Okay today we're gonna take a
look at Acts chapter 13 Acts chapter 13 now, this is Paul's
sermon on his first missionary journey and he's winding up this
sermon to these Jews in this synagogue and he says verse 38
39 I want to camp on these two verses here because they're so
key and THIS IS HIS CLOSING STATEMENT. THIS IS HIS CLOSING ARGUMENT.
BE IT KNOWN UNTO YOU, THEREFORE, MEN AND BRETHREN, EVIDENTLY THERE
WERE SOME THERE WHO DID BELIEVE THIS MESSAGE OF SALVATION THROUGH
CHRIST, THAT THROUGH THIS MAN, this one whom God raised from
the dead, the one who saw no corruption, as he states in verse
37, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness
of sins. Now, who needs forgiveness of
sins? Sinners. Every one of you here
this morning, everyone listening to this message later, ON THE
INTERNET. EVERY ONE OF US ARE SINNERS WHO
NEED THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. THROUGH THIS MAN, THE GOD-MAN
MEDIATOR IS PREACHED UNTO YOU THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. NOW, AND BY HIM, VERSE 39, ALL
THAT BELIEVE ARE JUSTIFIED, JUSTIFIED, CLEARED OF ALL GUILT, PARDONED
FROM ALL SIN, MADE RIGHTEOUS, GOD'S SIGHT FROM ALL THINGS WHICH
YOU COULD NOT. IS THERE FORGIVENESS OF SIN?
YES. CAN SINNERS BE JUSTIFIED? YES,
BUT NOT BY THE DEEDS OF THE LAW, NOT BY YOUR DOING. THAT'S WHAT
HE'S SAYING HERE, NOT BY YOUR HAND, NOT BY YOUR MORALITY, YOUR
GOODNESS, YOUR GOOD DEEDS. THE BEST WE HAVE, THE BEST WE
CAN BRING, GOD SAYS AWAY WITH IT FILTHY RAGS IN MY SIGHT."
NOW, THE TITLE OF THE MESSAGE THEN, JUSTIFIED FROM ALL SIN. JUSTIFIED FROM ALL YOUR, MAKE
IT PERSONAL, MY SIN, YOUR SIN. JUSTIFIED. NOW, WHAT GLORIOUS
GOOD NEWS REVEALED IN THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. WHO
CAN LAY ANYTHING TO THE CHARGE OF GOD'S ELECT? It is God that justifies. Who is he that condemneth? It
is Christ that died. Jay Rather is risen again. Who
is even? At the right hand of God, who
also makes intercession for us. There is therefore now in the
Lord Jesus Christ no condemnation. You know why? Because God in
Christ has justified His people from all their sin, cleared of
all charges against you justly in Christ crucified. God can
be a just God and Savior, just and the justifier through the
Lord Jesus Christ in Him crucified. CLEARED BY GOD ALMIGHTY OF ALL
CHARGES, AND DECLARED HOLY WITHOUT BLAME, PRESENTED TO GOD FAULTLESS,
UNCHARGEABLE, UNBLAMEABLE IN GOD'S SIGHT." THAT'S EXACTLY
HOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST PRESENTS US BEFORE THE FATHER'S PRESENCE,
BEFORE THE GLORY OF HIS PRESENCE, BEFORE THE GLORY OF HIS THRONE.
UNBLAMEABLE! UNREPROVABLE! justified in His
sight." Now, if that doesn't do something for you, you're
dead. You're dead. You're plum dead. You're graveyard
dead. Me, a vile sinner, justified
before the throne of God, unblameable, holy in His sight, WHAT GOOD
NEWS WE HAVE. NOW I WANT TO SPEND SOME TIME
HERE ON VERSE 38 AND 39 IN ACTS 13 ON PAUL'S CLOSING STATEMENT
IN THIS SERMON HE BROUGHT TO THESE VERY RELIGIOUS JEWS AND
MIXED IN SOME GENTILES IN THIS CROWD IN THAT SYNAGOGUE THAT
DAY. WHAT DO YOU THINK WE'RE GOING
TO SEE IN THE END OF THIS CHAPTER WHAT HAPPENED WHEN HE DECLARED
THIS MESSAGE OF SALVATION BY GRACE ALONE THROUGH THE LORD
JESUS CHRIST. NOW REMEMBER THESE JEWS WERE
LIVING UNDER THE BONDAGE OF THE LAW OF MOSES. THEY WERE SEEKING
FORGIVENESS OF SIN BY SACRIFICES OF ANIMALS BEFORE GOD WHO ARE
GOING ABOUT TO ESTABLISH A RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE GOD BY THE DEEDS OF THE
LAW, BY THEIR WORKS. were trying to be justified before
God by bringing something that they thought would recommend
them to God, much like, remember the story of Cain and Abel. Sadly,
and I say this with a broken heart, and I PRAY THAT I CAN
TRULY BE CONVICTED ABOUT THIS IN MY HEART. SADLY, MANY PEOPLE
TODAY ARE TRYING TO DO THE SAME THING BEFORE GOD. MOST RELIGIOUS
PEOPLE ARE DOING THE SAME THING. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU TALK
ABOUT CHRISTIANITY, MAINSTREAM CHRISTIANITY, YOU TALK ABOUT
THE BUDDHISTS, THE HINDU, THE MUSLIM. ALL RELIGION, I DON'T
CARE WHAT YOU CALL IT, IS EITHER ONE OF TWO THINGS. EITHER ALL
OF GRACE OR ALL OF WORKS, AND IT CANNOT BE BOTH. IT CANNOT
BE A MIXTURE OF BOTH. AND THIS BOOK TEACHES THAT THE
WAY OF SALVATION IS ALWAYS BY THE GRACE OF GOD. NOAH FOUND
GRACE IN THE EYES OF THE LORD. MANY PEOPLE TODAY, RELIGIOUS
PEOPLE OF ALL DIFFERENT SORTS ALL OVER THIS WORLD ARE TRYING
TO JUSTIFY THEMSELVES BEFORE GOD BY THEIR GOOD DEEDS. NOW,
WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT? that they are guilty. They know
that they are sinners. They know to some extent, to
some degree, that God is holy. Therefore, they think that they
can bring something that would recommend themselves to a thrice
holy God. THAT CANNOT BE DONE. IF RIGHTEOUSNESS
COMES BY WHAT YOU DO, WHAT YOU BRING, GALATIANS 2-21 SAYS, IF
RIGHTEOUSNESS IS BY THE LAW, THEN CHRIST IS DEAD IN VENGEANCE. NO NEED FOR HIM TO COME AND HONOR
THE LAW OF GOD. NO NEED FOR HIM TO DIE UNDER
THE WEIGHT OF THE SIN OF GOD'S ELECT LAID ON HIM UNDER THE WRATH
OF GOD. NO NEED FOR THAT TO TAKE PLACE
IF YOU CAN GET IT DONE BY KEEPING THE BIG TEN. THE BIG TEN. Now, most people think that's
a football conference, and it is, but he's talking about the
Big Ten, thou shalt not, thou shalt not, thou shalt, thou shalt,
thou shalt. What's wrong with keeping the
Big Ten? You can't do it. God set the bar so high, we're
so low, all have sinned to come short of the glory of God. THE
DEEDS OF THE LAW SHALL NO FLESH BE JUSTIFIED." REMEMBER WHAT
OUR LORD SAID AND REBUKED THOSE PHARISEES WHO WENT ABOUT TO JUSTIFY
THEMSELVES BEFORE GOD? HE SAID, YOU ARE THEY THAT JUSTIFY
YOURSELVES BEFORE MEN, BUT GOD KNOWS YOUR HEART. THAT WHICH
IS HIGHLY ESTEEMED AMONG MEN... NOW LISTEN TO IT CAREFULLY. THIS
IS LUKE 16, 15. I'M NOT MAKING THIS UP. You or
they would justify yourself before men, but that which is highly
esteemed among men, what does it mean before God? He said,
it's iniquity, it's nothing but sin. Lord, we preached in your
name, we cast out demons in your name. Lord, we've done all these
wonderful works. Depart from me, I never knew
you. Workers of iniquity. Iniquity. What did Paul say to
those Jews? And it's recorded in Romans chapter
10. You can find Romans real easily. It's just one book over, Romans
10. This same crowd, Romans 10 verse
one. Remember from our Bible study
in Romans 10. Brethren, verse one, my heart's
desire and prayer to God for Israel is they might be saved.
For I bear them record, boy, they're zealous. They have a
zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Were they being
ignorant of God's righteousness, His holy character, and going
about to establish their own righteousness? Now watch this.
Have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. Two different things there. ONE'S
TALKING ABOUT THE HOLY CHARACTER OF GOD, THE OTHER'S TALKING ABOUT
THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD PROVIDED AND REVEALED IN THE GOSPEL. NOW,
LOOK AT VERSE 4 CAREFULLY. ROMANS 10, VERSE 4, CHRIST IS
THE END OF THE LAW FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS TO EVERYONE THAT KEEPS THE LAW. DID I MISREAD THAT? CHRIST IS
THE END OF THE LAW FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS TO EVERYONE THAT BELIEVETH. By
him all that believe, what do we read in Romans, Acts 13, rather,
Acts 13, verse 39, by him all that believe are justified from
all things. But you could not be justified
by the law of Moses. God puts a high premium on faith. Verily, verily, our Lord said,
I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him
that sent me hath. EVERLASTING LIFE, JOHN 5, 24,
HALF EVERLASTING LIFE. HE THAT HEARETH MY WORD AND BELIEVETH
ON HIM THAT SENT ME, HALF EVERLASTING LIFE. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? GOT
IT. IF YOU HEARD THE GOSPEL AND BELIEVED GOD'S GOSPEL CONCERNING
CHRIST, YOU'VE GOT ETERNAL LIFE RIGHT NOW, AND SHALL NOT COME
INTO CONDEMNATION. WHY? HE JUSTIFIED. THERE IS THEREFORE
NOW NO CONDEMNATION TO THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST, AND HE PASSED
FROM DEATH, THAT'S HOW WE'RE BORN, DEAD IN SIN, UNTO LIFE. WHAT IS THAT? ETERNAL LIFE. THAT'S
JUSTIFICATION. AND ALL THIS IS PREDICATED AND
BASED UPON THE SUCCESSFUL ATONEMENT OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST CONSUMMATED
AND ACCOMPLISHED BY HIS GLORIOUS RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD. TURN BACK TO ROMANS. LET ME SHOW
YOU SOMETHING HERE JUST A MINUTE. ROMANS CHAPTER 4, LOOK AT VERSE
25. ROMANS 4, 25. ROMANS 4, 25. Remember the Lord said without
faith it is impossible to please God. All who believe the gospel. Romans 4 25. The Lord Jesus Christ
was delivered for our offenses. Right. And raised again because he justified
us. He's raised again because he
put away our sin. Now read on. Therefore. Being
justified. I like to put the comma right
there. He was delivered for our offenses, raised again for our
justification, therefore being justified, comma, by faith we
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We're not
justified by the act of faith because saving faith looks to
the Lord Jesus Christ who justified us by his blood sacrifice. As it says in Romans 5, Verse 8, God committed his love
toward us and while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us much
more than being now justified by his blood. We shall be saved
from wrath through him. Now let's go back to Acts 13,
verse 38. Be it known. Be it known unto
you therefore. I want you to know this. I want
you to understand this. Men Indiscriminately everywhere
need to hear this message going to work all the world and preach
the gospel to every preacher Men and women everywhere need
to hear this message of salvation by the grace of God and the brethren
need to hear too We need be need to be reminded over and over
again Because we still have that same depraved sinful nature.
The things were justified by what we do That's the old man
WE NEED TO HEAR THIS MESSAGE OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BRETHREN,
THAT THROUGH THIS MAN, THE ONE RAISED FROM THE DEAD, THE ONE
THAT'S SEATED ON THE THRONE OF GOD, THE ONE WHO IS ABSOLUTE
LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, THAT THROUGH THIS MAN IS PREACHED
UNTO YOU THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN. NOW, WOULD THERE BE ANY FORGIVENESS
OF SIN APART FROM THIS MAN? APART FROM THIS SAVIOR? ACCORDING
TO THIS BOOK, NO. GOD SAVES SINNERS ONE WAY. BEING
JUSTIFIED. DO YOU REMEMBER MY FAVORITE VERSE
IN ROMANS 3, 24? YOU CAN ALL QUOTE THAT NOW, CAN'T
YOU? ROMANS 3, 24. YOU CAN ALL QUOTE THAT NOW, RIGHT?
BEING JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE THROUGH THE REDEMPTION
THAT IS IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE
THROUGH THE REDEEMING WORK OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. There's
just one way in which God pardons and justifies the guilty. Through
the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified. That's why Paul said,
I'm determined not to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ and
Him crucified. This blessed truth of salvation
from sin will only interest you if you know yourself to be guilty
before God. You remember Romans 3, 19 says,
let every mouth be stopped and all the world become guilty,
guilty before God. I tell you what, if the Lord
ever thunders that in your heart, guilty, guilty, you'll seek mercy
where it's found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Guilty, guilty,
guilty. Who wants to hear about being
justified freely by His grace? Those who know themselves to
be guilty sinners. And it's only through, notice
carefully brethren, it's through this man, through this man, through
this Savior. THIS ONE SIN OF GOD, THROUGH
THIS MAN WHO DIED FOR OUR SIN ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURE, WHOM
GOD RAISED FROM THE DEAD, THE ONE WHO SAW NO CORRUPTION, THE
ONE WHEN HE BY HIMSELF PURGED OUR SIN, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT
HAND OF GOD, IT'S THROUGH THIS MAN. WHO IS THIS MAN? HE'S NO ORDINARY MAN. He's the
God-man mediator. 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. He was a real man. The Word was
made flesh and dwelt among us, but let us never forget He's
the God-man mediator. It's only through this man, it's
only through the righteousness, his righteousness, his obedience
unto the law, his faithfulness unto death. It's only through
his faithfulness, honoring the law of God in every precept and
in penalty. It's only through this man, his
obedience. But one man's disobedience, many
were made sinners, By another man's obedience, many are made
righteous. That's Romans 5, 19. God raises
us up the same way we fell, only in a different man, through this
man, through this man. Oh, I need this man. I need to win Christ and be found
in this man, the Lord Jesus Christ, the one Son of God, the Christ
of God. He's put away sin by the sacrifice
of himself. Who is this man? We often refer
to him as the God-man mediator, because that's what he is. He
never stopped being God. In the beginning was the Word,
the Word was with God, and the Word was God. But when the Word
was made flesh and dwelt among us, He didn't stop being God. He became what He was not, flesh,
but He remained what He was, eternal, holy God. It's through
this man, the God-man mediator, who honored the law of God for
us. There is one God, one mediator
between God and men. That is the God-man, the Lord
Jesus Christ. It's only through the blood sacrifice
of this man that there's a forgiveness of sin. And we have the forgiveness
of sin right now. Paul declares that in Ephesians
chapter one, in whom we have the forgiveness of sin. according
to the riches of his grace in whom we have right now the forgiveness
of sin in the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, the blood of bulls and
goats cannot put away sin. We read that, didn't we? It is
not possible. It is not possible. that the
blood of bulls and goats should take away sin. The Lord Jesus
Christ, as our representative man, as our high priest before
God, he didn't bring the typical animal sacrifice, did he? That's
what the Old Testament priest did. What did the Lord Jesus
Christ bring? Hebrews 9, verse 11 and 12 tells
us. He didn't bring the blood of bulls and goats. He obtained
for us eternal redemption with His own blood. He obtained for
us eternal redemption. He redeemed us with His precious
blood. Through this man is preached
to you the forgiveness of sin. Well, how many sin will He forgive?
I have a whole bunch of them. I've got bushels full. I've got
truckloads full. I've got semi-truck full of sin. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's
Son, cleanses us from all our sin. Original sin, actual sin,
sin of omission, sin of commission, all my sin put away by the blood
sacrifice of Jesus Christ. So much so, we read that in Hebrews
10 verse 17, you remember what we read? God said their sin and
their iniquity. Well, I remember no more. When
he had by himself purged our sin, he appeared once in the
end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
And he did it so well, so perfectly, so completely that God Almighty
said their sin, their iniquity, I don't even know anything about
them. He said, they're cast behind
my back. They're in the depths of the sea as far as the east
is from the west. So far has he separated our sin
from us? That's good news, is it not?
The God-man mediator put away our sin. It's only through the
blood sacrifice of this man. It's only through this man that
there is forgiveness of sin. This man is no common, ordinary
man. They looked at him that way.
He said, we know who you are. Well, you're Mary's boy. You
work down there in your father's carpenter shop. We know who you
are. He said, you've seen me. You've seen the father. I and
my father are one. We're one. We're one. He's no
ordinary man. He's the God-man, Son of God.
Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God
was manifest in the flesh, justified, vindicated by the Spirit. PREACHED
IN THE GENTILES, BELIEVED ON IN THE WORLD, AND RECEIVED UP
TO GLORY, I TIMOTHY 3, 16. NOW, WHY IS THERE ONLY FORGIVENESS
OF SIN THROUGH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST? HE'S THE ONE WHO DIED
TO PUT AWAY SIN BY THE SACRIFICE OF HIMSELF. THIS IS GOD'S LAMB. HE SAID, BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD.
ONLY THAT WHICH GOD PROVIDES WILL GOD ACCEPT. IT MUST BE PERFECT
TO BE ACCEPTED. IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, CRUCIFIED,
WE HAVE A PERFECT ATONEMENT FOR SIN. A PERFECT ATONEMENT FOR
SIN. HERE IN HIS LOVE, NOT THAT WE
LOVE GOD, BUT THAT HE LOVED US, AND HE SENT HIS SON TO BE THE
ATONEMENT, THE SACRIFICE FOR OUR SIN. THROUGH THIS MAN WE HAVE THE
COMPLETE FORGIVENESS OF SIN. BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOM THE LORD
WILL NOT IMPUTE SIN. HE CAN'T. IF GOD RECKONED MY
SIN TO MY SUBSTITUTE AND HE MADE FULL PAYMENT AND SATISFACTION
FOR MY SIN, CAN HE TURN AROUND AND CHARGE ME, HAVING THE LORD
JESUS CHRIST PUT AWAY MY SIN? CAN HE CHARGE ME AGAIN? NO, SIR. THAT WOULD MAKE HIM UNJUST. WE
HAVE A FULL PARDON FROM SIN IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. WE HAVE
A FREE PARDON FROM SIN. WE HAVE A PARDON THAT'S IRREVERSIBLE. WE HAD IT ON THE RADIO THIS MORNING,
ECCLESIASTES 3, 14, WHATSOEVER THE LORD DOETH, IT SHALL BE FOREVER. NOTHING CAN BE PUT TO IT. NOTHING
CAN BE TAKEN AWAY FROM IT. GOD DOETH IT THAT MAN SHOULD
FEAR. WORSHIP THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD. THIS PARDON WE HAVE IN CHRIST
IS AN ETERNAL PARDON. HE GIVES US ETERNAL LIFE. HE
GIVES US EVERLASTING SALVATION. HE OBTAINED FOR US ETERNAL REDEMPTION. NOW, HOW IS THIS FORGIVENESS
OF ALL SIN RECEIVED? VERSE 39, ACTS 13, VERSE 39,
AND BY HIM ALL THAT BELIEVE ARE JUSTIFIED. FROM ALL THINGS I
MEAN YOU BRING IT UP. NAME WHAT SIN YOU WILL. BY HIM
ALL THAT BELIEVE ARE JUSTIFIED FROM ALL THINGS WHICH YOU COULD
NOT BE JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW OF MOSES. NOW HOW IS THIS FORGIVENESS
FROM ALL SIN AND THIS JUSTIFICATION WE HAVE IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST,
HOW IS IT RECEIVED? HOW IS IT ENJOYED? HOW IS IT
THAT WE HAVE ANY HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE? What does it say there? Verse 39, by him all that believe. Now how do we believe? Men by nature are dead in sin,
right? That's how they're born. Loving
darkness, hating God. Loving ourselves, hating the
true and living God. The carnal mind is enmity against
God. How can any vile, wretched sinner
really, truly believe the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and
commit the whole of our salvation unto Him? You wanna know the
answer? READ THAT AGAIN. BY HIM ALL THAT
BELIEVE. DID YOU GET IT? BY HIM WE BELIEVE. NOT BY YOU. FAITH DOESN'T COME
FROM YOU. FAITH IS A GIFT OF GOD. WITHOUT
FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD. FOR BY GRACE ARE YOU SAVED
THROUGH FAITH AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELF. IT'S BY HIM THAT WE
BELIEVE. WE ONLY BELIEVE ACCORDING TO
THE WORKING OF HIS MIGHTY POWER. BY HIM THAT WE BELIEVE. WHO ARE THOSE WHO WILL BELIEVE
THE GOSPEL? LOOK RIGHT ACROSS THE PAGE FROM
VERSE 39, JUMP OVER TO VERSE 48. WHAT DOES THAT SAY? WHAT DOES THAT SAY? WHEN THE
GENTILES HEARD THIS, WHAT DID THEY HEAR? THEY HEARD SALVATION
IN CHRIST. THEY HEARD FULL AND FREE JUSTIFICATION
BY THE GRACE OF GOD, THE REDEEMING BLOOD OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
THEY WERE GLAD. WHY WERE THEY GLAD? THEY WERE
SINNERS. AND THEY GLORIFIED THE WORD OF THE LORD. THEY GLORIFIED
GOD, GAVE HIM ALL THE GLORY, AND AS MANY AS WERE ORDAINED
TO ETERNAL LIFE BELIEVED THE GOSPEL. WELL, I THOUGHT IT WAS
MANY AS WALKED THE AISLE. I believe most people say, well,
as many as prayed through at the mourner's bench, as many
as were ordained to eternal life, believe the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ. You see, it's impossible. Faith's
impossible. Faith is a gift of God. Without
faith, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD. SO WHERE DOES THAT FAITH
COME FROM? IT'S THE GIFT OF GOD. IT'S NOT
BY MAN'S WILL OR FREE WILL. THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS FREE
WILL SALVATION. SALVATION IS BY GOD'S WILL. WE
BELIEVE IN GOD'S WILL SALVATION. WE'RE GONNA PUT A SIGN OUT THERE,
IT'S NOT GONNA BE FREE WILL ANYTHING. IT'S GONNA BE GOD'S WILL SALVATION. NOT OF HIM THAT WITTETH, NOR
OF HIM THAT RUNNETH, RIGHT? GOD THAT SHOWETH SALVATION, BY
HIM ALL THAT BELIEVE. WE ONLY BELIEVE ACCORDING TO
THE WORKING OF HIS MIGHTY POWER. TURN ONE PAGE, ACTS CHAPTER 15,
VERSE 11, BUT WE BELIEVE THROUGH THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
WE SHALL BE SAVED. WE BELIEVE HOW? BY HIS GRACE. BY HIS GRACE WE BELIEVE, BY HIM
ALL THAT BELIEVE. IT'S ONLY LOOKING, IT'S ONLY
BY THE SOVEREIGN GRACE OF GOD THAT ANY SINNER LOOKS TO THE
LORD JESUS CHRIST FOR SALVATION. IT'S BY THE GRACE OF GOD. IF
YOU LOOK TO THE LAW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GENDERED WITHIN YOURSELF.
IF YOU LOOK TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST ALONE FOR ALL SALVATION
AND TRUST HIM ALONE, THAT'S OF GOD. because that doesn't happen
naturally. By Him we believe, it's by the
sovereign will of God that we believe the gospel. Not the will
of the creature, the will of the creator of his own will begat
he us with the word of truth. It's by the working of his mighty
power. Left to ourselves, we'd never
believe the gospel, even though the gospel is clearly, boldly
preached. We will not believe the gospel
unless God does something for us, give us the gift of faith
to believe him, to love him, to come to him. Our Lord said,
you will not come to me that you might have life. I came down
from heaven and Father has given me a people, but you will not
come to me that you might have life. No man can come to me except
the Father which sent me, draw him. Now there's a negative side to
that. Acts 13, 39, by him all that believe are justified from
all things, from which you could not, could not be justified by
anything you bring. Anything other than the Lord
Jesus Christ and Him crucified, His redeeming blood, the justification
by His grace, anything other than that is a not. If not, you
could not be justified by the works of the law. Cursed is everyone
that continueth not in all things which are written in the book
of the law to do them. All the law of God says is this. Guilty, guilty, guilty. All the law of God does is this,
expose, expose, expose. It declares guilt, guilt, and
guilt. Does it ever remove guilt? Does
it ever declare justified? No, sir. No, sir, cannot do it. God says it cannot be done. It
cannot be done. Christ has redeemed us from the
curse of the law. BEING MADE A CURSE FOR US. STAND
FAST, THEREFORE, IN THE LIBERTY WHEREWITH CHRIST HAS SET US FREE,
AND DON'T BE ENTANGLED AGAIN WITH THE YOKE OF BONDAGE FROM
THE LAW OF GOD. HE SET US FREE. RUN, RUN, THE LAW DEMANDS, ONE
OLD SONGWRITER SAID, RUN, RUN, THE LAW DEMANDS, BUT GIVES US
NEITHER FEET NOR HANDS. The gospel bids a sweeter song. It bids us fly and gives us wings. The law says run, run, run. I
have no hands, no feet. The gospel bids a sweeter song.
It bids me fly and gives me wings. That's the
gospel. You see, it's all of grace, Christ
alone, faith alone, to the glory of God alone. Now, may God grant
us faith to believe him. Faith comes by hearing, hearing
by the word of the Lord. Now, he gives a warning there
in verse 40, and I'll quit with this. You see Acts 13, verse
40? Now, beware, beware. Therefore, lest that come upon
you, as you've spoken of in the prophets, You despisers, and
wander, and perish. For I work a work in your day,
a work in which you'll no wise believe, though a man declare
it unto you. There's a warning. He that believeth
on the Son, what? He hath everlasting life. He
that believeth not the Son shall not see life. Beware the wrath
of God. The wrath of God, the wrath of
God abides. The faith of God's elect acknowledges
and loves this message of salvation by grace alone.