TV: The Report

Q: What does the Bible say about who believes the report of Christ?

According to Isaiah 53, only those to whom Christ is revealed by God will truly believe the report. Isaiah 53 poses a profound question: "Who hath believed our report?" The passage indicates that true belief in the report concerning Christ only comes to those whom God has revealed His Son. This revelation is crucial because mere intellectual acknowledgment of Christ does not equate to true faith. As Matthew 11:27 states, only those chosen by the Son will know the Father. Thus, the capacity to believe the report of salvation rests on God's sovereign act of revelation, signifying that belief arises from divine initiation rather than human decision.

Q: How do we know the doctrine of Christ's substitution is true?

The truth of Christ's substitutionary atonement is grounded in Scripture, particularly in Isaiah 53, where it states He was wounded for our transgressions. The doctrine of Christ's substitution is intricately articulated in Isaiah 53:5, which declares that Christ was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. This passage illustrates Christ's role as the substitute who bore the penalty of sin on behalf of His people. Moreover, the New Testament reaffirms this doctrine, particularly in 1 Peter 2:24, which states that He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree. The fulfillment of this prophecies in Christ’s life and sacrificial death assures believers that His atonement was not only necessary but also fully accomplished for their salvation.

Q: Why is the revelation of Christ essential for faith?

The revelation of Christ is essential because without it, individuals cannot truly believe or understand the Gospel. In the context of Isaiah 53 and the broader biblical narrative, it becomes clear that the revelation of Christ is foundational for genuine faith. As the sermon emphasizes, many acknowledge the existence of Christ but fail to grasp the significance of His work without God's revelation. For instance, in John 6:44, it is stated that no one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws them. This highlights the necessity of divine intervention in the hearts and minds of individuals to grant them understanding and belief. Therefore, the essence of faith in Christ is rooted in God's sovereign grace to reveal His Son to the believer.

Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church, located at 2709 Rock Springs Road in Kingsport, Tennessee, would like to invite you to listen to a message of sovereign grace by their pastor, Gabe Stoniker. For information and service times, visit www.ksgc.church. And now, Gabe Stoniker.

I would like to bring a message to you today from Isaiah chapter 53. This is truly a wonderful chapter in the scripture. Isaiah 53. But I would like for us to only look at the first five verses. That will be our focus. The first five verses of Isaiah chapter 53. Verse one says, Who hath believed our report And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

That's the question. Who has believed the report of the Word of God? Who has believed the report of the Word of God? Here's the answer. Whoever Christ has been revealed to. That's the answer. Whoever has had Christ revealed by God to him or her, that is the soul who will believe the report. Every soul who has Christ revealed to him or her will believe the Word of God concerning Christ.

That is just so. That's so. Christ is referred to here as the arm of the Lord. That's speaking of Christ, the arm of the Lord. If you look at chapter 51 verse 9 in my Bible, I have headings at the top of my page and the heading says, an exhortation to trust in Christ. That's what this is. and exhortation to trust in Christ. In verse 9 says, Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O arm of the Lord. That's speaking of Christ.

That's the Lord Jesus Christ, the arm of the Lord. And then in Isaiah chapter 52 verse 10 says, The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God." That's Christ, speaking of Christ, the arm of the Lord. Now, even though every person on this earth pretty much has heard of Christ, Even though everyone knows the name Jesus Christ, most everyone on this earth knows the name Jesus Christ.

But even though that's the case, that's the case, the only people who know Christ, the only people who know Christ are the ones who the Lord, the Lord God has revealed Christ to. God has to reveal Christ. Matthew 11 verse 27 says, no man knoweth the son, but the father. Neither knoweth any man the father, save the son, and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him.

After our Lord arose from the dead, Mary Magdalene talked to Him, who was with Him before He died. And she talked with Him after He arose, but she didn't know who He was until He revealed Himself to her. He finally said, Mary. And she said, Master, Rabboni, the word is in the Scripture, Our Lord walked for about seven miles with two other men on the road to Emmaus.

And He talked with them the whole time and they had no idea who He was. No idea until He revealed Himself to them. After He opened their eyes, He departed from them and they said, did not our hearts burn within us while He talked with us? Again, after he arose, after he'd been with his apostles for three and a half years, he hollered, as we say here in the South, he hollered at Peter and John from the shore while they were out fishing in their boat.

He said, children, have you any meat? And that's exactly what he said to them the first time he came to them, three and a half years before. And they said, no. And he said, cast your net on the other side of the boat. That's exactly what he said to them three and a half years before.

And they still didn't believe him. They said, we've been fishing all night. Nevertheless, we'll do it. The moment they did, he revealed himself by filling those nets so full of fish, they couldn't get them in the boat. That's what he did three and a half years before.

And as soon as Peter realized it was the Lord, he dropped his net. He dove in the water, swam to shore. The other disciples drug the nets to the shore. None of them asked him who he was. It says, for they all knew it was the Lord. He revealed himself. He revealed himself.

That is what happens when a sinner has Christ revealed to him or her. It's a revelation that produces understanding, true understanding, true sight, true faith, true faith. Verse 1 in Isaiah 53, it says, Who hath believed our report, and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? When a person has Christ revealed to him or her, it is evidenced by the fact that that person will believe.

That's how it is evidenced. That person will be a believer. That person will be a believer and not just a believer in the fact that Christ exists. Many, many, many people believe that. Not just a believer in the fact that he came from God or that he is the way of salvation. That's not the belief that will evidence someone having Christ revealed to him or her.

There was a young girl one time who followed Paul and Silas. She was possessed with the devil. And she was annoying them because she kept saying, these men are of God who have come to show us the way of salvation. And they rebuked the devil inside of her and cast that devil out of her. But that's what the devil was saying. These men are of God and they've come to show us the way of salvation.

So a truly saved soul who has had Christ revealed to him or her will believe the report. That's what we're trying to get to today. That's what this word says. A truly saved soul will believe the report. Who hath believed our report? Our report. And that's not just talking about election. The word report means doctrine. When you look up what that word means, it means doctrine. That's not just talking about election. Everybody ought to believe in God's election. It's on every page. It is on every page. Do you know that the devils believe in God's election? The devils do. The adversary said to God Almighty, he said, I cannot touch Job. You have a hedge about him. I can touch everybody else, but I can't touch him. He's one who belongs to you. He is your peculiar treasure. You would have to give me permission to do it.

That's what that's what the adversary said to the Lord. This believing that the scripture is talking about, it's not just believing that there is one God. That's not it. One almighty sovereign God. James chapter two, verse 19 says, the devils believe that and they tremble. That's what it says. The devils believe that you believe there's one God. That's good. It says the devils believe that and they tremble.

Our Lord confronted a bunch of devils one time and they said, we know who you are, the Holy One of Israel. Most men and women didn't know as He walked this earth, but they did. They said, We know who you are, the God of Israel, the Holy One of Israel, the God of your elect people, spiritual Israel. That nation, Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, that's a spiritual picture of all of God's chosen people.

They said, We know who you are. They said, Are you come to torment us before the time? That's what those devils asked the Lord. They knew that they were appointed to torment. They knew that. They know infinitely more than the people of this world naturally know. They believe infinitely more than the people of this world naturally believe.

But they're still not saved. They're not saved. And it's because they don't believe the report. They don't believe the report. They don't believe that Christ accomplished what he said he accomplished. And that's the case for every soul who has never had Christ revealed to him or her. The devils believe in Christ and they believe certain things about Christ, but they do not believe on Christ. because Christ has never been revealed to them. They are not looking to, they are not hoping in, they are not trusting in what he has done because Christ has never been revealed to them.

When Christ is revealed, the report concerning Christ is believed. Now, turn with me over to 1 John 5. If you're turning with me, look in your Bible at 1 John 5. Verse 9 says, if we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater. For this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath witness in himself. He that believeth not God hath made him a liar, because he believed not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life. And this life is in his son.

It's not in the law. It's not in morality. It's not in our decision. It's not in our observing ordinances like baptism in the Lord's table. It's not in speaking in tongues. It's not in anything concerning man. This is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in Christ. This life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life, and he that 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 you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God."

This is the record. This is the report God has given to us. Given. Graciously given. We speak of grace. Grace means free gift. He has freely given to us eternal life. This is the record. It's a gift. It's a grace. It's not something that sinful men and women earn. It's not something that spiritually dead sinners before God earn. It's a free gift from God. Eternal life, freely given.

And this life is in His Son. It's not in his son and it's not in his son plus. It's not in his son, but none of those things. It's in his son, period. It's in Christ and Christ alone, period. Life is in Christ. Life is in the will of Christ. Life is in the decision of Christ. Life is in the purpose of Christ. Life, our life, is in the life of Christ. Our life is in the death of Christ. Our life is in the resurrection of Christ and the ascension of Christ and the intercession of Christ. It's completely, totally dependent on Christ. It's not dependent on us at all.

Life is in Christ and Christ alone. Now look with me back at Isaiah 53. It says here in Isaiah 53 verse one, who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed. For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of dry ground. You've seen a little tender plant before, a little sprig of a root out of cracked dirt, springing up out of that crack. For God so loved this world, sinners in this world. Scripture says while God's people were yet sinners, he gave the Son of God.

He gave his only begotten Son, the only begotten image of the Godhead that there is. That's what God gave, the only image of the Godhead that there is. The Son of glory, the inheritor of all things, the reigning king of the eternal throne. That's who God gave. Father, Son, and Spirit, God, that's who God provided. The one of whom everything was of, the one of whom everything was to, the one of whom everything was through, the one who was rich, the one who was in need of nothing.

God is the self-sufficient one in need of nothing. He made himself to be poor. He came into this world in order to live a life for his people who he loved. the people he foreknew and foreloved, a people chosen in him before the foundation of the world, Ephesians chapter 1 says. He came to live a life that they could never live for themselves, a holy life, a spotless life, an obedient life. You and I are not obedient. We have not obeyed this word. Just read it. We'll find out. No, we have disobeyed this word. But Christ obeyed it. He lived it perfectly.

He stripped himself, the scripture says, of his reputation. He made himself of no reputation. He stripped himself of his place with the Father. He humbled himself. He made himself to be meek and lowly. The Almighty made Himself to be meek and lowly, so much so, verse 2 says, He shall grow up before the Father. Christ shall grow up before Him as a tender plant and as a root out of dry ground. Not a mighty oak tree, not a beautiful crepe myrtle tree, a tender plant. A root out of dry ground, he hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him.

He stripped himself of everything, everything that would appeal to man's flesh. Verse 3 says, He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. and we hid as it were our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed him not. He put himself in a position to where no one would esteem him. Would you have done that for yourself? Would I have done that for myself? No, but he did. Think about it this way. This is the Lord of glory. This is the creator of all things. This is the one who everything was in his hand.

He came down to this earth and while he was here, he had no place to lay his head. He owned no house. He owned no property. He never owned anything. One man said this, one man made these statements. He slept in another man's manger. He sailed in another man's boat. He rode on another man's donkey. He died on another man's cross. He laid in another man's tomb.

His life was not his own. It was not his own, and it's because his life was given to his people. His life was given to His people. He came and lived a life for His people. The life that He took ownership of on this earth was the life He took from His people. That's why He died on the cross. It's because he gave his life to his people and took their life to himself.

Verse four right here says, surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows, our. the sorrows he experienced. Scripture called him a man of sorrows. Whose sorrows were they? Ours, the sorrows of his people.

Had he not come here, he would have never borne that, bore that. Had he not given us his life and taken our life, he would have never carried that for us. But He bore what He bore, and He carried what He carried. He suffered what He suffered, and He died in what He died in. And that was our sin.

That was the sin of His people. Why was Christ born into this world? Here's the reason. To carry the sin of His people. He came here and lived for 33 and a half years, earning righteousness, earning holiness, earning obedience, earning sanctification so that he could give every bit of that to his people, righteousness to his people, holiness, obedience. And he took all of the sin of his people and made it to be his own. He bore it on him. He bore it in him. He bore, he carried, he suffered in, he died in the sin of his people in order to give his life to his people. The life that we were so undeserving of. the life that we sinned against, the life that we rebelled against.

Verse 4 right here says, Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. He came to do that for us. And we just wanted him to be stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. Verse five says, but he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him.

Everything that was owed to us was laid on him. over in the book of Philemon. There's a precious book in the Bible. It's only one chapter. It's just before Hebrews. It's Philemon, and there's a beautiful picture of what Christ did for his people right here.

This account is of the Apostle Paul writing a letter to a man named Philemon over his sinful servant Onesimus. And Paul is interceding for Onesimus, sending him back to Philemon. And listen to the words of Christ in this. Paul represents the Lord Jesus Christ. Philemon represents God the Father and this sinful servant Onesimus represents God's sinful people. And just listen to this. Hear the words of Christ. Paul said, I beseech thee for my son Onesimus whom I have begotten in my bonds. That's what Christ did on the cross.

He begot his people in his bonds. which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me. Whom I have sent again, thou therefore receive him that is my own heart, my own bowels. Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the bonds of the gospel. But without thy mind would I do nothing, that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly." Now listen to this, "'For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him forever.' Man fell and was redeemed back to God forever. Verse 16, he said, not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother, beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

He said, if thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. That's the intercession of Christ for his people. Father, if you count me to be your equal partner, receive them as me. He said, if he hath wronged thee or oweth thee all, put that on my account, lay it all on me.

And that's what happened to Christ. Paul said, I've written it with my own hand. I'll repay it. And that's what Christ said. Whatever they've done, you charge that to my account and I'll take care of it. I'll pay it. Here in Isaiah 53, verse 4 says, Here in Isaiah 53, verse 4 says, and with His stripes we are healed." Period. We are healed. That is God's report. Now here's the question.

Has He caused us to believe it? Do we believe it? Do we believe that all the work was laid on Christ and He accomplished it in full and it is finished? If we do, God has caused us to believe that. God has given us the faith to believe that. And if we do believe it, if He has given that to us, it is the evidence that we have eternal life in His Son.

I pray that be the case. Amen. You have been listening to a message by Gabe Stoniker, pastor of Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church in Kingsport, Tennessee. If you would like a copy of this message or to hear other messages of sovereign grace, you can call or write to the number and address on your screen or visit www.ksgc.church. Tune in at this same time next week for another message of God's free and sovereign grace.

TV: The Report

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about who believes the report of Christ?

How do we know the doctrine of Christ's substitution is true?

Why is the revelation of Christ essential for faith?

Sermon Transcript

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TV: The Report

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about who believes the report of Christ?

How do we know the doctrine of Christ's substitution is true?

Why is the revelation of Christ essential for faith?

Sermon Transcript

About Gabe Stalnaker

Comments

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