The last part of verse nine in
Acts 16, the man in the vision said to Paul, come over and help
us. I've entitled this message, Come
Over and Help Us. Now this is the same thing that
the Syrophoenician woman said to the Lord, Lord, Help me. He had said it's not right to
take the children's bread, to cast it under dogs. She said,
that's the truth, Lord. He said, I've not come but to
the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And she said, help me,
Lord. Help me. Now this is what is
known as the Macedonian call. Look in verse 6. Now, when they'd gone throughout
Phrygia and the region of Galatia and were forbidden of the Holy
Ghost to preach the Word in Asia. It's very sobering, isn't it? They wanted to go to Asia and
preach the gospel to some people there who had not heard the gospel,
and they were forbidden by the Holy Ghost. After they were come to Mysia,
they say to go into Bithynia, but the spirit suffered them
not. He didn't allow them to go and
preach the gospel in those places. And they passing by Mysia came
down to Troas and a vision appeared to Paul in the night. There stood
a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying, come over into Macedonia
and help us. Question, what is the help they
needed? What is the help they needed? Well, it's identified in this
passage of scripture, but the rest of this chapter is devoted
to the beginning at the church at Philippi. This is The church
where we call the letter to the Philippians. Paul had a very
special relationship with this church, but this gives the history
of the beginning of this church. And as you go on reading in this
chapter, we have where the Lord opened Lydia's heart. The Lord opened my heart. And then we have where that woman
that was possessed with the spirit of divination, and brought her
masters much gain through her soothsaying, her fortune-telling.
Paul cast the demon out of that woman. And because of that, he
was thrown in jail. And there, through him being
thrown in jail, we have the Philippian jailer hearing the gospel. This is the beginning of the
church at Philippi. Now there's something almost
sobering, to say the least, to read now when they had gone throughout
Phrygia, verse 6, and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden
of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia. They wanted to preach the gospel
to these people, but they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit
to preach the gospel in that region. These were people who
would live and die without ever hearing the gospel. You know,
the Lord said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and
earth, because thou hast hid these things. Who hid them? The Lord did. Thou! hast 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 a good enough reason for me, and it's a good enough reason
for you. It was good in his sight. You know, We're called upon to preach the
gospel to every creature, and we want to do that. And we ought
to be doing a better job at it, too. All of us should. You agree
with that. I have no doubt about that. But
do you know most people live and die without ever hearing
the gospel? Never hearing a gospel message.
Oh, maybe they've heard religious messages. but they live and die
never hearing the truth of the gospel, of how God saves sinners. You know what that does to me? I'm glad I get to hear the gospel.
I'm so thankful. I'm glad I want to hear the gospel.
You know, there's many people that have a take it or leave
it attitude. I'm glad I want to hear the gospel. I have to hear the gospel. I'm so thankful that the Lord
has put that in my heart, that I get to hear the gospel. These people didn't. The Holy
Spirit forbid Paul to go preach the gospel to these people. And
they lived and died without ever having heard the gospel. That's a very sobering thing. Verse seven. And after they were
come to Mysia, Mysia, I don't know if I'm pronouncing it right.
I might have pronounced it differently last time. I'm giving it a shot.
Mysia, Mysia, whatever. They say to go to Bithynia, but
the spirit suffered them not. Now, I think it's very notable
to know that Bithynia, where the spirit suffered them not,
some years later there would be a gospel church there because
Peter wrote to the saints in Bithynia. And Asia, where they
were forbidden to preach, Guess where Lydia was from? Asia. And the Lord brought her out
of that place so she could hear the gospel in Philippi. You see,
the Lord is always going to cross his people's path with the gospel. He did with Lydia, as we're going
to see soon. A day passing by, Misea came
down to Troas, and a vision appeared to Paul in the night. There stood
a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying, come over into Macedonia
and help us. Now, what help did they need?
You know, your average religious society will send missionaries
to go educate people, bring them clean water, bring them healthcare.
bring them food, bring them greater ability and technology and so
on, and bring the gospel along with it, so they say. I'm not
speaking against any kind of humanitarian efforts. I'm all
for it. I'm all for if you give money to the Red Cross, they
help people at times. I'm all for that. I'm not speaking
against things like that, but is that what these people needed?
Did they need better education? Did they need better buildings? Did they need cleaner water?
Did they need healthier food? Well, I wouldn't say they didn't
need those things, but that's not what Paul was sent for. Look what Luke says in verse
10, And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored
to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called
us for to preach the gospel unto them. Now that's what they needed. They needed to hear the gospel
preached. That's what I need. That's what
you need. That's what everybody needs is
to hear the gospel preached. You see 1 Corinthians chapter
121 says, it pleased the Lord by the foolishness of preaching. I love that. It pleased the Lord
by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. So they In verse 11, therefore
loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracea,
and the next day to Neapolis, and from thence to Philippi,
which is the chief city of the part of Macedonia, and a colony,
and we were in that city abiding certain days. Remember, it was
a man from Macedonia. And on the Sabbath day, we went
out of the city by a riverside where prayer was wont to be made,
and we sat down and spake unto the women which resorted dither. And thus we have the birth of
the church at Philippi. Now, what was the help this man
was asking for? What was the help they gave? The preaching of the gospel. Could God save without the preaching
of the gospel? Wrong question. does God save without the preaching
of the gospel? I suppose he could in the sense
that with God all things are possible. I wouldn't negate that
in any way, but I do know this. The Bible says, it pleased God
by the foolishness of preaching to save them to believe. That's
what God says. Could God save without the preaching
of the gospel? I imagine he could. Does he? The scripture says, no, he does
not. Now, let me show you that from
the word of God, turn to Romans chapter 10. Romans chapter 10. Here's one
of my favorite verses in the Bible. Verse 13, for whosoever,
I love that word. WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE
NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED. Now, we're talking about salvation
now. Here's an easy word, whosoever. You can fit yourself into that
demographic, can't you? Whosoever, an easy word. Well, salvation's just for the
elect. I know that, but I love this word, whosoever. That's better than if it said
my name, because it might mean a different Todd Norbert. But
I am in this demographic whosoever. Here is an important word. Whosoever
shall call on the name of the Lord. That's the important part
of this. The name of the Lord is who He
is. That's His person, that's His
attributes, that's His sovereignty, His omnipotence, His grace, His
loving kindness, His justice. I'm calling upon who He is to
save me, Lord. Save me as an act of Your sovereign
will. Save me by Your justice. Save
me by Your love. Save me by Your grace. When I'm
calling on the name of the Lord to save me, I'm asking in all
of Your attributes, have mercy on me. And here's an easy word,
shall call. Lord, save me. That's calling. And here's a sure word, shall
be saved. Don't you love that verse? Whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. That's all
I got. Now, go on reading. We're introduced
to four hows. How then shall they call on him
in whom they have not believed." You won't call on Him. It is
impossible to call on an unrevealed Christ, one whom you've not believed. You see, when you call on Him,
it's because He has been revealed to you. That's why you call on
Him. Everybody He's been revealed
to calls on Him. How will they call on Him whom
they've not believed? The answer is they won't. Now
look at the next how. And how shall they believe in
him of whom they've not heard? You can't believe what you've
never heard. It's impossible. You can't believe what you've
never heard. Well, I've always believed. No, you haven't. No,
you haven't. Can't believe what you've never
heard. Now, here's the third how. How shall they hear without a
preacher? The fact of the matter is they
won't, according to the scriptures. They will not hear without a
preacher. If God saves me, if God saves
you, he will cross your path, he will cross my path with a
preacher. How should they hear without
a preacher? They can't. Well, I didn't have a preacher.
I was just reading the Bible and I just figured it all out.
No, you didn't. No, you didn't. I've had a lot of people say
that, but don't believe it for a second. There is no revelation
of God apart from the preaching of the gospel. You don't just
figure this out. And that's humbling. That's why
I love that scripture, please God, by the foolishness of preaching
to save them that believe. Why that's foolishness, you mean
that God's not gonna speak to me apart from him speaking to
me through a fool like you? Yep, yep, that's the truth. And look what it says in verse
15, and how shall they preach except they be sent? Nobody can preach the gospel
unless God himself has sent them to preach the gospel. How shall
they preach, except they be sinned? Now there's a lot of men who
go under the name preacher that God never sinned and comes out
in the preaching. You know it because they're not preaching
the gospel of God's grace, but anybody that God sins, preaches
the truth. And then he quotes a passage
of scripture from Isaiah chapter 52, verse seven, how beautiful
are the feet them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring
glad tidings of good things." Now that's what Paul and Luke
and whoever else was with them did when they came into Macedonia
to preach the gospel. They preached what I just read
about in Isaiah He quoted Isaiah 52. Now let's go there for a
moment because this is the preaching of the gospel. There isn't a
clear passage of scripture anywhere with regard to gospel preaching
than here in Isaiah chapter 52, verse seven. Let's read it together. How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth
peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publishes salvation,
that saith unto Zion, thy God reigneth. Now here is the gospel. I love the way he begins, how
beautiful are the feet? Not the faces, that's significant. Not the faces, but the feet. Now what I think this does away
with is preacher worship. How beautiful are the feet? Not
the faces, not the eloquence, How beautiful are the feet of
them that bring the gospel of peace. Now, there are preachers
who want preacher worship, and there are people who are willing
to give preacher worship. You know that, and I know that.
I hope I'm not one of these people wanting preacher worship. I hope
you're not one of these people who want to worship the preacher,
because the preacher is not to be worshiped. He's just a sinful
man, just like you are. And how beautiful are the feet,
just the feet, are what is mentioned. I love what Paul said to the
Corinthians. He said, I ought to have been
commended of you. And you know, if a man preaches
gospel, I'm gonna commend him for it. I ought to have been
commended of you. They didn't, but he said, I ought
to have been commended of you. For nothing am I behind the very
chief apostles, though I be nothing. That was Paul's assessment of
himself. Though I be nothing. Samson used the jawbone of an
ass to slay the Philistines. What a beautiful picture of the
preaching of the gospel. God uses the jawbone of an ass
to preach the gospel. What is preacher worship? Ass
worship. That's all you can call it. Somebody says that's a bit,
that's scriptural. But the feet coming on the mountain
speaks of God sending us the gospel. That's what makes the
feet beautiful. God sending us the gospel. Now look what it says. How beautiful
upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings. And that's what the gospel is.
It's good tidings. It's good news. Now you and I
both know the good news is relative. What's good news to one person
is not good news to another. You know, this week has been
the week of Lynn's birthday. We've gone out to eat three different
times. People took us out, and I took
her out once. Two other people, I mean, and
so it's been a time where I have been in pain when I get home.
I haven't eaten so much. And I'm just so full, I'm hurting. And I love I love McDonald's
fish sandwiches. That's my go-to choice when I'm
real hungry and I'm out. If you would have told me you
had a McDonald's fish sandwich for me after I ate one of those
meals, there'd be no good news to it about it. I'm full. I don't want anything. Now before then, when I'm hungry,
you say, I've got a McDonald's fish sandwich for you. Oh, that's
good news. That's exactly what I needed.
You see, good news is relative. If you're full, the gospel doesn't
do you any good. But if you're empty, how you
need the gospel. If you're not burdened with sin,
the gospel doesn't do anything for you. Well, it might be good
if I ever need it. But oh, if you're burdened under the sense
of your sin, how good news the gospel is! You see, the gospel
is essentially and fundamentally a sinner's religion. That's the
only religion that's a sinner's religion. All other religions
are for good people. The gospel is essentially and
fundamentally a sinner's religion. Now, we've already heard this
verse of scripture once when Drew was reading. This is a faithful
saying. It's worthy of all acceptation
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of whom? Paul said, I am the
chief, not I was the chief before God saved me, of whom I am the
chief. Now, who is that good news to? Sinners, that's it. The only
person that will rejoice in that message is a sinner, a real sinner. Romans chapter five, verse six,
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ
died for the ungodly. Who's that good news to? If you're
without strength. If you have any strength, it's
not good news to you. If you're not ungodly, it's not good news
to you. But if you're without strength,
I mean, you're out of it. You have none. And you're ungodly,
unable to worship God. That's good news. That's who? God loves, that's who Christ
came to save when we were yet without strength in due time,
Christ died for the ungodly. Now look what it says next. How
beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of them that bring
good tidings, that publisheth peace. Now note that word, that
publisheth peace. First, I'd have to say, Why do
we need peace? That's easy to answer because
we're by nature God's enemies. That's why we need peace. We're
by nature God's enemies. The carnal mind is enmity against
God. It's not subject to the law of
God, neither indeed can be. I've got myself in trouble. I'm
at war with God. And I can't make peace with him. And this is a battle I can't
fight. This is a battle I can't win. Defeat is sure, and I need
Him to be at peace with me. I need Him to make my peace. There's nothing we can do to
make peace because all we do and all we are is sin. I love it when Peter came to
Cornelius and he came summarizing the message that God sent to
Israel saying, peace by Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all. And there we have the gospel
message. Peace by Jesus Christ. Peace accomplished by Jesus Christ. Lord said, these things have
I spoken to you that in me, you might have peace. Colossians
1.20 says, having made peace by the blood of His cross. Not
making peace possible, but having made peace. You see, when the
Lord Jesus Christ said, it is finished, God was at complete
peace with everybody Jesus Christ died for. He's not looking for
anything else. He is our peace. Having been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now this
peace doesn't have anything to do with anything I've done. If
it did, I wouldn't have any peace. This peace was wholly accomplished
by Christ Jesus the Lord. He is our peace. Let's go on reading. How beautiful
upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings,
that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good. Now that's
not just redundant. That's not saying the same thing
he said at first. Bringing good tidings of good.
What this means is God is good. Everything he does is good. We're
not seeking a capricious, mean, evil-spirited, unmerciful God. God is good. Everything he is
is good. Goodness surrounds every one
of his attributes. His wrath is a good wrath. His
justice is a good justice. His love is a good love. His
sovereignty is a good sovereignty. The Lord's good. He's good. We're bringing a message of a
good God, glad tidings of good. He doesn't booby trap things.
He's not trying to destroy. He is good. The reason he sent
his son is to save sinners. He said, I came not to condemn
the world, but the world through me might be saved. The world
was already condemned. We're already headed to hell
by nature, but God's good. And in his mercy, he provided
his son to be the salvation of all he gave to him. It's his purpose to save. God's will was for Christ to
save sinners. Christ willingly came to save
sinners. He willingly took their sin upon
himself. God, the Holy Spirit gives them
life. God's good. You know, I think it's sad when
people hear of, say, they think of election as God's arbitrary
choice. I'm gonna save this one, I'm
gonna damn this one. Nothing could be further from the truth. God's
good. Everybody would have been damned. Everybody would have
been. But because God's good, he saves
people for Christ's sake. God is good. Then next he says, that publishes
salvation. That publisheth, he brings good
tidings of good, that publishes salvation. Now, I love this word
publishes, not offering salvation. You don't want to do me any good
if all God does is offer me salvation. If my fingerprints are on it
anywhere, if there's anything that I need to do, it won't happen. And the same thing's true for
you too. If any part of your salvation
is dependent upon you doing something before you can be saved, you're
toast. It ain't gonna happen. But thank God salvation is published. Salvation is published. It's
not offered, it's published. And here's what came to my mind.
Barabbas. He's laying down in a jail cell
that night before his crucifixion. He was scheduled to be crucified
on Calvary's Mountain on that Friday. And there he is laying
there. And he was a wicked man. He was
a hardened criminal. There's no doubt about that.
He was a murderer. He was an insurrectionist. He
was a rebel. A wicked man. There wasn't anything commendable
about him. But I guarantee you he dreaded being crucified. He
wasn't hard-hearted about that, to think about the nails being
driven in his hands, his feet. He might be up there several
days suffering on that cross. He was, I don't know what all he was,
but he didn't feel good when he woke up that morning if he
slept at all that night, which I doubt that he did. And that
morning he hears the prison guards coming in, and I'm sure a sense
of dread came over him, thinking about what was going to take
place. He hears the jail cell open, the door open, and he winces,
and then he hears these words, you've been set free. Can you imagine how much, how
he must have felt? Somebody has taken your place
and you have been set free. Freedom is not offered to you.
You've been set free. That's what Barabbas heard. And
when God comes in saving mercy to someone, he doesn't offer
you salvation. Salvation is declared. Thou shalt
call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. He shall, and he did, and salvation
is published. And look at this closing line, that saith unto Zion, Now this
man who preaches, the descent of God to preach the gospel,
here's what he says to Zion. Somebody doesn't say this, God
never sent him. You can just write that down. Somebody that
doesn't say this, God never sent him. They say this to Zion. Thy God reigneth. Now what that's a statement,
what that is, is a statement concerning the absolute sovereignty
and lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ. He's not God. You believe
Jesus Christ is God? I know he is. He's God over all,
blessed forever, the second person of the blessed trinity. He's
God. He's Lord over all. I love it
when, I've already quoted this passage, when Peter came up to
that Gentile group preaching peace by Jesus Christ, He's Lord
of all! You know what that means? That
means He's your Lord, whether you know it or not. Have you
received Christ as Lord? Well, whether you have or not,
He's your Lord. He's Lord of the dead and the
living. Everybody is in his hands. You're in his hands. Everything
about you is in his hands. There's stuff going through your
mind right now. He is in absolute control of either by way of grace
or by way of his justice, but he is Lord of all. Jesus is Lord. Thy God reigneth. You know what that means? His
reign means He's the cause of everything. You can't take that
too far. He's the cause of everything. He's the cause of creation. The
Lord Jesus Christ, as an act of His will, created the universe. The sun, the moon, the stars,
the galaxies, Time and space were all created as an act of
His will. Say to Zion, thy God reigneth. Now, so is it to say to the heathen
too. There's a Psalm that says, say ye to the heathen, the Lord
reigneth. Well, I'm saying that to everybody
then. I'm saying to the heathen and Zion, but saying to Zion,
thy God reigneth. Now, thy God. If God be for us,
who can be against us? Everybody who trusts the Lord
Jesus Christ as all in their salvation, He's thy God. Saying to thy God, the Lord reigneth. He reigns in creation. He reigns
in providence. That means He's the first cause
of everything in providence. Everything. Can't take it too
far. You're saying God's the author
of evil? You can call it whatever you
want. I know that there wouldn't be anything without him. He said,
I form light, I create darkness. I make peace, I create evil.
I, the Lord, do all these things. Well, that's talking about calamities.
Well, the Lord's first cause of everything.
And if you take that away, what are you left with? He's not in
control of everything. He is the first cause of everything.
Daniel said, he doeth according to his will in the armies of
heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. That means his
will's done in heaven, his will's done here on earth. And none
can stay his hand or say unto him, what doest thou? Nobody's
gonna call him into question. I hate it when people say, you're
saying God does this, you shouldn't say that. We can't put God in
a box. Ain't nobody here able to put
God in a box. He does according to His will all the time. And everything He does is good. And here's my favorite part of
His reign. He reigns in salvation. You see,
salvation is of the Lord. And that means He is the cause
of salvation. He does it all. It doesn't have
anything to do with your works. It's His work. And there isn't
anybody that needs to despair of salvation because He reigns
in salvation. And whoever calls upon His name
shall be saved. You know, the Lord said to a
group of people, you've seen me and believe not. All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me. and him that cometh to me, I
will in no wise, for no reason, under any circumstance cast out. And what came of all this? Well,
Lydia, Lord opened her heart. Didn't say she opened her heart,
says the Lord opened her heart so that she believed the gospel.
And then that demon possessed woman, Lord cast the demon out
through Paul. And then that Philippian jailer
heard the gospel through this event, the Macedonian call. Let's pray. Lord, we ask in Christ's name
for his sake, for his glory, that you'd help us cause your gospel to be preached
to our hearts and cause us to believe and to receive and to
rejoice and to rest in thy blessed son. In His high and glorious name
we pray, knowing that you're here for His sake. In His name
we pray. Amen.