I was talking to the folks Wednesday
evening, and I may have made mention of
this even last Sunday, but when we think of the work of God,
what do we think of? What's the first thing that comes
to your mind when you think about God working? Creation. We're standing in it. We're breathing
the air of it. We're a part of it. David said
he was wonderfully and curiously made. God made us. We are a part of His creation,
the heavens and the earth. Through faith, it says in Hebrews
11, we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God. by the Word of God. He spoke
and it was done. He commanded and it stood fast. What else do you think? Well,
I think about the flood. Think about the flood of Noah.
It never rained. Never rained up until this point.
A mist, it said, came up from the ground and that's what watered
the plants and the bushes and the trees and the gardens. Never
rained. But God broke the great springs
of the deep open. He leashed His boundaries of
the seas, and He caused the heavens to bring forth rain. And it rained,
and it rained, and it rained. And He covered the whole earth
with a flood and killed everybody but eight souls that He put in
an ark. I think about the work of God.
I think about mighty things. He spoke this world into existence. I think about God's providence. My soul, He worketh all things
after the counsel of His own will. All things work together
for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according
to His purpose. God called that Jordan River.
to stand in a heap at flood stage. I've seen the Ohio River at flood
stage. It's just unbelievable what it
did. I can't even imagine. They had a flood back in 37 that
just took out all the cities. I forget how many hundreds and
hundreds of people died from that flood. And you can imagine
this Jordan River at flood stage coming down out of those mountains.
And God just caused it to stand in a heap while His People walked
across that river to go in and take their inheritance
of God. God made the sun to stand still
for a whole day. Well, it's getting evening. It
ain't today. The sun kept right on shining.
Kept right on shining. Stood up there. Stood up there. Stood up there for 24 hours. And you could go on and on for
hours about the great works of God. God split that Red Sea until
it stood in walls straight up and down. Caused His wind to
come through and drive that ground. All His people marched across
that sea on dry ground. But how often, when you think
about the work of God, do you think about the work of God in
you? In you. Do you see, are you acquainted
with, do you have any idea that the work of God in man is called
one of His mightiest works? One of His mightiest works He
does in the hearts of men. Paul prayed in Ephesians 1 verse
19 that God would enlighten their understanding to comprehend the
exceeding, now listen to this, the exceeding greatness of his
power to usward who believe according to the working of his mighty
power. Even the same power that was
demonstrated when he raised his son from the grave. The work
in men is a mighty work. Exceeding, he said, exceeding
greatness of His power involved in this work. And likens it unto
the power of God who raised His Son from the dead. Somebody said,
well, I wish I could have been there. I wish I could have seen
His miracles. I kind of do too. I wish I could
have been there. I wish I could have seen That
old leper fall down and his leprosy, that rotten leprosy, just disappeared
from his body. I'd like to have seen that, wouldn't
you? Demons cast out. Old legion over
there in the land of Gadara. Our Lord caught thousands of
demons in this man. This man couldn't be changed.
He'd just break chains. God cast old demons out of him
into a herd of swine. I'd like to see that. I'd like
to see the death made to hear, the blind to see. Wouldn't you
like to see old Bartimaeus? When his eyes were opened, he
could see what he'd only heard before. Now he could see it. He could see all that glorious
color and all these things that are in God's creation. He could
see those things now with his own eyes. I especially would
have liked to have been present when he called old Lazarus out
of the tomb. But let me tell you something.
Every believer has experienced every one of these things and
more. You had to be quickened who were
dead. Isn't that what the scripture
says? Dead. Every son of Adam is dead in
trespasses and sins. He has no spiritual life. He
has no ability in him. Physically, they're alive. Mentally,
they're alive. They can walk and work and teach
and be taught anything in the natural realm. But spiritually,
they're dead. They're dead. I especially like
this second chapter of Ephesians to set forth man's condition
because it deals with both his natural and his physical state
before God. You hath he quickened who were
dead in trespasses and sins. You know, in maximum security
prison, there's a section called death row. Death row. Whenever those prisoners are
transported or moved from one place to another, the guards
cry aloud, dead man walking. That's this world. That's this
world. Dead men walking. You walked. Isn't that what he said? You
who were dead in trespasses and sins, he said you walked. At that time, before God quickened
you, you walked according to the course of this world. A dead
man walking. Natural man, because of his nature,
has broken the law of God, transgressed against the holiness of God,
and is an offense against God's justice. Listen as the Holy Spirit
of God speaks through His servant Paul. He said, wherein in time
past you walked according to the course of this world. How
does this world walk? What's he talking about there?
You walked according to the course of this world. Ephesians 4.17. Well, they walk, he tells us
over in the book of Colossians, they walk by the philosophy,
vain deceit, tradition of men after the rudimentary or basic
principles of the world. Mankind as a whole are on the
course for hell. That's where they're headed. None righteous, none that understandeth,
none that seeketh after God, all gone astray, all together
become unprofitable. None good, no fear of God before
their eyes. David said, man, that his best
state was altogether vanity. And Isaiah said, we're altogether
as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy
rags. We walked according to the course
of this world. Now watch this. According to
the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh
in the children of disobedience. This is talking about a satanic
influence through deceived men and women who don't know God.
That's how that spirit worketh in the children of disobedience.
It's that word spirit, that small s, the same as when he's talking
about the Holy Spirit. That spirit is talking about
that spiritual teaching of Satan, that spiritual influence of Satan
in the hearts and minds of men. Spirit or teaching of Antichrist
religion has filled this world with the vile doctrine of free
will works religion. It's everywhere. It's just everywhere. And Antichrist simply means contrary
to Christ or against Christ. And these things must be understood
in the light of God's testimony concerning His Son. In 1 John
5.9 it says, If we receive the witness of men, the witness of
God is greater. For this is the witness of God,
which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the
Son of God hath the witness in himself. He that believeth not
God hath made him a liar. That spirit of antichrist denies
the testimony of God concerning his Son and those who receive
their testimony. That is, the whole world in general
walk according to the prince of the power of the air. And
then back in Ephesians 2, 3 it says, among whom also we all
had our conversation. We all had our behavior in times
past. In the lust of our flesh, fulfilling
the desires of the flesh and of the mind. Are you listening?
And were by nature the children of wrath. even as others. This whole world is on a road
to hell, and there's nothing they can do to stop it. Listen
to this statement over here in 1 John 5. I've been going back
and forth between Ephesians 2 and 1 John 5. But in verse 19, 1
John 5, he makes an amazing declaration here. He said, And we, who is
that? Those who are enlightened. Those in whom our God has intervened,
regenerated, given the gift of faith, brought to repent and
turn. He said, and we know that we
are of God, now listen to this, and the whole world, how many? The whole world lieth in wickedness. whole outfit. That's where God
found us, and that's where they are. Under the Old Testament types,
God separated Israel from the rest of the world, and what was
His sentiment toward them? What did He have to say in general
about them? They were in general considered
enemies of God, all of them. They were not to have any dealings
with them or partnerships with them, and especially not to worship
with them. God called them heathen idolaters. And in Ephesians chapter 2, Paul
tells those Ephesians to remember where they were when God found
them. Without God in this world, aliens from the commonwealth
of Israel. Now what I'm laboring to point out here is the condition
of every man, woman, boy and girl in this world, your family
and mine, your children and mine, your neighbors and mine. Unless
God intercedes, they're all going to hell. They are running as
fast as they can go. They have their excuses. They
have their opinions. They have all kinds of things.
They have their religions. They have their thoughts and
ideas and imaginations. But they are running headlong
into hell. They are deceived. Deceived. I can choose God when I want
to. You are deceived. God's not sitting on a shelf
for you to pick when you want it. He's not an insurance policy
you put in your file cabinet and take it out when the house
is on fire. God's in the heavens. He has
done whatsoever He pleased. Who's He saved? Whomever He pleases
to save. It's not of Him that runneth.
It's not of Him that willeth. It's of God that showeth mercy. The only hope we have is that
our merciful and gracious God from the beginning chose some
to salvation. If He hadn't chosen some, Paul
said of Israel, if God hadn't chosen a small remnant, just
a tiny remnant, we'd be like Sodom and Gomorrah. We'd be wiped
out. We'd be in ashes. Isaiah said in chapter 1 verse
9, And Paul quoted him again in Romans chapter 9, except the
Lord of Hosts had left us a very small remnant. We've been like
Sodom and Gomorrah. God has a people for whom he
has from the beginning made provision. 2 Thessalonians 2, having painted
that black picture of antichrist religion and the death that follows
with it, Paul then gives a bright hope. 2 Thessalonians 2 verse
13, But we are bound to give thanks always for you, beloved. For God hath from the beginning
chosen us unto salvation through sanctification of the Spirit
and belief of the truth, whereunto he called you by our gospel to
the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. The reason
why men and women do not see the glory of God's mighty work
in men, in men, is because it must be experienced in the light
of their own depravity. Until you know yourself as a
sinner, you can forget about knowing anything about the glory
of God in Christ. It must be viewed in the light
of man's total depravity. Helpless, hopeless sinners. It's
not by accident that God chose a leper to fall down before Him
to demonstrate this. Or on this side, a man with no
eyes, totally blind, who could not... All of these things picture
the sinner. Picture the sinner. And picture
that glorious work in him that gives him eyes, and gives him
ears, and gives him strength to walk, and cleanses his filthy
outside and inside. I'm going to tell you something.
If a man is just laying on his bed asleep and somebody shakes
him and says, get up, not much glory in that, is there? But
I tell you, go up here to Morris Hill Cemetery and raise one of
them. And I can see the glory in that. I can see something in that.
That's why we don't see any glory in this work that goes on in
men, because we never saw ourselves as sinners. Sinners. God's work
begins in regeneration. God in His providence brings
His chosen children to receive the seed of life. And this seed
is the gospel of Jesus Christ. No child will ever be born physically
without the seed of a man, and neither will any spiritual be
born without the seed of the gospel. Well, I was just sitting
around reading a book one day, and God made me to see. God just brought life into me. Just like that, I was born again.
You're a liar. You're a liar. And no such thing
ever happened. That seed of God has to be put
in the heart. And that gospel is the seed of
regeneration. Being born again, incorruptible
seed. Look it up. See what that word
seed means. It means semen, the same as in
a man. That spiritual semen has to be
put within before life is going to happen on the outside and
on the inside. It is the seed of regeneration. This work of God, secondly, is
a sanctifying work. Turn with me to Titus chapter
3. Titus chapter 3 and verse 3. For we ourselves also were sometimes
foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures,
living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But after
that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according
to His mercy He saved us." Now listen, by the washing of regeneration
and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. How are believers washed
in regeneration? What is this divine work of sanctification
all about? Well, we're washed first of all
by receiving a new nature. Believers have two natures. Natural
men just have one. It's an evil nature. Believers
have two. Peter said we're partakers of
the divine nature. having escaped the corruption
that is in the world. He said, in fact, in 1 Peter
1-4, whereby are given to us exceeding
great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers
of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is
in the world through lust. God washes us in regeneration
by giving us a new nature, which according to Colossians chapter
1 verse 12 makes us meat. Meat. That is, He gives us the
ability to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in
light. And then John said this in the
Gospel of John chapter 1. He said, to as many as received
Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God. to become the sons of God, even
to them that believe on His name, which were born, not of blood,
nor the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God."
What is this washing of regeneration all about, this predetermined,
this sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit? It's receiving,
first of all, a new nature. And then secondly, it's becoming
a son. They were given power to become
sons. Not to be treated as sons. They
are treated as sons. They've always been treated as
sons. But I'll tell you why God treats you as a son, because
you are. Because you are. You are His sons. And in regeneration,
He makes you to become a son. He gives power that you become
the sons. All of God's elect are considered
as sons. And it's one thing to be counted
as a son, but it's altogether something else to become one. Galatians 4.4 tells us that Christ
came into this world to redeem a people that they might receive
the adoption of sons. And because you're sons, God
has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying,
Abba, Father. Abba, Father. Wherefore, thou
art no more a servant, but a son. And if a son, then an heir of
God through Christ. Now, I'm going to tell you something.
If I come to visit, I probably won't just go out to your garage
and root around in there and come dragging out a mower and
start mowing your grass. I probably am not going to do
that. I probably won't go open a can of paint and start painting
on your house. Wouldn't you think that strange
I come over here to visit How y'all doing?" And just walked
over there in the pantry or wherever you keep it and get me a gallon
of paint. You got a screwdriver and open that thing up and just
go out there and start painting on the house. I probably won't
do that. I probably won't go to your refrigerator
and start looking for something to eat or bring you my dirty
laundry. Come over there to visit and
drag this big bag of laundry in there and say, I brought this
with me. But a son will. A son will take his dirty laundry
to the Lord. Yeah, he will. And he'll say,
clothe me. Clean me. Cleanse me. You know why? Because he's a
son. He's a son. Sons don't act like visitors.
They're sons. We're not visitors. We're sons.
Sons don't act like imposters. They have a key. Come unto me. Isn't that what
he said? He didn't say stay over there, stay back. He said come
on. You know who's going to come? Sons. Sons don't act ignorant
of their father's affair. He's a son. He ain't a servant.
John 15, 15, our Lord said to His disciples, henceforth I call
you not servants, for a servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth. He said, I told you what I'm
doing. Romans 8, 14, as many as are led by the Spirit of God,
they are the sons of God. They're sons. And so we're washed
by regeneration in that we have received a new nature and we're
washed in regeneration as we're given the power to become sons
of God. And then thirdly, we're told
in my text here in Philippians 2, verse 13, For it is God, God,
that worketh in you, both to will and to do of His
good pleasure. You know what led up to that
statement? Paul said, Let every man, therefore,
work out His own salvation. He just got through telling you
over here, if there be any vows of compassion, if there be any
consolation in Christ, if any of those things, then walk with
the mind and heart of Christ because you are sons. And work
out your own salvation, He told them. For it is God that worketh
in you. In you. Both to will and to do
of His good pleasure. Tex last Sunday talked about
thirsty sinners coming and whosoever will taking of the water of life
freely. But how do fallen sinners get
thirsty? How do they get thirsty? How
do unwilling rebels get willing? Whosoever will let him take of
the water of life freely, but who will? How are unwilling rebels made
willing? God works in them. Isn't that
what that text says? God works in them. Don't you
believe for a minute that somebody who's always, always, he's unsubmissive
and argumentative and always going against the grain is a
man born of God? I tell you, when people start
that business with you, And they start trying to use David as
an excuse, or Solomon, or Samson, or whoever it is. And they start
using that as an excuse for the life they live. Let me tell you
something. You just think in your mind, is this God working
in him? Does this old nature rule over
that new nature? Is sin preeminent over grace? Does it rule and reign over grace? Is this old nature that's in
him, does this new nature have no influence on him at all? You see what I'm saying? This
text said it's God that worketh in you. You reckon God gonna
have his way? I guarantee it. I guarantee it. Now I'm not talking about an
occasional slip, I'm talking about the story of your life.
I am talking about the bend of your will and the tenor of your
character in this world. When God begins His work in men,
they are made willing, and they are continually made willing,
and they die willing. They are willing. What are they
willing to do? They are willing to trust and
rest in Christ alone as their hope of eternal life. They are
willing for Him to be the end of the law for righteousness.
They throw their hands up. I have no righteousness but His.
He is alone. That's it. They're willing to
bow to Him above as their wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,
and redemption. They're willing to submit to
His absolute sovereign Lordship over all things, all providence,
all events, all advent, and all situations. They're willing. They are willing to be bond servants
in His house. They are willing to advantage
themselves of any and all the means that God has ordained.
They are willing to wait on His return to raise up these vile
bodies. But our text says more than that. It says both to will and to do. Ain't that what that says? Both to will and to do. What
do believers do? Romans chapter 12 and verse 1
says, they present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable
unto God, which is their reasonable service. That's what they do.
They present themselves to Him. Use me. Use me any way you see
fit. Use me. Somebody told a story,
and I remembered it because I read it in Don's daily writings this
morning. I was looking at it. And I remember
Henry saying it, but I don't remember who he said he read
it by. But anyway, he said, if an angel, two angels, came down
from heaven down to earth, and God made one of them ruler of
all the earth, and the other one a janitor, gave him a broom
and said, your job is going to be to sweep up. Neither one of them be jealous
of the other. Neither one of them. That's how it is in the
kingdom of God. Believers do that. They don't just talk about
it. They do that. They do that. God gives them
a broom, they sweep. God gives them a Bible and an
opportunity, they preach. They do whatever God assigns
them to do, and one not jealous of the other. That's grace. That's grace. The law. Oh, they love God and one another. They care for one another. They're
dedicated to the gospel ministry. They live as sons of God before
this present evil world. And I'm going to tell you this,
a willing man is a doing man. You find a man willing, he'll
be the one doing. He'll be the one doing. And if
God makes him willing, the same God works in him to do of his
good pleasure. He'll go where God leads him,
he'll say what God gives him to say, and he'll act like God
commands him to act. My prayer is that God will do
these things for me and for you. Work in me. Work in me. Through me. Both to will and
to do. of His good pleasure. I'm telling
you, if He does, and He does it in you, you'll sit back and
wonder. You'll sit back and wonder of
that mighty, glorious power. You think back on that pit from
which you was dug, and back on those... Paul continually talked
about it. continually talked about. And look at these things that
he did in his life and see the glory of God working in him.