What a statement the Lord makes
when he says in verse two, it were better for him that one
who has offended one of these little ones, it were better for
him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and he cast into
the sea than that he should offend one of these little ones. Now,
who are these little ones the Lord is speaking of? We'll turn
back to Matthew chapter 18 in Matthew's account. We don't have
to guess. Verse six, but who so shall offend one of
these little ones, which believe in me. It were better for him that a
millstone were hanged about his neck and that he was drowned
in the depth of the sea. Now, woe unto the world because
of offenses, for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe
to the man by whom that offense cometh from. Look in verse five of this 18th
chapter of Matthew. And whoso shall receive one such
little child in my name receiveth me. Move back up to verse one. At the same time, the disciples
came into Jesus saying, who's the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him and set him in
the midst of them and said, barely I say unto you, except you be
converted and become as little children, you shall not enter
the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble
himself as this little child, the same as the greatest in the
kingdom of heaven. Now, these little ones are those
who have humbled themselves like little children. These little
ones are those who are united to the Lord Jesus Christ. He
said, if you receive them, you receive me. Now, the Lord loves
his little ones. This is speaking of every believer.
Every believer is included in this group of the little ones
that have humbled themselves and they're not going to defend
themselves. They're just not going to do it. They've been
humbled by the grace of God and they're not going to seek to
defend themselves. But the one who offends, mistreats and despises
one of his The Lord says they would have been better off being
killed before it happened. They would have been better off
being drowned in the depth of the seas before it happened because
there are dreadful consequences to offending one of his little
ones. Now, I want you to think about
how you love your children. And how do you feel when someone
mistreats your children? Well, it's infinitely that may
weigh more with our Heavenly Father, because these people
are united to the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, inasmuch as
you've done it to the least of these, my brethren, you've done
it to me. And inasmuch as you've done it
not to the least of these, my brethren, you've done it not
to me. I couldn't help but think about
when Christ said to Saul, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Now he was seated at the right
hand of the Father. And Saul couldn't get to him, but he was
persecuting his little ones. Now notice what the Lord says
in Luke chapter 17, verse one. He said to his disciples, it
is impossible, but that offenses will come. They're going to happen. And it's impossible for them
not to happen. Now, why are these offenses impossible? Well, first of all, because they're
all a part of God's purpose. He decreed everything that's
ever taken place and everything bad that happens to me or you,
He's in control of. And He purposed it and it's for
my good and for His glory. And if He decreed something,
it must take place. It's nothing less than His will
being done. And so these offenses must take
place and they're good for us. They're painful, they're difficult,
but they're for our good and they're for His glory. And we're
thankful for that. And these offenses must take
place because men are so sinful. As long as men are so sinful,
offenses are gonna come. Scandals are gonna come. People
are going to do you wrong. Let me tell you something else,
you're gonna do them wrong too. There are offenses that will always
come, and the Lord said it's impossible for them not to take
place. Now what I want us to consider
are things that are not possible. That's what I've entitled this
message, things that are not possible. He said it's impossible
but that offenses should come. You're going to have people transgress
against you, and it's impossible for this not to take place. And
we're gonna come back to that at the very end of this message,
but I want us to consider things that are impossible. And there's
a lot of comfort, and there's a lot of joy in the consideration
of these things. Now first turn with me to Hebrews
chapter six. Hebrews chapter six. Verse 17, wherein God, willing
more abundantly to show unto the heirs of the promise, the
immutability, the changelessness of his counsel, his purpose. He confirmed it by an oath that
by two immutable things, things that could not be changed in
which it were impossible for God to lie. Now that's the first
impossible thing we're going to consider. You know it's impossible
for God to lie. All of his promises will come
to pass. All of his threats will come
to pass. Because it is impossible for
God to lie. It's impossible for him to not
be who he is. That's all that means. God will
never tell a lie. God is always going to be who
He is. He's always going to be holy.
He's always going to be absolutely sovereign in control of everything.
He's always going to be immutably just. He's always going to be
all-wise. He's always going to be all-knowing.
He's always going to be all-seeing. He sees everything. Whatever
attribute of God we're talking about, He never changes. It is impossible for God to lie. It's impossible for him to be
anything but that which he is. This speaks of the glorious changelessness
of his character. With this glorious God, nothing
shall be impossible because it's impossible for him to lie. It's
impossible for him to sin. Look in Luke chapter one. This is speaking of the birth
of our Redeemer. Mary has had the angel say, you're
going to have a child. And we read in verse 34, then
said Mary unto the angel, how shall this be? Seeing I know
not a man. Now that's a reasonable request,
isn't it? How am I going to have a baby if I've never known a
man? And the angel answered and said unto her, the Holy Ghost
shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow
thee. Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of
thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold, thy cousin
Elizabeth, she has also conceived a son in her old age, and this
is the sixth month with her which is called barren. For with God,
nothing shall be impossible. Because God can't lie. He's always who He is. He's always
everything He is. And with God, nothing shall be
impossible. Now turn with me to Matthew chapter
19. Matthew chapter 19. This is the
story of the rich young ruler. Beginning in verse 16, and behold,
Matthew 19, verse 16, behold, one came and said unto him, good
master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal
life? And he said unto him, why callest
thou me good? There's none good but one, that is God. Now, why
did the Lord say that? Because he knew he was good.
Well, he knew that this man was coming to him as a mere man.
He knew that this man was coming to him saying, good master, you're
good, what can I do to reach your goodness? What can I do
to bring myself up to that level? Good master. That's why he corrected
him, and he said, why callest thou me good? There's none good
but one, that is God. But if thou wilt enter into life,
keep the commandments. If you're gonna come to him on
that ground, he'll meet you on that ground. And he saith unto
him, which Jesus said, thou shalt do no murder, thou shalt not
commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false
witness, honor thy father and mother, and thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself. Did you notice the Lord left
out the commandment regarding covetousness? He left it out. The young man saith unto him,
all these have I kept from my youth up. What lack I yet? Now that is an amazing statement
that this man made. And I think he really believed
it. That's amazing how blind you could be. This shows us how
blind I could be. And this is one of the reasons I suspect
that the rich young ruler is the Apostle Paul. The only other
man to make a claim like this was the Apostle Paul. Touching
the righteousness which is in the law, I was blameless. And
I just suspect that he was the Apostle Paul. You know, in Mark's
account, it says the Lord looked upon him and loved him. And you
know if the Lord loved him. That's only said towards those
he saves. And I think that this is why,
when he went away sorrowful, he was so mad at the Lord. This
is why he hated him so much. But let's go on reading. That's
conjecture. Someone says, how can you say
something like that if you don't know? Well, I don't know. I'm
telling you right now, I'm conjecting it. But I think it's a good conjecture.
I like it. I like thinking about it. I think
it's really glorious to think of this man being the Apostle
Paul. The Lord's going to have him, isn't he? Well, let's go
on reading. Jesus saith unto him, if thou wilt be perfect,
go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt
have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me. But when
the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he
had great possessions. You see, this man was eaten up
with covetousness, and he could not comply with those terms. He went away very sorrowful,
and I think as it went on, it turned into anger and hatred,
persecution and everything else. But verse 23, then said Jesus
unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, that a rich man shall
hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again, I say unto
you, it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle
than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. Now,
when his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed. saying, who then can be saved? If this man can't be saved, this
man who could say, all these have I kept from my youth up,
and he seems so sincere, if he can't be saved, who then can
be saved? Verse 26, but Jesus beheld them
and said unto them, with men, this is impossible. What is impossible? Salvation. With me! Salvation is impossible. If it's left up to me or you
to do anything, if any aspect of our salvation is dependent
upon us doing something, We will not be saved. As a matter of
fact, it is impossible for us to be saved. Do you believe that?
Do you believe that if any aspect of your salvation is left up
to you, then you're in trouble? Your only hope is what He does
for you. You see, with men, salvation
is utterly impossible. You can't do anything to obtain
forgiveness. You can't give yourself spiritual life. You can't keep
yourself. You can't muster up faith, repentance,
or love to God. These things are impossible for
you. If salvation is in any way dependent
upon me, then I will not be saved. You know what that makes me say? Save me. It doesn't make me sit
back in indifference and apathy and say, well, if the Lord doesn't
save me, there's nothing I can do about it. I just got to wait
and see what he does. Doesn't have that effect on me at all. It
makes me say, Lord, save me. Lord, do something for me. Lord,
reach down and look my way in favor and mercy and grace. I've
had it if you don't. I mean, I'm hopeless if you don't.
Lord, I need you to do something for me. Lord, have mercy on me. Like that leper, the room where
he came, Lord, if you will, you can make me clean. I can't make
myself clean, you can. If you will, you can make me
clean. Now that's the only effect that
has on someone who really believes that their salvation is impossible.
If God has taught you that your salvation is impossible, if it's
up to you, you're gonna start crying for mercy. And what's
more, that's the only person that's gonna cry for mercy. Somebody
who feels like there's something they can do, You're not gonna
ask for mercy, but somebody who really believes that they're
in the Lord's hands, they're gonna say, Lord, do something
for me. I love what Paul said. He said, I'm persuaded. I know
whom I have believed, and I'm persuaded that he is able. Now,
that's our persuasion. If you believe you're unable,
you also believe he is able. He is able to save me. He's able to keep that which
I've committed to Him against that day. I turned to Hebrews
chapter 10, verse 4. Here's something else
that is not possible. It's not possible that the blood
of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Now, how many
bulls and goats were slain? I reckon hundreds of thousands,
maybe millions, I don't know. Over the centuries, how many
bulls and goats and lambs were slain? And it is not possible
that any one of them could put away one single sin. They were
given only to represent that one who does take away sin. Now, while blood of bull and
goat can't take away any sin, he was manifested, 1 John 3,
5. Listen to this scripture, 1 John 3, 5. He was manifested
to take away our sin. Take it away. In Him is no sin. If I'm in Him, I have no sin. My sin's been taken away. And
the next verse says, Whoso abideth in Him sinneth not. That means if I'm in Him, I don't
sin. I have perfect righteousness.
Now how can that be? How can that be? Because He's
taken away my sin. That's what he did on Calvary's
tree. He took it away. Now, the blood of a bull and
goat could never take away a sin. Oh, but what that blood of the
bulls and goats points to completely obliterates sin to where it is
no more. So much so that he that abideth
in him doth not commit sin. Before God, I'm without sin. I'm holy, unblameable, and unreprovable
in his sight. Now, when he was in Gethsemane's
garden, sore amazed and very heavy, sweating great drops of
blood, do you remember that question he asked to his father? And this
is one of the most mysterious things to me, because he's God,
and he knew that he was going to be the, he knew he was the
Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, yet he was so overcome
with the thought of separation from his father. And you know, there isn't anything
that overcomes me any more than that. The thought of being separated
from God, being left to myself. Oh, I can't even bear the thought
of that. And he was infinitely more like
that than I am. He couldn't bear the thought
of being separated from his Father. And he said, Father, if it be
possible, Let this cup, this cup of trembling and agony and
separation from yourself, this cup of wrath, if it be possible,
let this cup pass from me. Now that's just among those things
that we don't understand. We believe what God says, but
he knew it was not possible because he's the lamb slain from the
foundation of the world. And he said, nevertheless, not
my will, but thine be done. And he went on to say, the cup
which my father has given me to drink, shall I not drink it? This is how God saves through
the bloody death and the separation of his son, his son being cut
off. I want you to think of what he
must have felt that it made him sweat blood. What kind of pressure
was that? He understood that he was getting
ready to be made sin, but he said, if it be possible, but
thank God it is not possible. Turn to Acts chapter 2. I got
such joy in considering this. Acts chapter 2. It was not possible for Christ
to not drink that cup dry. It was not possible for Christ
to not suffer as he did. Now look at Acts chapter 2. This
is Peter's sermon on Pentecost. He says in verse 24, whom God
hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death. Remember,
he drunk that cup dry and he died. But look what took place.
God raised him from the dead because it was not possible that
he should be wholeness of death. it was not possible for him to
stay dead. Under any circumstance, it was
not possible for him to stay dead. Sin was so completely paid
for, he was so completely put away. Now remember, the only
reason for death is sin, isn't it? The only reason for death
is sin. The wages of sin is death. Now, when the Lord Jesus died,
he put away sin so completely that he was gone. There was no
reason for death. He had to be raised from the
dead. And the reason I'll be saved is because my sin was so
completely put away, the very justice and righteousness of
God demands my salvation. Death could not possibly hold
him. The sins he bore were purged,
put away, canceled, blotted out, taken away. They are no more. He was delivered for our offenses,
raised again for our justification. Death couldn't hold him. Now
the reason death couldn't hold him is because the sin's gone.
My sins, even the sins I haven't committed yet, my sins that are
ever before me, are no more. more. They really are gone. It's in pie in the sky. They
really are gone. Death couldn't hold him because
there's no reason for death to hold him. There wasn't any sin
to hold him there. He put it away. I love to think
of the Lord not going through any process of decay. The reason?
He satisfied God. And death could not possibly
hold him. And then in Hebrews chapter 11,
verse six, we read this statement. Well, let's turn with me there.
Hebrews chapter 11, verse six. I want to read about Enoch too.
Hebrews 11, verse six. Or verse five, by faith Enoch,
you remember he was the man who never died. By faith, Enoch was
translated that he should not see death, and he was not found.
Evidently, people were looking for him. And they thought, whatever
happened to Enoch? Where'd he go? All of a sudden, he was missing,
even among his family. What happened to our dad? What
happened to my husband? He was not found. He went straight
into heaven without ever dying. Faith, Enoch was translated,
that he should not see death and was not found because God
had translated him. For before his translation, he
had this testimony that he pleased God. But without faith, it is
impossible to please him. For he that cometh to God must
believe that he is and that he's a rewarder of them that diligently
seek him. Now, if I do not have faith,
I don't believe God. As a matter of fact, I'm calling
him a liar. I'm saying I don't believe what
he said. That's what John says. If I don't have faith, that means
I'm under the law. That means I'm under the curse
of God. If I don't have faith, I'm not justified. I'm yet in
my sins. But if I have faith, let me remind
you what faith is. Let me remind you. Faith is relying
upon Jesus Christ the Lord as all that's needed to bring me
into glory. That's it. Faith is really believing that
He is the Son of God and that whatever He does must be successful. You believe that regarding Him?
Faith is believing He's the Christ. God's prophet. He's the very
Word of God. He's God's priest. He's the priest
of God's providing. If He brings me to the Father,
I must be accepted. Faith is believing He's God's
King. I really believe He's the King of kings. And I need Him
as the King to cause me to believe. I need Him in this office. I
need Him as my prophet to bring me the Word of God. I need Him
as my priest. to bring me into the presence
of God, I need Him as my King to cause me to do His will. I need Him. Now, that's what
faith is. And you know what? If I have
faith, I'm pleasing to God. God looks at me and He says,
I'm pleased with Him. He doesn't have any faults. He's
holy, unblameable, and unreprovable in my sight. Now faith is the
evidence of things not seen. It's the substance of things
hoped for. That's why without faith it's impossible to please
God. Now listen to me real carefully. If you can look at yourself and
look at your heart and your conduct and the things you do and conclude
you must be a child of God, you're not one. Let me assure you of
that. The only evidence that I'm a
child of God is faith in Christ. Faith is the evidence, not a
evidence, the definite article, the evidence. Well, I'm a child
of God because I really am relying on the Lord. He's all I got.
I'm relying on him only. If what he, who he is and what
he did isn't all that's needed to save me, I won't be saved.
But I am relying upon him. And without faith, it is impossible
to please God. But that one that has faith,
he's pleasing to God. Listen to this scripture. To
him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly,
his faith is counted for righteousness. Turn with me to Matthew 24. The Lord is talking about the
end times and he says in verse 24 of Matthew chapter 24, for
there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and they shall
show great signs and wonders insomuch that if it were possible, if it were possible, they should
deceive the very elect. Now, My question is, is it possible? If it were possible, these false
Christs and false prophets would deceive the very elect. Now this
gives you some idea of how deceitful error is. It comes so close to
the truth, and it looks so much like the truth, that if it were
possible, the very elect of God would be deceived by it. I want
you to see the serious nature of error. It looks so close to
the truth that if it were possible, the elect themselves would be
deceived. But, thank God, it is not possible. Now, any of God's elect can be
deceived temporarily. As a matter of fact, I doubt
that there's one that's ever lived that wasn't deceived at
some point in some way, but it's only temporary. They can't finally
be deceived because God willed their salvation. If God willed
my salvation, I can't be anything but saved, can I? If Christ died
for my sins, they're put away. If God the Holy Spirit has given
me life, it's eternal life. And God's elect cannot be deceived. Now turn to Hebrews chapter six.
This is one of those passages of scripture. I remember when
I was a young believer, this is one of those passages of scripture
I did not like to read. As a matter of fact, if I could
go ahead and skip this sixth chapter, if I had the wherewithal
to do it, I would. It scared me so much. And I think
you'll see why as we read this passage of scripture together.
Beginning in verse four of Hebrews chapter six, for it is impossible
for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly
gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted
the good word of God and the powers of the world to come,
if they shall fall away, to renew them again to repentance, seeing
they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him
to an open shame." Now, I remember reading commentaries, read every
commentary I could on this to find out what it meant. And I
remember every one of them was saying, this shows how close
you can come and still be lost. If that's what it means, I will
be lost. I know it. If you can come this
close, if you can actually taste of the heavenly gift, if
you can be enlightened by God himself, if you can actually
be made a partaker of the Holy Ghost, if you have tasted the
good of word of God and the powers of the world to come and fall
away, you can come that close and still be a phony and a counterfeit?
Is that what that means? The key word is impossible. Here's something that's impossible. If you have been enlightened, if you have actually tasted of
the heavenly gift, And remember, it's a gift. It's not something
you earn. It's a free gift of God, and the gifts and callings
of God are without repentance. They can't be revoked. They can't
be taken away. God never changes his mind. It's a heavenly gift. And if
you were actually made a partaker of the Holy Ghost, you were born
again, born from above, and you're given a divine nature. If you
have actually tasted the good word of God, and oh how good
it tasted to you, taste and see that the Lord is gracious. And
if you've experienced the powers of the world to come, why, if
you'd fall away, it would take Christ being crucified over again
for you to be saved. And if you would fall away, it
would put Him to an open shame. You see, if I lost my salvation, It's a loss that I can't even
bear to think of having. If I lost my connection with
the Lord Jesus Christ, if I lost my salvation, oh, how much I
would lose. But you know who would lose more? Him. He'd lose his honor as the
Savior of sinners. The devil could say, there's
one you weren't able to bring in. He was just too bad. He was just too sinful. And you
would bring shame on the Son of God. And that will not be. It's impossible. Oh, it's impossible
for anybody like that to end up being lost. It's impossible
for a believer to fall away because they are in the grip of Christ's
hand. And this is such a comforting
thought. I can see how easily I could
fall away. I can look at other people and
see them seemingly falling away. But oh, if they're in the hand
of Christ, They can't fall. Like I said
the other day, I held up this glass of water. What would happen
if I let go of this? It'd fall. Lynn said, you probably
should have done it, but Annie might have knocked you out if
you did. So I thought that was funny. But what would happen
if I let it fall out of my hand? It'd crash. It'd break. But if
I hold it, it's preserved, isn't it? The reason I don't fall is
because I'm in his hands. Matthew chapter 17, just a couple
more. Things that are impossible, it's
comforting, isn't it? This comforts my soul, these things that are
impossible. You know, the Lord said in preaching, comfort ye,
comfort ye my people. And that's what I need. I need
comforted. I need comfort from the Lord himself. Matthew chapter
17 verse 19. Then came the disciples to Jesus'
part and said, why could we not cast him out? They tried. It didn't work. And Jesus said
to them, because of your unbelief, for verily I say unto you, if
you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say into
this mountain, remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove
and nothing shall be impossible to you. Nothing. Now, it's impossible
for something to be impossible for that person that believes.
That's what the Lord says. Nothing should be impossible.
Why is that? Because faith links me to him.
And he said, without me, you can do what? Nothing. But he also said, Paul said,
I can do all things through Christ. which strengtheneth me. Now in our original text, turn
back to Luke 17. I can't wait to, let me give
you a hint for next week. If I'm alive next week, if the
Lord doesn't come by, I don't know what's gonna happen, we
might all be dead, but if we're back here next week, We're going
to look at verse three, take heed to yourselves. If your brother
trespass against you, rebuke him. And if you repent, forgive
him and go on reading that passage of scripture. But I, I love the
way the Lord points out, take heed to yourselves, not somebody
else, not your brother. Take heed to yourselves. You're
the one getting ready to get in trouble. I never will forget
hearing Bruce Crabsworth reading that message on that. And, um,
well, I can't remember where it was, but it's good. But at
any rate, um, um, Chapter 17, then said he and his disciples,
that's who he's talking to, his disciples, it's impossible, but
the defenses will come. And that's a strong word, an
offense, an offense, not just a little something where somebody
said something that hurts your feelings. You know, most things
should not so much be forgiven as overlooked. You know that
most things should not so much be forgiven. as overlooked, but
you will have offenses at strong language, people doing you wrong. He said, then said he and his
disciples, it's impossible that offenses will come, but woe to
him to whom they come. It were better for him that a
millstone were hanging about his neck and he cast into the sea
than that he should offend one of these little ones. Now, little
ones, these offenses are coming. They're coming. Write it down. They're coming. And they're going
to hurt. But you know who's in control
of them? Your Heavenly Father. And He's using them for your
good and His glory. And it is all good. In everything give thanks for
this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning All is well, isn't it? All is
well. Now, it's impossible for God
to lie with men. Salvation is impossible. It's
not possible that the blood of goats and bulls should take away
sins. It was not possible for Christ
to not drink that cup. It was impossible for him to
stay dead. Without faith, it's impossible
to please God. It's impossible for the elect
to be deceived. It's impossible for a true believer
to fall away, and nothing is impossible to faith. Let's pray.