I 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. I'm reading from 1 Corinthians
chapter 14. I want to begin reading in verse
23, and I've entitled this message, Preaching Heard in Power. I think you'll understand why
I entitled that after this message is over. But beginning in verse
23, in 1 Corinthians chapter 14, The Apostle Paul says, if
therefore the whole church be come together into one place,
this is the public assembly of God's saints meeting together
publicly. This is where God has promised
His blessing. The Lord said, where two or three
are met together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. This is the importance of public
worship. There is no better thing if God
is in the midst to be there where he is being preached. If therefore
the whole church be come together into one place and all speak
with tongues, Now, that's other languages. The early church had
the gift to go to other countries and preach the gospel in the
languages where that were spoken in that particular country. This
was a gift in the early church, and it was used to preach the
gospel in other places. But in the church at Corinth,
where they actually had this gift, they were using it in the
public assembly, and everyone was speaking in different languages. Can you imagine what it would
be like to come into a Church service, and perhaps 10, 12 different
languages are being spoken all at once. This was going on at
the church at Corinth. Now, let's see what Paul says.
If therefore the whole church be come together into one place,
and all speak with tongues other languages, and there come in
those that are unlearned or unbelievers, will they not say that you're
mad? This place is crazy. This place
is insane. This does not make any sense
at all. That would be the response of
someone walking in to this, hearing all these different languages,
understanding none of them. He would say, are they not mad? But, verse 24, if all prophesy,
preach the gospel clearly in words that can be understood,
if all prophesy and there come in one that believeth not or
one unlearned, he is convinced of all. He is judged of all. And thus are the secrets of his
heart made manifest. He didn't know what was there
before this. And so falling down on his face,
he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth. Now that's what happens when
someone hears the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit. They're
convinced Convinced by God the Holy Spirit through the preaching
of the truth. They're judged, they go from
being a judge to being judged and that doesn't mean being judged
by the people attending there and those people looking down
their nose at him. It means you find out you're
judged by God and you see the ramifications of that. And thus
are the secrets of his heart made manifest. He finds out that
he's a sinner is what that means. And so falling down on his face,
he will worship God. and report that God is in you
of a truth. Now let me read the verses that
led up to this. I think it would be helpful beginning
in verse 10 of 1 Corinthians chapter 14. It says, There it
may be so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them
is without significance. There are 7,100 languages right
now spoken in the world today, and I don't know how many languages
were spoken at that time. And the languages were all confused
at the Tower of Babel. And that's when people began
to speak different languages. You can read about it in Genesis
chapter 11. Now, all of these different languages have a meaning,
but if you don't understand the language, you don't know what
the meaning is. Verse 11, therefore, if I know
not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh
a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me."
Now, like I said, the church at Corinth had this gift. Now,
someone is thinking, is this gift in operation today? Well,
according to Acts chapter 8, this gift was only transferred
through the laying on of the apostles' hands. So only apostles
could transfer this gift. And when the last apostle died,
this gift died out. It was for the early church.
It's not in operation today. And evidently it's best that
it's not in operation today or it would still be in operation
today. But God, the Holy Spirit points out that it's only through
the laying on of the apostles hands that this gift was given. Now Paul says, therefore, if
I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that
speaketh a barbarian. That's what the Greeks called
someone who couldn't speak Greek. If you couldn't speak Greek,
you were a barbarian. You couldn't understand the language. And
he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. Now, even so, you, forasmuch
as you're zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that you may excel
to the edifying of the church. Now, the church is not edified
by someone speaking in another language. Wherefore, let him
that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. It
won't do me any good if you preach in a language I can't understand
unless you can interpret to me what you're saying. For if I
pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding
is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray
with the Spirit and I will pray with the understanding also.
I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with the understanding
also. Now they were saying, I might not understand what I'm saying,
but my spirit is edified. No, you can't separate your spirit
and your understanding. He said, pray with the Spirit
and with the understanding also. I will sing with the Spirit,
I will sing with the understanding. Also else, when thou shalt bless
with the Spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the
unlearned say amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understands
not what you're saying? If I give thanks in a language
that is not known by the persons I'm around, they'll have no idea
what I'm saying. For thou verily givest thanks
well, but the other's not edified. I thank my God I speak with tongues
more than you all." You know, Paul, went all over the then
civilized world preaching the gospel in different countries.
And he had this gift of tongues to go into different countries
where there was a different language and preach the gospel clearly
unto them. Yet in the church, I'd rather
speak five words with my understanding that by my voice, I might teach
others also than 10,000 words in an unknown tongue. Now, is
there any significance to five words? Why not four words? Why not six? Why not ten? Well,
in the Scripture, five, the number five, is the representative number
of grace. And that's taken because of the
tabernacle. Everything in the tabernacle
in the Old Testament was in multiples of five, five being the number
of grace. Five words that teach the grace
of God and salvation are better than 10,000 words in an unknown
tongue. Brethren, be not children in
understanding, howbeit mouths be ye children. But in understanding,
be men. In the law, he's quoting from
Isaiah chapter 28. It's written, with men of other
tongues and other lips, will I speak unto this people? And
yet for all that, will they not hear me, saith the Lord? Wherefore
tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, not for the
gathering of the church, but to them that believe not. But
prophesying, preaching the gospel in a language people can understand.
is not for them which believe, not for them which believe. Now
here's where we picked up. If therefore the whole church
be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues in
different languages, and there come in those that are unlearned
or unbelievers, will they not say, you're mad? This is chaos,
this is anarchy. But if all prophesy, preach the
gospel in a language that can be understood, here's what will
take place. And there come in one that believeth
not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all. He is judged of all. And thus are the secrets of his
heart made manifest. And so falling down on his face,
he will worship God." Now, this man was saved. You see, you can't
worship God without being saved. This man heard the gospel and
was saved and fell down on his face and worshiped God. And here's his report that God
is in you of a truth. Now, this man has heard the gospel
in the power of the Holy Spirit. And the first thing that's said
of him is he's convinced of all. He wasn't merely listening to
a language he couldn't understand. He was hearing a language he
could understand. And God the Holy Spirit blessed
it to that man to where the Scripture says he was convinced of all. Now, what does that mean? We
don't have to wonder, because John chapter 16 gives us a very
clear statement with regard to what happens when someone hears
the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit. Verse 8, John chapter
16, and when He has come, speaking of God the Holy Spirit, God is
one God in three distinct persons. God the Father, God the Son,
God the Holy Spirit. All equally God, three distinct
persons, yet one God. Somebody says, explain that to
me. I can't explain that to you, but I believe it. It's what the
Bible teaches with regard to the character of God. And the
Lord Jesus Christ is giving the purpose of God the Holy Spirit
when He comes. And He says, when He has come,
He will reprove, and that's the same word translated convince
in our text in 1 Corinthians 14. He will convince overwhelmingly
convict the world of sin. Here's what this man is convinced
of. When God, the Holy Spirit comes, we're given this threefold
conviction. Here's what he's convinced of,
of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. And then the Lord
comments what he means by these things. Of sin, because they
believe not on me. Of righteousness, because I go
to my Father and you see me no more. Of judgment, because the
prince of this world is judged. Now this man, hearing the gospel,
is convinced of these three things, sin, righteousness, and judgment. And the Lord said, of sin, because
they believe not on me. Now, the natural man, and by
that I mean a man who has not been born of the Spirit, the
way we are when we're born into this earth, someone who has not
been saved by the grace of God, a natural man has no understanding
of sin. Now, he understands something
of the commission of sinful acts, And he knows something about
the sorrow that sin brings. How much sorrow does addiction
bring? How much sorrow does sexual sin
bring? How many homes does it tear up? Men understand something about
the results of sin, but the natural man doesn't really understand
sin. Let me try to explain what I mean. Natural man thinks he
becomes a liar when he tells a lie. The opposite is true. He lies because he's already
a liar. A natural man thinks that he becomes a murderer when
he murders. The opposite is true. He murders
because he already is a murderer. See, we were born into this world
sinful, and I mean sinful, full of sin, without the ability to
save ourselves, without the ability to do anything to contribute
to our own salvation, sinful. There's none righteous, no, not
one. Now, notice he said of sin because
they believe not on me. Did you know that you've never
believed until you found out you cannot believe? And it's
only when you find that you cannot believe because of your sinfulness,
because of your sinful inability, it's only when you find out that
you cannot believe that you will believe. And you see at this
time that sin is the, is greatly, most greatly described by unbelief
of sin because they do not believe on me. You see, you can't believe
because of your sinfulness. And you ask the Lord, give me
faith. And he gives you faith. You see, faith is the gift of
God. By grace, you say through faith and that none of yourselves,
it's the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should
boast. So when he comes, he convicts
the world of sin. Secondly, he convicts the world
of righteousness. And the Lord said of righteousness,
because I go to my father. Now, you learn when you're taught
by God the Holy Spirit that the only righteousness there is is
the righteousness of Jesus Christ, His perfect law keeping. You see, there's no such thing
as partial righteousness. You can't be partly righteous.
You're either righteous or you're not. Jesus Christ is righteous. And when God teaches you of righteousness,
you learn that the only righteousness you have is the righteousness
of Jesus Christ. And when he went to the father,
your righteousness went to the father. Now there's a scripture
in Romans chapter 10. Paul says, brethren, my heart's
desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be
saved. Two things. They were not saved. Number two, Paul's heart's desire
was that they would be saved. Brethren, my heart's desire and
prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. For I bear
them record, verse two. They have a zeal of God. They're
very religious. And we're talking the God of
the Bible. They have his ill of God, but not according to
knowledge, for they being ignorant of God's righteousness, his utterly
righteous character, his righteousness in their condemnation, his righteousness
exalted in their salvation. They're ignorant of God's righteousness.
Now, if someone believes in salvation by works in any way, they demonstrate
a complete ignorance of the character of God. If they knew He was righteous,
they would know salvation by works is impossible. They demonstrate
an ignorance of their own character. If they understood their own
character, they would know salvation by works is impossible. Don't
understand salvation, because if you ever understand salvation,
you know it's without your works. To him that worketh not, but
believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly. His faith is counted
for righteousness. Now, they being ignorant of God's
righteousness, they go about to establish their own righteousness.
I'm going to do this, and the Lord's going to save me in response
to what I've done. That's establishing your own
righteousness. If you think salvation is dependent
upon what you do, I don't care if it's even an act of your free
will, if salvation ultimately is dependent upon what you do,
you're seeking to establish your own righteousness before God
and you've not submitted yourself to his righteousness. And then
he says in verse four of that same chapter, for Christ is the
end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. Now, if you see that Christ is
the only righteousness you have, that when he went to the Father,
that's your righteousness going to the Father, and that's how
you're accepted. You've been taught of God. When
he has come, he'll convict the world of sin, of righteousness,
and of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. Now, when the Lord Jesus Christ
died on Calvary Street, judgment took place. Somebody says, what
do you mean by that? Satan was defeated. He was completely
destroyed. He thought he was defeating Christ
and he didn't realize that he was being destroyed by the Lord
Jesus Christ. He was utterly defeated on Calvary's
tree. Not only was he judged, every
unbeliever was judged for the murder of the Son of God. You
see, what God's got against us, if we're not in Christ, it's
not because we stole something or had a bad thought or committed
some horrible act. That's included, but here's the
main problem. You and I have been guilty of
killing the Son of God. You say, how could that be? I
wasn't even there when it happened. You would have done it, though.
You fell in Adam, I fell in Adam, and that's we're all by nature
guilty of. And every believer at the cross was justified because
their sins were put away. They were blotted out. They were
made to stand before God without guilt. So when he's convinced
of all, He's convinced of everything in the Bible when God the Holy
Spirit comes in power to him and he hears the Word through
preaching the Gospel. He's convinced of sin, he's convinced
of righteousness, and he's convinced of judgment. Now, not only is
he convinced of all, our text says he's judged of all. Now, does that mean that when
he comes into the church, everybody's looking down their nose at him,
look at this evil man and standing in judgment on him? Now, if you
go into a church where it's like that, you ought to leave. Those
people have never come to a saving knowledge of Christ, and that's
why they're looking down their nose at you. They've never seen
their own sin. They've never been convinced of sin, of righteousness
and judgment. But what that is saying is this
man comes in as a judge. He judges what he's hearing as
a critic. He judges God. He hears the truth
concerning God, and he sits in judgment on it and says, I don't
think that's fair. I don't agree with that. I don't think he should
be this way. How can God be this way? How can God be that way?
He comes in as a judge, judging God, judging his gospel. And
when he hears in the power of the Holy Spirit, he finds out
he is the one who is judged. Romans 3, verse 19 says, It saith to them who are under
the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world
become guilty before God, subject to his judgment. Have you ever
stood before God guilty as charged? No excuses, no extenuating circumstances,
All your sin is all your fault, and you take sides with God against
yourself, guilty as charged. When you're convinced of all,
all the truth, you're judged of all. And what happens next? It says, thus are the secrets
of his heart made manifest. You see, this man did not know
he was a sinner until now. He didn't realize how sinful
he was now. Now the secrets of his heart,
he finds out his heart is deceitful above all things and desperately
wicked. Who can know it? He finds this
out for the first time. The secrets of his heart are
revealed. He sees this now. And what does
he do? Thus the secrets of his heart
are made manifest, and so falling down on his face, he will worship
God and say and report that God is in you of truth. Now here's what happens when
somebody finds out who God is and who they are. They fall down
on their face. I think the best illustration
of this would be the leper. In Matthew chapter 8, Behold
there came a leper to him. This man was full of leprosy
and he fell upon his face before the Lord because he knew who
he was. You see, the reason men don't fall on their face is because
they don't really know who he is. If I ever find out who he
is, I'll hit the dirt. He fell on his face saying, Lord,
if you will, you can make me clean. Lord, he's the Lord. He's the Lord of creation. He
created the universe. He's the Lord of providence.
That means He's in control of every action. It's His will being
done. He controls it all, and He brings good out of evil. Most
especially, He's the Lord of salvation. Your salvation's in
His hands, not yours. Lord, if you will, not, Lord,
I will that you do this. Lord, if you will, my salvation's
totally up to you. If you will, you can, you're
able to make me clean. And I love the Lord's answer
to this man. I will. Be thou clean. He's going to fall on his face
and worship just like that leper did. Now, I want to remind you
that no natural man can worship God. I invite you to come to
services at Todd's Road Grace Church. I'd love for you to come,
but I would not say come and worship. I want you to come in
here, and I hope the Lord will enable you to worship. But only
a man with a new nature can worship. A natural man is unable to worship
God. Listen to this scripture from Philippians 3.3. We are
the circumcision. which worship God in the Spirit. You can only worship God with
the spiritual nature that He gives in the new birth. And what
is it to worship God in the Spirit? We rejoice in Christ Jesus. We
have confidence in, we boast in, not our works, but only in
Christ Jesus. Paul said, God forbid that I
should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. And
we have no confidence in the flesh. I have no confidence in
anything that has my fingerprint on it. We have confidence only
in Christ Jesus. Now, this man falls on his face
and worships God and reports that God is in you of a truth. He hears the gospel and he knows
God is in you. God is the author of all this.
This is the truth. One of the things I love about
the truth is as soon as I hear the truth, I know it's true.
The truth recommends itself. You don't have to scratch your
head and wonder, what's that mean? Or I wonder if that's really
true. When you hear the truth, you know it's true. May God give us all the grace
to bow to everything he says. The truth of the gospel. I love
what the Lord said in John chapter 14, verse six. Listen to these
words. I am the way. Not I'll show you the way. Not
I'll lead you along the way. I'm it. I am the truth. Not I'll teach
you the truth. I am the truth. I am the life. If you're going to have life
before God, it's going to be because it's my life that is
your life before God. I am the life. No man comes to
the Father but by me. We come to the Father only by
the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, if people hear the gospel
in another language, nobody benefits from it. But if they hear truth
in words easy to be understood, they're going to be like this
man, convinced of all, judged of all, falling on his face.
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