It's a joy for my wife and I
to be with you this morning. I'm thankful she is able to come. Rebecca, I count it a joy to be with you,
a privilege. I was with your pastor, I guess
it was last week, at Hendersonville. Wasn't it last week? He was up
a couple of days when he went to Hendersonville. We drove up
in North Carolina. I enjoyed being with him and
Shelby a couple days as he preached there and had good services.
And he was back, I think, last Sunday, right? Okay, from Hendersonville. It's good to be with you again.
Turn with me in your Bibles to Psalms 136. I want to speak upon great wonders. And I'll read down through four
or five verses here this morning. And I want you to notice this
psalm. There's something that appears
in every verse, isn't there? What is it? His mercy endure forever. Oh, you'll think unto the Lord,
for He is good. I've said all of these years,
I've tried to preach that Christians ought to be the
most thankful people on the face of the earth. It says, give thanks
unto the Lord and how thankful that we should be of our Savior
and our Lord. His mercy endure forever. O give thanks unto the God of
gods, for his mercy endure forever. O give thanks to the Lord of
lords, his mercy endure forever. To him who alone doeth great
wonders. To him who alone doeth great
wonders. for His mercy endure forever. To Him that by wisdom made the
heavens, for His mercy endure forever. To Him that stretched
out the earth above the waters, for His mercy endure forever. To Him that made the great lights,
for His mercy endure forever. The sun to rule by day, for his
mercy endure forever. The moon and the stars to rule
by night for his mercy endure forever. What a subject that
we have before us when we talk about the wonders of God. There's nature's wonders, how
all things work together. Now, he put it together and it
works together. The sun, the moon, the stars,
the rain, the heat, the cold, it all works together. There's
his providential wonders that nations are set up and nations
are took down and what has happened. There's the wonders of that of
his church and the centuries of wonders as we look at God's
people. The vastness of creation. And
yet no one knows that much about creation and the worlds that
he's formed, do they? I thought about some of the things
and I thought about just a little honeybee, how important it is
in his creation. The wonders. I've thought about
being underwater, and if you're six foot underwater and you've
got two or three tons above you, but you're not mashed. If you're
out here and had three tons on you, you'd be mashed. I've thought
about the clouds, how much water is in the clouds, but they stay
up there. I mean, there's all kinds of wonders. And can anybody
know this morning the height, the depth, the length and the
breadth of the wonders of God? But I want to speak to you about
the wonders of His mercy. The wonders of redemption. The
cross. The word wonders means something
that is not common. Something that is unusual, extraordinary,
surprising. It is something that would take
us back or sort of stop us in our tracks or astonish us. God does great wonders in saving
sinners. Just amazing that He'd deal with
sinners. He doesn't have to. He didn't
have to save you. He didn't have to speak to your
heart. He could have just left us alone. Most of us have been just happy
and went on our way, wouldn't we? Here's a great wonder, that one going his own way, And
I've talked to people over the years, and they said, I'm all
right. You know, everybody's all right till God's Spirit comes
and starts dealing with them. They're all right in themselves. But one going his own way, doing
his own thing, disobedient to the Word, will not own God as
his very maker. And here's the wonder that he'd
call us out of that of his love. That He'd call us with an effectual
call. That He would draw us with cords
of love. He says, I've loved you with
an everlasting love. And in loving kindness, I've
drawn you to Myself. See, this is far more than the
creation of the world, that wonder. Just think about This, this greater
wonder here that he abounds with his patience as he sung a while
ago. More grace, more grace. That he abounds with his wisdom,
his long suffering toward us in the work of salvation. It's
a wonder when he gives us a new heart. When he seduces that stubborn
wheel, that wheel that wants to go its own way, and like Saul
of Tarsus, he says, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? When he changes that of the mind, that's repentance. When that
mind is changed toward God. Oh, it's a wonder this morning
when we look at the scriptures and it tells us that we are chosen
by grace in eternity. And that's something to wonder
about this morning, that we are blessed with all spiritual blessings. He hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ. These spiritual blessings lift
us out of sin and death and deliver us from hell and damnation. This wonder this morning, the
work of the Almighty in quickening the dead. It's a divine work and a glorious
work. The sinner, he's walking in darkness
and hating the light. The Bible says he's filled with
enmity against God, dead in sin. And here's the wonder of it.
Making the sinner righteous and holy and asking what he wills. And asking him what he should
do. That's a wonder, isn't it? Loving God instead of hating
God. Loving the Lord Jesus Christ. Now praising Him. Living in fellowship
with Him. Isn't that a wonder this morning
that God works in such a way? And He works in such a way this
morning that we are willed to be saved. He changes the will,
doesn't He? He works in such a way that we
embrace the Lord Jesus Christ and we want Him the food of life,
the bread of life. And all of that is a result of
grace and grace performance. Oh, it's a wonder this morning
when He delivers the sinner from the greatest of evil to that
of the highest of good. And isn't that what He does?
He brings us from the lowest to the highest. Isn't that a
wonder this morning? He brings the eternal life to
glory. Oh, it's a wonder this morning
when we think about the delivery from the wrath. The Bible says
we were children of wrath, even as others. From that of the guilt, we know
our sins. There's damnation, corruption
and death. And here's the wonder of it now,
we're clothed with righteousness, holiness, life and glory. Translated into light from that
of darkness. The word translated could be
rescued. We've been rescued from darkness.
Death. Here's the wonder of it from
shame. to that of glory from hell to heaven. Oh, let me also talk about this
morning the wonder of the preservation of the believer. There is much
mystery about the believer. You know, John spoke in the third
chapter of John about the wind and the mystery of the wind He
says, so is everyone that is born of the Spirit. That of faith
and saving faith, that is called the faith of the operation of
God or called the faith of the elect. It's all contrary to nature. And this faith is attacked upon
every hand. Like Peter, Brother Lindsey,
this morning in the Sunday school lesson there, We see that that
faith of Peter, it got very weak, didn't it? But the Lord prayed
that it fail not. Do you see the wonder in all
of this? That it's kept alive. Isn't that a wonder to ourselves?
You look around and so many years made a shipwreck of faith. They
start out good, seemingly. But where's the end? I'm telling
you this morning, the end is so important. Hebrews chapter number 11, it
goes through this roll call of faith and it comes to the end.
It says, these died in faith. That's the only way to die, isn't
it? To die in faith. That's a wonder this morning.
Aren't you a wonder of grace? God's grace. Rivers of grace. Flowing grace. Then there's a wonder this morning
that God's truth, the gospel of that of His free and sovereign
grace, is maintained in the midst of the world. History has tried to slay it
and bury it, but God raises up His preachers to proclaim His
grace in every generation. I've got a library and I go back
and pull out these old books. I brought a book with me of Philip
Henry. The father of Matthew, Henry,
written in 1600s. Christ is all in all. And it's just as update today
as it was in the 1600s. Oh, God has his preachers. He's
maintained that of his truth. And he keeps it alive, even though
the world hates it. The carnal man hates it. But
here's the wonder of it, that God maintains it in the midst
of all of this. The Word tells us of great wonders. It says, Who is God like unto
thee that forgiveth iniquity? Though your sins be as scarlet,
they shall be white as snow. The blood of Christ cleanses
us from all sin. Now boy, that's great wonders,
isn't it? Just think about the verse, the
blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin. But the wonder of wonders
is that of the covenant of grace, the glorious Son of God, that
He leaves heaven's glory and comes to this earth. Daily, the Scripture says, He
was the Father's delight. But yet, here's the wonder of
it, that He's veiled in human flesh. God and man in one person. Born of a woman. Suffered shame. The cross and death. All of that's a wonder. And it's
a means of a great salvation for a great multitude. It's the means of a sure salvation. It's a means that our sins is
washed away by the blood of this divine sacrifice, and all of
that is an amazing wonder. There's the Holy Spirit that
carries out the purposes of grace, convinces men of sin, and glorifies
the Lord Jesus Christ and applies salvation. And He's not here in vain. You see Him turning one. And here's another wonder. He's
turning one that persecuted the saints, old Saul, into a saint. Now, that's a wonder, isn't it? If you looked at him, if you
looked at him, you'd think he was a vessel of wrath, wouldn't
you? He has persecuted the church. The Lord said, you've persecuted
me. And he says, you're a chosen vessel,
a vessel of mercy. Oh, the wonders, the wonders. We see him converted. We see
him calling out, Lord, what without have we to do? We see, it says, behold how this
man prayeth. We see grace and how it affected
him. Here's another great wonder is,
the scripture says, lifting up the beggar from the dunghill
to set him among princes. And that's what he does in salvation.
He lifts up the beggar, doesn't he? Christ came to save his people
from their sins. The scripture says. Oh, the wonder this morning that
the Lord loved us, bought us, sought us, saved us, kept us,
Keeping us. And it's all a display of His
power. Because He delights in mercy. Because He's plenteous in mercy. You know, He loves to do that
what is unexpected. He loves to surprise with His
grace and mercy. Can you see this? And here's
the wonder of it. When Saul was carrying the church,
when he was on his road to Damascus, the Lord surprised him with His
grace and with His mercy, didn't He? Saul was going one way. He was
hell-bent on destroying them. But the Lord surprised him. This
morning, you was going some way, did Lord surprise you? When He came with your mercy
and your grace. I was thinking this morning of
a gentleman that I knew a few years ago in Littlefield. Lord saved him. As Littlefield
says, he'd been pretty notorious for some things and he said,
Oh, I didn't believe he'd ever have mercy on me. I didn't believe he'd have mercy
on me. Little Sammy Fletcherman, after
that he'd come to church and he'd have his oxygen, he'd roll
it right in with him, sit there and hear the Word. How about Zacchaeus? Oh, he climbed
up in that tree, that sycamore tree, and he had a curiosity,
didn't he? The Lord surprised him, didn't
he? He says, come down. Salvation's
come to thy house. There's a thief on the cross
beside of him. First of all, they're just railing
against him. The Lord surprised him, says,
today you're going to be with me in paradise. He loves to surprise. Oh, may He surprise someone here
today, if you're not without Christ. Surprise you with His
grace and His mercy. Matthew was sitting at the seat
of the custom, the tax collector. The Lord came by and says, come
follow me. And he says he got right up.
Boy, there's something in that call. Peter was fishing. He says, come follow me. I'll
make you fishers of men. There's no reason this morning
to be a fountain man. It's all in his work. It's all
of God. There's great wonders that we're
talking about. Many so-called wonders are explained
and cease to be after time. You know, things that we wondered
at as a child, and when we're getting adults, we don't wonder
about them. I was thinking even this morning,
when I was like the third or fourth grade in school, they
carried us over to Elkin from Jonesville. and put us on a train
and we rode to North Wilkes-Barre. Boy, that was something. I don't wonder at that anymore,
but boy, it was something that day. But I'm telling you this morning,
these great wonders of that of His almighty love. of that election,
and adoption, and redemption, and reconciling, and regeneration,
and pardon, calling, and justification, sanctification, and preservation,
and perseverance. They become greater wonders the
more you know of them. Don't they? Oh, they get more
and more. Just think about adoption. Thomas
Watson wrote one time, and I've remembered this over the years,
he said, God had a perfect son. What did he want with us? He had a perfect son. I tell
you, it's all great wonders this morning. This wonder of grace. This wonder of mercy. There's
nothing that exceeds it or excels it. The Bible says angels desire
to look into it. It's a wonder to them. You know the Lord, He just does great
things. It's common to Him. It's usual
to Him. It's ordinary to Him. See, no one is ever foreign. that of an adequate conception
of Him. Infinite. No one knows His greatness. But we know this, He's just as
great as He's always been. He's always going to be great.
He's the same. The scripture says Jesus Christ
the same yesterday, today, tomorrow. In other words, whenever you
speak out of him, he's the same. Whenever you speak of God, it's
the same. Where you speak in terms back
or terms now or terms forward, it's always same. It's the same
one that divided the Red Sea. It's the same one that fed with
manna from heaven. It's the same one that saved
the thief on the cross. It's the same one that saved the blasphemer
Saul. It's the same one that saved
that old rough Philippian jailer. It's the same one that said to
the one, thy sins be forgiven. Then the wonder of the Lord's
coming, condescension. The wonder of it that He came
to deliver us. Angels sinned and there was not
a deliverer. But for us, there's a deliverer. We sing, come, O great deliverer,
come. Here's a wonder. He came to rescue
us from the fall and sin. He came to have fellowship with
us. Now, isn't that a wonder this morning? We have fellowship. Two can agree and walk together. It's a wonder this morning He
came to comfort us. Now, where would our comfort
be if we didn't have the Comforter? I went through some things in
my life, and I know that you have. And there was the Comforter. He's come to help us. He's come to supply us. Isn't that a wonder this morning?
You know, before we came into being, the Lord had supplied
very much for us. The cross. All of that was supplied
for us. It was all supplied for when
we came. Came into being. That's a wonder, isn't it? What
all He's done. It's a wonder that He comes to
revive us again. He revived Peter, didn't He?
And we need revival. Oh, I wish the Christian, I wish
we could say that our lives is a continual climbing. But it's
like that, isn't it? I wish he was steady and brave
as many times as not so steady. And here's to wonder how he comes,
revives us, quickens us. Come to visit us with His Word. How great is that? He gives us
a Word. A Word to cheer us, a Word to encourage
us. Isn't that a wonder sometimes
you get down and God sends you a Word. He blesses us with His
Word. I've thought about what would
we be without it. You wouldn't know where you're going or coming
or where you come from or nothing would you without His Word. He
blesses us. I want to point this out. To
Him who alone doeth great wonders. Notice that this morning. Let's
put some emphasis on this this morning. Don't expect these wonders
anywhere else. It's He alone There's a verse that tells us
that He does for us exceedingly above that which we can think
or ask. Boy, now that's a wonder, isn't
it? God does for us. Yet, most people
think they need to help Him. They need to help God and they
try to help Him. Ah, He didn't need any help when
He created the world, did He? I came through the mountains
over here and He didn't need any help creating those mountains.
He created the ocean. Ours is Providence. And He doesn't
need any help. Oh, He comes and He says, live. And that's when we live. He said,
the dead shall hear His voice and live. He comes and He says, your sins
are forgiven. And they are put away. He says, follow Me. And we are drawn, aren't we? We are
drawn to Him. He alone does great wonders. And because He alone does great
wonders, He gets all the glory. He gets the glory. He gets the
praise. This tells me there's no rivalries. God is everything and man is
nothing. And someone has said this, that
if you're going to give God something, give Him your nothing. Give Him that. His mercy endures
forever. So it's to Him, thanks and praise
and honor and majesty all go to Him. His greatness and His
goodness. And all this wonderment as the
psalmist come here and he says, Oh, give thanks unto the Lord
for he is good. His mercy endure forever. The greatest thoughts this morning
that we can have is when we think of God. And the Lord Jesus Christ,
the Bible says, acquaint thyself with him. and be at peace. I just don't believe you can
be at peace unless you're acquainted with the Lord. Do you? Acquaint thyself. Acquaint thyself with Him. Acquaint
thyself with the One that is sovereign. And that again is
a wonderment, isn't it? This morning that He's a sovereign
ruler of this universe. That all things is in His hand. And you're here this morning
because it's in His hands. The desire that you have to worship
Him this morning and praise Him is put in your heart. Thank you, Lord. Put it in our
hearts that we worship Thee, that we desire Thee. He's the
one that is control. It's all in His hands. He's the
ruler over all things. And this one that work of wonders,
work of all things by the counsel of His will. It tells us, whatsoever in verse
number 6 of the 135th Psalm, whatsoever the Lord pleased that
He did in heaven and in earth. Whatsoever He pleased. I like that. I like that. He's done it. It's all a wonderment. He's done it. In heaven, in the
earth, in the seas, in all deep places. He doth as He pleases. And He has that right because
He's God. The passage tells us of changeless
mercy. His mercy endure forever. He's full of mercy. The scripture
says He's plenteous in mercy. And He's enduring mercies. So
may we this morning, to Him who alone doeth great
wonders, doeth great wonders. Oh, give thanks unto the Lord,
for He is good, and His mercy endureth forever. Our Father,
we thank Thee for this time that we spend together as brothers
and sisters in the Lord. And we thank Thee that Thee alone
doeth wonders. You get all the glory. When we
think of salvation and the miracle of salvation and the marvel of
salvation, what a great wonder it is. And it's to Thee alone we bless
Your name, bless this people we thank You for, and may that
we ever adore Thee. and give Thee praise and honor
and glorify Your name. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.