Todd's Road Grace Church would
like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd
Neidert. 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 Nybert. I want to read a verse
of scripture this morning from John chapter 21, verse 24. We read in John 21, 24, this
is John speaking, and he says, this is the disciple which testifies
of these things. And wrote these things. And we
know that his testimony is true. We know that his testimony is
true. Now there is so much that we
just do not know. We don't know if our economy
is going to get back on track. It might get worse. We don't
know about the wars going on, what's going to happen in the
Middle East. There's so much we just don't know. We don't
know what tomorrow holds. We don't know whether we'll be
healthy or whether we'll be sick. It could be that tomorrow I find
out I have cancer or heart disease or something like that. We just
don't know. When we look at people and the
things that they do, we don't really know why they're doing
what they do. We don't really understand the
circumstances behind it. We're not competent to make an
accurate judgment because we don't know all the facts. We
don't really know each other, we don't know how We've been
raised in all the variables involved in that. We really don't even
know ourselves. We'll surprise ourselves. We'll
do things and think, why did I do that? There's so much we
do not know. And yet John says we know that
his testimony is true. We know. They may not, but we
do. We know. This was the language
of the Lord Jesus when he spake with Nicodemus, saying, Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, we speak what we do know, and testify
what we have seen, and you receive not our witness. This is the
language of faith. We know. Not merely we hope it
will end up being this way, but we know. They may not, but we do. We know. Do you? That's what I've entitled this
message. We know. Do you? John says we know that his testimony
is true. Now, John is speaking of his
own testimony. This is the disciple that testifies
these things. He's speaking about himself.
The things that he bore witness to. He's speaking of himself.
He says this is the disciple that testifies of these things.
Yet, he speaks of himself in the third person. When he says,
we know that his testimony is true. Who's the we? Who's the
we he's speaking of when he says, we know his testimony is true. When John says, we know that
his testimony is true. He is speaking as the representative
of all who believe. All of God's elect. We say we
know that his testimony is true. We know. Do you? You see, the truth needs no proofs. It recommends itself as the truth
of God. There's such power in the truth
that those who believe, when they hear say, we know. This is the truth. This is not
an opinion. This is not speculation. This
is not what we think or what so-and-so thinks. This is what
we know. Now, notice in verse 24, John
says, this is the disciple which testifieth of these things. John says, I'm bearing witness
to what I've seen. This is an objective message.
I'm just telling what I have seen. This is not my opinion.
This is not my subjective experience. This is not my interpretation.
I'm giving testimony to what I have seen. The truth is an
objective message. It's the truth whether you and
I believe it or not. Somebody says, well, God said
it. I believe it. And that settles
it. Oh, no. God said it. That settles it,
whether you and I believe it or not. The truth is an objective
message. But this word testify is also
where we get the word martyr from. You testify of the truth
when you're willing to die for it. It's so precious to you,
it's so valuable to you, the truth of which you're testifying,
that you're willing to die for it. It means to seal with your
own blood your testimony of the truth. Now John says, this is
the disciple which testifies of these things, but next he
says, and he wrote these things. Now, if it's not written down,
If it goes from me to you to somebody else, it's going to
change. And we're not going to get the real message, are we?
That's why we need it written down. That's what the scripture
is all about. It's God's written revelation
of himself. That way, I'm not going to be
changing it. It's what God says in his book. Here's what happens
when something is not written down and men just give their
equation of what happened in verse 21 of this same chapter. Peter, seeing him, talking about
John, saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? And Jesus
saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is
that to thee? You follow me. What business
is it of yours what I do with John? What if I will that he
tarries and never dies until I return again? What business
is that of yours? You follow me. That's your responsibility.
You don't need to worry about what somebody else is doing.
You do what I tell you to do. Then, verse 23, went this saying
abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die.
You see, as it passed from one to another, the message was changed. They said, well, he said that
John's never going to die. No, he didn't say John's never
going to die. He said, if I will, but he tarry till I come, what
business is it of yours? But he didn't say John was never
going to die. But if I will that he tarry till I come, what is
that to thee? So John says, this testimony I'm given, I've written
down. Thank God for that. And then
he says, we know. His testimony, this testimony
that's been written down, this testimony of the scripture, we
know that his testimony is true. We know. Do you? Now, how do we know to speak
with such confidence? How do you know? How can you
say we know? Now, that's a very reasonable
question. How is it that somebody can say
we know? Well, the Lord said in Matthew
chapter 13, verse 11, it's given to you to know the mysteries
of the kingdom of heaven. But to them, it is not given.
If you know, it's because God has revealed the truth to you. It's given to you to know the
mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. If someone says, I don't know,
well, then God did not reveal it to you, because those who
know, He has revealed the truth to them. through the Scriptures,
through the objective word, but he's revealed the truth. Blessed
art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah, flesh and blood didn't reveal this
to thee, but my Father, which is in heaven. In 1 John 2, verse
20, John says, but you have an unction, an anointing from the
Holy One, and you know all things. In Hebrews chapter 8, we read,
And they shall not teach every man his brother, or every man
his neighbor, saying, Know the Lord. For all shall know me from
the least to the greatest, for I will be merciful. I will be
merciful to their unrighteousness. Their sins and iniquities I will
remember no more. And that's why they're going to know me,
because of what I'm doing for them. This is how we know. It's
been given to us. We've been given this unction
from the Holy One. We've been taught by God, and
thus we say, we know. Now, if you say, I can't say
I know, then it hasn't been given to you. Then you do not have
an unction from the Holy One, then God has not been your teacher. Now, rather than argue with this,
the wise thing to do would be to ask God for this gift. Lord, let me know the mysteries
of the kingdom of heaven. Ask for this unction, this anointing
from the Holy One. Ask that God be your teacher.
The Lord said, ask and you shall receive. You have not, because
you ask not. Now, we know. We know. We realize our knowledge is partial.
Paul said, we know in part. And we see through a glass darkly,
but it's real nonetheless. And this knowledge we have is
much more than a scent to some propositions. We love what we
know. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 8,
we know we all have knowledge. Knowledge only puffs up, but
charity builds up. This knowledge we have isn't
simply that knowledge that puffs up where I think I know something
that you don't know and that gives me an edge over you. That's
not true knowledge. There's no wisdom in that. It's
not just correct data, but it's a love of the truth, a love of
what you know. Your salvation is found in this
knowledge of God, the knowledge of Christ who knows you. And
this knowledge we have comes along with a desire to do His
will. Now listen real carefully. In John 7, verse 17, the Lord
said, If any man will do his will, he will know the doctrine,
whether it be of God. Now, if I do not know, the problem
is not my intellect. The problem is my will. It's a sin problem if I do not
know. The Lord said, If you continue
in my word, then are you my disciples indeed, and you shall know the
truth. And the truth shall set you free. And John chapter 10, the Lord
was speaking of his sheep. And let me tell you this about
sheep. They're sheep and they're goats. A sheep never becomes
a goat and a goat never becomes a sheep. You remember Matthew
chapter 25, when all the nations are divided by the Lord as a
shepherd divides the sheep from the goats. They're sheep and
they're goats. And look what our Lord says regarding
His sheep. Verse 4, And when He put forth His own sheep, He
goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His
voice. God's sheep know His voice. In verse 24 of this same chapter,
Then came the Jews round about Him, and said unto Him, How long
dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us
plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, And you believed
not. The works that I do in my Father's
name, they bear witness of me, but you believe not because you
are not of my sheep. As I said unto you, my sheep
hear my voice. I know them. And they follow
me. Sheep know. Now, what are the
things that we know? What is this testimony that we
know is true? I want to give you how the Bible
uses this phrase, I know or we know. And here's the first thing
I want to deal with. Peter said in second Peter one twenty twenty
one knowing this first. that no 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. I know the Bible is the infallible
Word of God. I know that all scripture is
given by inspiration of God. Can I prove that to you? No,
I can't. Nor can I prove to you that God
exists. But I know He is. And I know this book is God's
revelation of Himself. Somebody says, I just can't believe
that. Well, I'm sorry. But I do. And I know this is God's infallible
word. I know the Bible is God's infallible
word. And you can bring up all kinds
of objections. You can bring up all kinds of
supposed contradictions with it. They're really saying they're
not contradictions. You can make all the arguments against it.
All that being said, I know the Bible is God's infallible Word. All Scripture is given by inspiration
of God. The Bible claims infallibility. Now, it's either just a book
like Shakespeare or Milton or some other great classic old
literature, the Odyssey that people like to read, or it's
the inspired Word of God. It's one or the other, and I
know it's God's Word. And if God teaches you, you're
going to begin right here. The Bible is the Word of God. Now, if you take this from me,
all we're left with is my opinion or your opinion. And who wants
to be left with that? But thank God He has given a
revelation of Himself, and we know that. In Romans chapter
8, verse 28, Paul the Apostle said, And we know that all things
work together for good to them that love God, to them who are
thee called according to his purpose. We know that. They may not, but we do. We know that all things, the
bad things, the good things, the successes, the failures,
the tragedies, all things, no matter what they are, All things.
God's in control of everything. The devil's God's devil on God's
chain. He's God's servant. He may not
want to be, but he's doing God's will, accomplishing God's purposes.
Everything that happens, God's in control of. All things work
together, not separately, but together for good. For the eternal
good of them who love God, to them who are the called according
to his purpose. You see, God's got a purpose.
And I know that because I know God. God's got a purpose, God's
got a will, and His will is going to be done. How do you know this? Because the Bible says it. We
have to begin with the Bible being the Word of God, and the
Bible says, and we know, that all things work together for
good to them that love God, to them who are called according
to His purpose. He has a purpose, and that purpose
must be done, because He willed it. He's God. Anything less than
this is unworthy of God. God is sovereign. He's in control. We know that. Paul said in Romans
chapter 7 verse 14, we know that the law is spiritual, but I am
carnal, sold under sin. Now he's talking about God's
holy law, the Ten Commandments, the thou shalt and the thou shalt
not. It's spiritual. It's holy. It's the law of God. We know
the law is spiritual, perfect, reflecting God's perfect character. We know the law is spiritual.
And we know, Paul says, that I am carnal, fleshly, sold under
sin, an absolute slave to sin, where I cannot keep God's holy
law. I'm not making an excuse. I'm
simply stating the fact. I haven't kept one commandment
one time. Not spiritually, I haven't. I
might have told the truth, but underneath it, I had a bad motive
in order to promote me or to hurt somebody else. I might not
have ever committed adultery physically, but I've done it
in my heart. Go on and on about all these commandments. I might
have never murdered anyone physically, but I've been jealous and envious
of them and murdered their character. Every one of God's commandments
is beyond me. We know that the law is spiritual,
but I'm carnal. soul under sin. Paul said in
that same chapter, I know that in me, that is in my flesh, dwelleth
no good thing. I know that about myself. I know
I'm nothing but sin. In and of myself, that's all
I am. Now somebody says, well, I can't
honestly say that about myself. I think there's some good in
me. True, I do bad things and I commit sins and I make mistakes,
but I can't see where you'd say that all I am is sin. Well, if
you say that, It's because you've never seen the Lord. Isaiah said, in Isaiah chapter
6 verse 1, I saw the Lord high and lifted up and His train filled
the temple. And when he saw the Lord, you
know what he said about himself? He said, woe is me. I am undone. I'm a man of unclean
lips. And I dwell in the midst of a
people of unclean lips. I'm a man of unclean lips. Everything
that comes out of my lips is unclean because it comes out
of an unclean heart. If you see the Lord, you'll see yourself. Daniel said, When I saw him,
my comeliness turned to corruption. Job said, I've heard of thee
with the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee,
wherefore I hate myself and repent in dust and ashes. When I see
him, I know that I'm nothing but sin. Now, Paul said to the
Corinthians in 2 Corinthians chapter 8, verse 9, you know
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. You know the grace. You know
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet
for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty
might be rich. You know the unmerited favor
the completely unmerited favor of our Lord Jesus Christ. And
here's what grace does. It makes us rich before God.
You know, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he
was rich, he was rich in righteousness, rich in praise, rich in love.
Yet for your sakes, he became poor. This is talking about what
happened to him on the cross. The sins of God's people became
his and he became poor, poor before God. suffering the wrath
of God and through his poverty, everybody he died for is made
rich, rich in righteousness, rich in acceptance, rich in grace. It's because of his grace that
we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. We know that salvation is by
grace. Peter said, you know, you weren't
redeemed with corruptible things such as silver and gold received
from your vain conversation by tradition from your fathers,
but with the precious blood of Christ. You know that, you know
you weren't redeemed by something you did, but by what he did,
because you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. That's
not up for argument, you know. Then Paul said in 2 Timothy 1.12,
I know whom I have believed. I know whom I have believed and I'm persuaded
that he's able to keep that which I've committed to him against
that day. Now, what I believe is 100 percent determined by
whom I believe. Now, if you believe or if I believe
in a Christ who is not absolutely sovereign, who's not absolutely
Lord, it's possible for me to believe in free will. But if
I believe in a Christ who's absolutely sovereign, I can't possibly believe
in free will. I believe he's so sovereign over
all things and that he controls everything. If I really believe
that Jesus Christ is almighty, perfect before God, that his
will must be done, it would be impossible for me to believe
that he could die for somebody and intend on them being saved
and they end up being damned. No, everybody he intends to save,
he saves. Everybody he died for, they must
be saved. It would be impossible to believe
on Christ as the scripture presents him and yet believe that he could
fail in his intentions. Here's the point. What I believe
is determined by who I believe. You don't come to Christ through
doctrine. You come to your doctrine through
Christ. When you find out who he is, the doctrine becomes obvious. In Romans 4.14, Paul said, I
know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that there's nothing
unclean of itself. Sin is not in things. Sin comes
from the heart. Sin isn't in outward things like
alcohol or tobacco. That's not worth it. Sin is in
the heart. Nothing is unclean of itself. I know that. And I'm
persuaded of it. What men think of sin, they look
in the wrong place. They look out here somewhere,
and they fail to look in here. Ephesians chapter 5, verses 5
and 6, Paul said, This you know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean
person, nor covetous man hath any inheritance. In the kingdom
of Christ, or of God, let no man deceive you with vain words.
For because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children
of disobedience. You know that if that's the character
of your life, God hasn't done anything for you. Or if that's
the character of a man's life, God hasn't done anything for
him. You know that. Don't let yourself be deceived
with vain words. We know. I want to close with this thought. The Lord said to that woman at
the well who was so confused, he said to her, if you knew the
gift of God and who it is that asketh thee to drink, you would
have asked. and He would have given thee
living water." If you knew the gift of God, how every aspect
of salvation is the free gift of God, the free gift with no
strings attached, the only truly free gift that you don't have
to pay for. It's free. If you knew the gift
of God, and if you knew who it was that was talking to you,
if you knew the giver of this gift, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Oh, he is the unspeakable gift himself, and he's the giver,
and every aspect of salvation is his gift. We read of the gift
of the Holy Spirit and the gift of righteousness and the gift
of justification and the gift of eternal life and the gift
of faith and the gift of grace. Every aspect of salvation is
his gift. Now, if you knew the gift of
God, And who it was that was speaking to you? The great giver. Here's what you would have done.
You would ask, and He would give. If you knew the gift of God,
how that all of salvation truly is a free gift, and if you knew
the character of the giver, the Lord Jesus Christ, here's what
you'd do. You'd ask of Him, and He would
give. Everyone who asks receives. Somebody says, well, I've asked
him for things he hasn't given to me. You've not asked him.
You've tried to bargain with him. Everybody who asks receives. Oh, beloved, we know. Do you? Now, if you knew the
gift of God and who he is, you'd ask and he'd give. We know that is so. Now we have this message on DVD,
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