Okay. I want to take the title
for the message from Psalm 65, verse 4. Psalm 65, verse 4. And I'm using this title, Blessings
by God's Choice. Blessings by God's Choice. Blessed is the man whom thou
choosest, AND CAUSES TO APPROACH UNTO THEE." NOW, IF WE CAN JUST
GET A HOLD OF WHAT HE'S SAYING RIGHT HERE, JUST IN THAT VERSE,
THAT'S A BLESSED MAN WHOM THE LORD HAS CHOSEN, AND THE MAN
TO WHOM GOD CAUSES HIM TO APPROACH UNTO THE LORD. BLESSINGS AND
SALVATION, WE CAN SAY, WE CAN SAY IT THIS WAY, SALVATION BY
GOD'S CHOICE. GOD'S CHOICE. ALL THAT THE FATHER
GIVETH TO ME, THEY SHALL COME TO ME, AND THOSE THAT COME TO
ME, HE SAID, I WILL NEVER, NEVER CAST THEM OUT. THE Bountiful
BLESSING THAT EVERY BELIEVER ENJOYS COMES FROM THE HAND OF
OUR BLESSED GOD AND SAVIOR. WHEN HE OPENS HIS HAND, YOU KNOW
WHAT HAPPENS? TURN OVER HERE TO PSALM 145.
LOOKING AT THIS VERSE, I COULDN'T THINK OF IT, WHERE IT WAS AT.
I looked it up, Psalm 145 verse 16, Psalm 145
verse 16, Thou openest thy hand SATISFY THE DESIRE OF EVERY LIVING
THING. THE LORD IS RIGHTEOUS IN ALL
OF HIS WAYS, AND HOLY IN ALL OF HIS WORKS. THE LORD IS NIGH
UNTO THEM THAT CALL UPON HIM, TO ALL THAT CALL UPON HIM IN
TRUTH. WHEN HE OPENS HIS HAND, BOY,
THAT'S A BIG HAND. HIS HAND'S FULL OF MERCIES, HIS
HANDS ARE FULL OF BLESSINGS, AND THEY ARE GIVEN TO HIS PEOPLE.
THEY COME FROM THE HAND OF OUR SOVEREIGN LORD TO BLESS HIS COVENANT
PEOPLE, AND HE GIVES US ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN CHRIST FREELY. GOD,
WHO SPARED NOT HIS OWN SON, BUT DELIVERED HIM UP FOR US ALL,
HOW SHALL HE NOT WITH HIM ALSO FREELY GIVE US ALL THINGS? HE'S BLESSED US WITH ALL SPIRITUAL
BLESSINGS IN THE HEAVENLYS IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. THEY'RE
GIVEN FREELY BY HIS GRACE. not because we're deserving,
but rather because our great Lord is abundantly gracious and
he delights to show mercy unto his own chosen people. I've read
this verse to you many times. I've quoted it to you many times.
His people are called the sheep of his hand and the people of
his pasture. We're in his hands. We're in
his hands. HIS HANDS ARE STRONG AND POWERFUL. NO ONE CAN STAY OR STOP HIS HANDS. NOW, LET'S CONSIDER VERSE 1,
2, 3, 4, AND TAKE A LOOK AT VERSE 5 IF WE HAVE TIME. PRAISE, PRAISE
THE LORD. THE PSALM OF DAVID. DAVID'S ALWAYS
LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITY to praise the Lord. He said, my praise
is reserved for the Lord. Praise waiteth for thee, O God. In Zion, that's God's church
in Zion, unto thee shall the vow, the vow of worship be performed. WE LOVE TO HONOR GOD BY BELIEVING
HIM. EVERY BELIEVER'S DESIRE IS TO
QUIETLY WAIT UPON THE LORD AND GIVE UNTO THE LORD THE GLORY
THAT'S DUE UNTO HIS NAME. TURN OVER HERE TO PSALM 27. REMEMBER
THIS VERSE, READING IT, PSALM 27, VERSE 14, WAIT UPON THE LORD, Let's back up one more verse.
Psalm 27, verse 13. I'd fainted unless I believed
to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait
upon the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart.
Wait, I say, on the Lord. Now, his blessings are worth
waiting upon, are they not? Every believer's desire is to
quietly wait upon the Lord and to give him the glory that's
due unto his name. not unto us oh lord turn to psalm
115 not unto us oh lord not unto us you remember psalm 115 verse
1 not unto us oh lord not unto us but unto thy name WE GIVE
GLORY FOR THY MERCY AND FOR THY TRUTH'S SAKE. OUR GOD IS IN THE
HEAVENS, VERSE 3, AND HE HAS DONE WHATSOEVER HE HAS PLEAD. PRAISE OR WORSHIP WAITS UPON
THE LORD. GOD ALONE IS DUE ALL OUR REVERENTIAL
WORSHIP UNTO HIM. WORTHY IS THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN
TO RECEIVE ALL HONOR AND GLORY AND BLESSINGS. IN PSALM 4610,
TURN OVER THERE. I KEEP YOU BUSY HERE TURNING
THESE SCRIPTURES. TRUSTING HIM WITH WORSHIP AND
REVERENTIAL STILLNESS IN THE HEART IS HONORING TO GOD. PSALM 46, VERSE 10, BE STILL
AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD, I WILL BE EXALTED AMONG THE HEATHEN,
I WILL BE EXALTED IN THE EARTH. THE LORD OF HOPE IS WITH US,
THE GOD OF JACOB. The God of Jacob is our refuge. He's a refuge in the time of
storm. Only always believing Him, looking
to Him to perform all that He has promised unto us. We wait
upon Him. Salvation's His doing. don't
get in a hurry wait upon the lord when mercy is given when
mercy is given praise and worship to god is spontaneous automatic
delightful it's not a burden to worship the lord when the
lord has saved you by his grace and called you out of darkness
in his marvelous light PRAISE AND WORSHIP IS SPONTANEOUS UNTO
GOD. LOOK AT PSALM 103. PSALM 103. BLESS THE LORD. VERSE 1. O MY
SOUL AND ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME, BLESS HIS HOLY NAME. BLESS THE
LORD, O MY SOUL, AND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS, WHO FORGIVETH
ALL THINE INIQUITIES, WHO HEALETH ALL THY WHO HAS REDEEMED THY
LIFE FROM DESTRUCTION, WHO CROWNETH THEE WITH LOVINGKINDNESS AND
TENDER MERCY. THE LORD HAS PERFORMED ALL THINGS
FOR US. LOOK AT THE LAST PART OF VERSE
1. UNTO THEE SHALL THE VOW OF WORSHIP BE PERFORMED UNTO THE
LORD. IT IS AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE
TO WORSHIP THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD, IS IT NOT? HE'S PERFORMED
ALL THINGS FOR US. We give unto him all honor and
glory that's due unto his name. Unto thee we vow a vow of worship,
of worship, of worship. Every believer has vowed in his
heart to worship the true and living God and say as Jonah did
from the belly of the great fish, got swallowed him up, he said
this, I will sacrifice unto thee with a voice of thanksgiving.
I will pay that I have vowed. What is that vow? Salvation is
of the Lord. It's our privilege and our delight
to come into his house and to worship him. You remember Psalm
122, where David said, I was glad when they said unto me,
let us go to the house of the Lord. To hear his word, TO HEAR
HIS GOSPEL, AND TO WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH, THAT'S
A PRIVILEGE. THAT'S AN HONOR TO DO SO. PRAISE
WAITETH FOR THEE, O GOD, IN ZION, IN THE LORD'S CHURCH. UNTO THEE
SHALL THE VOW BE PERFORMED. IT'S A VOW OF CONSECRATION. IT'S A VOW OF COMMITMENT AND
WORSHIP UNTO THE LORD. O thou that hearest prayer, how
can he hear prayer? Because he's a living God. Because
he's everywhere present. We don't have to go to some special
place or some special country or some special altar. O thou that hearest prayer, unto
thee shall all flesh come. Whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved. We can call upon him everywhere.
When we're at work, when we're at school, when we're in our
homes. When we lay down at night, when
we get up in the morning, he's everywhere present. God, O thou
that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. The Lord Jesus, when he was here
among men, said the same thing at the grave of Lazarus just
before he raised him from the dead. When he told them to remove
the stone and he cried unto the father, Before he said, Lazarus,
come forth, he said to the father, I know that you always hear me.
And he does, because he's the living God. And the Lord said,
Lazarus, come forth. All flesh, notice, all flesh
shall come. Now, especially speaking of His
covenant people, the Father had given Him power over all flesh
that He should give eternal life to as many as the Father hath
given to Him. Here is proof all sufficient
of our great God. He hears our prayers, our cry,
and supplies our every need according to His riches in glory. He always
encourages sinners to come to Him HE SAID, ALL THAT THE FATHER
GIVETH ME WILL COME TO ME, AND THOSE THAT COME TO ME, I WILL
NEVER CAST THEM OUT. O THOU THAT HEAREST PRAYER, THE
LORD HEARES PRAYER, HAS MERCY ON THOSE WHO CALL UPON HIM. WOULDN'T
IT BE A WISE THING TO CALL UPON THE LORD FOR SALVATION? THOU
THAT HEAREST PRAYER. YOU KNOW THE LORD ENCOURAGES
HIS PEOPLE. HE SAID, I'M THE BREAD OF LIFE.
COME TO ME, I'M THE WATER OF LIFE, DRINK OF ME. HE SAID, ALL
YOU THAT ARE LABORING AND HEAVY LADEN, COME UNTO ME, AND I'LL
GIVE YOU REST. WHY DON'T YOU COME? AND I'M NOT
TALKING ABOUT A PHYSICAL COMING, COMING BY FAITH UNTO THE LORD.
OH, EVERYONE THAT IS THIRSTY, HE SAID, COME, COME AND DRINK,
IT'S FREE. COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF
GRACE, THAT YOU MAY OBTAIN MERCY. TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED. OUR
LORD IS ABLE TO MEET ALL OUR NEED ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES
AND GLORY THROUGH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. OH, THOU THAT HEAREST
PRAYER. OUR LORD SAID, MAKE YOUR REQUEST
KNOWN UNTO GOD. HE KNOWS OUR HEART. CRY UNTO
HIM IN YOUR HEART, NOT TO BE SEEN OF MEN, NOT TO BE HEARD
OF MEN, BUT TO BE HEARD OF HIM. thou that hearest our prayer
unto thee all flesh shall come and in the end every knee will
bow and every tongue will confess that he is Lord to the glory
of God the Father now verse 3 here we see a humble confession and
reassuring confidence iniquities That is our sins, our many sins. They prevail against us. We are sinners and they prevail
against us because we've come short of the glory of God and
we've sinned against God. Iniquities prevail against me
and I have absolutely no power or even a want to or a will TO
DO ANYTHING ABOUT PUTTING AWAY MY SIN. MATTER OF FACT, IT'S
IMPOSSIBLE. INIQUITIES PREVAIL AGAINST ME. MY SIN PREVAILS AGAINST
ME. ALL FLESH IS GRASS. AS FOR OUR
TRANSGRESSIONS, THOU SHALT PURGE THEM AWAY. NOW, WHAT A BLESSING. THINK ABOUT THAT. TURN OVER HERE
TO PSALM 32. YOU REMEMBER PSALM 32, THE PROMISE
THERE IN PSALM 32? And in Psalm 51 as well, we'll
read there in just a minute. Look at Psalm 32, verse 1. Blessed is he whose transgression
is forgiven, whose sin is covered. There's transgression, forgiven. There's sin, covered. Verse 2. Blessed is the man unto whom
the Lord imputeth not iniquity. in whose spirit there is no God. I turn to another psalm. This
is a well-known psalm, Psalm 51. Have mercy upon me. Psalm 51, verse 1. Have mercy upon me, O God. according to thy loving kindness,
according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out
my transgression, wash me throughly from mine iniquity, cleanse me
from my sin, for I acknowledge my transgression and my sin is
ever before me. How can our sin be put away?
One way, only one way. And that is by the Lord Jesus
Christ. Look at the next part of that.
Iniquities prevail against us. As for our transgression, thou
shalt purge, thou shalt purge them away. Thou shalt do that. A reassuring confidence we have
in our great God, AND SAVIOR OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, HE
HAS COME AND HE HAS PUT ALL OUR SIN AWAY BY THE SACRIFICE OF
HIMSELF. NOW DON'T TURN, LET ME JUST READ
IT TO YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS. YOU REMEMBER IN HEBREWS
CHAPTER 1, WHAT TALKS ABOUT OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BEING THE APPOINTED
HEIR OF ALL THINGS, BY WHOM ALSO HE MADE THE WORLDS, HEBREWS 1
VERSE 2 AND 3, WHO BEING THE BRIGHTNESS OF HIS GLORY, THE
EXPRESSED IMAGE OF HIS PERSON, UPHOLDING ALL THINGS BY THE WORD
OF HIS POWER, WHEN HE BY HIMSELF PURGED OUR SINS, HE SAT DOWN
ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD. DID HE GET IT DONE? DID HE REALLY
ACTUALLY PURGE OUR SINS? SO MUCH SO THAT GOD SAYS OVER
HERE IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 10, BY THE ONE OFFERING HE PERFECTED
FOREVER THEM THAT ARE SANCTIFIED AND THEIR SIN AND THEIR INIQUITIES
GOD SAID I REMEMBER NO MORE. And then he says over here in
Hebrews 9, he appeared once in the end of the age to put away
sin by the sacrifice of himself. Now that's our hope. Our iniquities
prevail against us. There's nothing I can do to put
away my sin. There's nothing I can do to atone
for my sin or to redeem myself or deliver myself from my sin.
IS WHAT GOD IN CHRIST HAS DONE FOR HIS PEOPLE. HE HAS PUT AWAY
OUR SIN. AS FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, THOU
SHALT PURGE THEM AWAY. REMEMBER HOW THAT HAPPENED, THAT
WORD TRANSGRESSIONS? WHAT DOES THAT REMIND YOU OF?
IT REMINDS ME OF THIS. IN ISAIAH 53, SURELY HE HATH
BORN OUR GRIEFS AND CARRIED OUR SORROWS. Yet we did esteem him,
stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. He was wounded for
our transgression. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace
was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep
have gone astray. We've turned everyone to his
own way, and the Lord laid on him. THE INIQUITY OF US ALL. WHAT A BLESSEDNESS WE HAVE IN
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. HE APPEARED ONCE IN THE END OF
THE AGE TO PUT AWAY OUR SIN. WE ARE REDEEMED WITH THE PRECIOUS
BLOOD OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. NOT WITH CORRUPTIBLE THINGS,
BUT WITH HIS PRECIOUS BLOOD. HE PURGED ALL OUR INIQUITY, TRANSGRESSION,
AND SINS AND TOOK THEM ALL AWAY. having taken them unto himself."
That was Isaiah's hope, that was David's hope, and that is
every believer's hope. God made him to be sin for us,
who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of
God in him. Now, iniquities prevail against
me, David said. You remember when Nathan came
to David AND SAID THAT YOU HAVE SINNED AGAINST GOD, AND DAVID
WAS SO ALARMED AND SO TERRIFIED THAT HE HAD SINNED AGAINST GOD,
AND THEN NATHAN HAD THE GOOD WORD OF THE GOSPEL, DIDN'T HE?
HE SAID, NEVERTHELESS, THE LORD HATH PUT AWAY THY SIN. THAT'S
OUR HOPE. IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO
DO ANYTHING TO PUT AWAY OUR SIN. WOULDN'T IT BE SOMETHING? ONE
DAY WE WON'T EVEN HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO SIN WHEN WE HAVE A NEW BODY
LIKE UNTO HIS BODY, A GLORIFIED BODY. BUT RIGHT NOW IN THIS FLESH,
ALL THIS FLESH PRODUCES IS SIN. THAT WHICH IS BORN OF THE FLESH,
THAT'S WHAT IT IS, IT'S FLESH. AND ALL IT CAN PRODUCE IS SIN. BUT OUR HOPE IS THIS, HE'S TAKEN
ALL OF OUR SIN, ORIGINAL AND ACTUAL. SIN OF OMISSION, SIN
OF COMMISSION. ALL OUR SIN, PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE,
ALL OUR SIN HAS BEEN PUT AWAY BY THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. SO
MUCH SO THAT HE SAYS OVER HERE IN PSALM 103, FOR AS THE HEAVEN
IS HIGH ABOVE THE EARTH, SO GREAT IS HIS MERCY TOWARD THEM THAT
FEAR HIM AS FAR AS THE EAST FROM THE WEST, SO FAR HATH HE REMOVED
OUR TRANSGRESSIONS FROM US." THE EAST IS RIGHT OVER HERE.
THE WEST IS RIGHT OVER THERE. AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE
WEST, HE'S PUT AWAY OUR SIN FOREVER. CAST BEHIND THE BACK OF GOD. NOW, LOOK AT VERSE 4, whom God has chosen." Now if
God's chosen you, you know what else he's done? He's put away
your sin. He's put away your sin. Blessed, blessed, blessed
is that man whom God has chosen. When did this choice take place?
We call that the Bible doctrine of election. God from eternity
chose the people unto salvation. And those for whom the Lord Jesus
Christ chose, those for whom the Lord Jesus Christ by his
own blood purged away their sin, he causes them to approach unto
thee. How can a sinner approach unto
a thrice holy God? Only in Christ. BLESSED IS THAT
MAN WHOM GOD HAS CHOSEN, AND CAUSES TO APPROACH UNTO HIM THAT
HE MAY DWELL IN THY COURTS. DAVID SAID, ONE THING HAVE I
DESIRED, THAT I MAY DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD ALL THE
DAYS OF MY LIFE. WE SHALL BE SATISFIED WITH THE
GOODNESS OF THY HOUSE, EVEN THY HOLY TEMPLE. BEING SATISFIED. NOW HERE WE HAVE A familiar verse
that we often quote, and it's loaded with the good news of
the gospel. The Lord Jesus Christ came to
save sinners. Who is that blessed and happy
man? That word blessed also means happy. Who are those that are
happy in the Lord? Those who are found in him. That's
why Paul said that I may win Christ and be found in him. The
world of unbelievers has a totally different idea as to who the
blessed man is, don't they? They think the blessed man is
the man who's well-educated, has good health and plenty of
money. THAT'S NOT A BLESSING. IT MAY BE A CURSE TO YOU TO HAVE
ALL THOSE THINGS BECAUSE IT MIGHT DIVERT YOUR ATTENTION AWAY FROM
A REAL NEED WHICH IS SALVATION IN HIM. THE BLESSED MAN IS THOSE
WHOM GOD HAS CHOSEN. THE BLESSED MAN ARE THOSE WHOM
THE LORD HAS PUT AWAY THEIR SIN. THE BLESSED MAN IS THOSE TO WHOM
GOD BY HIS POWER AND MERCY DRAWS THEM WITH EVERLASTING LOVE. THAT'S
THE BLESSED MAN. Now let's look at several things
down in verse 4. First of all, we see sovereign
election. We're chosen of God according
to the good pleasure of His will. This alone is that blessedness. God has chosen a people unto
salvation. That's blessedness. Had God not
chosen a people unto salvation because of Adam's sin, because
of Adam's ruin, and out of that mass of ruined sinner, God chose
a people unto salvation. When did this choice take place?
Before Adam ever sinned. WE ARE BOUND TO GIVE THANKS TO
GOD FOR YOU, BRETHREN, BECAUSE GOD HAS, FROM THE BEGINNING,
CHOSEN YOU TO SALVATION. YOU REMEMBER OUR LORD SAID IN
JOHN 15 TO HIS DISCIPLES, YOU DIDN'T CHOOSE ME, I CHOSE YOU. THEY WERE OUT THERE FISHING,
JAMES AND JOHN, PETER AND ANDREW, THEY WERE OUT THERE FISHING,
AND THE LORD WALKED UP TO THEM AND SAID, FOLLOW ME, AND I'LL
MAKE YOU FISHERS OF MEN. We see God's sovereign electing
love in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed is the
man whom God has chosen. How do I know I'm one of God's
elect? How do I know that God has chosen
me unto salvation? You know your election by your
calling, because the gospel comes to those people not in word only,
but in power, the power of the Holy Spirit, and they're quickened
and they're called unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Second thing we
see is sovereign, irresistible, effectual calling. He causes
us to approach Him. He's the first cause, the second
cause, the third cause, the first cause, and the last cause. He's
all the cause of our salvation. I was thinking of another. Turn
to Psalm 143. I think this is the verse I was
thinking of earlier today. That word, he causes us to approach
unto him. Look over here in Psalm 143,
verse eight. Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness
in the morning, for in thee do I trust. Cause me to know the
way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my soul to thee. Deliver
me, O Lord, from mine enemies. I flee unto thee to hide me.
Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God. Thy spirit is
good. Lead me into the land of uprightness. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's
sake, for thy righteousness' sake. Bring my soul out of trouble. He's the cause of our salvation. He's purged away our sin. He's
taken away our transgression and he has blessed us with all
spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ according as he has
chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. And then he causes
us, he calls us out of darkness into his marvelous light with
the gospel. He graciously works in us and
attracts us powerfully unto himself. And you know how he makes us
willing in the day of his power? You know how he makes us willing
to come to him who's the water of life and the bread of life?
He makes us hungry. He makes us thirsty. And he makes
us willing in the day of his power. He makes himself altogether
lovely unto us. He subdues our stubborn unwillingness
and makes us willing in the day of his power, removes our inability,
and he causes us to come to him. He said, no man can come to me.
That means no man has the ability. No man can come to me except
the father which sent me draw him. And he draws us with an
everlasting loving kindness. And then we see also something
in verse four about his sovereign adoption. His sovereign adoption. WE DWELL IN HIS COURTS. WE DWELL THERE. YOU REMEMBER,
I QUOTED THIS EARLIER. LET'S TURN AND READ IT. PSALM
27, TURN OVER THERE. ONE THING, VERSE 4, PSALM 27,
THE LORD IS MY LIGHT AND MY SALVATION. WHOM SHALL I FEAR? THE LORD IS
THE STRENGTH OF MY LIFE. AND WHOM SHALL I BE AFRAID? LOOK
AT VERSE 4, PSALM 27, VERSE 4. ONE THING HAVE I DESIRED OF THE
LORD, AND THAT WILL I SEEK AFTER. THAT I MAY DWELL IN THE HOUSE
OF THE LORD ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE, AND TO BEHOLD THE BEAUTY
OF THE LORD, AND TO INQUIRE IN HIS TEMPLE." I want to dwell
in his house, his house. We dwell in his courts as adopted
sons in his household, in his family, in his presence as sons
of God. That's how we dwell in his court.
That's how we dwell in his house, as sons of God, heirs of God
and joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. Behold what manner
of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called,
what? Sons of God. Sons of God. Sons of God. Let me read this
to you. Thinking of this verse over here in Galatians, what
talks about the sons of God, He came, the Lord Jesus Christ,
in the fullness of time, 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
HEART, CRYING, ABBA, FATHER, WHEREFORE THOU ART NO MORE A
SERVANT, BUT A SON. AND IF A SON, THEN AN HEIR OF
GOD THROUGH CHRIST. YOU SEE WHAT HE'S SAYING THERE?
WE DWELL IN HIS COURTS AS SONS OF GOD. AND THEN IT SAYS THE
LAST PART OF VERSE 4, BACK IN OUR TEXT, WE SHALL BE SATISFIED
WITH THE GOODNESS OF HIS HOUSE. Now, we're not talking about
an earthly house or an earthly temple or earthly courts. We're talking about heavenly
kingdom, a heavenly house. We have in the Lord Jesus Christ. We'll be satisfied with his blessedness. What a blessing it is to be satisfied,
totally satisfied with his goodness. rejoicing in Him, being complete
in Him. Believer, being a believer is
a blessedness and believers are satisfied with the Lord Jesus
Christ. God has provided for us a perfect
Savior, WITH PERFECT SALVATION. HE'S GIVEN US A PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS.
AND BELIEVERS ARE SATISFIED. HE SAYS THERE WE SHALL BE SATISFIED
WITH THE GOODNESS OF THE HOUSE EVEN FOREVERMORE. BUT YOU KNOW
WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT? LET'S SEE IF WE CAN TURN AND
READ ABOUT IT. TURN TO ISAIAH 53. WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT We
are satisfied as believers with the Lord Jesus Christ. But what
is more important is this, Isaiah 53 verse 10. Yet it pleased the
Lord to bruise him. He hath put him to grief, when
thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin. He shall see his seed,
he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall
prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of
his soul and shall be satisfied. By his knowledge shall my righteous
servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquity. Now, you see what I'm saying
here? Believers are satisfied with the Lord Jesus Christ. But
more important, and more importantly is this fact, God is satisfied. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. THIS IS
MY BELOVED SON IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED. CHRIST IS ALL AND IN
ALL. LOOK AT VERSE FOUR AGAIN. BLESSED
IS THE MAN WHOM THOU CHOOSEST AND CAUSES TO APPROACH UNTO THEE
THAT HE MAY DWELL IN THY COURTS. WE SHALL BE SATISFIED WITH THE
GOODNESS, WITH HIS GOODNESS, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, HIS HOUSE
AND HIS HOLY TEMPLE FOREVER. IN CLOSING, LET'S TAKE A LOOK
AT VERSE 5, BY TERRIBLE OR TREMENDOUS THINGS IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, THOU
WILL ANSWER US, O GOD OF OUR SALVATION, WHO ARK THE CONFIDENCE. HE'S A GOD OF OUR SALVATION,
THEREFORE WE HAVE CONFIDENCE. REMEMBER WHAT PAUL SAID IN PHILIPPIANS
3, VERSE 3, We are the true Israel, which worship God in the spirit,
that rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ, and we have no confidence
in the flesh. God is a God of our salvation. Salvation is of the Lord in its
origination, its execution, its application, its sustaining power,
and its ultimate perfection. Salvation is of the Lord, and
he's our confidence. Our total confidence. The confidence of all the ends
of the earth, wherever you find God's elect in this world, believing
and loving the gospel, they're all confident that he's a able
savior. He's able to save to the uttermost
all that come to God by him. He's able to keep us from falling
and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with
exceeding joy, which by his strength, verse six, His strength set us past the
mountains being girded with power. Whenever I see that word power,
I think of Christ who's the power of God unto salvation. I'm not
ashamed of the gospel of Christ, it's the power of God unto salvation
to everyone that believeth in him.