As I sought a message for you
this morning, through the week, a phrase kept coming back to
my heart's memory that Brother Merle read here last Sunday evening. He will fulfill the desire of
all them that love him. He will Fulfill the desire of
all them that love him. Turn with me if you will to Proverbs
chapter 10. My subject this morning is the
desire of the righteous. The desire, singular, of the
righteous. We have many things we desire. but our desire is one. And God
promises that he will fulfill the desire of all them that love
him. David spoke of God's salvation
like this. This is all my desire. Proverbs chapter 10 and verse
24. The fear of the wicked, it shall
come upon him. Let that sink in, you who yet
live with your fist shoved in God's face. All that you fear in eternity
shall come upon you. Suddenly, without remedy, and
inhale, you lift up your eyes to discover that what you feared
doesn't even begin to compare with that furious wrath of the
just God that you must suffer forever. because of your rebellion
and sin. The fear of the wicked, it shall
come upon him. But here's something altogether
different, but just as sure. The desire of the righteous shall
be granted. The righteous. Who are those? Those who are righteous are those
who are made righteous in Christ by God's free grace. None are
righteous by nature. We are made righteous having
the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, laid to our account, and
we're made righteous having the righteousness of Christ imparted
to us, being made partakers of the divine nature. The righteous
have a desire and the desire of the righteous shall be granted. All that I have experienced at
the hands of my God and all that I know of his free and sovereign
grace in Christ inspire and constantly press upon my soul the pursuit
of these five things which are my desire. These are the things
upon which my heart is fixed and has been fixed now for nearly
42 years. These are the things for which
I labor, the things my heart groans for before God Almighty. Number one, God's favor. I am treated thy favor with my
whole heart. Oh, to live in God's favor. So long as I am conscious of
God's favor, I'm strong. No foe can terrify me. No trouble
can destroy me. But then there are times when
God hides his face from me and I'm troubled. It is the awareness,
the sweet, blessed awareness of God's favor that gives me
joy and peace. The awareness of his mercy, the
awareness of his grace, the awareness that God smiles on me in his
son and accepts me. That's what I want. God's favor,
God's favor. And that's what I want for you.
The favor of God. Oh God, be favorable to these
immortal souls. God, show you His mercy. Make you His own. Give you the
blessedness of acceptance with Him in Christ Jesus. And I desire
the knowledge of God. This is life eternal, that they
might know Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou
hast sent. Not knowledge about God, but
the knowledge of God. Oh, what a difference. I'm not
talking about theory, I'm talking about life. I'm not talking about
a profession. I'm talking about that which
is possessed in the soul. The knowledge of the living God. A knowledge of God that pants
for a greater knowledge. The Apostle Paul said, I'm pressing
after this, that I may know him. In the power of his resurrection. In the fellowship of his sufferings.
Being made conformable unto his death. I want to know Christ. I want to know God in Christ
in such a way as to make me like Christ, conformable unto his
death. I want the image of God. I know one of these days I shall
awaken his likeness. I know that Christ is the image
of God into whose image I had been created and been created
new by his grace. I know that before God, I stand
before Him just as Jesus Christ the Lord. All those things are
sweet, blessed revelations of grace. In Christ, one with Christ,
I am now and shall be forever one with Him. But I want something
else. I want, while I live in this
world, to live as my Redeemer. forgiving and helping his people. I want so much, as he was and
is, to be a help, not a hindrance. A help, not a hurt to the souls
of men. The language of scripture is
this, be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you, and
walk in love. Walk in love. It's a sweet-smelling
savor to God Almighty. Children of God, be kind, tender-hearted,
forgiving. God, teach me that and teach
you that. And I want something else. I
want the presence of God. Do you remember how the Lord
promised Moses? He said, he said, you carry these
people out of this place and lead them through this wilderness
and I'll be with you. And Moses' next request was,
Lord, if thy presence go not with us, carry us not up hence. I just recall this. I mean, just now. The first service
we had in this building. The very first service we had
in this building. I preach to you from that text of scripture.
If thy presence go not with us, carry us not up hence. Without
his presence, I can't lead you and we can't worship God together.
Without his presence, we are useless. Without his presence,
what we do is vanity. Without his presence, we can't
live peaceably and we cannot endure trials and temptations
and we cannot walk through this world honorably to God. Oh, Lord,
God, give me as long as I live in this world to live not only
in your presence, but in the conscious awareness of your presence. And fourth. I want his will. Trust in the Lord with all your
heart, and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge
Him, and He shall direct thy paths. God, give me to live in
your will. What do you mean, Pastor? I've
learned and I am constantly reminded that it is never best. Now, listen
to me. You will be wise to write this
down. It is never best for me to have my will. Never. It is never best for me
to have my way. It is never best for me to have
what I think I want. Never. The fact is I don't know
what I need and I don't know what you need. I just don't. I have that one
darling daughter back there. And all her life, before ever
she took her first breath, I wanted to provide what she needs. And I didn't have a clue what
she needed. I didn't have a clue. Doug, if she'd have married the
fellow I picked out, you wouldn't be sitting there. And I'm so thankful she didn't.
Because one of us wouldn't be sitting there. No, I don't know what you need. And I don't know what I need.
God does. Our master taught us to pray
like this. Even the son of God taught us to pray like this.
Not my will, thy will be done. This is what I'm saying. If I
had my life to live over, and I could choose whatever I wanted.
I'd walk the same path, endure the same heartaches, experience
the same troubles, weep the same tears, rejoice with the same
joys as I have up to this time experienced. I wouldn't change
a thing. Not a thing. You see, all that
has been, has been ordered by my Father, and has been good. And all that shall be, has been
ordered by my Father, and shall be good. Say ye to the righteous,
it shall be well with him. That's God's Word. All that has
been he has ordered and it's been good. And all that shall
be has been ordered and it shall be good. Now, turn to John chapter
12 and I'll wrap this up. The desire of the righteous What
is it? It's the favor of God, the knowledge
of God, the image of God, the presence of God, the will of
God, and the glory of God. The Lord be magnified. The Lord be magnified. Our Savior taught us to pray.
Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Honor your name. Sanctify your
name. Glorify your name. God told Moses
to speak to the rock after the rock had been smitten. And Moses
in anger smote the rock a second time. And the Lord God said,
because You did not sanctify me before the people you can't
go into the land of promise Lord God Give me to sanctify your
name Our Savior here in John chapter 12 and verse 28 Says
father Glorify thy name You remember what he said back in chapter
11, verse 40? He's standing at the tomb of Lazarus,
and he said, said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldest believe,
thou shouldest see the glory of God. And here he comes, our
blessed Savior. He who believed God as no man
ever believed God. And He's coming to the end of
His days on this earth. He's coming to His appointed
hour when He would die in our stead. And He says, Father, glorify
Thy name. Now look at the context in which
this is found. Our Lord Jesus came into this
world in our nature for the glory of God. He lived all the days
of His life for the glory of God. He laid down his life at
the appointed hour as our substitute and died for the glory of God. He arose from the dead. He's
seated at the right hand of the majesty on high and he reigns
over all flesh giving eternal life to as many as the father's
given him for the glory of God. And this is his admonition to
us who are redeemed by his blood to you who are bought with a
price. glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are
God's. You're not your own. You're not your own. You're not your own. Did you
hear me? You're not your own. He bought
you. Lock, stock, and barrel. He bought
you. You're His by creation, His by
choice, His by blood, His by grace. You're not your own. So glorify God in your body and
in your spirit, which are God's. Now look at the things that led
up to this prayer on our Savior's heart. He just raised Lazarus
from the dead. And the fame of this great miracle
caused multitudes to come seeking this one who, by the mere word
of his power, causes the dead to live. And the people came
in such great numbers that the Pharisees, they said, they said,
the whole world's going after him. We got to stop this man.
The people came and they wanted to make him king. They wanted
to set this great prophet up on the throne, make him king.
They cried, Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name
of the Lord. But the Lord Jesus wouldn't have their adulation
and wouldn't have their little throne over in Palestine. Certain,
however, of the Gentiles, the Greeks, in verse 21, sought out
Philip, one of his disciples, and they said, sir, we would
see Jesus. I try my best every time I stand
in this place or in any other to preach to eternity bound men
and women to see that word written on your brows. Sir, we would
see Jesus. The fact is If you see him, it
doesn't really matter if you don't see anything else. And
if you don't see him, it doesn't matter what you do
see. We would see Jesus. They didn't
just ask to be introduced to him, to see him physically. They
could do that without Philip's aid. They asked that they might
be introduced to him so as to know him. Sir, we want to know
this man who claims to be the Christ of God, who by his mere
word has raised this man Lazarus from the dead. We want to know
him. Tell us who he is. The sight
of these Greeks, these Gentiles desiring to see him surely must
have brought great joy to our Savior's heart. coming out of
great darkness to him who is the light. They stand here as
representatives of those very people for whom he has come,
for whom he would die, who would gather out of the four corners
of the earth, from the north, the south, the east, and the
west, the joy that was set before him, for which he endured the
cross, despising the shame. These Gentiles were just a foretaste
of that which he would accomplish at last, when all God's elect
would be with him in glory. But then that seized his heart with another
thought. In order for these Gentiles,
whom he loved from eternity, these sinners whom he came to
save, to be gathered to him in everlasting glory, something
must happen. He describes himself as a corn
of wheat that must fall into the ground and die. Otherwise,
it abides alone. You can take a little grain in
your hand and hold it and look at it and cherish it. You can
say that's the finest grain that's ever been raised. But as long
as you hold it in your hand, all you can do is look at it.
It'll never amount to anything except that little bit of grain
in your hand. If you want it to multiply and you want more
grain like it, it's got to be thrown into the ground and it's
got to die and come forth again in multiplied life. That's what
Christ Jesus says he is. He is life. But in order for
him to give life to dead sinners, he must first die and be buried
and rise again in life. And then he realizes that which
must accompany his death. And it seems suddenly to seize
his holy soul. He who came here to redeem and
save us must lay down his life as our sin atoning Savior as
one made sin for us. Look at verse 27. His soul is troubled. Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? Father,
save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto
this hour. Never imagine that our savior
dreaded death. He didn't. He came here for the
purpose of dying. His courage and strength of mind
were infinitely superior to that possessed by any of his servants,
and yet many of his servants have died with no fear at all.
We've read of martyrs who endured death. I just read of one just
yesterday, endured death with great courage, burning at the
stake, even while he's burning at the stake, giving praise to
God until his last breath was taken away. And certainly our
Savior was not less courageous. He didn't fear death, but his
was a very peculiar death. Death is the penalty of sin,
but he knew no sin. Death is the curse of God's broken
law, but he never broke the law. Death is the outpouring of God's
wrath upon fallen man, but he is the delight of his father's
heart. Death had no claim upon him. He's holy, harmless, undefiled,
and separate from sinners. Yet, the Son of God died as the
great sin bearer. He died as never a man died. His death was the vindication
of God's holiness, the satisfaction of God's justice, the taking
away of God's fury. Our Lord Jesus died voluntarily,
but he died as a sacrifice, a sin atoning sacrifice. One who was
made sin and being made sin made the object of his father's anger,
wrath, and fury. And that's altogether different.
from the death you and I must die. We shall die as pardoned
sinners, as justified believers, as righteous people. Larry, we
shall die with this blessed confidence. We're reconciled to God and God
to us. Nothing between my soul and my
Savior. Now that's to die in peace. That's
to die in peace. Our Savior died with the enormous
load of sin and guilt. He who knew no sin made sin for us. And when He
was made sin for us, forsaken by His Father, and His Holy Soul here begins
to anticipate it. This is really a prelude to Gethsemane's
dark, dark hour. These Gentiles wanted to see
Jesus and see him they did as never anyone else saw him. They
saw him as he's described in Hebrews chapter 5 offering up
prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto
him that was able to save him from death. And he offered those
things up. because he feared. Can that be so? Did the Christ of God fear? Read the fifth chapter of Hebrews.
Fear? What did he fear? Oh, he worshipped. Yes, he did that. But he said,
my soul is sorrowful even unto death. His holy soul quaked within him
as he anticipated being made sin for us. He later cried, Father, if it
be possible, let this cup pass from me. Not death, no, no, no. No, he set his face like a flint
to come and die for us. If it's possible, oh, my father,
to redeem and save my people without being made sin, let this
cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will, thy
will be done. And then he seems to brace himself
up and he says, Father, glorify thy name. Oh, what a prayer of faith. The Lord Jesus, knowing what
he must endure in Gethsemane, knowing that he would be betrayed
by his familiar friend Judas, knowing that all of his disciples
would abandon him in his hour of great sorrow, knowing that
Peter would deny him and deny him again and cuss and deny him
and go back to his fishing boats, knowing that he must be made
sin for us, his soul is filled with trouble. He says, is it
nothing to you? All ye that pass by, behold and
see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done
unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his
fierce anger. Our Savior really did enter into our humanity. Did you get that, Larry? He really
did. Everything that you and I can
know and experience in this world, He knows and experienced. Everything. He knows what it is to be afraid while trusting God. The two can't go together. Oh
yes they can. Oh yes they can. He was heard in that he feared. And he believed God. He believed
God. He fears being made sin and yet willingly
submits to his Father's will. He who knew no sin and could
do no sin, was made sin, so that now he who sits upon the throne
of glory, him, ye children of God, is touched with the feeling
of our infirmities. That which touches you, touches
him. A man there is, a real man, See
him seated on the throne? The God, how bright he shines. That God who rules the world
is the man, Christ Jesus, our merciful and faithful high priest. In all things, tempted like as
we are, yet without sin. But he like no other man, David
Coleman, like you can't possibly know it and I can't possibly
know it. He knew what it was to be sin before his father,
to be that which he most hated and most abhorred before his
father whom he dearly loved. A real man. Our Redeemer Overcame this great trouble of
soul With his determination to glorify his father Now in my
soul troubled and what what shall I say? Shall I say father save
me from this hour? Lord God don't let this happen. Don't bring this to pass. Oh,
no For this cause came I unto this hour father glorify thy
name Our Lord Jesus was determined
to suffer all the wrath of God in our stead. Voluntarily laying
down his life because this is the will of God for the glory
of God by which he would redeem and save his people. The primary
object of his life. That which inspired and motivated
him. That which invigorated his soul
in the midst of great trouble is the glory of God. And then
the Lord God speaks from heaven. And gives a promise. Three times he did so. At his baptism, he said, this
is my beloved son. In whom I'm well pleased. when
he was transfigured on the mount with Moses and Elijah standing
before he and Peter before Peter and James and John the Lord God
spoke from heaven said this is my beloved son hear ye him and
here the Lord God speaks from heaven and he says I have both
glorified it and will glorify it again what's he talking about The father speaks to his son
on this earth in an audible voice and says openly to his son, in everything to this date, in everything from the time that
you came into this world saying, lo, I come to do thy will, oh
my God, to this hour right now, in everything, from the moment
I said, let there be light, and there was light, to this hour
of darkness, I have glorified my name. Now you can bake on
it. I'll glorify it in whatever comes
to pass tomorrow. I have glorified it and I will
yet glorify my name. He is saying to you and I, all
the glory of the triune God is wrapped up in Christ. All the
glory of the triune God is revealed in the sacrifice of his darling
son. All the glory of the triune God
is wrapped up in the salvation of his people by the sacrifice
of himself. And yet, he's telling us more
than that. God's name is glorified in everything
relating to his people. and in everything relating to
their salvation. And this is what that means.
God's name has been glorified and will be glorified in you
and in me. The righteous shall have what they desire. the desire of the righteous shall
be fulfilled. Is that what the text says? The
desire of the righteous shall be fulfilled. Now, here's a principle by which I
pray God will give me and you grace to live. Father, glorify
thy name. Turn to Proverbs chapter 3. Proverbs chapter 3. Shelby and
I never have had much, don't need much, but we've always had together. God's boundless grace. And here
are two verses that have been meaningful to us from the beginning,
from the time we first started courting one another. I guess
I could say she courted me a little bit. Proverbs chapter 3, verse
5. Trust in the Lord with all thine
heart. And lean not unto thine own understanding. Why do you reckon he said that?
Because you can't do both. You just can't do both. Lean
to your understanding, you won't trust him. Trust him, you won't
lean to your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him. Bow to him. Surrender to him. And he shall direct thy paths. Seek his will, surrender to his
will, trust his will, delight in his will, rejoice in the Lord,
all the way again I say rejoice. Then, let's live in the anticipation,
in the expectation of this promise. I will glorify my name. That's my confidence. That's
my hope. That's my satisfaction. That's
my joy. He whose glory I want shall glorify himself in all
things, even in me. He will take you and me, chosen,
redeemed sinners, saved by His grace, and spread us before wandering
worlds and say, look here, what my grace has done. And He will
glory over us with joy. Now I ask you, are you interested
in the glory of God? I'm not asking, are you interested
in going to heaven? I know you are. I'm not asking,
do you want to stay out of hell? I know you do. I'm asking, are
you interested in the glory of God? Hear this word of counsel. God
helped you to hear and heed. If you would glorify God, trust
his son. Trust His Son. Nothing else much matters. No,
that's not right. That's not right. Nothing else
matters. Trust Jesus Christ the Lord. Follow Him. Follow Him. Follow Christ faithfully. Oh God make me Caleb. His name means faithful dog.
I don't have any dogs now. May get another one before I
die. I don't have time for them right now. But I've had a few dogs. Never did have a purebred dog.
Never did want one. But I've had a few dogs. And
you know what I've always had? I've had dogs, buddy, if I'd
let them, they'd be at my heels all the time. Every dog I've
ever had, just at my heels all the time. They were faithful
dogs. Faithful dogs. And even the little
ones. I'm talking about little old
lap dogs that just yap, yap, yap, yap, yap. If they thought
I was in danger, they'd jump on you. Because dogs are always
there. Skip Gladfeld, that's the kind
of dog I want to be. His faithful dog. Follow him. Follow him. Live for his honor. Serve him. Now, as we anticipate
that which lies before us in the providence of God, make this
your prayer. Father, glorify thy name. That's the desire of the righteous.
And the desire of the righteous shall be granted. Amen.