I would like, first of all, to
pay a tribute to some people. First of all, this dear pastor,
my dear friend for so many years. This congregation, this pastor
and this congregation have been a blessing to God's preachers. all over the world. And this
congregation and this pastor has been a blessing to the servants of God,
missionaries around the world and the Lord's people. And Doris
and I, we're about to leave here for a while, going over to Virginia. and may not be back for a little
while, but we want to thank you and thank God for all that you
are, all that you've been, and all that you do in His blessed
name. Turn with me to the book of 1
Thessalonians and let me read a scripture here. This is Paul's tribute to the
people of Thessalonica. He said in 1 Thessalonians chapter
1 verse 2, We give thanks to God always for you all, making
mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing three
things. your work of faith, your work
of faith, your labor of love, your patience of hope in our
Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father, and knowing
brethren your election of God. That's the reason for all of
it. He loved us, chose us, put his grace upon us, and we give
him the praise. But we do thank God for you. Now, I want you to turn with
me to the book of Romans. This is my subject this morning. This is my subject. Promises
fulfilled. Promises fulfilled. Romans chapter
four. Listen to this. Romans the fourth
chapter, beginning with verse twenty. Romans four, twenty. Speaking of Abraham, verse twenty,
Romans four. And he staggered not at the promise
of God. That's my subject this morning,
promises of God. And Abraham didn't stagger at
the promises of God through unbelief, but he was strong in faith, giving
glory to God and being fully persuaded that what God had promised,
God was able to perform. And therefore, it was imputed
to him for righteousness. I'm going to make five statements.
Old Brother Hughes used to say, now don't move a hand or a hair
and listen to me. I'm going to make five statements
regarding the promises of God. Number one, the Word of our Lord
tells us, you and me, people of God, that every sin, every
sin of your past, Your present, your future is totally forgiven. Every sin. Blotted out. To be remembered no more. I'm
talking about every secret sin, every open sin, every mark against
you on the books of God is forgiven and forgotten. That's the promise. The promise of God. Because he
said, listen, this is my covenant. This is my covenant, saith the
Lord. I'll put my law in their hearts
and in their minds I will write my laws and their sins and their
iniquities. I'll remember, I'll remember
no more. They're forgotten. They're forgiven.
because the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses us from all
sin. That's a promise. Secondly, the Word of God tells
us that the eternal God, our holy, righteous, eternal God
of heaven and earth, through Jesus Christ, is totally reconciled
to every one of you. in Christ, reconciled with friends. When God spoke to Abraham, he
said, he's my friend. Isn't that wonderful? There's no wrath. There's no
enmity. There's not even a frown in your
direction on the part of your God, because you've been accepted
in the beloved. You can't get any closer than
that. God Almighty said, Abraham is my friend, and so are you. Therefore, being justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have it. We're not going to have it. We
have it. Romans 8, 1 says, There is therefore
now no judgment No condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus.
There's nothing between my soul and my Savior, so that His blessed
face may be seen. There's nothing preventing the
least of His mercy, because Jesus Christ is mine, and there's nothing
between. That's the promise of God. The Word of our Lord tells us
that we have, not going to have, we have now. Every believer,
everyone who loves Christ, believes Christ, looks to Christ, we have
a new heart. We have a new nature. A nature which does actually
love God. A heart that actually does love
God. and a heart that's inclined to
God and inclined to the people of God. We have a new heart which
loves the Word of God. We have a new heart that loves
the things of God and finds no greater delight than what they
do and what we're doing right now, meeting with the people
of God, worshiping God. I was glad. when they said to
me, let's go now to the Lord. I delight to do thy will, O God. Thy law is within my heart, because
we have a new heart. Turn with me to Ephesians. Just
a moment. Ephesians chapter 4. Listen to
this. Ephesians chapter 4, verse 22. Verse 21, if so be that you have
heard him, and you've been taught by him, by whom? By Christ. We learn of Christ, we're taught
by Christ. As the truth is in Jesus, that you put off concerning
the former conversation, that old man, which is corrupt, according
to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in your spirit, in the
spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man." Where'd
he come from? Which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness. A new heart and a new nature. Now here's the fourth promise. God's Word declares that all
things, all things work together for good to those who love God,
to those who are called according to His purpose. All things, every
success and every failure, every joy and every sorrow, every good
day and every difficult day, is ordained, purposed, ordered
by my Heavenly Father for His glory and for your good. Do you
believe that? You have to if you believe this.
The steps of a good man, a believer, a righteous man, are ordered
by the Lord. His steps are ordered by the
Lord. God upholds him, and though he
falls, he shall not be cast away. The Lord upholdeth him with his
own hand. That's what he says. That's a
promise. All things work together for
good to them who love God, to them who are called according
to his purpose. For whom He did foreknow, that's
what the preacher talked about this morning. He did predestinate
to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be
the firstborn among many brethren. Whom He did predestinate, He
called. Whom He called, He justified.
Whom He justified, guaranteed, He glorified. All things in your life, all
things in the life of those you love, And all things in the life
of your dear children work together for God's glory and your good. That's God's promise. Fifthly, what does it mean to you to know
this, this promise of God? Do it assuredly, confidently. Know it as I know it. 82 years old, I know this, that
growing old and dying would be the best thing in the world that
could happen to me. The very best thing. Growing
old and dying is the best and most wonderful thing that could
happen to me. That's what the prophets wrote.
That's what the apostles preached. That's what Christ preached. Abraham looked for a city, whose
builder and maker is God. He looked for a city. David said,
as for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness, and I'll
be satisfied when? I'll be satisfied when? I'll
be totally, completely satisfied when? I'll know all things when? when I wake with his likeness." By the time I'm looking forward
to it, just looking forward to that day, think of it! Think
of it! Paul said, for me to live, for
me to live is Christ, and for me to die is gain. I wrote Brother
Fortner, because Brother Fortner is a heap younger than I am.
I love him so much, and I wrote him when he was so sick. He's
better now, I'm so thankful. But I wrote him a letter, and
I quoted this verse of Paul. For to me, to live is Christ,
and to die is gain. And I'm in a straight betwixt
the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is
far better. And I said, Brother Don, I long for that for me and
for you, but for you a little later. a little later. It's better for you to remain.
Let me go on. You stay right here and keep
putting our books out. I knew he'd appreciate that because
he loves this truth. He loves this truth. Now these
promises are true. They're precious promises, wonderful
promises, sure, certain promises. Promises of God. But what's the
proof of it? What's the proof of these promises? Well, I want you to turn in your
Bibles to Isaiah chapter 61. Isaiah
chapter 61. Here's the proof of these promises. And you know what I want you
to do? I want you to hold this in your
hand. This Bible right here. And this is when our Lord Jesus
Christ came to Nazareth, and they'd heard about Him, and the
works He'd performed, and wonderful words He'd said, and all the
people were packed in the synagogue to hear Him. And He stood up
to read. And they delivered to Him this
Scripture right here. 2,000 years ago, my Lord stood
before a congregation like this of Jewish people and read from
Isaiah 61, and He gave us the proof of all these promises right
here. And I want you to look at it,
just like He held it in His hands 2,000 years ago. Listen, He said
this, the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me. The Spirit of
the Lord God is upon me because, because the Lord hath anointed
me, number one, to preach glad tidings, good news, good things
to the meek. That's what he's given me to
do. To preach good tidings to the meek. The proof of the promise. Now, who are the meek? Well,
the meek are the poor, the poor in spirit. The meek are those
who are sensible of their guilt, sensible of their iniquities
and their sins. Like Isaiah, he said, woe is
me. I'm a man of unclean lips. I
dwell among a people of unclean lips. Like the Apostle Paul who
said, Jesus Christ is coming to the world to save sinners
of whom I'm the chief. Who are the meek? The Son of
Man has come to seek and to save the lost. The meek are those
who stand before God naked. Before Him with whom we have
to do. We all stand there as sinners
naked in the sight of God. Paul wrote this, neither is there
any creature that is not manifest in God's sight for all things
are naked and open before Him with whom we have to do. The
Lord Jesus said, the Spirit of God is upon me, because He has
anointed me first to preach this good news, the gospel to sinners,
to the meek. Just as I am without one plea,
but that His blood was shed for me. Just as I am poor, wretched,
blind, Yet all I need in Thee to find. Just as I am and waiting
not to rid my soul of one dark blight, to Thee whose blood can
cleanse each spot, Lamb of God, I come. I come. And I tell you this, one will
not be found until he's lost. One will not be clothed until
he's naked. One will not be filled till he's
hungry and empty, and one will not be raised in the likeness
of Christ till he dies. That's the promise. And the fulfillment
of it is in our Lord Jesus Christ who said, I came to preach this
gospel to the meek. All I hear is, look at this verse
again, Isaiah 61. Spare the Lord God is upon me
because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the meek. He hath sent me to bind up the
broken hearted." The broken hearted. Who are the broken hearted? Well,
David said this, the Lord is nigh unto them of a broken heart. And he saves such as be of a
contrite spirit. He said again, the sacrifices
of God are broken hearted. A broken and contrite spirit,
oh God, that will not despise. Well, what is a broken heart?
I know what to do with a broken arm. Fix, use the other one. I know what to do with a broken
leg. Get me some crutches. Well, what's
to be done with a broken heart? Transplant. Got to be replaced. That old stony, wicked heart
has got to be taken out and put a new heart within. The broken heart must be replaced. The broken heart needs a new
heart. Ezekiel said this, listen. Thus
saith the Lord, I will gather you from the people and from
the countries where you've been scattered. And I'll give you
a new heart. And I'll put a new spirit in
you. And I'll take the stony heart
out of your flesh. And I'll give you a heart of
flesh that you may walk in my statutes and be my people. And I'll be your God." That's
the fulfillment of the promise. He sent me to preach good news. to sinners. And he sent me to
replace the broken, sinful, hard, wicked heart and give me a new
one. What's the third one? And he says here in Isaiah 61,
and he sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives. You know, one
day our Lord was preaching to these people And some of them,
he said, some of them believed on him. Some of them believed
words that he said, and so on. When some of them believed him,
he said to them, you know the truth, and the truth will make
you free. Our Lord speaks to these people,
some of them believe. And he said, now you know the
truth, and it'll make you free. He'll set the captive free. And
one of those Pharisees spoke up and said, he said, we be Abraham's
seed. We've never been in bondage to
anybody. How'd our Lord reply to that? Here's what he said. He said,
our Lord replied, he said, whosoever commits sin is a servant of sin. You ever committed a sin? I mean,
just then. Have you ever committed sin?
He said, whosoever committed sin is a servant. He's in bondage. He's a slave of sin. And we're
held captive by Satan. We're held captive by Satan,
by his will. But if the Son shall set you
free, you'll be free again. Free from the law. Free from
the law. Oh, happy condition. Christ has
died and there's remission. Cursed by the law, bruised by
the fowl, he hath redeemed us once for all. He sent me to proclaim
liberty, freedom for all the captives and the opening of prison
for them that are bound, bound by the law and bound by Satan
and held captive by his will. That's a promise. He'll set you
free. What's the next line? This is
a master speaking. Two thousand years ago to those
people. Same thing I'm trying to talk about. And he sent me,
verse two, listen. He sent me to proclaim the acceptable
year of the Lord. Proclaim acceptable year of the
Lord our God. What is acceptable year of the
Lord our God? Now is the day of salvation,
now is accepted time, accepted time. Well, back in the Old Testament,
there was a year of jubilee. Every fifty years, every fifty
years, 50 years, and on the 50th year, on the Day of Atonement, the Atonement was made, and the
year of Jubilee was proclaimed. And what happened? Every slave was set free. This
is all of Israel. Every slave was set free. Free
now. Free. Secondly, all property. And land that had been redeemed,
restored, or stolen, or bought, was given back to the owner.
Isn't that so? Back home again. All debts were
forgiven. Anybody in debt, write it off. That's the year of Jubilee. And
then there was a year of rest and peace. And that was a picture
of what Christ has done for us. Our Lord Jesus Christ said, now
is the accepted time. Today is the salvation in Christ. Every slave is free. Enslaved by sin? No. Enslaved
by the Lord? No. Set free. Free, free. All debts have been paid. All
debts are paid. We owe nothing. We were plunged into deep, deep
debt when Adam sinned, but we're free. Our inheritance is restored. And we enter into his rest. The rest of Christ Jesus. Enter
into his rest. And then what's the fifth one?
He sent me to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day
of vengeance of our God. Vengeance of our God. Now, you
know he didn't say he sent me to explain it. I can't explain
the vengeance of God. I do know this. I do know God
who said vengeance belonging to me. I will recompense saith
the Lord. I will. And our Lord didn't come
to explain to you and me the vengeance of God. He came to
proclaim the vengeance of God. And what is the vengeance of
God? Well, turn to John chapter 3. John chapter 3. You know, our God will punish
sin. Our God must punish sin. Shall not the judge of the earth
do right? Yes, he will. Yes, he will. There's a whole lot said in the
Bible about hell, about everlasting judgment, everlasting condemnation,
and I'm not trying to explain those things. He didn't send
me to explain it. The Lord said he sent me to proclaim
it, and I'm going to proclaim it too. But here it is, watch.
John 3, 36. He that believeth on the Son
hath everlasting life. That's his promise. And he that
believeth not the Son of God shall not see life, but the wrath
of God will abide on him." That's and-or. If you believe Christ,
you have everlasting life. You shall not come into condemnation.
But not to believe Christ is to incur the judgment and wrath
of a holy God. That's it. And he said, I will
recompense, saith the Lord. I'll leave that in the hands
of the Lord, who doeth all things well. But oh, the precious promises. All right, here's the last one.
Our Lord said, Spirit of God's on me, because he's appointed
me to preach the gospel to the poor, sent me to heal up the
brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to those who are captives of
sin, the opening of prison to them that are bound. To proclaim
that glorious, wonderful day of acceptance, jubilee, the year
of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God. And to comfort all
that mourn. To comfort all that mourn. Blessed
are they that mourn. Mourn over sin. more and over
a lot of things. But they're going to be comforted.
Well, how is He going to comfort us? How are these promises fulfilled? You know, when our Lord spoke
in Nazareth, you know, He read them the Scripture, and then
He said, This day, all this is fulfilled in your ears. It's
fulfilled. And here's the fulfillment. Listen.
Verse 3. to comfort all that mourn, to
a part under them that mourn in Zion, in the church, in true
Israel, to give them beauty for ashes." That's a powerful statement.
He's going to give us beauty for ashes. What does this word ashes mean
in the Scriptures? Ashes means the fire's gone out.
If you go to the hearth or to the stove and there's nothing
there but ashes, there's no warmth, there's no life, there's no light,
the fire's out. And that's the shape we're in
by nature. The fire's gone out. And ashes secondly means sorrow
for sin. I repent, he said, in the sackcloth
and ashes. I fall down in ashes and I repent,
I repent. And then ashes thirdly mean the
fire's gone out, we're overtaken with our, overwhelmed with our
sins, repent before God and we must die. How's that going to be given
beauty? I'll turn to 1 Corinthians chapter
15. 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Listen to this. Verse 53. Verse 52. Verse 52. In a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye, at the last trump of the trumpet shall sound, and
the dead in Christ shall be raised incorruptible. We shall be changed. This corruption must put on incorruption. This mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall
put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality,
then shall be brought to pass the saying, Death is swatted
in victory. O death, where is thy sting?
O grave, where is thy victory? He's going to give us beauty.
Beauty for these ashes. And then, what's that? Isaiah
61 again. He's going to give us those who
mourn in Zion. Chapter 61 again. Listen to this. You give us beauty for ashes,
the oil of joy for our mourning. David wrote, I put past the table
before me in the presence of my enemies, and I anoint my head
with oil. My cup runneth over. Surely,
goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and
I'll dwell in the house of the Lord forever. beautiful ashes,
a joyful morning, and the garment of praise for the Spirit of heaviness. Now watch this. Our Lord said
that they might be called, these people, for whom the Lord has
sent me to preach the gospel, to heal their broken heart, to
set them free, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
that they may be called trees of righteousness. The planting
of the Lord. Trees of righteousness. All trees
are planted by somebody. But these people are called the
planting of the Lord. They're the planting of the Lord.
And every tree that my Heavenly Father has not planted should
be rooted up. But these people are called the
trees of the Lord because they're planted by God. And because they're
planted by the rivers of living water, and they bring forth fruit
in their season, and they'll never wither, they'll never die. And whatsoever they do, it's
possible. That's a promise. Our Lord said
so right here. He came to do all those things. Why? The last four words, the
first five words, that He might be glorified. You stand here and preach, and
I stand here and preach, and try to say these things, but
that He might be glorified. Not me, and not you, and not
Mom or Daddy. That He might be glorified. All
is Christly. The promises fulfilled. Fulfilled in Jesus Christ. That's about for prayer. Thanks.