I did choose the Lord Todd's Road Grace Church would
like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd
Neiberg. We are located at 4137 Todd's
Road, two miles outside of Manowar Boulevard. Sunday services are
at 1030 a.m. and 6 p.m. Bible study is at
945 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 Nyberg. In Romans 9, verse 17, Paul says, that I might show my power in
thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the
earth." Now, did you notice the way he said that? He didn't say,
for the Lord said unto Pharaoh. He said, for the Scripture saith
unto Pharaoh. Now, when the Lord made that
statement, the scripture had not yet been written, but he
still says, the scripture saith to Pharaoh. Now here, personality
is ascribed to the scripture. Whose personality? God's. To say the scripture saith and
to say God saith is to say the precise same thing. I've entitled this message, The
Scripture Saith. The scripture is God's word,
God breathed. And when we read things in the
scripture like this, the scripture preached before the gospel and
Abraham. Now, the scripture would not be written for another 430
years, but it still says the scripture preached the gospel
to Abraham, and the scripture foreseeing that God would justify
the heathen through faith. Scripture and God are the same. The scripture is God's revelation
of himself. Now, this book, the Bible, claims
to be divinely inspired. II Timothy 3.16 says all Scripture
is given by inspiration of God. All Scripture. Now, somebody
says, but men wrote this book. Yes, men did write this book.
Listen to this historical event Peter reminds us of. He says
in verse 16 of 2 Peter chapter 1, for we have not followed cunningly
devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. And then he talks about something
that took place in his life. When he saw the Lord on the Mount
of Transfiguration, when he was transfigured before three of
the disciples, his face began to shine like the sun, his body
was white and glistening. At this time, his divinity burst
through his humanity and they saw this. For he received from
God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice
to him from the excellent glory, this is my beloved Son, in whom
I am well pleased. They heard the voice of God from
heaven on the Holy Mount. He says in verse 18, and this
voice which came from heaven, we heard. We were witnesses of
this. We audibly heard his voice when
we were with him in the Holy Mount. But look what he says
next. We also have a more sure word
of prophecy. Now we experienced the Mount
of Transfiguration, but this is more sure. This is better. whereunto ye do well, that ye
take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place into
the day dawn, and the day star arrives in your heart, knowing
this first, this is what comes first, that no prophecy of the
scripture is of any private interpretation, for the prophecy came not in
old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as
they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Yes, men wrote this book, But
they did so as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. And every
word is exactly as God said it. This is the divinely inspired
Word of God. Now somebody says, but can that
be scientifically proven? Now listen to me for a few moments,
please. This is very important. The Bible
is a history book. It is a divinely inspired history
book, but a history book nonetheless. It tells of historical events,
events that took place in the past. Now, the Bible was written
by credible witnesses, like Peter, who were writing while other
credible witnesses were alive and could verify what they were
saying was so, and what they were writing of was not only
Events like creation and the calling of Abraham, but also
supernatural events like the Lord walking on the water and
witnesses saw it. The Lord controlling the weather
and witnesses saw it. The Lord saying, Lazarus come
forth, and he that was dead came forth, and people witnessed this.
They saw it take place. My favorite is, he died on Friday,
he was raised on Sunday, having accomplished salvation, and he
was seen of over 500 witnesses at once, Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians
15. Now, none of this can be scientifically
proven. You don't scientifically prove
history. It doesn't have anything to do
with the scientific method. When someone makes that objection,
you can't prove it scientifically. They betray an ignorance of the
scientific method. Something has to be observable,
measurable, and repeatable. That's what the scientific method
is. It's got to be observable. You can't observe something that's
already taken place and it's not happening anymore. It's already
happened. It's got to be measurable and it's got to be repeatable.
And you can't prove Abraham Lincoln lived with that scientific method. It just doesn't even work that
way. You see, we know this first,
that no prophecy of the scriptures of any private interpretation.
For the scripture came not in old time by the will of man,
this is not a human composition, but holy men of God spake as
they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Now the Bible does not attempt
to prove itself. It speaks authoritatively. It
makes no attempt to prove the existence of God. It simply says,
in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Somebody
says, Well, prove that to me scientifically, or how am I expected
to believe it? Well, you don't have to believe
it if you don't want to, but I do. I know it's so. And I'll tell you this,
any other explanation for the creation of the universe is much
more unbelievable and much more wild and has more holes than
believing God created the universe as an act of his own will. Isaiah
8, verse 20 says, to the law and to the testimony. Speaking
of the scriptures, if they speak not according to this word, it
is because there is no light in them. Now, if we don't have
an it is written, or thus saith the Lord, what are we left with? My opinion and your opinion,
both of which are worthless. If we don't have a written revelation,
anything goes. Life is meaningless. Who knows? It's a very lonely place of who
knows what if we don't have a Thus saith the Lord." Now, thus saith
the Lord is the preacher's only message. Paul said to Timothy,
Timothy, preach the Word. Does the Word declare something?
Then preach it. Don't explain it away. Don't
apologize. Don't remain silent concerning that. Whatever the
Word has to say, preach it. Does the Word say that God is
absolutely in control of everything? absolutely sovereign, ruling
and reigning, the first cause behind all things? Then preach
it. Does the Word say that men are dead in sins, unable to save
themselves? Then preach it. Does the Word
declare that God, before time began, elected a people by His
own will to be saved? Then preach it. Don't apologize
for it or gloss over it. Preach it. Does the Word declare
that Christ is a successful Savior, that He didn't simply make salvation
possible, but He actually finished salvation by His death? It is
finished. Then preach it. Does the Word
declare that salvation is all of grace? Doesn't have anything
to do with man's works? Then preach it. Whatever the
Word has to say, preach it. That's what a true preacher does,
is he preaches the Word of God. He doesn't preach his opinions
or his thoughts or somebody else's opinions or thoughts. He preaches
the Word of God. Thus saith the Lord is all that's
authoritative in the church. You know, I don't care anything
about all these creeds and church bylaws and theologians. This
theologian says this and this theologian said that and the
Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed and all these different,
and then we have these systematic theologies and all kinds of things
that we look. Did this theologian or that theologian
believe that? Who cares? All I care about is
what does God's Word actually say. It's only the Word of God
that's authoritative in the church. You can take all this other stuff
and just pitch it because that's what it is. It's useless. It's
garbage. What saith the Scriptures is
the only issue. Thus saith the Lord is all that's
needed for reproof and rebuke in the church. If I see it in
God's Word, I bow. Thus saith the Lord is all that's
used for the comfort of God's people. Now, the Scripture says,
whoso believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Now, what about how sinful I
am? Whoso believeth that Jesus is
the Christ is born of God. If you believe that Jesus is
God's Christ, God's prophet, the very word of God, God's priest,
the one who if he represents you, you'll be saved. God's king,
the one who rules and reigns. Do you believe that? If you do,
I don't care how else you feel. The scripture says you're born
of God. Listen to this scripture. Who is He that overcometh the
world? That He that believeth in Jesus is the Son of God. You
know, I really believe that Jesus Christ is the Second Person of
the Trinity, the Son of God, the only Savior, the Sustainer
of the universe, the Creator of the universe. I believe He's
in control of all things because He's got the Son. He's the Son
of God. That's my victory. That means
I believe. And if you give me some of the,
well, you're a Christian, if you do this and if you don't
do that, you're not a Christian, don't give me those rules. I
don't care about man-made rules. What does the Bible say? The
only thing that ministers comfort to my soul is what I see the
Bible actually says. Thus saith the Lord, is the only
sword we use to confront the Lord's enemies. You know, when
the Lord Jesus Christ was tempted with the devil, he could have
blotted the devil out of existence. He could have blown him away.
He could have done anything he wanted. But what did the Lord
say to the devil with each of his three temptations? It is
written. It is written. It is written. Look at the high place the Lord
gives the scriptures. He answers the devil with an,
it is written. And the only way we answer the
Lord's enemies is with this, it is written. Now there are
many that say they believe the Bible is divinely inspired, but
they really don't much pay attention to what it says. They'll fight
for the inspiration of the Scriptures, but they won't fight for what
the Scripture says. As a matter of fact, they'll deny what the
Scripture says. The whole time they say, I believe the Bible
is the Word of God. Now let me make a few comments
about the Scriptures. And then I'm going to give what
the Scriptures say about the Scriptures. The Bible is a book that cannot
be understood naturally. It's a book that cannot be understood
apart from revelation. You and I cannot figure it out. We cannot, through diligent study,
figure out what the Bible means. We can only know the true meaning
of the Scripture is if He is pleased to reveal the true meaning
of the scripture to our hearts. It's revelation. You don't come
to a knowledge of the scripture by education, but by revelation. He must reveal the truth. Luke 24, then opened he their
understanding, that they might understand the scriptures. They
couldn't have understood the scriptures unless he opened their
understanding. The Lord said in John 8.44 to
some people, why do you not understand my speech? Even because you cannot
hear my word, you don't have the ability. This is a spiritual
book. He went on to say in that same
place, he that's of God Heareth God's words, ye therefore hear
them not, because ye are not of God. The natural man receiveth
not the things of the Spirit of God, for there foolishness
unto him. Neither indeed can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned." May the Lord open
our eyes as we consider some scriptures that speak of the
Scriptures. Now, the first one is the very
first opening scripture I read. For the scripture saith unto
Pharaoh, even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I
might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared
throughout all the earth. Now, the scripture has a purpose,
and its purpose is to show the power of the Lord. so that His
name, that's who He is, His attributes, are declared throughout all the
earth. And that's going on right now
in the preaching of the gospel. His name is declared, who He
is, what He's really like is declared in the preaching of
the cross. You see, the cross tells us who He is in His holiness,
in His justice, in His righteousness, in His love, in His mercy, in
His grace, in His wisdom, in His power. All God is is seen
in the cross. And the first time Scripture
is mentioned in Scripture is in Daniel 10, verse 21, when
the Scripture is called the Scriptures of Truth. If you want to know
the truth, you look to the Scriptures. Don't look within your own heart.
Look to the Scriptures. This is where God makes Himself
known. You and our Lord was nailed to
the cross eight times during the narration of the cross, something
took place that the scriptures might be fulfilled. I thirst, he said, that the scripture
might be fulfilled. The parting of his garments and
the casting lots for his robes were foretold in the scriptures. The vinegar he drank, the piercing
of his hands and his feet were foretold in the scriptures. His
cry, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, was foretold
in the scripture. Everything that happened, happened
that the scripture might be fulfilled. Now, these men that were putting
our Lord to death didn't know what they were doing, but it's
almost like they opened up the Bible and said, okay, look, what
do we do next? Okay, let's do it. They didn't know what they were
doing, but everything they did, they did that the Scriptures
might be fulfilled. When Judas betrayed Him, he did
so in answer to the Scripture, saying that he would do that.
The Scriptures are always fulfilled. You remember when the Ethiopian
eunuch was reading in his chariot Isaiah 53, and God the Holy Spirit
moved Philip to go join himself to that man. And he said to him
while he read Isaiah 53, that great chapter on the substitutionary
death of Christ, where he was wounded for our transgressions.
He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace
was upon him, and by his stripes we're healed. All we like sheep
have gone astray. We've turned everyone to his
own way, and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all."
There we have the great chapter of the sin-bearing substitute. And Philip comes up to him and
he says, do you understand what you're reading? And the man said,
how can I? Except some man should guide
me. I don't have a clue what this
means. Tell me, is the prophet speaking of himself or some other
man? And the scripture says that Philip opened his mouth at that
same scripture and preached unto him, Jesus. Oh, what a message,
but it was a message from the scripture. Now you and I can't
figure out the scripture. Some man is going to have to
guide us. Somebody says, well, I've studied the Bible. I figured
out what it means. No, you haven't. No, you haven't. You don't have
any spiritual understanding at all. It pleased God by the foolishness
of preaching to save them that believe." Just like what was
going on with Philip and the eunuch. He was preaching the
gospel to them. Now, I realize this generation
doesn't think much of preaching. I mean, that's not the focal
point of many of these churches. They have plays and skits and
music, but that doesn't change the fact. It pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. How shall
they hear without a preacher? God has manifested his word through
preaching. Now, I'd like to look at a passage
of scripture at the beginning of the Lord's public ministry
in Luke chapter 4. We read, this is another scripture
about the scripture, and he came to Nazareth, where he had been
brought up, and as his custom was, he went into the synagogue
on the Sabbath day and stood up to read. He was going to read
the Bible. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet
Isaiah. I've been talking something about Isaiah in Isaiah 53. And
he opened the book and he found the place where it was written,
and this is Isaiah 61, the spirit of the Lord is upon me. Because he hath anointed me to
preach the gospel to the poor, he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight
to the blind. to set at liberty them that are
bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." Now, when
he's referring to that, he's referring to the year of Jubilee,
that year that was supposed to take place every 50 years where,
if you were a slave, you were set free. If you were in debt,
your debt was canceled. What you'd lost was restored. You were given a year's vacation.
All the land was to rest that year. But do you know there's
not one instance where that was ever practiced? It was commanded,
but it was never practiced because I'm sure the people who had money
owed to them made sure somehow it didn't happen. But look what
the Lord says. He says regarding this acceptable
year of the Lord, he closed the book, he gave it to the minister
and sat down and the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue
were fastened on him and he began to say unto them, this day is
this scripture fulfilled in your ears. I am the year of jubilee. You know, I love the way the
Lord would say to the Pharisees and the Sadducees, have you not
read? Have you not read? He said that
many times. Of course they'd read, but obviously they didn't
know the meaning. He said one time, you do err,
not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God. And there are
two things that go imminently together, the scriptures and
the power of God. They're one and the same. The
Lord said to the Pharisees in John 5.39, you search the scriptures. For in them you think you have
eternal life. If I can just figure out how
to obey the commands of this book, I'll have eternal life.
And he says, they are they which testify of me, every single one
of them, and you will not come to me that you might have life.
Galatians 3.22, the scripture hath concluded, all under sin. Now that's the scripture's conclusion. That's God's conclusion. That's
the Scripture's conclusion. All are under sin. That means
sin is absolutely over every man by nature and has complete
dominion. In Romans 4, verse 3, regarding
Abraham, it says, What saith the Scripture? Abraham believed
God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. Now, this
is a quotation of Genesis 15, verse 6. What saith the Scripture?
Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.
What's that mean? Well, in Genesis 15, God said,
see the stars, Abraham? Can you count them? No. So shall
your seed be. And Abraham believed God. He didn't have any evidence but
the Word of God. And he believed God and it was
counted to him for righteousness. And Paul goes on to quote another
scripture to show what that means. He said, to him that worketh
is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him
that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly,
his faith is canon for righteousness. Even as David, quoting Psalm
32, describes the blessedness of the man to whom the Lord imputes
righteousness without their work, saying, blessed are they whose
iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is
the man to whom the Lord will not impute. That's what the Scripture
says. In Romans 10, verse 11, the Scripture
says, Whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed. The
Scripture says that. Now, God says that. Yeah, the
Scripture says it. Whosoever believeth in him shall not be
ashamed. Now, I'm not ashamed of the gospel. Paul said, I'm not ashamed of
the gospel. It's the power of God to salvation to everyone
that believeth. I'm proud of the gospel. It gives
God such glory. I love the gospel, I believe.
I'm proud of it. I'm not ashamed of it. I'm not ashamed to preach
it. I make no apologies for what I preach. I'm preaching the gospel
of God, and I won't be put to shame. On Judgment Day, I'm going
to stand perfect with nothing to be ashamed of. Not because
of my preaching, not because of anything in me, but because
the perfect obedience of Christ is given to me. And there won't
be anything for me to be ashamed of because I'm perfect in Christ
Jesus. I'll have no sin of which to blush over and which to be
ashamed of. I stand perfect before God. Whosoever believeth in Him
should not be ashamed. Galatians 4, verse 30, what sayeth
the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her
son. Talking about Hagar and Ishmael. Now, what does the scripture
have to say about any form of salvation by works? Cast it out. The bondwoman will not be heir
with the son of the free woman. Now, here's one of my favorite
scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15, and this is such an important
scripture. Paul said in verse 3, I delivered
unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ
died for our sins according to the Scriptures." Not just that
Christ died for our sins. If all I say is Christ died for
our sins, I've not said anything. I've not said anything that has
any saving value in it. I've just stated a fact and an
incomplete fact at that. I've just told a half a truth.
And if all I do is tell a half a truth, even if everything I
said is true, but if it's a half a truth, it's a whole lie. If
all I say is Christ died for our sins, if I look at an audience,
a mixed audience of men and women, believers and unbelievers, and
I say Christ died for our sins, I've told a lie. The Scripture
doesn't say Christ died for our sins. It speaks of how that Christ
died for our sins according to the Scriptures. And I couldn't
help but think of the Passover. Here's how He died for our sins
according to the Scriptures. That lamb was slain, the blood
was put over the doorpost, and God says, when I see the blood,
I will pass over you. Not when you see the blood, not
when I see your faith, not when I see your good works. When I
see the blood, I will pass over you. That's how that Christ died
for our sins, according to the scriptures. Paul said to Timothy,
from a child you've known the holy scriptures, which are able
to make thee wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Now, what does the scripture say mean to you? Is it final? Now one final thought. Paul had
been run out of Thessalonica for preaching the gospel from
the Old Testament scriptures. A riot took place and they kicked
him out and he went to Berea and the people in Berea heard
what he had to say. Now listen to this, from Acts
17, speaking of these Bereans, these were more noble. than those
at Thessalonica, in that they receive the word with all readiness
of mind and search the scriptures daily, whether these things be
so. Now what I ask you to do is see
if what I'm saying is not according to the word of God. If it's not,
don't listen to me ever again. But if I'm preaching the word,
listen to what I'm saying. We have this message on DVD and
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