Why do so few speak of God in
our day? You must observe this all around.
Nobody speaks of God, only to mock, only to ridicule, only
to pour scorn on you if you say that you believe in God. The
reason is this. that naturally, by nature, men
and women don't think of God, and not only by nature, by sinful
nature, but willfully, of their own choice, men and women don't
think of God. They're naturally and willfully
blind and deaf to the testimony of God. We know that the Word
of God tells us that the natural man cannot receive the things
of the Spirit of God. They're foolishness to him. Neither
can he know them. Why? They're spiritually discerned. You know how you look at the
things outside this room, and you discern them with your eyes?
Your eyes see them, right? They're naturally, physically
discerned. Well, the things of God are spiritually discerned. And who is it, alone, that can
give that sight of the soul to see the things of the living
God? It's the Holy Spirit of God. who comes and graciously
gives sight to see that which the natural man cannot see. Look
at Romans 1. I know I've turned you there
a few times in recent weeks, but this is worth keeping in
mind. Romans 1, verse 18. Romans 1, verse 18. I'm going
to read a few verses down to verse 25. This is why men and
women generally don't speak of God, have no thought of God,
don't want to think about God, don't want to mention God, find
it a stupid embarrassment when anybody talks about God. You
know the people we meet and know every day. For the wrath of God
is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness
of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness. In other words,
they suppress the truth that is there to be seen and observed,
because that which may be known of God is manifest in them. It's obvious, it's all around
us. For God has showed it to them. The invisible things of
Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being
understood by the things that are made. Are they not all around
us? How do we... You say, these things
are not made. You know, the scientific world
says these things are not made, they just happened. Well, does
that not counter everything you've ever known since you first started
to understand things? Things that do things are made,
they're designed, they're made. The things around us are made.
We understand them because they're made. Even His eternal power
and Godhead, so that they're without excuse. Oh, you deny
the living God, you're without excuse, it's there, it's obvious
to you. Because that when they knew God, they glorified him
not as God. Neither were thankful, but became
vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise, oh, doesn't the world all around
us profess itself to be wise. Oh, you know, we're so much more
sophisticated these days. Professing themselves to be wise,
God says they became fools and changed the glory of the incorruptible
God What made us, they say? Ah, we know. Corruptible man,
birds, four-footed beasts, creeping things. We evolved from these
things. That's what they say. Wherefore God also gave them
up to uncleanness. You want to be like that? You
go and be like that, said God. through the lusts of their own
hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves, who
changed the truth of God into a lie. They accused God of being
a liar. Is that not the world around
us? And worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator. Is that not what the world around
us does? They worship and serve the creature. You think of the
stupidity that goes on in the name of conservation and all
sorts of other things like that. They worship and serve the creature,
rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. You see,
that's why people, generally speaking, don't speak of God,
don't acknowledge God. No, the God of this world, 2nd
Corinthians 4 verse 4, Paul says, the God of this world, that's
Satan, he's the God, little g, the God of this world, hath blinded
the minds of them which believe not, he's blinded their minds,
lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the
image of God, if you would see God you must see Christ, Show
me God. You must see Christ. Philip,
have I been so long with me and you have not yet seen me? He
who has seen me has seen the Father, said the Lord Jesus Christ.
That the gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine
unto them. So don't be surprised. Don't be surprised when people
in general, the majority, don't see anything of the things of
God. Don't be surprised. But then ask the question, why
does some hear and see the things of God? We in this room, the
majority of us, claim that we see and hear the things of the
living God. We have friends all over the
world who see and hear the things of the living God. Why is it
that they do? Ah, because we've used our natural
intelligence and we've worked it out and we've listened to
the arguments and we've reasoned and we've come to the conclusion
that of course there's a God. No, not at all. We're just like
everybody else. We're just as dumb, we're just
as blind naturally, we're just as willfully unbelieving as everybody
else. I'll tell you, in two words,
why some believe that which the majority do not believe, it's
sovereign and it's grace. Sovereign, grace. Sovereign,
God who chooses. Grace, totally, totally undeserved,
entirely of the will of God. The disciples asked Jesus in
Matthew 13, Why do you speak to the people in parables? Why
do you speak to them in parables? You know, the parable of the
sower, the parable of the tares and the wheat, all of those parables.
Why do you speak to them in parables? And Jesus said this in Matthew
13, verse 11. He said, because, now listen
to this, listen to this, unbelieving, rebellious, religious world that
tries to make up the word of God for itself, listen to this,
Because, said Jesus, it is given unto you to know the mysteries
of the kingdom of heaven. It is given unto you to know
the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is
not given. Sovereign grace. To you it is
given, but to them it is not given. Matthew 13 verse 16, blessed
are your eyes for they see. and your ears, for they hear."
Sovereign grace. If you see and you hear the things
of the living God, then blessed are you, because He has revealed
it to you. When Peter, when the disciples
were asked by Jesus, who do men say that I am? And they said,
well, some say you're Elijah come again, and some say you're
this, and some say, and he said, but who do you say? And Peter
said, you are the Christ, the son of the living God. And Jesus
said, blessed are you, Peter, Simon, Bar-Jonas, blessed are
you, for flesh and blood hasn't revealed this to you. It's not
flesh and blood that's shown you this, it's my Father who
is in heaven. Sovereign grace. Sovereign grace. Is this fatalism? Is this, well,
oh well, there's nothing we can do about it, is there? Is it
fatalism? Not at all. Do you remember when Jesus was
walking around in his earthly ministry and in Mark chapter
10 and verse 47 he comes along and there's blind Bartimaeus
A blind man, begging, and he hears that Jesus is coming. And
he cries out, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And
they said, oh, tell him to shut up. And Jesus said, no, no, went
over to him. Jesus, thou son of David, have
mercy on me. Jesus said to him, what would
you have me to do for you? And Bartimaeus said, Lord, that
I might receive my sight. Lord, that I might receive my
sight. And immediately the scales of
his eyes fell off and he saw. Oh, I'm telling you, if you're
an unbeliever and you do not understand the truth of the things
of which we speak week after week, Be like blind Bartimaeus,
plead with the Lord, Lord that I might receive my spiritual
sight to see and understand these things. You see the things of
God are revealed to faith, to faith, and that is the gift of
God. Not of yourselves, no, not at
all. It's revealed to faith. What is revealed to faith? The
fear of the Lord is revealed to faith. He teaches us to fear
Him with that filial fear of which we've been thinking. That
true childlike fear, love and respect and honour for an Abba,
Heavenly Father. He gives us the ability to believe
Him. He causes us to enter into his secret. You see, those of
us who believe, when we look at this world around us, we're
immediately in the secret of God, because we know that he
is, and he's in everything. He shows us his covenant, how
he saves his people from their sins, how he redeems us from
the curse of the law. How did he redeem us from the
curse of the law? by himself being made that curse for us,
that his people might not have to be made that curse. For the
sins of his people have been taken away, as far as the east
is from the west. Now this psalm, Psalm 19, is
the voice of God speaking. It's the voice of God speaking.
Can you hear? Will you hear? Will you plead
for faith that you might see what it tells us here? Two points,
basically. God speaks in creation, and then
God speaks in his word. In the first six verses, we see
God speaking in creation. We read it earlier. The heavens
declare the glory of God. The firmament showeth forth his
handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech. Night unto night showeth knowledge.
No speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their
line is gone out through all the earth. Their words to the
end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth
as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end
of heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it, and there is
nothing hid from the heat thereof. That speaks of God in creation. But what does he say, and how
does it affect me? You see, so what if I know there
is a creator God? but I am left accountable for
my sin, facing judgment and eternal condemnation. What good does
it do me? I'm no better off than the so-called
pseudo-modern scientist who says nothing was made by God. I'm
in no better position than him. Just if I only acknowledge that
God is creator, but I'm left accountable for my sin, If I
still bear that when I die and leave this life and go into eternity,
I still face judgment and eternal condemnation, for God is still
just, and He can in no wise clear the guilty. Even religious folks
say this, they say, God is great because he made all things, and
his law tells us how to live, and promises a reward for keeping
it. That's what they think this psalm means when they read it,
just as it looks on the face of the page. God is great because
he made all things, his law tells us how to live, and promises
a reward for keeping it. That's not what this psalm is
saying. Not to the eye of faith. How do we get peace from this?
You see, we need peace from this. Look at verses 12 and 13. Which
one of us can put our hand up and say this doesn't apply to
me? His errors, his secret faults, his presumptuous sins, his great
transgression. Is that not all of us, by nature? Sinners, by nature, presumptuous
sins, great transgression? I need more than just assent
to the existence of God. Look at verse 14. What do I need? I need a Redeemer. Let my words,
let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be
acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. I need a Redeemer. I need one
to pay the penalty for my sin. I need one to pay the ransom
price that I might go free from the curse of the law which condemns
me. I need Christ. Christ and creation are inseparably
linked. This is the thing to understand.
This is the key to understand. Christ and creation are inseparably
linked. Have I just made that up? Not
at all. God's Word declares it. Colossians
1, 16. All things were created by Him. By who? The context is clear. Christ. Christ. The Lord Jesus
Christ. The second person of the Trinity.
The God-man, the manifestation of God to his people. The one
who is the Word, who spoke in the beginning, was with God and
was God. The one by whom all things were
made, and without whom nothing was made that was made. All things
were created by him, Christ. And here's the key, and for him. They were created by him, and
they were created for him. In what respect were they created
for him? In what respect was everything
that we see created for Christ? How does God speak in this creation? I'll tell you. Without wishing
to sound in any way irreverent, and interpret this in the way
I intend. Creation, what we see all around us in this universe,
in this world, creation is the cosmic theatre in which God displays
his saving grace. Do you understand that? Do you
see what I'm saying? Creation, the universe, the world,
the solar system, everything we see around us, is the cosmic
theatre, made by Christ and made for Christ, in which he demonstrates,
in which he displays, what's the greatest character of God?
Oh, he's holy, yes, he's holy. Oh, he's all-powerful. Oh, he's
omnipresent. He's all of these things. But
what does he say is his greatest glory? His greatest glory is
His grace. When Moses asked Him to show
him His glory, He said, I will be gracious to whom I will be
gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
That is the greatest glory of God. And this creation is the
cosmic theatre in which God displays His saving grace. Yes, the universe
declares the power of God in making all things. Yes, it does.
It does display that. It does display it. And as a
little aside, you know, the language of scripture is, you have to
read it. If you know anything about relativity,
you know, it's from which perspective are you looking at things? The
poetic language is not at odds in any way. The poetic language
of scripture about the creation in which we live is not at odds
in any way with observed astronomy. No, it isn't. But neither is
it a textbook. of the dynamics of the solar
system. It's not intended to be. Not
intended to be. It's not at odds with it, but
it's not intended to be a textbook of the dynamics of the solar
system. But the language declares the power of God in making all
things. But astronomical language is
used elsewhere in scripture to describe saints as stars. To describe preachers as stars. There's an allegory here. In
these six verses about creation, there's an allegory of salvation. You know what an allegory is?
It's a story. It's like a parable, in a way.
It's a story that tells another story. It's a story that tells
another story. In Daniel 12 and verse 3, this
is just one example of hundreds I could have picked. They that
be wise Remember, what's the beginning of wisdom? The fear
of the Lord. What's the beginning of wisdom?
The fear of the Lord, to fear God. They that be wise shall
shine as the brightness of the firmament, the heavens, and they
that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever. You see, preachers of the gospel,
are pictured as the stars of heaven in scripture. They're
pictured as the stars of heaven. In Revelation chapter one, when
John saw the vision of Christ, the glorified Christ, what did
he have in his right hand? He had seven stars in his right
hand. Seven stars. These are seven
preachers, symbolical. These preachers proclaiming the
message of the gospel of his grace. In verse two, we see day
unto day uttering speech and night unto night showing knowledge.
The turning of day and night constantly speaks of God as creator
to the eyes that can see by faith. Constantly speaks of God, the
creator. Verse three, there is no speech
nor language where their voice is not heard. Everywhere that
people speak, and everywhere there are people, there is language. However sophisticated or however
simple, It completely marks the human race out from every other
creature on earth. Everywhere that people speak,
these daily cosmic speeches tell of God who made and upholds them. Don't they? They do. To the eye
of faith, you see it clearly every day. Verse four, their
line has gone out through all the earth. The line of their
speech has gone out through all the earth. Their words to the
end of the world. Everywhere. Everywhere. Can't
we see it as an allegory of gospel proclamation? The gospel is accessible
today in every language. A remarkable truth, but it's
true. Through all sorts of God-given, providential means, the gospel
is available in every language today. Their line has gone out
through all the earth. In Acts 2, verse 8, on the day
of Pentecost. There were foreigners in Jerusalem.
And God gave the apostles the gift of tongues, of languages,
of languages they'd not learned by birth. And they were speaking
the gospel in the languages of the foreigners that were there
in Jerusalem. That's what tongues is. It's not this gibberish nonsense
that charismatics today claim. That's an absolute load of nonsense.
You really do need to have yourself mentally assessed if you believe
that nonsense. No, on the day of Pentecost,
the people, the foreigners said, and how hear we every man in
our own tongue wherein we were born. These were proper languages.
Not that gibberish that I've heard it in the past, I won't
go into it anymore. No, Matthew 24 verse 14. This gospel of the kingdom shall
be preached, said Jesus, in all the world for a witness unto
all nations and then shall the end come. In Romans 10, we read
about the preaching of the gospel. So then, faith cometh by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God. But I say, have they not heard?
Yes, verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their
words to the end of the world. You see, their line has gone
out through all the world. It's an allegory. These astronomical
pictures are an allegory of true gospel preaching. He set in them,
end of verse four, a tabernacle for the sun. A tabernacle for
the Son, which is as a bridegroom, coming out of his chamber, and
rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is
from the end of the heaven, and his circuit to the ends of it,
and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. A tabernacle
for the Son, a bridegroom, a strong man. Does that not allude to
the Lord Jesus Christ? He is the bridegroom, isn't he?
Malachi chapter 4 verse 2, and to you that fear my name, how
many times have we seen that in recent weeks? And to you that
fear my name shall the son of righteousness arise with healing
in his wings. The son of righteousness, the
S-U-N of righteousness is the Lord Jesus Christ. He arises
with healing in his wings. Healing? Healing from sin. Healing
from the curse of the law. He is the glorious bridegroom. He's a bridegroom coming out
of his chamber. Which chamber has he come out
of? The chamber of heaven. Where has he come to? To this
earth to redeem his bride, the church. He is the strong man.
The strong man? Jesus said of the devil, he said,
The devil is the man who owns this house of the world. He's
the man who owns this house of the world. And he said, how shall
I take the things that are in the possession of that strong
man unless I come and bind the strong man? Here is the man who
is even stronger than Satan, who comes to bind him, to possess
Satan's household. Yes, God speaks in creation.
but he speaks of Christ who is the way, the truth and the life,
who made peace through the blood of his cross. This is what it's
speaking of, all made by him and all made for him. All of it, made by him and for
him. If you fail to see creation,
and the universe, and this world, as the theatre created by Christ,
for Him to accomplish and declare salvation, you totally fail to
understand the meaning of life. But God also speaks clearly in
His Word, as we've been singing in those hymns by Isaac Watts.
Yes, it's a glorious declaration, but oh how we need the Word of
God to explicitly declare the truth of salvation. And in verses
7 to 11, God speaks in his word. The law of the Lord is perfect,
converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is
sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are
right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is
pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are
true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than
gold, yea, than much fine gold, sweeter also than the honey and
the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant
warned, and in keeping of them there is great reward. The law,
well all of these things, the law, the statutes, the testimony,
it's the written word. The written word. Is it not remarkable? Do you know, There is something
remarkably enduring about writing. You think about archaeology,
and when they find writing in a hidden cave, and it comes from
thousands of years ago, and it's remarkably enduring. You know,
all the forms of media on which we store things at the moment,
they're highly susceptible to all sorts of things going wrong.
I trust at the moment to a big organisation called Dropbox to
store most of our documents and really it is a bit foolish because
I having worked in IT and I know some of the others of us here
having worked in IT, you know in truth really how vulnerable
these things are, however Solidly people try to make them but writing
is very enduring and it pleased God to write down the testimony
of the gospel of his grace this law These statutes are the doctrine
of Christ the doctrine of Christ It's all of it all of it all
of it It's not the law of Moses though. It includes the law of
Moses. The law of Moses is good I delight in the law of God after
the inward man. No, it's not that on its own
But the royal law, as James calls it. Gospel law. The law of Christ,
as Galatians 6.2 calls it. The law of faith, as Romans 3.27
calls it. The doctrine of Messiah. The
doctrine of Messiah. Messiah, the Christ. The one
that God always promised from the beginning. Isaiah 42 verse
1. He says to you and to me, Behold my servant. Look at my
servant. If you would see God, look at
my servant, says God, whom I uphold, mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth. The soul of the essence of God
delights in the Christ of God. I have put my spirit upon him.
He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles by faith in Messiah. not by law works, not by the
works of the flesh that I try to do to please God, by faith
in Messiah, I establish the whole law of God, including the Mosaic
law of commandments. When God speaks in his word,
it is Christ who is the word, who is speaking. And it is of
Christ that it speaks, is it not? Jesus said to the Pharisees,
you search the scriptures, for in them you think that you have
eternal life. John 5, 39. These are they, these scriptures
are they which speak of me. And so Paul was determined to
know nothing else among you. When he preached, nothing else
among you other than Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I've always
said, from the very first time I started preaching, intermittently,
thirty-odd years ago I suppose, I could not see the point and
I wouldn't waste my time preparing and getting out of bed on a Sunday
morning to preach anything other than the gospel of Christ. I
don't want to teach morals, I don't want to teach doctrine, I don't
want to teach the scriptures as such, I want to teach Christ
and Him crucified. Because only that speaks peace
to the soul of a sinner. This is the law of the Lord.
this gospel doctrine of Christ. That's the law of the Lord, and
it's that that converts the soul. The laws of Moses don't convert
the soul, do they? The laws of Moses don't do that.
No. What converts the soul? Listen
to this account of conversion. It's when Paul was giving one
of his defences in Acts 26 verse 18. He says he went with the
gospel to open their Gentile eyes. It was speaking about going
to the Gentiles. To open their eyes and to turn
them. Turn, convert. Turn them. This
is conversion. Turning. To turn them from darkness
to light. As he said of the Thessalonians,
how when he came to them, how they turned from idols to serve
the living and true God. That's conversion. Turning them.
Repentance. Rethinking. Turning around. To
turn them from darkness to light. And from the power of Satan unto
God. that they may receive forgiveness
of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by
faith that is in me. That's it. That's how to be right
with God. This testimony of Christ makes
wise. It makes wise. This testimony
of Christ makes wise the simple, verse 7. It makes wise. Psalm
119, verse 30 says, The entrance of thy words giveth light. It giveth understanding to the
simple. in 2 Timothy 3.15, the holy scriptures,
Paul writing to Timothy, the holy scriptures he talks about,
which are able to make thee wise unto salvation. If you would
have the wisdom that teaches your soul that you are saved
by God, from your sins, by his grace, you'll get that from the
scriptures. The scriptures are able to make
you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
This isn't worldly wisdom. No, not worldly wisdom. Not wisdom
as this world counts wisdom. Not wisdom as the scientific
community counts wisdom. 1 Corinthians 1, 21. The world,
by wisdom, by its wisdom, knew not God. No, no, don't seek after
the world's wisdom to know about things eternal. You will never
find that in that way. The way you will find is by subjecting
yourself to what Paul calls in 1 Corinthians 1.21 the foolishness
of preaching. It pleased God by the foolishness
of preaching to save those that believe. Verse eight, the statutes
of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of
the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. It's not the law of
Moses that rejoices the heart, no. It's the statutes of the
Lord are right. The gospel rejoices the heart.
Is it not gospel news that rejoices the heart of the sinner? Is it
not gospel news of sins forgiven, of acceptance with God, of peace
with God? Is it not that that rejoices
the heart? Of course it is. The law of Moses is part and
parcel. part and parcel of the statutes
of the Lord, but why? What is its purpose? What then
serveth the law, says Paul in Galatians? It merely condemns,
it confirms our condemnation and drives us to Christ. It is
our schoolmaster to teach us how incapable we are of satisfying
God through the works that we do in the flesh. No, the thing
that delights the heart is the doctrine of salvation, the doctrine
of redemption, the doctrine of atonement, the doctrine of propitiation
made in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, how his blood cleanses
us from all sin, blood as of a lamb without blemish and without
spot, that all pictured in those Old Testament types. But it is
that that makes satisfaction to the broken law of God. And
when we find it and we understand it, as Jeremiah 15, 16 says,
thy words were found and I did eat them. And thy word was unto
me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart. Have you ever known that?
The joy and rejoicing of mine heart. It's the enlightening
of the eyes, as it says at the end of verse 8, the enlightening
of the eyes. The clearing of the eyes, Revelation
3.18 to the Laodiceans, the risen Lord writes via John in that
book of Revelation, he says, anoint your eyes, I counsel you,
anoint your eyes with eye salve that you may see. What's the
eye salve, the eye ointment to clear your eyes? It's gospel
eye ointment. It's the truth of God. Verse
9, the fear of the Lord is clean. Enduring forever. The judgments
of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. Filial fear. Non-corrupt. It's clean, it's non-corrupt.
It's the beginning of wisdom and of knowledge. These are righteous
judgments in the gospel. And sinners are justly declared
just by God. On the basis, the judgments of
the Lord are true and righteous altogether. Is that not glorious?
The judgments of the Lord are true. He's going to declare,
you and me, if our faith is in Christ, he's going to declare
us just before his throne of judgment. Why? Because he's unjust? Because we're not really, and
yet he said, doesn't matter, I'll sweep it under the carpet.
Not at all. Because he's established justice and righteousness in
the doing and dying of our Lord Jesus Christ. No. Verse 10. More valuable than anything this
world offers. More to be desired. If you know
this gospel, oh, I tell you, people will tell you, seek riches
in this life for a happy life. Well, don't be lazy. Don't be
irresponsible, be careful with what God gives you, but don't
think for one moment that your happiness resides in the number
of things that you possess. It tells us elsewhere, I can't
think of the verse now, but that's a great error to think that your
happiness and your state consists in the things that you possess.
It doesn't. It doesn't at all. apart from possessing this, the
truth of the gospel of grace in Christ. Because if you possess
that, you know it's more to be desired than gold. There are
no riches in this world that compare with the riches of peace
with God. Yea, the much fine gold, sweeter,
you know the sweetest thing that you can imagine, sweetness to
the taste. I don't naturally have a sweet tooth, I don't particularly
like sweet things, but I know some of you love sweet things,
particularly the children. and honey is sweet, and it's
so desirable to the taste, but this is sweeter than honeycomb. Moreover, by then... is your
servant warned. Psalm 119 verse 105 says, your
word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I might have
got that the wrong way around, but it's all in there, doesn't
matter. It warns us, it directs us, it shows us our way. When
the path is dark and unclear, it shines a light. This word
of God, this law of the Lord, this testimony of the gospel
shines light on our way. And in keeping of them, there
is great reward. great reward of spiritual peace
and comfort. For God himself, what is the
reward that we have? God told Abraham. God told Abraham,
you know, this reward is not what you get in heaven for being
such a good, well sanctified believer, you know, strutting
around as better than everybody else. Not at all. God told Abraham
what the believers reward was. God told Abraham, he said in
Genesis 15 verse one, I, God said, I am your exceeding great
reward. What an exceeding great reward
it is to know and possess the living God. Possess? God is mine
and I am his. Yeah? Yeah? It is, it's possession. God is mine and I am his. This
unbelieving world is incapable, naturally and willfully, of seeing
and hearing God's message of salvation, either in creation,
in the allegory of the gospel, or in his word. But oh, how it
is needed. Let me remind you of verses 12
and 13. Look at it. Who can understand
his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not
have dominion over me. Then shall I be upright. I shall
be innocent of the great transgression. Do we not all acknowledge? that we have a fundamental, fatal
problem of sin, of errors, of secret faults, of the great transgression. There's judgment and justice
to come. God is just and will by no means
clear the guilty. Or let me, verse 14, let the
words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in
thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. In other words,
let me be counted among your people. among those redeemed
by the blood of the Lamb.