Our text will be a portion of
verse four, and that's more than enough, more than enough to occupy
what time we'll be here this morning. And they shall see,
that is the redeemed, they shall see, every one of them, without
exception, they shall see His, that is Christ, they shall see
His face, Face to face. Now, that must be the glory of
glory. It's got to be the very heaven
of heaven. Talk about the cream of the crop.
Oh, you remember when our Lord was invited to a marriage in
Galilee, and they ran short of wine, and he performed his first
miracle there by turning water into wine? And they took it to
the governor of the feast, and he tasted it, and he said, now
this is unusual. He said, because normally it's
the custom to set the best wine out first. And when men have
drank in that, then slip in the inferior, that is not so good. But he said, you've done the
very opposite. He told the bridegroom, you've saved the very best for
last. And is that not what we find
here? When we read these blessed words, this sure and certain
promise of God himself, that they shall see his face, is it
not the very best for last? My soul, what a promise. When
we remember again what the Apostle Paul said concerning things which
are unseen, this has got to head the list. In 2 Corinthians chapter
4, Paul said, for which cause we faint not. But though our
outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day for
our light affliction. And remember how Paul suffered.
I mean, he was forced to renumerate those things that he suffered
on one occasion. And he calls it light, being
beaten, being betrayed, having false brethren. bonds and afflictions,
imprisonments. But Paul says, compared to what's
waiting, that's a light affliction. Compared to what's at the end
of the finish line, what's waiting for God's children, it's a light
affliction, which is but for a moment, just for a little while,
and it worketh for us, not against us. Even those afflictions are
among those things that God works together for our good, to those
who love God, to those who are thee called according to his
purpose. For our light affliction, which
is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things which
are seen, but at the things which are not seen, for the things
which are seen are temporal. Everything we can lay our eyes
on, everything we can touch is going to perish, is going to
pass away. But the things which are not
seen And that includes this promise in Revelation chapter 22. They are eternal. This is among
those must-be things that the Lord told John when he was caught
up to heaven in chapter 4 of this same book. Come up hither,
John, and I'm going to show you things. And I like the words
of our Redeemer. Of course, we shouldn't expect
anything less. from him who is the King of Kings
and Lord of Lords, who is himself the mighty God. We should expect
no less. John, I'm going to show you things
that must be, without question, without a doubt, that must be
hereafter. And as I said, this tops the
list. They shall see his face. That
is one of these must-be things. God's unchanging purpose makes
it so. His omnipotent will makes it
so. If He is God, it must be so. And in addition to that, the
purchased price of the church that Jesus Christ Himself paid
to the Holy Father makes it so. We've been bought with a price. The precious blood of the Lord
Jesus Christ, I can't imagine, can you? And nowhere does the
book of God even hint at such a thing, but I can imagine that
Christ will not have that which he purchased with his own precious
blood. The prophet hundreds of years
before his death said concerning the death of our Redeemer that
he shall see of the travail of his soul, he'll see the outcome
of it, and he'll be satisfied. Christ himself said to his disciples.
except the corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth
alone. But if it die, what happens? It bringeth forth much fruit. There's no question about that. Let me read you, and there are
so many places we could read concerning God's purpose and
grace and the certainty of it, but let me just read you a passage,
a few verses here from Isaiah chapter 46. Now this is God speaking. He says to you and I, to each
of his own, every true believer, remember, remember the former
things of old, for I am God. I am, always, eternally. I am God, and there is none else. I am God, and there is none like
me. There is none like me, declaring
the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things
that are not yet done saying my counsel shall stand and I
will do some of my pleasure. That's not what it said. Thank
God that's not how it reads. My counsel shall stand and I
will do all of my pleasure. All of my pleasure. And look
at verse 6 here in Revelation chapter 22. It's just a repeat
of that very thing. And he said unto me, these sayings
are faithful and true. And the Lord God, the Lord God,
now who's going to stop him from accomplishing his purpose or
doing his will? And the Lord God of the holy
prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things
which must shortly, must, must, not might, not maybe, but must
shortly be done. Remember what the Lord Jesus
Christ himself said on one occasion? Fear not little flock. Fear not
little flock. How often he said those words. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. It's I. Don't be afraid. He said
that that night when he came to them on the stormy sea, didn't
he? It's me. It's me. This is not out of my
control. This is not out of my control.
Don't be afraid. It's me. You're not going to
drown. It's I. Be not afraid. Fear not, little
flock, for it is your father's good pleasure. That one who said,
I shall do all my pleasure. And among those things that he
is pleased to do, it's this. He was pleased to make you a
people. He was pleased to call you by his grace. And it's his
good pleasure to give you the kingdom. I think I've used this
illustration before. But as I was preparing this message,
I thought of the last time I saw my dear, dear friend, Brother
Bob Ponson. It was in the service in the
church at Danville. Donald was gone. He'd asked me
to preach. And that was the last time I saw Bob. And I knew he
was in bad health. I knew he was going downhill.
But he was as off as if he could, in any way possible, he could
be in the service. He'd be there. He'd be sitting
there in the same place every time. I looked down at him. I said, you know, Bob, concerning
the promise of God that he'll be with us always, even to the
end of the world, Christ is, or rather David said, when I
pass through the valley of the shadow of death, I won't fear
any evil because you are with me. Christ said, I'll be with
you always. I'll never leave you. I'll never
leave you. Nothing, nothing, nothing, no
one, nothing. Not now, not present, not in
the future. She'll separate you from my love. I will never allow you, I will
never let you perish. And I said, Barbara, it reminds
me of one time when I was scheduled to have surgery. And I'd never
been in the hospital as a young boy scheduled to have some surgery.
I was even born in the hospital. I was born at home. But anyway,
my mother was standing next to my bed. And I was just waiting
for them to take me downstairs. Now, I was pretty young, I think,
11 or 12 years old. And I was kind of scared as I
waited to be taken into surgery. And Mama said, Larry, don't be
afraid. Don't be afraid. She said, it'll be over before
you know it. And when you wake up, when you wake up, I'll be
right here. I said, Bob, when that time comes
and we close our eyes to this world and everything in it, and
we're absent from the body in that instant, that same, that
very instant, we open our eyes and we're beholding Him. Christ
says, when that day comes, when that time comes, don't you be
afraid. Because when you wake up, I'm
going to be right here. Fanny Crosby was blind. From six weeks old, she was blind. When she was very, very young,
she wrote these words, Oh, what a happy soul am I. Although I
cannot see, I am resolved that in this world contented I will
be. How many blessings I enjoy that
other people don't. To weep and sigh because I'm
blind, I cannot and I won't. She determined not to do so.
We just sang a hymn by her. She wrote thousands and thousands
of hymns. Many of them she wrote and didn't
even sign them with the name Fannie Crosby. She used another
name, so it's probably hard to determine exactly how many hymns,
but it was hundreds, several thousand. And we'll close with
one of her hymns, All the Way My Savior Leads Me. There was
a preacher visiting her home one time, and he said to her,
he said, I think it's a shame, it's a great pity that when the
Master, the Lord Jesus, after he had showered you with so many
gifts, did not give you the ability to see, did not give you the
gift of sight. And she said, oh, I don't have
a problem with that. I'm glad he didn't. She said, as a matter
of fact, if I could have made one request to him when I was
born, I would have requested to be born blind. And the preacher
said, I don't understand that. I can't understand that. Why
would you want such a thing as that? And she said, because when
I get to heaven, when I get to heaven, the first face that shall
ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior, she answered. On page 502 of her handbook,
there's another one written by her, My Savior First of All.
When my life work is ended and I cross the swelling tide, When
the bright and glorious morning I shall see, I shall know my
Redeemer when I reach the other side, and His smile will be the
first to welcome me. Oh, the soul-thrilling rapture
when I view His blessed face and the luster of His kindly
beaming eye, how my full heart shall praise Him for the mercy-loving
grace that prepared for me a mansion in the sky. They shall see His
face. Now you may have noticed in the
bulletin hymn, it was also a prayer. Lord, bless the man who preaches
today. Grant him your presence. Grant
him your power. And grant us that we might see
our Redeemer, our Savior, that we might behold Him with eyes
of faith. Robin always asked me, what are
you preaching from today? And I'll tell her. She said,
I'll be praying for you. And I said, I appreciate it,
because I feel like I'll need it especially this morning. I
need it all the time, but especially this morning, because I'm out
of my depth. These are deep waters. I can
just skim around on the shore. But I pray that God will allow
us to do that. I've attempted to preach from
this text before. It's been several years. But
I've always feel like, oh, I failed. I fell on my face. How do you
illustrate it? Where do you find anything that
can compare to this? They shall see his face. First
of all, let's ask ourselves the question, who are they? Who are they that the text speaks
of? Who are they that are so favored,
that are so blessed? I mean, they've already been
called, obviously. They've been kept by the power
of God, obviously. And they've been brought here
to glory. They've been brought here to
heaven. They didn't hear what multitudes heard. Depart from
me because I never knew you. They didn't hear that. They heard
the very opposite. Don't depart from me, but come. Come. Inherit the kingdom of
God. Inherit all this that's been
prepared for you since the foundation of the world. This was all on
purpose. This is no accident. This is
not an afterthought of God Almighty. This was all deliberate. This
is all on purpose. And not only are they kept, called,
and brought to glory, not only redeemed with the precious blood
of Jesus Christ, we're told that they shall see his face. Look
across the page there, Revelation chapter 21. Look what we read
in verse four there. Now what a great blessing this
is. It says, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Oh my. There'll be no tears in heaven. You'll never see anybody crying
in heaven. You'll never see anybody broken
hearted in heaven. You'll never see anybody having
any reason to cry in heaven. It won't be there. It'll be one
of those things that shall be no more. When God does it, it's
done. God shall wipe away all tears
from their eyes. And there shall be no more deaths.
Neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain,
for the former things are passed away." Wow! Man! What a blessing! What to look
forward to! But that, as glorious as it is,
and it is glorious, it doesn't compare to this. This is even
greater. This is even a greater blessing.
They shall see his face. That is the face of Jesus Christ
himself. Oh my. No wonder Fanny Cosby
said, oh, I'd rather be blind now. And the first time I'm able
to see, the first thing that I'll see will be the face of
the Lord Jesus Christ himself. That will be glory for me. What did this, these, they, what
did they do to deserve such a thing as this? Well, I'll tell you
what, they'll each tell you without exception, the reason they're
there, the reason they behold the face of Jesus Christ is not
because they deserved it at all. That's how the world thinks.
That's how religion thinks. Men earn salvation. They merit
salvation. They deserve salvation. God's
obligated to save everybody. No, no, no. That's not what the
book teaches. And when God in his grace and
mercy brings a sinner down and teaches him that, like he did
the leper, that article in your bulletin today, that man had
learned something, didn't he? He learned when he came and kneeled
down before Jesus Christ, got in the dust where he belonged,
bowed before the master, he said, Lord, if you will, you don't
have to do it. That's what grace is. It's God
doing for us what he didn't have to do. It's free and unmerited
and undeserved and unearned and unbought, unsought, until he
makes us seek him. Lord, if you will, you can make
me clean. Oh, yes, it's not a matter of
merit, not our merit. Oh, but the merit is all because
of the Lord Jesus Christ. He deserves it. That's why we're
there. He deserves it. He merited it. We're brought there by the grace
of God and the power of God for Christ's sake. You want a pillow
to rest on? You want a soft pillow to lay
your weary head on, pilgrim of God? Lay down on this. For Christ's sake, God forgives
us for Christ's sake. God saves us for Christ's sake. God accepts us for Christ's sake. And God will bring us to glory
for Christ's sake. Who are they? Well, the answer
is twofold, and both are true. Who are these that we are told
shall see his face? They are without exception, every
one of them, sinners. Sinners. The vilest of the vile. the worst of sinners. And they
will each tell you that. They'll tell you they have nothing
that they didn't receive. They'll tell you it was God's
free, pure grace that made them the different. They'll all confess. They'll all confess gladly as
they cast their crowns down at the feet of that one who alone
is worthy and cry, worthy is the man. They will tell you,
this is my story. To God be the glory, I'm only
a sinner saved by grace. Their testimony is the same as
that of Saul of Tarsus. When he said, when it pleased
God, when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's
womb and called me by his grace, that's why I'm here. They'll
tell you we are described in Ephesians 2. Who are they? They are these. You, hath he
quickened. This is in Ephesians chapter
2 verse 1. You, hath he quickened, that
is given life to, who were what? Needed a little help. Needed
a little propping up. No, who were dead. That's what
we are by nature. Sinners are dead and they need
a miracle of God's grace. Dead in sins, wherein in times
past you proved that you were dead because you walked just
like everybody else did in this world. And were by nature children
of wrath even as others. Something happened to change
that. And that something was not anything you did. It's what God did. God stepped
in. God stepped in. But God, Billy,
but God, that's the difference. That's why you're saved when
others are lost. That's why you know God when
others are still blinded in religion. But God, blessed are you, Simon
Barjona. You just said something that
only God Almighty could teach you. When you said, I'm the Christ,
the Son of God, you didn't learn that on your own. Oh, no, no,
no. No. God's done something for
you. He's revealed that to you. He's
granted to you the precious gift of faith. That's why you know
who the Son of God is. Judas didn't know, did he? And
he had experienced much of the same things that Peter did. But God, oh, I like that. A lot
of people have a problem with that. They say, well, I just
don't like that. What do you mean? It's not up
to me? You mean God doesn't give everybody
a chance? You mean it's not of Him that
willeth? You mean it's not a compromise? You mean I don't take the first
step and God takes the rest? That's exactly what I mean. And
thank God that he doesn't. Thank God that our Lord didn't
stand before the tomb of Lazarus and say, Lazarus, if you'll take
the first step, I'll do something for you. No, that's not good
news. No, we were dead. We couldn't
take the first step. Oh, but God. who is rich, rich
in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were
dead hath quickened us when we were dead in sins he's quickened
us given us life together with Christ he's raised us up 1st
Corinthians chapter 6 verses 9 here we are here we
are Here's those who now see his
face and will see his face. 1 Corinthians 6 verse 9, Know
ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?
He that is unrighteous, let him be unrighteous still. We just
read it. Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor
adulterers, nor infeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind.
nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were
some of you." That's exactly right. That's exactly right.
Such were some of you. I was right in that mix. Such
were some of you. I was those very things. Such
were some of you. But, there it is again. There's
the interjection of God's amazing grace, but What's happened? You're washed, you're sanctified,
you're justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the
Spirit of our God. Old John Newton, after he had
grown old, feeble, blind, he was sitting one time and he heard
someone quote from 1 Corinthians 15 and 10, but by the grace of
God, I am what I am." And he just sat quiet. Just sat quiet. And then he spoke and said, yes,
my memory's just about gone. He said, there's so many things
I don't remember anymore, but two things I remember clearly. I'm a great sinner, and Jesus
Christ is a great Savior. I remember that. He must be a
great Savior, mustn't He? Because look at the great sinners
that He bestows His great salvation on. The first answer as to who
these are, they're sinners. Only sinners saved by grace,
that's true. But this is also true. They are
the elect of God. They are the elect of God. Every
one of them that see his face were predestined to see his face. God has chosen you or we are
bound to give thanks to God for you, brethren. 2 Thessalonians
2 and 13, because God had from the beginning chosen you to salvation
through sanctification and belief of the truth. They were chosen
in Christ, oh my, before the world began. They were given
to Christ by the Father before the foundation of the world.
That's just so. That's what the book teaches.
Matthew chapter 1 verse 21, that marvelous verse, the angel told
Joseph, call his name Jesus for he shall save who? Not offer
to save or attempt to save or try to save or maybe save. He
shall save. He's Jesus. He's God's salvation. The very word means the salvation
of the Lord. He's God. He's Jehovah. And he
shall save his people. Oh, there it is. His people. from their sins. He shall do
it. He shall trod the winepress alone. He'll do everything a holy God
demands to be done that he might justify sinners and remain absolutely
just in doing so. Jesus, oh, he shall do it. The very same people God chose
in Christ are the same people that Jesus Christ redeemed. Ephesians
chapter 5. Husbands love your wives. How
do you love your wife? Terry, you love Pat. You love
every other woman like you love Pat. You better not. No husband does. No, they love
them especially. They love them in a way they
can't love any other. And Paul said even so. Husbands
love your wives even as Christ loved the church and he gave
himself for the church. And even the Lord himself said,
I am the good shepherd. I laid down my life for my sheep. My sheep. Turn, if you will,
to John chapter 6. Such a familiar verse of scripture. But oh, I just love these verses.
Here the great shepherd himself is speaking. And he says in John
6 verse 35, I'm sorry, verse 30, verse 30,
yeah, verse 35. I am the bread of life, John
6 and 35. He that cometh to me shall never
hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But
I say unto you, that you also have seen me, and you believe
not, you believe not. Will that make the purpose of
God of none effect? No. All that the Father giveth
me shall come to me. You won't come. You don't feel
your need of me. You don't want me. Oh, but all
that the Father gives me, they'll come to me. And him that cometh
to me, I will let no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven
not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. And
this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which
he hath given me, I should lose nothing. Nothing. but should
raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of
him that sent me, that every one which seeth his son and believeth
on him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up again
at the last day." In that high priestly prayer, John chapter
17, he says, Father, the last will and testament, if you will,
of the Lord Jesus Christ, he says, Father, among all those
other things that he said, that he prayed for, keep them, Father.
Keep them, preserve them, make them one, even as we are one.
Of all that you've given me, Father, I've lost none. I've
lost none, and Father, I also will this. I will this. I will
also that all those whom thou has given me be with me where
I am, that they may behold my glory. The glory that I had with
you before the world began. And here they are. It comes to
pass. These must be things. They shall
see His face. Look, if you will, here in Revelation
chapter 14. Revelation chapter 14. Verses
3 and 4. And they sung as it were a new
song before the throne, and before the four beasts and the elders,
and no man can learn that song but the hundred and forty and
four thousand, representing all God's redeemed, all the elect.
And notice how it says this, which are redeemed from the earth. Not with everyone, but from the
earth. These are they which were not
defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are they which
follow the Lamb, whithersoever he goeth. They were redeemed
from among men. Oh, my soul. Being the firstfruits
unto God and to the Lamb, and in their mouth was found no guile,
for they are without fault. Without fault before the throne
of God, redeemed from the earth, redeemed from among men. Christ
redeemed his people. He'll save his people, his sheep,
his church. A man by the name of Josiah Condor
wrote a hymn along this line. It goes like this, "'Tis not
that I did choose thee, for Lord, that could not be. This heart
would still refuse thee if you had not chosen me. Thou from
the sin that stained me has cleansed and set me free, of old thou
hast ordained me that I should live to thee. What sovereign
mercy called me and taught my opening mind, the world had else
enthralled me, the heavenly glories blind. My heart owns none before
thee, for thy rich grace I thirst. This knowing if I love thee,
thou must have loved me first. Yes, sinners everyone, but everyone
chosen in Christ, redeemed by Christ, kept by Christ, shall
see the face of their Redeemer. The second and the last thing,
they shall see. They shall see. Now at our very
best, now we see through a glass darkly. That's what Paul said.
Now we see through a glass darkly. So much now that hinders our
sight, that marrs our vision, our view. And not only do we
lack the ability, rather, to behold Christ as He is, we lack
the opportunity. John said, now are you the sons
of God? There's no question about that. It's not that you will,
but you are now. Behold what matter of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God. And now are we the sons of God, and it doth not
yet appear what we shall be, but we know when he shall appear,
we shall be like him. Oh, that look will be a transforming
look. We'll be made then into the image
of Christ, which we aren't now, not entirely, when we shall see
him as he is. We'll have the ability to see
perfect. No darkness to obscure our vision. No tears needing wiped away to
hinder our seeing Him. No more sin. Then we shall know
Him as never before. Know as we've been known. Love
and worship Him as never before. Then we'll see with an unsinning
heart. That pretty well tells the story,
doesn't it? An unsinning heart will have
the ability then and we'll also have the opportunity to see him
as he is. Now we walk by faith, but then
face to face, face to face I can only imagine, oh, to look into
those eyes that looked my way and saw me lost and helpless,
saw me without God and without hope. Described here in Ezekiel 16,
none I pitied you to do any of the things to have compassion
on you, but that was cast out in the open field to the loathing
of thy person in the day that you were born. And that's still
where we'd be, John. That's where we'd still be, child
of God. Remember, it's but. When I passed by thee and saw
thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee, when thou wast
in thine own blood, live. I said unto thee, live. Now when I passed by thee and
looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love. And
I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy neckiness. And I
swear unto thee and entered into a covenant with thee saith the
Lord God, and thou becamest mine. Oh my soul, as long as God and
I shall be, I am his and he is mine. And thy renown went forth
among the heathen for thy beauty, for it was perfect. Oh, robed
in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, how could it be anything
other than perfect? It was perfect through my comeliness
which I put upon thee, saith the Lord." Oh yes. Faced, faced
the face. I told you I was out of my depth. The place of my hand and those
hands that were nailed to the cross for me. Those hands who
reached down for me, reached way down for me, and lifted me
up as the psalmist said, out of that deep and miry pit, and
put my feet upon a solid rock, we shall see his face. The one
who loved us and gave himself for us, that one in whom we were
chosen, who laid down his life for us, that one that was made
sin for us, She'll see his face. Remember
what Job said? Let me read it to you. Job 19.
Job said, even while he sat in Cyclops, even as his heart broke,
I know, he said, that my Redeemer liveth. None of this changes
that. None of these losses, none of these heartaches, this burden,
this breaking heart doesn't change this. I know that my Redeemer
liveth. and that he shall stand at the
latter day upon the earth, and though after my skin worms destroy
this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall see for
myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another." His face. A few years before God called
Brother Lowell home to be with Christ forever, we were setting
on the back patio at the house. He was telling me about a song
he'd heard. I think it was, I Can Only Imagine.
He said, Larry, that song said you can only imagine when we
see Christ. He said, I've been thinking about
that. He said, Larry, what do you think we'll do? Will we just
fall down before him? Will we rejoice? Will we cry? I said, brother in law, I imagine
we'll do all that. when we see him. The hymn writer
put it like this, what a day that will be. That's a day that
will never end. When my Jesus I shall see and
I look upon the face of the one who saved me by his grace and
he takes me by the hand and leads me through the promised land.
Oh, what a day, glorious day that will be. A day that will
never end. We shall see his face forever,
unchanging, without interruption, never an eclipse, never a cloud,
no darkness, no unbelief, no dimness, no distractions. Oh, what a day that will be. Let me close by reading a few
verses from Isaiah, Isaiah chapter 65. For behold, I create, this
is God speaking, Isaiah 65 and 17. For behold, I create new
heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice forever
in that which I create. For behold, I create Jerusalem
a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
God says. I will rejoice in you. We'll
rejoice in Him. He said, I will rejoice in you.
I will rejoice in Jerusalem and joy in my people, and the voice
of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. Oh, the soul-thrilling rapture
when I view his blessed face, and the luster of his kindly
beaming eye, how my full heart will praise him for the mercy,
love, and grace that prepared for me a mansion in the sky.
Through the gates of the city, in a robe of spotless white,
he will lead me where no tears will ever fall. In the glad song
of ages, I shall mingle with the light. But I long to meet my Savior first of all. They shall see his face. Amen. Oh, that's something to look
forward to, isn't it? God bless you. God bless each
of you.