You thought I was gonna go back
to Titus, didn't you? Take your Bibles and turn with
me to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Brother Winston's wife passed
away and I preached her funeral yesterday and I thought as I
was preparing this text that I'd like to bring it to our congregation. And what it is is I was talking about
the believer's hope. Hope. In 1 Corinthians, this is the
resurrection chapter. So I'm gonna back up just a little
bit from my text. And he says now in verse 12,
now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say
some of you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But
if there be no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not
risen. And if Christ be not risen, then
is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. We're just
spinning our wheels. Yea, and we are found false witnesses
of God, because we've testified of God that raised up Christ,
whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then
is not Christ raised. And if Christ be not raised,
your faith is vain, and you're yet in your sins. And they also
which are falling asleep in Christ, your lost loved ones, they're perishing. And these next three verses is
my text. If in this life only we have
hope in Christ, We are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from
the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept. For
since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of
the dead. For as in Adam all die, even
so in Christ shall all be made alive. My subject is the believer's
hope. Everybody here this morning has
a hope, some kind of a hope before God. Whether it be imaginary or real,
pretended or heartfelt, made up or gathered from the scriptures,
everybody has a hope. And most of what I hear are based
on some kind of wish. They think hope is a wish, like,
boy, I hope it don't rain tomorrow. I hope I pass that test. That's not the kind of hope he's
talking about. But most of the hope I hear talked about, especially
at funerals, I don't say a lot at funerals, I just listen and
I hear people talk. And most of what I hear, this
hope is made up of some kind of wish or feeling, something
to keep their minds and hearts from reality. Reality is you're
gonna die and you're gonna go out and stand before God. and
you're gonna be judged. Judged. It's something to put them at
ease concerning lost loved ones also. Others find hope in some
kind of an experience or some emotional decision or self-righteous
obedience to the law and on and on the list goes. But real hope
The hope set forth in the word of God is based 100% on the person
of Jesus Christ. This chapter doesn't argue about
obedience. It doesn't argue about your feelings
or your experiences or anything else. It's 100% based on the
person of Jesus Christ. Did he rise from the dead? because
everything else is in vain if he didn't. The believer's hope rests 100%
on Jesus Christ. That's real hope. That's scriptural
hope. And this hope begins in eternity
past as he receives of the Father his redemptive appointments. God appointed him, first of all,
as mediator. Mediator. The Bible said there's
one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. One
man, set apart, set apart of God. to mediate the redemptive
will of God. Whenever we talk about the will
of God, we're talking about his redemptive will. He doesn't reveal
any other will to us. It's his redemptive will. Christ said, lo, I come in the
volume of the book, it's written of me to do thy will, O God. And then he turns right around
and he said, by the which will? You sanctified, All his saints,
all his elect, he sanctified them by the offering of Jesus
Christ once for all. By that will, doing that will.
Christ said, I came not to do my own will, but the will of
him that sent me, and this is the will of him that sent me,
that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but
raise it up again at the last day. God's will is a redemptive
will. Through redemption, through the
salvation of chosen sinners, God manifests his glory. And that's the purpose behind
everything that is. It's the purpose behind your
being. It's the purpose behind all men's being. It's the purpose
behind creation. God's redemptive glory. And Christ
is to mediate that. By appointment, he's the one
mediator. There's only one appointed to
make peace between us and God, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is
our peace. And that's what it says over
there in Ephesians chapter two. He is our peace. One ordained to propitiate God,
to satisfy his character in all things concerning man's sin and
concerning the very glory of God's character. Not only was he appointed mediator,
but he was appointed our covenant surety. David said God's covenant
which is, he said, was all his salvation and all his desire. That it was ordered and all things
ensured. How can that be? How can that
be? Because Christ is the surety
of that covenant. That covenant will stand or fall
based on the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the surety of that covenant. Paul said, and unto Jesus, the
mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling
that speaketh better things than that of Abel, and the bringing
again from the dead, our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of
the sheep, now listen, through the blood of the everlasting
covenant. That blood he shed on the cross
was that blood required in that covenant before the foundation
of the world. He is our covenant surety. Everything God required, he provided
in Christ. God appointed him mediator, and
in doing so, all things, gave all things into his hands. Everything. into his hands. Creation, providence,
salvation, all in his hands. And he appointed him our covenant
surety. And so he came down from heaven
to accomplish the will of God. And having accomplished the will
of God, he ascended back into glory and took his place at the
right hand of God. He appointed him Savior and in
the fullness of time he came down from heaven and made of
a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the
law that we might receive the adoption of children. And God appointed him Lord. And
Lord he is. Lord he is. Well he ain't my
Lord. Oh yes he is. Oh yes he is. He's the Lord of devils. He's
the Lord of all his redeemed. He's the Lord of every man, every
woman, every child. He's the Lord. He's not only
Lord, he's Lord of lords. King of kings, the blessed and
only potentate, nothing that is not put under his feet. And in that great day when the
dead shall be called before God, every knee's gonna bow and every
tongue's gonna confess that Jesus is Lord. Now listen to the glory
of God. To the glory of God. God appointed
him before the foundation of the world, a high priest. Not
after the order of Aaron who had successor after successor. but after the order of Melchizedek. And this man, because he continueth
ever, no successors. He don't need them. He don't
need them. Because he continueth ever, he
says he has an unchangeable priesthood, wherefore he's able to save to
the uttermost those who come unto God by him. He's God's priest. He's God's priest. What are we talking about? We're
talking about a good hope. I'm talking about the believer's
hope, a good hope through grace, a sure hope. And in my text here
in 1 Corinthians 15, 19, he says, if in this life only, we have
hope in Christ. We are of all men most miserable. Everything that we live for,
everything that moves us, our affection is centered on all
of these things. It's in this life, in this life,
in this life. If in this life only we have
hope in Christ, which the Jews, they thought Christ was gonna
be another David, another Moses. He was gonna come and deliver
them out from under Roman bondage and establish again of the reign
of Israel and they're going to return them back to the former
days of Solomon in all their glory. And Paul's telling them
here, if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of
all men most miserable. And it's the same in religion.
If all I have is bottled up in time and space, if all my hope
depends on me and what I do, or don't do, I'm gonna be miserable. Because you and I are staring
death in the face. If in this life only we have
hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable, why? Because
we're gonna die. We're gonna die, this ain't the
end of the story. We're gonna die and we're gonna
stand before God. How much time do I have before
I die? You got today. After that, I don't know. It's
in God's hands. We got today. Biblical hope transcends death. It transcends time. You and I
don't have an inkling of what eternity is. Eternity. Real salvation is in a person,
and this person accomplished our salvation, and God raised
him from the dead. Look at our text here in 1 Corinthians
15 and verse 20. But now is Christ risen from
the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept. All
them who died before. He become the first fruits of
their resurrection. Did you know that many of the saints came
out of the grave? They came out of the grave when
Christ was taken down from that cross. They come out of the grave,
walked around. But here's hope, solid hope,
eternal hope. It's not a matter of if he comes
out of the tomb, he already has. Angel said, what are you doing
here? He's not here. Why'd you come over here looking
for him? He ain't here, he's risen. It's not a matter of if he can
satisfy God on our behalf, he's already satisfied God. And his
resurrection is the declaration of that. He was delivered for
our offenses, raised again for our justification. Turn with me to 1 Peter 1. You say, Preacher, I have hope.
You have hope in what? A hope, a hope, a hope? Well, I can tell you the time
and the place. If you have to go back to a time and place,
you don't know God. If you don't know him right now,
you never knew him back then. What's the basis of your hope?
And there's only one hope set forth in the word of God. He
said, we're called, now listen, in one hope of our calling. There's just one hope involved
in this thing. So what is this one hope? 1 Peter
1, verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ. which according to his abundant
mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, a living
hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And it's
to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not
away reserved in heaven for you. who are kept by the power of
God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed at the last
time. All of the believer's hope rests
on the glorious person of the all-sufficient Savior. Paul said,
in him, in him, don't be called away from him. Don't be deceived
and move away from him. In him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead bodily. Now listen, and you are complete
in him. Wow. All of the believer's hope
rests in this person, Jesus Christ. In our text, God separates the
whole world under two heads, Adam and Christ. In verse 21,
he said, for since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection
of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even
so in Christ shall all be made alive. Now who are they all represented
in Adam? In Adam, all died. What all? Who's he talking about? He's talking about every natural
born son of Adam. All mankind. All mankind. In Romans chapter
five, verse 12, he tells us that by one man, Adam, sin entered
into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon
all men. All men, for that all have sinned. Sin entered, death passed. All mankind represented in Adam. And what's true of him is true
of us all. All have sinned and come short
of the glory of God. We're all sinners. If we weren't
sinners, we wouldn't sin. Paul said this. I before proved
that both Jews and Gentiles, who's that? That's the whole
world. There's Jews and everybody else is a Gentile. And he said,
I before proved that both Jews and Gentiles, they're all under
sin. So all mankind is represented in Adam. That's who he's talking
about. Every natural child of Adam. Well, who's represented
by Christ? Who's the all of which Paul speaks
in Christ? In Christ shall all be made alive.
Who are they all? What's he talking about? Is he
talking about all mankind? No. No, he's talking about all
that's represented in Christ. He tells us in Ephesians 1, 3, that the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ hath blessed us, those who believe, with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as
he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. Why do you do that? That we might
be holy. Everything about us, holy, holy. Perfect harmony with the character
of God. And without blame, no sin. All our sin put away in
him. All our sins charged to Him. That you might be holy and without
blame before Him in love. That is being loved always. Always, because you're in Christ. And this, he says, having predestinated
us under the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according
to the good pleasure of His will. It was God's will to do this.
and to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he made
us accepted in the blood. That's his gracious gift to us. By grace are you saved. In whom we have redemption through
his blood, the forgiveness of sin according to the riches of
his grace. In Adam, all mankind die. In
Christ, all of his elect shall be made alive. They're all gonna
live. What are you saying, preacher?
I'm saying that everyone and everything outside of Christ
is gonna perish. That's what I'm saying. That's
what this book says. But in Christ, he says he's not
willing that any should perish. How many of them's gonna perish?
None of them. He's not willing that any should perish, but that
all shall come to repentance. They're all gonna be called,
Larry. They're all gonna be enabled, brought down, stripped, come
before him repenting. The hope of the natural man is
based entirely on, by a limited, corrupt mind, by worldly reasoning,
majority consensus, and satanic influence. All false hope is
built on those things. It's always based on sensual
ideas, experiences, visions, and just deception, ignorance. And it's always fatal because
those who will not believe will not receive the things of the
Spirit of God that they might be saved. They're not gonna do
it. So where does this good hope
come from? Where does it come from? It comes
from God. See, you thought it was over.
over here in a place. You thought it was over here
on a... we just reach up and get it. That's what I was taught
from the time I was old enough to have any understanding at
all. It's all up to you. All you gotta do is reach out
and take it. It's the gift of God. This
hope comes from God. It comes from God. We preach sovereign grace, don't
we? Sovereign grace. Grace bestowed
by a sovereign. You remember the story of the
queen. She had to go in. But her husband, he was a potentate. You didn't come uninvited into
his throne room. You'd be destroyed. But she had
to go in. And so she did. And the husband
took that scepter and reached out. Sovereign grace. Sovereign grace. Let me ask you something. What
do you got to lose? Huh? What do you got to lose to come
to Christ? Huh? Nothing. You have nothing. You just think
you have something. You've got nothing. False hope's always based on
sensual ideas and experiences and visions and ignorance and
such like. But God gives true faith. Listen
to this. He said, I'll be gracious to
whom I will be gracious. I'll have mercy on whom I will
have mercy. So then, are you listening? So then, it's not of him that
runneth, It's not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth,
but of God that showeth mercy. It comes from God. It comes from
God. Salvation begins with an intervention
of God. God arrests the sinner. He brings
him down. He makes him willing in the day
of his power. He crosses his path with a preacher.
He tells him the truth. And the truth doesn't come in
word only. It comes in power. It comes in the Holy Ghost. It's
as real as if he could see it. Judgment is as real to him as
if he's standing before God. It comes in power and it comes
in the Holy Ghost. He's convinced. When God convinces
you of something, man can't unconvince you. If God convinces you, that's
it. This is something most people
don't realize. God knows where his elect resides. I couldn't do this because I
didn't have that and I didn't have that. God knows where you
live. He knows where all his elect resides. The scripture said he hath determined
the times before appointed and set the bounds of their habitation. Preachers of sin of God to warn
this present evil world and to call out his elect and feed them
with the gospel of Christ till they die. And there's coming
a time in the life of every believer when God will intervene. He'll
intervene. Could be today. Could be this
very message. I don't know when he's gonna
do it. I just know that in the life of every believer, God's
gonna intervene. He'll give them power to become
sons of God, even to them that believe on his name who were
born. Not of the flesh, not because
you're a Jew. Not of blood, nor of the will
of the flesh, nor the will of man. Body of men get together. We're gonna make them believe. You ain't gonna get this done. It's not of the will of man,
not of the will of the flesh, but of God. Of God. And this is a living hope, a
scriptural hope, an eternal hope. And it's a hope based on the
person and work of Christ our Savior and Lord. And it's in
harmony with this book. I get so tired of hearing people
talk, you need to get this version, you need to get that version.
I don't need a version. This thing clears the bell. I
don't need another version. And what you find out when you
read those other versions is they didn't like some things
said in here, so they took them out. They can't take out the
gospel because they don't know what the gospel is. But they'll
find things they don't want and take them out. There's hopes in harmony with
this book. And no other hope of salvation.
And I'm telling you this, you're young now, but you're gonna be
old. And I tell you about how long it takes, just a snap of
a finger. And you're gonna die, and you're
gonna stand before God. What's your hope? What's your hope? In Colossians 127, Paul said,
Christ in you, nothing else. Christ in you, the hope of glory. That's the hope. Not his physical
person, but the hope, Hebrews 6, 18, set before us as a strong
consolation to them who have fled for refuge to lay hold on
the hope set before us. Which hope we have as an anchor
of the soul, both sure and steadfast, which entereth in that within
the veil. Our hope is not just here, our
hope is raised from the dead and entered beyond the veil into
heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for you. Even Jesus made a high priest
forever after the order of Melchizedek. And then think about this, Hebrews
2, 3. How you gonna escape if you neglect so great a salvation?
How you gonna escape? You're going to run from God?
You're going to hide from God? That rich man, he sat down and
intellectually calculated, here's what I'm going to do. I'll tell
you what I'm going to do. I'm going to live another 50 years.
So I'm going to tear down my barns and build some bigger barns
and build a few more silos. getting pulled, and I'm going
to say, soul, take thy knees. For God said, thou fool, thou
fool, today, today, you're going to stand before me. How you going
to escape if you neglect so great salvation? Someone told me years ago, preacher,
you're just trying to limit God's salvation. I said, no sir, I'm
not. It's not mine to limit. And let
me tell you something, it's not yours to expand. It belongs to him, don't it?
It's for whoever he wills to have it. Now I'll tell you, What'll shake
you up worse than anything you've ever experienced in your life
is when God shuts you up to the fact that you're not, it's not
up to you, it's up to Him. He's not in your hands to pull
the strings, you're in His hands. Somebody told Paul Mahan, said,
you're just preaching God as a puppet, and you're pulling
the strings, and God's pulling the strings. Well, he said the
alternative to that is God's a puppet and you're pulling the
strings. Huh? I'd rather God did it, wouldn't
you? He can't do wrong. He can't do wrong, and I can't
do right. When you're convinced of sin
and see this world for what it is, you'll rejoice that God has
purposed to save a few, won't you? All right, so how does a poor
sinner, an ignorant, deceived man or woman, come to know his
or her election? Well, Paul told the Thessalonians
because his gospel came to them in power. It came to them in
assurance. What's that mean? That they were
really sure? No. He's talking about their
assurance in the sufficiency of Christ. See, that's what happens when
the gospel comes in power. All of a sudden, you see that
you're not capable to do anything, but He's capable to do everything.
You quit looking to self and start looking to Him. That's
repentance, turning from yourself to Him. It's confidence in the sufficiency
of Christ and confidence in His person and work, confidence in
His merit. Confidence in his reigning Lordship. Are you not gonna get a big following
preaching that? Well, I'm not trying to win souls.
I'm not a soul winner. I'm trying to preach an all-sufficient
Savior who saves to the uttermost. That's what I'm attempting to
do. And one more scripture and I'll quit. 1 John chapter three. What happens when God instills
this hope in you? Listen to this. Verse one, 1
John chapter three, verse one. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the
sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us
not because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons
of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be. But we know
that when he shall appear, we'll be like him, for we'll see him
as he is. Now watch this. And every man
that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. So that means we ought to live
a spotless, pure life, Well, yes, sir, we should in honor
of our Lord and Savior, but that's not what he's talking about here. Huh? Well, what's he talking
about? He's talking about the love of
God that made him a son just like God's son. And the purification he's talking
about here is a purification of his hope. Don't leave this
hope. Leave it alone. It's complete
in itself. Huh? Let me show you something here.
This just came to me. This is over in the book of Colossians. In Colossians chapter two, he says in verse six, if you
have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, how did you receive
him? You received him as he was declared
to you, all sufficient. He said of the redemptive work
that he was sent to do, he said his last words on the cross,
it's finished. It's finished, is it? As you have therefore received
Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him. Rooted and build up
in him and establish in the faith as you've been taught, abounding
therein with thanksgiving. Beware, beware of what? Beware lest any man spoil you
through philosophy. Don't start mixing philosophy
with the gospel. It'll ruin your hope. it'll taint
your hope. Or vain deceit, after the tradition
of men, after the rudiments, the basic principles of the world,
and not after Christ, because you're complete in him. You see
that? Every man that hath this hope
in him has a complete hope. Don't let it be tainted. Don't
taint it with this world's philosophy and all this stuff. You just
stay right where God put you, hoping in Christ, hoping in him. There's no hope apart from him.
No hope. But that hope is pure. It's pure. It's in harmony with the character
of God. It's in harmony with the word of God. It's in harmony
with the gospel of Christ. Stay right there. Don't move.