"Preaching and Persecution"

Q: What does the Bible say about preaching the Gospel?

The Bible emphasizes the importance of preaching the Gospel throughout the New Testament. Preaching the Gospel is central to Jesus' ministry as described in the Gospels. In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus reads from Isaiah, declaring that He is anointed to preach good news to the poor, proclaim freedom for the prisoners, and recovery of sight for the blind. This underscores the calling of believers to share the message of salvation and the grace of God to all, fulfilling the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19-20. The Gospel is God's means of drawing the elect to Himself and revealing His sovereign grace.

Q: How do we know sovereign grace is true?

Sovereign grace is supported by Scripture and the work of the Holy Spirit in salvation. The doctrine of sovereign grace is grounded in the Scriptures, where God reveals His sovereignty over all creation and His choice in salvation. Ephesians 1:4-5 reminds us that we were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, highlighting that grace is not dependent on human effort but solely on God's mercy and will. Throughout the Bible, instances of God's intervention in the lives of His people exhibit that salvation is entirely of the Lord, as seen in Romans 9:15-16, 'For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.' This principle assures believers that their salvation is secure in God's sovereign plan.

Q: Why is God's sovereignty important for Christians?

God's sovereignty assures Christians of His control and purpose in all things. Understanding God's sovereignty is vital for Christians as it affirms that God is in control of every aspect of life, including salvation. The theology of sovereign grace teaches that events in the world, including trials and tribulations, are orchestrated by God for His glory and the ultimate good of His people. Romans 8:28 declares that 'all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.' This brings comfort to believers, reminding them that no persecution or hardship occurs outside God's divine plan. It cultivates trust and reliance on God, knowing His purpose is perfect and He will fulfill it regardless of circumstances.

Q: What is the significance of faith in Christ's works?

Faith in Christ's works is essential as it secures our salvation and relationship with God. Faith in the finished work of Christ is foundational to salvation within the context of sovereign grace. Believers are called to trust in the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, which meets the demands of God's justice against sin. As stated in Ephesians 2:8-9, it is by grace we have been saved through faith, not by our works, so that no one can boast. This emphasizes that salvation is a gift from God, received by faith. The assurance of salvation rests on Christ's accomplishments, where He atoned for our sins and imputed His righteousness to us. Thus, a genuine faith leads to a transformed life that seeks to honor God in all aspects.

Good morning. Let's all stand together and sing hymn number 51. Hymn number 51. Praise the Savior, ye who know him. Who can tell how much we owe Him? Gladly let us render to Him all we are and have. Jesus is the name that charms us. He for conflict fits and arms us. Nothing moves and nothing harms us while we trust in Him. Trust in Him, ye saints, forever. He is faithful, changing never. Neither force nor guile can sever those he loves from him.

Keep us, Lord, O keep us, cleaving to thyself and still believing, Till the hour of our receiving, promise joy with thee. Then we shall be where we would be. Then we shall be what we should be. Things that are not now nor could be soon shall be our own. Be seated. We'll sing hymn number 258. 258. A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord. a wonderful Savior to me.

He hideth my soul in the left of the road, where rivers of pleasure I see. He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock that shadows a dry, thirsty land. He hideth my life in the depths of His love, and covers me there with His hand, and covers me there with his hand. A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord. He taketh my burden away. He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved. He giveth me strength as my day.

He guideth my soul in the cleft of the rock that shadows a dry, thirsty land. He hideth my life in the depths of His love, and covers me there with His hand. and covers me there with His hand. With numberless blessings each moment He crowns and filled with His fullness divine. I sing in my rapture, O glory to God, for such a Redeemer as mine. He hadeth my soul, in the cleft of the rock that shadows a dry, thirsty land. He bideth my life in the depths of his love, and covers me there with his hand, and covers me there with his hand. When clothed in his brightness transported, to meet him in clouds of the sky. His perfect salvation, his wonderful love, I'll shout with the millions on high. He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock that shadows a dry, thirsty land. He hideth my life in the depths of His love. And covers me there with his hand. And covers me there with his hand. Luke chapter 4. Luke chapter 4. Start reading in verse 22 down to verse 32. And all bear him witness and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.

And they said, is not this Joseph's son? And he said unto them, you will surely say unto me this proverb. Physician, heal thyself. heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you of a truth.

Many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, or Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout the land. But unto none of them was Elijah sent, save unto Sarepta, city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them were cleansed, save in Naaman the Syrian. And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up, thrust him out of the city, led him unto the brow of the hill, whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. But he, passing through the midst of them, went his way, and came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the Sabbath days. And they were astonished at his doctrine, for his word was with power."

Oh, Lord. our great, great, great, glorious, blessed God of heaven and earth. Lord, when we consider you, your holiness, your sovereignty, your graciousness, your longsuffering, your patience with us, your kindness toward us, your grace toward us, Lord, we sometimes are overwhelmed by it and other times it doesn't seem to affect us at all.

But Lord, we're so thankful and bless you that no matter what we are feeling or what we're going through, you still love us. You still keep us. You still preserve us. You still love us. We're still accepted in the beloved. We're still righteous, regardless of what we feel or what we go through in this world.

Because Lord, you taught us these things from your word. You taught us to it by the Holy Spirit through your word. And Lord, we're grateful for your word. Oh, how powerful is your word. How wonderful is your word. And Lord, I thank you that you've allowed us to meet here this morning, to meet with the saints of God. And enable me, oh Lord, as if it would please you to Priest with some power, some liberty, some thought, freedom of thought. Lord, I pray that you and your sovereign mercy would open hearts today.

Save whom you will. Save whom you will in this place. Lord, salvation's of you. You're the one who does the saving. You're the one that opens hearts. You're the one that gives a new heart. So Lord, if it please you to save whom you will in this place, we'll bless you.

And again, we bring our sons and our daughters, my children, their children, our great grandchildren, our great-grandchildren, we bring them all to you, Lord, and leave them in your hands. You'll do what's right by them. And our blessed Savior, we pray now for those who are not with us through the frailty of the body. through the trials of this life. Please be with them. Please be gracious to them. Please restore them as it pleases you. Bring glory to yourself today in this service. For Christ's sake, amen. Let's stand together and sing the hymn of the day in the bulletin.

A refuge for sinners the gospel makes known. It is found in the merits of Jesus alone. the tempted, the burdened of sin, are never excluded. from entering in. This refuge for sinners God's love did ordain in Jesus the Lamb from eternity In Christ the Redeemer, who lived and who died, God's law and His justice are now satisfied. Should conscience accuse us, as often it may, the blood of our Savior has put sin away. Be seated.

I don't know if anybody told you, preacher, They took Bart to the ER this morning. He was really sick and in severe pain. I guess they diagnosed him with kidney stones, and they're going to do a scan on him to find out if he needs surgery or not. But no, we've got a lot of dear brothers and sisters that we need to remember in prayer. They didn't ask me to announce that he was in the hospital, but I'm sure that he would still appreciate our prayer as far as I know. Do you know Tim?

In Sparta? In Sparta. Well, I've asked Kimberly Sue to come and sing a song for us this morning, a special. Stand up here. Here's what number it was. 223. They rise, my soul, arise. Shake off thy guilty fears. The bleeding sacrifice in my behalf appears. Before the throne my surety stands. My name is written on his hands. My name is written on his hands. He ever lives above for me to intercede. His all-redeeming love, his precious blood to plead. His blood atoned for all his own. And sprinkles now the throne of grace. And sprinkles now the throne of grace. Five bleeding wounds he bears, Received on Calvary.

They poor effectual prayers, They strongly plead for me. Forgive him, O forgive, they cry, Nor let that ransom sinner die, Nor let that ransom sinner die. The father hears him pray, his dear anointed one. He cannot turn away the presence of His Son. His Spirit answers to the blood and tells me I am born of God. and tells me I am born of God. My God is reconciled His pardoning voice I hear He owns me for His child I can no longer fear With confidence I may draw nigh And Father, Abba, Father cry.

And Father, Abba, Father cry. We got nobody else that we can go to. Nobody else in this world we can go to does for us what our Lord Jesus Christ has. And once you know Him, once you know Him and He knows you, you can never get over it. Just never, never get over it.

Now look with me back here in Luke 4. done some preaching and then they persecuted him over his preaching. And when our master went to his hometown, that's where he said there in verse 16, he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up. This was his hometown. He went back there and he took the book of Isaiah and he read, the spirit of the Lord hath anointed me to preach the gospel. had certain classes of people he preached the Gospel to. But as our Lord began to preach, the response was very good at the beginning. But as our Lord continued, we can truly see how the carnal mind is enmity against God. It really is enmity against God.

The hearers look down here in verse and it says, the eyes, you know, when he closed the book and gave the back to the minister, he said, now this is how they gave such attention, the hearers gave attention to Christ. Their eyes of all them were upon the synagogue, were fastened on him. Everybody in that place had their eyes fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's a blessed, that's the most blessed place you could have your eyes fixed on, is on the Lord Jesus Christ. The eyes of your faith, eyes of your heart, your heart, your soul, your being, the best, most wonderful place to fix your eyes is on the Lord Jesus Christ.

And oh my, and then look what it says, and they all admired him. And it says there in verse 22, and all bear him witness. They witnessed him. Now listen, they witnessed to what he said, they listened to what was read from the scriptures, they witnessed to how he read them, and look what they said. and wondered at the gracious words that proceeded from him. They were so, they just was full of wonder. How could somebody, how could somebody, we've heard men read from Isaiah all our lives, but here this man, when he done it, it came out altogether different. They bear him witness at the gracious words. The words that he spoke were different than anybody else's spoke. His voice was different. The way he read the scriptures was different. The way he interpreted the scripture was different. And they wondered at the gracious words that he spoke. And yet, they didn't believe on him. And they said there in the last part of verse 22, is not this Joseph's son? All they knew about him was who his mom and daddy was. That's all they knew about him. That's all they believed about him.

Oh, they admired the word of his grace. You know, Isaiah 45, Psalm 45 says, the word of grace was poured into his mouth. And so if grace come into his mouth, that's what comes out is his grace. And they wondered at these words of grace. I'll tell you what, his name is wonderful. It is wonderful. But what made them wonder? It's just, this is just Joseph's son. This is just Joseph's son. That's all he is interested in, Joseph's son. And they said that in another place.

We know his mama and we know his daddy. We know his brothers and sisters. How say then did he come, say he came from God? How he come from heaven? We know everybody in his family. How can he talk about being coming from heaven? How can he do that? Well, then our Lord says this. He knows what's in man.

And he said unto them, you will surely say unto me, this proverb, physician, heal thyself. Whatsoever we've heard done in Capernaum, do also here in this country. And oh my, what they're saying is, they told a proverb, physician, you're the doctor, you're the physician. You heal yourself, you take care of yourself. And they had this attitude toward it. We know you're Joseph's son.

We know you're from here. So what they're saying is, you do works here that we've heard you do about in Capernaum. You expect a physician to be able to heal himself, but not only heal himself, but also his family and the place where he's from. Why shouldn't a sick in our country be healed as well as in other cities? And that's what they said. You know, we're here, everything you've done, we've heard your fame has went all over the place. You went to Capernaum and you've done all these wonderful works. You heal people, you do things for people, you cleanse lepers.

So listen, if you do that, why don't you do it here? Why would he do it when they did not believe on him? At one place it says he could do no mighty works because of their unbelief. They didn't believe on him. He's just Joseph's son. Why'd they want him to do anything for him? If he's just Joseph's son, he couldn't do anything for him anyway. And that's what he said. That's what he said. And then his reply was this. And he said, truly or verily I say unto you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.

You know what their problem was? They knew Christ after the flesh. Now you keep this and turn with me to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Turn with me to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. And look what it says over here, verse 16. henceforth know we no man after the flesh, yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh." Now we don't know him like that anymore.

Now what Paul is saying here was, when I was lost, when I was a Pharisee, when I hated Christ and persecuted the Lord's people, all I knew about Christ was he was Joseph's son. All I knew about Jesus was that He was from Nazareth. All I knew about Jesus was He was an imposter. All I knew about Him, He was a false prophet. That's all I knew about Him. I knew Him after the flesh. And that's all most people know about Christ, is they know Him after the flesh. You know how people know Him after the flesh? Well, He has no power. He loves everybody. He died for everybody. You can't let him into your, you know, he can't save you unless you let him. He can't get into your heart unless you open your heart and let him in.

That's knowing Christ after the flesh. When they put him in a manger at Christmas, that's knowing Christ after the flesh. When they set up crosses at Easter time and set it up and put a scarlet thing around it, that's knowing him after the flesh. When they have all these ceremonies and rituals and put ashes on their forehead, that's knowing Christ after the flesh.

And Paul said, I knew him one time after my flesh, and I knew him as just a man. I don't know him like that anymore. I don't know him like that anymore. I don't know him like that anymore. That, oh my, that's all they knew about him. They knew him after the flesh. Joseph's son. And familiarity breeds contempt. They would say, does he think he's better than us? That's the first thing they think. He thinks he's better than us. He don't want to do for us like he does anybody else. We've known him all our lives. We grew up with him. They grew up with him. And another reason he would not be accepted in his own country, look what he starts saying now.

And then he starts talking about two different prophets, Elijah and Elisha. But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah or Elias, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and when great famine was threatened out of the land. You all remember that story? Elijah prayed, and it didn't rain for three and a half years.

Well, Jezebel and Ahab, they started after him. And at the end of those three years, he was over here by himself. God fed him with a raven, fed him with bread, let him sit by a creek, and he had water. And then it got so bad that he went up in a cave and hid there for a while. But he sat down under a juniper tree and he said, Lord, I'm the only one left. They've killed all your prophets. They tore down your altars. There ain't nobody left for me. Just let me die. Just let me die.

But God told him to go back. And he got up and he said, looky there. There's a cloud about the size of a man's hand. And before the day was out, it started raining. They didn't like him. He wasn't accepted in Israel at that time. He had to go hide. He had to go hide from the king. He had to go hide from the king's wife. He had to go hide from the king's army. He wasn't accepted. Why? Because he did not do what they wanted him to do.

He said, it ain't gonna rain for three years and six months. How would you like a prophet to tell you that one of these days? It ain't gonna rain for three years and six months. If that happened to us right now, there'd be no bread, there'd be no corn. Listen, but if a prophet told you that and it took place, you know what you'd do? Boy, if I ever find that fella, if I can get my hands on him, that's why I said, see, he wasn't even accepted in his own country, Elijah wasn't.

And that's the kind of power he had. And then another time, he says this. And this is the story when he went to this widow in her house, and she had two sticks left, her and her son, and one little cruise of, little bitty old cruise of oil, and just a little bit of meal, and she's gonna fix that, and said, then we're gonna sit down and die. Elijah said, fix it for me. Take that and fix it for me." Okay. So that happened. He ate that meal.

She cooked those two. And you know what? Every time she went to her meal barrel, there's food in it. Every time she went to her oil barrel, there's oil in it. How long did that happen? The rest of her life. But she wasn't a Jew. She was a widow. She was from Sarepta. She was a Gentile.

And that really upset him. So Elijah wasn't accepted in his own country. And then look what else they said here now. And he said, and many lepers, in verse 27, many lepers were in Israel at the time of Elisha, the prophet, and none of them was cleansed save in Naaman the Syrian. Now, we know about Naaman. Let me see if I can remember this right. Naaman was a general. He was the main man in his army. He was a general. He was somebody. He was honored. He was lauded. He was praised.

But the thing was, he was a leper. He had all this accolades and that, but he was a leper. And there was this little old maid they took captive, and she said, if my master knew that there's a prophet in Israel that could heal him, he said, oh my, the most unlikeliest person to tell him was a little old woman, a little maid, a slave, somebody that's in bondage to him. He said, there's a prophet that can heal you.

Well, he automatically thought about, well, I need to go to the king. So he went to the political side of it. He went to the king, said, this king will take care of everything. The king said, oh, what in the world do you think I can do? I can't do nothing for you. And Elisha sent word to him, said, tell him to come to me.

So here he comes. He pulls up in his chariot. He had a suitcase full of clothes for that prophet. He had a lot of gold for that profit. He had everything. Oh, he's gonna pay for everything. He's gonna give everything he's got to get this, pay for this man.

Well, Elijah never, Elijah never even come out of his house. He thought Elijah, Elijah come out there and say, hocus pocus. come aloud and do whatever, you know, wave his hands over, and be made all, you know, go psh, psh, psh, psh, psh, psh, and do some silly thing like that. But he said, surely, surely that man will come out here and do that. He told his servant, go out there and tell him to go over the river and get in that river and Bow down in that water seven times. Man, he got mad. Oh, he got angry. He got upset. He said, oh, our rivers are better than them rivers in Israel.

And I tell you what, I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to do it. I'm not going to do it. Oh, he was proud, he was, oh my goodness, he wasn't going, he ain't not going to take off my uniform, I'm not going to take off my clothes, I'm not going to get naked, I'm not going to do what the preacher says, I'm not going to do what the prophet says, I'm not going to do what anybody says, I'll make up my own mind what I'm going to do. Then his servant says, Master, if he had told you to do some great, big, wonderful thing, you'd have done that.

But he just told you one thing to do. Now, could he been saved without doing what Elisha said? No. Can you be saved without believing what God said? No. Can you know Christ and not do what he says? No. No, you can't. And there was only one way that man's going to be saved. The water didn't save him. The seven ducks in that water didn't save him, but doing what he was told to do. is what saved him. He humbled himself. He got naked.

He done what was told to do, and that's the way it is in salvation. You'll do what God says, and you'll do it the way he says to do it, or you will die without Christ. That's just the way it is, ain't it? And also, that's why he said, now Elisha wasn't accepted. He healed a leopard, a Syrian leopard, a Gentile dog. And oh, my.

Then look what happens to them. Look at their reaction. They went from wondering at His gracious words, and then look what it says down in verse 28. Oh, look at their reaction to this now. And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath. How did they go from standing in wonder at His gracious words to saying, Let's kill that fella. Let's get rid of that man. Let's destroy that man. Oh, why'd they do that? Oh, my. You're there filled with wrath. Why?

Because they heard what he said. Why'd they respond this way? because he preached God's sovereign election and God's sovereignty over anybody and everybody in this world. That's what made them so sanguine. That's what upset them. They were in the synagogue. Now, they was in the, they was, that'd be like being in a, in a, in a local assembly like, they were in that synagogue. They were good people. They were religious people. They read the Bible. They was regularly attending services. I mean, they really enjoyed going to meetings. And they in the building, they in that synagogue, and they got so mad when he got through telling them that. They got angry. I mean, right inside the church building, right inside the synagogue. They said, listen, we can't put up with that.

We can take a lot of things. But we can't take God's sovereignty, we can't take God's electing grace, we can't take the freeness of God's grace, of Him saving whom He will, that it's not Him that willeth, it's not Him that runneth, but it's God that shows mercy. That's what they is upset about. Oh, we're law keepers, we're dedicated, we're devoted, we have our devotions every morning. We go out here and win souls for Jesus. We do all kinds of things.

But our Lord said, oh, listen, I never knew you. I know everything in this world, but I don't know you. I don't know, I know what you do, I know what you think, but I don't know you like I know Elijah. I don't know you like I knew Naaman. I don't know you like I knew that widow. I don't know you like I did when Elijah shut up the heavens. I don't know you that way.

Oh my, they hated God's sovereignty. God doing what he wants to for his self. That's why they said, heal yourself. Oh, they despised that. And I'll tell you, you know, they were Jews and they sought to, you know, One of the things that people can't understand, and they just don't like it. They just will not have it.

God saves whom he will. And this is Bruce Crabtree, and I talked about it last week. We talked about this. I've got sons and daughters, grandsons, great-grandchildren. And if God saves them, I'll be so thankful, I'll bless God, and I don't care if I'm dead and gone before He does anything for them. It don't make any difference to me. But I do know this.

God will do exactly what's right with my children, and He'll do exactly right with your children. And He'll do exactly what's right by me. And you know how He done right by me? put all my sin on His Son, and bruised Him, and wounded Him, and chastised Him, and put stripes on His back, and had Him nailed to a tree, and blood flowed from every wound, but my sin was on Him. And then when God brought me to where I believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, gave me faith to believe on His Son, opened my heart to where I was abhorred myself and everything about me. God did just exactly right because he punished my sins in his son and turned around and gave me his righteousness and his obedience. God done what was right. He has to be a just God. He has to punish sin. but he's also a Savior. Bless his holy name. How do you get over something like it? Oh, my. Oh, look what? Look over in Acts 22 with me. In Acts 22. Look, this is what they hated about Paul.

Acts 22 in verse 21 And you know they they bees been brought before the Jewish Council look what he said And he And he said, God told him, he said, Depart, for I will send, said unto me, Depart, for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles. And they gave him audience unto that word. And then they lifted up their voice and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth. It's not fit that he should live. Why? Because he was going to, the Jews rejected Christ, he's going to go to the Gentiles. And they said, Let's kill him. This man's not fit to live. not fit to live.

And oh my, God passed by all the lepers in Israel and healed a Gentile leper. Oh, our Lord is showing them that he is under no obligation to them or anybody else because it's his hometown, because that's where he was raised, because they knew his father and his mother. Oh, nothing, nothing strikes, stirs up dimly like God will have mercy on whom he'll have mercy and he'll have compassion on whom he'll have compassion. Oh my. Turn with me to Job 33. You know, we're here and God in his sovereign mercy taught us these wonderful things. And I remember not being a believer. I remember knowing Christ after the flesh. Look in Job 33, 13.

Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any his matters." Why you want to argue with God? He ain't going to come down here and have a conversation with you. He's not going to do that. Why you strive? You ain't going to win. Scott Eustace used to say all the time, he said, Listen, you're fighting a losing battle if you're fighting against God. You're not gonna win. You argue against him all you want to. Find fault with him all you want to. Say he's unrighteous all you want to. Get mad at him all you want to. Say I don't like that all you want to. Find fault with what he does in this world all you want to.

People say, how can a loving God do this? How can a loving God do that? Well, what about a just God? What about a long-suffering God? What about a gracious God? Man left himself will destroy himself and nations will rise against nation and destroy one another because that's man's nature. And all God's got to let a man do is just let him go and do what he'll do.

And he will fuss and fight and argue all the days of his life. They'll get guns and shoot one another. They'll drop bombs on one another. They'll starve one another. I can't let them people live. They're not like me. They're not my race. They're not my people. They're not like me. And they just destroy one another.

And it's a mercy. It's a mercy that God would save anybody in this world. And he had to do it in a way that gives him all the glory. And that's what made these people mad. That's not right, he said. You can't do that. Oh, how many people say, oh, that's why Paul says, you'll say God's unrighteous. Who art thou that replies against God? Men think they can sit in judgment upon God and decide what God should do and shouldn't do, who he should do it for and who he shouldn't do it for. Why would man be such a fool? Because he's a man. And he is a fool.

Somebody asked me the other day, how long you want to live? I said, just as long as God wants me to. I don't want to live one day longer, not a minute longer. What if he lets you live to 90? That's okay. What if he lets you live to your 77? That's all right.

You know, and listen, I want his will done. Not just in my life, but in your life. You know, and I'm in his hands. I hope he keeps me in my right mind. I hope he keeps me healthy. I hope I don't have to, as Bruce said the other night, go in a nursing home, somebody have to change my diaper. I hope by God's grace I don't do that. But I don't want to be here one moment longer than God wants me to. But I want to be here as long as he wants me to. And I want to do what he tells me to do. And that's what, and why do you strive against him? He don't give an account of his matters.

What would you have? Can you imagine God coming down here and saying, now what would y'all have me to do today? How do you want the weather to be? You want rain? You want sunshine? You want a 75 or 85? You want snow? You want ice? What do you want the weather to be today? How do you want the fishing to go today? How do you want this to go today? How do you want that to go today? How warm do you want the water when you go swimming? This is stupid, but do you think God's going to come down here and ask you? He said, if I was hungry, He said, if I was hungry, I wouldn't ask you for a thing. You know why? See all that cattle on all these hills around here? They every one belong to me.

Oh, God's sovereignty is seen everywhere in the world by class, by class. You know, there's Poor classes, wealthy classes, educated classes, ignorant classes. And then there's, in England, they do have class over there. The high class, low class. And oh my.

And then, you know, God's sovereignty is seen in man's intellect. God's, you know, God's sovereignty is seen by man's intellect. Some people, you know, they did went to school to their 6th or 8th grade and had to go to work, they didn't have much education. And then there's people that's gotten educated so much they don't, they ain't got sense enough to get in out of the rain because everything they know, they know by a book.

And then by wealth. That's why God, you know, if a man's got anything in this world, if he's wealthy, God made him that way. I don't care who he is, whether he's Bill Gates or anybody else. God made him that way. They'll face God and they'll say, listen, I've done all this and I gave billions of dollars away. He said, that won't buy you something. That won't pay for one sin. And then by birth, his sovereignty is seen in birth. Why wasn't I born in Africa? Why wasn't I born in China? Why wasn't I born somebody else other than who I am? God's sovereignty. Why are you here today? God's sovereignty. How much do you know? God's sovereignty. How much do you have? God's sovereignty. How smart are you? God's sovereignty.

And that's where we're at. I love that, don't you? That suits me from the top of my head to the sole of my foot, from the inside of my soul to the outside of my skin. Oh my. And this is something that really, really shows you God's sovereignty. That God will save one person out of a whole family and leave the rest go. Just one. And then sometimes He'll save a whole family. God's sovereignty. God's sovereignty. And our life is nothing but a vapor. A vapor. Let's submit humbly to God's will and desire Him above all else. And then look what happens now here in verse 29.

And they were filled with wrath. And they left that synagogue there, and they got up, and they rose up out of that synagogue, and they thrust him. That big crowd started pushing him out of the city, and led him right under the brow or the edge of the city whereon their city was built, that they might throw him and kill him and be done with him.

Look what happens. But he just turned around and walked right back among them. They're going this way and he goes that way. How did that happen? It's just like when his disciples were sitting inside of a door and sitting inside of a room and all of a sudden he's standing right in front of them. You know what that tells me? He's having a word to go where he wants to and they don't care where he is. He can go where he wants to.

And people still not see him. And that's what happened. What a miracle it was. They gonna kill him. And then they got, and he wasn't there. How they gonna get on him? They can't find him. Where'd he go? Oh, see how stupid people. That's the first place you get him. He's not there. Oh, my. Oh, my. They drove him, went his way.

Oh, and then it says, he came to Capernaum, verse 31, a city of Galilee, and he just went right back the next Sabbath day, teaching again, preaching again. And look at this. And they were astonished at his doctrine, his teaching. Why? Because what he said had the power of God behind it, had God's power. Oh, my. Oh, his teaching, they said, oh, what an astonishing. I never heard somebody speak with such power, such power.

But that just goes to show you the enmity that man has towards God when they're confronted with truths that don't agree with what they don't agree with. Our blessed Savior, we come to you so bless you, to praise you, and thank you that you're God and you'll do what you will.

And we're grateful for your will. We even pray, Lord, thy will be done on this earth, even as it's done in heaven. So, Lord, we are so grateful for your sovereignty If it wasn't for your electing grace, if it wasn't for your having mercy on whom you'll have mercy and compassion on whom you'll have compassion, we wouldn't know you. We wouldn't be interested in you. We'd be filled with anger too. But Lord, you in sovereign mercy chose us, brought us to faith, brought us to bow to our blessed Savior.

God bless this word. today and use it to your glory and all of our good. We bless you and praise you in Christ's name. Amen. Amen. He's the Savior of my soul. Jesus, my Jesus. He's the Savior of my soul. He's the Savior of my soul. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, He's the Savior of my soul. He's the Savior of my soul.

We will be leaving Wednesday, be back May the 3rd to preach, and no Wednesday night service between that time. I would to God we had somebody to take these services, but I don't. God bless you. Lord willing, I'll see you in a couple of weeks, three weeks maybe.

"Preaching and Persecution"

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about preaching the Gospel?

How do we know sovereign grace is true?

Why is God's sovereignty important for Christians?

What is the significance of faith in Christ's works?

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About Donnie Bell

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"Preaching and Persecution"

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about preaching the Gospel?

How do we know sovereign grace is true?

Why is God's sovereignty important for Christians?

What is the significance of faith in Christ's works?

Sermon Transcript

About Donnie Bell

Comments

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