Good morning. You've made way too much of us
being here this morning. We're just thankful. Thankful
for the opportunity to be with you all. This congregation is
so dear to Abby and I. We're just thankful for each
one of you. And thank you for that special.
I heard you all warming up and I just couldn't wait for the
service to start to hear it again. Open your Bibles with me to the
book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel 16. Ezekiel 16, we'll begin with
verse one. Again, the word of the Lord came
unto me, saying, Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations. Now here in this text, we read
first of what we are by nature. This is where each of us are
found. Verse 3, he said, Thus saith
the Lord God unto Jerusalem, Thy birth and thy nativity is
of the land of Canaan. Thy father was an Amorite, thy
mother a Hittite. And as for thy nativity, in the
day that thou was born, thy navel was not cut, neither was thou
washed in water to supple thee. Thou was not salted at all, nor
swatted at all, and none eye pitied thee. to do any of these
unto thee, to have compassion upon thee. But thou was cast
out into the open field to the loathing of thy person in the
day that thou was born. Man's estate, ruined, ruined,
cast out into the open field. He speaks of our birth. Not just
this young infant's birth, but our birth. Born in trespasses
and sin. At birth, Scripture says we come
forth from the womb, speaking lies. David wrote this. He said, Behold, I was shapen
in iniquity. And in sin did my mother conceive
me." We read also here of our inability. This is an infant. An infant
cast out in an open field. We've had little ones. They're
helpless. Absolutely helpless. at birth. They are completely
dependent on everything. They have to be fed. They have
to be cleaned. They have to be cared for. They
have to be loved. Completely dependent. And nothing about this child
is to be desired. She's been cast out into the
open field. It says, to the loathing of thy
person. None I, no one pitied this child in the very day that it was born. And we, all of us, like this infant. If we are left to ourselves,
we'll perish. We'll be hopeless, we'll be completely
helpless, unless God in mercy is pleased to pass by. Second, Is there anything in us that
would merit mercy? Anything that would make us worthy
to be saved? Any reason at all that we should
be spared? You know, if you look over here
in Ezekiel 16. If you look over just a few verses, look at verse 15 of Ezekiel 16. Maybe the thought is that someday this little girl will turn into
something wonderful. I've heard men say that, that
God looked down from time and he's seen those that would live
faithfully and be righteous. But look here at verse 15. Thou didst trust in thine own
beauty and played the harlot because of thy renown, and poured
out thy fornication on every one that passed by. What a glorious thought! That
in spite of our sin, not just born in sin, but we're sinners, that God would be pleased to
show mercy. Look at verse 6. He said, passed
by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood. Polluted in thine own blood. Is there anything, anything,
that we would merit God's mercy? Not in us. Not in us, but listen,
in Him. Look what it says here. He says,
I pass by thee. I saw thee. Turn with me to hold
your place there and turn to Luke chapter 10. Luke chapter 10. Look beginning with verse 30. Here we read in this passage
what's commonly referred to as the account of the good Samaritan. Now look here at Luke 10, beginning
with verse 30, and Jesus answering said, A certain man went down
from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among thieves which stripped
him of his raiment. and wounded him and departed,
leaving him half dead. A certain man, a certain man
which went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. Now this is a fallen
man. He went down from Jerusalem. Jerusalem sat on high ground.
He went from Jerusalem to Jericho, that accursed city. He went from a state of happiness
to misery. You know, man was created upright.
God created man upright. He created him in his own image,
but he fell. He fell. From Jerusalem, which
signifies peace, a place of beauty, a place well-situated. He went from the worship of God
to Jericho. That, again, that accursed city,
pronounced by Joshua, a place of wickedness. Why would anybody
go down? It's our nature, isn't it? It's
what we are. It's who we are. You see that
place of peace and serenity, a place of worship. Wasn't satisfied there. He went
down to an earthly and worldly and accursed state and he fell
among thieves. That's a picture of us as well.
A picture of fallen man. And he lost everything. He was stripped and he was left
for dead. No covering. Just like this infant
here in Ezekiel 16. Cast out into the open field.
This man was wounded. Sin has brought us to this condition. Scripture says, from the crown
of the head to the sole of the foot, nothing but wounds and
bruises and putrefying sores. They haven't been bound up, have
they? And that's where we'll lay. That's
where we will die unless the great physician is pleased to
pass by. Unless the great physician is
pleased to cast His eyes upon us and be merciful to us, to
show us mercy. That's where we will die the
death that we deserve, that which we have earned. Let's read on
here, verse 31, and by chance, There came down a certain priest
that way, and when he saw him, what did he do? He passed by,
but he passed by on the other side. The priest saw this man
that was left for dead, and he passed by him. He saw him naked
and passed by. He crossed over onto the other
side. Maybe he was fearful. that he'd
come in contact with this man. That he would touch him and in
doing so, defile himself and be guilty of breaking the
law. Religion can't save a man. Read on in verse 2. Likewise,
a Levite, when he was at the place, he came and he looked
on him And what'd he do? He passed by on the other side. I looked at several commentaries
and every one of them say that this points to the law. To the
law. Listen, the law, it can't save
either. It can't cover my nakedness.
And it will not accept my imperfection. What does the law require? Perfection. It must be what? Perfect. That's
what the law says. It must be perfect to be accepted. We read in Romans 3 verse 20,
Therefore, by the deeds of the law, by the doing of the law,
by the keeping of the law, there shall be no flesh. You hear that no flesh justified
in his sight. For by the law is the knowledge
of sin. The Levite, he looked upon him
and he passed by. But read on here, verse 33. A certain Samaritan, as he journeyed,
came where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion on
him. Is there any doubt, any doubt
at all that this can point to anyone but the Lord Jesus Christ? He came to him. Just as He came to many of us
where we were, He saw us and He had compassion on us. How did He find us? Lost, weak,
without strength, wicked, ungodly, enemies, children of wrath, and
yet He shed His blood for us. He washed us from our sin. And Scripture says He presents
us to Himself. How? In that wicked, strengthless,
ungodly state? He presents us to Himself as
a glorious church without spot and without wrinkle. He came to Him. He came to Him
where He was and He had compassion on Him. He saw Him. You know, that wasn't
the first time He laid eyes on Him, though, was it? Now, he
saw Him from all eternity. He's known His church from all
eternity, given unto Him by the Father from before the foundation
of the world. Verse 34, And He went to him, and He bound up his wounds, pouring
in oil and wine. Listen, He cleansed us and He
healed us. And He set Him on His own beast
and He brought Him to an end and took care of Him. He did it. He did it. This man provided no help. He
did it. He did it all. Salvation is of
the Lord. Completely. The work is all of
Him. Verse 35, And on the morrow when
He departed, He took out two pence, and He gave them to the
host, and He said unto him, Take care of him. And whatsoever thou
spendest more, when I come again, I'll repay thee. He paid the debt in full, didn't
he? It wasn't like he just kind of got this man up on his feet
and said, you've got it from here, didn't he? No. He paid
the debt in full. He left nothing undone. Not one thing. All of Him. Not by works of righteousness,
which we have done, but according to His mercy. He saved us. Listen to our Lord here, still
in Luke 10. And He asks this question, verse
36, Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto
this man that fell among thieves? And he said, He that showed mercy. He that showed mercy on him. And Jesus said unto him, Go and
do thou likewise. He that showeth mercy. Scripture
says this, It's not of him that willeth. It's not of him that runneth. Who is it of? It's of God. It's of God that showeth mercy. Well, third, we read a command
spoken in power. Turn back to Ezekiel 16. Ezekiel
16, verse 6. I said unto thee, when thou wast
in thy blood, live. One word, live. Yea, I said unto
thee, when thou wast in thy blood, what did he say? Live. Live. Life. He speaks life to a dead
sinner. The cause of our recovery. How's
that possible? How's that possible? This infant
laying out there in that field, that open field, polluted in
her own blood. How is it that she can have life? The Lord Jesus Christ passes
by. And just as that Samaritan we
just read of, seeing us in our nature, seeing us polluted in
our blood. Do you see the condition of that
infant? I read that. That's just a horrible
thing to picture in our minds. I ask you this, can you see your
condition before the Father? Much worse. Much worse. Martin Luther said this, he said,
if a man could get a full view of his sin and his lost condition
as it really is, I pray the Lord would give me,
that He'd let me see something of my sin. Martin Luther said this, if he
could truly see it, if we could truly see ourselves as we are,
our condition as it really is, man would lose his sanity. Like this infant, by nature,
we are without help, we are without hope, and we are without Christ,
we are without God in this world. A dead sinner. A dead sinner cannot feel. A dead sinner cannot will to
do anything. A dead sinner can't be scared. Can't love, can't repent, can't
believe because he's void of spiritual life. He's dead. That's what Scripture says. We're
dead in trespasses and sin. But listen, one word. Oh, just
one word spoken by the Master. Live. And He repeats it. Can't we just
hear that over and over and over again? Huh? Live. Live. He said, I said unto thee
when thou wast in thy own blood, this infant had not done one
good thing, had not merited anything. While you were still in your
blood, I said, live. In Matthew chapter 8, we read
that when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, There came unto him
a centurion beseeching him and saying, Lord, my servant lieth
at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus said unto
him, I'll come. I'll come and heal him. That centurion said this, he
said, Lord, I'm not worthy that you come into my house What he
asked, just speak the word. Just speak the word only and
my servant shall be healed. Just speak the word. The Lord
is mighty, mighty to save. And with the command, with the
command comes the power. How many times is that revealed
in scripture? What'd he tell that one fella?
Stretch forth thy hand. That's impossible, isn't it? Hand all withered up. Stretch
forth thy hand. What'd he do? He stretched forth
his hand. He told that one fella, he said,
Arise, take up thy bed, and walk. What did he do? He rose and he
took up his bed and he walked. He said, follow me. And what
did men do? They followed him. Lazarus, come
forth. His body stinketh. He's laid
in the grave so long. Lazarus, come forth. That's impossible,
isn't it? with man. But with God, all things
are possible. Turn with me to Mark chapter
5. Mark chapter 5. Look at verse 35 of Mark 5. While he yet spake, there came
from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, thy
daughter is dead. Didn't say she's dying. Didn't say she's in really bad
shape. She's dead. Why troublest the
master any further? And as soon as Jesus heard the
word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue,
Be not afraid. Don't be afraid. Only believe. And he suffered no man to follow
him save Peter and James and John, the brother of James. And
he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth
the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. And when
he was come in, he saith unto him, Why make ye this ado, and
weep? The damsel's not dead, she sleepeth.
How did man react to that? They laughed him to scorn. But when he put them all out,
he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them
that were with him, and entered in where the damsel was lying,
And he took the damsel by the hand and said unto her, Talitha
Kumai, which being interpreted, damsel, I say unto thee, arise. What happened? What happened? And straightway the damsel arose
and walked for she was the age of 12 years, and they were astonished
with great astonishment. To the infant, he said, live. To this young girl, he said,
arise. In each case, with the command
came the power. I ask you this. What is the Lord's
command to his people now? One word. Believe. Listen to these words. Be not
afraid. Only believe. He that believeth on the Son
hath everlasting life. Our Lord said this. He said,
this is the will of him that sent me, that everyone which
seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life. And I'll raise him up at the
last day. That jailer, he asked Paul and
Silas. He said, sirs, what must I do? What must I do to be saved? What'd they say? Believe. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
and thou shalt be saved in thy house. Believe. Believe. Well, back to our text,
Ezekiel 16. The command. the command, live. Look at verse
7, he said, I've caused thee to multiply as the bud of the
field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art
come to excellent ornaments, thy breast are fashioned, thy
hair is grown, whereas thou was naked and bare. Verse 8, now
when I pass by thee, I looked upon thee, behold, Thy time was
a time of love. Love. He loved us. That's Scripture. He loved us
and gave Himself for us. God so loved, He gave. He gave His only begotten Son. Read on here. And I spread my
skirt over thee, and I covered thee. I covered thy nakedness. Oh, I need a covering. I need
a covering. Yea, I swear unto thee and I
entered in to a covenant with thee. A covenant. I don't know about you all, I
make promises all the time that I do not keep. What God promised, He'll do. He'll perform. I entered into
a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine. I'm His, He's mine. Then I washed
thee, verse 9, I washed thee with water, yea, I thoroughly
washed away thy blood from thee. I anointed thee with oil. I clothed
thee also with broidered work and shod thee with badger skin.
I girded thee about with fine linen. I covered thee with silk.
I decked thee also with ornaments. I put bracelets upon thy hands
and a chain on thy neck. I put a jewel in thy forehead
and earrings in thy ears and a beautiful crown upon thy head. Thus was thou decked with gold
and silver and thy raiment was of fine linen and silk embroidered
work. Thou didst eat fine flour and
honey and oil and thou wast exceeding beautiful and did prosper into
a kingdom. And then fourth, what's the source
of this? What's the source of this righteousness? Verse 14. Thy renown went forth among the
heathen for thy beauty." It was perfect. Perfect? How's that possible? How can I be perfect? How can
this infant be perfect? It was perfect through my comeliness. It's all of Him. It's all of
Him. He loved her. It was a time of love. He loved
her. He loves His people. He said,
I covered thy nakedness. Know what He did to Adam and
Eve there in the garden after the fall? He slew an animal. They tried to make their own
covering, but that wouldn't do, would it? No, He covered them. He said, I entered into a covenant
with you. I washed you. I clothed you. And thou becamest
mine. This should give every one of
us hope. Every last one of us. To look
at that infant out there in that open field, Be honest. If we'd see that sight, wouldn't we say, there's no hope. There's no hope
for that child. There's no hope for this child
apart from Him. We'd look at her and we'd say,
she's dead. Total loss. We ever think of that about others? Look at a man or a woman and
say, they're just a total loss. There's no hope for them. Ever think that about ourselves? Would the Lord save me? Could the Lord save me? Scripture declares in Hebrews
7.25, Wherefore, He is able to save
to the uttermost them that come to God. How? By their own merits? No. Come unto God by Him. by the
Lord Jesus Christ, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession
for them. Well, look at verse 14 again
and I'll close. He says, Thy renown went forth
among the heathen for thy beauty, for it was perfect through my
comeliness which I put upon thee. saith the Lord God." She wasn't just made better. She wasn't just given a little
encouragement. She was made perfect. Perfect. That's what the law
requires. We read that earlier. It requires
perfection. It must be perfect. to be accepted. How is that possible? How can
this infant, polluted in her own blood, cast out in the open
field, how can she be made perfect? Let me ask you another question.
How can a sinner be made perfect? Not just cleaned up a little
bit and looking good in the sight of man. How can a sinner be made
perfect to stand in the presence of a holy God? How can I have hope? A sure hope? What did we just read there?
Made perfect through my comeliness which I put upon thee. Thy beauty comes from another. Made righteous. Made holy. How? By the blood of the Lord
Jesus Christ. By which we're washed, cleansed,
justified, and pardoned. And it's of the Lord. It's all
of Him. We come as lepers. We come deformed,
defiled with sin. All is an unclean thing. Corrupt. Abominable. Loathsome. That's how this one was described. But yet beautiful. Beautiful
through His comeliness. His excellency, His glory, His
honor, His majesty. God's Word declares this, that
we are made the very righteousness of God. Now that's beauty, isn't
it? Turn there quickly. I said one
more scripture, but just turn there. 2 Corinthians chapter
5. We can never exhaust this scripture. 2 Corinthians 5.21, He hath made Him to be sin for
us, that we. He made Him to be sin for us
who knew no sin. He's the spotless Lamb of God.
Yet God made Him to be sin. Why? That we, His people, His
sheep, might be made the very righteousness of God in Him. Listen to just a few words from
this hymn. When I stand before the throne, clothed in beauty, not my own. When I see thee as thou art and
love thee with unsinning heart, then, then, Lord, shall I fully
know, but not till then, how much I owe. All right. I pray
God bless his word. Thank you.