In verse 9 of Romans chapter
3, Paul said, What then are we better than they, no, in no wise? For we have before proved, both
Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin. Now we've
made that proof. Now in Romans chapter 1, Paul
dealt with the sin of the Gentiles. He began this in verse 18, and
he proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that every Gentile was
under the dominion, under the domination of sin. Now, while the Jews listen to
this, they clap their hands. We're in agreement. We applaud
what you're saying. We believe the Gentiles are all
under sin, too. So in Romans chapter 2, he points
out how the Jews are all under sin, and if anything, they're
in worse shape than the Gentiles because of the revelations they've
had and the things that they condemned in the Gentiles they
themselves were guilty of. So he points out the sinfulness
of the Jews in Romans chapter 2. And then in chapter three,
he asked this question, and as we're going to be looking at
these first eight verses of Romans chapter three, remember, he's
speaking as a man. Paul is anticipating some objections
that he'll know we'll have. I've had these objections. You've
had these objections if you thought about it. He says, I'm speaking
as a man, as a natural man, and Paul is going to answer some
objections to the truth. to the gospel that he anticipates
we're going to come up with. So I trust this will be a blessing
to us. But look what he says in verse
1. Now, he has demonstrated already
that all Gentiles are under sin, and he has demonstrated in chapter
2 that all Jews are under sin also, and that it won't recommend
you in any way to God to be a Jew. There's no advantage in being
a Jew. All the Jews are under sin too. So he asks this question in verse
1 of chapter 3. He says, well, what advantage
then hath the Jew? Or what profit is there of circumcision? If being a Jew cannot save us,
what is the advantage of being a Jew? Why are there Jews? What
is the point in being circumcised if it can't do anything for us? Now, I understand him asking
that question. I mean, what's the Old Testament all about?
What's the point in the Scriptures? What's the point in being a Jew
or a Hebrew? I mean, if it can't save you,
what's the point? Well, he answers his question
in verse 2, much every way, chiefly because that unto them were committed
the oracles of God. Now, here's the advantage. The
Jew has the word of God. In the Old Testament, the Gentiles
had no word from God. There was no Bible in Sodom.
The Amorites had no revelation from God. God left them to themselves,
and he was just in doing so, but they had no revelation from
God. The Jews had a revelation from God, the Word of God, and
what an advantage there was to them to be given this Word from
God. And, beloved, right now you and
I have the Word of God, not man's Word. This book does not contain
the Word of God. This book is the Word of God. This book does not contain the
truth. This book is the truth. Oh, what a blessing to be given
the oracles of God, to be given the Word of God where God makes
Himself known in a book. He makes Himself known who He
really is. The Bible is the Word of God. Now, let me say something to
you children raised up in this church. Now remember, he's asking
the question. I want all you young people to
listen. I want you old people to listen too, but I want you
young people to listen to this very carefully. You know, he's asking
this question, what's the advantage in being a Jew if being a Jew
won't save you? You may ask the same question,
what's the advantage in being a church where the gospel is
preached if just being in church won't save you? What's the advantage
to this? Well, much in every way, having
the Word of God. Now let me say this to you, you
young people who are raised in this church. What a privilege
it is to hear the truth. What a blessed privilege it is
to hear the word of God. You're being given privileges
that many people have never had. You've been given privileges
beyond description to be able to hear the word of God. Now,
let me say this to you. If you end up not believing,
Your condemnation will be worse than that person who's never
heard the truth. To whom much is given, much is
required. And I want you to understand
this. Every young people in here, if you end up not believing the
gospel, your condemnation will be greater than someone who hadn't
been given the privilege of what you've been given. Now, the Scripture
teaches that to whom much is given, much is required. You
know, it's a dangerous thing to hear the Word of God. It's
a privilege, isn't it? What a privilege that the Lord
would allow us to hear from Him in His Word. Oh, there's no privilege
greater than this. But it's so dangerous to hear
the Word of God and reject it. To not believe, because listen
to me, if you don't believe, you're rejecting God's word because
God's commanding you is to believe. And if you don't, wrath will
come to you to the uttermost. Now, this is a, what we're doing
right now is dangerous, and I'm saying this to the old people
too, young people, everybody, anybody in here who doesn't believe,
you are in big trouble. You've been given the truth,
you've been given God's word, and to reject the truth is to
reject God. Himself now what advantages there
and being a Jew much in every way Chiefly because under them
were committed the oracles that means the words The Word of God
they had a revelation that other folks didn't have what a blessing
that is verse 3 that's going reading For what if some now
remember God gave the Jews the Bible and God gave the Jews the
law, the Old Testament scriptures that typified and pictured the
Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, they were given the gospel
message. He gave them the great day of atonement. He gave them
the Passover. He gave them Abel's Lamb. He gave them so many types and
pictures of the gospel, salvation through Christ. Oh, they had
these great advantages. God gave them his word. Now,
verse 3, he says, For what if some did not believe? These Jews
that he gave his word to the entire nation of Israel. What
if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the
faith of God without effect? Now, here's the next objection
Paul is giving. Remember, he's speaking as a
man. He says, you say God has given the Jews special privileges.
He gave them his word. He gave them his law. But they
don't believe. That must mean God is a failure. And that's what he's saying.
He gave him his word. He gave the Jews the scriptures.
He gave all these tithes and pictures of the Gospels, but
they don't believe that if God wanted them to believe and gave
his word and they didn't end up believing, that must mean
God is a failure. If he intended to do this, their
unbelief makes his faithfulness null and void. It does not do
any good. Now, before we answer that or
look at Paul's answer to it, this really illustrates what
is believed and preached by most people in our day. Now you think
about this. Now here's the message that comes
from the average pulpit in Lexington, Kentucky in the United States
of America. God wants to save everybody.
Christ died for everybody's sins. God wants to save you. That's
his will is for you to believe the gospel, but Even though God
loves you and wants to save you and Christ died for you and wants
to save you, He's done all these things for you, but you won't
be saved unless you do something to make what He did work. You
need to come up with the goods. You need to come up with faith.
You need to exercise your free will, as it were. You need to
decide to let God save you or you won't be saved. Now, if you
don't decide to let God save you, if you don't do something,
In order to make what Christ did work for you, that means
what God did for you is null and void. It doesn't count. Isn't
that a fair representation of what is preached in our day?
God loves everybody. Christ died for everybody. He
wants to save everybody, but He can't save you unless you
do something that allows Him to save you. Now, I've got a
question for you. If that's so, if God does love everybody and
Christ died for everybody and wants to save everybody, But
it's up to man in order to make what God wants to do work if
that's true. What is salvation dependent upon? Is it dependent upon you or God? It would mean it's dependent
upon you, doesn't it? Now, listen to me real carefully.
That is salvation by works in which life. If you believe that,
if I believe that, we don't believe the gospel. If I preach that,
I do not preach the gospel. Is that clear? It's so. I mean,
that's just, that's the way it is. And that illustrates what
Most people believe in our day salvation by work. Now look at
the way Paul answers this objection though. He says now God gave
the Jews his word, yet some of them don't believe, many of them
don't believe. Well does that mean that his faithfulness and
his purpose is without effect? Does that mean he can't do what
he wants to do? How does Paul answer that? I love the way he
answers it. Verse 4, God can be God forbid, yea, let God be
true, but every man a liar, as it's written, that thou mightest
be justified in thy sayings, and might overcome when thou
art judged. Perish the thought to suppose
that God's purpose could be nullified by man's unbelief. That is blasphemous. Let God be true, Paul says, and
every man a liar. That's corrupt and evil reasoning
that calls into question God's faithfulness or God's ability
to do what he intends to do. And remember, Paul says, I'm
speaking as a man, and he's bringing up the objections that he knows
that we'll bring up. And he says, God forbid to that.
Now, any human reasoning, and listen to me, listen to me, Any
human reasoning that makes what God does dependent upon what
man does is corrupt and evil through and through. And do you understand that? Any
reasoning, any logic, any inferences you draw, or I draw, and remember,
he's speaking as a man because every one of us have done this.
He's speaking as a man. Anything that you come up with,
that will make what God does dependent upon what you do, that
makes God respond to you. Listen to me, God doesn't respond
to you. He doesn't. You know, isn't it arrogant to
even think something like that, that God responds to you? Any
reasoning that makes what God does dependent upon what you
do is corrupt through and through. And now look how Paul supports
this. Look in verse 4. God forbid Yay,
let God be true, but every man a liar, as it is written. Now, here's our appeal. Oh, I
love this. Here's our appeal. Not my church
believes this, or my preacher believes this, or Dr. So-and-so
says this, or our denomination says this. That doesn't matter
a hill of beans, does it? It is written. Is that enough for you? That's
how he proves his doctrine. Remember, this book is the Word
of God. It isn't up for various interpretations
or views. This is God's Word. It is written. And he quotes David from Psalm
51. Let's turn over there for a moment. Psalm 51. Hold your
finger there, Romans 3. We're going to get right back
there. This is David's psalm of repentance. He says in verse one. Have mercy upon me. Oh, God. According to thy loving kindness,
he doesn't say have mercy on me according to how sorry I am.
He doesn't say, have mercy upon me, because I promise I'll never
do it again. He doesn't bring up anything like that. He says,
Lord, have mercy upon me according to thy loving kindness, according
unto the multitude of thy tender mercies. Blot out my transgression,
wash me throughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin, for
I acknowledge my transgressions. And my sin is ever before me. Against thee, and this is what
Paul quotes, against thee and thee only have I sinned and done
this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified when you
speak and be clear when you judge. David says this to justify God
if he condemned him. Whatever you do is right, David
says. If you judge me, you're clear,
it's right. Now let me ask you a question.
I want you to put yourself in David's place. You don't even
need to do that. Just let me ask you this question. Just you,
just me. I'm asking myself this question, too. If God didn't
forgive you of your sins and let you go to hell, would he
be just? Now, would he? If God passed
you by, if he had mercy on that one sitting beside you and didn't
have mercy on you, would he be just? Would he be holy? Would he be right? What if he
didn't forgive your sins? What if you weren't one of the
elect? Would that be wrong on God's part? Would it slander
His justice? What if Christ didn't put away
from you your sins? What if you end up being left
to yourself? Would God be just? Now that's the question, and
that's what David... that thou mightest be justified when you
speak, and clear when you judge. And note this, now go back to
our text in Romans 3. Paul says it a little bit differently
when he quotes David, and he gives us a different angle. He's
inspired by the Holy Spirit. He certainly can do this. Yes,
it may be clear when you're when you judge, but notice what the
way Paul puts it in verse 4. God forbid, yea, let God be true
in every man lie. Verse 4, as it's written, quoting
Psalm 51, that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings,
whatever God says is just and right and might overcome when
you're judged. You know, when men arrogate to
themselves the position of judging God, and every one of us has
done that, I don't think God ought to be that way. I don't
think it's right for God to love some and pass by others. I don't
think it's right for God to elect some and not elect everybody.
I don't think it's right for Christ to not die for everybody.
I don't think it's right for God to not save everybody. Oh,
I would. We talk big. We always talk as
if we're more merciful than God. That's our natural way of talking.
I don't think it's right. And what we do when we start
thinking that way, all of a sudden we become God's judge. I'm judging
what God is doing. You take that position, God's
going to win. He's going to overcome you when
you start judging Him. Now that's what... How many times
have you and I put God to the bar of our judgment. You or me
judge God? I love what James says, but who
are you to judge another? What about
God? Who are you to stand in judgment
of God? Now that's the objection he's
dealing with, and every one of us have thought that. As a matter
of fact, I can remember clearly my own heart rising up in It's
not right. When I first understood what
election meant, it scared me to death because I was afraid
I might not be one of the elect. And oh, I got upset. I thought,
how can it be right for God to save some and pass by others?
What if I'm not? I was brought to the place where I could see
there wasn't anything I could do to save myself. You know, it wasn't until
I was brought right there that I cried for mercy, though. only
when you're brought to see that you are in the hands of a sovereign
God. He can do with you whatever he's
pleased to do. Only then will you cry for mercy. You've never
cried for mercy until then. Did you know that? It's only
when you're totally stripped of everything of yourself. That's
what he's dealing with. God forbid, yea, let God be true,
let every man a liar, as it is written, that thou mightest be
justified in thy sayings and might overcome when you are judged. Now, I want to ask you a question. Have you ever justified God? Have you ever said, I'm talking
about in your heart, I'm not talking about talking to the
preacher or somebody beside you, I'm talking about in your heart,
have you ever said to God, you're right in whatever you do? If
you send me to hell, it's right. If you save me, you'll do it
in a way that justifies you. You're right. That's that's the
issue. Turn with me to Luke 7 for just
a moment. Luke 7. Hold your finger there Romans
3, because I want to get right back there real quick, but I
want you to see this scripture. Luke chapter 7. Verse 29. And all the people that heard
that heard and I don't have any doubt that means they heard with
hearing ears they heard under the power of the Holy Spirit
they heard and all the people that heard him and the publicans
justified God. being baptized with the baptism
of god but the pharisees and the lawyers rejected the counsel
of god against themselves being not baptized in they didn't justify
god they rejected what god said but all the people who heard
they justified god and back to romans three i want to look i'm
going to get ahead of myself this is for the next time but
uh... look what verse nineteen says
of romans chapter three now we know That what thing so ever
the law sayeth, it sayeth to them who are under the law, that
every mouth may be what? Stopped. My objections have been
answered. I don't have a leg to stand on. And when you do that, you know
what you plead before God? Guilty as charged. No excuses. No trying to worm
my way out of this. Guilty before God. Now, have
you ever stood before the bar of God's justice and quit making
excuses for yourself? That's what this generation is
doing. It's my mom's fault. It's my dad's fault. It's my
gene's fault. It's a guilty before God. That every mouth may be stopped.
And all the world stand guilty before God. God forbid. Shall God want to
do something and it not end up being God forbid, yea, let God
be true, but every man a liar, as it's written, that thou mightest
be justified in thy saying and might overcome when you're judged.
Turn over Romans nine for a moment. I want you to look at this with
me. Paul is dealing with very much
the same thing here in Romans chapter 9. Let's begin reading
in verse 11. I want us to look at the way he answers these objections.
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. It was said
unto her, The elder shall serve the younger, as it is written,
Jacob of a love, but Esau of a hated. Now, before we go on
reading, how many different ways are there to take that? I mean,
is there anything ambiguous about that? What do you mean by that? What do you mean, what do you
mean by that? Jacob and Esau. God said, I've chosen one, I've
rejected the other. I've loved one, I've hated the
other. I've saved one, I've passed the other by. Now, there's no
other way of looking at that. You can do it if you want, but
it's just like me and an ostrich putting its head in the sand.
Now, people do that. I realize that, but this is the Word of
God. This is just the way it is. And let me say this before
I go on. As God is my witness, I like
it this way. I find hope here. This is not bad news, this is
good news. But let's go on reading. Verse 14, what shall we say then?
Is there unrighteousness with God? Is God unfair? God forbid,
for He saved the Moses, I'll have mercy on whom I will have
mercy. And I'll have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
So then, it's not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth,
but of God that showeth mercy. For the scripture saith unto
Pharaoh, even for this same purpose. I love that the scripture saith
unto Pharaoh. Somebody says, well, I thought God said it. He did. When scripture
says, God says. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh,
even for this same purpose, have I raised thee up that I might
show my power, my authority in thee, and that my name might
be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy
on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will, he hardens. Thou
wilt say unto me, why does he yet find fault? For who has resisted
his will? If he has determined everything,
if he has decided to save some and pass by others, if he has
elected some and pass by others, How can he find fault with me?
I can't do anything about it. How can he hold me responsible
for this? If my salvation has been determined before I was
ever born, it's unfair for God to judge me. I mean, I don't
have a chance. This is wrong. Why does he yet find fault? Now
look how Paul answers. Thou wilt say unto me, why does
he yet find fault? For who has resisted his will?
Verse 20, Nay, but, O man, who are you to reply against God? shall the thing form say to him
that form that wise thou made me thus hath not the potter power
over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel into honor
and another into dishonor? Who are you to reply against
God? Back to our text, Romans 3. Now the fact that God has saved
some and passed by others, the fact that God gave his word to
the Jews, but many of them did not believe. Does that mean that
he failed in his intentions and the faith of God is without effect,
without power, without doing what he wanted to do? God forbid.
Yea, let God be true, but every man a liar. As it's written,
that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and might overcome
when thou art judged. Verse five, now here's the next
objection. And I've made this one, too. Remember, he's speaking as a
man. Look what he says in verse 5, I speak as a man. But if our
unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is
God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? I speak as a man. Now, OK, granted,
granted, God is just in condemning us. God is glorified in my condemnation. I see that. I can't say anything
about it. But here's the next objection. If my sin ends up
commending his righteous judgments and glorifying him, how could
it be right for him to punish me? If my sin ends up glorifying
him through him judging me and punishing me, if what I do ends
up bringing honor and glory to him, how in the world could it
possibly be right for him to punish me for that which gives
him glory? Hey, after all, my sin has ultimately
brought glory to him because it shows his justice in condemning
it. How can it be right for him to punish me for that which glorifies
him? I speak as a man. I've made the same objection.
And if you've thought about it, you have to, someone says, I've
never really thought about that thing, you just haven't been
thinking. If you think about this, this has come up. This
has come up, trying to find a way to find fault with God. Now,
look how Paul answers this, verse 6, God forbid. God forbid, for
then how shall God judge the world? Now, this is man's attempt
at de-godding God. God's a judge. How can God judge
me if what I'm doing is going to glorify Him? God's God. You know, men will love to have
God anywhere but on the throne. Anywhere but an absolute control
everybody all people be fine with God creating all this good
stuff for us to enjoy people be fine Having God heal us of
our sickness. Oh, that's wonderful People will
be fine with God healing their marriages and their finances
and oh, but God on the throne That's the God of the Bible God
on the throne the God who does as he wills That's the one folks
get upset with This isn't right for him to condemn me. I And
judge me after all what I'm doing is ending up glorifying him God
forbid for how shall God judge the world verse 7 he's going
on with this thought for If the truth of God hath more abounded
through my lie unto his glory Why yet am I also judged as a
sinner? If what I've done In sitting
against God in my life, God's truth is honored in this, and
He's glorified in judging me. If that be the case, why am I
judged as a sinner? That doesn't seem fair. That
doesn't seem right. Why should I be judged as a sinner?
Verse 8, And not rather, as we be slanderously reported, as
some affirmably say, let us do evil that good may come, whose
damnation is just. Now, what's He saying here? Well,
let's go ahead and sin all the more if God is glorified in condemning
sin, or even if God is glorified in saving sinners. You know,
the scripture does say where sin abounded, grace did much
more abound. Okay, well then let's sin more so grace will
abound more. I mean, what difference does it make? I mean, if salvation
is by grace, His salvation really is by grace, and if everything's
been determined before time began, and there's nothing I can do
to save myself, go ahead and go for the gusto. Have a good
time, sin all the more. And I saw, you know, the more
you sin, the more God's grace will be honored anyway. What
difference does it make? You know, and look what Paul says
about this, and not rather as we be slanderously reported,
and some affirm that we say, let us do evil that good may
come, whose damnation is just. And how many times have we been
accused of that, in the sense, well you say salvation is all
by grace. You say it has nothing to do with your works in any
way, everything was determined before he was ever even born.
And you can't, you can't defect to saying, well good grief, go
ahead and sin all you want, what difference does it make? You've
taken away all the motives for good works. That's what we're
accused of. Paul said, I've been accused
of that. And he said, if somebody does take that position, if someone
does take the position, salvation is by grace, it's all by grace. Therefore, go ahead and live
however you want to, sin all you want. I mean, what difference
does it make if salvation is by grace, if salvation is by
the righteousness of Christ, your conduct doesn't matter,
your character, go for it. Paul says that person's damnation
is just. Somebody that takes that view,
They will not be. They will not be. Now, let me make some concluding
remarks about what we've just considered. Paul has answered some of the
objections that he knew would come up. And I've had every one
of these objections. Let's draw these conclusions
from this passage of scripture that we just read first. First,
what a privilege and what a danger to hear the word of God. What
a blessed privilege, what you're hearing right now, many people
have never heard before. How many of the world's population,
or how much of the world's population, hadn't even heard a message from
the scripture? Never heard the Bible read? Sure haven't heard
a gospel message. What a privilege to have the
oracles, to have the Word of God. Now here's the second thing
we can draw from this. God is utterly faithful. His
will shall be done. He has the power and the wisdom
to make sure His will comes to pass. All of the elect will be
saved. You can count on it. Everybody
he chose shall be saved. Everybody that he left to themselves,
they'll be sent to hell. That's what the scripture teaches.
Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save who? His people. That's what the Bible says. He
shall save his people from their sins. The fact that the Jews
do not believe is not frustrated God's purposes or decrees everything
his purpose shall come to pass man's unbelief will not negate
God's purpose. God is not dependent upon you
for his will to be done. Aren't you glad it's that way? Third, God is just in all of
his judgments And he can never be considered or thought to be
unfair. I guarantee you, it's been going
through somebody's mind while I've been preaching this message,
when I've been talking about God electing some and passing
by others and so on. Somebody's been thinking that's
not fair. Yes, it is. Everything God does
is fair. Everything God does is right. And I'm not going to apologize
for what God does. It's best if he does it, it's
best. Whatever God does is best. And
any thought that you or I have that makes us God's judge, all
of a sudden we start thinking that's not fair. He shouldn't
be doing us that way. Any thought or impression we
have like that. Repent of it, ask the Lord to
deliver you from it because it's evil. All of a sudden we become
God's judge. And whenever you become God's
judge, you're skating on thin ice. Isn't that so? Shall not
the judge of the earth do right? Fourth thing, everything is going
to ultimately glorify him. It's true that even our sin will
serve to glorify his justice as the great judge, but that
in no way will keep me from being punished for my own personal
sin. Now listen to me. There is never
an excuse for any sin. What I'm talking about does not
in any way negate personal responsibility. Understand this. I've been talking
about your salvation. My salvation was determined before
time began. Before you were ever born. Scripture
teaches that. You can't deny that and believe the Word of
God. It can't be done. That's what the Scripture teaches. But
do you know, somebody says, well then, God's not going to hold
me to be responsible to do something that I can't do that's already
been determined. Yes, He will. Yes, He will. You and I are held
responsible for our sin. There is never an excuse. There's
never a reason for sin. Somebody says, when given the
choice of two evils, choose the lesser evil. No, choose neither.
Choose neither. There is never an excuse for
sin in any way. And if my attitude is, because
salvation is by grace, I can go ahead and sin without restraint,
Paul says, my damnation will be just. God will be just in
this. Well, what then? What then? What are you leaving me with?
I mean, these things you've been saying, I mean, I'm just hemmed
up. I can't save myself. I can't keep myself from sin,
yet I'm held responsible for my sin. There's nothing I can
do to save myself. Give me some hope. You've left
me hemmed up. What am I supposed to do? Turn
with me to Matthew chapter 8. It's what we're going to close
with. I hope the Lord has hemmed somebody
up. Just shut you up. So you're made to stand before
God guilty. Nothing you can do to save yourself.
Well, let me show you somebody else where that took place here
in Matthew chapter 8. Verse 1. When he was come down from the
mountain, a great multitude followed him, and behold, there came a leper. Luke's account tells us he was
full of leprosy, which typifies sin. He was completely covered
with sin. There wasn't anything there but
sin. He was full, plumb full of leprosy. And what did he do? This leper
came and worshipped him. Now, had the Lord healed him
yet? No. But he worshipped him for who
he was. He came and he worshipped him. This Lord who elects some and
passes by others. This one who is obvious sovereign
over all. Is he worthy to be worshipped?
Will you worship him without regard to what he does with you?
Let me ask you this, if he sends you to hell, is he still worthy
of being worshipped? Do you believe that? This leper did. He had
been shut up, he was full of leprosy, and he came to the Lord
God, the Holy Sovereign God, and the scripture says he came
and he worshipped. He bowed before Him. Lord, whatever
you do is right. And look at the way He came.
He came and worshipped Him, saying, Lord. I'll tell you one thing that
this fellow knew. He knew who the Lord was. He's the dictator. He's the sovereign controller.
He's the Lord of the universe. This fella knew this. He didn't
know he... He knew he was a leper and he knew Jesus Christ as Lord.
He didn't address him as Jesus. You know, the disciples never
came up to Christ and said, Jesus, I think... No. He's the Lord. You call me Master and Lord and
you say, well, for so I am. He's the Lord. He's the Master.
He knew that. And look what he says, Lord! If you will, it's enough to me,
I realize that. I can't make myself clean. I
can't do anything to make myself clean. I can't do anything to
get you to make me clean. I'm in your sovereign hands.
You're the Lord. I'm a leper. You're the Lord. If you will, I'm in your hands. Whatever you do is right, but
if you will, you can. You are able to make
me clean. People debate over man's will,
God's will, Whosoever will, well, I know whose will is going to
be done. Lord, if you will, if you will, you can make me
clean. Do you believe that what Jesus
Christ did on Calvary's tree can make you clean? And do you believe that? Do you
believe that what he did with no help from you, with no contribution
from you, do you believe that what he did on Calvary's tree
can make you clean in God's sight? Will this leper believe that?
Lord, if you will, you can make me clean. You know, everybody that's prayed
that prayer, if you're praying that prayer right now, If the
Lord has enabled you to cry that from your heart. Verse three. And Jesus put forth his hand. And touched him saying. I. Will. Be thou clean and immediate. Not gradually. Immediately. His leprosy was cleansed. And anybody that comes making
this prayer will find the same results. No, I can't do anything to save
myself. I'm in the hands of the sovereign God, and I can come
up with all my objections, and it's all flawed reasoning. I
see that. Well, what am I supposed to do?
Give me something to do. Well, I'll give you something
to do. Come to the Lord the same way he did. Come saying, Lord,
come worshiping him. Worshiping him for who he is.
Lord, if you will, you can make me clean. You'll hear the same
thing, Ms. Lepper. I will. As a matter of fact, Mark's account
tells us, and Jesus moved with compassion, said, I will be thou
great. Let's pray.