What A Great Savior

Q: What does the Bible say about the importance of grace in salvation?

The Bible teaches that salvation is by grace alone, emphasizing that it is not based on human effort but solely on God's mercy. Scripture consistently asserts that salvation is entirely based on grace. In John 3:16, we see that God gave His only Son for the world, indicating that salvation is a gift from God. Ephesians 2:8-9 clearly states, 'For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.' This underscores the unmerited nature of salvation, confirming that it is not about our deeds but about the grace and mercy God generously extends to sinners. Moreover, Romans 9:10 reminds us that God's choice to show mercy is sovereign and deliberate, reinforcing that salvation stems from His purpose and not our actions.

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

God's sovereignty is fundamental in reassessing our understanding of salvation, emphasizing that it is He who ordains who will be saved. The sovereignty of God is of utmost importance in the Christian faith because it affirms that He is in complete control of all creation, including the process of salvation. Acts 9 captures the story of the Apostle Paul’s conversion, where his transformation illustrates God's sovereign grace at work. Romans 9:14-16 elaborates on this theme by stating, 'Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.' This passage illustrates that God's decisions are rooted in His divine nature, not in human merit or ability. Understanding this sovereignty offers believers a deep sense of security and hope, knowing that those whom God has chosen will come to faith as per His will and purpose.

Q: How do we know that the doctrine of election is true?

The doctrine of election is affirmed in Scripture, notably in Romans 8:29-30, showing that God predestines believers according to His sovereign purpose. The doctrine of election is biblically substantiated and emphasizes God's sovereignty in the salvation process. Romans 8:29-30 states, 'For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called...' This scripture underscores that election is not a random act, but a deliberate choice made by God from eternity. Furthermore, Ephesians 1:4-5 states, 'Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons.' These verses affirm the truth of the doctrine of election by showing its foundation in God’s eternal and purposeful character.

Q: What does the Bible teach about the perseverance of the saints?

The Bible teaches that true believers will persevere in faith because they are kept by the power of God. The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints assures believers that those truly saved will continue in faith until the end, upheld by God's power. Jude 1:24 states, 'Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.' This scripture highlights not only God's ability to keep believers secure but also the joy associated with being presented before Him faultless. Additionally, Hebrews 7:25 declares, 'Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.' This showcases that Christ’s continual intercession is a key element in ensuring believers' perseverance, reaffirming that their salvation is not dependent on their strength but on His sustaining grace.

Once again, it indeed is a pleasure to be here. I'm thankful, thankful to meet new friends. Sometimes I wave at somebody and my granddaughter says, who's that granddad? And I says, I don't know. It's just a friend I haven't met yet. So I'm glad to meet some new friends today and to greet old friends.

We are so thankful that we have the opportunity and the privilege of studying one book, The Word of God. That is our theme. Study the Word of God. And in that book is revealed the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn with me this morning, if you would, to the book of Acts chapter 9. The book of Acts chapter 9, as we've been going through this book and slowly going through this book, noticing, I pray, things that have been a blessing. They have been to me.

And here we find in this section of scripture after the Saul of Tarsus has been saved by the grace of God and he has confessed Christ in baptism. Baptism did not save him. He is making a statement when he was baptized. I know Christ as my savior. He has saved me by his grace. And then Saul of Tarsus begins to preach Christ, which has been so misunderstood by those who were friends with him. My goodness, this guy, he's a turncoat. That's what's happened to him. He's got religion.

Well, when Saul of Tarsus would talk to them, Christ found me. Now, for his own safety, he has been sent back to Tarsus. And then we are introduced again to one of our favorite characters in the New Testament, Peter, the apostle. He's just like you and I. If you know Christ, saved by the grace of God, you have the same problems that Peter had. He's an example.

But here we find him in the book of Acts chapter nine in verse 32, verse 32 of Acts chapter nine. Peter, then it came to pass as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. Now, before we read the next verse, would you join me back one chapter in the book of Acts? The book of Acts chapter eight.

In the book of Acts chapter eight, beginning with verse one, it tells us some things that were going on in this part of the world when Saul of Tarsus was still such a threat to believers. Here in the book of Acts chapter eight, verse one, it says, Saul was consenting unto his death, unto Stephen's death, and at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem.

And they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the apostles. So when Saul of Tarsus was bringing great persecution on the church, this caused many folks that were in Jerusalem to leave and to go to out farther away from this persecution. And it says in verse 2, and devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house and hailing men and women, committing them to prison.

Therefore, verse four, therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. Now, we say how sad that all of that took place, but you know how glad the people that got to hear the Word of God from those people that were scattered abroad. There were people out there that God sent His Word directly to, to hear the Word of God and God would save them by His grace.

And now, if you'll travel back with me to the book of Acts chapter 9, we find that the Apostle Paul is going to one of the places that the Word of God was taken to. And it tells us something very, very special about that place here in verse 32. In chapter nine, verse 32, notice with me, it came to pass as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he's left Jerusalem and he's traveling around.

He's visiting folks, he's visiting churches, he's visiting the saints, and he ends up in a very special place called Lydda. And it tells us here, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda. What a blessing. Peter traveling from Jerusalem, going through places and places that Saul of Tarsus had put off limits in a sense, and now he is back in Tarsus. There he is, whatever God had for him to do there, he opened up the doors here so that Peter could go out through this piece of of property that God's own from eternity and there were some of his people scattered abroad and the word of God came to them and here we read in verse 32, he came down also to Lydda which down also to the saints which were at Lydda.

So we have a group of people that were gathered together there. Now the next verse tells us about a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his bed eight years and was sick of the palsy. And we read on and we find out that Peter was used by God Almighty to heal that man. You know, most people would spend their time on the miracle. There's a lot to be said about that. And we will spend some time on that. But my friends, let's go to the saints this morning and we'll look at what it takes to be one of those folks before we get to the miracle.

They are practicing the miracle of God's grace. They are the ones that have heard and have known of God's grace. And you know what? God's great salvation is more of a miracle than God raising someone from the sick bed. God gives us more in salvation than he ever would give us when he raises us from the sick bed. Now, I like to be healthy. I don't like being sick. I don't like the flu. I don't like colds. I don't like aches and pains.

They're just coming on. But I'd rather have Christ in salvation than to have all of that taken away from me. Christ is all. We are aging. It's going to come to the end. We will meet God in his grace or we'll meet God without grace. That's just the way it's going to be. All right. Here in the book of Acts, we find what a blessing to find a group of people called Saints at Lydda.

They were not meeting just to mark the box. I went to visit a friend of mine one time, and he told me that he goes to the early service. And I said, really? And he says, yeah, I can get that over with. Now that's my twin brother. I get that part, I check that box off. Well, I'm thankful I don't have to do that. There's no checking the box off. I get to go where I want to go, and I get to go and hear the word of God. So here we have what a blessing it is. They were meeting to give glory to God and rejoiced in the salvation by grace alone.

What is it that a gospel group, a church, an assembly know? that had been revealed to them. Now, number one, we find out that God honored them by sending them somebody that knew something about the gospel, Peter. Before that, someone that was in Jerusalem that had heard the gospel, took the gospel to them, and Peter comes along and confirms it.

There is a passage of scripture over in the book of Jeremiah, chapter one. If you turn over there with me, this is God's call to Jeremiah. And notice in this, this is God's call to everybody that he ever sends out to tell the story, the truth of the gospel, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's a calling. It's a gift that God gives to some. And here in the book of Jeremiah chapter one, beginning with verse four, we find that the word of the Lord came to me, to Jeremiah. How important that is.

I have friends that have gone to seminary and that's all they have. I have friends that have no knowledge whatsoever of the gospel of Jesus Christ and yet they are in pulpits. They have no knowledge about imputation. They have no knowledge about sanctification. They have no knowledge about salvation. They have no knowledge at all, but they have put themselves into this position.

And here we find that God to Jeremiah and to everyone that he's ever put in the ministry, he said here, then the word of the Lord came to me saying, before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee. You know what God revealed to Jeremiah? And he's gonna reveal that to every believer. I am God, and I am sovereign over all things. I knew you before I put you in the belly."

What does that tell us? It tells us that he had knowledge of his people before the foundation of the world. That before creation, he had a people. And before creation, he had a people that he put their names down in the Lamb's Book of Life. Here it tells us, I formed thee in the valley. Before I formed thee, I knew thee. And before thou cameest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee.

You know, God has done so much for all of his people before they ever get to hear the gospel. And he has promised that they will hear the gospel. He has promised that they will hear the truth of Jesus Christ. They are promised in the covenant of grace that God will meet them sometime, somewhere with somebody who knows the truth of the gospel. And we found that as those who were scattered from the church at Jerusalem out to the hinterlands. And later the apostle Peter comes by and he found a group of people who are called saints. Somebody had taken them the word of God.

Now let's look a little further before I formed thee. I sanctified thee and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. My goodness. There's a little article in your bulletin this morning on the first page if you open it up about God's providence for his people before they are ever saved. And this is really being stated here. I took care of you, Jeremiah, before you were ever born.

You were marked down in my book before you were ever born. And it was not because you did some good or evil. You know, we can go over there to the ninth chapter of the book of Romans and we find out that God spoke about two brothers and he said, before they had done any good or evil, you cannot find any reason whatsoever that God would do anything for either one of them. Neither one of them had done any good or evil from a standpoint. Oh, you know, we tell people, I've heard people say this. I know they went to heaven because they were so good. They were so good. My, my, my. Number one, we don't understand what good is. And there is none good, no, not one.

Jesus told a man who called him good, why callest thou me good? There's only one that's good and that's God. Now, if you admit that God is good, you have to admit that he's God. There's no way around it. And that's what Jesus said. And that man couldn't admit that God was good, because he didn't know God. He called him a good man. Well, here we have verse six of Jeremiah chapter one.

Then said I, O Lord God, behold, I cannot speak for I am a child. You know, the first thing out of his mouth when God dealt with him about this call, he said, Lord, I just am not worthy. I can't do it. He didn't have it written down in his prospectus. I think I'll be a preacher. I think I'll be a prophet. It looks fun. It looks good, and I can make as much money doing that as anything else. We find that God spoke to Moses, and he said almost the same thing. I am not able. I am not able. Jeremiah said, I am not able. And you know what Amos said? I was just a herdsman and a picker of sycamore fruit. I'm not able to do this."

Well, God goes on here and says here, but the Lord said unto me, say not I'm a child for thou shall go to all that I shall send thee. That's what Peter's doing down in Lydda. You shall do all that I send you. Goes on to say here, And whatsoever I command thee, thou shalt speak. You know, the easiest part that God ever gave to anybody, Peter, the other apostles, Saul of Tarsus, when he began to preach, the easiest thing that he ever gave them is he didn't say, here's a library, pick out something to preach from. He said, here is my word. That's what you'll use, nothing else.

You will not talk stories. You will not tell dead dog stories. You will not do as the apostle Paul mentioned. He said, I came not to you with enticing words of man's wisdom. I didn't come trying to convince you to do anything. I came declaring the gospel. I declared unto you the gospel of how that Christ died for our sins according to the scripture, was buried and rose again according to the scripture. I declare that unto you. I'm not making a proposition out of that. I'm not trying to get you to do something. I'm just telling you what God gave me out of the word of God.

And that's what he told Jeremiah. The Lord put forth his hand It says here, verse 8, be not afraid of their faces, for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord. You know what? Jeremiah was stuck down in a well for a long time. He went through a lot, and yet the Lord said, don't worry about that. I'll be with you. I'll be with you. And isn't that the wonderful thing that God gives to his church? I will be with you. Always.

And then he says, then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, behold, I put my words in thy mouth. That's the only thing that Peter came down to Lydda to talk to them about was the Lord Jesus Christ. The only thing was the word of God. That is what he brought. That is what glory we have in coming and preaching is that we declare what God had to say in his word.

Now to the world, And to me, before I was saved, it was very unpopular. I liked my message much better than the message that the preacher delivered to me, that God was God and beside him there was none else. I like to be just a little bit in charge. And then I found out I'm not in charge. I was not in charge of who would bear me into this world. I was not in charge of what nation I would come from. I was not in charge of where I would be born. I was not in charge with anybody else that would be in my family. I was not in charge, in fact, of the dog we had at the time.

God was in charge. He placed me where He wanted me at the time He wanted me, and there I found out that I was marked out from before the foundation of the world. And that came only through the preaching of the gospel. Jesus Christ went to the cross for a people. He did not go to the cross for the world in general. He went to the cross for a people. And he paid the price of their salvation as a people.

That's what we find the Bible has to teach us about it. Those who were called to speak at all those churches were given a special biblical calling, as also the Bible tells us, God is the Savior. That's the message God shares with us several times in the Old Testament.

I am God. Beside me, there are no other gods. Nancy and I and Roslyn went to see a play the other night. We have a dear young lady that we've known all her life that was in that play and they brought out those Greek gods, you know. And you know the thing about Greek gods and Roman gods and even Christian gods? They're just too human. There is no deity about them. They have failings and they falter and they sin and they're just human.

And you know, God said, to what will you compare me? What do you compare God to? And the Bible puts him on a throne, high and lifted up, and the seraphims cry, holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. That's what the Bible says about the God of the Bible.

He's not human. Now, God sent his son down here in human flesh. perfect human flesh. He sent his son to come down and lay down his life, a ransom for many. Now, he came down here as a man, but he's the God-man. He is the God-come-in-the-flesh man. He is God-come-before-all-kinds-of-people-to-be-mocked-and-made-fun-of-and-go-to-the-cross-to-lay-down-his-life-and-pay-the-price-of-the-sin-debt-of-his-people. But He's not human God. He's not a faulting God. He's not a failing God. He's not a God like all of the other gods and myths that come out of humanity. We find out He is that very special, special God.

You would think, I was just thinking about Moses. You know what Moses' request was over there in Exodus 33? Let's just go over there for a moment. In Exodus chapter 33. In Exodus chapter 33, Moses, that great leader of Israel, God chose him there at the burning bush and he said himself, I'm not gonna be able to talk. I just don't know how to talk for you. I'll give you the words. And then he brought his brother and he said, he'll be your spokesman too.

Well, here in the book of Exodus chapter 33, we find out that Moses asked for something. And Moses asked for something very special. In verse 18 of Exodus 33, he said, I beseech thee, God, show me thy glory. You know, I scratched my head for a minute as I was thinking about that and said, you know, that's very interesting.

Moses has just seen nine plagues in Egypt. Moses has just witnessed the Passover. Moses has just witnessed Israel going through the Red Sea dry shod. Moses has just witnessed those great waves of the Red Sea covering up the army of Egypt. How can he say, show me your glory? My goodness, the Passover, all these things, what a request that Moses is asking for to review. Is he asking for it to be seen again? Is he asking for a vision of it? Is he asking for, let's just go over this again. Well, whatever it was in his mind when he asked to see God's glory, God showed him his glory in a way that he never expected it to be shown. Because God shared with him, this is my glory. What was it? I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. Now that's God's glory.

That he would leave heaven to deal with human beings. He had all the right in this world When Adam sinned, to just go, mark it all off. Mark it all off. We'll just throw it away and we'll start over. But you know what? He had a purpose before the world began. to save a people that were descendants of Adam who were sinners by nature, sinners by practice, and sinners by choice. He had a purpose to send his son to die in their place, to pay their sin debt. He had a purpose. So here we are, God dealing with Adam and showing him his glory and saying, this is my glory. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. You know, mercy is a very interesting thing. I threw myself at the mercy of the judge one time.

Nancy and I hadn't been married two months and I ran into the back end of a Volkswagen Bug, and you know where their motor is, with our brand new Ford Maverick, and you know where the motor on that car was. And I was given a fine. And I didn't have two nickels to rub together.

So I went to court. When I stepped into that courtroom, there's a judge. And my case is called and I stand before the judge. And I said, I'm guilty as charged. I plead for mercy. Now I cannot demand mercy. That's one thing about mercy. You and I cannot demand it. It's a gift. Mercy is a gift. It's not a demand. You demand mercy, you'll get justice. It's not something that we can demand.

And God said, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. That is my glory. When I save somebody by my mercy and grace, it is my glory that is here. It is my glory in the salvation of these folks. So the judge heard my case and he said, I'm going to knock the fine in half. And you know, that still was a burden, but I was so thankful for mercy.

Turn with me, if you would, over to the book of Romans. The book of Romans. Now, the Apostle Paul, someone said, well, that's only in the Old Testament that God said that. Well, let's just turn over here to the book of Romans, and we find out that God's glory is shown throughout all the scriptures.

Why did he show mercy to Israel and not to the Hittites? Why did he show mercy to Abraham and not to the rest of the people in Ur of the Chaldees? You know, Abraham was a, he was a stinker. before God came down to Ur of the Chaldees. Stephen said the God of glory appeared unto him down there in Ur of the Chaldees. He was a worshiper of idols. He was just like the rest of us. He was a sinner, sinner to the core. He was a descendant of Adam. And God came down and showed mercy to him. Why was mercy shown to Israel and not to his brother? Because God is in charge of mercy.

Notice this in the book of Romans chapter 9. Romans chapter 9 and beginning there with verse 10. Romans chapter 9 and verse 10, the scripture says this, and this is the people that are at Lydda. They're the recipients of this mercy. They're the ones that assemble together and rejoice in the mercy of God. They're the ones that get together and rejoice in the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. They're the ones that are so glad that this preacher from Jerusalem comes down and says, he's saying the same thing we've been saying all along. Salvation is of the Lord. That's what he's confirming for them.

Here in the book of Romans 9, verse 10, it says, and not this only, but when Rebekah also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac, for the children being not yet born. Now that's an interesting statement that God puts in here through the writer, the Holy Spirit gave this to the apostle Paul to write down for our benefit. before the children.

Don't think about Jacob and Esau after they're born, grow up, and become men. You know what? If that were true and we were doing the choosing, you know who we would choose out of those two? Esau. He's more honest than his brother Jacob. He's a hunter. He's a man's man. He's not a liar. He's not going to try to take away his brother's inheritance by wrapping goat hair around him and appearing before his father. If it was left up to us, we would choose Esau. Why did God choose Jacob? Because he wanted to. And that's it. He's sovereign in his choice.

All right, it says here, for the children being not yet born, God didn't look at this. God didn't look at this before having done any good or evil. It's not His purpose is based upon good works. His purpose is not based upon us going to church or not going to church. His purpose is not based upon us doing good works or not doing good works. His purpose is not based upon us being a sinner or a saint.

His work is based upon Him. Now He saves sinners. And he makes some saints. And those saints realize that they deserve hell. And they got what they got, not because what they did, they got what they got because of God. He saved him. All right, goes on here. That the purpose of God, the purpose of God, underline that.

Did God save you by mistake or did he save you on purpose? He saved me on purpose. He saved Saul of Tarsus on purpose. He saved Peter, James, and John on purpose. He saved Isaiah on purpose. He saved Jeremiah on purpose. He saved anybody he's ever saved on purpose. It was not random, it was on purpose. That the purpose of God, according to election, might stand not of works, but of him that calleth.

It was said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger, as it is written. This is Old Testament, quoted here, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. I like what one of the old preachers said about this verse of scripture. I can understand completely why God hated Esau, but I can't understand one whit why he ever loved Jacob. There's nothing to love about him. He's like loving a cocklebur, a thistle, a porcupine. He's seriously wicked.

And you know what? Israel or Jacob was gonna go on and later say, that's what I was. That's what I was. I was a sinner before God. And in his mercy and grace, he came down and saved me. Well, it goes on to say here, as it is written in verse 14, and what shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Not on your life. God has never done an unrighteous thing. He's never had an unrighteous thought. He's never had any unrighteous works. He has righteousness in all things. So there's no reason that we should ever say God did the wrong thing.

You know, we've been looking at that over there in the book of 1 Samuel. The children of Israel went into battle against the Philistines and they lost 4,000 men and they came back and they said, this is not fair. Why would God ever let this happen? Let's go over to the tabernacle and let's get our lucky rabbit's foot out. Let's get the Ark of the Covenant and surely God will bless us when we take the Ark of the Covenant into battle. wrong.

What was the real thing that should have been done? What the man at the temple said, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. The other guy said, Lord, I'm so good. It's wonderful that you have me. Lord, you don't know what you'd have missed if you hadn't had me. I tithe twice a week or no, what is it? I fast twice a week. I tithe. I do all the things that I'm supposed to do. That's what my parents taught me when I grew up. And Lord, I'm so glad that I can be here today and tell you about it. And the man over here, He said, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. Now, who went down to his house justified the sinner? The man who bragged on himself didn't go down to the house justified. He wasn't saved. There was not one whit about him that was saved, but the other man, God saved by his grace.

Just as we read about this. What shall we say then? Is God unrighteous? Nope. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but God that showeth mercy.

Do you ever hear about people's will? All you have to do is talk a little bit about religion and hope. The only thing that all religions will agree on is this. I know this, we have a free will. If you have a free will, then you never fell an atom and you're not here.

Everybody is a sinner. as a result of falling in Adam and our will fell in Adam. And we cannot make right decisions when it comes to spiritual things. We are dead in trespasses and sin. So it's not of him that will us. nor of him that's doing a lot, but that God that showeth mercy.

For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. The converse of that, you know, we could put Saul's name right there. Did you know that? We can put Saul's name, for the scripture saith unto Saul, even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might show my power in thee and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Saul of Tarsus was saved by the grace of God on purpose and it could be said about him, this is the purpose I had for you. This other one, Pharaoh, this is my purpose for you. I'm going to show my power in you and I am going to show the world that your kingship isn't worth anything when it comes to God. And drowned him in the Red Sea.

We have, I'll have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and that's what we find, those folks at Lydda understood about the grace of God and about the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn with me, if you would, to the book of Isaiah, chapter 63. Book of Isaiah, chapter 63. This gospel declares a savior. that is mighty to save. I like that. He's mighty to save. In the book of Isaiah, we read about this in the writings that God gave Isaiah. I just want us to remember that the Holy Spirit is the one that gave us the book, the Bible. The Holy Spirit gave us the Bible. He used men to write it down.

They are identified as holy men of God that spake as they were moved. You know what that says? Every one of them was saved by the grace of God. Holy men of God. Now there's a lot of quotes from lost people in the Bible. Pharaoh's quoted in the Bible. Judas is quoted in the Bible. A lot of lost people are quoted, but the word that was written down was written down by saved men. All right, Isaiah chapter 63. Isaiah chapter 63, verse 1.

The question comes up, who is this that cometh from Edom with dyed garments from Basra? This that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength. Can you just get a picture in your mind about this person? Man, he is a warrior. just exhibits strength and power and might. It exudes from him. There's an aura about this one that just everybody could see. This that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength. And then he says, I that speak righteousness, mighty to save. He speaks righteousness, and he's mighty to save.

Wherefore, the question comes, why are you red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth the wine vat? You know, as they notice him traveling along, they notice, well, my goodness, it looks like you've been trampling on grapes. What's going on? You know what happened?

Jesus Christ, the righteous, laid down his life and paid the price with his blood to save them from their sins. This is his mighty power demonstrated. I've trodden the winepress alone. Who helped him? Not one. Even those closest to him for the last three and a half years, what happened to them? Those 11 that were close to him, one went out and hung himself. But what did the rest do? They all left. He's there on the cross alone. And while he's on that cross, even the father backs away. I've trodden the winepress alone, and of the people there was none with me.

For I will tread them in mine anger and trample them in my fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and will stain all my raiment. Look at this from a spiritual standpoint. The day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redeemed has come. I looked, and there was none to help. I wondered that there was none to uphold. Therefore, my own arm brought salvation unto me, and my fury it upheld me." My own arm brought salvation. Where do we brag when we talk about salvation? There's only one whose arm is powerful enough to save. He did what he did because of his power and who he was. The gospel declares that he does what he says he will do.

I will give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. That's the God that we see in the book of Isaiah, chapter 63, the Lord Jesus Christ. I will give them eternal life. It's not here for pick and choose. It's not here for... I will give them eternal life and I will lose none of them. Oh, don't ever say, oh, my son, he got away from the Lord. Just admit down in your soul, they never were saved to begin with. I can understand Just like Peter or James or John having a moment, but years? No, God never allows that. Not years. I give unto them eternal life, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. Brother Henry Mahan brought a message before I was saved and he says, don't ever ask anybody if they're saved. Ask their spouse. And you know what went through my mind? Don't you dare ask my wife anything.

Hebrews chapter seven, would you join me there? Verse 19. Oh, I'm so good, I'm keeping the law. Man, I keep the Sabbath. I've just changed it to Sunday. It's the Lord's Sabbath now. And you know what? I keep the 10 commandments. Oh, I mess up once in a while, just once in a while. But that's the reason. Oh, by the way, I dress so God will love me more. I dress this way so God will love me more.

I've heard every one of those things. Foolishness, absolute foolishness, heresy. For the law made nothing perfect. The law made nothing, nobody perfect. Saul of Tarsus, when it got down to it, he said, you know what? All that stuff that I had, I count as done. It's worthless refuse because I was doing it all for the wrong reason.

I was feeling promoting myself. Do you like self promoters? God hates them. He hates self-promoters. He loves gracious people because that's what he did. He gives us grace. The law made nothing perfect, but bringing in a better hope did. By the witch we draw nigh unto God.

And inasmuch as not without an oath, he was made priest. For those priests were made without an oath, but this one with an oath by him that said unto him, the Lord swear and will not repent. Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament, and they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death. But this man, because he continued ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood, wherefore he, notice this, wherefore he is able also to save to the uttermost. How far is that? unmeasurableness, saved to the uttermost, saved to the most wicked, saved to the most sinful.

Saul of Tarsus brought up, as the Holy Spirit gave him utterance, He saved the chiefest of sinner when he saved me. I remember reading about a preacher sitting in his study and some guy came in and says, did you hear that that guy has been saved? I didn't think he could ever be saved. And the preacher behind the desk, he says, I've realized when the Lord saved me, he could save anybody.

There's no limitations on the grace of God. Wherefore, he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. Oh, what a glorious gospel that Peter brought down. and confirmed those who were at Lydda. Saints gathered together. They had heard the Gospel message. Some of them says, it's not for me, and some of them God saved by His grace, and they gathered together and were refreshed as often as they could gather together. And when Peter came down, here is a group of saints that are gathered together, and he rejoices with them in the same grace that he had known. The gospel declares who does the keeping and who needs to be kept. kept by the power of God, they could rejoice together. You know, I've had some tough days, but I'm kept by the power of God. If it wasn't for the power of God, we'd all flunk and fail and be done away with in an instant.

There's enough sin coming through that door for me to come up here to preach, to send me to a devil's hell seven times. You know, as Aaron went around, I mentioned this is that bowl of blood to carry into the Holy of Holies. He committed enough sin in his heart on the way to the Holy of Holies to sprinkle that blood on the day of atonement, to condemn him to a devil's hell. If he had not been kept by the power of God, How gracious is this great savior that has been given to the church, to his people. This gospel declares who presents, who spotless.

Over there in the book of Jude. Oh, let's just do this. My time is about out. I think I have time to read two verses in the book of Jude. Jude chapter one. Oh, there is only one chapter. You know, if you look it up on your Bible on your phone, you'll have to choose chapter one. It won't let you get to the verses until you do. All right, Jude chapter one, verse 24.

This is what those saints rejoiced in also. Boy, now unto him, unto him. If there was ever a time, there should be a capital H right here, unto him that is able to keep you from falling. I have a article in my study about walking. Walking is a fall under control. I'm thankful for him. He's able to keep you from falling and to present you what? Faultless.

Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, He's able to present His church spotless before the Godhead. To the only wise God, our Savior, be glory and majesty and dominion and power both now and forever. This gospel declares a great and mighty Savior. This Savior rules and reigns over all and has never tried to do anything. He has always done what he said he would do. They shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. Brother Mike, come if you will.

What A Great Savior

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the importance of grace in salvation?

Why is the concept of God's sovereignty important for Christians?

How do we know that the doctrine of election is true?

What does the Bible teach about the perseverance of the saints?

Sermon Transcript

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What A Great Savior

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the importance of grace in salvation?

Why is the concept of God's sovereignty important for Christians?

How do we know that the doctrine of election is true?

What does the Bible teach about the perseverance of the saints?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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