast of Christ. My oh my and
look what he writes here look what he writes in first John
chapter 1 verses 1 to 4 that which was from the beginning
That's the beginning in eternity. He's he's the same yesterday
today and forever which we have heard there He heard him which
we have seen he saw him too now. We look to Christ by faith don't
we John saw him with his eyes and which we have seen, which
we have looked upon in our hands of handle of the word of life.
He laid his head upon the bosom of Christ, for the life was manifested. Look at that. He was manifested.
God became a man, the light of the world. The only one who eternal
life is in, the Son of God, the Word of God, was manifested.
And we have seen it and bear witness and show unto you that
eternal life which was with the Father and was manifest unto
us, that which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you. We
declare it unto you, he said, and bear witness. There, he's
a witness. And show unto you that eternal life which was with
the Father. Look, was with the Father when? In eternity. And
then it says, and was manifest unto us, he saw him again with
his eyes, that which we have seen and heard. He keeps emphasizing
that, doesn't he? He's emphasizing the fact that
he saw and heard Christ. Declare we unto you that ye also
may have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with
the Father and with the Son, Jesus Christ. And these things
write we unto you, look at this, that your joy may be full. Now
we look to Christ by faith, don't we? We heard the voice of the
shepherd through the preaching of the word. We're born again
by the Holy Spirit of God. And now by faith, we look to
Christ. John is writing as one and Peter, one who have seen
him in the flesh. So they're, they're the first
witness. Now the second witness is God, the father. Look at this
in second Peter two 17 and 18. for he received from God the
Father, speaking of Christ, honor and glory. When there came such
a voice to him from excellent glory, this is my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased. In this voice which came from
heaven we heard, when we were with him in the Holy Mount, Peter,
James, and John." Now remember John, too, who we read there
in 1 John. He was a witness to this as well.
Peter, James, and John had the blessed honor and privilege of
being eyewitnesses of the glorious transfiguration of the Lord Jesus
Christ. They were with him in the Holy
Mount. They were men who were chosen instruments of God, and
they witnessed a glorious change that came upon our blessed Redeemer.
And this must have been spectacular. Must have been spectacular. Right
before their eyes, the Lord Jesus Christ, the God-man, revealed
His glory. He was still in the body that
God our Father had prepared for Him, but bright rays of glorious
light were emanating from Him. His pure, sinless body. It must have been absolutely
stunning. It must have just been stunning to see. And our Lord's
face did shine as the sun. And his raiment was white, spotless. And those chosen apostles, not
only did it didn't just stop there, but then they saw Moses
and Elijah talking with our Lord. I imagine they were speechless.
They probably couldn't say a word. I know I wouldn't be able to.
Would you be able to say anything? That's how we'd be. We'd just
be in wonder and awe. But he saw, those three saw Moses
and Elijah talking with our Lord, Jesus, about, again, what he
would accomplish when he laid down his life for his sheep.
Listen to what it says there in 2 Peter verses, again, 1 and
17. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, honor
and glory. When there came such a voice
to him from the excellent glory, this is my beloved Son in whom
I am well pleased. Oh. You know, this was spoken
of him at his baptism as well. In Matthew chapter three, verse
17, the scriptures declare, and lo a voice from heaven saying,
this is my beloved son in whom I am well-pleased. Well-pleased. And then at the Mount of Transfiguration
in Matthew 17, 5, while he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud
overshadowed them, and behold, a voice of the cloud which said,
this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And then it
says, hear ye him. Praise God that he's given us
ears to hear him. He's given us, we who are the
people of God, ears to hear him. Because there was a time when
we didn't have ears to hear him, when we didn't hear the shepherd's
voice. Now, we love to hear his voice. And we hear it through
the preaching of His Word, don't we? It speaks peace to our souls. That's what happened to me with
those two verses in Thessalonians this week. Oh my! I've read those
verses a lot of times, but they just struck my heart this week.
Oh my goodness! And I think, I really believe
this, that the older we get in grace, the more stunning the
Scripture is for us. The more in awe we are of what
the Lord's done for us. The more we just sit there and
go, Lord, that's incredible. And as he gives us more lights,
it just increases the awe we have for him, doesn't it? It's
amazing. God's grace is amazing. It's absolutely stunning. So
God the Father made a declaration. He spoke out of the cloud on
the Mount of Transfiguration. He spoke at Christ's baptism.
He said, this is my son in whom I am well pleased. In whom I'm
well pleased. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
end of the law for righteousness. To everyone who believes, to
everyone who has, by the command from God and by the power of
God, been born again by the Holy Spirit of God, to see, to be
given God-given faith, to look upon Christ, to look to Him as
our Savior, and see the glory of God in the face of the Lord
Jesus Christ, and then to flee to Him, because we're made well
in the day of His birth. So he gets all the glory, doesn't
he? God gets it all. Not a stitch of the righteousness
which we wear, the righteousness of Christ, not a stitch is accomplished
by us. It's all accomplished by Christ.
Every stitch of the righteousness that we're clothed in, which
is the righteousness of Christ, is from Christ in Him alone and
by His work alone. So we have nothing to boast in,
but we boast in Christ, don't we? We boast in what He's done.
We have nothing to boast in ourselves, but oh, we can boast about our
Savior. What a wonderful Savior He is.
So let we who are the redeemed always remember that God is always
well pleased with his son. God's always well-pleased with
the son, and therefore, he's well-pleased with all who are
in Christ. Isn't that glorious? That's wonderful.
I was talking to someone the other day, and they said that
in Christ, God is never not pleased with us. Even when we were dead
in trespasses and sins, we were in Christ, weren't we? I'm crucified
with Christ. Nevertheless, I live, yet not
I, but the life that I live, I live by the faith of the Son
of God, who loved me, and he died for us. Isn't wondrous,
isn't it? And then we're born again by
the Holy Spirit of God because God has not appointed us to wrath,
but to obtain salvation, which was purchased for us 2,000 years
ago at Calvary's cross. God wants to save you, but he
can't. What a lie. That's not my God. That's not
your God either, is it? Our God's all-powerful, and we
are in awe just in the fact that he saved us, just in the fact
that he had mercy upon us. because we couldn't save ourselves,
and yet it pleased Him to save us. Wonder of wonders. It never gets old, does it? Somebody
could tell me that for the next, however long I live, and I'd
be a happy man. I just didn't know that fact. So again, let we who are redeemed
of the Lord remember, remember that God is pleased with His
Son, and He's pleased with all who are in Christ. Isaiah wrote
this, yet it pleased the Lord to praise him, speaking of Christ.
He hath put him to grief when thou shalt make his soul an offering
for sin. He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and
the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands. Our Lord's
chosen blood-bought children, when we're delivered from the
power of darkness, we're taught by the Holy Spirit of God that
all the Old Testament prophets speak of Christ. Now there was
a time when I must confess in religion that I did not know
that. I thought the Old Testament was written to the Jews and the
New Testament was written to believers. Well, when the Lord
saved me, when I was born again by his Holy Spirit, I found out
different. I found out that the whole Testament just testifies
to Christ and what he's going to do at Calvary's cross. And
even the Israelites are a picture of the church. Wonder of wonders. Our Lord said this in beginning
at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all
the scriptures of things concerning himself. Again, The scriptures
there is the Old Testament, the law and the prophet, whom Moses
and Elijah represented at the Mount of Transfiguration. And
all the born-again, blood-washed saints of God, who are born again
by the Holy Spirit of God, as they grow in grace, we learn
that the Old Testament prophets spoke of Him, spoke of Him. The
Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled in Him, and He proclaimed
this. After his resurrection, when
he appeared to his disciples, Luke chapter 24, verse 44, he
said this, and he said unto them, these are the words which I spake
unto you while I was yet with you, that all things must be
fulfilled, because they find their fulfillment in him, which
were written in the law of Moses and in the prophets and in the
Psalms concerning me, concerning me, concerning Christ. So this
leads us to the next witness in our text, the witness of the
prophets, the third witness. We see the apostles in our text,
we see God the Father, and now we're going to see the prophets.
This is called in our text a more sure word of prophecy. Look at
verse 19, 2 Peter 1.19. We have also a more sure word
of prophecy, whereunto you do well, that you take heed as unto
a light that shineth in dark place, until the day dawn and
the day star arise in your hearts, knowing this first, that no prophecy
of the scripture is of any private interpretation, for the prophecy
came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake
as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Peter lays down another
strong and convincing proof that the gospel The gospel is not
cunningly devised fables, but it's truth. It's truth. And here
before us is the third witness. Peter proclaims a more sure word
of prophecy. The Old Testament proclaims this
truth. It says, to the law and the testimony, if they speak
not according to this word, it is because there's no light in
them. The New Testament proclaims this truth as well. Turn, if
you would, to 1 Corinthians, chapter 15, verses 1 to 4. 1
Corinthians chapter 15 verses 1 to 4. The Scriptures proclaim
Christ. They testify of Him. They are
a witness to the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verses
1 to 4. Moreover, brethren, I declare
unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which ye also have
received. wherein you stand. See we've
received the gospel by faith and we stand in it, don't we?
We stand in the truth, by which also you're saved. We're saved
by the grace of God. The preaching of the gospel points
us right to Christ, doesn't it? For by grace are you saved through
faith, and not of yourselves. It's a gift of God, not of works
listed. You men should boast. If you keep in memory what I
preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain. For I
delivered unto you, first of all, that which I also received,
that Christ died for our sins. Well, what's it say? According
to the Scriptures. And that he was buried, and that
he rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures.
That's speaking the Old Testament. There's no New Testament right
there. So Paul's writing, he says, these things were written
in the Scriptures. And then over in Acts, chapter
17, verse 11, it's written, or these, those in Berea, were more
noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word
with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scripture daily,
whether these things were so. Every gospel preacher will tell
you, search the scriptures of what we say, see if it's true.
In Nozomberia, they searched the scriptures to see if what
the preachers were saying was true. And the prophets of the
past, from Moses to Malachi, they all gave witness to Christ.
They all gave witness to him. They gave witness of his resurrection.
It says this, for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given,
and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall
be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God. the everlasting
Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government
and peace there shall be no end. Upon the throne of David and
upon his kingdom to order it and establish it with judgment
and with justice from henceforth forever. The zeal of our Lord
of hosts will perform this. Isaiah 9 verses 6 and 7. Scriptures
proclaim Christ. And of his sacrifice, it says,
surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. He did
that, didn't he? Yet we did esteem him, stricken,
smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions.
He was bruised for our iniquities. Chastisement of our peace was
upon him, and by his stripes we are healed. When did that
happen? Calvary's cross. Scriptures testify. The Old Testament
testifies Christ. All we legged sheep have gone
astray. That's what we've done, haven't we? We have turned everyone
to his own ways, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity
of us all. That's what happened at Calvary. Our sins were imputed
to Christ, and he bore them all, beloved. Praise God. He bore
them all. My, the prophets all give witness
to the Lord because they testify of him. God's people don't just
hope we have eternal life, do we? We don't just hope we have
eternal life. We know we have eternal life.
Now we may go through times of doubting, right? I like what
Spurgeon said. I love this. Spurgeon said, unsaved
people never doubt their salvation, only save people. It's true,
isn't it? We can all say amen, right? My
Lord, how can I be saved and do that? How can I be saved and
act like that? How can I be saved and say something
like that? How can I be saved and think something like that?
Because it's not based upon us. Hallelujah. Isn't that wonderful? It's absolutely wonderful. We
have eternal life. We who are God's people, we have
a sure word of prophecy. We know that the Son of God has
come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him, that is
true, and we are in Him, that is true, even in His Son, Jesus
Christ. This is the true God in eternal
life, 1 John 5, We know we know that the son of God has come
we know now now we know why he really came it was because of
my sins Every believer can say that every believer can say he
came because of my sins to save me from my sins Please you know
I've done that see I said never gets old never gets old Bruce
Crabtree used to say a house can get old a job can get old
car can get old But the gospel never gets old to the believer
We rejoice in it today just as much as we, actually, I think
we rejoice in it more as we grow in grace, but we're still rejoicing,
aren't we? And we come here to hear the
gospel preached and proclaimed, and the Lord builds us up, doesn't
he, in Christ. He already tore us down when
we heard the gospel, didn't he? And sometimes we'll be listening
to the message, and we'll get it right in the head, right?
Right in the forehead, won't we? No one else will even know, right?
I can't tell you how many times that's happened to me. Ding.
And you're just sitting there, you're stunned. You're like,
yeah, Lord. You just reveal even more of how I am. And I'm even
as a saved man. But all praise God for your mercy.
And we still cry out in repentance, don't we? We still cry out, Lord,
help my unbelief. My. And he is ever faithful,
beloved. He's ever, ever faithful, ever
faithful. John wrote this too, we know
that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren.
Again, that's something that, you've heard me say this many
times, Satan can't counterfeit the love of God shed abroad in
our hearts. And that love will give us a
love for the brethren, it'll give us a love for the gospel,
it'll give us a love for Christ that we never had before, never
had before. Apostle Paul wrote, I know whom
I believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that
which I have committed unto him against that day. What did Paul
commit to him? His eternal soul. He says, I
know the Lord's able. I know the Lord's able. I know
whom I believed, and I'm persuaded that he is able to keep that
which I have committed unto him against that day, 2 Timothy 1.12.
And then, Romans 8.28, it says, We know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are the
called according to his purpose. God does things on purpose. Nothing
ever occurs by chance or luck. God does things on purpose. Now think of this. God does things
on purpose. God has not appointed us to wrath,
but to obtain salvation in Christ who died for us. He did that
on purpose. Oh, it's wonderful. Words cannot
express how we feel when we come to the realization that God saved
us on purpose and according to His plan. And the Lord Jesus
Christ has been set forth in the purposes of God and the types
and figures and sacrifices of the law and the promises and
prophecies of the Old Testament that He should, by the shedding
of His precious blood, save His people from their sins. And He
came forth in the fullness of time, the appointed time. He
came forth in the fullness of time and shed His blood for this
very purpose, to save His people from their sins. And God's people
received the gift of faith. We're saved not by any of our
works, but we're saved by the grace and mercy of God and by
what Christ has done for us. And we rejoice. This gift, this
free gift of salvation cannot be purchased by money. It cannot
be earned by any works. Nothing, nothing. It's a gift
of God. It's not even to be obtained
by repentance. Although God's people are given
a repentant heart, we are given a repentant heart, aren't we?
And we do repent. But no amount of repentance can
save our souls. We're saved by Christ in Christ
alone. And it comes to the sinner by
the free and sovereign grace of God on purpose. On purpose. through Christ, through the name
of Christ, by the blood of Christ, which is shed for the remission
of our sins. And God forgives his people.
You know why? Because God's able to. He's able to. He's able to.
And our Lord died for our sins according to the scriptures,
on purpose. Hallelujah. What a Savior.