Back in 1 Peter chapter 5, just
to review the background of this epistle, it was during a time
for those to whom Peter wrote, a time of great suffering, that
Emperor Nero, a hater of Christians, under a false pretense, blaming
the Christians for the burning of Rome, for which he himself,
historians said, was most likely responsible, but he had to have
someone to blame it on. He blamed those people that worshipped
Christ. And they were severely persecuted. put to death by the thousands.
That's why Peter again and again refers to their suffering throughout
this epistle. It's a recurrent word. Notice,
for example, the very first verse of the epistle. Peter says, an
apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers scattered throughout
Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. They were
scattered because of persecution. They were forced to leave their
lands and their homes. Look again in verse 6 of chapter
1. wherein ye greatly rejoice, though
now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold
temptations. Again, chapter 2, verse 21. Who by him do believe... Oh,
I'm sorry. It's chapter 1. Chapter 2 for
unto for even unto here unto were ye called because Christ
also has suffered for us Leaving us an example that we should
follow in his steps chapter 4 Verse 12. Beloved, think it not strange. Our Lord told the disciples to
expect suffering. If they've hated me, they'll
hate you. He said, I've told you these
things beforehand so that when it happens, you won't be caught
off guard. It won't overwhelm you. It won't
be something that catches you unaware because I've told you
ahead of time. Peter, in verse 12, chapter 4,
says, Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial, which
is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you. But rejoice inasmuch as ye are
partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be
revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. And then in chapter 5, verse
2 again, Peter says, feed the flock of
God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by
constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready
mind. Peter, in writing these two epistles,
does that very thing. And you remember what our Lord
said to him? These same words that he wrote
to the elders here. Peter, feed my sheep. Feed my sheep, feed my lambs. Also Peter in chapter 5 reminds
them of this in verse 8. And Peter speaks from experience
here. He's speaking of personal experience
when he says these words. Be sober. Be diligent. Because your adversary the devil,
as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour. Peter learned the truth of that
by painful experience. In Luke chapter 22, our Lord
spoke these words to Peter that night before they went to the
garden of Gethsemane where he was arrested. Simon, Simon, behold,
Satan had desired to have you that he might sift you as wheat. But Peter also speaks from personal
experience when he mentions in verse 10 the God of all grace. He'd experienced the devil's
temptation, but he also experienced the restoration of God's mighty
grace. Again, our Lord said to him,
but, but, and that same passage from Luke chapter 22, yes, Peter,
Satan desires to have you, that he might sift you, but, but,
oh, there's the intervention of God's amazing grace. But I
have prayed for you. that thy faith fail not, and
when you're converted, converted, that is, turned back again, when
you're converted, and I know I've probably pointed this out
to you before, but it's worth noticing again. Our Lord doesn't
say, Peter, I prayed for you, and if you're converted, No,
Lord, that's not what he said, did he? No, the intercession
of our high priest, like all of his works of grace, is always
effectual. Therefore, he says, Peter, there's
no question about your being turned again. I will turn you
back to myself again. And when I do, when thou art
converted, strengthen thy brethren. And Peter does that very thing
here. Again, back in 1 Peter chapter
5, verse ten, but the God of all grace. The reason of any
sinner being called is the God of all grace. The reason any
sinner is kept is because the God of all grace. The reason
any redeemed sinner will ever be brought to glory, the reason
lies here, the God of all grace, the grace of the triune God who
had called us unto glory, unto glory. God hasn't called us to
a temporary salvation. but an eternal salvation, a complete
salvation, an uttermost salvation, salvation to the uttermost. And he says here, by Jesus Christ. had called us into His eternal
glory by Jesus Christ. Remember again that same night
that I referred to? We have this record in John chapter
14. I'm going away. I'm going back
to my Father's house, but I'll come again. And the way you know,
you know the way. And Thomas spoke up and said,
I don't know the way. I don't know where you're going,
so how can I know the way?" And remember how our Lord answered
him. He said, Thomas, I'm the way, I'm the truth, and I'm the
light. You do know the way. If you know
me, you know the way to the Father's house. You just keep following
me. You just keep following me and you'll be where I am. Look
in chapter 3 of 1 Peter what he says here. 1 Peter 3, verse
18. For Christ also hath once suffered
for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God,
might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but
quickened by the Spirit, that He might bring us to God in time,
when He calls us out of darkness into His marvelous light, and
He'll bring us to God in eternity. All of His sheep hear His voice,
and they follow Him, and they'll follow Him all the way to glory
again. Just before that night in Gethsemane,
he said in John chapter 12, the hour is come, the hour is come,
that the Son of Man should be glorified. says in the next verse what that
glory involved. It's this. He certainly wouldn't
be glorified if he didn't accomplish what he came into this world
to do. That would be the reverse of glory. If he didn't do all
the Father's will, oh, but he did. And this is what he mentions
in the next verse. This is connected with his glory,
the salvation of his people. John 12, verse 24. Verily, verily, Truly, the word means truly,
you can take this to the bank. I say unto you, except a corn
of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone. And of course, you know what
he refers to, that corn of wheat is himself. And he says, if I
don't lay down my life, I abide alone. But, but, another blessed
intervention, but if it died, it bringeth forth much fruit. And so did the death of Jesus
Christ. He's the firstborn among many
brethren. Notice again now in verse 10
of 1 Peter 5, but the God of all grace who have called you
unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after that you have suffered
a while. make you perfect, establish,
strengthen, settle you, settle you. Oh, by his grace enable
you just to lay down on that eternal shore foundation, the
rock of ages, to roll all the weight of your soul up on him,
just settle there. But the God of all grace that
works all things together for our good, make you perfect. That is mature. God uses these
sufferings to produce these blessed fruits. Establish you. That is not be blown about with
every wind of doctrine but rooted and grounded. Strengthen. Strong
in grace that is in Christ Jesus and settle you. I remember When
one of my granddaughters, Harley, was about three or so years old,
I was babysitting her. And she wasn't doing something
that I told her not to, or was rather into something that I
told her to not do. And after saying that to her,
to quit, about three times I got up and went toward her. And she
knows what, and she said, Wait a minute, Pawpaw. Let's just
all calm down. Well, I couldn't do anything
after that. And this is what Peter says the grace of God does. This is the product of suffering
by the sweet work of God's Spirit. It settles us down. Oh, just
to settle. just to settle on the sweet promises
of Christ Jesus and they're all yea and amen. But the God of
all grace. When you read Hebrews chapter
11 about Noah and Moses and Abraham and all those others, The explanation
for what they did, and what they suffered, and what they endured,
the explanation rests right here. The God of all grace. They were
just men like us. They weren't made of anything
different. Oh, but the God of all grace
made them to differ, and so it does today. Now, I want you to
look with me at verse 12, and an expression Peter uses in verse
12 of 1 Peter chapter 5. He says, exhorting and testifying
to them, the suffering believer. He reminds them. And oh, how
encouraging this must have been to them. Because going through
what they did, they must have been tempted to think, I can't
bear this. I can't endure this. I can't
take this. And Peter reminds them that this
is the true grace of God wherein you stand. The true grace of
God. When I was working on this message
and that those blessed words that this is the true grace of
God, I thought about a television program used to be on years ago. And to be honest with you, I
couldn't remember if the program I was thinking of was, what's
my line? Do you remember that? It's been
a while. Or to tell the truth. So I got on the internet and
found out. It was to tell the truth. That's
what I was thinking of. It ran from 1956 to 68. So it's
been a long time. But you remember how that show
operated. There was a panel of four people. And they would try to identify
a contestant, somebody that they were already told had an unusual
occupation or some distinction. But there were always three contestants. And they all claimed to be this
same person. But two were imposters. And the
four panelists would question each of these three people that
all claimed to be the same person. And at the end of the questioning,
The host would say, now would the real so-and-so please stand
up? And even then they would all
pretend and then finally the true one would rise up. Peter
tells these suffering believers, Christians, and he tells you
and I, God's grace is no imposter. God's grace is not a pretense. I want you to know, I want to
remind you, Peter says, that this is the true grace of God
wherein you stand. Now think about that word for
a minute. Wherein you stand. Surely, Peter meant what old
Newton wrote, was grace that's brought me safe thus far and
grace shall lead me home. But it means more than that.
It must be the true grace of God because look what it's done
already. The grace of God wherein you
stand? Stand before God? How does a
sinner stand before God? Accepted in the Beloved. Oh,
that's the work of God's mighty grace. Accepted in Christ Jesus. How secure. How secure, how safe,
how accepted in the person of God, dear Son, and also reconciled. Reconciled to God by Jesus Christ. Our hearts have been reconciled
to Him, and God, by the death of His Son, has been reconciled
to us. Is that not a solid foundation?
Is that not a secure footing on which we stand and rest our
hope of everlasting life? And also we stand before God
in the very presence of God, righteous. Righteous. What a standing. God has made
Him to be sin for us. Was that a pretense? Oh, no. No, he was made sin for you and
I who knew no sin. That's true. That happened on
the cross. That's why he cried out, my God,
why has thou forsaken me? But that's not all the verse
is. He was made sin for us who knew no sin that what? We might
be made the righteousness of God in him. Is that true too? Is that true too? If one's true,
the other's true. If he was made sin for us, we're
made the very righteousness of God in him. And we stand before
God dressed in his righteousness. And also we stand before God
with this sweet truth, justified. Justified. Not guilty. Not guilty. Oh, how sweet. How sweet. How comforting. Those
words were that our Lord spoke concerning that publican. He's
going home justified. What but only the true grace
of God could do that. This whole religious world talks
about salvation by grace. Salvation by grace. But the grace
they talk about, it's not the true grace of God. It's an imposter. The world speaks of universal
grace. Universal grace. That God has
grace on everybody. There's no such thing. There's
no such thing. If there is, it's useless. It's
useless. Tell people who talk about universal
grace, tell them it's not so. There's no such thing and you'll
see how quick, how quick they'll become ungracious, those who
use such language. But God's mercy, yes, God's mercy
is over all of his works. That's true. He sends his Son
reign upon the righteous and the unrighteous, but his grace
is bestowed upon his elect. Grace is the one source from
which flows God's love and salvation to his people. It's bestowed
upon those without merit. Unearned. That's the grace I'm
talking about. That's not the definition people
give when they talk about universal grace. But the grace that God
gives, this true grace of God, it's bestowed upon people without
any merit. Unearned. Unwon. It can't be won. It can't be
bought. Earned by anything in us or anything
done by us. Now that's pure grace. Turn if
you will to 2 Timothy chapter 1. This is pure grace and what
I mean by that, it's grace that's not mixed. in any part with man's
works. No, it's entirely of grace. In 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse
9, Paul wrote and said, who hath called us, that is God, who hath
called us, or saved us rather, I'm sorry, who hath saved us
and called us with a holy calling. Based on what? Why did He do
that? What moved Him to do that? Was
there something in us that attracted His grace? Oh, no. No, no. He says, I will be gracious to
whom I will be gracious. But this, according to His own
purpose and grace. That's it. which was given us
in Christ Jesus before the world began. That pretty much takes
us out of the picture, doesn't it? If it was given us in Christ
before the world began, that pretty much takes us out. And
this grace is not only eternal grace, it's free grace. You know
what that word means? It means without a cause, without
a cost in us. Turn, if you will, to Romans,
Romans chapter 3. This is what Paul tells us here
in Romans 3 verse 23. He says, For all have sinned
without exception. All have sinned and come short
of the glory of God, being justified freely. Don't you like that? Being justified freely by His
grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Not
only is His grace eternal and free, it's sovereign. Are you
still in Romans? Look in chapter 5, verse 21. Romans 5 and 21. That is, sin
hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign. Oh, I like
that. Reigning grace. It's the only
kind that'll help this sinner. Grace that's greater than all
my sin. Oh, that's grace. That's the
grace I need. Grace that reaches down to the
very depths of the pit where I am. That's the grace I need.
The grace that our dear sister used to sing about, that now
beholds the king in his beauty, grace that reaches deeper than
the stain has gone. That's the sort of grace, Peter
reminds him of, that as sin has reigned unto death, Even so might
grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ
our Lord." And it's distinguishing grace. Paul, in writing to the
church at Corinth, he said, it's not neat. It's not fit that I
should be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God.
But he said, by the grace of God, I am what I am. He didn't stop there, did he?
And he said, God's grace that was bestowed upon me was not
in vain. It wasn't useless. It accomplished
its purpose. Now looking back at our text
in 1 Peter chapter 5, this is the true grace of God. Compare
it to two or three things, or make two or three statements
concerning this true grace of God. It's not false. It's not a false, false grace,
a false hope. It's not an imposter. It doesn't offer us assistance. It doesn't offer to help us,
but it's an operation put forth by God of all grace. It's not an offer. It's a work
of God's mighty grace. It doesn't come to the tomb of
Lazarus and say, well, Lazarus, my grace will work for you. It'll
do something for you if It awaits your response. That's the definition
of universal grace. Its hands are tied. It's useless
until the sinner does something to make it work. Lazarus, come
forth. It only works if you allow it. Thank God that's not true. No, it does all the work. It not only goes to the tomb.
All the great shepherds said, I've come to seek, but once I
seek my sheep, unless they're willing, unless I find somebody
willing, the search is in vain, it's useless, it's pointless.
No, no. He said, I seek and I find. My people will be willing. God
doesn't save anybody against their will. People hear about
God's sovereign mercy and grace. And they say, oh, you're preaching,
teaching that God saves people against their will. You've never
heard me say that. But I do say this. God's people
become willing as a result of His power. He makes them willing. God's people willingly. There's
never been a sinner saved against their will. They willingly come
to Christ. They willingly bow to Him. They
willingly cry for mercy. It's because He's worked in their
heart and make them thus willing. Lazarus, our Lord, goes to the
tomb. And he does more than make an
offer. He doesn't do that. He goes to
the tomb. He goes to where Lazarus is. He goes to the tomb. That's where
we were by nature, dead in sin. He came to where we are. And
just as He went to the tomb of Lazarus and He says, Lazarus,
come out of there. Lazarus, come forth. Look, if you will, in Ephesians
chapter 2. This is exactly what He does
when He saves sinners. He gives them life. He comes
to those dead in sins and He quickens them. In Ephesians chapter
2 verse 5, even when we were dead in sins, had quickened together
with Christ by grace you are saved and have raised us up together
and made us set together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus that into
ages to come that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding
riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. And this alone, this true grace
of God alone gives hope to needy sinners. Turn, if you will, to
2 Thessalonians chapter 2. This is the foundation of a Christian's
hope. Nothing else is. That God's grace
is sovereign, it's eternal, it's free, and it's effectual. In
2 Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 15. Therefore, brethren, stand
fast and hold to traditions which ye have been taught, whether
by word or our epistle. Now, our Lord Jesus Christ himself
and God, even our father, which have loved us and have given
us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, covered
your hearts and establish you in every good word and work. A good hope. good hope before
the Holy God. What's the foundation of that?
It can only come if it's based upon grace. Because of God's
grace, I hear people say, I hope to go to heaven because, and
they say, I did something. I did this, or I did that, or
I did certain things. Religious exercises. Oh but a good hope is based upon
this, the grace of God. That's the grounds of a good
hope. The result of God's grace. Not what I've done. And I don't
mean before God saved me. I mean since God saved me. It's
not based upon what I've done but it's based entirely upon
what he's done and that's a good hope. Grace that doesn't reign
is an imposter. It's not the true grace of God.
Turn back, if you will, to Romans chapter 5. We didn't read it
all, all the verses, just one. But look what Paul says in Romans
chapter 5 about the true grace of God. It reigns. It reigns
in Jesus Christ into eternal life. In Romans 5 verse 19, for
it's by one man's disobedience, speaking of our father Adam,
and many were made sinners, So by the obedience of one, shall
many be made righteous. Moreover, the law entered that
the offense might abound, but the law couldn't do away with
the offense, only condemn it. But where sin abounded, grace
doth much more abound. that as sin had reigned unto
death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal
life by Jesus Christ our Lord. That's the true grace Peter reminds
them of that doesn't keep me if, oh no, true grace says my
sheep follow me and I give them eternal life and they'll never.
Never, but, no buts. No, no, the great shepherds said,
they shall never perish. Any so-called grace that doesn't
take all those who receive it all the way to glory is not the
true grace of God. Turn, if you will, to Ephesians
chapter five. Ephesians chapter five, verse
25. Paul writing and exhorts husbands,
love your wives. And how you do that? Like you
love all women? No, you better not. Husbands,
love your wives. It's special, particular, distinguishing,
like no one else, for no one else. That's how Christ loves
His church. Husbands, love your wives, even
as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it. That
He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water
by the Word, that He might present it to Himself. a glorious church,
not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should
be holy and without blemish. That's the result of God's amazing
grace. The hymn writer said, it was
grace that taught my heart to pray and made my eyes overflow. It is grace that's kept me to
this day and will not let me go. And this is the true grace
of God. Not only is it not an imposter,
it's not a lie. Is it? Is it? When God in mercy
spoke to your hearts and said, look unto me and be ye saved
for I am God and there is none else. And he enabled you to look
like we spoke about this morning. When John the Baptist saw Jesus
Christ walking by, And he told all the people, whoever was around
him, whoever was around him, he said, look, look, look, look.
Look, behold the Lamb of God. And everyone who looked through
the eyes of faith What happened? Just as God exhorted in Isaiah
45, look unto me and be ye saved. Is that true? Did that happen? Absolutely. Come unto me, our
Savior said, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest. That burden, that load of sin
that you cannot shake off, that you cannot get rid of. You come
to me. You come to me and it'll be removed. You come to me and I'll take
it away. I'll give you rest. Did it happen? Was it true? Absolutely, he did. Have you not found his grace
sufficient? You can't explain it? No need
to. It's just so. Thank God for his
free grace. Free grace. There will never
be a time that His grace is not sufficient. His grace saves His
people from all their sins. And His grace is not imaginary. The true grace of God is not
imaginary. It's real. It's not make-believe. It's real. Look what Peter said
in chapter 2, 1 Peter chapter 2. verse 3, 1 Peter 2 and 3. If so be ye have tasted that
the Lord is gracious to whom coming as unto a living stone
disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious. Verse 7, unto you therefore which
believe he is precious. He's not a figment of my imagination. He's real. He's real to his people,
real to their hearts. He's no delusion. I know perhaps
you, like me, have been looked upon by your old friends or family
like you were delusional when you told them what God had done
for your soul, but it's no delusion. Oh, our Savior is a real Savior
with real grace, the true grace of God wherein we stand. Remember
that night that our Lord sent the disciples out on the sea
while he went into a mountain to pray, and a storm arose, and
he comes to them walking on the sea. But when they first saw
him, they were afraid. They said, it's a spirit. It's
a spirit. It's a ghost and he spoke and
said, don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. I can't tell
you the number of times. Oh, on stormy seas. On stormy seas. He's not come
walking to me with these same words. Be a good chair. It is
I. Be not afraid. Things aren't
out of control. Oh, his presence, his grace,
it's no delusion. He's a very present help in time
of need. He's revealed himself to us as
such, has he not? Remember what Paul wrote in Galatians
1? When it pleased God, who called
me by his grace to reveal his son in me, He says, I didn't
confer with flesh and blood. I didn't seek a second opinion. I didn't need to. I know when
he appeared to me on Damascus Road. And therefore, Paul could
also say, I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that
he's able to keep that which I've committed unto him against
that day. And out of his ashes and sackcloth,
Job could say, I know that my Redeemer liveth. Christ is real
to his people and what Peter said to tired and tried and suffering
believers in his day is still true today. He's the god of all
grace. Turn if you will to Hebrews chapter
four. We'll wrap this up. Hebrews chapter
four verses fourteen through sixteen. Seeing then, seeing
then that we that is passed into the heavens,
Jesus the Son of God. Let us hold fast our profession.
We have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling
of our infirmities. I know we sometimes feel alone. I know there's times we feel
like there's nobody we can really talk to. There's nobody where
we feel like we just don't want to. No one can identify with
what we're passing through. Oh, not so, not so. We have a
high priest which can be touched. with the feeling of our infirmities.
He can identify with us. He's made like unto his brethren,
but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin.
So what should we do in the light of that? If we have such a great
high priest, if we have one in the heavens who knows what his
people go through, what should we do? Verse 16, let us therefore
come boldly. Come boldly to the throne of
grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace, the true grace
of God wherein we stand and find grace to help in time of need. One, the hymn writer said this,
grace all the works shall crown through everlasting days. It
lays in heaven the topmost stone and well deserves the praise. From Zechariah, we read these
words. And he shall bring forth the
headstone thereof with shoutings crying grace, grace unto it. Amen. Amen.