2 Thessalonians chapter 2. We've already read it together.
As we mentioned in the reading, the first 12 verses of the chapter are set against a dark, dark
background of man's depravity, man's helplessness, man's setting
up another God, another gospel, which can only generate a false
hope. But then, beginning at verse
13, shines forth the good news. And of course it begins with
this, but, but, but God, but God. That dark background, the
first 12 verses, makes this shine even brighter and brighter, doesn't
it? God's not left everybody in darkness. God's not allowed this religion,
this what seems at times universally believed and embraced, this religion
of free will, works religion. God's not allowed everybody to
be deceived by that, but God. Let me just read for a moment
a couple of brief articles that speak of that dark time that
the first 12 verses here speak of. One is by Brother Henry Mann. Brother Henry. This is just a
portion, just a few paragraphs of a message he preached in 1983.
It was called The Gospel Invitation. It was transcribed. This is a
portion of that. Henry began, and this is a message
he preached on television. He said, here is my subject today,
and we're going to hoe some corn. I'm going to take on just about
the whole religious world today with this message." That got
my attention. And he said, the title of the
message is this, The Gospel Invitation. He said, now that's the short
title. Here's the long title. The Gospel Invitation as Opposed
to Today's Altar Call. That would hold some corn. Henry
said, I'll tell you, I am concerned about our generation. I see floods
of people moving forward at the beckoning of a man to the front
of a church. I see them in droves. Droves. Moving down to make a decision. Moving down to make some kind
of commitment. A whole host of people. multitudes
going down. And Henry said this, and I appreciate
it. He said, salvation is not going
down there, but salvation is in a person. We can't emphasize that. I hope
you don't get tired of hearing that. Salvation is in a person. Salvation's not down here. Salvation is in the person of
the Lord Jesus Christ. Henry went on to say, these people
make these commitments and decisions and have these experiences and
sign these cards and all of these other things. He says, they're
dealing with earthbound human mortals, sons of Adam. And he
said, we must deal with him, him against whom we have sinned. We must look to Him who is the
One Sacrifice, the One Offering, and the One Atonement. There
must be, and by God's grace only can it be, there must be a living,
vital union established between us and the Son of God. That's what salvation is. It's
in nothing else or nowhere else. Henry wrote, They came to the
front, or Henry preached rather. No, they came to the front. They
came to an altar. They came to a preacher. And
they never came to Christ. That is sad. That is sad. In my last couple of weeks of
travel, in every household where we spent time, Robin, this is
what we heard. This is what we were told about.
Going to the altar. making a decision with multitudes
of people. That's what Paul talked about
in these first 12 verses. And as Henry said, that's sad. That is sad. That is heartbreaking. It's sad, and it's doing nothing,
Henry said, but giving people a false hope. That's exactly
right. A false assurance and a false
salvation. It's a salvation that won't save
and a redemption that won't redeem. It is so. And that's exactly
right. That's exactly right. Now, with
that in mind, look at our text, verse 13. Verse 13. Oh my. Like the sun breaks out through
the clouds after a fierce storm and dispels the darkness, this
blessed, blessed truth does the same for every believing sinner. But, but we are bound to give
thanks always to God, to God for you. Brethren, beloved of
the Lord, because God has. Keep those words in mind. Just,
that's our, that's our title. Because God has. There's hope. Not because man
has. That's what Paul talks about
in the previous verses. Not because the preacher has,
or the Pope, or the Baptist, or the Catholic, but God hath
from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification
of the Spirit. and belief of the truth. Can
you imagine as those people sat around, these believers at Thessalonica,
heard this letter from their beloved Paul being read, when
they came to this part after having heard what Paul warned
them about in the previous verses, when they come to this part and
they read this, but we're bound to give thanks. Because God's
purpose hasn't changed for you, brother. God's grace is still
sufficient for you, brethren, because God, oh, I imagine, I
imagine it wouldn't surprise me in the least if there weren't
some shouts of hallelujah, if there weren't a few exclamations
of praise the Lord. But God, but God, now there's
hope. Now there's sunshine. But God
didn't allow you to believe that lie, Paul says. He didn't allow
you to believe that lie and be damned. And just let me point
this out before we go on. God's justice, judgment, is always
in response to man's sin. It's not arbitrary. It's for
a cause. God doesn't send men to hell
without doing so justly. If a man is lost, Be there predestination,
be there election, yes there is. But if a man's lost, it's
going to be his own fault. Did we not read that claim? Look
what Paul said in verse 10. Because they receive not the
love of the truth. That's why God judges them. That's
why he sends them the lie. Because they turn from the truth
deliberately. Again in verse 11, and for this
cause, God never judges someone without cause. Again, I emphasize,
if someone's lost, it's their own fault. But, but, verse 13
again, if they're saved, if they taste the grace of God, if any
sinner is ever. And every sinner who has ever
had his eyes open to see the Son, but God did it. But God. God purposed your salvation,
Paul tells them. But God taught you the truth.
But God called you to His Son. But God brought you to His Son
that you might inherit the glory with His Son, that you might
be with Him forever. But God loved us, Paul says.
Always. Always. Beloved. You're beloved.
Beloved by God. God's never not loved you. How about that, Les? There's
never been a time Beloved God had in the beginning Beloved. In the beginning before there
was anything but God. Before there was heaven and earth
started. Before there was angel. God dwelling
alone in sovereign majesty loved his people as much as he loved
his son. Wow! Wow, you see why I say they
must have shouted, well, glory. Well, hallelujah. Praise the
Lord, but God. And that gives us everlasting
consolation, Paul goes on the right, and good hope through
grace. No wonder, Paul says, we are
bound to give thanks always to God for you. Not the reverse. Today, Preachers, thank the sinners.
Thank you for making your decision. Thank you. Thank you for letting
God. Thank you for taking the first
step. We're so proud of you. Come on
up here. Let us shake your hand. No, we
don't thank them for what they supposedly did for God. Paul
says, we thank God for you. We thank God for you. We thank
God for what he did for you. If I can ever find somebody that
took the first step to God, I'll thank them. I'll thank them.
I'll be the first one in line. I'll thank them. Thank you for
what you did for God. But I've never met anybody that
did that. I've never met a creature, not
one, that ever did that. And I never will. Because, as
the Lord Jesus Christ Himself said, no man. It's never happened. It's never happened. Since Adam,
till this day, or however many days there might yet be, there'll
never be a time, never has, never will, no man cometh to me except,
oh, that God would be pleased to reveal that to our children. It's only when they're stripped,
it's only when they're brought down that they'll ever cry for
mercy. Until God gets them lost, they'll
never see their need. No man can come to me except. And Paul tells these believers
at Thessalonica, and every believing sinner, God's made an exception. God made an exception. Oh, my
soul, think about that. When you stand before that throne
of a thrice holy God, and the books are opened, and everyone
whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life are being
cast into hell, thank God that He made an exception for this
sinner. No man can come unto me except
the Father which hath sent me draw him. Blessed are you, Simon
Barjona. You did something for me. No,
my Father did something for you. He showed you. He revealed to
you who I am. And as David said, blessed, happy. That's one meaning of the word
blessed. Happy. Happy New Year, we say. O blessed
new year, blessed is the man whom thou choosest, God's choice,
and causes to approach unto thee. Paul thanks God for everything,
everything that salvation is, everything that salvation does.
We say again with David, concerning every part, I don't like to use
that word, but I don't know how else to put it, every aspect,
everything to do with salvation, from being chosen in Christ,
to being with Christ in glory, and everything in between those
two glorious blessed truths, we say not unto us, O Lord, not
unto us. We're not the cause, we're not
the reason for any of it, but unto thy name give glory for
thy mercy and for thy truth's sake. Did you ever, as a child,
or not, cast a stone into a lake or a stream or a pond of steel
water? You cast in that stone and you
see the ripple effect, don't you? Just one ripple, another,
another, and another. Oh, look at this ripple effect
from the ocean of God's amazing grace. What comfort, Paul speaks
of in verse 17. And then that's from the ripple
of verse 16, consolation in grace. And that's due to the ripple
of verse 14, being called to the Lord Jesus Christ. And that
is due to the ripple of verse 13, because God chose you to
salvation. But trace it to the very center.
And here's the stone that produces all the ripples. God loved you. God loved you with an everlasting
love. That's the cause of everything
else. Beloved of the Lord. That's what Paul said in Romans
8, didn't he? Whom he did foreknow. That doesn't
mean just had knowledge of, he has that of everyone. But speaking
of those he foreknew, he foreloved. He loved beforehand. Therefore,
what did he do? Nothing for them. No, no, no.
What kind of love is that? No, those whom he loved, he predestinated. And he called. Paul says, those
he loved, he chose. Chose to salvation, everlasting
salvation. This is how the hymn writer put
it. Loved. Isn't this marvelous? Isn't this
just overwhelming? Loved with everlasting love. Led by grace that loved to know. That's what Paul says. Spirit
breathing from above, you have taught me that it is so. Oh,
this full and perfect peace. Oh, this transport all divine.
in a love which cannot cease. I am his and he is mine. And there ain't nobody can do
anything about it. Nobody can stop it. Nobody can
hinder it. Nobody can change it. Not even
me. There's nothing that I can ever
do that will stop God from loving me, because He loves me in Christ
Jesus. His forever and only His, who
the Lord and me shall part, with what a rest of bliss Christ can
fill the loving heart. Heaven and earth may fade and
flee, Firstborn light and gloom decline. But while God and I
shall be, I am His, and He is mine. Oh, again, are we not bound
to give thanks? Because God has. Did you make any New Year's resolutions? I didn't, because I couldn't
keep them. I remember a couple of years
ago, and you do too, when I got out of the hospital, and prior
to and after, but I lost 30, over 30 pounds. And I got home
and tried on my clothes, and Terry, they were too big. And
then I looked in the mirror, and I Vanity, vanity. I'm going to
keep that weight off. I may have told some of y'all
that. I'm just going to keep that weight off. Because I feel
better. Not packing around that 30 or
so extra pounds. Well, we can all see how that
turned out. I resolved to do it. But what's
the name? I failed. God's resolve can never
be overcome. If we read, because God hath,
whatever comes after that's bound to happen. When God resolves
to do something, it's done. The very resolution of doing
so by God is the same as it being done. Because what God's purposed,
He's able to perform. Because none can... Why wouldn't
He? Nobody can stop him. None can stay in my hand, God
said. None can say unto him, what doest
thou? God has his way. Whenever you
hear a preacher, he might be a doctor of divinity. He might
have so many degrees he tilts sideways. But if he speaks to
you about a God that tries, don't hear him. Don't listen to it,
because that's not the God of Scripture. That's not the true
God. God has His way. And I'll tell you what, the only
people that are uncomfortable with that are rebels. Oh, but
for a believer, for a believer, that's comforting. My God has
His way in the whirlwind. and in the storm, and those clouds,
they're just the dust of His feet. He rides upon the storm. He's the mighty God, the Prince
of Peace, our great God and Savior. So when we read, because God
has, whatever follows those words is bound to happen. It's God's
doing. It's not yours or mine. As we come to that verse, just
as these believers did to whom it was read. I'm reminded of
these words when I was preparing the message, considering this
text of scripture, a hymn I had in a file on my computer by Augustus
Toplady. In light of what we read, God
hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation. Your harps,
ye trembling saints, down from the willow's take, loud to the
praise of love divine, bid every strain away. Though in a foreign
land, we are not far from home, and nearer to our house above
we every moment come. Every one of them, in Zion, appeareth
before God." John saw them, a multitude that none can number. Blessed
is the man, O Lord, that stays himself on thee, who waits for
thy salvation, Lord, shall thy salvation see. our great high
priest, before he went, just hours before he went to trod
the winepress alone, to redeem his people from all their sins,
to be made sin himself so that they may be made the righteousness
of God in him, he prayed, Father, I will this, that all All them
whom thou hast given me be with me where I am." And they will
be. They will be. Blessed God, they
will be. God had from the beginning. When
only God existed. That takes us out of the picture
as far as being the cause of anything, doesn't it? No. God
has cast that stone in. Chosen you to salvation. God's
choice, God's doing, God's election, according to God's purpose. Isn't that what Paul wrote in
1 Timothy? Listen to this. Just a few pages
from our text. 2 Timothy, rather. Verse 9 of
chapter 1. God, who hath saved us and called
us with the holy calling, not according to our works, not according
to our works, but according to what? His own purpose. and grace
which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. Well, that being so, then did
God be the glory. Great things He has done. As
Paul said in Romans 11, even so at this present time, just
like Elijah found out, when Jezebel had threatened to kill him, he
ran and hid in a cave and said, well, I wish I was dead. I'm
the only one left alone. God said, what are you doing
here, Elijah? Well, I'm the only one left. I'm the only prophet
left. And God said, Elijah, I've got
thousands reserved, chosen, elected, that's not bound their need to
bail. You're not alone. You're not
alone. And Paul said, even so, at this
present time, in Paul's time, there is an election. That's
always true. Today there is an election. Election
according to God's purpose of grace. That's always so. You
know how you know that? Because God allows the world
to continue. And that's the only reason he
does. The only reason this world exists. The only reason God in
righteous judgment hasn't already condemned this world is because
His elect, those sheep for whom Christ died, are still being
drawn to Him. And when God draws the last redeemed
sinner to His Son and gives them life and faith, He'll wrap this
up. Time shall be no more, and then
He'll come and gather all of His children home where Christ
is There they may be also chosen not to service. People look at
the doctrine of election and they say, well, yeah, I believe
that. I believe that. God looked down and saw who would
believe. So he chose them to believe.
Well, that makes a lot of sense. That makes a lot of sense. No,
we're not chosen in that sense. No, we're chosen by God to salvation,
complete salvation. everlasting salvation, glorious
salvation. But here's the greatest surprise,
isn't it? You read those verses, we're
bound to give thanks all the way to God for you, brethren,
beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen
you to salvation. What would you circle there as
being the greatest surprise? You. You. Me. My soul, we stand in holy wonder
at God's purpose to save sinners. And what it cost for God to do
that. What it took for God to bestow mercy. He must be just. Justice must be satisfied. It
can't be set aside. And that required the death of
His Son. Oh my soul, look at the cost. Look what it cost the Lord Jesus
Christ, our glorious bridegroom, to redeem his bride. That bride
that God gave him, just like he gave Eve to Adam. Eve was
in Adam, his rib. Taken out of Adam. Even so, the
church was in Christ. Chosen in Christ before the foundation
of the world. She became a fallen bride. And
Christ came, still loving his bride. The glorious bridegroom
comes and does everything necessary to redeem her, to cleanse her. And one day, one day, Paul tells
us in Ephesians 5, our glorious bridegroom is going to present
his church back to God the Father that gave it to him. without
a spot or a blemish or any such thing. Wow. Wow. Imagine that. But even a greater surprise than
that is he chose me. He chose me. I mentioned already while me
and Robin were visiting in West Virginia. Each time I visit,
my sister, she and I graduated together. That's been a while. But she'll tell me, Larry, you
remember so-and-so? Oh, yeah, sure. He died. You
remember Ronnie? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I used
to run around with Ronnie. He died of an overdose. Remember
Brian? Yeah, I was with Brian. In Virginia,
New Jersey, many of them. He's gone. He died a drunk. And I think, why me? Why not me? Because God. Because God purposed determined,
resolved to have mercy on this sinner. Again, while visiting,
just this last time, I deliberately had a conversation in private
with a dear, dear loved one. Asked them what their hope of
acceptance before God in that day when he shall judge the world
in righteousness. What's your hope?" And I listened. I was listening intently. And
while I was listening to their answer, I was praying. Because
I wanted with all my heart to hear a testimony, a witness to
God's grace. Because the Lord said, out of
the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. Paul said, with
the heart, man believes, and he confesses that, what God has
done in his heart. He told that poor demoniac, our
Lord did, go home and tell thy friends what great things the
Lord has done for you, and has mercy on you. And that's what
I wanted to hear. I was waiting to hear, praying
to hear. But all I heard was not what grace had done for them,
but what they had done themselves. I didn't hear anything about
God's work, but their work. Oh, that was so sad, so disturbing. But then I remember, salvation
is by grace alone. by faith alone in Christ alone.
And there is at this present time an election according to
God's purpose of grace. What God did for this sinner,
brothers and sisters, help us not to forget this. What God
did for you, he can do for your sons and your daughters. Daughter, oh, increase my faith. Increase
my faith. It was grace that taught my soul
to pray. It was grace that made my eyes
overflow. It's grace that's kept me to this day and grace that
will not let me go. And he can do that for any rebel. Look at verse 14. We'll wrap
this up. Whereunto he called you by our
gospel. See, God works by means. Yes,
he chose you to salvation. But he chose the means to the
end. He called you by our gospel. He called you affectionately.
He called you affectionately. You didn't want to resist anymore,
did you? My people shall be willing in
the day of my power. He called you personally. Personally. Zacchaeus come down. I'm not
talking about anybody else that's crowding around. Zacchaeus, I'm
talking to you. Come down. Saul saw. There was no question who he
was talking to. Saul saw. Why persecutest thou me? Lazarus,
I'm talking to you. Nobody else. Lazarus, come forth. Oh, thank God. He called you
by the gospel. And you knew. He's talking to
me! He's talking to me! A few weeks
ago, I was setting up here just before service with John. And I said, John, isn't it marvelous? A wonder how long God has preserved
a witness in this place. It's unusual. I hope you know
that it's unusual. It's uncommon. But God has been
pleased to reserve a witness to his son and his gospel in
Sylacauga, Alabama. And John said, you know what,
Larry? I believe that this church is still here, still sounding
forth the gospel of God's son, because one of these days, one
of his elect, John said, is going to walk through that door. And Christ says, Thou is coming,
and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of
God, and they that hear shall live. We are bound to give thanks
always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because
God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification
of the Spirit and belief of the truth. And God, who changes not,
will never unchoose us. I noticed signs the other day,
me and Robin were driving down the road, and I said, it seems
like there's always an election. There's always an election. There
was these signs stuck in the ground, vote for me, vote for
this. Well, they got voted in, and they can be voted out in
the next election. But I can't ever be voted out
of being in Christ Jesus. No, because I didn't put myself
in. God did. And I can't take myself out.
In our election, our salvation will redound to God's glory. Every chosen, called, redeemed
sinner, if any one of them should ever perish, God's glory would
be lost forever. Think about that. And that can
never be. Let me close with just a brief
article by Mr. Spurgeon. From this text of scripture,
from Lamentations, chapter 3, verses 22 and 23. It is of the
Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions
fail not. They are new every morning, great
is thy faithfulness. And Spurgeon wrote, his daily
mercies to us are all sweetened with this reflection. that we
are saved souls. Our morsel may be dry, but we
dip it in this dainty sauce of His salvation. It is true I am
poor, but I'm saved. It is true I'm sick, but I'm
saved. It is true I'm obscure and unknown,
but I'm saved. And the salvation of God sweetens
everything. Everything. I'm saved. I'm saved. By the grace of God,
I'm saved. The Lord Jesus Christ says to
every believing sinner, that man is going home justified. Oh my, we're bound to give thanks. Old John Kent wrote this. It
was not to make Jehovah's love toward the sinner flame, that
Jesus from his throne above a suffering man became. It was not the death
which he endured, nor all the pains he bore, that God's eternal
love procured, for God was loved before. He loved the world of
his elect with love surpassing thought, nor will his mercy e'er
neglect the souls so dearly bought. God bless you.