Would you turn with me to Hebrews
chapter six? While you're turning there, we
will observe the Lord's table this evening, and we're also
going to have a get together for the graduating high school
seniors. Everybody come to that. That will be a good time. And
after the service this morning, if someone could help set up
the tables for that back in the fellowship hall, that would be
helpful. Hebrews 6, verse 17, wherein God, willing more abundantly
to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel
confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things in which
it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation
of a flood for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before
us. I have wanted to preach this
message for several years. I've had it on the back burner
and it seems as though this is what I'm going to preach this
morning, though. It's entitled. Impossibilities. Impossibilities. We think and act. And make decisions in terms of
probabilities and improbabilities. We do that every day. For instance, we go to school
because we think there's a good probability it'll help us to
get a job in something that we want to do. If we thought it
was improbable that it would help us, we probably wouldn't
go in that direction. We go to a certain restaurant
because we think it's probable that we'll get a good meal. And
if we felt it was improbable that we would get a good meal,
we would not go to that restaurant, would we? We would like to go
to a different place. We married our spouse because
we thought it was highly probable we would be happy with him. That's
why we did it. If the doctor tells us that we
have a 50% probability of being cured if we don't do anything
about a disease we have. There's a 50% probability of
being cured, but there's a 100% probability of being cured if
we survive an operation in which there's a 90% probability that
we won't make it through it and we'll end up dying, probably
we'll elect not to have that surgery. Probabilities. When we invest money, we think
there's a probability that there will be a profitable return on
that investment. If we thought it was improbable
that we would get a return, that we would lose money, we wouldn't
invest. So you see that many of our decisions
in life, the way we think, is based upon probabilities. And as you know, Probabilities
do not always turn out as we calculated. There are people who have lost
everything on a sure probability, aren't there? The things that we think will
happen do not always happen. The decisions we make in life
sometimes don't turn out with the probabilities they thought
we would have in making those decisions. Now this morning,
I'm not going to talk about probabilities. I'm going to talk about impossibilities. Big difference. We're not dealing
with probabilities or improbabilities on any level. We're going to
talk about impossibilities. No chance taking. No calculated
risks. No speculation. If I can say
this, these things are more certain than mathematic certainties. 2 plus 2 is always 4 under every
condition. It's never 3. It's never 5. We're dealing with impossibilities. It's impossible for 2 plus 2
to ever equal 3. I don't care what kind of math
theory you use to stretch it, it ain't going to happen. Two
and two is always four. Now, I pray that the Lord is
going to use this message to glorify Himself and to give faith to those who
don't have it and to increase the faith of those who do. Wouldn't
that be a blessing? In Hebrews 6, verse 18, we read
where it is impossible for God to lie. Now, did you hear that? It is impossible for God to lie. Paul said in Titus 1, 2, God
who cannot lie. He lacks the ability to lie. Now, the fact that it is impossible
for God to lie tells us that He cannot be anything but that
which He is. Now, let me repeat that. Because it is impossible for
God to lie, He cannot be anything But that which he is, whatever
he is, he always is. He is the same immutable. That's what the fact that he
cannot lie tells us. Whatever he is, he must be, and
he always is, and he never changes. We don't speculate with regard
to his isness. His isness is who he is. He is
who he is, whatever you and I believe, isn't he? Whatever you and I
believe has no bearing on his isness. He said, I am that I
am. I love his name. I am that I
am. And he has revealed his isness
in this book we call the Bible. Now this book is the revelation
of God's isness. This is the divinely inspired
revelation of God. His revelation of himself. And
this book tells us who he is. And let me say this. Listen to
me real carefully when I'm talking about the Bible. The Bible has
a monopoly on the truth. The Bible has a monopoly on the
truth. This is God's revelation. of
himself. The Bible reveals that he cannot
lie. The Bible reveals that he is
infinite. He never had a beginning. He
never began to be, and he'll never end. The Bible reveals
that he is omnipotent. He has all power. His power is
demonstrated in creation when he spake the universe into existence,
when he created something from nothing merely as an act of his
own will. The Bible reveals his wisdom. He's all wise. He's never learned
anything. The Bible reveals his sovereignty. His will must be done and always
is done. He's the first cause behind all
things. The Bible reveals his justice. He will by no means clear the
guilty. Write it down. He will by no
means clear the guilty. He's absolutely just. The Bible
reveals that he's merciful and gracious. The Bible reveals that
he's holy. He is that which he is. He cannot not be any of those
things. He cannot lie because it's impossible
for him to lie. And anything we believe or hear
that contradicts his isness is wrong. It's just not so. It's a lie. Now, when the angel
told Mary that she would have a son, and remember, Mary was
a virgin. She'd never known a man. And the angel says, you're going
to have a son. She said, how can these things
be, seeing I know not a man? And in Luke 137, the angel replied
with God, nothing shall be impossible. Nothing. You see, nothing is beyond his
ability. Romans chapter 4, verse 21 says,
Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief.
but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, being fully persuaded
that what God had promised. He promised Abraham when he was
an old man and his wife had already gone through menopause. He said,
you're going to have a multitude of descendants. How? I'm an old man. She's already
gone through menopause. But Abraham believed that because
with God nothing is impossible. What he had promised, he was
able also to perform. Do you believe that? Do you believe
that God is able to make you as sinful as you are? I don't
care if you're as bad as the devil himself. Do you believe
that God is able to make you perfect in his sight? Do you
believe that? You see, with God, all things
are possible. And he can do this in a way that
is consistent with all of his attributes. Turn back to Mark chapter 10,
that passage we read. Verse 26, And they, speaking of his disciples,
were astonished, out of measure, they were blown away by this,
saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? Now, what
they were referring to was this rich, young ruler that came to
the Lord, and this man was as fine a man as humanity can present. He could say with regard to himself,
I've kept all the commandments from my youth up. Now, that was
his own testimony. Now, if he would have understood
the commandments, he would have known that he didn't keep any
of the commandments, but yet his morality was such, his outward
morality was such, was that he could say, I've never told a
lie. Could you say something like that? I've never cheated. I've never scoffed. I've never
done anything wrong. All the commandments that I kept from
my youth up. Verse 21, and Jesus beholding
him, loved him and said unto him, one thing you like, you
say you've kept all your commandments, but you're lacking something.
Go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and
thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and take up thy cross,
and follow me." You see, this fellow didn't realize that he
was eating up a covetousness. He didn't realize that he was
a greedy, grasping man who didn't love his neighbor, who would
let his neighbor starve before he'd give up his money. And our
Lord is exposing this man. And he was sad at that saying,
and went away grieved, for he had great possessions. And Jesus
looked round about and saith unto his disciples, How hardly
shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God. Somebody's
got a lot of money. And the disciples were astonished
at his word. But Jesus answered again and
saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them to trust
in riches to enter the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God?
It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.
Now, how hard is that? An eye of a needle. and a camel.
How likely is that camel able? What probability is there for
that camel to get through that eye of a needle? It's impossible. It's impossible. 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. And they were astonished, out of measure,
saying among themselves, who then can be saved if this fellow
can't be saved? Who can be? This is the best
humanity has to offer. And he can be saved. And Jesus
looking upon them saying, with men it is. Salvation is impossible. With men it is impossible, but
not with God. For with God all things are possible. Now, salvation, a right standing
before God. Where he looks at you and says,
I'm pleased with you. Where all your sins are put away.
Salvation. Acceptance with God. Having God's
favor. With men. Salvation is impossible. It's utterly out of your hands.
You know the way preachers say, God loves you, Christ died for
you, God wants to save you, God and the Holy Spirit's calling
you, and it's up to you as to whether or not you'll be saved.
If you just accept Him as your personal Savior, then you'll
be saved. Salvation is in your hands. It's up to you. You know
the way preachers say that? That's a lie. That's all it is. It's
a lie. With me, salvation is impossible. If God leaves me and you to ourselves,
if He just withdraws Himself and leaves us alone, you know
what's going to happen? We're going to go to hell. With
me, salvation is impossible. Look in Romans chapter 8 for
just a moment. Hold your finger there, Mark 10. Romans chapter
8. Verse 3. For what the law could
not do, what was impossible for the law in that it was weak through
the flesh. God sending his own Son in the
likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned in the flesh,
that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Now, with
men, it's impossible. But not with God. For with God,
this ought to be the best news you and I have ever heard. With
God, all things are possible. So we see that God has the ability
to save. With God, it's possible for you. If he's pleased to do something
for you, it's out of your hands. If you're left to yourself, you
will not be saved. But with God, all things are
possible. I turn to Hebrews chapter 10. Verse 4, For it is not possible, under
any circumstance, it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of
goats should take away sins. You think of the thousands and
the millions of animals that were slain for centuries. They
could not take away sins. Not only that, but no religious
activity can take away sins. Baptism can't take away sins.
The Lord's Supper cannot take away sins. If I have an altar
call and say, come down this aisle and profess faith in Christ,
that doesn't take away sins. Faith doesn't take away sins. Repentance does not take away
sins. No amount of holy living takes
away sins. No amount of suffering you do
on account of your sin can take away sin. Your death can't take
away sin. Hell itself does not take away
sin. Only the Lord Jesus Christ, by
what He did on Calvary's tree, can take away sin. 1 John 3,
5 says He was manifested to take away our sin. And in Him is no
sin. That means, beloved, that if
I'm in Him right now, I have no sin. Turn to Matthew chapter 26. Now, the blood of bulls and goats,
no religious activity can take away sin. Matthew chapter 26. Now, verse 36. This is when the suffering of
our Lord began. Then cometh Jesus with them unto
a place called Gethsemane, which means the wine press. And that's
where he suffered the winepress of God's wrath. He saith unto
his disciples, Sit ye here while I go and pray yonder. And he
took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to
be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul
is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. And we know from
Luke's account that at this time he was under such pressure that
blood popped out of his pores. He sweat great drops of blood. Why? Because this is the time
when he was being made sin. This is when his suffering began.
Then saith he unto them, verse 38, My soul is exceeding sorrowful,
even unto death. Tear ye here and watch with me.
And he went a little farther, and he fell on his face, prostate
on the ground, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible,
let this cup pass from me. Was it possible? He said, if it be possible. If
there's any way that this cannot happen, oh, let it pass. I don't want to be made sin.
I don't want to be made all. I don't want to bear the full
equivalent of hell. I don't want to suffer wrath. If it be possible, if there's
any way it can happen, let this pass from me. Was it possible? Well, according to Revelation
13, 8, he's called the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. God's purpose cannot be altered. No, it is not possible. Because the great mystery that
he's one with his people, both he that sanctifyeth and they
who are sanctified are all of one. God's people are united
to him. They've always been one with
him. He had to become what they are that they might become who
he is. No, it is not possible. You know, if it was, don't you
think the father would have relieved his son if it was possible? I
mean, he loves his son, but it was not possible. This was God's purpose. Turn to Acts chapter two. Now,
you remember the awful suffering that he endured in Gethsemane
and on the cross. Look at these words in Acts chapter
2 when Peter's preaching on the day of Pentecost in verse 22.
Ye men of Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man
approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs
which God did by him in the midst of you as you yourselves also
know him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge
of God, that the only reason he was nailed to that cross was
because God determined before for it to be done. Everything
that happened to him happened according to God's predeterminate
counsel and foreknowledge. Him being delivered by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken And by wicked
hands are crucified and slain. Even though this was determined,
it doesn't get me and you off the hook. Here's what we have
done. By wicked hands, we've crucified and slain, held responsible
whom God, verse 24, has raised up, having loose the pains of
death because it was not possible. It was not possible that he should
beholden of death. It was impossible for him to
stay dead. Now why? Why? Well, remember
who it was that died. It's Christ that died. And what did he do in his death? He completely satisfied God's
holy law. He answered all the demands of
God's justice for everybody he died for. He completely put away
the sin of everybody he died for. When he said it is finished,
the salvation of everybody he died for was finished. It was
finished. It was accomplished. The reason
he didn't decay is because he gave full satisfaction to God. And you know what he did? God
raised him from the dead because it was not possible for him to
stay dead. The very justice of God, the
very law of God, the very purpose of God demanded that this take
place. It was not possible for him to
stay dead. I turn to Hebrews 11. Verse 6. But without faith, it is what? Impossible to please him. For he that cometh to God must
believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently
seek him. Without faith, it is impossible
to please God. Now just write that down. Now
what does faith mean? Does faith mean believing in
God? No. You certainly believe in God
if you have faith, but you can believe in God and not have a
drop of faith. Satan believes in God, doesn't he? The devils
believe in God and tremble. They know who God is. Just believing
in the existence of God is not faith. Faith is believing God. It's believing what God has said. It's relying upon what God has
said. It's believing on the Lord Jesus
Christ. Now, I'm not calling upon you.
Listen real carefully. I'm not calling upon you to believe
that Jesus Christ died for your sins. I don't know whether he
did or not. I'm not calling upon you to believe
that Jesus Christ died for your sins. But I am calling upon you
to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. I am calling upon, God
command you to. And without this faith, Without
this reliance on him, I'm relying on him to bring me into heaven.
I'm not relying on my works. I'm not relying on my preaching.
I'm not relying on my fighting against sin. I'm not relying
on anything about me. I'm relying on him that when
he said it is finished, my salvation was finished because he said
it, because he did it. I'm relying on him. Without that
grace, I don't care whatever else you do, it is impossible
to please God. Mark chapter 13. May I say that while it's impossible
to please Him without faith, by faith we really do please
Him. Mark chapter 13, verse 22. For
false Christs And false prophets shall rise
and shall show signs and wonders. It's going to be impressive what
they do to seduce. Here's their purpose to seduce. If it were possible. If it were
possible, even the elect. Now, here's my question. Is it
possible? Is it possible for one of God's
elect to be deceived? Now, somebody says, who are the
elect? Well, look what he says in verse
20 of the same chapter. Except the Lord hath shortened
those days, no flesh should be saved, but for the elect's sake,
whom he hath chosen. That's who the elect are. They're
the ones he hath chosen, according as he hath chosen us in him before
the foundation of the world. That's who the elect are, the
ones He chose. Ain't no way any of them can
be deceived, because God has purposed their salvation. And they cannot be deceived.
Here's how it turned to Hebrews chapter 6. This passage of scripture used
to terrify me before I understood what it meant. Hebrews chapter 6. I remember
reading commentaries on this, just sweating, because, well,
you'll see why. Verse 4. For it is impossible. There's the word. Impossible.
It is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have
tasted of the heavenly 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
unto repentance, seeing they crucified in themselves afresh
the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame." Now, I used to
look at that. Does that mean you can come this close? That
you can be enlightened? That you can taste of the heavenly
gift? That you can Be a partaker of
the Holy Ghost, you can come this close and still not be saved. If that's what it means, I won't
be saved. But notice the word impossible. It is impossible
if you've been enlightened, enlightened to what? To see that God is holy
and you're nothing but a sinner. Have you been taught that God
is holy? And you're nothing but a sinner. And you've tasted of the heavenly
gift. And what is the heavenly gift?
Not something you earn, not something you can lose. It's the gift of
His righteousness. You've tasted salvation by His
righteousness. You can't earn it, but He gave
it to you for Christ's sake. And you were made a partaker
of the Holy Ghost by regeneration, new birth. and you've tasted
the good word of God, it's good to you and the powers of the
world to come. It's impossible for that person
to fall away. Why if they did, Christ would
have to be crucified all over again. And you know that ain't
gonna happen. That's why God's elect cannot be deceived. Matthew chapter 17. Verse 20. Verse 19, this is after
the disciples were unable to cast out the demons out of a
young man. Verse 19, then came the disciples
to Jesus apart and said, why don't we cast him out? We tried
to. Didn't work. What happened? And Jesus said
unto them, because of your unbelief. For verily I say unto you, if
you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto
this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove,
and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Now do you hear that? shall be impossible unto you."
Look in Mark's account of this same passage, Mark chapter 9.
Let's read the whole story, beginning in verse 14. And when he came
to his disciples, Mark 9, 14, he saw a great multitude about
them, and the scribes questioning with him. And straightway all
the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed and
running to him, saluted him, and he asked the scribes, Why
question you with him? And one of the multitude answered
and said, Master, I brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb
spirit, and wheresoever he taketh him, he tears him, and he foams
and gnashes with his teeth, and he pines away. And I spake to
thy disciples that they should cast him out, and they couldn't
do it. He answered them and saith, O faithless generation, how long
shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you?
Bring him to me. And they brought him unto him,
and when he saw him, He straightway the Spirit tear him, and he fell
on the ground and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, how
long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said of a child,
and oft times it hath cast him into the fire and into the waters
to destroy him. But if thou canst do anything. Does he know who he's talking
to? This is the Son of God. This is the creator of the universe.
If you can do anything. Wrong question. If you can do
anything. He is omnipotent. If thou canst
do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Jesus said
unto him, he turned to tables, if thou canst believe. All things are possible to him
that believeth. Now do you hear that? Do you believe that Jesus Christ
can make you holy before God? Do you believe that His blood
is all that's needed to wash away your sins? Do you believe
that His righteousness is the only righteousness that God requires,
and the only righteousness that God will accept, and the only
righteousness you want to have. Do you believe that He is able,
without your help, without your works, without your doings, to
make you perfect before God? To make you perfectly conformed
to the image of His Son? Do you believe that? Oh, all
things are possible to him that believeth. And look what this
fellow said in verse 24. And straightway, immediately,
the father of the child cried out and said with tears, Lord,
I believe. Help thou mine unbelief. I believe. You believe what? I believe that he is able to
make me perfectly conformed to the image of Christ so that when
I stand before God in judgment, I will be without guilt. I believe. Help thou mine unbelief. You see, whenever you believe,
you always have something called an old nature. And it never believes,
does it? It never believes. The new nature
believes. I believe. Help thou mine unbelief. Romans chapter 8. Let me give
you some. I hope God gives us some help
with this. Romans chapter 8, verse 31. Paul
said, If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared
not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall
he not with him freely give us all things? And included in those
things he freely gives us is faith. Lord, give me this faith. I don't come to Christ with my
faith. I come to Christ for faith. Lord, give me this faith. This faith of which all things
are possible. And understand this. Faith links
us with omnipotence. Isn't that what he says? All things are possible to him
that believeth. Lord, give me this faith, and
Lord, if I have any faith, increase the faith I've got. If I don't
have it, give it to me. And if I have it, O Lord, increase
my faith. Come, my soul, thy soup prepared. Jesus loves to answer prayer.
He himself has bid thee pray, and therefore will not say thee
nay. thou art coming to a king, large petitions with thee bring,
for his grace and power are such that none can ever ask too much."
Well, let me begin right here. Give me this faith that makes
all things possible to him that believeth. Let's pray.