you may remember that our text
was taken from Romans chapter 9 last Sunday and it's the same
today Romans chapter 9 verses 15 and 16 in verse 15 Paul of course is speaking
of that time God spoke to Moses when Moses requested Lord show
me your glory And God told Moses, I will have mercy. His mercy,
showing mercy is his glory. I will have mercy on whom I will
have mercy. And I will have compassion on
whom I will have compassion. And my last point in the message
was mercy's conclusion. And what I mean by that is what
Paul says in verse 16, so then, in conclusion, That being true,
what we just read in verse 15, what God himself said concerning
his mercy being his own, and he bestowing it upon whom he
will, Paul says, so then. We have ample evidence, so to
speak, to wrap up our case in concluding, so then, it is not
of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that
showeth mercy. Now, what I'm about to say in
our religious day when men are, seems like at times, although
we're thankful that it's not so, but sometimes it seems like
men universally are bowing down to the God of free willism, It
may sound strange to such that worships a God like that, but
when I read this verse that it's not of him that willeth, nor
of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy, I thank God
for that, Joe. I thank God for that. Now the
majority of religious folks would say, well, God forbid. God forbid. But I thank God for
the truth of what we just read, and I'll tell you why. If man's
salvation is dependent on his will or his work, nobody will
be saved. Nobody will be saved. Thank God
that salvation is dependent upon his will and his work and his
mercy. Now when I say that, please understand,
I am not saying that man's will is not involved in salvation. Or that God saves people against
their will. I've been accused of that. But
you've never heard me say that. And you never will. God does
not save people against their will. Anybody here, any believer
here, Anyone that has experienced God's sovereign mercy, were you
saved against your will? Anybody? Was anybody saved against
their will? Absolutely not. But man's will
is not the cause of his salvation. That's not the cause. It's God's
will that's the cause. And Psalm 110, We have the explanation
given there. My people, God says, my people,
shall be willing, shall be willing in the day of my power. God in majestic sovereign mercy
comes to that sinner, breathes into them the very life of God,
and being born again, they most willingly hear him
say, come unto me, and they willingly come. believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ and they're given the gift of faith by which they believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ and are saved. Turn if you will to
Ephesians chapter 1. We'll look at a few verses along
this line and then we'll come back to our text. But Ephesians
chapter 1, we just quoted from the psalm that my people shall
be willing in the day of my power. Here in Ephesians chapter 1,
look at verse 11. Why are sinners saved? Who gets
the glory? In whom also we have obtained
an inheritance, that is Jesus Christ. In whom also we have
obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the
purpose of Him. According to the purpose of Him,
that is God, who worketh all things after the counsel of His
own will. He didn't ask advice of the sinner. He didn't need their input. No,
sinners are saved according to the counsel of His own will. Turn if you will to Philippians
chapter 2. Here's another explanation of
why sinners are saved. What will or what part their
will plays. Here in Philippians chapter 2
verse 12. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye
have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much
more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear
and tremble. Work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling, verse 13, for or because it is God which
worketh in you, God worketh in you both to will and to do of
his good pleasure. And then in Titus, Titus chapter
3. One more, Titus chapter 3, verse
4. But after that, the kindness
and love of God our Savior toward man appeared. And why did that? Why did that happen? What was
it according to? Verse 5, not by works of righteousness
which we have done, But according to his mercy, like we just read
in Romans 9, but according to his mercy he saved us by the
washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost. Salvation,
the cause of the salvation of any sinner is due alone to the
mercy of God. Turn back for a moment to Ephesians
chapter 1 again. Or chapter 2, I'm sorry. Ephesians
chapter 2. In the first three verses of Ephesians 2, Paul describes
what we all are by nature. What I mean by that, how we're
born into this world. We enter this world as fallen
sinners. In Adam, all die. No exceptions. We look into the
face of that newborn baby and say, oh, how innocent, how lovely,
but it inherited the nature of fallen Adam. It's a fallen sinner. And this is what Paul says, verse
1 of Ephesians 2. You had he quickened, that means
given life, who were dead in trespasses and sins. Well, if
that's my state, if I'm dead in sins and I'm ever made alive
to God, then he'll have to do it. God will have to do it, and
Paul says that's exactly what happened. Verse 2, wherein in
times past ye walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit
that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among also among
whom, rather, also, we all, we all, no exceptions, had our conversation,
that is, the way we walked, the way we lived, in times past,
in the lust of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and
of the mind, not giving God a thought, Mike. Not giving God a thought. That's just the fact. That's
just so. We lived, we breathed, we worked, we planned, we whatever,
and never gave God a thought. That was our walk. And we're
by nature the children of wrath, even as others. Just like everybody
else. No different. No different. Well,
why are we not still that way? Why is a believer still not an
unbeliever? Verse 4, right here it is. But
God, but God, who is rich in mercy, he have mercy on whom
he will have mercy. But God, who was rich in mercy,
for his great love were with he loved us, even when we were
dead in sins, told us to take the first step and he would do
something for us. Told us to wiggle out of the
grave and he would give us life. No, no, no, no. Life must come
first. Life must come first. Before
a sinner believes, he must have life. He must be born again.
Now our religious day has it backwards. They say believe and
you'll be born again. Walk up here and you'll be born
again. That's exactly wrong. That's the opposite of what we
just read here. God gives us life first. And as a result of that life,
we believe. We repent and we come to Christ. Even when we were dead in sins,
had he quickened us together with Christ, by grace are you
saved. By grace are you saved. The experience
of that mercy and grace Paul speaks of comes to us when we
believe that is in our experience. But actually it reaches in both
directions, doesn't it? If God saves a sinner today,
if this morning God Almighty is pleased to save a sinner,
if He has mercy on whom He will have mercy, and someone is made
to experience that mercy, It reaches in both directions. It
reaches back to God's purpose that we read of in Ephesians
1, that purpose of mercy and grace that was given us in Christ
before the world began. And it reaches forward to eternity
to come. In Ephesians 2 we didn't read
it, but we're told that God displays His mercy and grace that in the
ages to come, He might show the glory of His riches, of His inheritance
in the saints. It reaches in both directions. It's everlasting mercy. Everlasting mercy. Psalm 118.
We'll not turn there. But it begins in verse 1 and
ends in verse 29 with the exact same words. Speaking of God's
mercy. Give praise to God. Give glory
to God. For His goodness is everlasting. His mercy endureth forever. It begins with mercy, the psalm
does, and it ends with mercy. And so does salvation. So does
salvation, Joe. It begins with God's mercy and
it shall end with God's mercy. Our biography The biography of
every saved sinner is a story of mercy. At the head of every
chapter in the book of the biography of a believer, mercy. Mercy. Mercy. Mercy there was
great. Mercy there was free. Mercy there
was multiplied to me. From beginning to end, God's
mercy. And we all are familiar with
that most famous of Psalms, Psalm 23. How did David conclude the
Psalm? He said, surely, surely. Now don't Don't let that fly
by real quick. Think about that. David says,
surely, if it's God's mercy that brings
salvation, if it's a result of God's mercy and His goodness
and His work and according to His will, then we can sing surely,
not maybe, not perhaps, not perchance, or not for the majority of His
people. Oh no! Every redeemed sinner
can say, surely. They can plant their foot on
this solid rock of God's grace and say, surely, without a doubt. Without question, let's give
God the glory. Let's give honor to him to whom
honor is due. And believe him when he says,
surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my
life. How do you know that, David?
Is it because you'll always be faithful? Well, just read some
more of the Psalms and you'll find out that that wasn't true.
Well then, why do you say this is such a certain and sure thing? That God's mercy and goodness,
the hounds of heaven someone called them, mercy and goodness
shall follow you all the days of your life, David, will never
be taken from you. No matter how deep the valley,
mercy follows you. No matter how high the mountain
top, mercy follows you. In life, there's mercy by my
side. In death, there's mercy standing
next to me. Mercy in the person of the Lord
Jesus Christ. How do you know that, David?
Because it's God's mercy. God that changes not. Surely,
goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and
I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. That's mercy. Turn, if you will, to Exodus
chapter 15. Exodus chapter 15. You're familiar with this. The
children of Israel have just been brought. They've just been
brought. God did the bringing through
the Red Sea. They saw that great work which
the Lord did. We're told in the last verse
of chapter 14. They saw that great work which
the Lord did upon the Egyptians and the people feared the Lord.
They stood in holy awe of Him. They stood in holy wonder of
Him. Man, I like that, don't you? I get, and I'm talking about
Larry now, but I suspect you feel the same. I get so tired
of just weary of going through the motions of worship. of just
filling in the time. It's eleven o'clock so I'm gonna
come in and sit down and just take for granted God will speak
to my soul. Oh no, oh no. God give me grace
to come feeling my need to hear from you. That's what it means
to gather in that name for His honor, for His glory, taking
nothing for granted. Oh God, Remind us, remind us. Help us not to sit here and have
30 minutes of sound sleep, but rather let us arise from here
with our hearts refreshed with the sense of the wonder of your
mercy. Not just to look at the words
and like a puppet sing amazing grace, but look at that and sing,
my soul, it is amazing. It is a marvel. God Almighty
had mercy on this rebel and he didn't have to do it. What? What did you say preacher? Was that a slip of the tongue?
What do you mean God didn't have to do it? It wasn't a slip of
the tongue. That's what we read in Romans
9 a moment ago. God said, I will have mercy on
whom? Do you hear that? Not everybody. It's my mercy and I'll bestow
it on whom I desire, on whom I choose, on whom I'm pleased
to bestow it upon. It's not up to you. Larry, All
the churches around us tell me that it's up to me. It's not
up to you. It's up to God. King Jesus is
not in your hand begging you to do anything for Him. It's
not true. You're in His hand and it's up
to Him. Do you hear this? God help you
to hear it. It's up to Him whether He saves
you or not. It's entirely up to Him where
you spend eternity. Whether you enter everlasting
glory or whether you open your eyes in hell, it's all up to
Him. It's not up to you. It's not
up to you. With the blessed, blessed realization
that God's mercy is undeserved, unmerited. Oh, what a marvel! What a marvel that he would come. We read that he has mercy on
whom he will. And I see that he's had mercy
on others. Oh, my soul! But me? On me? And this is what they
sing about. After they crossed the Red Sea
here in Exodus chapter 13. Oh, God help me to sing about
it. Help me to stand in holy wonder at my great God and Savior. Verse 13, they sing, thou and
thy mercy has led forth the people which thou hast redeemed. We're
going to read two verses here in verse 17 and ten times in
those two verses. Thou, Thy, O Lord. It's all you're doing. This song
praises Him. They're not singing about mama
or daddy or mansions next door to granny. They're singing about
to God be the glory, great things He has done. Thou and thy mercy
has led forth the people which thou has redeemed. Thou has guided
them in thy strength until thy holy habitation. It's all you're
doing. Verse 17. That's not all. But thou shall bring them in.
Don't you like that? Thou shall bring them in and
plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance. in the place, O Lord, which thou
hast made for thee to dwell in, in the sanctuary, O Lord, which
thy hands have established. The Lord shall reign forever
and forever." We read a moment ago, earlier,
in 1 Chronicles chapter 16, they sang with joy, looking at that
ark that was brought back to Bethlehem. They sang with joy
looking to that mercy seat over the ark and the blood upon it
and they sang to God's glory because that was a picture of
God's mercy. God's propitiation, Joe. Mercy
seat. It's the same thing. Joe quote
read it to us a moment ago. God has set forth Jesus Christ
to be the propitiation, the mercy seat. God said when he instructed
Moses to build that. This is where I'll meet with
sinners. This is where I'll meet. This
is where the Holy God can have something to do with the guilty
sinner. Where? At the mercy seat. At that place where propitiation
is made. That's what the publican prayed
for. God be merciful. You know what
he said? Be propitious to me. He looked
toward that mercy seat, which was a picture of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Oh, is that not worth singing
about? He is our propitiation. If any man sin, we have an advocate
with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and He is our
propitiation. Oh, when I see the blood, I love
these old hams. That's why I quote them so much.
I quote them so much. Isn't it comforting? God says
when I see the blood, that's why. That's why I will pass over
you. Not because of anything in you,
not because of anything you do, or anything you fail to do. Not
because of your good works, not because of your bad works. I
will pass over you when I see the blood. Now let's look back
here in Romans chapter 9. Look at verse 16. So then it
is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God
that showeth mercy. There's blessed intervention.
Blessed intervention. If God doesn't intervene in this
way and bestow mercy on guilty sinners, they have no hope. No
hope. But God delights to show mercy. But of God. In the article I wrote for our
bulletin, I mentioned the definition given to that little word, but.
But. One definition was this. But is used as an intensifier
to introduce an exclamatory expression. Oh my, this is intense. This is a glorious exclamation.
But of God that showeth mercy. Do not those words merit such
a definition? Are they not worthy to be introduced
with this, but God that showeth mercy? What a blessed delight
to hear this. Listen, child of God, listen. The omnipotent God, the omnipotent
God. If He's God, He must be omnipotent.
If He's not omnipotent, He's not God. But the all-glorious, Only potentate
the King of Kings and Lord of Lords that sets upon His throne. John said, I was caught up to
heaven and I saw a door open in heaven and I saw a throne
and one, one set upon the throne, one, only one mighty God, Prince
of Peace, Everlasting Father, King Jesus. And listen to what
he says. I will have mercy. See Adam fall. And we all fall
in him. Death passed upon all men because
all have sinned. But oh, hear this. Hear this. Before Adam fell, God proclaimed,
I will have mercy. Mercy. David cries out, O Lord, against
Thee only have I sinned and done this terrible evil in Thy sight. Listen to this, David, I will
have mercy. Again, picture that self-loathing. Boy, isn't he rare. Isn't he
rare. When's the last time you talked
to a self-loathing sinner? When is the last time you talked
to a sinner who said, I've got nothing to pay? What must I do
to be saved? Most of the time it's, well,
I'm not so bad. I'm not as bad as my neighbor. I'm a good father. I'm a good husband. I'm a good
provider. I'm blah, blah, blah. And it's
all filthy rags. This publican was made aware
that his righteousness was filthy rags. Not like the Pharisee.
And he said, God be merciful to me. I'm the sinner. I'd like to meet him. I sure
would like to meet him. I'm the sinner. Oh, hear this. Hear this, publican. The God
of glory says, I will have mercy. Mercy washes David clean. Read that 51st Psalm. Mercy sends that publican home. I hope it doesn't happen, but
it may. Some of you have come in here
this morning and you've sat down and you don't know God and you
don't see your need of Christ or mercy and you'll get up and
you'll go out just like the Pharisee did. Just like he did. Trusting his own righteousness. Oh, but the publican God said
to that publican, I will have mercy. And Jesus Christ said,
he's going home justified. Justified. Now think about that. Is it getting hot in here? You're
not getting drowsy, are you? We can turn the air on. God says,
justify as if he had never sinned. Oh, this God's prerogative to
show mercy distinguishes him as God. Turn if you will back
to Micah. Turn to Micah. Micah chapter
7. Micah chapter 7. The book right after Jonah. Micah tells us here that this
is what distinguishes God as God. His mercy to undeserving
sinners. In Micah chapter 7 verse 18,
Who is a God like unto thee that partneth iniquity, that partneth iniquity, and passeth
by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage, He retaineth
not his anger forever, because he delighteth in mercy." I never
read anywhere in this book that God delights the damn sinners. I don't find that. But I read
that He delights to show mercy. Think of that. The God of glory,
the self-sufficient God takes delight in bestowing mercy on
a rebel sinner. Isn't that something? Isn't that
glorious? Oh, with Micah this should raise
a shout of hallelujah from every fallen son of Adam. Surely from
those who have experienced his mercy. Look what he goes on to
say in verse 19. He will turn again He will have
compassion upon us. He will subdue our iniquities. He will subdue our iniquities.
And thou will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea
and put up a sign that says, no fishing allowed. Thou will
perform the truth to Jacob and the mercy to Abraham, which thou
has sworn unto our fathers from the days of old. Mercy. Turn if you will to 1st
Timothy. 1st Timothy chapter 1. 1st Timothy
chapter 1. Just using the Apostle Paul as
an example of a sinner who had obtained mercy. Let's consider
two or three things and then we'll wrap this up. In 1st Timothy
chapter 1, look what Paul says in verse 13. See, Paul never forgot who he
was before he obtained mercy. He never forgot. That's why whether
he was before Felix or Festus or Agrippa, whether he was chained
to a soldier in a prison, he always told the story of what
I was. Let me tell you what I was and
where I was And then let me tell you who made me to differ. Here in verse 13 of 1 Timothy
1, Paul says, who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor
and injurious. But, there's that blessed exclamatory
word again, but I obtained mercy. because I did it ignorantly in
unbelief and the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with
faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying
and worthy of all acceptation. that Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this
cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might
show forth all longsuffering for a pattern, that then we should
hereafter believe on him the life everlasting." I obtained
mercy. And Paul never got over that.
He never got over that. When he's sitting in prison,
waiting for the executioner to come and unlock the cell door
and take him out and sever his head from his body, he was still
in utter wonder that God would have mercy on a sinner like him. At one time, Paul had obtained
religion from his very childhood. Can you picture him sitting at
the feet of Gamaliel? teacher, instructor in the law.
There he sat and Paul just soaked every word up like a sponge.
He had obtained religious tradition. We read that in Galatians 1.
He said, I was exceedingly zealous for the tradition of my fathers. In Philippians chapter 3 he tells
us that he had obtained a religious pedigree. Are they Jews? of the stock of Benjamin. But he had never obtained mercy,
had never obtained God's mercy, had never experienced. Think
about that. You mean that young man sitting
there, being instructed in all the, in every jot and tittle
of the law, that man that young man that is holding the clothes
of those who are stoning Stephen to death. That young man who
leaves Jerusalem because he's chased all the Christians away
and he hears they're hiding in Damascus and he goes there with
authority from the chief priest to bring them back that he might
give his testimony against them, that he might see them put to
death, full of zeal. All the time he was doing that,
he thought God Almighty was pleased with him. He thought he was doing
God's service. Imagine that. Yes, he had religious
education, pedigree, tradition, but he never had a clue of his
need of mercy until that day God Almighty turned the light
on. We'll not turn there, but I encourage you to read it. In
Romans chapter 7, Paul said, the law which was ordained to
life I found to be unto death. Sin that it might appear sin. God's law came to Paul and God
used it for the only purpose for which it was sent to shut
Paul's mouth and prove to him that he was guilty before God. What an awakening. What an awakening. That's what happened. God got
Saul lost. That very law that he thought
he was keeping stripped him. And now he stands before God
guilty. And all of his self-righteousness
now appears in his sight as it really is nothing but filthy
rags. When I was driving From Kentucky,
Thursday morning, and through Tennessee, the leaves on the
trees, so beautiful, so many different colors. But it won't
be long when a cold wind blows and all those leaves are blown
away. There won't be nothing left there but a bare, barren
tree. The prophet said, all of our
righteousness are as filthy rags and we all do fade as a leaf
and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away. So Saul was brought to stand
before God, stripped with nothing to cover his sin and nothing
with which to pay his debt. And justice demands payment. God demands satisfaction. Absolutely. And there he stands
with nothing to pay. Oh, can you imagine what good news it was to Saul
of Tarsus when he heard God Almighty say, I will have mercy. I will have mercy. The law was my schoolmaster,
Paul said, to bring me to Christ. But after I'm brought to Christ,
I'm no longer under a schoolmaster. Like we say, free from the law. Oh, happy condition. Jesus hath
bled, and there is remission. Turn, if you will, to Luke chapter
15. Luke chapter 15. This is the third illustration
that our Lord gives to those accusations of the Pharisees
that he received sinners and eats with them. And he said,
guilty as charged. And gave a picture in this parable,
three different pictures, confirming their accusation. And you know
it so very well. The prodigal son. Give me what
I've got coming to me, he said to his father. And off he went. Then he comes
to himself. He wakes up. God turns the light
on. And he says, I'm going back home.
I'm going back to the father's house. In verse 20, and he arose
and came to his father, but But, but God, but grace, but mercy. But when he was yet a great way
off, his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on
his neck and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father,
I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and am no more
worthy to be called thy son. And that's exactly right. Verse 22, but, but the father but the father God the father said I will have
mercy but the father said to his servants bring forth the
best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and shoes
on his feet and bring hither the fatted calf and kill it and
let us eat and be merry For this my son was dead and is alive
again, he was lost and is found, and they began to be merry."
But, bring forth the best robe. The best robe. That's the robe of Christ's perfect,
pure righteousness. That's the best robe. God says, this is my beloved
son in whom I am well pleased. The best row. God made him to
be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness, the best
row of God in him. Oh, hear mercy say that this
guilty returning prodigal. I've sinned and God in mercy
says, Put that robe on him. Really? Him? Man, he's guilty. Put the robe
on him. He wasted his inheritance. Put
the robe on him. Smell him. He still got the smell
of swine on him. He's filthy. Put the robe on
him. Can you see that? Can you see
that poor, dirty, smelly prodigal with that best robe on him? It
covers up all his filth. And I believe there's a sweet
aroma about that robe. There's a savor about that robe. with his holy garments on, I'm
as holy as God's own son. The best robe. When the law demanded
payment in full, God convinced Saul of Tarsus he had nothing
to pay. And yet he says, I will have
mercy. Saul of Tarsus, Jesus paid it
all. Remember what Paul wrote to Philemon
concerning Onesimus, that runaway slave. He said, Philemon, I'm
sending him back to you. He's not what he used to be.
He's experienced God's mercy. And I want you to receive him.
And if he owes you anything, If he's wrong, thee forgiving.
If he owes you anything, Paul says, put that on my account.
I'll repay. Jesus paid it all. Jesus paid
it all. All to him I owe. Let me close
this. But I want to read a few verses
of scripture from Isaiah chapter 55. Isaiah chapter 55. And I
pray If this describes anybody here, you'll come to Christ and plead
for mercy. Isaiah chapter 55, ho, verse
1, ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters. He that
hath no money, come ye, buy and eat. Yea, come buy wine and milk
without money and without price. Wherefore do you spend money
for that which is not bread, does that describe you? And your
labor for that which satisfieth not, hearken diligently unto
me. And eat ye that which is good,
and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear
and come unto me, and herein your soul shall live. And I will
make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies
of David. Verse 6. Seek ye the Lord while
he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. Let the
wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts.
And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him.
And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts, God
says, are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,
saith the Lord. Bunyan said, when God got him
lost, he was so fearful to approach him. Surely he'll not have mercy
on a rebel like John Bunyan. And he said, so far was he from
rejecting me? When John Bunyan came home, he
put the best robe on him, and there was rejoicing in heaven
over a sinner that had come back to the Father's house. Children
of God, may he enable you to leave here and go in peace with
God and go in peace of God because you're clothed in the righteousness
of Jesus Christ. I remember a few years ago when
I stood here with Mr. Joe, Joe Zashefsky on a Saturday
evening and the piano began to play Joe
stood here and I stood here, and here came that bride down
the aisle. And I said, Joe, look at that. Look at that, Joe. Look what's
coming. And he was about overcome. And
he should have been. He should have been. Paul, in Ephesians 5, said Christ
loved the church and he gave himself for it that
he might present it to himself a glorious church not having spot or a wrinkle
or any such thing but that it should be holy and
without blemish. Why? because we're clothed in the
very best robe, His righteousness. God bless you. God bless you.