The message is called, It Pleased
God. It Pleased God. Our text will be found in 1 Corinthians
1. 1 Corinthians 1. It Pleased God. 1 Corinthians 1, starting in verse
18, and we'll read to 21. For the preaching of the cross
is to them that perish foolishness. But unto us which are saved it
is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy
the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding
of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the spewder of this
world? Hath not God made foolish the
wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom
of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. Now God, during
the time when Paul wrote this letter, the writing of this letter
and pen in these words, and we always have to add by the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit of God, had allowed in his divine providence
and in his infinite wisdom a number of philosophers to rise up just
about the time of the coming of Christ and a little before
that great event. He and his divine providence
and wisdom had allowed a number of philosophers to rise up. And
if ever there were great minds upon this earth, in a worldly
sense, it was then. Yet these men, with all their
schools of thought, knew not God. Knew not God. Look at verse 21. For after that,
in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God. All the
worldly wisdom. And they knew not God. They didn't know God. And think
of this. All the worldly wisdom could not save one soul. could not save one soul, and
by their knowledge, by what they'd learned, they did not know God. In contrast, this with the scripture
declaration in the same verse where it says, it pleased God
by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. Not
that preaching is foolish, But by that which men call foolish, as to natural man, the preaching
of the gospel is foolishness. But it pleased God by the foolishness
of preaching to save them that believe. Oh, how wise is our
great King. And think on this. To natural
man, the preaching of the gospel is foolishness, right? But to we who believe, it is
the power of God. It is the power of God unto salvation,
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. So it was God's purpose and decree
within Himself, and He sought no counsel from anyone, and it was all according to His
sovereign goodwill and pleasure, without any works or merit in
the creature, and we who believe, He resolved of Himself that from
eternity He would save His people from their sins in Christ Jesus
our Lord, that He would save His people from their sins, them
that believe, in His Son, Those who Christ has purchased, those
who Christ has redeemed on Calvary's cross with His own blood, they
were chosen by God in eternity in Christ, and they were given
to Christ by the Father, and it pleased God to save them by
the preaching of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. That which
man thinks is foolishness, oh, the wisdom of God. Now, there are many precious
truths that are taught all through the Scripture, but there is one
which is found through the Bible on every page, and it is that
of divine sovereignty. God is absolutely sovereign. And it is taught all through
the Scriptures. All through the Scriptures. We looked up this morning in
Sunday School the fact that Christ is King. He is the King of Kings,
and He is the Lord of Lords, and Scripture declares it, and
the believer bows his knee to it, and it is so because the
Bible says it's so. Not because I say it's so, but
because Scripture says it's so. The preacher proclaims what the
Scripture says. When he's honest with the text,
he proclaims what it says. Like I say, we don't add anything
to this. We don't want man's opinion. What does the Scripture
say? What does the Bible say? This is our guide. And our God is God. He is God,
and it's proclaimed on every page of the Scriptures. He works all things after the
counsel of his will. His will. So really, as I said
before, there's only one will that's supreme, isn't there?
Because our will is bound to our nature. He's supreme. He does whatever he pleases.
He works all things after the counsel of his own will, and
he doesn't ask anyone's permission. He doesn't have to, does he?
He has no counselors. Presidents have these people
that assist them and prime ministers too that assist them and counsel
them and help them. Not our king. He does all things
after the counsel of his own will. Imagine this. Imagine a king
upon the throne. I was pondering this this week. Imagine this, a king upon the
throne asking someone in his domain if he would give him permission
to do something. Imagine a king sitting on the
throne and saying to his generals, well, we really can't do that
until that guy named Paul lets us do that. We have to wait till he gives
us his permission. Is this not what religion says? Do you think a king would wait?
No. He does whatever he's pleased.
It's ridiculous to think that a king would think this way.
It's ridiculous. Beloved God, the King of kings
and the Lord of lords, does whatever pleases him. Whatever pleases
Him. How much more God, who is absolutely
sovereign to do whatsoever He pleases, does whatever He pleases. Just as Scripture says. Just
as Scripture says. Look in our text. It pleased
God. It pleased God. It pleased God that by the foolishness
of preaching, to save them that believe. It pleased God. If something pleases God to do,
let me tell you, He has all authority to do it. And not only does He
have all authority to do it, He has all power to do it. All power. You see, religion
puts the power and authority in man's hands. And it is not
so from this book here. This book tells us that God,
the King of the universe, has all authority. He has all power. That's why we beg for mercy. That's why the publican said,
God, be merciful to me, the sinner. He knew he had no power. And our text plainly states that
it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that
believe, to save His people from their sins, by the preaching
of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith cometh by hearing,
and hearing by the Word of God. And it pleases God that that
happens. Let us never forget that He's
the One who gives life. It pleases Him to give life to
His people. born again of the Holy Spirit
of God. So, beloved, our God is upon the throne and He is
in full control, working all things after His wise and eternal
counsel. He works all things after the
counsel of His own will, Ephesians 1.11. When we read that, after the
counsel of His own will, He doesn't ask permission. He's not waiting for man to make
a decision. It's incredible how these lies
have been perpetuated. When the Scripture says, after
the counsel of Israel, that it pleased God by the full sense
of preaching to save them that believe. Turn, if you would, to Psalm
135. And then we'll look at some things from Scripture that are
plainly revealed that it pleased God to do. Psalm 135, verses
5 to 7. Psalm 135. God seeks no counsel
from anyone. He governs the universe. He governs
the universe as He pleases. And that universe includes things
seen and things unseen. He is the King. He is the King. Look at Psalm 135, verses 5 to
7. For I know that the Lord is great,
and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatsoever the Lord pleased... And this ties in after the counsel
of His own will. Whatsoever the Lord pleased,
that did He in heaven, and in earth, and in the seas, and in
all deep places. So, everywhere. Everywhere. He causes the vapors to ascend
from the ends of the earth. He make it lightnings for the
rain. He bringeth the wind out of his
treasuries. Whatsoever the Lord pleased,
that did he. And he's still doing that. He
hasn't abdicated his throne. No one will usurp Him. He is
King Triumphant. So let's look at some things
from Scripture that are plainly revealed that it pleased God
to do. Turn, if you would, to 1 Samuel
12, verse 22 for our first point. The first point is it pleased
the Lord to make you His people. It pleased God. It pleased God. to make His elect, His people.
It pleased God. 1 Samuel 12, 22. 1 Samuel 12, 22.
Please the Lord to make you His people. For the Lord will not forsake
His people, what comfort, what comfort we can draw right there,
right there. God will never forsake His people,
never. And He tells us in the New Testament,
I'll never leave you nor forsake you, never, never. For the Lord will not forsake
His people for His great name's sake, because it hath pleased
the Lord, look at this, beloved, to make you His people. It pleased
God to choose a people in eternity. It pleased God to do that. Have
you ever wondered why God chose you? Have you ever said, why
me? I think every believer's done
that, haven't they? When you think of all the people
that you've known all through your life, when you stop and
really ponder that, all the people that you've known through your
whole life, Have you ever wondered why God chose you? You who believe. And here in the Old Testament,
we have a wonderful picture in the Old Testament of God's sovereign
electing law, right? Why did God make Israel his people
and pass by all the other nations, all around them? Well, our text gives the answer. to us who believe, and to why
He chose Israel, and it destroys the merit mongers. It destroys
the merit mongers and the works mongers who say that salvation
is all about what you do. Why did God choose you if you're
a believer? Because it had pleased the Lord to make you His people.
Because it pleased God. There's nothing in us. Right? We know that. There's nothing
in us that would make him, you know, influence him to choose
us, is there? Think of all the people that
you grew up with. All your family members. And
God saved me? I'm the only one in my family
who the Lord saved. And I marvel. Why? Because it pleased God. Oh, my Lord, let me never get
over that. Now, that doesn't make me boastful.
No. No. But it makes me grateful. Is it so with you? Does it make
you rejoice? If you are a saved, blood-bought,
redeemed child of God, It is because it pleased God to make
you so. Because it pleased God. Think on this, beloved. He chose
Israel, which is a picture of the church. He passed by the
Egyptians. I went through a few different
nations. He passed by the Egyptians, the Canaanites, the Philistines,
the people of Babylon, the Assyrians, the Medes, the Persians, the
Edomites, the Moabites, the Amorites, the Greeks, the Romans, and many,
many more. He passed by these nations and
many more and he set his love upon Israel, which is a picture
of him setting his love upon his people. What a picture of God's distinguishing
grace. Did they merit His favor? Did they merit His favor over
the Egyptians? Or over the Canaanites? Did we
merit His favor over all the folks that we knew in our life?
No. No. Wouldn't be grace if we merited
it, would it? Israel, like us, was a sinful
nation of people laden with iniquity. That's us. And just like we who believe,
sinners saved by grace, we did not merit the electing love of
God. The only one who made Israel
to differ from all those nations was God. was God. What a picture of the church.
Turn, if you would, to 1 Corinthians 4.7. I know we've read this verse
many times, but let's read it in light of this. Who made you
to differ from all the people that you've known through all
the years? 1 Corinthians 4.7. For who maketh thee to differ?
That's who distinguished. The Greek word for differ there
is distinguished. This is God's distinguishing
grace, like we saw with Israel. Who made you to differ? Beloved
of God, who made you to differ? Well, there's only one answer.
It certainly wasn't me. Was it you? No. We can't make
ourselves to differ, can we? A dead person can't make themselves
alive. We were dead spiritually. But
God can make us to differ. And He has for His people. Who
made you to differ? And what hast thou that thou
didst not receive? We receive the gift of God, right? Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Regeneration. Born again by the Holy Spirit
of God. Why dost thou glory Him as if
thou hadst not received it? Now God made a covenant with
Abraham. And He set His love upon Abraham. And through Him
it was set upon Israel. And we who are saved are saved
because of a covenant between God the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit. We are chosen unconditionally,
unconditionally, by the Father in the Lord Jesus
Christ. There's nothing in us that would
merit it. And it was the same with Israel
of old. God has set His love upon us because of the eternal
covenant of grace. Turn, if you would, to Hebrews
chapter 7. God has set His love upon us because of the eternal
covenant of grace made with our surety, the Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews chapter 7. Why are we the elect of God? Why? Because it pleased God, sister.
It pleased God. It's beautiful. It's incredible. Because it pleased God. Look at Hebrews 7.22. By so much
was Jesus made a surety of a better testament, a better covenant.
A better covenant. So the elect of God are God's
people because it pleased God for it to be so. Turn, if you
would, to Isaiah 53. We will look at another point
from Scripture about something that pleased
God. Look at this, Isaiah 53, and
I know we're familiar with this verse, but let's look at this.
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him. This is speaking about it
pleased the Father to bruise Christ. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise
him. 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. Now, turn with me, if you would, to 2 Corinthians
5.21, and I'm going to read a little bit, though, about this verse
in Isaiah. This verse in Isaiah. So it says, Yet it pleased the
Lord to bruise him, to bruise Christ. Here before us in this
text is the great substitute, the Lord Jesus Christ. And it
pleased God the Father to bruise him in the place of his elect. Now, pleased and bruised. Two words with so much meaning. And this is a verse that we've
heard and heard and heard, right? Pleased and bruised. It pleased
the Lord to bruise Christ. Now the word bruised here, and
I found this out this week, means crushed. It's not just a bruising like
you get on. Crushed. Christ tread the winepress
of the wrath of God alone. Alone. One commentator brought
it how there is the thought in this Hebrew word of grinding,
crushing, beating, and pounding. I ask you, does this not reveal
God's love and redemption for his people? This was done for our sins, we
who believe. This was done for the sins of
all the elect, of all the ages. What affliction, what suffering
our Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, suffered in the place of His
people on Calvary's tree. Here before us, the sinless,
blameless, spotless Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, was made
sin and God would not allow any mortal eye to gaze upon His Son
under the terrible rod of His bruising. He veiled for three
hours in darkness. The sinless sacrifice of the
Lord Jesus Christ has all the sins of His people imputed to
Him, and God veils the sacrifice in three hours of darkness so
that no human eye could see Christ's suffering as the sinner's substitute. But we see Jesus, who was made
a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned
with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, should taste
death for every man. For it became Him for whom are
all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons
to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through
sufferance. Now the Lord Jesus Christ is
the mediator of His people. The people that were given to
Him from eternity. And in order to redeem them, He must be their
substitute. Turn, if you would, to 2 Corinthians
5.21. He must be their substitute.
And remember the crushing. The crushing. Please the Lord
to bruise Him. The sins of all of God's elect
are placed upon the mighty Redeemer. God is satisfied with the sacrifice
of Christ. Now look at this. I listened
to a sermon last night on this verse. For He hath made Him to
be sin for us. God the Father hath made Him
to be sin for us by imputation, beloved. And how do we know it's
by imputation? Look at this. And this preacher
brought this out last night, that the Holy Spirit protecting
the impeccability of Christ, the sinlessness of Christ, puts
right in the text, who knew no sin. He knew no sin. He's perfect. Spotless. And this, who knew
no sin, is placed there for us to know that Christ never became
a sinner and could never become a sinner because He knew no sin.
He's perfect. Spotless. That we might be made
the righteousness of God Substitution and satisfaction,
beloved. That's what happened at Calvary's
cross, as the Lord Jesus Christ died the substitute of His people,
appointed by God to be our sacrifice, to be the substitute of His people. God appointed Christ to be our
Redeemer. Why? Because it pleased Him. It pleased God to bruise Him,
to lay our sins upon Him in our place. It pleased God to do this. And
beloved, what a Savior. What a Savior. He willingly did
this. He willingly went to the cross.
He willingly died in the place of His people. What a Savior
we have. What a Redeemer we have. No sin. And you know that He
was manifested, Christ, to take away our sins. And He did it. And in Him is no sin. 1 John
3, 5. No sin. He's the perfect, spotless
Lamb of God. Jesus Christ bore our sin on
Calvary, bore the sin of all the elect of all the ages, that
we might be made the righteousness of God. Our sins are imputed
to Christ, and His righteousness is imputed to us. It's marvelous. And it pleased God. To have Christ,
if you are one of his people, it pleased God for him to be
your substitute. Isn't it incredible? The next point is it pleased
God by the preaching of the gospel to affectionately call out his
elect. Turn, if you would, to where
our text was, 1 Corinthians chapter 1. It pleased God by the preach
of the gospel to effectually call out His elect. And there will just be a short
comment on this because we looked at this passage earlier. Look
at this, 1 Corinthians 1, 17-24. For Christ sent me not to baptize,
but to preach the gospel. This is the gospel preacher's
charge. It's not to rally people, or
cheerlead people, or get you to do things. Now God, the Holy
Spirit, teaches us, doesn't He? And we desire to live a holy
life. I ask you, do you sin more than you want to? Because I know
I do. The gospel preacher is called
to preach the gospel? Not with wisdom of words either.
Not with words. I'm not to use fancy words. You
don't have to worry about that with me, because I'm not a big
fancy word guy. But we're not to use fancy words. We're not to use the wisdom of
the world. We're not to use flowery things to impress you. No. No. lest the cross of Christ should
be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross
is to them that perish foolishness. But to us who are saved it is
what? The power of God. It's the power of God. For it's
written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and he has beloved,
and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is
the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the
wisdom of this world? For after that, in the wisdom
of this world, the world by wisdom knew not God. It pleased God
by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For
the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom.
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block,
and unto the Greeks foolishness. But we still preach them. We
just keep preaching Christ, because we know it's the power of God
unto salvation. If you're ever saved, if you're
lost and the Lord saves you, it's because it pleased God to
do so. And He does it by the preaching
of the Gospel. He does it by the preaching of
the Gospel. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks,
Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God." He's everything
to us. We looked at this earlier. God
and His perfect wisdom, purpose to reveal the gospel through
the very means that the world calls foolishness. Turn a few
words over to 2 Corinthians chapter 4. The wisdom of God makes foolish
the wisdom of man. Now remember, remember who Paul
is too, eh? Paul sat under some incredible
teachers of his time. He's a very, very smart man.
I was listening to Joe Terrell though and Joe said he just counted
all that as garbage. And this is the man who's penning
by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he could use Words of
wisdom from the world. Look at 2 Corinthians 4, verses
5 to 7. We preach not ourselves. We don't promote ourselves. We
don't preach ourselves. We have one message. One message. But Christ Jesus the Lord, in
ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God who commanded the
light to shine out of darkness, And oh, did he not do that for
we who believe? We're translated from the kingdom
of darkness to the kingdom of his dear son. And who is it that
commanded that to be done? God. or God, who commanded the light
to shine in the darkness, has shined in our hearts to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of Jesus Christ. We have this treasure in earthen
vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and
not of us. It's not by works of righteousness,
which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us. You
see how they all, see how scripture ties in with scripture? It's
all by his doing, by his mighty power. So the wisdom of God makes
foolish the wisdom of man. Why? Because his thoughts are
not our thoughts. See, man devises up all kinds
of ways for you to be saved. But there's only one way to be
saved. And that's through Christ. Only through Him. His thoughts
are not our thoughts. His ways are not our ways. He
is so far above us, beloved. He's God. And that is who the
believer's Redeemer is. Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
God incarnate in the flesh. It's amazing. And it pleased
God by the foolishness of preaching to call out His people with an
effectual call by the power of the Holy Spirit of God regenerating
us through the preaching of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Our
next point is, it pleased God to save His people by His grace.
Turn, if you would, to Galatians chapter 1, and put your finger
in 2 Timothy 1.9. And we notice in the text that we're
looking at, the words, it pleased God, are right there. It pleased God to save His people
by His grace. Galatians 1.15, but when it pleased God, Galatians
1.15, but when it pleased God who separated me from my mother's
womb and called me by His grace. When it pleased God. Now, when
will a man be saved? If you ask a hundred different
people out, just even out in the streets here in Almonte,
or you go down to Detroit and you ask a hundred different people,
I can almost guarantee you're going to get a hundred different
answers. But what does the scripture say
when a man will be saved? Turn, if you would, to 2 Timothy
1.9. The scriptural answer, of course, is the name of our message
tonight. When it pleases God. When it
pleases God. Now, does that mean that the
sinner should just sit back and say, well, you know, I'm just
going to sit back here, and I'm just going to sit back. God will save me when God saves
me. Now is the day of salvation. You might not have tomorrow.
Now God will save His people. We can be sure of that. We can
be sure of that. He will get His people. But look at this in 2 Timothy
1.9. When will a man be saved? When it pleases God in His sovereign
grace to do so. 2 Timothy 1.9, "...who has saved
us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was
given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." Have you ever pondered why the
Lord saved you? Here's the answer, beloved, because
it pleased God. Brother Newell, why are you a
saved man? Because it pleased God. Brother Dick, why are you
a saved man? Because it pleased God. Because
it pleased God. No other reason but the fact
that it pleased God. That's what scripture declares. Because it pleased God. to save His people by His grace. Our next point is, it pleased
God that all spiritual blessings would be in Christ. Turn if you
would to 1 Corinthians 1, verse 19. 1 Corinthians 1, verse 19. And we know Ephesians 1 says
that all spiritual blessings are in Christ, but look at this
verse in Colossians 1.19. All spiritual blessings are in
Christ. For it pleased the Father, again, it pleased God, it pleased
the Father, that in Him, being Christ, should all fullness dwell. It pleased God for this to happen,
Colossians 119. For it pleased the Father that
in Him, in Christ, should all fullness dwell. So let us ponder
this, beloved of God. In Christ is all the fullness
of redemption. We are redeemed by His precious
blood, aren't we? In Christ is all the fullness
of our righteousness. He is the Lord our righteousness.
And the believer is clothed in the righteousness of Christ.
In Christ the believer has reconciliation with God, a peace that we could
never make on our own. But the believer has a reconciliation
with God through Christ, peace with God, and He is all our wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Beloved God,
we are complete in Christ. Why? Because it pleased the Father
that in Him, in Christ, should all fullness dwell. It pleased
the Father. God does whatever He pleases. Whatever He pleases. And the
fullness here denotes the sum total of the divine powers and
attributes in Christ dwelt all the fullness of God as deity. He was God incarnate in the flesh. The God-man mediator of His people. And the believer stands in Christ. Perfect. Spotless, blameless, clothed in the perfect righteousness
of Christ. Oh my. Is it any wonder, like
this morning, is it any wonder why we say He's altogether lovely? What a God. What a Savior. To the praise of the glory of
His grace wherein He hath made us accepted in the blood. This
is the only reason why we are accepted. To the praise of the
glory of His grace wherein He hath made us accepted in the
blood. We are accepted in Christ because it pleased God to make
it so. All spiritual blessings are in
Christ. Why? Because it pleased God that it
would be so. Why is all the fullness in Christ?
Because it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness
dwell. Because it pleased the Father.
The same Father who gave His people to Christ in the church. It's incredible. So again, let us ponder, why
has God saved us? Why has God saved we who believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ? Because it pleased God. No other
answer. Because it pleased God. So let us see in scripture how
it pleased God to save one of his sheep. Let's see in scripture
how it pleased God to save one of His sheep. Turn to Luke, chapter
23. Luke, chapter 23. And we will see God's distinguishing
grace. Now here, We have two thieves
who died beside our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Our glorious
and gracious Lord revealed himself to one of the thieves. Just like he revealed himself
to we who believe. What mercy we see here before
us. Now, he did not reveal himself to the other thief. Why did this happen? Why did
God reveal himself to one thief and not the other? Because that one thief was one
of his sheep. who it pleased God to reveal
himself to. There's no difference between
the two of them, is there, otherwise? They're both guilty. The law
has found them guilty. I ask you, has not the law of
God found everyone in the world guilty? So there's no difference between
one or the other, is there? We're all guilty before God. All of us. One of these theists was included
in the eternal covenant of God, the other was not. One of these
theists was redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, the other was
not. One of these theists was a recipient
of God's grace and mercy, the other was not. One of these theists
was an object of God's mercy, the other was not. One of these
thieves was quickened by God the Holy Spirit, the other was
not. Look in verse 39 of Luke 23, and we will see God's
distinguishing grace was evidenced by the action of the penitent
thief, the one who the Lord regenerated, as opposed to the thief who was
left to die in his sins. Look at Luke 23, 39, and one
of the malefactors which hanged railed on him. saying, if thou
be Christ, save thyself and us. Now, we know from other Scriptures
that both thieves were railing on Christ at first, but here
in our text, the one thief, the unregenerated thief, is railing
on Christ. Now, unregenerated men and women
will always justify their sinful ways, and I know, because before
the Lord saved me, I used to self-justify all the time. All
the time. They always come up with excuses
why they do and why they do not do certain things. And until
we're born again, we never see ourselves as ill-deserving, undeserving,
hell-deserving sinners. Until God reveals that to us,
we never see it. Until we're born again, we never
see ourselves as deserving of hell. But God's grace makes the
difference, beloved. And here before us we see God's
distinguishing grace, as the Holy Spirit had regenerated the
one thief, the penitent thief, and he saw his own condemnation.
He saw his own condemnation before God, and he looked to the Savior
alone for his salvation. As I said, he was railing with
the other thief at first, but now he rebukes the other thief,
saying in verse 40 of this chapter, But the other answering and rebuked
him, saying, Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same
condemnation? Again, God has revealed to the
penitent thief his sinfulness, and that of the thief dying with
him. The thief with a new heart confessed that he and the other
thief were getting what they deserved. And note, the penitent thief,
the one who is regenerated, he doesn't put himself above the
other thief, does he? God's people, we know what we
are. Sinners saved by the grace of
God. And he says, we indeed justly. Look at verse 41. And we indeed
justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds." So the
penitent thief is saying, we're getting what we deserve. And the unrepentant thief is
just railing on Christ, and he's knocking on death's door. But who made the two to differ?
Who made the penitent thief to differ? God. God. In verse 41, God's grace in the
heart of the one thief was evidenced by these words. Note he proclaims
that Christ is sinless. Look, he says, and we indeed
justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds. But this
man hath done nothing amiss. He is proclaiming the sinlessness
of Christ. How does he know that? Because
God the Holy Spirit has revealed it to him. The thief with a new heart was
convicted by the power of God the Holy Spirit. He knew that he had sinned against
God. He knew he deserved to die. And
he also knew the other thief had sinned against God and deserved
to die as well. But he said this man, being Christ,
had done nothing amiss. Nothing. Look at verse 42 and 43. And
he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy
kingdom, just to remember me. I had someone called up and their loved one had died not
long ago and someone had called them after the funeral and said,
well, how do you know that your mom's in heaven? How do you know
that your mom's in glory right now? And I said, point him right
to this verse right here. be absent from the bodies, be
present with the Lord. But look at this. And Jesus said unto
him, Luke 23, 43, Verily I say unto thee, Today thou shalt be
with me in paradise. Today. Today. Oh, my. Oh, my. Who made that thief to
death? Why was that thief saved and
the other one left in his sins? Because it pleased God. the answer to the question that
we sometimes ask ourselves when we see our family members and
friends who are lost. We think, why me? Because it
pleased God. Because it pleased God. Grace. I obtain mercy. Is it so with
you? Is it so with you? God has made his people to differ. And it's only because of him
that we're saved. Let's go to the Lord in prayer.
Gracious Heavenly Father, thank you for your word. Thank you
for the preciousness that we see that our salvation is not
dependent upon us, not dependent upon what we do, not dependent
upon our works, but oh Lord Jesus, all dependent upon what thou
has done. You have redeemed Your people from their sins. You have
purchased Your people with Your precious blood. And the believer
is saved because it pleases God to save us. Oh, may we just glory
in Your name. May we just ponder this through
the week and meditate upon it. May it just bring great joy to
us as we think about it through the week. Oh, we love You, Lord.
We praise You. You are altogether lovely to
your bride. Thank you, Lord, for saving the
souls of your people. Oh, we pray you'd use this message
to bring in your lost sheep. Oh, that the Holy Spirit may
regenerate them and make them willing to flee to Thee. We praise
your name. In Jesus' name, amen.