with me. I preach just as long,
but it's the turning that takes longer because I only have one
article. I'm not going to start my message
yet. I'll be turning to Romans chapter 5. I want to say a couple
of things first before I begin. Romans chapter 5 will be my text,
mainly verses 6-11, but I wanted to mention this Here's what my title's going
to be when I start my message. The pinnacle of God's love. Now,
as we sat here this morning, and of course we looked at the
itinerary for the services, and we see the songs about God's
love, Jason read scripture, much of it had to do with God's love,
and we think, you know, how does that happen? And it's pretty
easy. I just sent him a text and told
him what it was John Newton. His title to it
is, Coming to me, all ye that labor. Of course, taken from
Matthew 11, verse 28. John Newton wrote these words,
Christ has a blessing to impart. Grace to save thee from thy fears. Oh, the love that fills his heart. Sinner, wipe away thy tears. Why art thou afraid to come?
Why afraid to tell thy case? He will not pronounce thy doom.
Smiles are seated on his face. Though his majesty be great,
yet his mercy is no less. Though he thy transgressions
hate, Jesus feels for thy distress. Raise thy downcast eyes and see. Numbers do his throne surround. These were sinners once like
thee, but have full salvation found. Yield not, then, to unbelief. Courage, soul, there's yet is
room. Though a sinner, thou art chief. Come, thou burdened sinner, come. I do want to, as Jason has already
pointed out, wish all the mothers here Happy Mother's Day. I do
realize that in our day a lot is made about Mother's Day and
I'm afraid there are a lot of people who think if they celebrate
their mother on their Mother's Day that that's all there is
to it. But it's a whole lot more to it than that. But I think
it's nice that we have a day where we can actually tell our
mothers how much we appreciate them. And I do say this, one
day your mother may grow old and things may happen to her
and she doesn't understand it. So let her know it while she
has that capacity to appreciate it. You understand what I'm saying? All right, it should be Romans
chapter five. Romans chapter five, as I said,
I'll just read a few verses, verses six to 11. Verse six,
Paul is continuing, of course, but he writes these words. For
when we were yet without strength, for when we were yet without
strength in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely
for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure for a good
man some would even dare to die. And Paul was speaking purely
on human terms there. He's already made it clear there
is none good, no not one. But that's good in God's sight.
There's none good in God's sight. Men compared to men, there are
some good and some not good. But he says, we're scarcely for
a righteous man won't die yet peradventure. For a good man,
some would even dare to die. But here's an amazing thing. The God commended his love toward
us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than being now justified
by his blood, his son, much more being reconciled,
we shall be saved by his life and not arisen, but we also joy
in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received
the atonement. So as I said, I want to try to
speak along this thought of train of thought, the pinnacle of God's
love. According to John chapter 1, I'll not go back and read
it, but according to John in John chapter 1 in verses 1 through
3, God in the person of His Son is the creator of all that exists. Anything that does exist, Jesus
Christ Himself is the one who spoke it into existence. God is the creator of all. But
here's another thought, according to Matthew chapter five, verse
45, I won't turn and read it, I'll probably quote it, but think
about it, God is the benefactor of all. That is, he causes the
rain to shine on the just and the unjust. Now, I'm not here
to enter in the debate or certainly not here to try to criticize
this thought or that thought. I know the theologians try to
speak of God's benevolence toward all men, but benevolence has
with it the idea of love. And I'm going to talk about the
pinnacle of God's love. I'm not here to debate it. God
does not love everyone. When God causes the rain to shine
upon the unjust, and they do not give Him glory and credit,
it will be against them, not for them, though they temporarily
benefit in this life. See what I'm saying? God causes
the rain to shine upon the just and the unjust. God, in the person
of His Son, is the benefactor of all. God governs and sustains
all. Paul was clear with that when
he says, he told the people, it is recorded by Luke in Acts
17, the first part of verse 28, in him, that's in God, we are
lost or saved, elect or reprobate, good or bad compared to men. In him, we live and move and
have our being. the very breath that some men
and women will use even this very day to curse God and to
deny the power and authority of His Son, God gives them the
breath to do that with. He could shut it off, Jason,
just like that. So remember, God governs and
sustains all, but not only that, God is long-suffering to all.
Solomon records it in Ecclesiastes 8, verse 11, and I want to read
that one I fear I will miss a quote. Ecclesiastes chapter 8. And let me fact it. Ecclesiastes chapter 8 verse
11. Listen to this. Because sentence
against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart
of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. You see that? So listen to this statement.
God is long-suffering to all. If God brought sentence against
an evil act immediately, we all would have been consumed long
ago. Lost or saved, God is long-suffering
to all. but only in that sense. He doesn't
carry out that judgment all the way. It's speeded, it's right
away. He is long-suffering. And that's
the whole meaning of the word, is that long, he suffers long. But according to Paul, and of
course the Old Testament as well, because Paul is quoting from
or at least relating to truth in the Old Testament, The very
fact is this, God's long-suffering to some cannot be pawned off
as God's love. Look at Romans 9, just over patriotism. Romans 9 and verse 22, this one
verse is all, what if God? That is, it's another way of
putting it. What is it to us? It's not our business. God doesn't
ask our opinion on this matter. What if God, willing to show
his, what's that say? Wrath, you see it? Willing, not
forced to, he wishes he didn't have to. Willing, what if God,
willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured
with, what's that next couple words? long suffering, do you
see that? Much long suffering, but look,
much long suffering. Endured with much long suffering,
the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction. And yet Peter says
in another place, in 1 Peter, or 2 Peter, I'm sorry, 2 Peter
chapter three, he states this. It's not a blanket statement,
but The longsuffering of God is salvation. It is salvation. Because had God brought to pass,
sentenced against evil speedily, we all would have already been
consumed. So remember, God's the creator
of all. God is the benefactor of all. God governs and sustains
all. God is long-suffering to all,
but only in the sense of he does not carry out sentence against
evil speedily. In fact, his long-suffering to
some cannot be pawned off as God's love. Well, God's given
him a chance. I used to hear that all the time.
God's given him a chance. God's given him an opportunity. But think of this, do not think
of any general benefit of God to all as being God's love to
all. Don't use that word. There may
be good, better words. I don't have it. I'm just gonna
use, he's the benefactor of all. He's the governor of all. He's
the sustainer of all. But don't talk about God loving
everybody because some people are under his wrath. Now, if
you have wrath towards someone, do you love them? No, no possible
way. And yet, people have bumper stickers,
God loves you. I mean, you have a boxing match
where you have two men beating one another's brains out, as
we say, and someone in the stand holds up a placard, John 3, 16,
God loves you. It's just astounding to me, boggles
my mind. But do not think of any general
benefit of God to all as being God's love to all. Now listen
to me now. If God gives you ears, dear,
may it be that you hear this this morning. God's love is manifested
and proven in only one person. Just because you're alive today
and you're breathing today doesn't mean God loves you. Just because
God has not already punished you for your sins doesn't mean
God loves you. I'm not here to tell you God
loves you. I'm here to tell you, you better
cry out unto God, for may it be that you love me. God doesn't
owe us his love. Think of it, look at it, just
one verse of our text. But God commended his love toward
us, and while we were yet sinners, here's the point, here's the
pinnacle, Christ died for us. I want you to think about this.
God told Jeremiah, I have loved you with everlasting love. Therefore,
with loving kindness have I grown thee, right? So God loved Jeremiah. As a matter of fact, we know
God loves those he does love. He loved them before the world
began. But if God loved us, and God merely called us, but his
son did not die for our sins, we still would have had to gone
to hell. God, in his holiness, cannot
let sin go. He cannot let sin slide. He must punish sin. Now he either will punish it
in me personally, or he punished it in the person of his son for
me. And it's one or the other. Think of this, turn to 1 John
chapter four. I know, and I'm not throwing
off of the, on the marvel and the grandeur and the glory of
God's eternal love for his people. But I'm saying the pinnacle of
God's love was manifested when Christ died on that cross. There's where God's love is manifested
and shown. Look at verse John and what the
The apostle of love, as some peoples call it, 1 John 4 and
verse 9. In this was manifested the love
of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten son
into the world that we might live through him. Do you see
that? Herein is love. This is it. This is it. Do you see it? If this love did
not exist, eternal love would have no significance whatsoever. It would be nothing more than
mere emotion. But God's love is the act of
satisfying justice on behalf of a sinful people. That's love. Herein is love, not that we loved
God because we did not. Not that we loved God, look,
but that he loved us. the two words are italicized,
sent his son, the propitiation for our sins. Do not be hoodwinked by the theologians'
word salads about love and benefaction. General love versus particular
love. God's love is particular, period. Matter of fact, Paul in Romans,
look at chapter eight, in this same letter, in Romans chapter
eight, he wrote these words. And he just kind of has continuance.
Let's look at verse start in verse 48. For I am persuaded
that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height,
nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us
from the love of God. But look at the qualifier, which
is in Christ, Jesus, our Lord. Apart from the person and work
of Jesus Christ, God is nothing but a consuming fire. This world does not know that.
They actually portray God as kind of looking over the edges
of heaven. just hoping, just wishing that
someone would give themselves to Him. We have nothing worth giving
Him. Nothing worth giving Him. Now,
let's consider this three facets of this gemstone thing called
God's love in our text. Now, there's much more to God's
love. I understand that, but I'm trying
to point out, if you really want to see God's love, where do you
see it? Read in this book about Jesus Christ hanging on that
tree. What did you read, Jason? No
greater love hath a man than this, that he what? Lay down
his life. That's the pinnacle of truth.
I could say I love you to my wife all day long. It doesn't
mean anything unless I'm willing to give myself for her. Right? For her. Here's the first thing. Consider the subjects of God's
love described here. Without strength. You know what
it said? You don't have to go back and
read it. You've seen it. Without strength. Our Lord put
it this way, no man can. You know why? Not because God
won't let them, because they have no ability. We are by nature,
all of us by nature are what? Without strength. But we never
recognize that in and of ourselves. When I was born and basically
born and raised into religion, up to me and they told me it
was all up to me they would make statements like this god has
done all he can do now it's up to you why do i keep criticizing
that and yes i am criticizing that i'm saying it is error why
do i keep doing that because they keep saying it they keep
hoodwinking little children and even adults to actually thinking
they have God over a barrel. Do they not? I'm not building
a straw man and beating the daylights. I've been there. I was one of
them. I even preached that same error until God turned the lights
on. And when he turned the lights
on, I realized what? One of the things I realized,
I don't have strength without strength. No man can come to
me except the Father which is in heaven draw him." But here's
another description. Ungodly. Isn't that how they're
described? Ungodly. Now turn with me to
John 3. Now what I want to read to you,
and I want you to just kind of, most of you may already know
what it's saying when I give you these verses. John 3, verses
18, 19, and 20. Now before I read them, let me
say this. Someone might say, but I know
this passage. Ungodly is not mentioned here
in this passage. The word ungodly is not, but
the character of ungodliness is. And someone might say, but
if you want to talk about ungodly, Pastor, wouldn't something like
1 Corinthians 6, or Galatians chapter 5 where Paul goes through
this long list of immoral, ungodly things, right? Why don't you
use, Mike, why don't you use one of those passages? Because
by nature we're all ungodly, even if we're not immortal. You
know what I'm saying? Most, even in my mind, because
I was so indoctrinated when I was young, from the time I can remember,
three or four years old, About 21, 22 years old, but God turned
the lights on. When we talked or heard about
ungodliness, we thought about what? Adultery, fornication,
getting drunk. Now let me tell you, I'm not
saying those things are not ungodly. But the root of ungodliness is
far deeper and worse than that. And look at our passage. John
3, verse 18. He that believeth on him, that
is the Son, the one that God the Father sent into the world.
He that believeth on him is not condemned. But he that believeth
not is what? Condemned. That's a pretty rough
state to be in, right? Condemned already because he
hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
But it's not just this Simple fact of not believing. It's more
than that. Look. And this is the condemnation. That light, the reference clearly
is to Christ. That light is come into the world. And men love darkness rather
than light because their deeds were evil. For everyone that
doeth evil hateth. There it is. There's ungodliness. and its ungodliness in all of
us by nature. You may have never smoked a cigarette. You may have never got drunk
off of alcohol. You may have never abused drugs. You may have never stepped out
in sexual immorality before you were married. But if you haven't
come to the light my friends, is ungodliness. You can sit in an assembly like
this, even, Jason even believed the doctrines that are in here.
But if you haven't come to Christ, look, for everyone that doeth
evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his
deeds should be discovered or reproved. That is ungodliness. You see,
when God saved me, I was a preacher. I stood up and preached from
the Bible. I taught the men's Sunday school
class. I didn't drink alcohol. I didn't
smoke or chew or dip tobacco. I went on soul winning work. I sang in the choir. I did all
of them. I even got rid of my TV. And
I was very concerned about even playing the board game if it
had dice in it, because I thought it might be close to gambling.
And some of you are smiling at me, and I understand that. It
wasn't no smiling matter back then. I was locked in this cycle
of thinking that I loved God because I was a decent person
compared to a lot of other people. But I never really come to that.
A lot of people's come to Jesus, but they haven't come to the
light. Because when you come to the light, what happens? Everything
is exposed. Everything, that's one of the,
when he, that is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, when
he has come into the world, and remember, Christ, when he went
back up, what'd he do? He sent him down. When he has
come, he will reprove the world, What's the first thing he's gonna
reprove the world of? Sin. Why? Because they all like
to get drunk. Is that what it says? Hmm? No,
because they all, they don't go to church. No, of sin, because
they believe not on me, Christ said. Now you talk about ungodliness,
that's to hate God's Christ. Because God the Father even heard the voice, this, speaking
of Christ, is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him. Hear Him. When I do not come to Christ,
listen to me. Even today, if I do not come
to Christ for everything, It is ungodliness. It's not just backsliding. It is ungodliness. Even if I walk the whole week
in morality, and certain circumstance comes upon me and I begin to
inside, not literally, but inside, shake my fist against God and
murmur and complain, well, wait a minute, if you love me, What
he's doing to me is best for me, whether I understand it or
not. Think of it, without strength. Preacher said, Preacher, get
off that ungodliness. Okay, let's go on to another.
Sinners. We ain't improved yet, have we? Sinners, isn't that
mentioned here? Sinners. Well, just turn back
a few pages, what Paul said, I've mentioned it. Romans 3. You see, here's the whole thing.
If you get angry because God tells you the truth about yourself,
then you don't believe Him. And when I was in religion, there
were many passages we taught to put them over into another
dispensation. You know why? You know what the
main reason was? Not because we thought dispensationalism
was so glorious, but we got to take that passage and say, it
don't apply to me. That's the main reason. That's
why people love their dispensations. I'm not saying there's not different
dispensations. Don't get me wrong. But I'm saying dispensationalism
began as this. That don't apply to me. I'm going
to tell you something. This right here applies to us.
Romans 3, verse 9. What? Are we better than they?
Is the Jew better than the Gentiles because of these advantages the
Jew had? No. In no wise. For we have before
proved, both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all what? Notice,
under. The connotation here is like
someone stuck under a large boulder, a large weight. It's not just
I dabble around, step around in a little bit of sin. I'm under
it. It has me weighted down. They're
all under sin, as it is written. There is none righteous, but
just so we get it, no, not. No, not one. Right now, today, in this congregation,
when I look at you, you look at me. You are not looking at
a man who is righteous. Any righteousness I have had
to come from somewhere else because there is none righteous. No,
not one. There is none that seeketh after God. That doesn't feel good, does
it? Now, come on, be honest. That doesn't feel good, does
it? But it's true, nonetheless. That's just the whole point.
It's true, nonetheless. They're all gone out of the way. Think
of it. It doesn't say they're all profitable.
They are together become unprofitable. lumped us all together. There's
still no profit in this. I mean, wouldn't you think that
there's got to be at least a spark of goodness somewhere in one
of us? Right? No. They are together become
unprofitable. Hmm. They're all blown out of
the way. They're together become unprofitable.
There's none that doeth good. No. Not one, their throat is
an open sepulcher. With their tongues they have
used deceit. The poison of ass is under their
lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." And
that's not talking about foul language, though that would certainly
be included. This is talking about what? Complaints. full of cursing and bitterness.
Their feet are swift to shed blood. God showed that to me just the
other day when somebody cut me off. Oh, wasn't we coming up
here this morning, wasn't we? Some guy, he's got a ride in
the passing lane. In drive, $50 an hour and a seven.
So I'm coming up beside him in the middle lane. There's three
lanes, truck lane, middle lane, passing lane. He isn't alone
in the passing lane. I start around him, he decides
I don't need my lane. He's gonna take both. Now my
thought was, if I had a pistol, I could stop. You'd be on my
lane, but I just laid down on the horn because I didn't want
him to force me over into 18 Willard, which was right beside
me. Murderous. Let somebody touch one of your
little babies. Hmm? See what you can do. Their
feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in
their ways. I says like, Paul, you surely
know how to encourage a fellow, don't you? If you ever see this
about yourself, it's a good thing. It's a good thing to know how
bad you are. If that is an oxymoron, I don't
care. It's a good thing to know how bad you are. And the way
of peace had they not known. Now folks, you see this everywhere
today. Pardon me. There is no fear of
God before their eyes. And I look back at myself, especially
when I was young. I flew into God's face. He should
have let me die in some of that stupid stuff I engaged myself
in. But you know why he didn't? I
got a reason now to believe it wasn't that he loved me. Because
there's a lot of people that were doing the exact same things
that I was doing, and liked it just as much as I liked it, and
they could care less about Jesus Christ today. But for some reason, God says,
I'll tell you what, I want you, I want you. So we're without strength, we're
ungodly, we're sinners, That's number one. We're not
done with number one yet. Enemies. You see, that's how
these people God loves are described. Without strength, ungodly, sinners,
enemies. For when we were yet enemies.
And what was that, God awful church sign we seen the other
day that said something like this, the love of the world hampers
your love for God or hinders your love for God, something
like that. The love of the world is on a freewill Baptist church.
The love of God hinders your, the love of the world hinders
your love for God. That's not what James says. James in James
four and verse four says, any man loves the world, he's the
enemy of God. You see that? Now come on folks. Anybody here
love the world? In your flesh you do. Don't you,
don't, I'm saying, I know the truth. Don't you kid yourself
about your flesh. Your flesh loves the world more
now than it did before you were saved. But how, because now your
flesh really knows what's wrong and that makes it want it even
more. So I'm gonna say, and I'll say
this later on. This man that's standing behind
this podium this morning trying to preach the glory and magnificence
of Christ, I'm still, by nature, an enemy of God. All God has to do is lift that
restraint just a little. And I start into this. You ever
been there? And I found that it never stops
until God stops me. Listen to me. Listen to me. Back
up. Without strength. Ungodly. Sinners. Enemies. Oh. But there's one
other thing. Now look at it. Verse 11. The
last part of it. By whom we, that is these people
without strength, these ungodly people, these sinners, these
enemies, what does he say? By whom we have now over the reconciliation. They're
also called receivers. Huh? Receivers. And let me tell you, they receive
it in both ways in which the word receive means in the scripture. One of the uses of the word receive
is this. Like this bottle received the
water, the machine that put it. This bottle did nothing. The
machine probably held it in place. It was filled passively, to passively
receive. But there's another way in which
that word receive is used. Right here, I'm going to receive
this water. God's people experienced both. Listen. Be careful. I've done it. I still
find myself thinking it. I think God's working on old
so and so because I see this happening and that happening.
You ever done that? Or maybe you say, well, I don't
think anything's going on with them because look, look where
they still are. The only way to know that God Almighty has
breathed life into a soul, the only way to know it is what John
says, whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, he is born
of God. And when someone tells you, I
believe that Jesus is the Christ, God has convinced me of that,
then you can say, I believe God's working on him. Yeah. They may be in the depths of
self-deception, don't nag it off. You see, our job, I know
that's not the best word, our job is to what? To sow the seed. To sow the seed, right? And it's
not up to us. what kind of ground it falls
on. But there's one kind of ground. When it does fall on that ground,
guess what's gonna happen? When that good heart meets that
good seed, that good gospel, that true gospel, all of a sudden,
fruit will spring up. Fruit will spring up. And let
me tell you something, the good heart without the gospel ain't
worth squat. And listen to me, the gospel
without a good heart, All it does is add to men and
women's condemnation. I meant no disrespect to the
gospel or the good heart, like none, but God designed both of
them to come together, right? My responsibility, your responsibility,
sow the seed. I had a lady, my study, she helped,
she supports us, never met her a day in my life, and every month
she'll send us some money for the TV broadcast. And she said,
talked about meeting some people, and she wrote to me, I hope these
people see Christ in me. Well, I didn't criticize her
for that. I said, thank God, see me so. Because that's the
thing. It don't matter whether they
see Christ in me. I pray they see Christ in here. I am a poor vessel for anyone
to see Christ in. But Jesus Christ starts in Genesis
1 and goes all the way to the last verse in Revelation chapter
22. They're receivers. But there is a caveat to this
reception. Here's the caveat. All reception
has God as its positive, active partner. Do you see it? Look
at 11 again. And not only so, but we also
joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have received
the atonement. What made the difference here?
Jesus Christ did. Jesus Christ did. As a matter
of fact, Paul puts it this way, and just read that. Look at Ephesians
chapter one. I know if you're like me, I love
the doctrine of God, his eternality and sovereignty and predestination. Think about this. Look at Ephesians
one. And Paul is praying for the Ephesians,
and let's kind of move in on Paul's prayer, kind of in the
middle of it. Verse 18, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what
is the riches of the glory of his inheritance to the saints,
and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe,
and look how he defines it, according to the working of his mighty
power. If I believe, if you believe,
it's because God worked His mighty power. Because we were what?
Without strength. Even Christ dying for me didn't
give me strength. But look what that strength is.
Which He wrought, verse 20, which He wrought in Christ when He
raised Him from the dead. It takes an act of God in resurrection
power for me to believe. Isn't that amazing? How can you
take credit, or I take credit for that? Did Lazarus take credit
for his coming up out of the grave? Uh-uh. Christ said, Lazarus,
come forth. And you know what? He couldn't
help himself. Somehow, I don't know, he was
wrapped, and usually they wrap him head to foot, and wrap their
legs together, and their feet. I don't know, Dave, if he hovered
out of that thing, I don't know, but he came out of there, but
he was still wrapped. You know why? Our Lord said,
loose him and let him go. See, that's what the gospel does.
Christ's gotta call you out of the tomb, but the gospel what? It'll loose you. It'll free you
up. It'll free you up. All right,
so then, secondly, let's consider the only positive, active party
engaged in God's love. Christ did the dying when we
had no strength and we were ungodly. You see that? It's that simple.
Don't have to give no other verses. Here's the only positive, active
party engaged in God's love, this pinnacle of God's love.
Christ did the dying when we had no strength and were ungodly.
Christ died for us and therein we see God's love commended.
or proved, that's what that is. But God proved His love toward
us, and while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. We were doing
all the negative things, He's the only one doing the positive
things, you see. There's another thought, third
thought. Christ justified us by His blood, and secured our
salvation from wrath. This ain't no God's done all
he can do, now it's up to you. This is God's done what he's
got to do, and now he's gonna bring forth results from it. Here's a fifth one. Even our
reception of this reconciliation, our receiving him, is through
Christ Jesus and by Christ Jesus. You see, if myself, For you,
if we really think, even if we don't say it to anybody else,
but we really think deep down inside, I had to help God a little
bit, you don't know Him yet. And I'm not being mean, I'm trying
to be honest with your soul and mine too. Now am I saying I never
think those thoughts? I think them, Jason. But I know
they're evil, ungodly, corrupt, sinful, strengthless thoughts. You see, a true believer in the
Christ is the only one that can really, will be honest with you,
with anybody else for that matter, about who and what they really
are. I mean, I forget where it was, and I've kind of picked
it up from Moose Parks. He loves to say, and will say,
almost always, somebody will ask, how are you doing? He'll
say, a lot better than I deserve. And I said that to a lady one
time. She said, oh, you can't mean that. I said, do you have
about an hour for me to tell you how I do believe that? Well,
of course, she didn't have an hour, and I wasn't going to take
an hour either. I mean, she just, you know, you're a good guy.
You know, I'm a good guy. I asked her, hmm, who gets all the credit
for God's love? God does. God does. Dare I say this? God's love is
not an emotion. It's an act. You hear me? A lot of times, our love is what? An emotion. And we try to act
upon it, right? If God loves, He acts upon it. has acted upon it, does act upon
it, and will act upon it, and will act upon those who are the
recipients of that, or subjects of that love. But here's the
third thought. Consider the absolute certainty
of God's love commended, or that is proved. This phrase, in due
time. You see, God loved us. Those
that he does love, he loved us before the world was. I cannot
fathom that. Before this universe and all
of its solar systems and all these other billions of years,
light years they say, away from us. Before any of it ever existed. To think that God loved me even
back then. Did you know the only thing that
makes that really worthwhile? But God commended his love toward
me and while I was still a sinner, Christ died for me. That's what
makes it worthwhile, isn't it? In due time. You see, God's love
had no beginning, but it did have a predestinated time of
revelation. And it wasn't, it was God's love
when God took Israel as slaves out of Egypt. But you know what? That still left them in darkness
in here. Many of them were not even regenerated. God loved the nation, but not
all in the nation. Do you know when God's love was
proved, when it was commended? Again, it was when Christ died
on that tree. And I wish I could put this in
words that would just make every person in this auditorium today,
cause the lights to come on, but I can't. All I can do is
say the words, God's gonna make the light come on. When Christ
said, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? I can't relate to that. Can you? Look how God's protected. I don't
care if you're here, you're saved or lost, converted or not converted. Look how God's took care of you.
How much worse could your life have been because of who you
are and things you thought and things you've done? And yet God
protected you, guided you, gave you breath, gave you life. And then we do this. We do it down here if we don't
do it here. Because remember, just not coming to Christ is
hating Christ. Look at what Paul said in Galatians
4, what he wrote. preaching here is not a gospel
of attempts by God's love. It's God's love accomplishing
something. God's love doing something because
His love is manifested in a person, Jesus Christ the Lord. Look at
it. Galatians 4, now I say that an
heir, as long as he is a child, there's nothing from a servant
that would be Lord of all. Now, you understand this. Here
you have a very wealthy man. And he has an heir, he has a
son. And that son's just a little fella. But that wealthy man also
has servants. But that little fella and those
servants there, they're just alike. But the difference is
that that son came from the wealthy man. It looks different. Not though he be lord of all,
but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the
father. That's illustration. Even so, we, when we were children,
we were still children, but we were children. When we were children,
we're in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness
of the time was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman,
made under the law to redeem them that were under the law,
that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are
sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts,
crying, Papa. That does an old Hebrew or Greek,
well, I think it was Hebrew. Well, Papa, Papa, Father. You see, we still have that intimate
union with him as what? Papa. The woman will take me
up in his arms. That's my life. And this is human
illustration. Take me fishing. Take me hunting. Give me the things I need. But
at the same time, we also know he is what? Father. And guess
who father is? He is in charge. That's who father is. But the same father is my life. And God didn't, we didn't let
the spirit into our heart, it was sent into our hearts, and
we cried what? Papa, Father. Because you are son, and because
you are son, God has sent forth the spirit of his son into your
hearts, crying, Abba, Father, wherefore thou art no more a
servant, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God. One other thought concerning
this is absolute certainty of God's love proved or commended. Paul uses this phrase. Now think
of it. Much more than. Do you see that? Much more than. First said it, but God commended
or proved his love toward us and that while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us. being now justified by his blood. We shall be saved from wrath
through him. For if when we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more
being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Does that
sound like God said all he can do and now it's up to you? Or
does that sound like God has shown the pinnacle of his love
in his son, and he will carry out the results of it? That's
my only hope. My only hope. Now let me do something
here. Now you pardon my singing. What I want you to hear are the
words. And some of you probably know this song. I'm sure you
do. But I found this online and it has one verse that our song
books at Sovereign Grace Chapel didn't have in it, so I wanna
sing this. I'll just sing the choruses of
the last verse. ? Alas, and did my Savior bleed
? ? And did my Sovereign die ? ? Would He devote His sacred
head for such a worm as I ? Was it for crimes that I had done,
he groaned upon the tree. Amazing pity, grace unknown,
and love beyond degree. Well might the sun in darkness
hide, and shut his glories in, when Christ the mighty maker
died. for man the creature's sin. Thus might I hide my blushing
face while his dear cross appears. Dissolve my heart in thankfulness
and melt my eyes with tears. But drops of grief can ne'er
repay the debt of love I owe. Here, Lord, I give myself away. Tis all that I can do. He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. This I know. He gave himself to die for me
because he loves me so. This powerless, ungodly sinner. And some say, well, preacher,
if you're saved, you ought not say that about yourself. Paul
did, my brother Paul did. He said, oh, wretched man that
I am. And he said, I'm the chief of
sinners. Ah, yes, a powerless, ungodly
sinner in the flesh. But nevertheless, one wrought
upon by Christ to receive Christ. I can't help it. That's what
John Chapman said. I was a couple Sundays ago, and
I can't help but believe him. In spite of myself, I can't help
but believe him. This powerless, ungodly, well,
even what you read without me, you can do what? Nothing. That's even as a believer. You
see, when God saves you, He doesn't give you all the power. He's
still the one with all the power, and He helps you all. But this one, this sinner, this
ungodly sinner, the one that's been wrought upon by Christ to
receive Christ, I rejoice in God's love. These are not tears
of sadness. These are tears of joy. I know
I don't know myself like I ought to, but I do know myself a lot
better than I used to. Because I didn't know myself
at all at one time. I really thought I was a pretty
good boy. I didn't hurt nobody but myself. And I come to find
out I was hurting everybody around me. Do you know that? Hurting
everybody around me. And yet God, in the person of
his son, And it wasn't just an emotion.
He gave himself in my place. He took the hail that I should
have endured. And he was able to do it in just
an hour or so. In just an hour or so. I rejoice
in God's love. I find my only hope in God's
love. I find peace in God's love. If that is God's love and he,
the one in whom God loves me, he conquered my heart one day.
And he still got it like this. Still got it like this. Got it in the palm of his hand.
Now I'm glad. I bet you some of you are too,
aren't you? Are you glad? Heavenly Father, take these family
words Throw them to the side and by
the power of your spirit, through the word that's in this book,
encourage ourselves, Lord. Strengthen us for whatever days,
time we have left. If there's anyone here, Lord,
that just, knowingly or not, just has not truly come to your
son, may it be that you, by your spirit and your word, you accomplish
that act, in Christ's name.