Good evening. It's good to see
you all. So thankful the Lord has gathered
us here together. And I trust you'll allow me a
few words before I ask you to turn to our portion tonight. It truly is my great honor to
be among you this evening. It's really an undeserved You know, there's a well-known
preacher, you might have heard of him, George Whitefield. And
I understand that he said on one occasion, other ministers
of the gospel, other preachers of the gospel may preach the
gospel better than I, but no one can preach a better gospel.
I think I would have to say it's a little bit different. I'm pretty
sure all of my brothers who are ministers of the gospel, faithful
preachers of the gospel, I'm pretty sure all of them preach
the gospel better than me, but no one can preach a better gospel.
No one. I want to thank you for your
hospitality through the Henson's and for some of you that took
some time to say a kind word or greet us. We're thankful for
your love and for your kindness to us. And we know where that
flows from, right? It flows from him who first loved
us and washed us of our sins with his precious blood. I pray
that the Lord will enable me tonight to preach the gospel
to you. My motive behind this pulpit, I'm thankful I don't
have to Search it out. The evangelist John, he sets
it forth very clearly and plainly. It's in John's gospel. You don't
have to turn there. Chapter 20. I believe it's the
last verse, 31. He says, these are written. I'll
read it to you. You don't have to turn there
with me. But I love our brother's motive. This is why Every faithful
minister of the gospel writes the articles he writes in his
bulletins, the reason why he writes a book, so that you might
understand more fully the glories of our Lord and God, Jesus Christ,
the sureness of that salvation, and why he labors in his study
to preach the gospel. It is with this motive, John's
Gospel, chapter 20. in verse 31. Remember, John the
Evangelist was a real life flesh and blood man. He had his personality. He had this desire that God put
in his heart. And listen to what the Holy Spirit
had him to preserve. He said in verse 31, but these
are written, and tonight when I'm preaching, I can say this,
that I am preaching to you with this purpose, that you might
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing,
you might have life through his name. So I pray that the Lord
will bless the poverty behind this pulpit
and make you rich in Christ. If you turn with me tonight to
Titus chapter three, We'll be looking at the portion
from verse 3 to verse 7, but I'll read the entire portion
beginning in verse 1 to verse 7. And then briefly, I'll ask
you to turn to Acts chapter 20, and we'll read just a small portion
there from verse 7 to verse 12. Titus chapter 3, verse 1, I pray
the Lord will bless the reading of his word to our hearts tonight
and comfort us. The Apostle Paul writes to Titus,
put them in mind. Who's the them? When you have
some time later, he talks about the them. It's in chapter two,
the old men of the church, the older women of the church, the
young men of the church, the young women of the church. It's
speaking to this local congregation. God's people, God's elect. Put
them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers. to
obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, to speak
evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness
unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes
foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving diverse lusts and pleasures,
living in malice, and envy, hateful and hating one another. But after
that, the kindness and love of God, our Savior toward man appeared. not by works of righteousness,
which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us by
the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which
he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior, that
being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according
to the hope of eternal life. Amen. And now if you would turn
with me to Acts chapter 20. And I'll begin reading there in verse
seven. Acts chapter 20, beginning in
verse seven. And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples
came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready
to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in
the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. And there
sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen
into a deep sleep, And as Paul was long preaching,
he sunk down with sleep and fell down from the third loft and
was taken up dead. And Paul went down and fell on
him and embracing him said, trouble not yourselves for his life is
in him. When he therefore was come up
again and had broken bread and eaten and talked a long while,
even till break of day, so he departed. And they brought the
young man alive and we're not a little comforted. Throughout the centuries, faithful
ministers of the gospel have often said, we cannot preach
the gospel without preaching the three R's. The three R's. And in our portion tonight, beginning
in verse three through to verse seven, I would like us to look
at the three R's. And here's what they are, very
simply this, ruined by sin. And another way of putting that
is you can't and you won't. We can't and we won't. The second
heading we'll look at tonight is redemption by the son of God,
by his precious sinless blood. And we can put that another way. He can and He will. And then the last part we'll
look at, the last setting is regeneration by the Spirit of
God. And we'll spend a little bit
more time on that point. And we'll be looking at this
comfort. He conquers. He conquers. He commands. He wills. And join to Him. Not only he
wins, but we win. So looking here at this first
portion in verse three, we read here, for we ourselves also were
sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving diverse lusts
and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating
one another. In the book of Ephesians chapter
two, there's another letter D there, we're dead. By nature, we were
dead spiritually. graveyard dead. How can I make
that clear and plain to all of us tonight? You can't fix things
with God. You and I cannot fix things with
God. We're going to look at a few
portions of scripture in the Old Testament, but look what
it says here in Genesis chapter 6. Genesis chapter six and verse
five. It says there. And God saw. Genesis chapter six, verse five,
and God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth
and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was
only evil continually. We can't fix things with our
relationship with God. We can't put things and fix them. The second point, we can't make
things right. We cannot make things right with
our relationship with God. Look what it says in Jeremiah. You know, we just read that the
heart is right there in Genesis chapter five, and it's only evil
continually. That's what's in me, and that's
what's in you, beloved. Evil continually. Do you not
remember when our Lord said to disciples? He said, it's remarkable
language. I trust you haven't missed it.
And you being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will my Heavenly Father give to them that ask?"
Them that ask. We don't decide, do we? We ask like the publican, our
brother, like the leper. What did he say? He said, and
that leper, we know that's a picture of our ruin, right? That's what
we're looking at right now. We're ruined. And that's a picture
of our sin. that leper from the top of our
head to the bottom of our feet, just sin, nothing but sin. And
what did the leper say? He said, Lord, if you're willing,
you can make me whole. You can save me. And the Lord
said, I'm willing, be thou whole, be thou clean, be thou saved. Now look at Jeremiah, chapter
17, if you would, with me, chapter 17 of Jeremiah. We can't fix things with God. We can't make things right with
God. It says in Jeremiah chapter 17
in verse 9, and you, beloved, I trust you see yourself here,
that this is not some cold doctrinal point. It says here, the heart
is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, who can
know it? Who can know it? You can't fix
things with God. You can't make things right with
God. And I would add your morality. Like, I'm all for morality. I
trust we all are. There's nothing wrong with morality
and doing what is upright. But your morality will not save
you. If you're looking to your morality
tonight, and you think that that's going
to help you fix your relationship with God, that will not work. Look what it says in Isaiah
chapter 64. In Isaiah's gospel chapter 64,
it says here, Isaiah chapter 64
and verse six, And this is describing all of
us here, beloved. We are all as an unclean thing. And all our righteousnesses,
plural, are as filthy racks. Filthy racks. When we speak to our neighbors
and our family and our loved ones about the gospel that we
rejoice in, the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation.
The natural man cannot understand these things that we're talking
about, how that you are a sinner, and by the blood and righteousness
of Christ, you are a saint. You are complete and you rest
in him. And so when we look at a verse like Romans chapter 10,
excuse me, Romans chapter three, I want to be understood by everyone,
not just you beloved, but also the natural man who might be
here tonight. And I pray the Lord will bless his own word
and open your heart and cause you to take your eyes off of
your, your efforts, your righteousnesses, and your, uh, I just want the
Lord to turn on the light. I'll put it another way because
until he turns on the light, you will be. as we read in that
verse in Titus chapter three, verse three, deceived in diverse
lusts. You're dead and you don't even
know you're dead. Listen to what the word of God says about our
ruin. It says here in Romans chapter
three, verse 10, as it is written, there is none righteous, no,
not one. Beloved, I want my, I want my
wife to think I'm a good husband. I want my daughter to think I'm
a good dad. Before God, I'm not good. Quite the contrary. Before God, outside of Christ,
I'm evil. And that's why I need a holy
savior. That's why I need a redeemer. And we need to make it really
clear tonight that we're not comparing one worm with another
worm. Right? The word of God declares no one
is good, no not one. When you and I, well should someone, they're presumed to stand before
God in their own filthy, ruined rags, they'll find out that they
are not good. Our only hope is that in this
time state, God would be merciful. and turn on the light. And it's
always in the light of Christ. Should God love someone afresh
tonight, God will put you into the light and the countenance
of his well-pleasing son. And in the light of Christ, he'll
show you your leper. And your only hope is to come
to him tonight from the heart. You don't have to move a muscle.
You don't even have to move your lips. But from the heart, say,
Lord, if you're willing, Make me whole. Make your righteousness
my righteousness. Make the blood that you shed
on Calvary's tree the blood that washes throughly all my sins. But this is what it says in Romans
chapter three, verse 10. As it is written, there is none
righteous. No, not one. There is none that
understandeth. There is none that seeketh after
God. They are all gone out of the way. They are all together
become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good,
no, not one. That's me. That's why I need
a savior. That's why I need the Lord Jesus
Christ to, how do I put it better than what we read in Acts chapter
four, verse 12? It says there, there's no other
name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved. I must be saved by Christ or
I perish. I must only look to his blood
that cleanses me truly and completely of all my sins. It's that perpetual
fount of pardon we have in Emmanuel's veins. It's no other There's
no other Savior. We must be saved by the Lord
Jesus Christ, else we perish. And I'm so thankful he is the
Savior who must save his people. That's what it says in John chapter
4, verse 4, does it not? He must needs go through Samaria. How come? Because one of his
elect sheep is there. He doesn't save anybody by accident.
He saves his people on purpose. I love that, don't you? To know
that the Lord God Almighty The God of all grace is ruling and
reigning to this very purpose, to save his people and the glorification
of his son. And other places we read about
to the glory of the father, it's glory to God, the true and living
God. And I'm so thankful that our Lord and God tells us in
so many wonderful places that this gospel, that we have been
given faith to believe. And you know, I trust you know
I'm not talking about some system of theology, right? The gospel
we believe is a person, and his name is the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the Lord of lords, and he's
the King of kings. And before we move on to our
second heading, we've just looked at our ruin. I pray that nobody
here tonight leaves looking at what you're trying to do to amend
your relationship with God in your flesh. I trust nobody here
tonight is looking, oh, I didn't do this, but somebody else did
that, or your righteousness, or I trust you haven't forgotten
what it's like to be on a plane and not have this hope. Do you
remember? Do you remember what it's like?
You would be making deals. Lord, keep me safe on this plane,
and I'll do this, and I'll do that. As God's people, we have
rest. We have a refuge. We hear from
Calvary's cross. In English, it's three words.
It is finished. In Spanish, two words. I'll spare
you the Spanish. Nobody here speaks Spanish. Well,
my wife speaks Spanish. Consumado es, two words. And the original language, done.
Done, one word. And the Lord is so kind to us
and so merciful to us and so gracious that he repeats this
gospel through this blessed book from Genesis to Revelation. It's
the book that is filled with him, H-I-M. And that him that
this book speaks about, he tells us again in Revelation chapter
21, verse six, it is done. Would the Lord please allow us
again afresh tonight to rest, to take our eyes off of our circumstances,
whatever thing is going on in your life that's hard, hard in
the flesh, the trial, the trouble, just rest in knowing that our
God reigneth, beloved, our God reigneth. So we've just looked
at, I trust it's not just an abstract thing tonight, outside
of Christ, You're ruined, I'm ruined. My only hope is to be
found in him. Not having a righteousness that
I've had any meddling with, but only the righteousness of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Now back to our portion in Titus. I'm thankful for that perpetual
found of pardon. in Emmanuel's veins, and we'll look at that
in a moment here, right, looking at this verse four. But after
that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according
to his mercy, he saved us. So I'd like to take a moment
to look at redemption by the Son of God through his precious
sinless blood. Those first points about being
ruined, it's not good news, is it? Well, let's hear some good
news, shall we? You can't fix things. And I would
add our God, our Lord and God Jesus Christ, he is able, but
he does not fix things, does he? No, beloved, he makes all
things new, all things new. Look what it says in Revelation. in Revelation chapter 21, verse five. Our righteousness is filthy rags. It can't be fixed. It's ruined.
When something's ruined, you don't try and repair it. You don't try to fix it up. You
throw it out. and our Lord and God has told
us your filthy rags or your righteousnesses if you're still calling that
I don't know if this is true of every home in Kentucky but
in the Henson home there's a Garbage pail by the toilet. That's what our righteousnesses
are, and they can't be fixed. We must be made anew in Christ.
And this is what it says here in Revelation chapter 21, verse
five. And he that sat upon the throne
said, behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, write,
for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me,
It is done. It is done. Through his doing and dying,
through his shed blood upon Calvary's cross, through the righteousness
he established on the earth as a real life flesh and blood man,
he has redeemed us, he has reconciled us, he has, in a word, saved
us. And not almost saved us. You
know, the King James, it renders that word complete in Hebrews
chapter 7 verse 25. It says, he is able to save to
the uttermost. That means he's able to save
completely all those that come unto God through him. I'm the
Alpha and the Omega and the End. I will give unto him that is
a thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely, freely. Not only is our Lord and God
able to make all things new, beloved, but so too, he makes
all things right, all things right. I had the thought the other day,
it sort of came up in conversation, And maybe I can put it to you,
beloved. I can't speak for you, but for myself, it seems like
everything in my life I have done wrong. As a father, I feel like I've
done everything wrong. As a husband, as a brother, as
a son, as a neighbor, as a friend. Aren't you thankful, beloved,
that he has done everything right? Isn't that the contrast we read
between Genesis chapter 6, verse 5? It says, the thoughts of the
heart of man are only evil continually. What does our Lord and God tell
us in John chapter 8, verse 29? He says, the Father is always
with me, for I do always those things that please him. body that was prepared for the
Son of God. He lived out a perfect life on
behalf of his people, and that's our righteousness, beloved. I'm
stressing to you that the Lord God, Jesus Christ, he is able
to put all things right. This is his righteousness that
reconciles us to God the Father. Look what it says in Isaiah chapter
42. Now there's some verses I'd like
to get to. I don't know if we'll get to
all of them, but I pray the Lord will bless his own word. The
power is not in my eloquence or my ability to be an orator
or speak. It's not in my emotionality.
It's not in, uh, like, uh, I would really like to preach the gospel
and I need a lot of help behind this pulpit. And I'm thankful
for the men that the Lord has sent to us over the, well, since
the Lord was raised from the dead and ascended on high. But if God would be pleased to
open a heart tonight, to comfort a heart tonight, to cause someone
who's not resting to rest, rest beloved. Listen to what this
says about how our heavenly father is pleased in his well-pleasing
son. It says here in Isaiah chapter 42 in verse 21, the Lord is not well pleased
with your righteousnesses. That's what I'm trying to say
tonight. God help you to take your eyes off yourself. and look
at God's well-pleasing son tonight for not some of your salvation,
but all of your salvation. It says here, the Lord is well-pleased
for his righteousness sake. He will magnify the law and make
it honorable. The Lord, God, our Lord and God,
Jesus Christ, he has established perfect holiness, perfect righteousness,
perfect obedience. on behalf of his people to the
satisfaction of our Heavenly Father. It is not your best effort,
your best life now, it is the life of Christ that we rest in. The Apostle Paul knew that, did
he not? I heard somebody was asking at
a Bible conference, and they asked a well-known Bible theologian,
who is responsible for your spiritual life? Well, I'll tell you who's
responsible for your spiritual life, beloved. It's the Lord
Jesus Christ. Look what the Apostle Paul says
here in Galatians. Galatians, and as you're turning
there, I'll just back that up a little bit. He's the author
and finisher of our faith, is he not? Hebrews 12 too. He's the captain of our salvation. Hebrews 2.10. And he's the alpha
and the omega of everything we need to be safe, beloved. In
Galatians chapter two, it says there, listen to the apostle Paul. I'll begin reading there in verse
20. I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live, yet not
I, but Christ liveth in me." That's the testimony of our brother,
the Apostle Paul. He said, it pleased God to call
me forth from my mother's womb to reveal Christ. Do you remember
what he said? He didn't say, to me. not to his head, not so he'd
give mental assent to some finer points of theology. No, he said,
reveal Christ in me. Christ in you is the hope of
glory. Christ in you is the hope of
glory. So we're just looking at this second point, talking
about the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's look at that blood
in Hebrews chapter nine. I'll be looking at Hebrews chapter
nine, verse 14. And then Hebrews chapter 10,
beginning in verse four. But oh, is it so good to read
the gospel tonight, to hear the gospel of our salvation declared,
that Christ is all, that he has done everything. If you bring
to your mind something you think you need to be accepted of God,
I'm telling you, he did it for you. Hebrews chapter nine, verse
13. It says here, I'll begin reading in verse 12.
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood,
he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal
redemption for us. Beloved, we're his purchased
possession. Verse 13. For the blood of bulls
and of goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled the unclean
sanctified to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall
the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself
without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to
serve the living God? And then in Hebrews chapter 10,
in verse four, Beginning there, just on the other page. For it
is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should
take away sins. Wherefore, when he cometh into
the world, he saith, sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not,
but a body hast thou prepared for me. That's speaking about,
you remember the baby was formed in the virgin's womb. And that
angel came from the very throne of God's grace and spoke to that
young man named Joseph. Joseph is perplexed, no doubt. How is it that my fiance is pregnant
with child? I didn't touch her. And in that
moment of just, it must have been so hard for Joseph what
was going on, was he thinking about passing by where Mary's
parents lived, so to cancel the wedding? But in that very moment,
in a dream, in a vision, the angel of the Lord came to Joseph
and said, don't be afraid to take Mary for your wife, for
what's conceived in her womb is conceived by the power of
the Holy Spirit, and you shall call his name Jesus. Joshua,
salvations of the Lord. Jehovah saved. Why do we call
him that? Because he shall, he will save
his people from their sins. Wherefore, when he cometh into
the world, he saith, sacrifice an offering thou wouldest not,
but a body hast thou prepared for me. In burnt offerings and
sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure, then said I,
lo, I come, and the volume of the book is written of me, to
do thy will, O God. Because we are ruined, we can't
and we won't, but because our Lord and God, that he's mighty
and able to save, he will and he can. Above when he said sacrifice
and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin, thou wouldest
not, neither had his pleasure therein which are offered by
the law. Then said he, lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh
away the first that he may establish the second, by the which will
we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus
Christ once for all. Verse 14, for by one offering, He hath perfected forever them
that are sanctified. You wanna hear the same gospel
I just read to you in another portion? I don't have this as
a considered text tonight, but let's look there, shall we? Acts
chapter 15. You know, there were some Judaizers
coming down to the first, I suppose we could call it the first grace
conference. And they were certain men, Acts chapter 15, verse one,
which came down from Judea, taught the brethren and said, except
ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved.
And we hear that same lie today around us. They just put in something
else. Except you do this, except you
do that, you can't be saved. And they put burdens on people.
But listen to what Peter was bold to say. here in verse 11
of Acts chapter 15. But we believe that through the
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we Jews shall be saved even as
these Gentiles. So good to hear that through
the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, he has saved his people, and
it's a sure salvation, all owing to his obedience, all owing to
his sinless blood, all owing to the very righteousness of
God in Christ. Our heavenly father beloved made
his darling sinless son to be made sin that we might be made
the righteousness of God in Christ. God caused someone here tonight
to rest and rejoice in the blood and righteousness of the Lord
Jesus Christ. You know, there's a letter that the Apostle John
writes. I believe it's his first epistle
in John chapter 14 verse 17, and he writes there. Herein is
our love made perfect. That we might have boldness in
the day of judgment. Now, how on earth can a ruined
wretch like you, and a ruined wretch like me. And I'm speaking
about in the flesh. In this flesh, no good thing
dwells. And I trust you know that, beloved. You're not looking
to anything in your flesh of what you have done or what you
will do or anything you're trying to do. But isn't it good to know
that as he is right now, so are we in this world. And I can't
explain that, but that's so. It is talking about the vital
union we have with our, now this might sound strange for some
of the men here, with our husband, who is the bridegroom of his
bride. He is our all in all beloved. Look what it says with me in
Proverbs chapter 20. And let's move on here and get
to the last point quickly, but I want you to look at this. We'll repeat this verse a couple
of times, but I love what is stated here. It's just repeating
what you've heard in my poor outline. It's far better said
here. Proverbs 20, verse 22. God grant you to say this from
the heart tonight. Say not thou, I'm gonna fix things. Say not thou, I'm gonna make
things right with God. Say not thou, you're gonna do
this or that to be saved. But rather, what does it say?
Say not thou, I will recompense evil, but wait on the Lord, looking
to his blood, looking to his righteousness, looking to all
his beauties, all his glories. And what does it say there? And
he shall save thee. Now very quickly in the time
we have remaining is this last point. Regeneration by the Spirit
of God. And we're just going to look
at briefly just some simple points that I trust will delight you
to hear from God's Word. The first one is this, our Lord
and God, Jesus Christ, he conquers his people with the gospel. Look
what it says in Revelation chapter 6. In the preaching of the gospel,
this is the means that God has used and uses to save his people. It says in 1 Corinthians 1, verse
21, it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save
them that believe. And it says here in verse two,
and I saw and behold a white horse and he that sat on him. Who is that speaking about? Who
is that he? It is our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, and had a
bow and a crown was given unto him and he went forth conquering
and to conquer. The word I am declaring to you
tonight, its power is in the content of what you're hearing.
Um, I don't know how accurate history books are and the account
they give of how someone preached, especially when there was no
recording. We can't tell, but there is a minister by the name
of Jonathan Edwards and he's well known for his sermon sinners
in the hands of an angry God. And I'm, to understand through
the historical account that he took his manuscript in a dark
auditorium, candle lit, and he read it in the most monotonic
way he could. And the Lord used that to save
his people. How can that be? Well, maybe I should share a
little story about Brother Walter Groover. I made a gospel tract, and I
showed it to him. And he ignored everything about
that gospel tract, the design, the size of the print, all of
it. And he just pointed to the Word
of God. And he said, Joseph, the power is in the Word of God.
Wouldn't it be glorious tonight if God would break your heart
and cause you to rejoice, to know it's done afresh? I know many of you believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ. Maybe there's someone here tonight
who's never believed. God grant you the gift of faith. It's a gift. By grace are you
saved. Through faith, that's not talking
about your faith. That's not talking about my faith.
That's talking about the faithfulness of God's well-pleasing son. What
does it say in Galatians? It says, we're not justified
by the works of the law, but we're justified by the faith
of the Lord Jesus Christ. By grace here, say, through faith
in that not of yourselves, it is the gift. It is the gift. You know why you're believing
tonight on the Lord Jesus Christ, God? You gave you this gift of
faith. You could not believe on the Son of God unless you
gave you this gift. It's not of works, lest any man should
boast. So he is mighty to say, beloved, he conquers his people. I've sort of gotten a little
distracted going through our portion bit by bit. I think we
can go a little bit late. I won't go as late as last time.
But in Titus, it says here, going back there. But after the kindness and love
of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness,
which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us by
the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which
is shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that
being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according
to the hope of eternal life. So he conquers us with the gospel,
beloved. He conquers us with the gospel, and also he calls
us with the gospel. You're familiar with this passage.
Let's look at it again. 2 Timothy 1, verse 9, it says
there that God saved us. Doesn't say he called us and
then saved us, but the order there is also inspired. God saved
us, and he called us with a holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was
given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. It's a holy
calling. It's an effectual call. It's
an invincible call. And not only does he call us,
beloved, he commands us. This command isn't for everybody.
Maybe tonight it'll be speaking to you. In Matthew's Gospel chapter
11, Matthew's Gospel chapter 11,
it says there, in the latter part, beginning
in verse 25 through to verse 30, to the last verse, At that
time, Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord
of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from
the wise and prudent, and has revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for it seemed
good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto
me of my Father, and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father. Neither
knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever
the Son will reveal him. And here's the gospel command.
Perhaps you can see yourself here, beloved. Come unto me. This is not a suggestion. This
is the gospel command of our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, to
those that labor and are heavy laden. And he tells us, I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn
of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find
rest under your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is
light. And then lastly, one more verse,
and then I'll thank you for your time. And I do pray the Lord
will bless his word tonight to our hearts. In Revelation, the
last point is, You know, He conquers beloved, He calls us, He commands
us, and lastly, united to Him, we win. All owing to His righteousness,
all owing to His sin-cleansing blood, all owing to His doing
and dying. It says here in Revelation chapter
17, in verse 14, These shall make war with the
Lamb, And the lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of lords
and king of kings and they that are with him. Speaking about his people, they
are called. and chosen and faithful. Don't misunderstand it. That
faithfulness is all owing to his faithfulness. He's the one
who directs us and leads us and guides us. He's the one who makes
us willing in the day of his power. He's the one that is pleased
to give us life when we were dead. And I'm so thankful that what
we read here in one last portion, Philippians. I read that portion in Acts chapter
20 verse 9 as sort of an encouragement to me. It said there, Paul was