Good evening. It's good to be
here again. Always a joy thinking as we sing
that song. I remember when a dear saint
that I knew, when she went on to glory, her husband told me, well, mourning has broken for
her. She's in the day. She's left the nights of this
earth. She's in the day with the Lord.
I just thought about that as we were singing that. Isaiah
chapter 12 is where we'll be tonight. Isaiah chapter 12. We'll read all six verses. The name of the message is, A
Time of Praise, or the Gospel Day. a time of praise. Isaiah chapter 12, And in that
day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise Thee. Thou wast angry
with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me. Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid,
for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song. He also has become
my salvation. Therefore, with joy shall you
draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall
you say, Praise the Lord, call upon His name, declare His doings
among the people, make mention that His name is exalted. Sing
unto the Lord, for He hath done excellent things. This is known
in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant
of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of
thee. Wonderful portion of Scripture.
This morning we looked and we saw Christ in the Old Testament,
and tonight we'll see Him again in the Old Testament. He is all
through the Old Testament. All through it. Now, in every
believer's life, there's a day of salvation. There's a time
appointed for every one of God's elect when they will hear the
Gospel, when they will hear the Shepherd's voice for the first
time. And it will be their day of salvation.
And God has appointed a time for each of His sheep to hear
the Shepherd's voice. Hear the shepherd's voice calling
them. Look at verse 1 again. And in that day, this is the
gospel day. And in that day, thou shalt say,
O Lord, I will praise thee, though thou wast angry with me. Thine
anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me. So our first point
is, there is a gospel day for every believer. For every believer. Turn, if you would, to Ezekiel
Chapter 11 and also Luke. First of all, Luke Chapter 19
and then Ezekiel Chapter 11. Luke Chapter 19 and Ezekiel Chapter
11. And in that day, in the Gospel
day, the Holy Spirit of God reveals Christ to His people. And His sheep is turned from
death to life, from darkness to light. Look at Luke 19, verses 9 and
10. And Jesus said unto him, This
day of salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he is also
He also is the Son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to
seek and to save that which was lost. This day has salvation
come to this house. And for every believer, there's
a time when the Gospel comes to us. Remember we saw that in
Colossians? The Gospel comes to us. And it
bears fruit. It bears fruit. Because the Holy Spirit of God
regenerates us. And we're given a new heart.
Look in Ezekiel chapter 11. We're given a new heart. Ezekiel 11, 17 to 20. Therefore say, thus saith the
Lord God, I will, look at this, I will even gather you from the
people. God gathers his elect from among the peoples of the
world. and assemble you out of the countries
where you have been scattered. God's sheep are scattered all
through time and all over. And I'll give you the land of
Israel, and they shall come thither, and they shall take away all
the detestable things thereof, and all the abominations thereof
from thence. And I will give them one heart."
We have one heart, don't we, as believers? One desire, and
that's Christ. And I'll put a new spirit within
you, born again by the Holy Spirit. And I'll take the stony heart
of their flesh, And I'll take the stony heart out of their
flesh and will give them a heart of flesh. A heart that desires
the things of God. A heart that hungers and thirsts
after righteousness. A heart that hungers and thirsts
after Christ. That they may walk in My statutes
and keep My ordinances and do them. And they shall be My people. There's another one of those
little hinge words. They shall. They shall be my people. And
I will be their God. Look at that. I will be. I will be their God. Born again
by the Holy Spirit of God, what happens? We have a new view of
sin, don't we? We have a view of sin that we
never had before. When God the Holy Spirit regenerates
us, we see ourselves deserving hell. We see ourselves guilty before
God's law and justice when we didn't see ourselves that way
before. And what happens on that day,
what happens in the Gospel day for every believer when it is
that appointed time for them to go to Christ and flee to Christ?
They flee to Christ. They run. They're made willing
in the day of His power. Oh, if you're here and don't
know the Savior, that He would show you your need for Christ.
That He would show you your need for Christ. And that's what He's
done for those of us who have believed. But this Gospel day is set and
appointed by God for every believer. to hear the shepherd's voice.
Turn, if you would, to Galatians 1. Galatians 1. Starting in verse 11 and going
to verse 17. Paul writing here, But I certify
you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not
after man. For I neither received it of
man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus
Christ. For ye have heard of my conversations
in times past in the Jewish religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted
the church of God and wasted it." He was going house to house
hauling Christians out and taking them before the council. He hated
the Gospel. He hated Christ. He hated Christians. and profited in the Jewish religions
above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly
zealous of the traditions of my fathers." And look at verse
15, "...but when it pleased God." Oh, when it pleased God, who
separated me from my mother's womb and called me by His grace.
There was a day appointed for Paul to hear the gospel, to have
Christ revealed to him. And this happens to every single
believer in Christ. To reveal His Son in me, that
I might preach Him among the heathen, immediately I conferred
not with flesh and blood, Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them
which were apostles before me, but I went into Arabia and returned
unto Damascus. So it is appointed by God that
every one of his sheep will hear the shepherd's voice through
the preaching of the gospel. And not one of them, we looked
at that this morning, not one of them will be lost. Not one
of them will be lost. The God who saves is the God
who keeps. The God who saves is the God who keeps. The second
point is, what is one result of this wonderful day? What is
one result of the Gospel day for the believer? Let's look
at our text again in verse 1. And in that day thou shalt say,
O Lord, I will praise Thee, though Thou wast angry with me. Thine
anger is turned away, and Thou comfortest me. Do we not have a new song in
our hearts now? We have a new song. A song of praise that was
never there before. And now we praise our mighty
Savior for what He's done. We have joy too, don't we? We
have joy in Christ that we never had before. And we have peace
with God now. Those of us who believe, we have
peace with God now that we never had before. A peace that passes
all understanding. A peace that no religious works
that we did before could ever satisfy. Always felt like we
had to do more. Now we have a peace. Peace that
passes understanding. Keeps our hearts and minds in
Christ Jesus our Lord. And we look to Him and we have
a new song. In the new song we praise Jehovah, don't we? We
praise Christ for what He's done for us. Why do we have this new
song? Look at our text again. Thou,
though thou was angry with me, thine anger is turned away. The
justice of God against us, the law of God against us, has been
turned away from us in Christ. Good news for sinners. Good news
for sinners. What wonderful comforting words
for sinners. Thine anger is turned away. Turned
away. Appeased. Satisfied. Satisfied. Now, some may say,
can a man know? Can a man know this? Can a man
know that he's forgiven? Turn, if you would, to 1 John,
and also Romans 8. Can a man be quite sure that
he is forgiven? Yes. Yes, he can. Can a sinner
know that he's being redeemed and being forgiven of all his
trespasses and sins? Yes. He can be as sure of this
pardon in Christ as He is of His existence? He can be. Look at 1 John 5. And then we'll
look at Romans 8. 1 John 5, verse 11, and this is
the record that God has given to us eternal life. This is the record that God has
given to us eternal life. And this life is in His Son.
It's in Christ. It's nowhere else. No one shares
this glory. It's only Christ and Him alone.
If anyone adds anything else, or anyone else, it's not salvation. It's works. It's only in Christ. And this is the record that God
has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
He that hath the Son hath life. Are you trusting Christ right
now? In Christ alone, plus absolutely nothing? Is He your Savior and
your Redeemer? He that hath the Son hath life. neither hath not the Son of God
hath not life. These things have I written unto
you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may
know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the
name of the Son of God." How do we know that we have eternal
life? Are we trusting Christ? Is He
our Redeemer? Is it Christ plus absolutely
nothing else at all? You may know that you have eternal
life and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God. And then look at Romans 8. We
can know that we have eternal life. Romans 8. Verses 14 to 18. Now some say, well that's presumption. No, it's not. Because my rest
and my trust is in Christ and Him alone. It ain't in anything
I do. Because if it is, I'm lost. If it's in anything I do. But
my hope, my rest, my complete trust of my salvation is in Christ
and Him alone. Nowhere else. Romans 8, verse
14-18, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are
the sons of God. For ye have not received the
spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received the spirit
of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself
bear witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.
And if children, then heirs. Heirs of God and joint heirs
with Christ, if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may
be also glorified together. For I reckon..." Are we going
through troubles and trials all the time, aren't we? Look at
what this marvelous verse here says. "...For I reckon that the
sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Oh, when we
get home to Heaven. to see our Savior, to see the
One whose hands were pierced because of my sins. Oh, to see our Savior, to see
our Redeemer face to face. Beloved of God, are you faced
with a trial right now or weighed down by a trial? Let us be comforted. Let us be comforted that though
we go through trials right now, in the storms of life, they are
not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed
in us. So is there any other reason
why the Christian rejoices? We rejoice in Christ, don't we?
We rejoice in our wonderful God. Is there any need to wonder why
we have a new song in our hearts? In joy? In peace that we never
had before? And it's all in Christ. It's
all in Him. Are you like me? I can't even
really find the words sometimes. I can't even really find the
words to explain what Christ really means to me. And what he's done for me. How
he took me out of that pit that I was in. How when I read scripture and
it tells me that 2,000 years ago that he bled and died on
the cross for my sins, and for yours too if you believe it. And how that precious blood was
shed for our sins. Our words don't even seem adequate. Turn, if you would, to John 21,
verse 25. Did you know that the world could
not contain all the books? If all the things were written
about Christ and what He did, the world could not even contain
them, the books? John 21, 25. And this is why I say my words
just scratch the surface of how I really feel. But I have joy. Unspeakable. In peace. I have a wonderful
Redeemer. He's redeemed me from all my
sins. Look at John 21, verse 25. And there are also many other
things which Jesus did, which if they should be written every
one, I suppose that even the world itself, think of it, the
world itself could not contain the books that should be written. When we try to explain to someone
about Christ who has given us a new heart, a new joy, a new
song, We simply proclaim, we have to
simply proclaim the great things that He's done for us. And that's
what we do. And it flows out of an abundant,
thankful heart for what He's done for us. And even though
we don't feel like we have the words, let us just trumpet it. Christ is my Savior. He did it all. He can save the vilest of sinners. He saved me. Oh, when we think, when we marvel
that He's loved us from eternity. God has loved us from eternity. And knowing that we are saved,
what? It brings us great comfort and peace. Look at our text again
in Isaiah 12. And in that day, thou shalt say,
O Lord, I will praise Thee. Thou was angry with me. Thine
anger is turned away. So the wrath and justice of God
is appeased for the sinner, for his people in Christ. Turned
away. Thou comfortest me. Who is our salvation? We looked
at this today, this morning too. God is our salvation, isn't He?
God incarnate in the flesh. Jesus Christ was God in the flesh.
Look at verse 2. Behold, God is my salvation. It's so plain right there. God
is my salvation. So if my salvation is all in
Christ, then Christ is God. He was no mere man. He was God incarnate in the flesh,
the God of the universe. God is my salvation. I will trust
and not be afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my
song. He also has become my salvation. And I have to remind myself all
the time when a trial comes up or something comes up, don't
get anxious, Wayne. Just rest and trust in Christ. I'm reminded of an old, and usually
when I'm going through something, what comes to my mind is what
an old grace preacher told me, and I've told you guys before,
that God always takes care of His people. He always takes care
of His sheep. Always. He's faithful. So when we get anxious, and we
will, and when a situation comes up, let us be reminded, God is my salvation. God is my salvation. Turn, if
you would, to Exodus chapter 15. And here it speaks in Isaiah
12, it says, Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not
be afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song. He
also has become my salvation. Look at Exodus 15. Exodus 15,
starting in verse 1. Then sing, Moses and the children
of Israel, this song unto the Lord. And Spake saying, I will
sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously, the horse
and the rider hath he thrown into the sea." Pharaoh's army
has been swallowed up. The Lord is my strength and song. which we saw in Isaiah 12 too,
the same statement. Lord Jehovah is my strength and
song. In Exodus 15 too, it says, the
Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. He's my salvation. He is my God,
and I will prepare Him in habitation. My Father is God, and I will
exalt Him. The Lord is a man of war. He destroyed Pharaoh's armies
just like that. The might of Egypt crushed. Crushed. The Lord is his name. Pharaoh's
chariots and his hosts hath he cast into the sea. His chosen
captains are also drowned in the Red Sea. Like I say, the
might of Egypt swallowed up by the mighty hand of God. This is my Savior. This is our God, beloved. He protects us from our enemies.
The depths have covered them. They sank into the bottom as
a stone. Thy right hand, O Lord, has become
glorious in power. Thy right hand, O Lord, hath
dashed in pieces the enemy. And in greatness, and in the
greatness of Thine excellency, Thou has overthrown them that
rose up against Thee, that senteth forth Thy wrath, which consumed
them as stubble. We who are saved are protected
from the wrath and justice of God. These enemies of God were swallowed
up. What a mighty God. No wonder
they sang. No wonder. Could you imagine
them seeing that happen? Could you imagine the awe that
they, when they saw Pharaoh's armies who were pursuing them,
swallowed up by the Red Sea? Oh, what a mighty God we have. Christ, and Christ is the strength
of spiritual Israel. Look at our text again. Behold,
God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid,
for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song. He also has become
my salvation. Christ, who is God, is the spiritual
strength. He's the strength of spiritual
Israel. We have no strength without Him. He's the author and the giver
of strength to his people. And he strengthens us to do his
will, and to resist temptations, and to bear afflictions and trials
which come in our lives. He gives us the strength to carry
on. Remember we saw that this morning? He keeps us. He keeps
us, otherwise we'd be gone. But he keeps us alive. He gives
us strength to overcome every enemy because we cannot do it
on our own. And think of this. He's given
us a perfect spotless righteousness. Our righteousness is like filthy
rags. He's given us, He's clothed us
in His perfect and spotless righteousness. Oh, what a wonderful God. Behold,
my God. Behold, God is my salvation.
I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is my strength
and my song. He also has become my salvation. He is also my salvation. Become my salvation. Other refuge have I none. Everything is vested in Christ
for the believer, isn't it? Everything. No other hope. No other refuge. No other way to be redeemed. No other sacrifice. Salvation is no other than Christ
and Him alone. Look at what it says in our text,
the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song. He also has become
my salvation. This wonderful salvation in Christ,
as I said, comes to us. We do not seek it. We've seen that in our study
in Colossians. Turn with me, if you would, to Luke chapter
19. We looked at a little portion
of this, but let's go up a little bit further. Luke 19. See our dear brother Zacchaeus. Let's start in verse 1. And Jesus entered and passed
through Jericho. Now think of this, beloved. Scripture
says He entered and passed through Jericho, right? We're going to
see God's distinguishing grace here. He passed by others. And behold, there was a man named
Zacchaeus, which was a chief among the publicans, and he was
rich. And he sought to see Jesus, who
he was, and could not for the press because he was of little
stature. Now, a lot of commentators say
that he was just curious to see who this was. Curiosity. But we know that God the Holy
Spirit is working. We know that because we know
Zacchaeus, the Lord saves Zacchaeus. And he ran before and climbed
up into a sycamore tree." And I like to say that's a divinely
grown and planted sycamore tree right where it was. "...to see
Him, for He was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the
place, He looked up and saw Him." Look at this. No one's told the Lord who that
person's name is, right? But that's one of God's sheep
from eternity. In his knees, engraved in the
palm of his hand. Looked up and saw him. Said,
Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must abide
at thy house. And he made haste. Thy people
shall be made willing. And he made haste. He came flying
down that tree, I betcha. And came down and received him
joyfully. And when they saw it, here goes the religious folks,
they all murmured saying that he was gone to be a guest with
a man that is a sinner. Aren't you glad that's in Scripture?
Oh, he's a guest of a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood and said
unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to
the poor, and if I have taken anything from any man by false
accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This
day is salvation. Come to this house. It's the
gospel day for Zacchaeus. For as much as he also is the
son of Abram, for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save
that which was lost. God is all my salvation. Christ is all my salvation. The Gospel comes to us and Christ
has made to us all our salvation. There was a time when He wasn't,
right? But for the believer He is now. Let's look at our text
again in verse 2. Behold, God is my salvation.
I will trust and not be afraid. For the Lord Jehovah is my strength
and my song. He also has become my salvation. Notice, He has become my salvation. There's a time when every believer
who now believes in Christ, there's a time when they trust it in
themselves. Not anymore. Now Christ has become my all
in all. He's everything. And He has made it so. He passed by all those folks
to go to Zacchaeus. That's distinguishing grace,
beloved. That's God's distinguishing grace. Before we were saved, we mingled what we thought was
grace with works. I know I used to go around telling
people, I made a decision for Christ. I used to say that all the time.
I made a decision for Christ. I chose Christ. Because I had
prayed a prayer and thought, well, I'm good now. Or some had themselves dedicated
or dedicate children even and they say, well, they're good
now. If you mingle anything with grace,
it's no longer grace. Christ, in Him alone, He is the
Alpha and the Omega, the A to the Z of our salvation. And what happens? We come to
a point of understanding that we can do nothing to gain salvation,
right? and that we are wholly vested
in Christ. Are you wholly vested in Christ tonight? What think ye of Christ? The
question of the ages. What think ye of Christ? To some of you, is this the good
teacher? They're perishing their sins.
To some they say, well, you know, He's just a man. They will perish
in their sins. But to those of us who believe,
He's everything. He's everything. And we know
that we have eternal life, and it's not because of us. It's
because of Him. Because the Lord Jehovah is my
strength and my song, and He has become my salvation. Examine yourself to see if you're
in the faith. Are you wholly resting on Christ
alone? Or are you holding on to some
of your works? Christ is the only hope for sinners. The next point is there's a great
comfort and joy in the wells of salvation. Look at verse 3. Great comfort to the saints of
God here. Therefore with joy shall you draw water out of the
wells of salvation. In view of the mercies of God
towards His people, in view of the mercies of God and the everlasting
covenant in Christ, in view of the fact that we are redeemed
by the precious blood of Christ, Then with joy we draw water out
of the wells of salvation. Remember Zacchaeus? Think of the joy that he felt. Think of the joy that he felt
in the fact that Christ is now his Savior. It's the same joy that we have.
as believers. We marvel. We marvel. I was texting back and forth
with Brother Marcus today, and we're marveling the fact that
Christ saves sinners. Turn, if you would, to John 4. So this verse before us in Isaiah
says we draw waters out of the wells of salvation. Are you going
through a trial or a temptation or something in your life? Let
us draw from the wells of salvation. Let us draw from the wells of
salvation. God is the fountain of all good
to His people. And we'll draw water with joy
from the wells of salvation. The Lord Jesus Christ is a fountain
springing up into eternal life. Zechariah 13.1 says, In that
day there shall be a fountain open to the house of David and
to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and uncleanness. A fountain
open. Prophesied in the Old Testament.
Look in John 4 and revealed in the New Testament. John 4.13-14,
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this
water, the water in the well, shall thirst again. But whosoever
drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.
But the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of
water springing up into everlasting life." And think of this, beloved of
God, when God the Holy Spirit is drawing us to Christ, and
when we come to Christ and drink from the fountain, which is Christ, then drawing and asking and coming
all melt into one simple word. Believing on Christ. Believing
on Christ. Have you come to Christ? Have you asked God to have mercy
upon you? Has He revealed to you that you're
a sinner in need of Him? Only one being drawn by the Holy
Spirit will see this. And this is our assurance, we
who believe on Christ, not what we have done, but what He has
done. And we draw from the wells of
salvation, don't we? As we go through different trials
and different things in this world. Drawing from the comfort
that we have in Christ. Look at verse 4, And in that
day shall you say, Praise the Lord and call upon His name,
declare His doings among the people, make mention that His
name is exalted. As I've often said, we give all
the praise and all the glory and all the honor. to our great
God and our great King for what He has done for us. God became
a man. The Almighty God became a man
and redeemed His people from their sins and rose from the
grave and God is satisfied in it. Oh, we praise His name, don't
we? We call upon His name. We declare His doings among the
people. We tell others of what Christ
has done for us. And God is still moving and still
saving. And His plan and His purpose
is still being accomplished. Even though we see what's going
on in the world, beloved, He's still in control. He's still in control. He will not be thwarted. Beloved, He's still gathering
in His sheep. He's still gathering in His elect.
And we praise His name. And we proclaim the Gospel boldly
as He gives us strength. And we turn, if you would, or
actually look at the next verses, 5 and 6. We who are saved are
very quick to give God all the glory. I call religious folks who like
to get all the glory, I call them glory hounds. They want
all the glory and all the praise. I do not want all the glory.
My hope in preaching is that you'd see Christ. and that God's
sheep would be built up and edified. Because if you only hear my voice,
oh, I pray that God would speak to you through His Word. Through
His Word. I remember Henry Mahan saying
that. If you only hear my voice. No, preachers want you to hear
the voice of God through the preaching of His Word. He gathers in His sheep, and
we are quick to give all the glory, all the honor, all the
praise to God. Look at verses 5 and 6. Sing
unto the Lord, for He hath done excellent things. This is known
in all the earth. Cry out and shout, Thou Inhabitant
of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of
Thee. Here again is great comfort.
Great comfort for the believer as this chapter closes. And let
us remember this as a church and as individuals when we go
through trials and storms. Because like I say, I know I've
been saying that a lot today, but it happens. Things come up.
Unexpected things. Unplanned things. And it looks
like a mountain. Oh, but God has not left His
people. He's with us. Some may be going through a trial
right now. Or weighed down in sorrow. Another question is, are you
anxious about the times? And the things which we see in
this world. Cry out and shout, thou unhappened
Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.
Even though we see all this stuff going on, God is in the midst
of His people. Turn, if you would, to Matthew
18, 20. God is in the midst of His people. He is not far off.
He is in their midst. And in looking at this little
verse in Matthew, I came across a little thing that I didn't
know. To the Jews, any less than 10 people were not considered
a congregation. But look at what it says in Matthew
18, 20. And know this, beloved, that if you're going through
things, He's with you. He's with us here in our church. He's with
us at home. Look at this. For where two or
three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst
of them. This is a God who's not far off.
Now man's imaginary gods are far off. But this is the God of the Scriptures.
Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am
I in the midst of them. Our God is ever present with
us. Ever present. So our Lord tells him where two
or three are gathered together, I am there. I am there. In the midst of his people. In the midst of his people ruling
in their hearts. In the midst of his people being
their shield and defender. In the midst of his people upholding and comforting us. in giving
us strength. This is the Almighty Sovereign
God. Praise His mighty name.