There Shall Be a Fountain Opened

Q: What does the Bible say about the fountain opened for sin?

The Bible teaches that a fountain was opened for sin and uncleanness through Jesus Christ, fulfilling prophecy from Zechariah 13:1. Zechariah 13:1 states, 'In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.' This foreshadows the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, who is the fountain for our salvation. The fountain metaphor signifies the abundance of grace available through His sacrifice, which cleanses believers from sin and moral uncleanness. In the New Testament, this theme resonates as Christ's atoning work is completed, providing a continuous source of cleansing for all who believe in Him.

Q: How do we know justification by faith is true?

Justification by faith is affirmed in Romans 3:24, which states that we are justified freely by God's grace through faith in Christ. The doctrine of justification by faith is rooted in Scripture, especially evident in Romans 3:24, which declares, 'being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.' This signifies that justification is a gift from God, not based on human merit. Furthermore, the Apostle Paul explains in Romans that this justification gives believers peace with God, showcasing the power and sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice. The completeness of His work ensures that those who trust in Him are fully justified and reconciled to God.

Q: Why is Christ being the fountain opened important for Christians?

Christ as the fountain opened represents the source of grace and cleansing from sin, essential for salvation. Understanding Christ as the fountain opened is vital for Christians as it illustrates the fullness of salvation He offers. John 7:37-38 recounts Jesus inviting the thirsty to come and drink, expressing that He is the very essence of life and wholeness. This imagery emphasizes that all humanity's spiritual needs are met in Him alone. Therefore, the fountain symbolizes infinite grace that cleanses from sin and sustains the believer's life. For Christians, this is a continuous reminder of their reliance on Christ's redemptive work, urging them to come to Him in faith for their ongoing needs.

Q: What does it mean that Christ's work on the cross is finished?

Christ's work on the cross being 'finished' signifies that the penalty for sin has been fully paid. When Christ proclaimed 'It is finished' on the cross, He affirmed that the sacrificial work required for the atonement of sin was complete. This declaration is encapsulated in the Greek term meaning 'paid in full,' suggesting that no further sacrifice is needed. Hebrews 1:3 informs us that Jesus, after providing purification for sins, sat down at the right hand of the Father, symbolizing the completion and sufficiency of His redemptive act. As a result, believers can have confidence that their sins are forgiven and that they are justified before God solely based on Christ's accomplished work.

Q: How does the fountain opened relate to Old Testament prophecies?

The fountain opened relates to Old Testament prophecies by fulfilling Isaiah and Zechariah's foretellings of salvation through Christ. The fountain opened is deeply connected to Old Testament prophecies that foreshadowed the coming of Christ. In Zechariah 13:1, the prophecy assures that a cleansing fountain would be opened for sin, pointing towards the sacrificial work of Jesus. Similarly, Isaiah 53 indicates that by His wounds, we are healed and that He would bear our iniquities. These prophecies affirm God's steadfast plan for redemption—culminating in Christ, who not only fulfills the predictions but embodies the source of spiritual cleansing for all who believe.

Good morning. Our pastor can't be with us this morning, so I ask that you keep him in prayer. He's suffering from withdrawals from the cancer treatment, and it is, you know there's no place that he'd rather be this morning than here with us. So keep him in your mind, especially in your prayer, as he continues to go through this.

We are looking forward to, obviously, the service this morning. It's been a sweet weekend so far, hasn't it? I was thinking that on the drive in, and there's not a whole lot in this world that I can describe as sweet. But this weekend has been sweet, and I've sure appreciated it, and enjoyed our fellowship together. If you would, take your bulletins, and Sean will lead us in the call to worship. Hold on, I've got the wrong one. It would help if I had the right one. With harps and with viols there stands a great throng in the presence of Jesus and sings this new song.

To him who hath loved us and washed us from sin, unto him be the glory forever. Amen. All these once were sinners defiled in his sight. Now arrayed in pure garments, their voices unite. To Him who hath loved us and washed us from sin, unto Him be the glory forever. Amen. He maketh the rebel a priest and a king. He hath bought us and taught us this new song to sing. To Him who hath loved us and washed us from sin, unto Him be the glory forever.

Amen. How helpless and hopeless we sinners had been. If he had not loved us and washed us from sin, to him who hath loved us and washed us from sin, unto him be the glory forever. Amen. Allowed in his praises our voices shall ring so that others believing this new song shall sing to him who hath loved us and washed us from sin. Unto him be the glory forever. Amen.

Please be seated. And now if you would turn in your hymnal to song number 17. We'll sing Come Thou Fount. 17. Come thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace. Streams of mercy never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some. melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above. Praise the mount, I'm fixed upon it, mount of thy redeeming love.

Here I raise mine Ebenezer, hither by thy help I'm come. And I hope by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home. Jesus saw me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God, he to rescue me from danger interposed his precious blood. O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be. Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart, oh, take and seal it. Seal it for thy courts above. Good morning. If you would, turn your Bibles to Isaiah. Isaiah 45. We're going to start reading in verse 20 down to the end of the chapter.

Assemble yourselves and come. Draw near together. Ye that are escaped of the nations, they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image and pray unto a God that cannot save. Tell ye and bring them near. Yea, let them take counsel together. Who hath declared this from ancient time? Who hath told it from that time?

Have not I, the Lord, and there is no God else beside me? a just God, and a Savior, there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word has gone out by my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return. That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear, Surely shall one say in the Lord have my righteousness and strength. Even to him shall men come and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Our heavenly Father, we thank you, Lord, this morning for these words and we pray, oh, how we pray that We might be among those to whom these words, the words of the Lord, has gone out to.

We want, Lord, we want to be among those to whom thou hath espoused as his bride, his church. We want to be, Lord, we want to be the members, the true members of his body. We want to be those to whom he had died. And know, Lord, know that by his death, his death, burial and resurrection, we have eternal life.

And we pray this morning. We pray for these men in whom you have sent to us to preach and to teach us. This this gospel. Let it come to us, Lord, in the way of truth, the way of power. Let it come to us, Lord, in a rejoicing that only you can send forth. And we pray also, Lord, for those in whom are going through these very, very troubled times. We pray for our pastor, Lord.

Bless him, Lord, to show him, teach him, Let him give him that. Comfort that he needs. We pray for the others Lord also are going through these very difficult times. Be with him also. All these things we ask and pray in Christ name and for his sake and amen.

Kinded, would you do me a favor? Would you head back to the kitchen and grab a glass of water for Paul? Thank you. I was thinking when I realized this glass wasn't here. Aren't we thankful for our Lord that, I mean, even if we were capable, which we're not, even if we were capable of accomplishing one thing in salvation, we would slumber, we would sleep. Even if we were capable, which we're not, we'd forget. Just like that. Nothing in our lives, our Christ said from the cross, it is finished. It is finished. Every work was completely done. And that's never the case in our life, is it? Even if we were capable.

But our Lord doesn't slumber or sleep. Thank you, Kendon. We're thankful this morning to have Pastor Walter Pendleton of Sovereign Grace Chapel to come preach the gospel to us this morning. we've been praying for you as we've been praying for ourselves that the Lord give you a word from his heart and that we have yours to receive. Come preach the gospel to us. Good morning.

I'll give you a moment to turn Zachariah chapter 13. If you're like me, You sometimes need to lay just two books from the end of the Old Testament. Several months ago, my brother Paul Pendleton was preaching, and he said to Jonah, Mike, for the life of me, I couldn't find it. I was a thumbing, and I looked up, and it seemed like an eternity, and it had been probably five minutes, went by. I finally disclosed my Bible, and the lady down there just listened. So there's two books back for me. If you can't find where the Old Testament ends and New Testament starts, I can't help you there.

And before I begin in my message in earnest, let me just say I am grateful to the Lord to have been here for this blessing. Because we have heard Jesus Christ preached every message, firmly and truly, and that's what truly feeds my soul. And of course, I am grateful to God for this opportunity.

I thank Frank, and I will let him know that later personally, but for inviting me to come, and I'm glad he invited these other men. I've preached in a few meetings where it's just me preaching, and you kind of get hungry. It's nice to have other men to listen to, and it kind of encourages you. And I thank you all, everyone, for your generosity in the lodging. It was very nice.

Now, one other thing. I do not consider myself a legalist, but today is Mother's Day. So happy Mother's Day to every mother. And let me tell you, I'm going to lay the law down. You treat your mother right today. Take her out and do something special for her today.

All right, if you would, turn to Zechariah chapter 13. Zechariah chapter 13. Now there's much to the context, I'm going to read one verse, there's much to the context here and I would encourage you at a later time this evening, first opportunity you get to sit down and read it, to read especially chapter 12 and 13, they all go together. But in chapter 13 and verse 1, Zechariah writes these words, in that day You go back and read chapter 12, you'll see that day is mentioned several times.

In that day, there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. Of course, my text, my subject, you might say, is my titles right here in the text. There shall be a fountain Now let me say this, while I am quoting that directly from Zachariah, that has changed now. There has been a fountain opened. I say that for this reason, this prophecy is about the Lord Jesus Christ. As I said, read 12 and 13, you'll see that, it's clear. It's about the Lord Jesus Christ himself.

And Zachariah prophesies in the future tense, in that day there shall be. So there was no doubt in Zachariah's day. There was no doubt in Zachariah's heart and mind that that day would come. And I believe from the context He's talking about a specific day.

Often in the Old Testament, it'll talk about a day or the day of the Lord. And it, Mike, it may mean a long span of time, but here we're talking about one day. Because that fountain was opened once and only once. It is not being opened over and over and over. in that day, and here's the absoluteness of it, there shall be a fountain open. Thus, Zachariah is sustaining the hope of salvation. In other words, the certainty of salvation for Old Testament believers.

That's who he's talking to. That's who he was talking to immediately when he wrote this. That day has come. the person who would be the fountain opened. And I'll stress that more in a moment. Jesus Christ did not just open a fountain. He is the fountain. I realize that may seem just like semantics to some people, but it's vital semantics. He is the fountain opened. That day has come. That person who would be the fountain opened has come and has dealt with sin and uncleanness. Yes, there is no doubt.

According to our brother John the Apostle, recorded in Revelation 13 verse 8, Jesus Christ is the land slain from the foundation of the world. But these eternal statements, that is, like Revelation 13 8 and other similar statements in the scripture. These eternal statements about Christ the ever-existent Lamb slain are declarations of the immutability of God's purpose. And this is even the wrong way to say it but I don't have the language.

When God purposed it. And I question mark that when because it's an eternal thing. There never really was a when. There never was a time when it wasn't, and then God purposed. It's always been God's purpose. But when God purposed it, because He is God and immutable and can carry out His purpose, it was sure even then from the foundation of the world.

But these declarations, as I said, of Revelation 13 and 8, They are statements about Christ, the ever-existent Lamb slain, and they are declarations of the immutability of God's purpose. But these statements never give us sanction to deny the indispensability of the fountain being opened in that day. It had to actually be opened in that day. Because if it never was, God would be found to be a liar. If God in eternity purposed something to happen in that day, it must happen in that day. And that's what we are to be taken up with is that fountain opened, that fountain opened in that day.

Now think about this. Turn to Romans chapter three. Now I know this is familiar to you, but I just want to reaffirm these things. I'll try to, this passage here gives us a little insight as to this. Remember God has this eternal purpose. God purposed that day eternal and that person eternal to be the fountain opened in that day. Thus we read words like this in Romans 3 verse 24 speaking about Verse 23, that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, but then he says, being justified. You see that? Being justified.

Brief lesson, present passive participle. That means this is a continuous or repeated action. Not that when it happened, it ceases to be effectual and then must happen again. But that once it has happened, it has continuing results, unfailing, immutable results.

Some have said you could read it having been justified, and this is certainly true, but God is constantly justifying us based upon him who suffered almost 2,000 years ago, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. But what about before he died? Right? But what about before he died?

He answers that in verse 25, whom God has set forth That phrase set forth that we have in the English certainly is valid, but it doesn't really give the force of the Greek. Set forth, here's what it means, to purposefully exhibit for worship beforehand.

Whom God has set forth a propitiation through faith in his blood. the nearest antecedent to that. Faith is not our faith in Christ. It is God the Father's faith in the Son to accomplish the work the Father purposed for him to do. As a matter of fact, it was given to him as a command. Did you know that? a command whom God has set forth to be a perpetuation through faith in his blood.

Think about it, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past. I know how this is interpreted by some, but you don't have to interpret it, just look at what it says. Some say, well that's talking about our sins before we were saved. No, that's not what he's talking about. to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God.

Until that fountain was opened, God was still forbearing his people. Before Jesus Christ suffered on that tree, it was so certain and sure that he's as the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. The father so trusted the son to accomplish this work that he could forbear with all of our Old Testament brothers and sisters who believed in him.

Look at the language. To declare, next verse, to declare, I say, at this time, his righteousness. Do you see the two different things? One is before he died. the others after he died. You see, that's what that's talking about there. To declare, I say, at this time, God's righteousness, his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus, whether it was before he died or whether it's now after he died. First Peter, we know Peter put it this way, that he was as a lamb, he was foreordained before the foundation of the world. but that day has taken place.

The work of grace, the work of mercy is this, let us concentrate, let us look to, let us adore, let us worship, let us reverence the one person who wrought the work of God in grace and in mercy and in compassion in that day. I think it was Todd that said it the other day, it's not about just believing the doctrines, it's about believing Him. It's about becoming, by the grace of God, caught up with an individual, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. There are thousands of people who have believed the doctrines, the facts, long before they ever had a relationship with God in Jesus Christ.

Now I have four, what I hope to be, straightforward thoughts for this morning. The first thought, the reason for the fountain opened. The second thought we will look at, excuse me, the person who is the fountain opened, the third thought. The work wrought in the fountain opened. And the fourth part, the people for whom the fountain was opened. Number one, the reason for the fountain opened.

It's put right here clearly in our text, isn't it? It gives us, it sums it up in the last part of verse. For sin and uncleanness. Isn't that what the fountain's open for? That's what it was purposed for. When it was opened some 2,000 years ago, the fountain was opened for what? For sin and for uncleanness. Think about it, for sin. The word simply means, if you were to translate it out in English language, it means to miss God's mark.

You think of a target, right? Bow and arrow, a target. But there's a misconception that we can draw from that. We think that God's target, now look at me now, is like this. And of course in the middle you have the bullseye. And then as it goes out, you get lesser points for at least hitting the target. That's not God's law. God's law is this. Here's his target. You probably can't see it. Do you see the tip of that ballpoint pen?

God's target, his law, has one spot only. God doesn't give you credit for hitting all around. He says hit that one spot and hit that one spot only and do it all the time from beginning to end. I already lost out. My parents ruined that for me when they conceived me. My daddy Adam ruined that for me when he sinned in the garden. You see, remember, God's not giving you your best effort.

As long as you hit over here, no, right here. Right here in the middle. Right here in the middle. This is the problem. Our minds, we think of these illustrations, and rightfully so. God uses things in the scripture to illustrate to us, but don't think of that target as wide and it's just your best shot. You've got to constantly, if you're going to be personally righteous before God by your actions or me, it includes us both, it has to be in the bull's eye all the time. Somebody says, preacher, that's tough. Yeah, it's tougher than most folks think.

Think of every thought, every attitude, Isn't that where even our Lord started when he talked about sin that's in the heart? He said, for out of the heart proceeds evil. What's the first thing he mentions? Not murder, not even blasphemy. What does he say? Evil thoughts. How well are you able to control your thoughts? Every thought, every attitude, every act must be constantly and consistently, it must hit that one pinpoint bullseye.

Miss it one time, according to Paul in Galatians 3.10, miss it one time and you're guilty. Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law to do them.

And you know that includes far more than this many commandments. I'm told, Mike, I've never sat down and tried to verify this. It's too confusing. When you get past the 10, I've already lost out. Some of the Jewish scholars say there's 660 some laws.

James puts it this way. If you keep the whole law and you offend in one point, he doesn't just say we're guilty. Go back and look at it sometime. James 2 verses 10 and 11. If we keep the whole law and offend in one point, we're guilty of what? All. Somebody says that don't seem fair. It ain't fair. It's justice. It's called holiness. God says, here's your mark, hit it all the time. And remember what I said is true of you as well as me.

Our mommy and daddy messed that up by having us. And our daddy Adam messed that up when he failed God and sinned against God in the garden. We start off on the negative scale. And you got people today that actually think, well, once you're saved, then you can start hitting the mark. No, you won't.

Because as we read in Romans three, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It's for uncleanness we see, look at sin, remember that. Pinpoint, bullseye, all the time, every time without fail. But what about for uncleanness? Let me just summarize it this way. I don't care whether it's moral uncleanness or immoral uncleanness. I don't have time to spend. I can get up here and preach for hours about all of the uncleanness that has to do with man's morality in this world. Whether it's moral or immoral, it's uncleanness. Whether it's religious or profane, it's uncleanness. Whether it's individual or societal. What do you mean by societal, preacher?

For me, that's a big word. Maybe it's not for you. In other words, it's this idea. Well, everybody else is doing it. Think about this, especially you older folk. You know this. And you younger folk, you're going to find it out. If you live very long, you're going to find it's going to get worse for you in the future than it is right now.

Think of the things that used to be considered immoral in our younger days that are totally acceptable today. Oh, I could go down a list. And some of them would embarrass every one of us here. It would embarrass me to have to talk about this. Uncleanness, moral or immoral, religious or profane, individual or societal, unrighteous or self-righteous. It's all uncleanness.

Number two, the person who is the fountain opened. According to our Lord, he said it this way. I'm gonna paraphrase John 7, 37 and 38. He said this of himself, Jesus of Nazareth. He said this, I am the fountain. He said, come unto me and drink. Know what he said? Come unto me and drink. You see, it's not Jesus set that water there for me and then I take the water up.

And now I've done something to help him out. Illustration now, that is Him. You understand that? If I partake of Him, I must actually partake of Him. I must bow to Him, believe Him, love Him, worship Him, not just accept the truth about Him, even the truth, but adore Him, reverence Him, The person who is the fountain to open is none other than Jesus Christ himself. And turn to John chapter 19. Because remember, Zechariah prophesied that there's going to be a day, Christ is the fountain, but there's going to be a day in which the fountain will be what? Opened.

Now you realize that most preachers today, most denominations today, preach as though the work of God through Jesus Christ and the salvation that happens for men and women is kind of like a magic trick, right? It's kind of like, I used to hear, I had a pastor years ago when I was in religion and he would use, what is it now, this is off the top of my head, I don't understand how a brown cow could eat green grass and give white milk and make yellow butter. He thought it was a magic trick. He was preaching it as a magic trick. No, Christ is the fountain of, just one verse, John 19 verse 34. You get on the right page. Verse 34, if you're following along, read it, read it in your mind as I read it.

But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side. That's not a pinpoint prick. He took that spear with whatever kind of head it had on it, iron, whatever it was they used in that day, and he thrust that thing into his side. You see it? But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out the You see it? Blood and water. That's not a magic trick. That's justice being satisfied.

God says the life's in the blood. And if you break his law, God will require it at our hand. But my blood would satisfy nothing. but his blood is called the precious blood. As a matter of fact, even in, what is it, Acts chapter 20 and verse 28, Paul the apostle put it this way, to the elders of Ephesus who had met with him, that God had purchased you with his own blood.

This was justice being satisfied. It was Christ dying on that tree in the place of someone else. It was him suffering, not only at the hands of men, but at the hands of God. God exacted out his wrath against sin and uncleanness upon Jesus Christ, and that soldier said, pull it out, and out came my redemption. And it wasn't long after that, They put him in that ground. Three days later, it couldn't hold him. Now, this is an illustration. I can just see it in my mind. It's something like this.

He walked out of that grave and said, I told you it was finished. I told you it was finished. No. Number three, the work wrought in the fountain opened. Got to move through this. I got a message I want to listen to here. The work wrought in the fountain opened. Now this is important. Let me move on, I'll get to it. Three things here, briefly. The work wrought in the fountain opened.

Number one, it is a finished, accomplished work. Now I know almost all the religion talks about the finished work of Christ, but they just mean he was done. Know that word in the Greek when it says it is finished? You know what it means if we'd write it out today? Paid in full. They have found Greek documents that have the word he cried on that cross that we have translated. It is finished. And they found in Greek documents back even in his day. And it has these stamps on it with that word he cried out. And you know what it means?

Paid in full. Now, even under our laws, which have a lot of little leeways, sometimes I realize you might have to go get a lawyer, but remember, our lawyer's the one who is the fountain opened, right? Our lawyer's the one who is the fountain opened, so there's going to be no contesting of the facts here. He said it's paid in full, stamped, like that bank man would on your house mortgage. Anybody ever been there? You paid that thing off, they stamp that thing paid in full, hand you that paper, and you say, they can't get another dime from me. It's paid in full. This Henry man used to say, if that don't float your boat, you don't have a good boat. It's a Finnish word, and Hebrews puts it this way.

When he had by himself purged, purged, Let me just, I'm not gonna read the verse. I wanna give you, when he had by himself purged, what's that mean? When he by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of God the Father, the majesty on high. So that means, Mike, he purged it before he went back to glory. Purged, right? Did he purge or did he not? The book says he purged, right? That means to cleanse, to take away fully.

You ever had a pretty bad stain on a garment you liked really well? And you do that with a Tide-to-Go pen, or you use that spray and wash, and you put it on there and pre-work it, and then you throw that thing in the washing machine and put plenty of, you know, soap liquid in there.

When it comes out, it's still... Well, it's not as bad as it was, but man, that's... This thing's ruined! Weickl is not purged. But if it's all clean, you can look at that and say, Yes, perfect. Purged our sins. Number two of this, the work wrought in the fountain open.

Christ wrought forgiveness. Now listen to me. Christ wrought forgiveness when he died on that tree. When he suffered on that tree. We just don't find out about it until God calls us by his gospel. We were forgiven when he died on that tree, and listen to me, and the law, we were delivered from the law when he died on that tree.

Look at Colossians chapter two. Listen to the language. Colossians chapter two, verse 13, and you, being dead in your trespasses and sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, that was when we were unregenerate, unconverted, right? All that hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses."

Look, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances. You know what that is? The law. The law. And listen to me. I don't have to hit the mark all the time. He did. He did. And then he did what? Look, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way. And where did he leave it?

Hanging there on that cross. Know what it says? Nailing it to his cross. Someone says that seems like mystery language. It is, but it's the language of justice being satisfied. Think about it. Religion's message is this. This is their whole argument for this so-called universal redemption thing. How can you plead with men and women? How could you even give men and women, boys and girls, a command to believe on Christ if God didn't already love them and Christ didn't die for them? That's one of their main arguments. Now I want you to turn to Acts chapter 13. This is their main argument. Here's an amazing fact, check me on this. Don't just take my word for it.

Did you know that the love of God for mankind is not even ever mentioned in any message preached in the book of Acts? The love of God is not even mentioned at all in the book of Acts. Never did any preacher in the book of Acts that we have actual messages recorded, right? We actually have messages recorded, how they preached and who they preached. And never once did they say, God loves you and Jesus died for you.

Now you want to believe on him. Case in point, Acts chapter 13, Paul the apostle has described the facts of what Jesus Christ did when he died on that tree and then he was raised again and he puts it this way in verse 38. Be it known unto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.

Do you see that? Not offered, Not made available. He has died to forgive sins. Sins are forgiven based upon him and what he accomplished on that tree. That's what he's talking about. Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this bed is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and by him all that believe are justified from all things. What's he qualified on?

Believing. Just believe him. It's only for believers because it goes on to say, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses, beware therefore lest that come upon you which is spoken of in the prophets. Behold ye despisers and wonder and perish, for I will work a work in your days, a work in which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declared unto you. He's clearly saying right there some people will never believe Jesus Christ. and this forgiveness of sins that he wrought when he died on that tree and was raised again. Look at the context, what else he preached. It's only for who? Believers. Now what more do you need? You don't believe on Christ because you know he died personally for you.

You believe that he did what he said he did when he died on that tree. You believe him. Did he purge my sins? Yes or no. I believe He did. Did He reconcile me to God when He died on that tree? Scripture says He did. I believe Him. Did He make peace when He died on that tree? Not made it possible, not offered it, but did He do it? The question is, do you believe Him?

There you go. There you go. You know it's not? Think about this. For religion, it's not because it's that hard to understand, technically. It's they hate it. They hate it. They think that there must be some sense in which God must depend upon me to provide a little part of this equation. And bless our souls, even our believing on him, we don't muster it up in ourselves.

Paul according to Ephesians chapter one said, it takes the resurrection power of God for us to believe. Think about it. The third point here. Christ brought peace and reconciliation that he might present those that he suffered for in a position that is unique to them and to them only. Colossians chapter one. Listen to how Paul puts it. Colossians chapter one.

Colossians 1 and verse 20, and having made peace, so did he do it or not? Did he actually make peace or did he just make peace possible? Did he actually make peace or make peace available? What does the book say? See, this is not hard. God Almighty just got to conquer your rebellion and my rebellion against the truth of God. And having made peace, how did he do it?

Through the fountain, through the blood of his cross. So when was peace made? In that day, by that man. when he shed his blood on that accursed tree. And have he made peace to the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself? And does it mean all? Yes, it means all. All that he died for, all that he made peace for, that's the context.

Look, whether they be things in earth, and things in heaven. Think of it, there were believers already in glory. when he left glory. I just, now my mind runs 100 miles a minute there. I don't know, this is not the gospel, okay, but I just, I imagine here they are with Christ, and they're there to help because of the Father's faith and the Son's blood through his forebears. And here they are with him, the eternal three in one in glory, and the Son says, gotta go. I gotta pay the debt for you. He came down and he did. They were already in heaven, but he had to pay the debt for them. Justice had to be actually, literally satisfied. And Isaiah, the prophet, our brother Isaiah prophesied this. He shall see the travail of his soul. God the Father will see the travail of the son's soul and be what? Satisfied.

Satiated, like I was after that Mexican meal yesterday evening and felt like a tick. Just full. Don't need anything else. Nobody asked me that. You want a dessert? No, I'm full. I'm full. But God's full. He's satisfied. Now, do you believe Him or not? It is that simple for us, and yet that impossible apart from a work of God on her soul. Now here's the fourth thing. I gotta move on. The people for whom the fountain was opened. It says here, let me go back and just read it. I know it's just one verse, but look. In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Isn't that what it says? That's what it says, doesn't it? But there's a qualifier. House of David, and to the inhabitants, I'm sorry, it is to the House of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and uncleanness. Now if I don't fit that bill, it wasn't for me. Right? Right? Now let's just drop to the side a moment this House of David and just drop it to the side for a moment. If I'm not a sinner and I'm not unclean, then I can't say that fountain was for me. Right?

Because who's it open to? What does the book say? That's all I'm asking this morning. What does God's book say in its prophetic sense and now in its past accomplished sense? What does it say? for sin and uncleanness. Right now there may be somebody here that don't know that about yourself. But I pray one day you, I hope God makes you so miserable you can't stand yourself. I hope he lights the coal oil, the fire under your soul and says, here, look what you are. It'll be the most miserable, but yet the best thing that's ever happened to you so far in your miserable little life. Huh? You mentioned it the other day.

Paul said when the commandment, you know, I was alive without the law once. Why? He was practicing it, but really didn't know what it was saying. But when the commandment came, sin revived, and I what? I died. And even after God saved him, he was still crying out, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? That who has a name, Jesus Christ our Lord. So the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, sinners and unclean person, move along.

Now, I don't have time to go back and explain what I mean by this. If you wanna ask me later, we'll talk about it a little bit. Not a whole lot, too much to discuss there. The ultra-dispensationalists and all other people who have this view. Israel, God deals with Israel, the nation of Israel, under law. Okay? And all the blessings of natural Israelites are going to come through law or they won't ever have them. And then you've got grace and the church. Now some of you may know what I'm talking about, this ultra-dispensational view. They talk about national Israel or national Jews. And then they talk about the church and grace. Let me put it to you this way. According to Zechariah's prophecy, his prophecy leaves some Jews out.

Right? Was every one of them of the house of David? Come on. Answer the question. Was every one of the house of David? No. Was every one of them an inhabitant of Jerusalem? No. Do you get it? Do you see that there? This is not some Jewish statement for Jews only. This is for sinners and unclean people that are of the house of David. It inhabits Jerusalem. How could that be true of me? Turn to Isaiah 55. We'll see how that is. Not just can be, it is true of me. An old dead dog, dirty Gentile. Look at what he says. Isaiah 55. Here's the qualifier. Here it is. What?

Thirst. I ask you, are you thirsty? Come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye buy and eat. Yea, come and buy wine and milk without money, without price. That seems to be contradictory language, does it not? But it's not when you realize somebody else is paying the price.

You just come and do this. Now I wonder if that was for me. It's for me now. Did you see that? Bless God, it's for me now. Look, wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread, and you labor for that which satisfies not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. In other words, since God's satisfied with him, I have no reason not to be. Somebody said, but that's a large step. No, it's an impossible step apart from the grace of God. But a step it is. Incline your ear, partake, bow without winding my knee. Look, incline your ear and come unto me. Here and your soul shall live.

And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Now what's that a reference to? David, the king, a man after God's own heart. but a man who had his own bad side too. A sinner, an unclean man. And he said the same thing I did. It started back when mom and daddy conceived me. Isn't that what he said? But look, it's the Old Testament, the Old Testament. That word to these sub-people says only to the Jews.

Natural born Jew, look. Behold, I have given him, that's the fountain that was open. Behold, I've given him for a witness to the people, a leader and a commander to the people. Behold! Think about this now. Hear what the book is saying now. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations, you know how sometimes that can be translated? A Gentile. And the Gentiles. Why do these so-called altar dispensationalists not see this? Because they hate him who has the fountain open.

He's always and will ever be the only salvation any man or woman, boy or girl ever will have, period. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew thee not shall run unto thee. Do you see that? Not run from him, run where? To him. And look, because of the Lord thy God, And for the holy one of Israel, that's the one who was the fountain open, for he hath glorified thee. My brother right there, our brother Isaiah was prophesied that God was going to call me out, make me run to Jesus Christ.

For the house of, what about the inhabitants of Jerusalem? Remember, This, even if it is, if it were, not is, it is not, that's the way, it's clear. Even if it were just Jewish, it leaves some Jews out, does it not? The house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. But who are the true inhabitants of Jerusalem? You know it, Galatians 4, 21 through 26, those that are born from above. Because there is a Jerusalem which now is, and Paul said it in his day, and I can still say it today, Jerusalem which is below, what is it? It is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is what?

Free. Free. And anyone who believes Jesus Christ is of the house of David, and is an inhabitant of Jerusalem. Well, I'm a literalist. So am I. What I told you right now is literally true. And they want to argue about literal or spiritual. Our Lord died on that tree. We could say it was a spiritual act, but bless God, it was still literal, wasn't it? That blood, that fountain that flowed, wasn't it? It's like a discussion.

If that don't make you a shouting Calvinist, you ain't a good Calvinist. Even if you don't say a word this morning. You're shouting in your soul. Yeah, Zachariah's prophecy leaves some Jews out. But bless God, Isaiah's prophecy brings some Gentiles in. Doesn't it?

Or you and I would not be able to stand here this morning. We'd have been out there just like all the rest of the world. See, it's clear that this is for sinners and unclean people, right? Now go to Romans 5, I'm gonna sum this up. I'm gonna wind this down. It's time for me to wind it down. Now think about it this way. I'm just gonna read this.

Remember, it's not about me up here being able to tell you God loves you and Jesus died for you. No, I'm here to tell you that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God manifest in the flesh. When he died on that tree, he accomplished some things. Do you believe him? Do you believe him? Look at what it says, Romans 5 verse 6. I can tell you exactly who Jesus Christ died for. Yeah. Verse 6 of Romans 5, for when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. There's two qualifiers right there for who he died. Doesn't it say who he died for right there?

Who are they? Those that are without strength. If you've got just a little inkling, you ain't there yet. Without strength. And what? For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for, what kind of people? The ungodly. So I know I can compare myself to a lot of people and say, I'm not that bad. But when I look at God's law, I say I'm that bad. Look how it goes on, for scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet peradventure, for a good man some would even dare to die, but God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet, what's the qualifier? Sinners.

Christ died for us. If you're here this morning and you know you are without strength, that you are ungodly, and that you are a sinner, I will tell you Jesus Christ died for you. But if you don't know that, I cannot say that for you. But if God ever shows you, he'll say, oh, praise be to God. Look at it. But God commended his love to us, and while we're yet sinners, Christ died for us, much more than Being now justified by his, what?

That fountain, you see it? And that blood was, how many times was that blood shed? On one day. Right? One day. Look, we shall be saved from wrath through him. He sums it up. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Now what did he just say right there? Everyone he died for, he reconciled. And everyone he reconciled, he's going to save by his life. That's what that says, doesn't it? I've never been one of the late school teacher English. She would have probably just had a fit with me. But I know what that says. I know what that says. He died for sinners. He died for the ungodly. He died for strengthless people. He reconciled them when he died for them. Do you believe him? Do you believe him?

For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, You know, when God begins to show you what you are, it is a miserable state. But I'm here to tell you now, I'm here to give you a little hope right now. If God ever shows you what you are, you'll start to be miserable. You'll start to be able to understand what Paul said, I hate myself.

Look, and not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation, or as it's put here, the atonement. It goes from being miserable. Now listen to me. It goes from being miserable about yourself. And it goes from being miserable about yourself, and then something changes. You're still miserable about yourself.

But you find joy in God through Jesus Christ the Lord. Because every time you begin to look inside, you know what you see? What you've always seen once God opened your eyes. You still see yourself. But when you look at Him, you know what you do when you look at Him? You can say, I'm going to illustrate. Still miserable in me, but I joy in God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Here's the summary. Do I, do you fit those clothes? Do you fit those clothes? Strangeless, ungodly, sinner, an enemy? Do you fit those clothes?

The fountain was opened for you. Believe him. And you know what? Welcome. Welcome. Walter, thank you. Brother, we thank you for for coming here and preaching the word of God to us and worshiping with us. We thank you. And we thank our Lord who's strengthened you and given you the message. And our brother Mike, we pray for you as you prepare for the message after our intermission. So we'll have an intermission now. And as Frank says, when you hear the music, come back in.

There Shall Be a Fountain Opened

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the fountain opened for sin?

How do we know justification by faith is true?

Why is Christ being the fountain opened important for Christians?

What does it mean that Christ's work on the cross is finished?

How does the fountain opened relate to Old Testament prophecies?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Music

Recent Comments

About

Legal

Subscribe

Account

Articles

Featured Authors

Podcast

Recent Comments

Sermons

Featured Preachers

Books

Browse by Format

Collections

Music

About

Legal

Subscribe

There Shall Be a Fountain Opened

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the fountain opened for sin?

How do we know justification by faith is true?

Why is Christ being the fountain opened important for Christians?

What does it mean that Christ's work on the cross is finished?

How does the fountain opened relate to Old Testament prophecies?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

More from Walter Pendleton

Related Sermons

Same Scripture

Suggested for You

Where this book stands in the tradition

Plato

Augustine

The Western Christian Tradition

This Book