Turn with me to Isaiah chapter
8, Isaiah 8 verse 20. A couple weeks ago, a dear friend
asked me a question. related to Scripture, something
he had read and had some questions about. As I thought and studied
that question, a few things occurred to me. One, when we respond to a question,
particularly about Scripture, our reply needs to be according. to the scriptures, not what I
think or not what someone told me, what the scriptures say. In Isaiah 8 verse 20 here, we
read, to the law and to the testimony. If they speak not according to
his word, it's because there's no light in them. You know, when we respond to
a question, thinking about this as well, it's good that we have
not just one scripture to back it up. Men have taken single
verses and not even complete verses of scripture and just
made a lot of crazy things out of it. But two or three scriptures
to back it up. We read this in scripture, in
the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. And then finally, that answer,
that truth from God's Word, that which is established by two or
three witnesses, does that reply, does what we're saying give all
the glory to Almighty God? In Isaiah 42, verse 8, we read,
I'm the Lord. That is my name and my glory. Will I not give? share with another. Now, there are questions to be,
with that being said, there are questions to be avoided. Paul
writing to Timothy, he said, foolish and unlearned questions,
avoid. Knowing this, that they gender
strifes. Those things that don't edify
the church. Those things that aren't clearly
revealed in Scripture, those are to be avoided. But there
are questions. There are questions that must
be answered, must be dealt with. Back in Exodus 12, the Lord established the Passover. We read that Moses, he spoke
to the people. And he said this, he said, and
boy, this is a tough one. He said, when your children,
when your children shall ask you, what mean ye by this service? The Passover, what's this all
about? When they ask about deliverance,
when they ask about a blood sacrifice, what is this about? He said,
you'll say this, it's the Lord's Passover. It's the sacrifice
of the Lord's Passover who passed over the children of Israel in
Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and he delivered. He delivered
our houses. And the people, when they heard
that, when they heard the truth, we read that they bowed their
heads and they worshiped. When they asked, When our children
ask, you tell them. These things, they must be dealt
with. In the New Testament, in 1 Peter
3, verse 15, we read, sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and
be ready. Be ready always to give an answer
to every man that asketh you the reason for the hope that's
within you. And don't lose sight of this.
He said, you do that. Don't be obnoxious about it.
Don't be overbearing. He said, you do this with meekness
and fear. Do that in humility and fear. Knowing this, there was a time
we didn't know the answer to that. Questions that must be answered.
Questions that must be answered according to the scriptures.
At the mouth of two or three witnesses. And answers that must
give God all the glory to whom it's due. And this morning, I
want us to look at six questions. Six questions that are answered
in light of God's word. And listen, they're not to be
debated. They're not to be explained. God's Word is to be declared. And this is the first question. Here it is. Is Almighty God absolutely
sovereign? Is He totally sovereign in salvation
just as He is in creation and providence? Most folks around here and in
our town and across this country would readily admit that God
is sovereign in creation. There's a few, but most folks
don't take issue with that. Scripture says this, in the beginning,
God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without
form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And
the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, and God
said, Let there be light. And you know what happened when
He said that? There was light. Any question about that? God
is sovereign in creation. He's sovereign in providence.
We read calling a ravenous bird from the east The man that executes
my counsel from a far country, yea, I have spoken it. I will
also bring it to pass. I've purposed it. He said, I've
purposed it. I will also do it. In Ephesians chapter 1, verse
11, we read, in whom we have obtained an inheritance. being predestinated by him who
worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. All
things. Why do we have such a problem?
Why do we have such a problem understanding what that word
all means? He works all things after the counsel of his own
will. You know what? A worthless sparrow
doesn't fall to the ground without knowledge of Almighty God. without
Him willing it and purposing it. Well, is this same God? Is He also sovereign in salvation? Is God sovereign in salvation? Man says this. Man says He wants
to save. Man says if you will let Him,
then He will save. They'll say this, He has a wonderful
plan for your life. Where is that found in Scripture?
Huh? Where is that found in Scripture?
Here's what Scripture says. In John 5, verse 21, it says,
"...the Son quickeneth whom He will." I don't read anywhere
where He needs to get permission from anyone. whom he will. He gives life to whom he will. That's what Abraham believed.
He believed God was able to do all that he promised. Moses asked God, he said, show
me your glory. Turn to Exodus 33. You're familiar with this passage,
but turn to Exodus Look at beginning with verse
18. He said, I beseech thee, show
me thy glory. Verse 19. And he said, God spoke
to Moses and he said, I will make all my goodness pass before
thee and will be gracious to whom
I will be gracious and will show mercy to whom I will show mercy. Salvation is of the Lord. Moses told the children of Israel
remember there when they were backed up against the the Red
Sea and Pharaoh's army was was fast approaching and The people
begin to cry and you know, no doubt. Why did you bring us out
here? Well, they're not enough graves in Egypt when they murmur
to complain murmur to complain so much Can we even read about
them and not not think about our ourselves? And what did he
say? Stand still. Don't go grab some
sticks and some rocks and we'll throw at the enemy. No, stand
still and see the salvation of the Lord. Jonah said the same
thing. There he was in the deep, inside
the That great fish. I'll sacrifice unto thee with
the voice of thanksgiving. I'll pay that which I have vowed.
Salvation is of the Lord. Is Almighty God sovereign in
salvation? Scripture says this in Hebrews
7 verse 25. He is able to save to the uttermost
them that come to God by him. Let that be settled. God is absolutely
sovereign in all things. Second question, are men, are
we dead in trespasses and sin? Now I can say without hesitation,
and there may be some that would disagree with me, I hope not,
but this is the truth, every one of us in this room have one
thing in common. I promise you, we all have one
thing in common. Whether we realize it or not,
we're all sinners. We're all dead in trespasses
and sin. We all descended from Adam. We're all his descendants. Chase
that family tree. It all leads back to Adam. And back there in the garden,
God gave Adam the garden to dress it and to keep it. And he told
Adam, he said, of every tree in the garden, thou mayest freely
eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He said, don't
eat of it, for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shall
surely die. And what happened? We don't know
how much time passed. I suspect it was not long. Not
long. Knowing our nature, Adam disobeyed
God. He knowingly and willingly took
of that fruit and he ate of it. And the result of that? Spiritual
death. Turn to Romans chapter 5. Romans chapter 5, verse 12. Wherefore, as by one man sin
entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon
all men. For all have sinned. When Adam sinned and fell, we
all sinned and fell. And the result of that sin spiritual
death, physical death, darkness, disease, enmity, enmity with
God. We're sinners, listen, by birth,
we're sinners by choice, we're sinners by practice. It's what we are. Romans 3 verse
23, for all, you hear that again? All have sinned and come short.
of the glory of God. Romans 3 verse 10, there is none
righteous, and there's always somebody in the room, right?
None? None righteous? What was the
reply? No. Think he anticipated that, didn't
he? There is none righteous, no, not one. Dead in trespasses
and sin, and that's where we'll remain until God is pleased to
breathe life, to give life. Third question, did God elect a people in Christ? Did he do that? Now listen, we're
talking about things that upset the natural man. A God who is
sovereign in salvation, a man who is dead, absolutely dead
in trespasses and sins, a God who elected a people unto himself. Scripture says this, for whom
he did foreknow, he did predestinate to be conformed to the image
of his son. In whom he predestinated, he
called. In whom he called, he justified. In whom he justified, he glorified. That's all past tense, isn't
it? Paul writing to the Thessalonians. They're in 2 Thessalonians 2.
He said, we're bound to give thanks to you, brethren, beloved
of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you
unto salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the
truth. You know, man says this. This
is what man says. Man says, well, he looked down
and he saw those that would be good. Those that would be righteous
and those that would not. Those that would have good works. God looked down and he saw those
things and then he elected the people. Well, is that what he
did? If He did, I'd like to see it
backed up with Scripture. Here's what Scripture says. Turn
to Psalm 53. I guess they get part of it right,
but part of it ain't going to get the job done, is it? Look
at Psalm 53, verse 2. God looked down from heaven upon
the children of men to see if there were any that did understand.
If there were any that did seek after God, what did he see? What did he find? Look at verse
3. Every one of them is gone back. They are together become filthy. Here it is again. There is none
that doeth good. No, not one. Scripture says this. Jacob have I loved, Esau have
I hated. Does that make God unrighteous? God forbid. Neither one of those
boys had been born. They hadn't had a chance yet
to do anything good or bad, had they? What was the purpose of
that? Scripture says this, that the
purpose of God according to election might stand. Not of works, but
of him that calleth. His elect people. I believe that word election,
I think it's like elect, election. 27 times it's found in God's
word. Man can deny it all he wants
to, but it's clear in scripture We're chosen in Christ for the
foundation of the world that we should be holy and without
blame before Him in love. Question four. Is Christ's blood
sufficient? I love the way Brother Tom says
this. He said, did it get the job done? Is it sufficient? Did it get
the job done? I hear men say, almost. I hear men say, God cast his
vote, the devil cast his vote, and now it's up to you to decide. Again, I ask the question, where
is that found in Scripture? It's not. He's done all he can. How could
you say that about all, he's done all he can and now it's
up to you? That's no God. That's an idol. That's an idol that I can pull
it out here when I want to and then I can stick it back on the
shelf when I'm finished. And listen, there's a couple
problems with these statements. Our Lord is speaking to a group
of Jews over there and John, he said, you will not come to
me. You will not. You will not come
to me that you might have life. And here's another issue. If
it's up to a dead man to do something, you think about that. What can
a dead man do? Nothing. Nothing but lay there
in the grave and decompose. A dead man can do nothing. But
my friends, he is able to save to the utmost. then to come to
God by Him. Scripture says this, the blood
of Jesus Christ, His Son, Almighty God's Son, cleanses us from all
sin. It got the job done, didn't it?
He laid down His life for the sheep. We sing that song, the
vilest, the vilest. Do we believe that? The vilest
offender who truly believes that moment from Jesus a pardon receives. Saul of Tarsus, he went about,
well, he was casting people in prison, beating people. I mean, what a wicked, awful
man. A self-righteous Pharisee. Consider
all these things we read in Scripture. Remember that poor woman? There
was a woman back there in John 8. And the scribes and the Pharisees,
they had brought her to the Lord. Scripture said she was, listen,
she was taken in the very act of adultery. And they said, the
law, Moses says this, she's to be stoned. Is there hope for
that woman? Is Christ's blood sufficient
to cleanse even her? Our Lord said to those men, He
said, He that is without sin, let him cast the first stone. Well, they must have known, they
knew something about their sin, didn't they? Because there was
none of them hanging around. They left, they walked out from
the oldest to the youngest. Listen to verse 10 of John 8. It said, When Jesus lifted up
himself, and he saw none but the woman, he said unto her,
Woman, where are thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. Now,
you consider The condition this woman was in, and she stands
before the Lord of glories. Jesus said it. Can you imagine
just the guilt and the shame? And he said to her, neither do
I condemn thee. Go and sin no more. Is Christ's blood sufficient? Did it get the job done? And
it's easy to read about these examples, isn't it? None of us
would want to stand up here and talk about our own sin, would
we? Yet the Lord has been merciful. His blood cleanses us from all
sin. There is therefore now, right
now, no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. He
is dependent upon us It's all we bring, sin is the
only thing we bring to the equation. Hebrews 1 verse 3, it says, when
he had by himself, by himself purged our sins, he sat down,
sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high. And all
for whom he died shall be saved. Fifth question. Holy Spirit,
regenerate and call God's elect. In Psalm 110, verse three, we
read this, thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. There were two thieves that hung
on the cross, both of them, both of them equally guilty, both
of them equally deserving of death, Both of them mocked the
Lord and questioned, questioned His power, questioned His sovereignty.
But at some point, at some point, as those men hung on the cross,
something happened. Something happened. And one questioned,
and he said, if Thou be the Christ, if you're really who you say
you are, why don't you save yourself and save us? And the other one there, he said
this. Something had been revealed to
him about who was on that cross. He said, don't you fear God seeing
that we're in the same condemnation? And we deserve it. We got what's
coming to us. But this man, he's done nothing
amiss. We receive the due reward of
our deeds We're getting what we deserve. We're getting what
we've earned. But this man has done nothing to miss. And then
he looked to the Lord Jesus Christ, and I never thought about this. Brother Todd brought this out
in a message. Our Lord, as he hung on that
cross, he had been beaten and scourged and was likely unrecognizable the punishment He had taken,
the punishment He had endured. Isaiah says, His visage was marred
more than any man, more than any of the sons of men. He still knew who He was. It
was revealed to Him. The Lord revealed Himself to
that thief on the cross. The Spirit of God reveals Christ
to him, this thief. looks to him. He knows who he
is. And he says this, Lord, remember me. Remember me. Again, what we read back there
in Psalm 110, verse 3, thy people shall be willing in the day of
thy power. Last question. Sixth question. Will all of his elect persevere? Turn with me to John 6. John
6, verse 39. Our Lord's speaking here. He says, this is the Father's
will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me,
I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last
day. Will all of His elect persevere? Here our Lord declares it to be the sovereign will of Almighty
God that all elected by the Father, everyone redeemed by the Son,
each one called by the Spirit of God will be raised from the
grave to eternal glory. Not one, not one will be lost. Our salvation, our hope, our
comfort, our peace is this, God's sovereignty. God is absolutely
sovereign. God elected a people unto himself. That bloodshed, the blood He
shed on the cross for His people, the sacrifice of God's Son. Our hope is this, that the Holy
Spirit comes and gives life, regeneration, giving life to
a dead sinner. Can we find hope and comfort
in these things? Oh, I pray we can. And I'll ask
you this in closing. Who gets the glory? Who gets
the glory in salvation? Almighty God. God gets the glory. All right. Let's go to our Lord in prayer. Our God and Father in heaven,
we thank you for this, thy word. Lord, I pray you'd blessed to
our understanding. Lord, all these distractions,
all these what men has to say, Lord, teach us what your word
says. Teach us of thyself. Teach us of thy son. Lord, give
us ears to hear and eyes to see thee. And Lord, enable us to
rest in thee. enable us to rest in Christ our
Savior. In his name, we pray and give
thee thanks. Amen. Sean, come with me.