Good evening. I say thank you
again for having us. Thank you for all of your kindness
to us. Thank you so much. Thank you,
Brother Larry. Thank you. Thank you, Brother
Paul, for that. Bless my heart. Turn with me, if you would, to
2 Timothy chapter 1. 2 Timothy chapter 1, and let's
read verse 12 together. For the witch calls, I also suffer
these things, Nevertheless, I am not ashamed, for I know whom
I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that
which I have committed unto Him against that day. Now it has
been said before, you have heard this before and you know that
it's so. It has been said that when a
believer is asked to describe what it is that he believes about God and about the gospel
and about salvation, it can be hard for him or her
sometimes to put it into words. You've heard that and you know
that it's so. You know that's true. You have the question asked to
you. What do you believe? And it will be asked to you. What do you believe? Sometimes
it is hard for a believer to put it into words. But when he
hears it preached, when he sits and listens to a man stand up
and declare it, when he hears it preached, he knows that's
exactly what I believe. That's exactly what I believe.
When he tries to describe it, he feels like such a stutterer
and a stammerer. He feels so put on the spot He
feels so unprepared, but when he hears it preached,
he can matter of factly, no doubt about it, say, that's it. That's it. Why is that? Why is that? I'm not saying that those who
don't preach struggle for the words to say and those who do
preach have it all figured out and they're ready to go. When
I am asked that question out on the street, when somebody
comes and asks me that question, I struggle just like everybody
else does. Why is that? I believe this is the reason.
I honestly do. Speaking for myself, I believe
this is the reason. It's because we don't believe
a what, we believe a who. And when someone is asking what, sometimes it's hard to fit who
in the what category. I honestly believe that's the
case for me. God's people don't believe a
what. They just don't. They believe
who? God's people do not believe in
a how. They are not casting their all
on a how. We've got this one how that we
preach here, and we're casting our all on this how. That's not
so. God's people cast their all on
who. They believe who. God's people
don't believe in a when. Now, there is a what, there is
a how, and there is a when involved. There is. But God's people are
not looking to the what, they're not looking to the how, and they're
not looking to the when. They're looking to who. They
really are casting their all on who. When God's people are
asked, what saved you? How were you saved? Here's one that you'll be familiar
with. When did you get saved? When
did you get saved? When did you get saved? God's
people go, well, I was saved before the foundation
of the world. I was saved the moment Christ
cried, it is finished on the cross and bowed his head and
gave up the ghost. That's when I was saved. I was
saved when God quickened me through the preaching of His gospel. I think I'm saved every day.
I think I'm crying every day, Lord, save me, every day. I think every day I'm begging
for salvation. And I am literally waiting for
Him to come back and eternally save me. A man named Daniel Whittle, I
believe he knew something about this. I believe he knew something
about this struggle that believers go through. He wrote a song that
says, I know not why God's wondrous grace
he did to me impart, nor why unworthy Christ Love redeemed
me for his own. I read it wrong. I know not why
God's wondrous grace to me he hath made known Nor why unworthy
Christ in love redeemed me for his own But I know who He said I know not how this saving
faith to me he did impart I nor how believing in His Word
wrought peace within my heart. But I know who. I know not how the Spirit moves,
convincing men of sin, revealing Jesus Christ through His Word,
creating faith in Him. But I know whom. I know not what of good or ill
may be reserved for me, of weary ways or golden days before his
face I see, but I know whom. I know not when my Lord may come,
at night or noonday fair, nor if I'll walk the veil with him,
if I'll lay this body down in death, or meet him in the air,
but I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able
to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day. Everything that God's people
know, they do know some things, but everything that God's people
know is in light of and it is seen in who? Everything. Turn with me if you
would to Galatians chapter 1 Galatians 1 verse 11 the Apostle
Paul said but I certify you brethren that the gospel which was preached
of me is not after man For I neither received it of man, neither was
I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have
heard of my conversation in time past, in the Jews' religion,
how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God and wasted
it, and profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals,
in mine own nation being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions
of my fathers. But when it pleased God, who
separated me from my mother's womb and called me by His grace
to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the
heathen, immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood, neither
went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me,
but I went into Arabia and returned again Unto Damascus what he's
saying is I went straight to whom? What was revealed to me
wasn't taught to me by man And I did not go to man. I Went to
whom Christ met with him there face to face He said all that I had before
I And this was the Apostle Paul's own confession. He said, all
that I had before was where, what, how, when, and why. That's all I had before. But when God opened my eyes,
I saw who. Look with me, if you would, at
Philippians chapter 3. Philippians 3 verse 4 The Apostle
Paul said though I might also have confidence in the flesh
If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust
in the flesh I more Verse 5 he said circumcised That's a what That's a what What saved you? He said, I was circumcised. He
went on to say, the eighth day, that's a when. Of the stock of Israel, of the
tribe of Benjamin, that's a where. And Hebrew of the Hebrews, as
touching the law of Pharisee, that's a why. Why did you do
all that, Paul? because I was a Pharisee. I did
it because I was a Pharisee and I knew I was a Pharisee and I
knew I had to do it. Verse 6 says, concerning zeal, persecuting
the church. That's a how. How far were you
willing to go with this? He said, I took it so far I persecuted
the church. How self-righteous were you,
Paul, really? Verse six, he said, touching
the righteousness which is in the law, I thought I was blameless. Verse seven says, but what things, things, all of these things,
but what things were gained to me, those I counted loss, For
whom? Christ. Yea, doubtless I count
all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of whom? Christ Jesus my Lord. For whom? I have suffered the loss of all
things and do count them but dung that I may win whom? and be found in whom, not having
mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which
is through the faith of whom Christ, the righteousness which
is of God by faith, that I may know him. And the power of his resurrection,
and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his
death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection
of the dead. This is life eternal, that we
might know whom." That's it. That's it. When it comes to what,
where, how, why, and when, all a child of God needs to know
is whom. That's all he needs to know.
All right, here are some questions. What is the truth? He said, I'm the truth. And that's the truth. It really
is the truth. Sometimes we see one thing and
then see something else in the Word and our little simple minds
can't rationalize it and can't understand it. Does that mean
one's true and one's not? No. Yea and amen, yea and amen. If He said it, it's the truth. All right, here's another question.
How can we know the way to God? He said, I'm the way. I'm the way. All right, he said, if we knock,
it'll be open to us. Here's our question, where's
the door? The door that leads to eternal
life, this is what he said. I'm the door. And he said, I'm
the life. Everybody keeps talking about
the end of times. When he's gonna return, where he's gonna return.
What am I supposed to know about the resurrection? He said, I'm the resurrection. If you know me, you know everything
you need to know about the resurrection. Turn with me if you would to
1 Corinthians chapter 1. 1 Corinthians 1 verse 30 says,
but of him are you in Christ Jesus Who of God is made unto
us wisdom if we know whom? Whom we have believed if we know
whom we know everything we need to know Everything we need to
know he is made unto us wisdom Verse 30 says and righteousness This is the truth. This right
here is the truth. If we have Him, we have every good deed
we need to have. If we have Him, we have every
good deed we need to have. Everything that is written in
the laws and the commandments for us to do, He has done it
for us. He's made unto us righteousness. Every time the law says, we read
in this book, And we read what God has written concerning sinners
and concerning mankind. And every time the law says,
well, you haven't done this, respond with whom? Him. He did it. He did it. I remember when that became so
clear to me. I rejoiced in that so much because I've read in
this, well, somehow, you know, God's people are under no condemnation,
somehow they're, what, are they exempt? You have to pay the price,
but you don't know. We're all under the same law,
it's just Christ accomplished it for His people. I look at
that and say, well, I haven't done that. Yeah, but He did.
He did. He is our wisdom, He is our righteousness. Verse 30 says, He is our sanctification,
our cleansing, our washing, our purifying from every vile thing
we should have never done. Don't you wish you hadn't done
it, but you did. I wish I didn't, but I did. Every time the law says, you
did that, Here's the response. Yes, I did. I acknowledge my
transgressions. My sin is ever before me. But
He washed me from it. He has cleansed me. He's made
me to be a brand new creation in Him. Through that payment
of His blood, I'm a brand new, clean, I'm a new man. That's
what it means to say He is our redemption. Every time the law
says this is what you owe, you've sinned and this is what you owe,
respond with whom? He paid it for me. He has paid
it. He has set me free. He has completely set me free.
Go with me back to 2 Timothy chapter 1. the more that a child of God
comes to know of whom, the less of the what and the why and the
how and the more of whom, the more of Christ that a child of
God comes to know, the more that child will be persuaded of this
right here. The more the child sees of whom,
the more that child will be persuaded of this right here. Verse 12
says, for the which cause I also suffer these things. Nevertheless,
I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded
that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him
against that day. He is The more I see of who He
truly is, the more I become convinced of the fact that He's able. He
is so able. Our faith is so weak in Him. He is so able. We quoted this
last night, but turn with me to Romans 4. Romans 4, speaking of Abraham,
verse 19. and being not weak in faith,
he considered not his own body now dead. When he was about a
hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb,
he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but
was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded
that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed
to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his
sake alone that it was imputed to him, but for us also to whom
it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our
Lord from the dead who was delivered for our offenses and was raised
again for our justification. Abraham believed God and it was
counted unto him for righteousness. What did he believe? Thou art
able. You're able. He is able. He is so able. Look with me at
Hebrews 7. Hebrews 7 verse 22 says, By so much was Jesus made a surety
of a better testament, and they truly were many priests, Because
they were not suffered to continue by reason of death. All of these
priests to God died. And the next one would come along
and he'd be a priest to God and he would die. And the next one
would come along and he'd be a priest to God and he would die. And
that continued until Christ came. And he cannot die. We still have
a priest. We think about the Jews, well
they had a priest. We still have a priest. we still have a high
priest who enters into the holy place with blood. Verse 23, they truly were many
priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason
of death but this man because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable
priesthood wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost
that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession
for them. For such an high priest became
us. That is one of my favorite lines
in all the Scripture. For such an high priest. Enter
into this high priest, this unchanging high priest, never dying high
priest. It says in verse 26, For such
an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled,
separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. He is
so able to save. That leper came to him, crying,
beseeching him, Lord, if you will, you can. If you will, you can. This is
what the Lord said to him. I most certainly will. I most
certainly will. He is so able to say. Jude 24
says, He is able to present us faultless before the presence
of His glory with exceeding joy. You want to know what glory is
going to be like? This is what eternity will be like with Christ.
Here it is. Exceeding joy. Exceeding exceeding
joy. We'll go with me back to 2nd
Timothy 1 Verse 12 says for the which cause
I also suffer these things Nevertheless, I am not ashamed for I know whom
I have believed and am persuaded That he is able to keep that
which I have committed unto Him against that day. What do God's
people commit unto Him? All of it. All of it. Everything. Everything. We commit our sin. We commit salvation, the payment
for that sin. We commit our hope. We commit
our trust. We commit our life. We cast all
of our care upon Him because He said He careth for us. May God cause us to say, really,
I know whom, I know whom I have believed. Not necessarily all
the things of what, why, and how. I'd like to know more about
that. But I know whom I have believed
and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed
unto Him against that day." That great day of eternity. Now I want to close with this.
This is a story that I read in Kingsport about once every six
months. As soon as it's been long enough
to where I feel like I can read it again, I read it again. I
like every excuse I have to read this story. And this perfectly
illustrates our text tonight. This is a perfect illustration
of it. Charles Spurgeon told this story and he called it the Huckster. He said this Huckster Jack was
a poor wicked fellow who had gone about from village to village
swearing drinking, huckstering, and perhaps pilfering, stealing. Some thought him half-witted,
but the story would show his wind to be sound enough. He heard
a poor woman sing somewhere. I'm a poor sinner and nothing
at all. but Jesus Christ is my all and
in all. He remembered the words and what
was better, he felt their sense. I'm a poor sinner, nothing at
all, but Jesus Christ is my all and in all. He kept on humming
them to himself till God's good spirit engraved them on his heart. So he is saved to join himself
unto the church. But the brethren looked suspiciously
at him and inquired, what's your experience? He said he had no experience
but this, I'm a poor sinner and nothing at all. But Jesus Christ
is my all and in all. The good elders very properly
asked, are you converted? Have you been born again? And
Jack replied, I do not know much about these things. But I do
know and am sure of I'm a poor sinner and nothing at all. But Jesus Christ is my all and
in all. They put him back for a while
to try if he would grow in his knowledge. But he never went
an inch beyond the first standard. He knew what he did know and
to that he held fast. I'm a poor sinner and nothing
at all. But Jesus Christ is my all and
in all. Well, they must take him into
the church. They could not well refuse a
man with such a confession of faith. And when he was in the
church walking with the brethren, he was happier than the rest
of them. at which they greatly marveled, and one said to him,
Brother Jack, don't you sometimes feel doubts and fears? Doubts,
he said, what do you mean? I never doubt that I'm a poor
sinner and nothing at all, for I have daily proofs of it. And
why should I doubt that Jesus Christ is my all and in all,
for he says he is, and I must believe him. Ah, well, said one,
sometimes I enjoy good frames and feelings and feel very happy,
and then I lose them and sink in spirit. Jack answered, I never
get lower than I am, for I'm down at the bottom, my poor center,
and nothing at all. I cannot get lower than that,
can I? But I'm also at the top. For Jesus Christ is my all and
in all. I cannot get higher than that,
can I? They tried him many ways with their blessed experience
of which you and I have got cartloads, perhaps wagonloads, but he could
not be drawn out of his one firm position. They tried him with
their various attainments, depressions, anxieties, quibbles, and questions,
but still the huckster would not budge. He had bought the
truth and would not sell it. And so he stuck to, I'm a poor
sinner and nothing at all. But Jesus Christ is my all I
know. That's what it is to know who. That's the difference. That is the difference. May we
know Him. I sincerely beg the Lord to reveal
Himself to every soul in this room tonight. He's able. He's able. If he will, he can. All right. Thank you, Brother
Larry.