Let it choose thee, Lord. Todd's Road Grace Church would like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd Nybert. We are located at 4137 Todd's Road, two miles outside of Manowar Boulevard. Sunday services are at 10.30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Bible study is at 9.45 a.m. Wednesday services are at 7 p.m. Nursery is provided for all services. For more information, visit our website at toddsroadgracechurch.com. Now here's our pastor, Todd Nybert. In Joshua chapter 20, we read the Lord spake also unto Joshua, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge. Where have I spoken to you by the hand of Moses?" He referred to these cities of refuge in the original giving of the law in Exodus chapter 21. And now the time has come for these cities of refuge to be taken into place, that the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly, accidentally, manslaughter. May flee thither, and they, these cities, shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and all Scripture is given to testify of Christ. Now, this was a literal law in the Old Testament. There were cities of refuge. There were six cities of refuge in the nation of Israel after they had taken over Canaan. And if someone accidentally killed his brother, that the man who's killed his nearest of kin would have the right to take vengeance on him and kill him, and it would not be considered murder. But the Lord in His mercy appointed six cities of refuge, that if you were able to get into one of those cities, the city would protect you from the avenger of blood. And as long as you were in that city, you were safe. And if you stepped outside of that city, the Avenger of Blood had the right to kill you, and it would not be murder on his part. The only place of safety was staying in the city. And you had to stay in that city until the High Priest died, and when he died, you were free to go back to your own home, under protection that the avenger of blood could not get vengeance upon you. Now, this is given, yes, for the benefit of the person who committed manslaughter accidentally, but more than anything else, this is given to illustrate to us the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, many times in the scripture we read, abide in Christ. What does that mean? Abide in Christ. Well, I believe the cities of refuge will tell us what it means to abide in Christ. Stay there and do not go anywhere else. The cities of refuge. Now, in Deuteronomy 9, verse 3, we read, prepare a way make a road unto that city. And these roads were carefully maintained. And I can see in my mind a man running toward that city, and behind him is the avenger of blood, wanting vengeance on that man for killing his relative. And the man ran into the city, stated his case, as Deuteronomy 19.3 says, this was an accident, and the elders of the city will say, he's protected. cities of refuge, protection. Now this word refuge is only used with reference to these cities of refuge. And the modern day counterpart would be asylum, seeking political asylum, going into a country where you would be protect from those people in your own country, your native land, that would kill you. Political asylum. In some respects, the city of refuge seems like political asylum, but what a type of the gospel it is. You know, somebody once said, the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed. And the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. And every scripture in the Old Testament is given to teach us something of the gospel of Christ, and this certainly teaches us of the gospel of Christ. Now, these six cities, cities of refuge. Now, you could know about these cities and think, well, that's interesting. I'm glad to know about that. But if you had the avenger of blood coming on your heels, you were desperately wanting to understand how to get into this city. You were very interested in this city then. Now, the law had upheld the right of the manslayer to slay one who had accidentally killed someone. The law has a right to slay me. because of my sin and because of my sins, because of my evil nature. I've got one. I was born with it and Adam all die. You were born with it too. You don't become a sinner when you sin, you sin because you're already a sinner. Because of my evil nature and the sins I've committed, God's law, God's holy, just, and righteous law has a claim on me. It has a claim on me for death. Now, knowing that, I want to get into this city of refuge, and I have no doubt that Christ himself is this city of refuge. He is the place where I am safe from the avenger of blood, the law of God. Now, you are not safe by knowing the way to the city. You were not safe by knowing about the city. You were only safe if you were in the city, one of these six cities of refuge. And I think it's interesting, they were strategically placed throughout Israel. So wherever you were at, you were no more than a half day's journey from one of these cities. What a mercy of God. And the only place of safety was being in the city. Now there are a lot of scriptural illustrations of this. We read in Genesis chapter six through nine of the flood God sent. Somebody said, did that literally happen? Well, yes, it did. Can you prove that? No, I can't. But I believe what God's word says. I believe every word of it. God destroyed the earth by a flood. And there was only one place of safety. in the ark, which Noah built on dry ground. And when the floods came, the only people who were safe were those eight souls who were in the ark. Outside of the ark, there was nothing but destruction. The only way you could be safe is if you were in the ark. Another illustration is when God destroyed the firstborn in the Passover in Exodus 13-14. He destroyed the firstborn and there was only one place of safety. if you were in the house with the blood over the door. If you were outside of the house with the blood over the door, I don't care who you were, the firstborn would be destroyed, would be killed. But if you were in the house with the blood over the door, you were safe. Now I want you to think about this. What if somebody had committed some grievous sin that very day? Was he still safe? Yes, he was. Because God said, when I see the blood, I will pass over you. And as far as that goes, every one of us this very day have committed grievous sins in our hearts and in our minds. Does that keep the blood from being powerful? No, it doesn't. God says, when I see the blood, I'll pass over you. But the only place of safety was in the house with the blood over the door. There was no safety anywhere else. And the only place of safety for the manslayer was the city of refuge. The Lord Jesus Christ is the place of perfect and complete safety. Listen to this scripture. Ephesians 1. 6, He hath made us accepted in the beloved. How is it that he's made us accepted and the us being according as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world? This is speaking of God's elect. This is speaking of every believer. He hath made us accepted in the beloved.

You were protected only as you were in the city. And if you went outside the city, Do you know the manslayer had the right to go ahead and slay you? And he wouldn't be considered guilty of murder if you were outside of the city? The only place of safety was in the city.

Here's a New Testament scripture that will illustrate this. Paul said, oh, that I may win Christ and be found in him. When God comes looking for me, I simply want to be found in Christ. I don't want to be found preaching. I don't want to be found praying. I don't want to be found reading the Bible. I do not want to be found witnessing. I don't want to be found in my efforts against committing sin. I want to be found in Christ so that all God sees is Jesus Christ. I want to be in Him, so He is all God sees, and I am in Him.

Now listen to the rest of this scripture. Paul said, O that I may win Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness. which is of the law. I don't want to have anything to do with my own personal righteousness. Now, let me tell you why. Isaiah 64, 6 says, our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. I don't want to be judged upon the best thing I've ever done. I simply want to be found in Christ, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith."

I don't want God to see me in the weakness of my faith or the strength of my faith. I don't want Him to see me in my efforts for obedience. I don't want Him to see me in my striving against sin. I don't want Him to see my motives or my intentions. I don't want Him to judge me according to the soundness of my doctrine. I simply want to be found in Christ so that all God sees is Jesus Christ, His Son. And I don't want to leave that. I'm staying right there. I don't want to be found anywhere outside of that. If I leave that, the law has the right to kill me and judge me according to my works. I don't want to stand before the law on the basis of anything I've done. I simply want to be found in the Lord Jesus Christ. And if you leave that, you never were there in the first place.

When you abide in Christ, that means you only want to be found in him. You don't want to go outside the city. You only want to be found in Him at all times, under all circumstances, and you're conscious of this. You realize this is what you want. You simply want to be found in Christ. You don't want to stand before God in your own works, in your own motives, in your own efforts. Oh, that I may win Christ and be found in Him.

I think this is very interesting. The only time you could leave the city and go back home is when the high priest died. And when the high priest died, you were free to go back to your home. You could leave that city and go back home and you were still under protection at this time. And the manslayer could not slay you. You could go back to your home, free, protected, but it was only as the high priest died.

Now, this is a reference to the death of Jesus Christ. What is it that sets me free? the death of Jesus Christ. That is what gives me liberty, the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, God making the way for him to be just and justify me. Now, don't miss this. God's just. He always punishes sin. He's righteous. He cannot not punish sin. If he could let sin go unpunished, he'd not be holy. He'd not be just. He'd not be righteous.

What would you think of a judge if, say, someone killed your child? And he comes before the judge, and the judge would say, well, I'm a loving judge. I'm going to forgive you. You're set free. Why, you would think, what a corrupt judge. What an evil judge.

God is just. He must punish all sin. I'm a sinner. How can he be just and not punish me? through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the significance of his death.

Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died. His life wouldn't do him any good if he didn't also die. It's the death of the high priest that set this man free.

Paul said, if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, Being now justified by his blood, speaking of his death, we shall be saved from wrath through him and having made peace through the blood of his cross.

Oh, the death of Christ. I wish I could emphasize the importance of the death of Christ. Now, he didn't stay dead. His death wouldn't do us any good if He stayed dead. He was raised from the dead because He did what the Father gave Him to do. He came here and kept the law, put away my sins, satisfied God, satisfied God's law, satisfied God's justice. God raised Him from the dead.

but it is the death of Christ that sets me free. You see, there was a satisfaction made in his death. My sin was actually put away so that God is actually satisfied with me. It was only the death of the great high priest that made that man free to go back home.

Paul said, the Jews require a sign The Greeks seek after wisdom. The Jews, the religious fellows, they need to see some tangible evidence. I need to see something to make me believe God can accept me. I need to see some kind of works in me or works in somebody else. I need to see something.

The Greeks seek after wisdom. They're looking, that's the unreligious, the intellectuals are seeking a way to make this world a better place, improve education, improve health care, improve the economy, make this world a better place to live.

Paul said, but we preach Christ crucified. Christ nailed to a cross, Christ dying, Christ being raised from the dead. Now to the Jews, that's a stumbling block. That's foolishness, because in preaching Christ crucified, I'm saying, by what Christ did on Calvary's tree, I'm saved. It has nothing to do with my works. It has nothing to do with my intentions. It has nothing to do with anything about me. It's not about my decision or my anything. I'm saved because of what Christ accomplished on Calvary's tree.

Now, somebody's saying, you're destroying any motive for good works. That's what the world says. Why, this is a stumbling block to me. And the Greeks say, why, this is foolishness. How can this improve the world? How can this help the economy?

But unto us which are called. both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God, Christ, the wisdom of God. It was the death of the high priest that set me free.

I think of Paul's words, who is he that condemns? Now he's making a divine challenge. Law? God? Satan? My own conscience? Who is he that condemneth? It's Christ that died. I need no other argument. I need no other plea. It is enough that Jesus died and that he died for me. It's Christ that died, yea, rather that's risen. who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."

Now, let me give you the names of these six cities, and this is very significant. The name, first name is Kadesh. This was the first city, Kadesh, means holy place. In Christ, I'm holy. He's made unto me sanctification. Oh, I'm holy. I love the song, near, so near to God, nearer I cannot be. In the person of his dear son, I'm as near to God as he. Dear, so dear to God, dear to God as he. In the person of his dear son, I'm as dear to God as he. Let me add something to it. Holy, so holy to God, holier I cannot be. For in the person of his dear son, I'm as holy to God as he. He's made into us sanctification, holiness, oh, the holy place.

And the second city was Shechem, shoulder. And the government shall be upon his shoulder. Now this is speaking of the strength, the omnipotence, the power of Christ. When the Lord said to those two blind men, do you believe I'm able to do this? Do you believe I'm able to save you? Do you believe I'm able to give you sight? Do you believe I'm able to give you life? Do you believe I'm able? They said, yes, Lord. We believe in the omnipotence of our city of refuge, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is able to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him. Abraham staggered not at the promise of God, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, being fully persuaded that what God had promised, he was able also to perform.

The next name is Hebron, and that means association or fellowship. You know, in the city of refuge, the Lord Jesus Christ, I actually have fellowship and communion with God, and this is where believers' communion and fellowship is. It's in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The fourth city was called Bosar, which means fortress. What a fortress, what a safe fortress, inaccessible to my enemies, my sins, complete safety in this city.

The fifth city was called Ramoth, that means heights, how high this city is. Ephesians chapter two, verse six says, we're seated together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. If I'm in Christ, he's in heaven, I'm in heaven right now. That's how high, that's how glorious this city is.

And then the sixth city was called Golan, rejoicing, how we rejoice in Christ Jesus.

Now, fleeing into this city is the act of faith. You were not safe knowing about the city or even knowing where the city was. You had to run into the city. And you didn't lollygag around. You ran into the city. You didn't put it off till tomorrow. You didn't wait till you learned more about the city. With the avenger of blood behind you, you simply rushed into the city. You were not even thinking about whether or not you were qualified. All you knew was, I have to get in this city or it's going to cost me my life.

Now, in the Deuteronomy account, it says, prepare ye a way. The roads to the city were to be prepared. The Scripture doesn't tell what all preparation was made for those roads, but there is instructions in the rabbinical literature of thousands of years old about what they do with these roads. They would carefully maintain these roads. As a matter of fact, they were said to be 48 feet wide. They had to be that wide. And perhaps if there was a sign this way to the city of refuge, somebody through vandalism and turned the sign to point it and the priest would go out to make sure the signs were pointed right into the city of refuge. Now, what I would like to do in closing is make the way clear into the city of refuge. I hope there's somebody listening who is thinking, I must be in Christ. I need to be in the city of refuge. God's law has got a claim on me. God's law could justly condemn me. I need to get in this city. How can I get in this city? Good question. Christ said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. Christ is the way into himself. So if you're in him, you are in the city. Now, how can I know if I'm in the way into the city? I think of what Paul said to the Philippian jailer. The Philippian jailer was distraught. understand, had some understanding of the avenger of blood after him. He knew he was guilty. He knew he couldn't save himself. He was afraid. He comes into Paul's presence and he said, sirs, what must I do to be saved? I can't save myself. I realize that. I'm a sinner. I cannot make myself right before God. I cannot earn his acceptance. What must I do to be saved? And Paul gives a simple answer. And if there's any other answer that you hear from someone, it's not the right answer. Here's the right answer. Paul says, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. How do I get in to this city of refuge? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the Lord. Now, I want you to think about Him right now. I don't want you to think about whether or not you're in the city of refuge or whether or not you're saved. Think of Him. He's the Lord. He's the Lord of creation. He created the universe. He's the Lord of providence. He controls everything that takes place in time. And He is the Lord of salvation. He can save you if He's pleased to do it. The leper understood this. He said, Lord, if you will, you can make me clean. He's the Lord. He's Jesus. That's why I call His name Jesus. For He shall save His people from their sins. He's the Christ. He's God's Christ. He's God's prophet. He's God's Word to man. He's God's priest. He's the man that brings men to God. And oh, how effectually He does it. He's God's King. He's the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Believe. That means rely upon the Lord Jesus Christ. and thou shalt be saved. If you rely on Christ, you are in the city of refuge. You're not looking to yourself, you're not looking to your works, you're not looking to experience, you're looking to Christ only as everything in your salvation. Christ alone, not Christ and, Christ alone. You believe on Christ and you are saved. Now, quit trying to be saved. Quit trying to do better. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Quit making promises. Oh, I'm gonna try harder. No, right now. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Just like that man in the city of refuge was protected. You're protected. Just like the When the high priest died, the man was set free. In Christ dying, you are set free. You are in the city of refuge. Oh, may you and I be enabled to look to Him only. To receive a copy of the sermon you have just heard, send your request to todd.neibert at gmail.com, or you may write or call the church at the information provided on the screen.