Would you turn back to Psalm
24? Verse one, the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the
world. and they that dwell therein."
Now, what is your response to that? I've entitled this message,
Ownership. Ownership. I like to think that I own about
a fourth of an acre plot on North Millbrook Drive in Lexington,
Kentucky. It's mine. I like to think I
own it. Some people own a whole lot more
than that. So they think. And there are some people who
own nothing but the shirt on their back. So they think. There are basically two philosophies
of ownership currently in the civilized world, the philosophy
of capitalism, the philosophy of communism. So I'm trying to
mix the two, but capitalism is driven by private ownership. Communism is driven by the government
owns everything. And there are societies that
try to blend the two. And I realize that there have
been different views of ownership in the past. But right now, the
two driving philosophies are capitalism, private ownership,
my stuff, and communism, the government owns everything, so
to speak. But do you know what? They're
both wrong. The Lord owns everything. He owns me. He owns you, whether
you acknowledge it or not. You belong to the Lord. Everybody belongs to the Lord. No one owns anything, the earth
is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and day that
dwell there in." Now listen to this, me and you are only tenants
here subject to eviction at any time upon death. The earth is
the Lord's. Now, how do you respond to that?
How do I respond to that? The earth is the Lord's and the
fullness thereof. Now, the Lord made this so clear
in the parable of the workers in the vineyard. Perhaps you
remember that parable in Matthew chapter 20, where the Lord sent
out workers, some at six in the morning, some at nine, some at
12, some at three, some at five, some at, that's it. And some
worked 12 hours, some worked nine hours, some worked six hours,
some worked three hours, and some worked only one hour. And
the time to pay them was there. And they came in to collect their
paycheck. And the Lord gave everybody the
same thing. The fellows that only worked
one hour were given the exact same thing as the fellas who
work 12 hours. And the fellas who work 12 hours
murmured at this. This is not fair. You'd have the same response
and I would too. I guarantee you would. This is not fair. And you know what the Lord's
reply was? Can I not do what I will with
my own? Ownership. Can I not do what
I will with my own? Pilate said to the Lord, speakest
thou not to me? Knowest thou not that I have
power? You're in my hands. I have power. I really have ownership
over you. I have power to crucify you and
I have power to release you. How did the Lord reply? You don't
have any power at all. over me, zilch, except it be
given thee from above. Now everybody in this room and
everybody outside of this room has no ownership and no power. And what do you think of that?
Everybody in this room, everybody outside this room has no ownership
of anything. Jesus of Nazareth owns everything. And you and I don't have any
spiritual power to cause anything to happen. Power belongeth to
the Lord. Now what is our Response now,
I know this people who Think they do have ownership and think
they do have power. They won't like this It's that
simple People who really believe they have no ownership and no
power They'll love this message You'll either dislike this message
or you'll love this message, dependent upon how you see yourself
with what the scripture presents. Somebody without power, no power
to save yourself, and somebody who really doesn't own anything,
has nothing to recommend them to God. Now I'm going to give,
you can turn to these if you want, I'm just going to quote
them and you can write them down. I'm going to give eight or nine
scriptures to talk about what belongs to God. What belongs to God? And it is exclusively. Psalm 38 says, salvation belongeth to the Lord. Now there is such a thing as
salvation. Salvation belongeth to the Lord. Now let me ask you
a real simple question. Do you need to be saved? Do you need to be saved from
God? You see, he's the one we've sinned
against. He is the one who has the power and the authority to
punish us for our sins. He's God, he's righteous. Do
you need to be saved from God? Do you need to be saved from
yourself? You're the problem. Do you need to be saved from
yourself? Do you need to be saved from
your sins? Do you need to be saved? Well, salvation belongeth unto the
Lord. You need to be saved? He saves. Salvation belongeth unto the
Lord. And that one, who has nothing
and can do nothing need not despair. You see, salvation is of the
Lord. As a matter of fact, the only
type of person he saves is someone who has nothing to recommend
them and can do nothing to save themselves. Salvation belongeth unto the
Lord. Now I can put this in a real
simple way. If you are a sinner, God will save you. Salvation belongeth to the Lord. Now here is the second scripture
I want to give that the Lord has exclusively. Salvation belongs
to the Lord. Psalm 62 verse 11, God hath spoken
once, twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto the
Lord. Power belongeth unto the Lord. Now what that's speaking of is
omnipotence. Is anything too hard for the
Lord? Is anything beyond his omnipotence? His ability. Jude 24, now unto
him that is able. Now listen to the scripture carefully.
now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless. And that's the power he has.
He has the power to present you before the presence of his glory
on judgment day absolutely completely without fault. You're going to stand in His
presence. If He does this for you, you're going to stand in
His presence having never sinned. No guilt. Now that's power, isn't
it? For Him to have the power to
do that for me or you, to present us, well first to keep us from
falling. And then to present us faultless
before his presence with exceeding joy. Now, when I hear any individual,
any human being described as powerful, I don't want to be
crude, but it makes me want to throw up. We preach altogether denies that
power belongeth to the Lord. Now, with regard to his power,
the scripture says this, and I love this scripture, the preaching
of the cross. And the word preaching is the
doctrine of the cross, the same word logos, the word of the cross,
the doctrine of the cross. is the power of God. Now what's that mean? The doctrine
of the cross, what the cross declares is nothing less than
the very omnipotence of God. Now I am told that two things
that are impossible. One is the creation of something
new that wasn't in the universe before. And I'm told that that
which is cannot not be. Matter cannot be destroyed. It
can change forms from one form to another, but it can't really
be destroyed. Whatever's here is here forever,
and it can't be taken away. But listen to what the cross
of the Lord Jesus Christ did. The cross of Christ made me to
be what I am not, holy and without blame before
him. That's what the cross accomplished.
It brought something into the universe that insofar as my experience
goes was not there before. I was born into this universe
speaking lies, born in sin, And the cross of Christ made it to
where I am holy before God. Isn't that precious? Oh, the
preciousness of the blood of Christ. And the cross of Christ
made what was my sin very real to be non-existent. It never took place. Now that
takes omnipotence doesn't it? To make me perfectly conformed
to the image of his son and to make my guilt and my sin to not
be, that is the mighty power of God. There's nothing that
demonstrates God's power more than his cross. Now his power
was seen in creation when he spake the world into existence
simply as an act of his will. I love to think about that. His
power is seen in Providence. That means everything that takes
place, he's controlling. I think what I love to think
most of all, even the things that are passing through your
mind right now, your free and uncoerced actions and thoughts,
he's in absolute control of. Somebody says, I don't believe
that. He's in control of that too. You see, he controls. everything because of who he
is omnipotence all power oh how his power is demonstrated in
the saving of a sinner making his sin to not be and making
him to be perfect in christ jesus what mighty power power belongeth
to the Lord. And you know what it says in
the very next verse? I love this, Psalm 62. Now, salvation
belongs to God. He's got a monopoly on it. There
ain't anywhere else to look but Him. Power belongs to God. All power, the Lord said, is
given to me. Jesus of Nazareth is omnipotent. And the psalmist said in the
very next verse, also to thee, O Lord, belongeth Mercy. Now listen to that. Mercy belongs
to the Lord. You know the scripture says,
and this is one of the glorious things about him, the Lord delights
in mercy. Isn't he glorious? He delights
in mercy. He's more willing to give mercy
than any sinner is to receive it. This is who he is. He delights
in mercy, not giving us what we actually deserve. God delights in that. And mercy
is sovereign mercy. What's that mean? It means he
has mercy on whom he will have mercy. And whom he will, he hardens. That's what the scripture says. Mercy is his sovereign right
to give or to withhold. Now the moment I complain about
the fairness of that, and that's our natural response, That's
not fair. You know, you take a two-year-old
and they learn that concept. I'm not being treated right.
That's not fair. The moment we leave the realm
of mercy and say, that's not fair, we've entered the realm
of merit. And this Very same one to whom
mercy belongs also said to me, belongeth vengeance and recompense. God said that. To me, belongeth
vengeance and recompense. And if that is where you or I
want to meet God, he'll meet us there. If that's what we want.
Now listen to me. God will meet you. on the footing
of sheer, complete, free mercy, or he'll meet you on the ground
of your merit. He'll meet you on any ground
you want. If you want to meet him on the ground of your personal
merit and talk about him being unfair and you wanting your right
and your due and your just, he'll do that. And he won't be good. Not for you, or he will meet
you on the ground of his pure, free, sheer mercy. That's the way I want to meet
him. In Daniel, the ninth chapter,
the seventh verse, we read these words. by Daniel in his prayer
to God. Righteousness belongeth unto thee. That is why David said in Psalm
71, 16, I've made mention of thy righteousness, even thine
only. Now, there was a reason David
said, I've made mention of thy righteousness, even thine only,
because his righteousness is the only righteousness there
is. Do you believe that? Righteousness
belongeth unto thee. His righteousness is the only
righteousness. Listen to this scripture. Let's
don't look at this as doctrine we've already learned. Let's
look at this as divine truth. There is none righteous, no,
not one. That's quoted in Romans chapter
three from Psalm the 14th and Psalm the 53rd. There is none
righteous. No, not one. You know what that means? That
means me and you are not righteous. We're unrighteous. We are sinful
men and women right now. You know, Paul did say in Romans
2 verse 1, Somebody says, no, I'm not. You've deceived yourself
then. You've deluded yourself. This is what God's Word says. I'm gonna believe what God says.
Somebody says, well, I believe I'm not doing that. Yeah, you
are. That's what God says. There is none righteous, no,
not one. One of the greatest self-contradictory
statements would be self-righteousness. Self-righteousness. What an oxymoron. The scripture says our righteousnesses
are as filthy rags Self-righteousness? I think of that Pharisee in the
temple. God, I thank Thee that I'm not
as other men are. Now, who did he speak that parable
to? Certain which trusted in themselves
that they were righteous and despised others. God, I thank Thee that I'm not
as other men. If you possess no righteousness, he gives righteousness to people
like that so that you're not merely counted legally righteous
as so many speak. You are the very righteousness
of God. His righteousness is His to give. It's called in Romans 5.17, the
gift of righteousness. And if He gives you His righteousness,
you are the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5.21 says, for He
hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him. I love what Paul said in Romans
4, 5, when David described the blessedness of the man unto whom
God imputeth righteousness. Without their works. Saying,
blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered,
blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." Now,
God is righteous. Righteousness belongs to him,
meaning you can't come up with it. And he gives his righteousness
to everyone. And let me repeat, to everyone
who has no personal righteousness at all. Now, if that would describe
you, somebody says, I can't go that far, then you don't have
his righteousness. But he gives his, righteousness belongs to
the Lord. He's got an utter monopoly on
it. And he gives it to whomsoever he's pleased to give it. Psalm
47, eight says, the shields of the earth belong to the Lord. Now, what's that talking about?
Shield. Well, you know what shields are,
but the same word is translated in Psalm 17, my defense. My defense is God. Now, shield
is for defense, isn't it? My defense is God. God said to
Abraham, I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward. You believe in rewards in heaven?
Yep. He is the reward. He is the reward. What could
get better than that? And because defense is of God,
the shields of the earth is of the Lord. That goes right with
this scripture. Listen carefully. Romans 8 31.
If God be for us, he's got for you. Whom He did foreknow, then He
also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son that
He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom
He did predestinate, then He also called. Whom He called,
then He also justified. Whom He justified, then He also
glorified. What shall we say to these things
if God be for us? Who can be against us? The shield, the defense, the
protection. Oh, if God is for me, you can't
be against me. Nobody else can be against me.
I can't even be against myself if the Lord is for me. The shields of the earth are
belong to the Lord. And then we read in Genesis chapter
40 verse eight, where Joseph said, interpretation belongs
to God. Interpretation belongs to God. This book that we're looking
at will remain a closed book to you. unless God makes the
meaning known. Interpretation belongs to God. If God himself does not teach
you and me what this book is saying, we will never understand
it. Now we can read about well as
anybody else can, and we can say, well, it seems to say this,
and it seems to say that. But when God teaches, you know. Paul said, we know. How do you
know, Paul? God's taught us. We know. Somebody says, I don't know.
Well, I do. We know. that all things work together
for good to them that love God, to them who are called according
to his purpose. We know. How do you know? God's
taught us. He's taught us the meaning of
this book. Interpretation belongs to God. You know, when the Lord said
to Peter, who do you say that I am? He said, thou art the Christ,
the son of the living God. Peter knew, didn't he? You know
what the Lord said? Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah. Flesh and blood has not revealed
this to thee, but my Father, which is in heaven. We're shut
up to revelation. Interpretation belongs to God. And then in Deuteronomy chapter
29, verse 29, we read the secret things belong to the Lord. Everything that you and I cannot
grasp or make sense of or can't see, he does. He understands. Lord, I don't understand. That's
a big, wide parenthesis, isn't it? Lord, I don't understand.
I don't understand what the Lord's doing in Providence, but he does. The secret things belong to the
Lord. Do you realize how futile it
is for me and you to worry about anything? The secret things belong
to the Lord. But the things that are revealed
belong to us and our children, that we may do all the words
of this law. The secret things belong to the
Lord. I don't have to know anything
but this, the Lord knows. And he's in control. I love the
way the Lord said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and
earth, because you've hid these things from the wise and prudent
and revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed
good in thy sight. That's enough, isn't it? I don't
need anything else. If it's good in God's sight,
I'm satisfied. I don't need anything else. The
secret things belong to the Lord, but the things that are revealed
belong to us and our children to do the words. of this book. Now, what does that mean? There's a book called the Lamb's
Book of Life in heaven with all the names
of God's elect written in that book. It's an exact number that
cannot be added to and it can't be taken from. And you know what? I've got no
access to that book. It's in heaven. God knows the
names and it is not my responsibility. to try to figure out whether
or not my name is written in that book. Now, I've got to admit
that if I did have access to that book, I'd be looking in
the ends right off the bat. But I don't have access to that
book. And I can tell you without doubt
that for you to try to figure out whether or not you're one
of the elect, is wrong. It's none of your business. Now that doesn't take away from
the truth of the great truth of election. But you're called
upon to do what this book says to do. Not to figure out if you're
one of the elect. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou
shalt be saved. There's what you have to deal
with. There's what I have to deal with. Whosoever, oh, what
a wonderful word. Whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved. Now, don't you worry about whether
or not you're one of the elect. You call upon the name of the
Lord right now. You're whosoever, aren't you? You're one of them.
I'm one of them. Whosoever shall call on the name
of the Lord shall be saved. Now the secret things, they belong
to the Lord, but it's revealed you're to believe on Christ.
You're commanded to believe on Christ, not to figure out if
you're the elect and then believe, no, you're called upon to believe
on Christ right now. Don't wait for tomorrow, that
works. Don't wait for tomorrow, that's presumption. That's thinking
there's something you can do. Believe on Christ right now. That's what's revealed. You know, we do not believe something
because it's logical. We believe something because
God has revealed it. Isn't that so? The things that are revealed. belong to us and our children. And then in Psalm 68 verse 20
we read unto God the Lord belongeth the issues of death. To God the Lord belongeth the
issues of death. Now the word issues means the
source. God has already determined the
day of my death. He's already determined the day
of your death. He's already determined how you're
going to die. This is an exercise I remember
35 years ago. I had chemotherapy and the doctor
told me, there's a 10% chance you'll get leukemia. And I've
been waiting to get leukemia ever since. But the Lord's determined when I'm gonna
die, how I'm gonna die. And since the issues of death
come from him, Lord saved me. Lord, save me. This life is so
fleeting. It's so temporary. Do you think
of how quick time is going by? Lord, save me. Now I'd like you to turn with
me to this. Turn to 1 Corinthians 7. This is gonna be the last
scripture we're gonna speak, consider. 1 Corinthians 7. Verse 29, but this I say, brethren,
the time is short. It's not gonna be long before
I'm ushered into God's presence on Judgment Day. Time is short. This is the one reality. Time
is short. It remaineth that both they that
have wives be as though they had none, and they that weep
as though they wept not, and they that rejoice as though they
rejoice not, and they that buy as though they possess not, and
they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of
this world, passeth away. But I would have you without
carefulness. Now remember he was talking about
marriage and being unmarried in first Corinthians chapter
seven. That's the whole chapter is about that. And he says, I
would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for
the things that belong to the Lord. how he may please the Lord. But he that is married careth
for the things that are of the world, how he may please his
wife. Now he's talking about marriage
and not being married. And he says, if you're not married,
you're better off staying that way because you can care for
the things of the Lord. how you may please the Lord. And if you have a husband or
wife, you know what energy it takes to please your husband
or wife. And if you're not married, you
don't have to deal with that. But that's not, I didn't even
mean for it to go in that direction. I never do. The point is, the things that
belong to the Lord. I think of what the Lord said
to those men who said, tell us whether or not we need to pay
taxes. He said, you render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's,
and you render to God the things that are God's. There are things that are God's. He has ownership. He owns you. Render to God the things that
are God's. Now my closing thought is this. Not only do I have no ownership,
listen to this, I am my beloved's. He's got ownership of me, but
the verse doesn't stop there. And he is mine. Everything in him is mine. The only people who have true
ownership are the people who have him. I am my beloved's. No doubt about
that. I belong to him and everything
he has, everything he is, is mine. Let's pray. Lord, we ask in Christ's name
that you would bless your word to our heart. And Lord, how we thank you that
salvation belongs to you, that power belongs to you, that mercy
belongs to you, that righteousness belongs to you. Lord, how we thank you that you
own all things. And we pray in Christ's name
that we might belong to you in a saving way. That we, everybody
in this room enable us to say by your grace, I am my beloved's
and he is mine. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.