that I did choose. Todd's Road Grace Church would
like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd
Niver. We are located at 4137 Todd's
Road, two miles outside of Manowar Boulevard. Sunday services are
at 10.30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Bible study is at
9.45 a.m. Wednesday services are at 7 p.m. Nursery is provided for all services.
For more information, visit our website at toddsroadgracechurch.com.
Now here's our pastor, Todd Knight. In Romans chapter 1, verse 1, we
read, Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle,
separated unto the gospel of God. Not the gospel of men, but
the gospel of God, the gospel of God. Now, the first thing
I'd like to point out is the little word, the, the definite
article, the, the gospel of God. Men don't have a problem with
a gospel. Here's what the gospel is to
me, here's what the gospel is to you, this is how it affects
me, this is how it affects you, this is your definition of the
gospel, and this is her definition of the gospel, and this is my,
you know, all these different gospels. Men don't have a problem
with a gospel. Men don't even have a problem
with a higher view or a more accurate view of the gospel.
By that I mean, well, somebody has a kind of a low view of the
gospel. He mixes some works in there, and somebody has a higher
and more perfect view. He sees grace alone, and he's
got a more perfect and mature view of the gospel. But that
fellow who doesn't believe that way, he's still saved. He just
doesn't have as high a view of the gospel. Men don't have any
trouble with that. What men have trouble with is
the gospel that excludes all other gospels. Christ said, I
am the way, not a way, the way. I am the truth. I am the life. No man comes to the Father but
by me. Now when he says that, he excludes
all other ways and that's what the gospel does. The gospel of
God. Now in Galatians chapter 1, let
me read a passage of scripture from Paul. He said to the Galatians,
I marvel that you're so soon removed from Him that called
you unto the grace of Christ, unto another gospel." Which is
not another, but there be some that trouble you and would pervert
or change the gospel of Christ. But though we or an angel from
heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have
preached unto you, let him be accursed. Let him be damned. Let him be anathematized. As
we said before, so say now again, if any man preach any other gospel
unto you than that which you've received, let him be accursed. Let him be damned. Now that's
strong language and he's speaking under the power of the Holy Spirit.
He says, for do I now persuade men or God, or do I seek to please
men? In my preaching, am I seeking to please men or please God? If I'm seeking to please men,
I'm not the servant of Christ. If I'm seeking to, I was reading
in the paper where people were, churches were reinventing themselves
so they can become more, they were dying on the vine, so they
had to reinvent themselves and change their names and so on
in order to get people to start coming again. This is not about
trying to get people to come. This is about telling the truth
of God. Paul said, Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach
the gospel. not with wisdom of words, lest
the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. If I please
men, if that's what my aim is, I'm not the servant of God."
Paul said, but I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which
was preached of me was not after man, it was not derived from
any human source. For I neither received it of
man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus
Christ." Now, what is the gospel of God? That's the question I
want to deal with. A more important question could
not be considered. You know, the issue really always
is, what is the gospel? What is the gospel of God? Now the gospel of God has a definite
content that if it's not preached, The gospel is not preached. And
if the gospel is not preached, sinners will not be saved, because
there is no salvation apart from the preaching of the gospel. Paul said in Romans 1.16, I'm
not ashamed of the gospel, for it, the gospel, is the power
of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth. to the Jew first
and also to the Greek. Now, what is the content of the
gospel of God? Well, in this passage of scripture
I just read, we have six or seven points that tell us exactly what
the gospel of God is. He said, Paul, a servant of Jesus
Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of
God which he had promised afore. Now, the gospel of God is the
gospel that He promised afore. It's the gospel eternal. It's called the everlasting gospel. You know, Christ is called the
Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, and the gospel
comes as a result of God's promise afore. It was all given. It was all done in eternity. Now, you and I can't understand
that, but we can believe it. I don't understand thinking outside
of time, and nor does anyone else. But God dwells outside
of time. He dwells in eternity. And scripture says in 2 Timothy
1.9, He saved us, and He called us, not according to our works. but according to his own purpose
and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world
began." Everything the believer has was given him in Christ Jesus
before the world began. Now, if the gospel that I preach
is not the gospel that was promised before, it's not the gospel of
God. It's some other gospel that will
not save. Now, go on reading. separated
unto the gospel of God which he had promised afore by his
prophets in the holy scriptures." The gospel of God is the gospel
of the scriptures. You see, the gospel is a revelation.
The scriptures are a revelation. The gospel is the revealed revelation
of God, and He's revealed His revelation in the holy scriptures.
You listen to what I say and see if it's according to the
scriptures. That's all that matters. To the law and to the prophets,
if they speak not according to this word, it's because there's
no light in them. 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. All scripture, Paul said in 2
Timothy 3.16, is given by inspiration of God. Now when Paul made this
statement, he was referring to the Old Testament scriptures.
The full New Testament had not yet been written. There were
many books that had not yet been written. He was referring to
the Old Testament Scriptures, so does my gospel line up with
the Old Testament Scriptures? I know people just do away with
the Old Testament. It's not relevant anymore. You
know, we've got the New Testament now. God was different in the
Old Testament. They believed in works and the Ten Commandments
and so on, and all that's been done away with, and now God's
different in the New Testament. He's a real loving God and so
on, as opposed to that mean, wrathful God that's pointed out
in the Old Testament. Now, that is foolishness. However
God is in the Old Testament is how He is in the New Testament.
God is God, and He reveals Himself in the Holy Scriptures. Now,
does my gospel line up with the Old Testament Scriptures? Now,
the message that I hear preached in this day, and I know I'm being
accurate, is that God loves all men the same, Christ died for
all men the same, God the Holy Spirit calls all men the same,
God wants everybody to be saved, and He offers salvation to everybody,
He offers forgiveness to everybody, but as they're not Whether or
not you're saved, it's dependent upon whether you accept his offer
or whether you decide to reject his offer. Salvation is ultimately
in your hands. It's up to you as to whether
or not you'll be saved. Now, does that view line up with
the Old Testament scriptures? Because in that view, there are
people that Christ died for that end up in hell anyway. He paid
for their sins, but they end up in hell anyway, not being
saved. Does that view line up with the Old Testament scriptures?
I think of the Passover. the Passover. You know the story.
It's where God passed through the land of Egypt and He had
Israel go into a house and the blood of the Paschal Lamb was
put over the lintel of the door and God said, when I see the
blood, I will pass over you. And in the previous chapter when
He was announcing the Passover. He said in Exodus chapter 11
verse 7, "...but against any of the children of Israel shall
not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast, that you may know
how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel."
And that's what Paul was referring to when he said in 1 Corinthians
4.7, "...for who maketh thee to differ from another, and what
do you have that you didn't receive?" Now, in the Passover, If you
were in a house with the blood over the door, were you safe? Was there anybody, I don't care
how bad they were, was there anyone in a house with the blood
over the door that God said, well, I'm gonna go ahead and
get them anyway. They're just so bad, I can't let them get by. No,
everybody in the house with the blood over the door was secure. There's one thing God was looking
for. He said, when I see the blood, not when you see the blood,
He said, when I see the blood. He didn't say when I see your
faith or your decision or your efforts or your sincerity. He
said, when I see the blood, I will pass over you. Now, does your
gospel line up with the Old Testament scriptures? Paul said in Romans,
in first Corinthians 15, verses one and three, he said, moreover
brethren, I declare unto you the gospel. And then in verse three, he said,
how that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures. Now if I say Christ died for
our sins, I'm not preaching the gospel. But if I say how that
Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, according
to the Old Testament scriptures, then I'm preaching the gospel. Now if my gospel doesn't line
up with the Old Testament scriptures, it's not the gospel of God. Now let's go on reading. He said,
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated
unto the gospel of God, which he'd promised before by his prophets
in the Holy Scriptures concerning his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. The gospel of God is the gospel
concerning his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Now, I realize that
this will come as a shock to many. But this is not about you. This is about the Lord Jesus
Christ and His glory. Now, the gospel of men begins
with man and his needs and God's ability to fulfill those needs. Once again, if you begin with
man, you begin wrong. This is not the gospel of men.
This is the gospel of God. And this is about the Lord Jesus
Christ. He is the eternal Son of God. He is the eternal, uncreated
Son of God. He's Jesus the Savior, God's
Christ. God's anointed prophet. He's
the Word of God. God's anointed priest. He's the
priest of God's providing. God's anointed king. He's the
king of kings, and He's the Lord of lords. He's the sovereign
of the universe. This is about Him and His glory. I love where the Lord gives the
parable of the marriage feast. He says, The kingdom of heaven
is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage feast for
his son. This is all about His glory. Now, one of the scriptural names
of the gospel is the gospel of the glory of Christ. The gospel of the glory of Christ. God has an agenda. The glory
and the exaltation of His Son. He saves sinners to glorify His
Son. This is all about His glory.
And where you and I fit in here is seen in what we believe about
the glory of His Son. Now, does He get all the glory
in my salvation." Now, if I asked anyone who professes to be a
Christian, does Christ get all the glory? They'd say, well,
of course He does. Well, if you believe in free will, if you
believe that God loves everybody, Christ died for everybody, wants
to save everybody, but your salvation is dependent upon an act of your
free will, you don't give Him all the glory in salvation. You
make yourself the final say. You're putting man's will over
God's will. That's not giving Him the glory.
No, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, the psalmist
said, for thy mercy and for thy truth's sake. The gospel of God
is the gospel concerning His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now let's go on reading. Who
was made, the Lord Jesus Christ, Christ our Lord, was made of
the seed of David according to the flesh. God was manifest in
the flesh. He was made of the seed of David,
according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power. He wasn't made the Son of God.
He was declared to be the Son of God. Now, the Gospel of God
is the Gospel of the God-Man. First, He was made of the seed
of David, according to the flesh. He came through the line of David. He was a descendant of David.
He couldn't be the Christ if He was not the Son of David.
He was made of the seed of David according to the flesh. The gospel
of God is the gospel of the God-man. There is one mediator between
God and men, the man, Christ Jesus. Christ was made of the
seed of David according to the flesh. It was not God overtaking
a human body. God was manifested in the flesh.
The Word was made flesh, John says, and dwelt among us, and
we beheld his glory as of the only begotten of the Father.
full of grace and truth. He's the sole representative
of all that God is. He's the God-man. A man kept
the law. A man suffered and died on a
cross. A man was buried. And a man walked
out of that tomb, being raised from the dead. And a man ascended
back to glory. And even right now as I speak,
there's a man sitting on a throne, ruling and reigning, representing
all of his people as their great high priest. And a man is returning,
the Lord Jesus Christ. He was declared He was made the
Son of God, declared to be the Son of... He was made of the
seed of David according to the flesh. He was a man and He was
declared to be the Eternal Son. In the beginning was the Word
and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The same was
in the beginning with God. unto us this child is born that
isaiah said in isaiah 9 6 he was made flesh but unto us this
son is given now the gospel of god is the gospel of the god
man truly man holy god Unto us a child is born, but it doesn't
say unto us a son is born. It says unto us a son is given. He's the eternal son of God,
and there are three things that he mentions that testify to him
being God and man. Now notice what it says. He was
made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to
be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness
by the resurrection of the dead. Now, He was declared to be the
Son of God with power. Now, do you know how we know
that Jesus Christ is God-man? Because of His power. When He
walked upon this earth, He did things that only God can do. He raised the dead. Only God
can raise the dead. He controlled the weather. Only
God can control the weather. He brought matter into existence
in the uniform as a creative act of His power that was not
there before. Only God can do that. Oh, the power of the Lord Jesus
Christ. He possesses omnipotence. He
said, all power is given unto me. And oh, the power of our
Lord. He possessed creative power,
making something from nothing. He also has power over everything
in Providence. He controls everything that takes
place. The scripture says, by Him all
things consist. You know, when He walked upon
this earth, I love just thinking about His power over the fish.
They had been fishing all night, and the Lord said, no fish are
to get in that net, and they took nothing. And then when he
told them to launch out into the deep and cast their net again,
the fish began to sink because it was so filled with shit. The
ship was filled with the fish. He said, fish, get in the net,
and they got in the net. That's why. He controls everything
that takes place. He told Peter, go cast your hook
in the sea, and the first fish you catch, bring it in and take
the coin out of its mouth, and that'll pay our taxes. He had
that fish swallow that coin. He had that fish. bought that
hook, and brought up, and he did it all. And these are just
small things, but they're great things. They're glorious things.
It just shows us how he controls everything that takes place.
He's the Lord. And most especially, his power
is seen in salvation. John chapter 17 verse 2, Thou
hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal
life to as many as Thou hast given him. You see, your eternal
destiny and my eternal destiny is utterly in his power. Whether
or not you and I will be saved is up to him. It's not up to
you. It's not up to me. It's up to him. And it's only
when you see that that you cry for mercy. When you see that
you can't do anything to save yourself, that it's all together
out of your hands, that's when you cry for mercy. And understand
this, there's never been anybody who ever truly cried for mercy
that God turned away. All who seek mercy find mercy. Somebody says, well, I sought
mercy. I didn't find it. You weren't seeking mercy. You were
trying to get God to pay you something and get him to respond
to something you've done. He won't hear you that way. But
oh, if you truly cry for mercy, you'll find out that he hears.
His power declares Him to be the Son of God. The Spirit of
holiness declares Him to be the Son of God. He's the only holy
man to ever live. He's the only man to ever keep
God's law. He never sinned. He didn't have
a measure of the Spirit. He had the fullness of the Spirit.
And by the Spirit of holiness, He lived a perfectly holy life. Only God-man can do that. He
could say, which of you could convince me of sin? He said,
I do always those things that please the Father. He lived a
perfectly holy life. He never sinned, and that proves
He's God-man. His power, His holiness, and
the third thing that is mentioned is the resurrection from the
dead. He lived, He lived a perfect life, He died as a sin-bearing
substitute, and He was raised from the dead. This one who never
sinned, and remember, there's only one reason for death, sin,
this one who never sinned died, and he was raised from the dead,
and all of God's elect were raised in him, and they were all saved
by his resurrection. You see, the God-man died, but
his death was unlike no one else's death. He satisfied God by his
death. God's justice said, I can ask
no more. I can require no less, and I
can ask no more. God must punish sin. Christ was
punished for sin, and he satisfied the demands of God's justice.
The debt was paid, paid in full. We sing, Jesus paid it all, all
the debt I owe. I know a lot of people sing that,
and some people mean by it, Jesus paid the half, the other half
I owe, but no, He paid the whole debt. And the resurrection of
the dead means the debt was paid in full. And the fact that He
was raised from the dead is the proof that He is the God-man. He put away sin by the sacrifice
of Himself, and He was raised from the dead. if thou shalt
confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart
that God hath raised him from the dead." It's not just believing
in the fact of the resurrection, it's believing in the achievements
and the results of the resurrection. Jesus Christ, the God-man, died
as a sin-bearing substitute. He satisfied all the demands
of God's holy law. The debt to the law was paid,
and he's raised from the dead, God accepting him, Who He is
and everybody in Him, everybody He died for. This shows that
He is the God-man. And then next Paul says in verse
5, by whom? by the God-man, who had all power,
who had this holy life, who was raised from the dead, the God-man,
made of the seed of David according to the flesh, truly a man, declared
to be the Son of God with power, truly God, the God-man, by whom
we have received grace. The gospel of God is the gospel
of grace. Paul spoke of the ministry which
I've received of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the
grace of God. I love the word grace. God's
grace, the gospel of God is the gospel of grace. It's saving
grace. Grace, my dear friends, is not
something God offers you and you accept it or reject it. Grace
saves. By grace are you saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves, it's the gift of God, not of
works, lest any man should boast. But God, Paul said, who is rich
in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace
are you saved. You see, the grace of Christ
is saving grace. Anything less is not grace at
all. Now salvation is either all of
grace or it's all of works, but it can't be both. It can't be
both. One excludes the other. Paul
said in Romans 11, 6, if it's by grace, it's no more works,
but if it's of works, it's no more of grace. The grace of Christ,
by whom we've received grace and apostleship. Now this apostleship
simply means sent, sent with a message from God. We have a
message from God. by whom we've received grace
and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations
for his name." I love grace for obedience. Now, I have to obey
the gospel. I have to believe the gospel.
And he gives grace to obey the gospel. He gives grace to deny
self, to take up our cross and to follow him. He gives grace
to do that. grace for obedience to the faith.
I must be obedient to the faith and the only way I will be is
if he gives me grace for obedience to the faith among all nations. This is a gospel. The gospel
of God is the gospel for everybody. Now, it doesn't save everybody,
but it's for anybody, all nations, all nations, Jew, Greek, black,
white, rich, poor, One gospel for all, the gospel of God, the
gospel of His grace that saves. And then he says, among whom
also ye also are the called of Jesus Christ. The gospel of God
is the gospel that calls. Now, the call of God, the call
he's speaking of here, you're the call of Jesus Christ, is
a call that is never rejected. It's always received because
it comes with effectual, irresistible grace, the grace of God that
calls. I love that scripture. And we
know that all things work together for good to them that love God,
to them who are the called according to His purpose. You see, God's
got a purpose to call His elect. Romans 9, 11 says, For the children
being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the
purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but
of him that calleth. The call of God And then he says
to all that be in Rome, Beloved of God. This speaks of the special
distinguishing love of God, His love for every believer, His
love that's in Christ Jesus that causes Him to love all those
in His Son. Now, God's love You can't say
he loves everybody. He said, Esau hath I hated, and
I don't have any trouble with that. I understand why I could
hate Esau, because I understand why he could hate me, because
of my sinfulness. But thank God he does love. He's rich in mercy,
and he's got a special people. Every believer, everybody who
cries for mercy, is the object of his love to all that be in
Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints. His gospel makes
his people saints. Now people say, I'm no saint.
I am Saint Todd. by the grace of God. To request
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