This morning I want you to look
at one passage of scripture and then we're going to turn to another.
So if you would first look to Hebrews chapter 12 with me. Hebrews
chapter 12. I want you to look at one verse
in verse 25. Hebrews 12, 25. See that ye refuse
not him that speaketh. For if they escape not who refuse
Him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape if we
turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven. Now this morning
I remind you that if you only hear the words of a man, maybe,
then it will profit you nothing. But the words that I speak to
you this morning are not the words of man. They're not my
opinion on things. They are the words of God. Yes, my words come to you with
a feeble tongue. There's no question about that.
But the words themselves, my friends, are anything but feeble. They're no less divine than if
the Lord Jesus Christ Himself was here speaking them with His
own lips. See that ye refuse not Him. Now notice this verse doesn't
simply say, refuse not Him that speaketh. That's strong warning
in itself. But it says, see that you refuse
not Him that speaketh. Give careful attention that by
no means and in no way you refuse Him. Him. that speaks. See to it. Make it a matter of
urgency to refuse Him who is eternal is nothing less than
a surety of eternal death. Oh, how personal is this passage. See that you refuse, not Him. Though the unbelieving world
may refuse Him, see to it that you don't. I'm pleading with
you this morning. The Lord Jesus Christ doesn't
plead with sinners. I heard that all my life. Oh,
He's softly and tenderly calling and begging, pleading for sinners
to come home. No, He's not. Won't you make
Jesus Lord? I can't. He's already Lord. And
He's not pleading and begging for sinners to come home. But
I'm pleading. I'm pleading with you this morning
who do not believe and do not know the Gospel of Christ to
see to it that you refuse not Him. Don't refuse me. The time we spend together each
Sunday, each Wednesday, it's not meant to just be a formality. It's not just a weekly ritual
where we sing a couple of songs and read the scripture and pray
and then say a few words about Jesus so we can all go home feeling
warm and fuzzy that we've done something for the Lord, some
kind of service. That's not what this is about.
What are we doing here this morning? Well, I tell you this, what we're
doing here this morning concerns eternal matters, life and death
issues. The trouble is, is that there
are some of you that don't believe that. You don't believe it. to
you that God has providentially by His purpose brought here this
morning. His word of warning to you is,
see that you refuse not Him that speaks. The words we consider
week after week are words concerning your soul. your everlasting destiny. Though most churches are not
much more anymore than just social clubs where men and women get
together and enjoy themselves and all that, that's not what
this church is. I enjoy our times together. I'm
glad that we're social. We're friendly with one another.
But the purpose of our meeting together is to exalt Christ and
see sinners saved by the grace of God. It has to do with your
soul. It has to do with your everlasting
destiny. Now some of you have bowed to
God's beloved Son and some of you have refused to bow. And
it's my one and only desire as I stand before you today and
as God enables me to declare to you your desperate need of
the Lord Jesus Christ. Friends, you need Him. I'm telling
you, you do. I hope God shows you, you do.
But regrettably, things are the same today as they were in our
Lord's day. Whenever the gospel was preached,
Scripture says some believed and some didn't. Some believed
Him and some refused Him. See that you refuse not Him this
week. Now I want you to turn with me
to 1 Corinthians chapter 1. And it would be profitable for
us to really study this whole chapter, but for lack of time,
I want to begin in verse 17. 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse
17. The Apostle Paul writes here
and he says, For Christ sent me not to baptize, But to what? Preach the gospel. Preach the
good news for sinners. To tell sinners they have a hope,
and that hope is in a person. Now, who sent Paul? He said,
Christ sent me. What did he send Paul to do?
To preach the gospel. Now there are many standing in
many places this morning before eternity-bound centers. Their
one goal is to pressure a profession out of folks, baptize them, and
get them on their membership row. I know, I've been in that
religion. I've seen how it works. Never
being concerned at all for their subtleties. What will it profit
you to raise your hand, walk an aisle, say a little prayer,
get baptized, join the church, and not know Christ? And die and go to hell. What
good will it do you? Paul said, Christ didn't send
me to baptize you. Baptism represents something.
It's not membership. That's what a lot of people think
it is. A lot of people think it's salvation. Or you say, well,
I was baptized when I was seven. That don't mean you were saved.
To be baptized without knowing Christ and believing in your
heart the things concerning His death, His burial, His resurrection,
and what they mean will do nothing for you but get you wet. That's
it. Men and women need to hear the
Gospel. They need to hear it proclaimed as it is revealed
according to the Scriptures. Men and women need to hear that
without a substitute, they'll stand before God in judgment
with no covering of righteousness. I don't want to stand before
God with that big leaf aprons that Adam and Eve put on to you.
No, it requires a blood sacrifice. If you read on in the book of
Genesis, you'll see that's exactly what God did. He killed animals
and He clothed Adam and Eve. representing the shedding of
the blood of Christ. The only covering of righteousness
that will appease God's holy justice, the only righteousness
that God will accept, now listen, there's only one, is the righteousness
of His beloved Son. There's none righteous, no, not
one, the scripture tells us. But there is one who has a perfect
righteousness, and that's the Lord Jesus Christ. In order for
you and I to be reconciled to a holy God, we must be as righteous
as God. How then can any or will any
be saved? How am I going to be as righteous
as God? And it's only by obtaining the perfect righteousness of
God that's in Jesus Christ. How is it obtained? Freely. It's
obtained freely. It's the gift of God to all who
sincerely desire it. The problem is, do you desire
it? Do you want it? Are you interested?
God's never turned down a sinner who truly desires it. Never once. So I proclaim to you the gospel
this morning. You need the perfect righteousness
of God. Jesus Christ is God. He's God. And He's righteous. God made
Him who knew no sin. Oh my, don't lightly read over
that verse in 2 Corinthians 5. For God made him to be sin who
knew no sin." He was perfect. He was totally holy and righteous. Never thought a bad thought.
Never retaliated against any who came against him. Perfect!
And God made him to be sin. Oh, blessed substitution. Do
you hear me? God made his son sin. His son who knew no sin. And
He made him sin for an elect and chosen people. That's all
through the Scriptures. Men don't like to hear that God
elected and chose the people. They like to say, I made the
decision to follow Jesus. No you didn't. Read your Bible.
He made him sin for an elect and chosen people and He gave
them to His beloved Son before the foundation of the world and
all that the Father gave Him according to Scripture will come
to Him. See to it. that you don't refuse
Him that speaks. They'll come to Him and Christ
will not lose a one or in no wise cast a single one out. All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me, and I will in no wise, no shape, no form,
for no reason cast them out." You see, salvation is not dependent
on us, and it can't be lost because of us. And those who God chose,
Jesus Christ freely paid their sin debt. Did you hear that?
But what must I do to be saved? Believe on Him. He paid your
sin debt. He freely gives you His perfect
righteousness. God made him sin and made you
righteous if you're His. And that's the gospel and it's
free. For God so loved the world that
He gave, friends, He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For
He has made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might
be made, made, made the righteousness of God in Him." Who is the us
that God made Christ to be sin for? It says He made Him to be
sin for us. Who is that us? Who are the we
that are made the righteousness of God in Him? That we might
be made the righteousness of God in Him. Well, it's to those
who Paul wrote this letter to. Look at verse 2 of chapter 1. Who's this letter written to?
Unto the Church of God. Now this particular letter was
written to the Church of God at Corinth, but this is for all
the Church of God. Look down just a little to them
that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints. That's who He's writing to. He's
not writing to the world. He's not writing to every man
or woman. He hath made Him to be sin for His people, that His
people might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Now, it's to those
whom Paul wrote this letter. In Romans 8-29, you don't have
to turn there, but it says, for whom he did foreknow. God foreknew
of people. He chose them. He elected them.
Obviously, He foreknew them. And He set His affection upon
them. To them He also did predestinate. He predetermined. He purposed,
and it came to pass. He purposed them to what? Be
conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn
among many brethren. Then it goes on to say, moreover
whom He did predestinate, them He also called. And whom He called,
them He also justified. Them in whom He justified, them
He also glorified. How matter of fact these things
are. Salvation is of the Lord from
beginning to end. Matter of fact, Paul goes on
to say in Romans 8, what shall we say then to these things?
There's only one thing to say. If God be for us, who can be
against us? If God be for us, who can be
against us? He that spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, all his people, how shall he
not with him also freely? There it is again. Freely give
us all things. Freely He gives. Christ sent
Paul to preach the Gospel. That's what we read here. And
Paul preached it. Look at verse 17. Not with words
of wisdom. I get mail all the time. Either email or regular mail.
Advertising conferences and and seminars. I got one by email
a month or so ago where a seminary in a large city is holding a
conference on the art of preaching. The art of preaching. It's hosting
a group of nationally known ministers from different denominations.
Chances are none of them believe the same thing. To teach those
attending how to preach. Now let me tell you straight
up. Can I be dogmatic for a second? You can go to every seminary,
seminar, and conference every day for the rest of your life
and never preach a gospel sermon. First of all, you've got to know
the gospel. You've got to have experienced it. And let me tell
you how I know, because Romans 10, 13 says, For whosoever shall
call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. But how then
shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how
shall they believe in Him in whom they have not heard? And
how shall they hear without a preacher? But the question doesn't stop
there. He says, And how shall they preach except they be saved? God will always send a man He
has called. And I tell you, most of the time,
they're like the apostles. They're unlearned fishermen.
They're tax collectors. They're the worst of the worst
that God saves and prepares to do His work. But Paul said, I'm
telling you now, in verse 17, he said, he sent me to preach
the gospel, not with wisdom of words. Why not, Paul? Well, again in verse 17, lest
the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. Now what
does that mean? The gospel is the preaching of
the cross of Christ. Not the cross, the cross of Christ. Better said, the Christ of the
cross. Now that piece of wood never
saved a soul. And you can go ahead and you
can wear a cross around your neck and you can hang one on
your wall and you can wrap one around the mirror of your car
if you want to, but I'll tell you, it doesn't mean anything.
Salvation is to know God who hung upon that cross. Do you
see that? Salvation is in a person. It's
not in a piece of wood. It's not in a cross. I want to
know the God-man who hung on that cross in my place. To know
Christ is to know the Gospel. Our Lord said that Himself in
John 17 3. And this is life eternal, that
they might know Thee. The only true God in Jesus Christ
whom Thou hast sent. Friends, see that you refuse
not Him. That's speaking. Do you hear
Him? Do you hear what the Word of God says? That's Him speaking
to you. He is the Word. In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And if you're one of His friends,
you won't and you can't refuse Him, for His call is effectual. Verse 18, for the preaching of
the cross is to them that perish, Foolishness. But unto us which
are saved is the power of God. I can't tell you how many times
when someone discovered that I believe the Bible, that I attend
church, has said to me, do you really believe that foolishness?
I've had people just flat up say that to me. Do you really
believe the Bible? Do you really believe that foolishness?
And I'm telling you, friends, I used to fly high. Used to flat
make me mad. But not anymore. Because the
preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness.
Now it just makes me sad. Makes me sad. For it is to them that perish
nothing but foolishness. Men and women are perishing,
friends. Every day. Going out to meet God without
a substitute. Without a righteousness. They're
perishing. They refuse Him. They want no
part of Him. But to you that have bowed to
Christ as both Lord and Savior, as both just and justifier, to
you who are saved, Paul says the preaching of the cross is
the power of God. Look down at verse 24. But unto
them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power
of God, and the wisdom of God. Now verse 19, for it is written,
and this is God speaking, for it's written, I will destroy
the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding
of the prudent. And prudent just means the same
thing, wise. God destroys the wisdom of the
wise and He brings to nothing their carnal and fleshly understanding
concerning these saints. brilliant minds of the world.
I'm talking about brilliant, genius, high IQ men and women
are still working around the clock to disprove this book of
truth. They are scientifically looking
at it this way and that way. And their so-called wisdom, they
go to ridiculous lengths to discredit God's work. And I'm going to
tell you something, God has made them to look like fools. Ain't
it? They want to debate. They want
to argue. And God did not call His ministers
to debate His Word. He called them to preach it and
proclaim it. All I can do is plant. All I
can do is water. But God has to give the increase
if there's ever an increase given. So in verse 20 the Apostle says,
So where is the wise? Where is the wise? Where is the
scribe? Where is the disputer of this
world? Hath not God made foolish the
wisdom of this world? Oh, friends, you listen to religious
men and women who profess to know God. They try to understand
God's salvation with worldly wisdom. You can't understand
it that way. The Scriptures are spiritually discerned. The natural
man will see that not things are the Spirit of God. They're
spiritually discerned. They try to understand God's
salvation from a carnal understanding. They think that they can do something
to merit or earn God's salvation. I once knew a man who literally
thought he was eternally bound for glory because he attended
Sunday school faithfully for over 50 years plus without ever
missing a Sunday. A tremendous feat, I agree. Hats
off to them for being able to do that. And he was the same
man that told me that if he had been there the day they crucified
the Lord of Glory, that he would have stopped them. Do you hear
the foolishness of the wisdom of man? And, oh, it's true that
men have a zeal of God, but it's also true it's not according
to knowledge. Romans 10, 2. Men and women searched
the Scriptures, and in them the Lord said, You think you have
life? But our Lord said, They are they which testify of Me. The Scriptures are concerning
Christ. And if you don't see Christ in
the Scriptures, you've missed it all. You've missed it. Who
He is. What He has done for sinners.
That's the issue. What think ye of Christ? Whose
Son is He? What has He done for sinners? "...of the people of God delivered
out of Egyptian bondage." In Psalm 106.10 it says, And He
saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed
them from the hand of the enemy. Christ, friends, hath redeemed
us from the curse of the law. How, Gary? By being made a curse
for us. Do you hear what that says? That
rings substitution, doesn't it? He was made a curse for us, for
it is written, it's found in this book, Cursed is everyone
that hangeth on a tree. And as we saw last week, Christ
was forsaken of His beloved Father, and He cried, My God, My God,
why hast thou forsaken Me? He knew. He knew why. He was
forsaken of God, not because of His sin, but for Mine. and but for years he laid down
his life for the sheep." 1 John 3.16. Now look at verse 21. For after that, in the wisdom
of God, the world by wisdom knew not God. It pleased God. By what? The foolishness of preaching
to save them that believe. Now this thing we call preaching,
I'm almost done, it's foolishness to the worldly wise. It cannot
be received by the natural man, as I said a moment ago, for the
things of God and His Spirit are spiritually discerned. They're
spiritually hidden from the wise and the prudent. 1 Corinthians
2.14, the natural man receiving not the things of the Spirit
of God. They're foolishness unto me. God has to reveal it to you
or you will never see it. Now I'm telling you that's so.
We find life through one who died. That's the wisdom of God. God's people are blessed by one
who was cursed. That's the wisdom of God. Only
the sinner whose spirit has been born again, made a new creation
in Christ Jesus can see the wisdom of being justified by one who
was himself condemned. Do you see the wisdom of God
in that? Those that are wise and righteous in their own eyes
will never, I'm telling you, they will never see the beauty
of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. There's nothing foolish
about God's Word. For in declaring Jesus Christ
and Him crucified is made unto God's people wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification, and redemption. Let me tell you, that's all I
need. That's all I need. And He has made unto me all that
I need. Now you listen to me closely.
Nothing so concerns you as the Gospel. See then that you refuse
not Him that speaketh. Friends, I'm telling you, one
day We're going to go out to meet God in eternity. And we're
either going to stand before Him and be justly and eternally
condemned, or we're going to stand before Him and He's going
to say, enter in, thou good and faithful servant. And the only
difference between the two is the blood and righteousness of
the Lord Jesus Christ. The beloved John said in 1 John
1, he said, that which was from the beginning, speaking of Christ,
he said, we've heard Him. We've heard Him. We've seen Him
with our eyes. We've looked upon Him and our
hands have handled the Word of life. For the life is manifest
and we've seen it and bear witness and show unto you that eternal
life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us. Some of you have heard the good
news of redemption for a long time now, and yet you remain
indifferent. What hinders you from bowing
and believing the Lord Jesus Christ? What hinders you? Well,
I can give you a one-word answer. Unbelief. How long will you continue
there? If God has spoken to you this
morning, then see that you refuse not Him that speaketh. Christ
came into the world. Now listen, Christ came into
the world to save sinners. Are you a sinner? Christ came
to seek and to save that which was lost. Are you lost? If you
see that these things are so concerning you by God's sovereign
grace and divine revelation, then this message of the gospel
is for you. Did he not say, I am the good
shepherd, and know my sheep, and I'm known of mine? Did he
not say, but you believe not, because you're not of my sheep,
as I've said unto you? And did he not say, my sheep
hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me? Will you
follow Him? Christ our Lord says, even now,
come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, I will give
you rest. If any man thirst, let him come
unto Me and drink.