God is Very Specific

Q: What does the Bible say about God's specific plan for salvation?

The Bible teaches that God is very specific in His plans for salvation, choosing individuals according to His purpose from before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4-5). The Bible clearly illustrates that God is not random in His dealings with humanity. In Acts 10, we see the specific case of Cornelius, a Gentile, selected by God to receive the gospel. God sent an angel to Cornelius to instruct him to summon Peter, revealing that His people are known to Him before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). This specificity emphasizes God's sovereignty and His purposeful plan for salvation, which is not available through chance or human merit but solely through His chosen means, which include the preaching of the gospel (Romans 10:14-15).

Q: How do we know predestination is true?

The doctrine of predestination is affirmed in Scripture, as seen in passages like Ephesians 1:4-5, where God chooses individuals for salvation before they are born. Predestination is a core tenet of Reformed theology supported by various biblical texts. Ephesians 1:4-5 states that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless. This reveals that our salvation is not based on our choices or actions but on God's sovereign will. Additionally, Romans 8:29-30 discusses those whom God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, illustrating that His plan encompasses specific individuals who will be saved and glorified through Christ. Therefore, the truth of predestination rests firmly on God's own declaration in Scripture, underscoring His sovereign grace.

Q: Why is preaching the gospel essential?

Preaching the gospel is essential because it is the means by which God has ordained the calling of His elect, as stated in Romans 10:14-15. The preaching of the gospel is crucial in Reformed theology because it is the specific method God uses to save His people. Romans 10:14-15 makes it clear that individuals must hear the gospel in order to believe and be saved. God has ordained that the message of grace be proclaimed through preaching, not through human wisdom or alternative methods. In Acts 10, the angel instructs Cornelius to seek out Peter, who knows the gospel, thus demonstrating that salvation comes through a preached word. This underscores the importance of faithful preaching, as it is the channel through which the Holy Spirit works to open hearts and lead people to faith in Christ.

Q: What does it mean that God is no respecter of persons?

To say that God is no respecter of persons means that He does not show favoritism based on race, social status, or any human criteria in the matter of salvation (Acts 10:34-35). The phrase 'God is no respecter of persons' highlights the universal nature of the gospel. In Acts 10:34-35, Peter states that God accepts those from every nation who fear Him and do what is right. This declaration follows God's revelation that the gospel is for Gentiles as well as Jews, emphasizing that salvation is based solely on God's grace and not on human distinctions such as ethnicity or status. Acts 10 vividly demonstrates that God's redemptive plan encompasses all people, reaffirming the truth that Jesus' sacrifice extends to every tribe, tongue, nation, and people who believe. Thus, God's impartiality underscores His sovereign grace, as He elects individuals from diverse backgrounds to be recipients of His mercy.

Good morning once again. It's good to see you. I'm so glad to be here. Thankful to our traveling mercies. Inside your bulletin, there's a very short article by Brother Scott Richardson, who pastored a church in West Virginia for over 50 years. And he wrote this little article, The Atheist, the Religionist, and the Tender Heart.

He says, it is hard to say which is worse, the atheist who says there is no God or the religionist who maintains that God cannot do as he pleases. Since all men by nature have stony hearts, all the threatening in the world will do no good. The stony heart of natural man must be pierced by the power of God in order to be tender.

One with a tender heart desires to know the will of God, has a readiness for spiritual things, has a disposition to obey and reveal truth, and has a desire to make the things of God his chief business. I like that article that Brother Scott wrote so long ago. And with that, join me, if you would, Join me if you would in the book of Acts chapter 10. We've been going through this book of Acts chapter 10 for a short time and we've noticed in the very beginning that God is speaking to a man and dealing with a man through an angel that is not saved.

He is religionist. He is a man that has adopted another religion. He grew up in the Roman religion. And you just doesn't take very long to read in Roman mythology about all the gods that he had adopted in his early life. And someone came along who was a Jew. And he says, no, no, no, you must adopt this religion. And so he adopted the Jewish religion, one God religion. But he still did not know the gospel. He did not know God. And God had his eye on him from before the foundation of the world and said, I am going to pass the gospel by you in time. And that's what we find.

So he sent the angel to Cornelius and told Cornelius, go to Joppa. There is a man in Joppa that knows the gospel. His name is Simon, surname Peter. And now he's going to be dwelling in a house that is owned by Simon the Tanner. Now I want to say right off that God is very specific. because two men with the same name under the same house, God wanted him to know to go to Simon Peter and ask him to come over to Caesarea here.

So it tells us in these first eight verses, Cornelius has been spoken to, sin for a preacher, sin for a preacher. And Peter has been spoken to in the verses 9-16, Peter has been spoken to to speak to Cornelius. Now Peter had a problem with the nationality of Cornelius.

You know he had a problem with every nationality except Jews? He had been taught from his youth up that only Jews were ever going to be saved. And here he is with God illustrating a marvelous point to him. It's a point to him, but it's also a point to us. Treat everybody as if they're Jacobs and God will determine the Ishmaelites, the Esauites. So preach the gospel. So he has this vision to rise up. God tell him, rise up, kill any. I'll never do that, Lord. And finally, in verse tells us here in this verse 16, I believe it is. Let's turn there and verse 17. Excuse me.

Now, while Peter doubted in himself What this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house and stood before the gate, and called and asked whether Simon, which is surnamed Peter, were lodged there.

While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, I just love the way that God works. He leaves nothing to chance. Peter, I got a message for you right here. The Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go unto them, doubting nothing, for I have sent them. Peter, I have a message for you. Peter, I've sent some men to you. I'm taking care of business. This is the way God does his business, never by chance, never by mistake. He is always very special and particular in how he does his business. Who the business is with is very special.

Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from Cornelius, and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek. What is the cause wherefore ye are come? What are you here for? Now, that's a good question. They're not salesmen, are they? They have an issue. They have a need. They've been sent in a very special way.

It says, And they said, Cornelius the centurion, Roman centurion, who has adopted the Jewish religion. A just man. He treats everybody fairly. And one of that feareth God. Now, we could have put a little G there, because that's the only God he knew at the time was the little G God. He did not know the big G God, and he's going to hear about him from Peter. And good report among all the nations of the Jews. You know what? Most of the people I meet only know the little G. a God that can be manipulated, a God that can be moved, a God that can be told what to do, a God that can have all kinds of things pushed upon Him that He had nothing to do with. This God is not the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible is the capital G God who does His pleasure all the time, without mistake. He is always punctual. He is always has the right thing to do at the right time.

So he was warned from God by a holy angel. He feareth a God, but he's been warned of God by a holy angel to sin for thee into his house and to hear words of thee. Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

God is not at all general. He is always very specific, and we find that God's work is always specific. Turn with me, if you would, and don't lose your place right here, but turn with me, if you would, to the book of John, chapter 10. John, chapter 10. God is specific.

He never does anything in a general sense. You know what? He created the heavens and the earth. and all the planets, and no one else was involved in it. He did not ask for permission. He did not ask for permission from the nothingness that was there if they wanted to become something that became. And the same is true as we heard this morning with regard to the making of Adam, the first man. He did not ask Adam for permission to make him. He declared the making of him by putting the dust of this earth together, which he'd already created, and put it together and put it into the form of a man, and then he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and then he became a living soul. God is specific in that. How did Adam get his wife? God took care of that too. He didn't leave it to chance.

All right, here in the book of John chapter 10, if you would look with me, chapter 10 and verse 11, we read these words, John chapter 10 and verse 11, I am the good shepherd. Well, most people say, I like that. But they have a problem with the rest of it because God's going to do what he intends to do. What's he going to say? The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. You know what?

God is very specific about who he's going to give his life for. He didn't come down here on a random adventure. and say, I hope I can get a job done. He did not come down here on a random adventure and say, I pray that I can get my job done. He came down here with the knowledge before the foundation of the world that he would accomplish his task. The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. And you know what happens when the good shepherd gave his life for the sheep? All their sins are forgiven for time and for eternity. They will never have their sin brought up before them again.

I love that passage that Brother Mike read over there in Deuteronomy about, their spot is not my people's spot. And he puts away our spot. All right. In John chapter 17 and verse 2, would you look there? John chapter 17 and verse 2, as we find that God is very specific in what He's going to do. Everything that He does is very specific. He's not just random, He is specific. He came down here to do a task and He took care of it exactly.

In John chapter 17, it says here in verse 2, As thou hast given Him power over all flesh. There is no question that God Almighty in Christ Jesus has power over all flesh. Whether it be birds of the air or fishes of the sea or humanity. He has power over all flesh. And then He goes on to say that He should give eternal life to who? as many as thou hast given him." Now that's who God's going to give eternal life to, and that's who Jesus Christ said are the sheep. He is very specific.

There is no randomness with God. There's no hope so with God. There's no wishing with God. God takes care of his business exactly as he determined before the world was created. I have a people that I've given to my son, and my son shall take care of business so well that every one of them shall have their sins forgiven, blotted out, taken as far as the east is from the west, and they shall never, ever stand before me and be judged of a sin. If we're judged for one sin, we're damned. If we have one sin to answer for, we're damned. The blood of Jesus Christ was not sufficient.

Alright? And in that same chapter, verse 6, it says, again, He is so specific. He came to do a job so specific. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou hast given me out of the world. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy word. He has a people. He has some people.

And those people are known only unto God. I appreciated more of that lesson than probably I could ever express. But we don't know the first thing about God, and we don't know the first thing about salvation, and we don't know the first thing about his word, and we don't know the first thing about sin. We don't know the first thing about anything spiritual until God quickens us in the new birth.

And the lights are turned on. It is daylight to dark. I've shared with you, a young man asked me in a travel one time, what's the difference between what you believe now and what you used to believe? And after about 30 minutes or 45 minutes, he said, that's the difference between daylight and dark. And that's the truth. You cannot have peace in religion. You can only have peace in Christ Jesus, the Lord, who gives us that peace. He is our peace.

Same chapter, chapter 17, verse 9. I pray for them. I pray not for the world. Can you imagine the Lord Jesus Christ of heaven, God's only begotten Son, saying, I do not pray for the world? That's exactly what he said. He didn't pray for this world. I pray for them that thou hast given me, and my will will be done. He doesn't pray for them hoping to get his will done. He's very specific. He will get his will done. That's God. That's the God of the Bible. He will get his will done. There is nobody that can outmaster him. There's nobody that can outdo anything to God. God is almighty.

And then in that same chapter, there in chapter 17 of the book of John, and verse 12, it says, very specific. God is so specific he has exactly in mind all those that he loved before the foundation of the world in his mind and he is carrying out his word to capture every one of them and Cornelius is one. That's why he sent for a preacher who knew something about the gospel. Everybody that Cornelius knew was involved in some sort of religion. And he needed somebody, and God knew this and purposed it, he needed somebody to come who knew something about God. The Big G God. the God that saves and keeps, the God that had a love for people before the world began.

So there in verse 12, and then in verse 24 of the same chapter, John chapter 17, verse 24, we read this again about His specificness. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am. You know, that's the only reason for eternal life right there. I wish they'd be with me for eternity. And you know what? It's going to be carried out. He will lose none. Everyone that He purposed to save, He will. May He behold my glory.

Isn't that wonderful that in the Scriptures we behold the glory of God and He reveals the truth of the glory of God to us as we hear it preached and as we read about it? There is never a time that God ever gives to us the information that He is less than we thought He was. It's always greater. The glory of God is always greater. The brightness of the sun is always greater.

Thou lovest that hast given me, for thou lovest me before the foundation of the world. You love me before the foundation of the world. And guess what? There's a family that's coming along with me. I've loved them from the foundation of the world. All right, so he's very specific. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and I will, he that cometh to me I will, and no wise cast out. John chapter six and verse 37.

So we have this happening. The blessing that we find here in Acts chapter 10 is that God required a preacher for Cornelius to hear. The angel could not deliver the gospel message. Now He can deliver the message, you don't need to go get somebody, but He could not, it isn't His business to deliver a gospel message. You know, we read over here, turn with me if you would to the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 1.

I want to share with you why. This is the way God does His business. And this is the only way God does His business. He is so specific in how He takes care of His business. Here in the book of 1 Corinthians 1, and there in verse 21, we read this. For after that, in the wisdom of God, God's wisdom, this is how he's determined to do it, and it will not be carried out any other way.

I remember a man telling me one time when the gospel was brought up, and he says, you know, I'm the exception. I'm the exception. I was saved without ever hearing the gospel. You know what? That's too rare. It's not going to happen. God will never save anybody without hearing the gospel. And He will only save by hearing the truth of the gospel.

I don't know about you, but I've gone into Bymart here, and they've got all kinds of seeds in there. I mean peas and beans and flowers and cucumbers and everything else, but I have yet to find a bag of candy corn hanging in the seed aisle. Why? It won't grow anything. It's to eat raw. There's no such thing as a candy corn gospel that will sprout or do anything. It's a fake.

It is a monstrosity that anybody would be told that God's going to save them because of what they did. That is not the gospel. The gospel is saving people for what He did. He is in charge of it, and everything, as we heard this morning, everything He demands, He furnishes. Well, here in the book of 1 Corinthians 1, verse 21, for after that in the wisdom of God, the world by its own wisdom knew not God. Human wisdom will never find God. God's wisdom is going to take care of that, though. It pleased God. Did you read that?

It pleased God by the foolishness preaching to save them that believe. By the foolishness of preaching. Now it shouldn't be foolish preaching. It's the foolishness of preaching. God has determined that in order to save any of his lost sheep, a person who he has saved by his grace and only knows that grace brings that message that God is the savior of his people and he saves his people without exception.

They have to have some knowledge. Now, it doesn't mean they have to stand in a pulpit. It doesn't mean they have to stand in a teaching situation. It means they know something about God and the way He saves His people. Because when we get candy corn gospel, we're only going to have candy corn religion. It will not stand the test.

Alright, so by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe Back up one book if you would into the book of Romans Romans chapter 10 Romans chapter 10 the other day I found the Bible that my dad I was sitting in church there at New Pine Creek and I was you know, I was like most kids That's fidgety There's a lot better things going on outside than there are going on in here So I was fidgety, and my dad got a hold of me, and he took my Bible, and he turned it over to Romans chapter 10, and he underlined one verse of scripture and told me to sit still, and maybe someday I'd be saved. You know, he expected me to do something to get that done, and when I did something to do that, when I accepted Jesus, when I turned over a new leaf, when I did all the things that the preacher said to do, he was glad. And you know what? I never got to tell him. He had passed on before I ever heard the gospel. I never got to tell him that the Lord really has saved me. But here in the book of Romans chapter 10 verse 12, he never read the whole chapter.

It says in Romans chapter 10 verse 12, for there is no difference between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. There's no two forms of salvation. There's no two ways. There's not a works gospel and a grace gospel. There's not all, it doesn't work. Only grace is gracious salvation. So he said here there's no difference People have called me up and said, you know, I've got a I've got a Jehovah's Witness friend and I'd like to talk to them about the Lord Okay. Well, what do I say?

Same thing you'd say to your Baptist? Same thing you'd say to a Mormon same thing you'd say to a Lutheran same thing you say to anybody The gospel is not Multicolored and we have to have this I had a fellow that was a missionary to the quote-unquote Mormons and he had it all figured out just the spiel that he had to give to get them caught up so that he could ask them to have Jesus call into their heart That is hocus-pocus It's the gospel of Jesus Christ that saves people Moreover verse 13 for what's whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved How then? shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? That's the Holy Spirit speaking to the Apostle Paul to the saints at Rome and saying, don't get confused on this subject. It's just not turn over a new leaf. It's not just get religion. It's not just adopt something. It's not just this. It is an act of God. And this is the way that he does his business.

How shall they call on him? And then verse 15, and how shall they preach except they be sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things. But they have not all obeyed the gospel, for Isaiah said, Lord, who hath believed our report?

So here we have, God said, they must, they must, there must be somebody that knows something about the gospel, come to them. And he will bring it or he will bring the person to it. But that's the way God's gonna do it. We have that carried out. Cornelius, a lost man, over in Caesarea, and Peter in Joppa, who knows something about the gospel, and God said before the foundation of the world, we're going to get those guys together. We find the same thing with Philip in the Ethiopian eunuch. We find the same thing. Christ came down to this world and preached the gospel to 11 People say, oh, he preached it to 12.

Yes, he did. One didn't hear it. And you know why? It was on purpose he didn't hear it. Why? Because God wrote in the Old Testament, one of these guys is not going to hear it on purpose, and he's going to betray me just according to schedule. He's going to do exactly what natural man wants to do with God, betray him. How shall they, how shall a preacher, a herald, as a public crier, especially divine truth, the gospel, to proclaim it? Somebody who knows something has to come along and tell us something about the God of heaven.

In 1 Corinthians 1, verse 18, we read this, 1 Corinthians 1, verse 18, of the book of 1 Corinthians, along this need for preaching, someone to declare a herald, someone to declare what it is, someone to come up and say, This is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I'm not asking you to make a decision. I'm not asking you to sign a card. I'm not asking you to come forward. I'm not asking you to go to the altar. I'm asking you to trust Christ and don't move a muscle. Well, how do I do that? Trust Christ. He's the only one that can get the job done. 1 Corinthians 1, verse 18, for the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. Did you ever think that? Boy, the first time I heard the gospel, I told my wife, I hate that man. And it wasn't quite as pleasant as that. It was much sharper. But unto us which are saved, it is the power of God. How glorious is this power of God. Philip and Stephen were servants to the saints at Jerusalem, and yet we find out they both were called on to declare the gospel. Stephen was killed for declaring the gospel. Philip went to the Ethiopian uni, and he went on his way rejoicing.

Going back to Acts 10, verse 21, would you join me there in Acts 10, verse 21 as we find God putting the preacher and the lost sheep together. Peter is going to go over there. He is going to a Gentile's home. He's going to even mention, you know, it's just not right that Jews go to Gentiles' homes, but I've got a special revelation from God.

Acts 10, verse 21, it says, And Peter went down to the men that were sent from Cornelius, and said, Behold, I am he whom thou seekest. What is the cause whereof ye come to me? And then they say this, And they said, Cornelius, the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, of good report among the nation of the Jews, was warned of God. Now, we mentioned last week that this centurion, this Cornelius, he was a whole lot like the Pharisee that we read about when a Pharisee and a publican went down to the temple to pray. Both of them are gonna tell us that they prayed, and both of them are gonna tell us that they fast, and both of them are gonna tell us that they are religious.

You know what? This man was a nice guy, though. The Pharisee that we read about over there, he was not nice at all. He would make fun of you, but I don't think this guy would. He's just a nice guy, but lost. A nice guy, but lost. I'd rather be around a nice guy that's lost than a mean guy that's lost.

He was warned from God by a holy angel to send for thee into his house and to hear the words of thee. They called he them in and lodged and on the morrow, Peter went away with them and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. We're going to have some witnesses to this. In the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word shall be established. And on the morrow, they entered into Caesarea and Cornelius waited for them and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. Now we got a special speaker coming and he talked to his family and he talked to his friends.

And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. You know, I've known preachers that would have just said, well, thank you very much. That's very kind of you. What did Peter say? Get up. But Peter took him up saying, stand up. I myself also am a man. I'm just a man like you are. Saved by grace, but still just a man.

Never forget where you've been saved from. Never get high and mighty about that. We've all been saved out of the pew, generally speaking. I've met very, very few people that ever said that they're saved, that were not in some kind of religion, whether, maybe it was just atheism. I don't believe in a God, that's still a religion.

But God saves people. And as he talked with him, he went in and found many that were come together. They're visiting, getting acquainted. My name is Cornelius, and I'm a soldier in the Roman Army. I have men under me. I'm a centurion. I command 100 men. Now, he may have been a special centurion. There were centurions over centurions in the Roman Army.

And Peter said, you know, I grew up very religious, and one day, Jesus found me. I wasn't looking for him. I was very happy in my religion. I'd been raised up in that Jewish religion and I was so glad that I had parents who were Jewish and grandparents that were Jewish. We could trace our line back clear to Adam and they're all Jews. Maybe it's just a little bit. And he said unto them, ye know how that it is unlawful, an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or come into one of another nation. But God has showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying. As soon as I was sent for, I asked therefore, for what intent ye have sent me for? Now, why did you send me? Why do you want me? That's a good question.

You know, this centurion didn't say, well, I want you to have dinner with me. Centurion didn't say, well, I'd like to go over our religious views. You know, the woman at the well, she said to the Lord, She wants him to get off the track he's on. He's just two-pointed. Our fathers say in this mountain we're to worship, and you say in Jerusalem is the place to worship. What? Shall we talk about that? Shall we discuss the differences in our religion? No, religion has sent everybody to hell. Salvation takes his people to heaven.

Therefore came I unto you, no gainsaying. Cornelius said, four days ago I was fasting. Oh, I'm a fasting Pharisee. Until the hour, and at the ninth hour, I prayed in my house. And guess what? I got everybody in my house to do the same thing. We dress alike, we pray alike, we fast alike. We're religious. We do it according to the book.

Behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance of the sight of God. Now, this didn't get God's attention. God had already had His eye on him. When the right time came, the gospel was going to come to him. There's a right time to hear the Word of God. I asked Mike this morning in my study, could Cornelius have died between the time the angel appeared unto him and Peter showed up? Not on your life. Cornelius was going to live until he had heard the gospel. He has been marked out by God to hear the gospel, and God's going to save him by his grace. Then he can die. God can take him any time after that, but not till that day.

He said, There, send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter. He is lodged in a house with one Simon, a tanner, by the seaside. Got two men in the same house, by the same name, but make sure you call for Simon Peter. The tanner probably knows the same truth, but I want this Simon Peter over here.

Who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee. Immediately, therefore, I sent to thee, that thou hast well done, that thou art come. Now, therefore, are we all here, present before God, to hear all the things that are commanded thee of God. Isn't that an interesting statement?

God is the one that commands what the preaching is going to be. He doesn't leave that up to the preacher. He doesn't give him the right to go to the right hand or to the left hand. He always has him centralized on one person looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. I can only have salvation in this one.

What do you want? We want to hear your words. Then Peter opened his mouth and said, of a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. You know, I've heard that. My mother used to quote that verse of scripture. When people brought up elections, she said, God is not a respecter of persons. He's not a respecter of Jews or Gentiles. He's not a respecter of this group or that group. He's not just going to save Jews. He's going to save out of every kindred, nation, people, and tongue.

He has His lost sheep. In the aisles, He has His lost sheep. Down there where Brother Lance is, the Lord has been gracious to call out of that darkness It hasn't been that long ago that those folks were cannibals. And he's been down there preaching the gospel, and they have a fellowship meeting. They have a thousand people show up in darkest part of the world. What happened? God had some lost sheep down there. Sent a preacher. They were not going to be saved on their own.

Peter opened his mouth and said, now verse 35, but in every nation that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him. The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ, he is Lord of all. So the message was given to Peter that the message that was given to the Jews, what? Now not every Jew accepted this, my goodness.

Paul killed people over this statement. What does he say there? The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ. Oh my goodness, no, that's not going to work. We have to keep the law. We have to do our duties. We have to have the Ten Commandments. We have to have all of that stuff. And later, Paul himself said, that's all stuff. There is only salvation. And what does he bring out here? The children of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all. Peace by Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all. That word, I say, you know, which was published throughout all Judea and before from Galilee after the baptism was John preached.

What was that baptism? of repentance. And what is repentance? Oh, most people say, Oh, that I've do that. I repented of my sins. You will not find that in the Bible, but you will find that God grants repentance and that repentance is a change of mind about God. That's true repentance. You know, and then we find out, yes, I am a sinner before God, but he saved me by his grace.

After the baptism of John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they slew and hanged on a tree. Him God raised up the third day and showed him openly, not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. Did you notice those first words of verse 41?

Not to all the people. Paul later wrote to the Corinthians, he said, you know, there were about 500 at one time that saw him, 500 that saw him. Many are still alive, but a few have fallen asleep. But he did not show himself to everybody. He didn't show himself to Pilate. He didn't show himself to the Sanhedrin court. He didn't show himself to the people there. He didn't show himself at the temple. He didn't go into the temple and says, look at me, look at me. He showed himself to his people. He was very specific who he showed himself to. Not to all the people.

And he commanded us to preach unto the people and to testify that it is he which is ordained of God to be the judge of the quick and the dead. He is the judge of those who are alive and those who are dead. To him, give all the prophets witness, but he reaches back to the Old Testament because that's all they had. All the prophets witnessed that through his name, whoever believeth on him shall receive remission of sins.

While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all of them which heard the word. You know, we mentioned last week that that's exactly what we find over there. In the book of 1 Thessalonians, the word came not in word only, but in power. God came in power that day. And you know, I have a sister that told me that because all of the people there were saved, there had to be children there, and so they were also baptized. You know what it tells us there?

It says, fell on all them which heard the word, verse 44. Now you know the Bible tells us that there are a number of times in the scripture that people that were there and heard the word didn't hear the word. Jesus tells us at one time, John chapter 12, would you turn there with me? John 12, verse 27, Now everyone that heard the word, the spirit fell on. Everyone that heard the word were born again. Everyone that heard the word, God opened their ears to hear it.

But here in John 12, verse 27, we read these words. John 12, verse 27. Now it is my soul, now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say, Father? Save me from this hour, but for this cause came I into the world, unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name.

Then came there a voice from heaven saying, I have both glorified it and will glorify it again. The people therefore that stood by and heard it said, it thundered. Another said, an angel spake to him. Well, those who heard the thunder didn't hear anything. The voice was God's voice, and God's voice was to his son. But many of them never heard a thing. It was just a thunder clap to them. And then if you'll turn with me over to the book of Acts 22. We're going to close this up. Acts 22. And there in verse 29.

I'm sorry, I have the wrong one. It was David, excuse me, Paul mentioned that they saw indeed the light and were afraid, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. That was on the road to Damascus. There were many of there that did not hear the word. I'll have to put verse 11. Thank you. Yes, verse 9. Why did I put 29?

Human frailty. And they that were with me, Paul is speaking, saw indeed the light and were afraid, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. How many heard him? In that household that day, I know the exact number. It's recorded in Acts 13, 48. When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord, and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. That's how many heard. That's how many the Spirit fell on. And that's how many were baptized. All right, we're going to stop there. Nathan, if you'd come.

God is Very Specific

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about God's specific plan for salvation?

How do we know predestination is true?

Why is preaching the gospel essential?

What does it mean that God is no respecter of persons?

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God is Very Specific

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about God's specific plan for salvation?

How do we know predestination is true?

Why is preaching the gospel essential?

What does it mean that God is no respecter of persons?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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