I don't want to embarrass you, but the Lord has really blessed you with a beautiful voice. He really has. Such a pleasure to hear you sing. If you turn in your Bibles tonight to Acts chapter 2, what a blessing. The Lord gathers his people together in one body. to worship him, and as Mark said in the study tonight, to talk about the one we love, because he loved us first, didn't he?

A few years back, God saved me by his grace. And I was sitting in the garage listening to the sermon audio, and God sent a preacher One that you all know very well. And he was preaching the gospel. And he was telling about how important it was to gather yourselves together. And at that time, I really didn't see the importance of it. About the father's thing on my mind. But he made a statement. And I'm going to paraphrase, but it was to this effect. He said, if God told you he was going to be at a certain place at a certain time, and he was going to speak to you his gospel, wouldn't you do whatever you could to be there? And yeah, that's what I did. I started crying. Sorry. And by His grace, the Lord led me here. And it wasn't because of this building or anything like that. that I'm still here. It's because of him. It's because of my brethren in Christ, my brothers and sisters. And it's because he's in the midst when we're gathered. And he declares his gospel to us.

God is to his church daily, such as should be saved. And he tells us that here in Acts 2, verse 47. Such as should be saved. And this is the title of the message. Now, if you'll turn to Acts 2, we'll start reading in verse one. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. This is God's apostles. And they were filled, all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men out of every nation under heaven.

Now, when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together and were confounded because that every man heard them speak, heard all these apostles speak in their own language. What a glorious day. The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilling, doing exactly what he told them he was going to do. Christ had already accomplished our redemption. He already came and put away our sins with his own blood on that cross. And he saved all his people, all that the Father gave him, because he shed his blood and presented himself the only sacrifice that God would accept. for the atonement for our sins. He satisfied God's holy justice that we offended. God's perfect lamb. And with his perfect son's obedience unto death, fulfilling the law and being made a curse for us.

Now, we were saved when God sanctified us in electing grace, when he chose us in his son before the foundation of the world. Then at the appointed time of God, Christ came in the flesh, God manifest in the flesh, that body that God prepared for him, sinless, spotless lamb of God. And he accomplished our salvation, our redemption. When he cried it was finished on that cross at Calvary, his work was done. And thank God we were in him. When he died, we died in him. When he was buried, we were buried in him. And all when he arose victorious. Over that grave. Our life. Our life he gave to us. Our life is in him alone and we belong to him. He bought us with his own blood. And he ascended. He ascended to the father. And God highly exalted him. above all in his church. And he reigns sovereign now, seated on the right hand of the majesty on high. He is that high priest. He is our intercessor and he is our mediator right now of a better covenant of grace. He is our only acceptance before God, ever living to intercede for us. He even interprets our prayers, for we don't know how to pray. He made us holy and he justified us by his grace in him, made us righteous, the righteousness of God in him. For he was made sin for us who knew no sin. for God's glory.

Now picture this day. They had been told all this. They knew all this. And here he was doing what he said he would do. This Jesus of Nazareth, the one that was crucified and rejected As king, we will not have this man to rule over as crucifier. That just had happened recently, 50 some days before, right before some of them's very eyes. That Jesus of Nazareth is now seated in heaven on his throne. God's prophet, God's priest, God's king. God made him king over all his creation. Just picture that, because it's true now, as it was on that day. He's the Son of God. He's the Son of Man, the God-Man, the Messiah that they were looking for, that they've been told about. The only way to God the Father, the only truth, the only life, he's on his throne, he's God. And he's doing exactly what he told him he would do.

Look over in John, chapter 15, verse 25. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law. They hated me without a cause. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning." That's what he told his disciples, that's what he told his apostles, and what's going on right there and on that day. He's doing exactly what he told them to do, isn't he? He sent his comforter. He told his disciples, I will send you the comforter, God the Holy Spirit. And this was prophesied in Joel. This is a fulfillment. Christ fulfilled all the scripture. And it was in the Psalms where he said, when Christ ascended, he led captivity, captive, and he received gifts for men. that gift of the Holy Spirit to all who believe on him. That's what he was doing with the apostles, wasn't he? He was giving them gifts, seated on his throne, pouring out his Holy Spirit on them.

Here on that day, that day of when the Pentecost was fully come, Christ gathered his apostles. Christ gathered his people. And God poured out his Holy Spirit on them, just as it was prophesied, just as he had told them. God sent his preachers, his apostles with his word, and he preached the gospel through them in their own language by his Holy Spirit. And God added to the church on that day. such as should be saved that day, this day, and every day until he gathers them all.

They were the ones, who were these such as should be saved? Who were these people? Well, they were the ones who rejected him, the ones who said crucify him, the ones he prayed for. Oh, Father, Forgive them for they don't know what they're doing. The ones he died for. The ones who doubted. We read on here, and they doubted. They thought, well, he must be drunk. They must be drunk. No, they weren't drunk. Peter assured them of that. They were filled with the Holy Spirit.

But who are those such as should be saved and added to the church daily? Are you and me, the elect of God. There are sinners, lost, depraved sinners of Adam's fallen race that have been sanctified by God. They are the ones God the Father chose in his Son before the foundation of the world.

We look over in Ephesians, Ephesians chapter one, verse three, it says, blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. That's God's will for us.

having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him.

He gathers, He gathers His people. Those elected of God, chosen unto salvation by His grace, redeemed by the blood of His Son, will be called by the preaching of His gospel. That's the means He uses. They'll be quickened. They must be born again by that effectual inward working of God the Holy Spirit.

There's a lot to him comforting us with that comforter and creating a new creature in you. God's holy justice demands we must be called by his word. God has that appointed time of love for each one of his elect.

Because we're not born holy and we're not born righteous. We're born sinful, spiritually dead, wicked, God-hating creatures. We're bound by trespasses and sins. We're bound by Satan. God must do something for us. And he purposed it in his son from the beginning. God the Father must draw us to his son. His son is the only way. He said, I am the way, I am the truth, and I am the life. There's no way else. There's no other way. Only through his son. And he's our life, our only acceptance to God.

God graciously forces us by that gift of faith he gives us to believe on his own. That he is God and the rewarder of them who diligently seek him.

So how do we know these things? How can we hear? How can we believe we lack faith? We're not born. with that God gift of faith. There is none who seek him, and we've all sinned and went astray. We're scattered. God scattered us to the four corners of the earth.

And he tells us in Romans. Romans 10, verse 14. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 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.

Christ's feet are beautiful. Aren't they beautiful? But they have not all obeyed the gospel, for Isaiah saith, Lord, who has believed, I report. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The word of God is powerful. It's that two-edged sword. It's the power of God unto salvation, that gospel. So God sends his preacher, God with his word, and borns us again. He calls us. He makes it effectual. And he must put his Holy Spirit in you. That's the only way that you're gonna, he applies that blood of Christ. Creates in you a new man. He doesn't doctor up your flesh, the flesh profits nothing. It's that seed in you, Christ in you, the hope of glory.

We are not capable of saving ourselves. And when the Holy Spirit of God has come, sin of the Father, he will reprove us. He will reprove us of sin and righteousness and judgment. Through the preaching of the gospel, God will show you and convict you that you were a sinner. that you continually sin and he is holy. How are you to approach a holy God? He can't look upon your evil. Only he can give you spiritual life and only he can give you his gift of faith to believe on his son, bring you to repentance, turn you from your self-righteousness and your darkness and your dead works. to show you that Christ's righteousness is the only righteousness God will accept. And we will only accept his son's sacrifice and his blood for the remission of sins.

Back in the Old Testament, it talks about an ass being unclean, a wild ass. And that's what we are. We're born wild asses. But God will not relinquish his claim on his. He said to get out the firstborn of mine. The first fruits are his. So how do you redeem? A wild, unclean ass. Only with a lamb. The perfect, spotless, sinless Lamb. Only the blood of the Lamb can redeem wild asses like us. Praise God, He won't relinquish His claim. He sanctified you in Christ before the foundation of the world. Predestinated you to be saved by His Son's sacrifice. by His bloodshed. Show you your need for that substitute, His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Holy Spirit working in you. For we're only accepted in Him. There's no other way. No other name. He is that spotless Lamb of God, pure and holy. and we are born unclean and God will not and cannot accept us only in his son. He purposed that from the foundation of the world. Isn't that wonderful? That just when he made a way to be holy, remain holy and just, and justify a dirty, unclean ass like us with the blood of His Son.

Just for the ungodly, the just and the justifier, there's only one message. There's only one gospel. There's only one God. There's only one Christ and Him crucified. And by that one message, A multitude on that day were converted. Only God can do that. So it was God who sent Peter and the apostles with his message to these people, to his elect, just as he promised. And it was God who gathered them. God's promise to his elect.

Let's look in Acts 2. Verse 37. I've lost my place. Here we go. Acts 2 and verse 37.

Now then, they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do? Just like that century. What shall we do to be saved?

Then Peter said unto them, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

And with many words, Other words, did he testify and exhort saying, save yourselves from this untoward generation.

Then they that gladly received the word were baptized. And notice they received the word. Anytime you receive the word, you're going to receive it gladly.

And the same day there were added unto them about 3000 souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

And fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common, and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

And they continuing daily, with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people.

And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

The Lord did this, that very Jesus of Nazareth that very one that they rejected and crucified and is now exalted. He is the Messiah. He is the son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. He's alive. He's alive and he is sitting on his throne till all his enemies be made his footstool. They knew this. They knew that he was in the line of David to be king. Those Jews, they knew that. They didn't crucify him for that. But what pricked them in the heart? What pricked them in the heart? That Jesus of Nazareth, that's the one they gotta bow to. That's the one, that's the one that God exalted. That's the one that is their king that they refused. He is the Son of God. He is the Christ. He is the Lord over all, and He holds the keys to life and hell. They've been taught that. They knew that. All the fullness of the Godhead resides in Him bodily. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords.

And He revealed this to them, looking Verse 29 of Acts 2. Man and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet and knowing that God has sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne. He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul would not be left in hell. And we do know Christ did not go to hell. This is speaking of the grave. Three days, according to scripture, he arose again. Neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he has shed forth this which you see and hear now. That's what's going on right now on that day. Just what he said. For David is not ascended into the heavens, but he saith himself, the Lord said unto my Lord, set thou on my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Now, when they heard this, They were pricked in their hearts. That's what pricked our hearts. He's the one, he's the one who is one with the Father. He's our God. He's the one they must kiss, lest he be angry. Behold your king. He is the Lord who adds to his church daily such as should be saved. The one that they had murdered and they were pricked in their hearts. Only God can reveal this. It was prophesied. The scriptures testify of Christ Jesus. They're all about him. They speak of him. Let's look in verse 16. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel. And it shall come to pass in the last day, saith God, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh. And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. And your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath blood and fire and a vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned in the darkness and the moon and the blood before that great notable day of the Lord come and it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Ye men of Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs which God did buy him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God you have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain, whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death. because it was not possible that he should be holding of it.

For David speak concerning him. I foresaw the Lord always before my face for he is on my right hand that I should not be moved. Therefore did my heart rejoice, my tongue was glad. Moreover, my flesh shall rest in hope, because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life. Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

The crucified Christ. He's risen. He lives, that victorious savior. And he ever lives to intercede for us. And he is that mediator of the better covenant. The testator died where there's a will, where there is a covenant. The testator must die before you get your inheritance. He came, he died, but he lives again. Make sure you get your inheritance. Your inheritance is Christ, it's Him. Your life in Him. He laid down His life for us that we may have life in Him. He is that risen Savior, that Jesus of Nazareth.

Brethren, we are His inheritance and He is ours. He has made us one in Christ. He is our head and we make up His body. Why is it so important to gather together in His name? We make up His body. We're going to spend eternity together in Christ. We make up His body. He's made it that way. He don't need us. We need Him. Without Him, we die. But he's made it to where he's not complete without every single one that the Father gave him to make up his body. Isn't that wonderful? It's him that gathers us and it's him that keeps us together.

Look over in Jeremiah. Jeremiah 31. I love Jeremiah 31. Jeremiah 31 in verse nine. They shall come with weeping and with supplications will I lead them. I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble for I am a father to Israel. And Ephraim is my firstborn. Hear the word of the Lord. O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel shall gather him and keep him as a shepherd does his flock."

It's the Lord that gathers His people to Himself. And it is not for our sake, but for Christ's sake. That one they crucified, look over in Ezekiel. Ezekiel 36, verse 21. But I had pity for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God, I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen. whether ye went, and I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them, and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

For I will take you from among the heathen and gather you out of all countries and will bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean. Oh, the blood of Christ. From all your filthiness and from all your idols, I will cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh, and I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them.

There ain't a thing in there about us doing anything. He does it all. He does it all. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and ye shall be, look there, my people, and I will be your God. That's God. That's God that does this.

Look what, look over in Jeremiah, because he made a covenant. He made a covenant. He made promise, Jeremiah 31, 33. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord, for they shall know me from the least of them, and to the greatest of them, saith the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

" Christ put away our sins with His blood, with His one-time offering of His body. He's the sacrifice that made us who are unclean clean and holy. God's purpose, God's will, and his son. Christ came to save sinners. He came to save his elect. And we, we are guilty. We're vile sinners. We're murderers. We murdered the son of God. God said the law says if you kill a man, But he said, I say, if you hate, you've committed murder. We were born hating God. We're at enmity with him.

But God, who cannot lie, and God, who does not change, has loved us with an everlasting love. Such as should be saved, those are the ones that should be saved, and God adds them to his church daily. They make up the body, we make up the body of Christ, and he is our living head. Ephesians 5.30 says, for we are members of his body, and of his flesh, and of his bones, and daily he is adding us to himself. It's not the building. Each one of us that are gods make up the body of Christ. He's our husband. That's the example he gives. We the church are his bride. And what a great and glorious mystery that he reveals to us in giving us that example. that we can have a glimpse of an understanding of what it means to be one, to be in that unity with our Father. He loved us and gave his life for us.

Ephesians, look over in Ephesians 5. Ephesians 5 and verse 26. Why does God do this? Why does God gather us together? That he might sanctify, just talking about his church, his body, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself, a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy. And without blemish. Made holy. Made spotless. Made sinless. That new creation that God creates in us. It's of God. It's born of God. Christ Jesus the firstborn. He's born of a virgin. That he be sinless because we're born of Adam. And that's where we inherit that nature, that sinful nature. God was born, Christ was born of the Holy Spirit. And that new man in us is born of God. We're the first fruits. Oh, what love and what grace and what mercy.

Now while we were in the flesh, While we're in this world, we're not perfect. It's that new man, that Christ in us, the hope of glory, that seed that remaineth forever. That new man in Christ is perfect in Christ. And one day soon, he's promised. And we already see he does exactly as he promised. He will separate us from that old man. For he is coming again. And what's he going to do when he comes again? He's going to gather all that are his to himself. He's going to translate us. He's going to change us in the twinkling of an eye. We're going to live forever in one body, in Christ, who is our head. We've been in Him from eternity. We're going to be in Him for eternity. Make up His body. We'll be complete without sin. We're going to experience His grace and His glory. Our faith, it's going to be sight. We won't have to live by faith anymore because our faith, that's Him. He is our life. We're going to be in Him. He's going to be with us without sin.

But now that we're in this flesh, By that faith that God gives us, that looks to Christ, he keeps us looking to him till he comes again. That's another reason why it's so important to gather ourselves together. So why does he gather us now into these local New Testament churches that all make up his church, his body? Why is it important? that we gather ourselves together to worship him. And look over in Ephesians 4 verse 12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in that unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man. He grows us in grace and in the knowledge of his Son, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about to every wind of doctrine by the slight of man and cunning craftiness whereby they lie and wait to deceive, but speaking the truth in love may grow up unto him in all things, which is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, and to the edifying of itself in love.

He loved us with an everlasting love and he made it that we make up his body. We complete in him. He's not complete without us. He's made it that way. Look what God's done for you. We have other brothers and sisters, right? We don't know. We do His ordinances. He gives us ordinances that we remember the one that we love, who loved us first. That's what we do when we take the Lord's Supper. We remember Him. We remember His blood that He shed for the remission of our sins, for our redemption accomplished. We remember his broken body that was sacrificed. That he laid down his life for us. That we may have life in him. In the gathering of ourselves together, how can we do all those things without him? We really do need each other. God made it that way. And that's what he says to love one another. That's Christ. He's loved his church as Christ loves his own body. Christ loves his own body. We ought to love it, huh? Worship our head.

Here together is where he speaks to us through his Holy Spirit, hearing his word preached. It's not the building. He's in the midst of us when two or more or three are gathered in His name to worship Him.

So here in Acts chapter 2, we see God doing as He promised. For He's faithful. He gathers His elect. He calls us. God draws us to Christ, His Son. He sends His gospel. He sends His preacher to declare His word. And He pours out His Holy Spirit into us. He quickens us, gives us eternal life and faith to believe on him.

And he gives us just a little glimpse. Of what eternity is going to be like. When you gather together. United in one body. And one man. In Christ. It's a little glimpse of what's going to be like in eternity.

We gather together as one body to worship Him who is holy and who's made us holy in Him. His body, His elect people, His church. He sits on His throne right now and He adds to His body daily. such as should be saved. To God be the glory.