Turn with me to Psalms chapter
3. Short, but oh so important. The message this morning. I know we know this. I know we know this is in the
scriptures. But I pray this would sink down
into the heart. And we would see God in everything. See God in everything. Let's
read the whole psalm. I'm just going to look at one
verse. How are they increased that trouble
me? Many are they that rise up against
me. Many there be which say of my
soul, there is no help for him in God. Selah. But thou, O Lord, art a shield
for me, my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto
the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill,
Silah. I laid me down and slept. I awakened,
for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands
of people that have set themselves against me round about. Arise,
O Lord, save me, O my God, for Thou hast smitten all mine enemies
upon the cheekbone. Thou hast broken the teeth of
the ungodly. Salvation belongs unto the Lord. Thy blessing is upon Thy people. Selah Now, what I would like
to look at is just one verse. Just one verse. And this one
verse is the gospel and the doctrine of grace enlarged. We can see
all the wisdom and mercy of our God, of our sovereign God, combined
here in verse 8. In verse 8. Salvation. Belongeth unto the Lord. Thy blessing is upon thy people. Or if we want to read it, if
you get hung up on the italics, salvation unto the Lord. But this is defined in other
passages of scripture, which we'll see. So the writers thought
it proper to place that in there that does not take away or add
anything to the word. Salvation belongs. Belongs. If something belongs to you,
originally, if something belongs to you, no one can tell you how
to dispense it. You can dispense it how you want
to. It's up to your discretion. That's why we call this sovereign
grace, discriminatory grace. It's up to God's discretion.
No one can buy it from you unless you want to sell it. No one can
tell you how to use this, whatever. Whatever it is that you own,
it belongs unto you. And this says salvation belongeth
unto the Lord. Henry Law stated this, a writer
of old. This one verse tells of God rich
in salvation. Salvation, and I never looked
at this one, but this is beautiful. Salvation is his property. It's his property. He willed
it, he provided it, and he holds it. He gives it, salvation according
to his sovereign purpose. salvation is deliverance from
every peril and it is exaltation to the heights of heaven itself that's what it's just one verse
salvation deliverance which is part of what david is praying
he's in trouble salvation in this in this context it could
be deliverance and it could be eternal life. It applies either
way. But this is not the only place
that this salvation being a property of God is so recorded. I've got four parallel passages
and we'll look at each one and see these as it defines, expands,
and basically says the same thing. Turn with me first off to Isaiah
63. Isaiah 63. The first five verses. Isaiah 63 verses 1, 2, 3, 4,
and 5. Listen to what it says. And there's
no question of who this is speaking of. Who is this that cometh from
Edom, with dyed garments from Basra, This that is glorious
in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength,
I speak in righteousness mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red
in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the
wine-fat? I, this person, have trodden
the wine-press alone, and of the people there was none with
me. for I will tread them in mine anger and trample them in
my fury and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments
and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in
my heart and the year of my redeemed has come. I looked and there
was none to help. I wondered that there was none
to uphold. Therefore, mine own arm," not
anybody else, not Christ plus your decision, not Christ plus
your wanting to be, you know, whichever you want to be, first
step towards God. No, we're dead in trespasses
and sins. But this passage, speaking of Christ, says, there was, therefore,
mine own arm brought salvation unto me, and my fury, it upheld
me. It says, what he's saying is,
salvation belongs unto God. There, you know, where we see
plainly see in this passage, the second person of the sacred
Trinity by his own arm brought salvation, by his own arm. None assisting, none helping,
or even able to help. No, he must drink. The cup of
the wrath of God, do us alone. Salvation is the property, is
owned by the Lord. Our second passage, turn with
me to Jonah, chapter two, that famous cry of Jonah. I've got to find it. It's a little
guy. He's in there somewhere. Jonah chapter 2 and verse 9. And we know who
this is speaking of. But I will sacrifice unto thee
with the voice of thanksgiving. I will pay that I vowed salvation
is of the Lord. Now this is Jonah crying. This
is the picture of Christ in the belly of the whale. Salvation
is of the Lord. And I've, you know, made this
comment many, many times. Of shows origin. It's his property. He can do with it as he pleases.
Salvation is of the Lord in its origin, in his conception, in
its fulfillment, and in his glory. The cost of the salvation that
God wrought through the second person of the Trinity, convinced
by the third person of the Trinity to his people, was great. But so was the solution. So was the payment. So is the
glory. I remember, I haven't said it
in a long time, but how does it go? There was nothing that ever cost
so much, and I can't remember the last part of it. But I used
to quote that all the time. It's glorious. It's His property. Salvation belongs. He owns it. He dispenses it to whomsoever
He will. Salvation is of the Lord. Now why would Jonah, well we'll
get to that in a minute, actually when we close, But all these are written, I
just noticed all these are written during difficult times. Hard times. A man in the belly
of a fish. Obviously Isaiah 63. Trodden
the winepress alone. I have trodden the winepress
alone. Zechariah chapter 6. I guess my excuse for the lack
of preaching this morning would be sometimes I think the Word
of God just needs to be read in a few comments and just let
it alone. Let the children listen and not
be an hour or two hour message and everybody's asleep. Zechariah chapter 6 verses 12
and 13. And speak unto him, saying, Thus
speaketh the Lord, saying, Behold the man, we know who this is
speaking about, whose name is the branch. Now, I talked to
a Jehovah's Witness, or a Mormon, and they say, well, that's Joseph
Smith. No, it's not. No, it isn't. he shall grow up
out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord. Even he shall build the temple
of the Lord, and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and
rule upon his throne, and he shall be a priest upon his throne,
and the counsel of peace shall between them both. Now I did notice this about these
two verses. The phrase he and his is used
eight times. This isn't talking about Joseph
Smith. This is just talking about the one whom salvation belongs. He's the worker, he. The scapegoat or the propitiation,
he. The glory bearer, he. The throne
sitter, he, he by himself has done it all. He requires perfection
and he provides perfection. He requires the sacrifice, therefore
he provided the necessary, pure, immaculate, and honorable sacrifice. We sing that song, man of sorrows,
what a name for the son of God who came, ruined sinners to reclaim,
hallelujah, what a savior. But I just love how this is worked.
Even he shall build the temple, the Lord. He shall bear the glory. Cause he, the Lord had laid on
him the iniquity of us all. He was a lamb led to the slaughter. The cost of what he did for his
people is absolutely astounding. Our last passage is in Revelations
chapter seven. Revelation chapter 7 and verses
9 and 10. Revelation 7 verses 9 and 10. We don't need a degree in Greek
or a degree in Hebrew to understand. We don't even need to know church
history. We just need to, by the grace of God, ask Him to
open our eyes to see Christ in this book. Verses 9 and 10. And this I beheld, and lo, a
great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations,
kindreds, peoples, and tongues. That's what Bruce was talking
about in Romans. Stood before the throne, and before the Lamb,
clothed with white robes and palms in their hands, and cried
with a loud voice, saying, salvation to our God, which sits upon the
throne, unto the lamp salvation to our God this is This is what
he's saying This is what he's saying in Psalms chapter 3 salvation
belongs It's again. It's sovereign. It's gracious.
It's discriminatory. It's particular. He owns it Salvation
to our God as our text in Psalms 3 implies. He owns it. He dispenses it to whomsoever
He pleases. This salvation is as He is. It's great. It's glorious. It's
irresistible. It's sure to all the sea. and it's ever effectual, meaning
it's able to save. It does the job which it was,
he meant it to do. What joy to every poor, miserable,
Holy Spirit, enlightened son and daughter of Adam's race.
That is those who know and see and feel their need of this heavenly
monarch. Melinda and I were talking, you
know, this last week or so and certain situations happen. People
don't, they don't see the need. And a lot of times we don't see
our need because we always try to fix it other than going to
the scriptures or partaking of His means of grace which He so
graciously has laid out for His people. We don't see our need and we
don't see Him. Those who, like us, all of our life, did resist
the gracious calls of the Holy Spirit, those who are finally
and convincingly humbled by the grace of God, yes, we are made
willing in the day of His power. And that's like, well, you try
to, oh, maybe if I just said this one thing, or maybe if this
person would have been here, they would have, no, He's gotta
make them willing in the day of His power. He's sovereign,
He owns. This property, this wonderful grace of salvation,
He owns it. It belongs to Him. These are us who are by nature
as evil and wicked and out of the way as any other. Now, by
the sweet and merciful calling of God in Christ Jesus, through
the Holy Spirit of God, melts the heart, quickens the mind,
we are now in agreement with God. Two walking together, we're
in agreement. We're in agreement with Him. There's no kicking against the
pricks. There's no arguments. There's no running away from
our Creator, no. Now we embrace Him, we kiss Him,
and follow after Him. It's just like the prodigal son,
that's what we were like. When He came to Himself, that's
Holy Spirit conviction. He remembered His Father, He
remembered all the benefits, He loads us daily with benefits.
That story is one of my favorites. He came to Himself. He did not
by His own will, His own way, His own worth. The Holy Spirit
convicted him. He remembered what was said. A message, maybe, that his father
told him. The world's tough. You're going
to see what the world is, but you've got to figure it out.
You're young. Young people, well, I know more
than my mom and dad. I don't need them. And then as
the time goes on, then it's like, oh, I wish they were here. They
knew a lot more than I thought they did. He would faint. belly with the husk, and no one
cared. No one cared. That's this world. You have people who do care here
and there, but not spiritually. That's what we're talking about.
His father, he saw a great way off. And I suspect it was two ways. It was, I don't deserve to be
called, you know, and probably cut him off and bring the robe,
the ring, hugged. And I'm sure the son just said,
no, maybe when he was working in the world, but now there's
just mutual embrace. The prodigal son and the prodigal
daughters returned to the father, returned to the father. Back to our text. What results are now for all
his dear people? Well, let's keep going, reading.
Salvation is owned, belongs to the Lord. His blessings, God's
blessings is upon each and every child, his children of God. You can't separate them. You
can't separate this cost, this is too costly. The father, it
didn't cost him anything to put that robe. It didn't cost him
anything to put that ring. We cannot bankrupt our God. Just like that woman, just keep
knocking, keep knocking, save my children, save my children,
save my family, save my brothers, save my neighbors, save my neighbors,
save my, just keep on. We cannot bankrupt him. So what
results are now for all of his dear children? Daily blessings or benefits. Psalm 68 tells us that. Temporal
blessings. Matthew chapter 6. We do have
temporal blessings. Spiritual blessings. Ephesians
1. All spiritual blessings in heavenly
places. There's pardon of sin. There's needed righteousness
provided. There's reconciliation and peace.
There's adoption. There's blessings of grace and
blessings of glory. Look with me real quick at Psalms
84. I like how this is put together. Perfectly put together. Psalms
84 and verse 11. Psalms 84, 11, for the Lord God
is a son and shield. The Lord will give grace. If
he gives grace, he's going to give glory. Oh, and if we didn't
understand that, I don't understand what's he talking about. Read
the next sentence. No good thing will he withhold from them that
walk uprightly. No good thing. So maybe something
bad happens in human terms. It's a good, and that's what
we're learning. That's what we're learning. Now,
I want us to remember one thing, and I alluded to it early on.
Look at the title of this psalm. When did David write this? Oh,
he was in the palace, he had money, he had honey coming out,
he had everything. No. A psalm of David when he
fled from Absalom, his son, his son was trying to kill him. That's when this was written.
So here's my thought. Remember, David prayed this when
he was running from Absalom in great trial. So I ask you, if
you are a believer, and I tell myself, what was David and what
is our heart, what comfort in such times or any time? Salvation, deliverance, or eternal
life belongs unto God. He saw God on the throne. Sovereign
I don't care who's in that office in the eastern part of this country.
It does not matter This verses is true when David
wrote it under distress as it is now God in Christ secondly is ever
for us My blessing is upon thy people These are promises These
are, as we say, fact. No, this is truth. This is above
fact. This is truth. Thirdly, he promises
deliverance, temporal and spiritual. Lay hold of it. Fourthly, may
we dwell on this. May we dwell on who's on the
throne. That last word in the psalm,
silah, it has many people, it means a stop, and consider, stop,
and meditate upon what's being said. And if you only get the
last part of the whole chapter, verse 8, salvation belongs unto
the Lord. Lord, I'm going to come to you
and you only because there's only one name given among men
whereby we must be saved. I'm going to come to you because
this situation is happening and I don't know what to do. I'm
asking for wisdom. And you give it to your people
liberally. Dwell on this or pause and meditate
on this, Selah. Think about what he's being said.
Salvation is owned. It's dispensed. It's granted
by the Lord. And when he grants it, his blessing
is going to be upon you. And most people, most of the
Lord's people are poor. They're downtrodden. Now this world, they don't like
poor, downtrodden people. They'll walk right past you.
That's okay. If you're trying to do something
to be seen of men, or trying to get a name for yourself, you're
looking in the wrong place. It has to do with spirituality,
it has to do with salvation, it has to do with grace. Yes,
be kind to people, be friendly to people, but get our eyes on
Christ. I tell myself this, salvation
is His. He's on the throne. Christ is
for us. He shed His blood. It cost Him
greatly. He has promised deliverance. If nothing else, if they kill
the body, they can only kill the body. They can't take the
soul. And like the brethren of old times, and I was reading
some commentators, not commentators, but just devotionals, and they
said, you know, they call them first generation saints, which
is a misnomer, you know, talking about New Testament. The trials
they went through, the mockings, all these different things they
went through, we haven't, we don't know that yet. But they
still, they saw God was on the throne. Nevertheless not my will
but your will be done your will be done Christ is our glory look at verse
3, but thou O Lord art a shield for me and my glory My glory
well people are gonna. They're not gonna want to talk
to me It's okay It's okay tell them about your glory The only
thing I've got to close with is today, if you will hear His
voice, harden not your hearts. Harden not your, don't, our mind
is racing, and what we're gonna do, we may not be able to do
it. We may not, we're not guaranteed
of tomorrow. Today, oh, it's the same, he's
preaching the same thing. Yes, believe the same thing,
believe the same one. Today, if you'll hear his voice,
harden not your hearts. And that's all of us, whether
deliverance or eternal life. Go to him who has it all. Nathan, would you close us? Heavenly Father, we do thank
you and rejoice that it is your salvation that you did not hand
it all to anybody else. You were playing from the beginning.
You perfected it. You did all the work.