Looking today at Acts chapter
10. I'm taking the title for the
message from what is said in verse 36 Acts chapter 10 verse
36 the word which God sent God sent the word Unto the children
he had chosen the children of Israel his elect the Israel of
God preaching peace and Preaching peace by Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all. The title of the message, Preaching
Peace PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. NOW, WHAT
A GLORIOUS THOUGHT. WE HAVE IN CHRIST CRUCIFIED COMPLETE
ATONEMENT, COMPLETE PARDON, COMPLETE REDEMPTION FROM ALL OUR SIN THROUGH
JESUS CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED. HE MADE PEACE FOR US AS WE READ
IN COLOSSIAN CHAPTER 1. HE MADE PEACE FOR US WITH HIS
OWN BLOOD. HAVING MADE PEACE TO THE BODY
OF HIS CROSS BY HIM TO RECONCILE ALL THINGS UNTO HIMSELF. Now
there used to be saying years ago in religious circles, people
would say, I'm trying to make peace with God. Forget it. You can never satisfy a thrice
holy God. Only the Lord Jesus Christ has
made peace for us so as to reconcile us unto himself. He also completely
reconciled us because he had completely redeemed us to God
by himself, with himself, with his own sacrifice, his blood,
he obtained for us eternal redemption with his own blood. That's why
we can say with the apostle, being justified freely by his
grace, through the redemption that is in the Lord Jesus Christ. When he had by himself purged
our sin, he sat down on the right hand of God because he accomplished
all our salvation. He made peace for us. Now let me remind you of a story
here. We had last week how God in his
sovereign providence was working in the heart of Peter to preach
to this Gentile Roman soldier, centurion named Cornelius, how
God worked in Peter's heart and also at the same time was working
in the heart of Cornelius and he brought the two together to
hear this message of salvation that is of the Lord. I love what
Cornelius says to Peter when Peter has come to his house in
verse 33 immediately therefore Cornelius said I sent for you
Peter thou has well done that thou art come now therefore we're
all here right here now present present before God and that's
true of us today we're here in the presence before God to hear
all things that are commanded thee of God. Now the gospel of
the Lord Jesus Christ is not a suggestion. The gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ is the command of God. Notice right across the
page in Acts 10 verse 42, he commanded us to preach unto the
people and to testify that it was he which was ordained of
God to be the judge of the living and the dead. The gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ is no new gospel. It's as old as God himself. We are commanded to preach the
gospel unto the people. Remember the Lord, the risen
Lord, upon his ascension to glory said this, go into all the world
and preach the gospel unto every creature he that believeth and
is baptized shall be saved. Go preach the gospel to the whole
world, Jew, Gentile, young, old, every sinner needs to hear the
gospel, how God can be just, and justify the ungodly. The
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is the power of God and the salvation
to everyone who hears it and is blessed in his heart to believe
it. We are charged of God to go and
preach the gospel. This is a faithful saying and
worthy of all acceptation that the Lord Jesus Christ came to
save sinners. What did God give Peter? TO TELL
CORNELIUS AND HIS HOUSE ABOUT THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD JESUS
CHRIST. I'M GOING TO BRING THIS MESSAGE
IN TWO PARTS. TODAY THE FIRST PART OF WHAT
PETER SAID TO CORNELIUS AND HIS HOUSE DOWN THROUGH VERSE 38 AND
THEN NEXT WEEK LORD WILLING WE'LL PICK UP AT VERSE 39 DOWN THROUGH
THE END OF THE CHAPTER. So here we see the message, and
I just want to repeat what Peter has already said. And may God
give us grace to sit still and pay attention and listen to the
words of the Lord. Verse 34, Peter opened his mouth
and said, Truly of a truth I perceive, that is, I understand that God
regardeth no man's person. THAT IS, WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE
HAVE DONE, OR WHAT WE WILL DO IN THE FUTURE HAS NOTHING TO
DO WITH GOD'S SAVING, SOVEREIGN MERCY. WE DON'T MERIT HIS MERCY. WE DON'T EARN HIS GRACE. WHO
WE ARE AND WHAT WE HAVE DONE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR SALVATION. IN THAT SENSE, GOD IS NO RESPECTER
OF PERSON. NOW, IF YOU WANT TO FIND ROMAN
CHAPTER 2, This is actually said many times in the word of God,
declaring that salvation is truly by the grace of God alone. In
Roman chapter two, it says in verse eight, unto them that are
contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness,
indignation, wrath, tribulation, anguish upon every soul of man
that doeth evil to the Jew or to the Gentile. But glory and
honor and peace be to every man that worketh good. TO THE JEW
FIRST, ALSO TO THE GENTILE, AND THEN IT SAYS IN VERSE 11, GOD
IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSON. THAT IS, THE OLD TIMERS USED
TO HAVE THIS SAYING, THE ELECTION OF GRACE, THE ELECTION OF GOD
IS UNCONDITIONAL. TURN TO ROMANS CHAPTER 9, LET
ME SHOW YOU WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. THERE IS THE ELECTION
OF GRACE. THERE'S A REMNANT ACCORDING TO
THE ELECTION OF GRACE. ROMANS 9, VERSE 11. 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 is written, and said unto
her, the elder shall serve the younger,
as it is written, Jacob have I loved. You remember Jacob and
Esau were twins. Jacob have I loved, but Esau
have I hated. God is no respecter of persons. What shall we say then? Is there
unrighteousness with God? God forbid, for he said to Moses,
I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. I will have compassion
on whom I will have compassion. So then, verse 16, Romans nine,
so then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth,
but it's of God. Salvation's of God. The election
is of God. It's God who showeth mercy. Our
person and our works have nothing to do with our salvation. Salvation is totally by the grace
of God, and we clarify it even more by saying that it's by the
sovereign Grace of God, it's God who saved us and called us
with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to
His own purpose, His grace, giving us in Christ before the foundation
of the world. The children being not yet born.
having done no evil, no good, that the purpose of God might
stand according to God's electing grace." Our person and our work
have nothing to do with our salvation. The apostle writes this in Titus
3, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according
to his mercy he saved us. So Peter said, first of all,
that salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord. God
has no respect to any man's person. That is, as it says in verse
35, but in every nation, every nation, God has an elect people
in every nation, every tribe, kindred, and tongue under heaven.
But in every nation, he that feareth him, and in every nation,
and that man that worketh righteousness, accepted of him." Now what does
this mean? What does this mean? Keeping
in mind that God is no respecter of person. In every nation the
Lord has a covenant people. A covenant people. The elect
of God. Revelation 5 says this, Thou
art worthy to take the book, to open the seals thereof, for
Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of
every kindred, tongue, nation, and people. God does not respect
any man's heritage or his nation or nationality. God has a people
CHOSEN IN CHRIST BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, WE CALL THAT THE
ELECTION OF GRACE, AND HE WILL CALL THEM OUT BY THE GOSPEL. AND HERE'S A DESCRIPTION OF THEM
WHO ARE CALLED OF GOD, THEY FEAR HIM THEY WORK RIGHTEOUSNESS AND
THEY'RE ACCEPTED OF GOD. NOW, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? NUMBER
ONE, THEY FEAR HIM. THOSE THAT DO WORSHIP THE LORD
JESUS CHRIST, THEY FEAR HIM IN A REVERENTIAL AWE OF HIS PERSON. GOD IS HOLY. HOLY, HOLY LORD
GOD ALMIGHTY. GOD GIVES US, BY NATURE IT SAYS
IN ROMANS 3 THAT THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.
If a man truly fears the Lord and worships Him with a heart
of reverence, awe, and respect, and bows his lordship, that's
the man that God has done a work of grace in his heart. They do
fear Him, and they do love Him, because we first loved Him. God has an elect that He will
call out, and they'll be brought to fear Him. love him, respect
him, and most of all, worship him. Worship him in spirit and
in truth. And the second thing it says,
that they worketh righteousness. Now what does that mean? Now,
if you're untaught and just read casually and not thinking about
the whole scheme of God's salvation, someone might read that and say,
well, I've got to do the best I can. I've got to be as moral
as I can. I've got to go about to establish
a righteousness of my own. Therefore, I will be accepted
of God based upon my righteousness, based upon my works. Now, if
that's what that verse means, That means that salvation is
not a grace. That means that salvation is a works. But we
know what this is talking about. This is talking about our righteousness
we have in Christ. Those that work righteousness
can only describe the Lord Jesus Christ. Because of this, the
best we have at our best point, our best moral day, God says
all of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags in His sight.
In Romans 3 we study, there is none righteous, no, not one. Now can a guilty, vile, wretched
sinner that we are, can you work righteousness enough and perfect
your righteousness by your morality to be accepted of God. The apostle
said this, if righteousness come by the law, THEN CHRIST IS DEAD
IN VAIN. THAT IS, IF YOU CAN MEET THE
STANDARD OF GOD'S LAW, NO NEED FOR CHRIST TO COME. BUT WE'VE
ALL SINNED AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD. THE ONLY RIGHTEOUSNESS
THAT'S ACCEPTED OF GOD, IT HAS TO BE A PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS.
THE ONLY PERSON WHO PERFORMED PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT IS
ACCEPTED OF GOD IS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. IS THAT SO? YOU KNOW
IT'S SO. Such a high priest became us
who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sin. And the
blessedness of the gospel is this, the Lord Jesus Christ is
made unto us this righteousness. He is the Lord our righteousness. Abraham believed God and it was
imputed and counted to him FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. CHRIST IS OUR
RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE GOD. THE APOSTLE SAYS THAT IN I CORINTHIANS
1-30. BUT OF HIM ARE YOU IN CHRIST,
WHO OF GOD IS MADE UNTO US RIGHTEOUSNESS. THEREFORE THE BELIEVER IS NO
LONGER GOING ABOUT TO ESTABLISH A RIGHTEOUSNESS BY HIS DOING.
CHRIST IS THE END OF THE LAW FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS TO EVERYONE
THAT BELIEVETH. YOU SEE, THOSE WHO FEAR HIM AND
WORSHIP HIM AND LOOK TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, WHO WORKED OUT
RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR US, IS... THAT MAN IS ACCEPTED OF GOD.
WE ARE ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED, IT SAYS IN THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS,
OR EPHESIANS, RATHER, CHAPTER 1. CHRIST IS OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. GOD MADE HIM TO BE SIN FOR US.
who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of
God in him. In every nation, those that fear
him, worship him, and worketh righteousness." Now, that is
Christ who worked out righteousness for us, that person is accepted
in the beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 36, that word,
that word, which God sent unto the children
of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ. Would you have
peace with God? DON'T SEEK PEACE WITH GOD UPON
YOUR PUNY HUMAN EFFORTS BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL SINFUL. WOULD YOU
HAVE PEACE WITH GOD? LOOK TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
HE IS OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, HE IS OUR WISDOM, AND HE IS OUR PEACE. PEACE BY JESUS CHRIST. HE IS LORD. HE IS LORD OF ALL. that word was sent by God, not
only the written word, but the message of the gospel. To him,
verse 43, in the same chapter, to him give all the prophets
witness that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall
receive the remission of sin. The word of God was sent, not
only the written word, He sent the written word through the
prophet, but he sent the living word, the Lord Jesus Christ. You remember in the beginning
was the word and the word was with God and the word was God.
That word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Who is the Lord
Jesus Christ? He is the eternal God. The word
was sent by God unto his people. sent by God 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, preaching or declaring
peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle says
that in Romans 5, 1, being justified by faith, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ. He made peace for us with his
own blood sacrifice, satisfying the law of God for us. He redeemed
us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. He
satisfied God's law and justice for us and made peace, having
put away our sin, having redeemed us and reconciled us unto God
by the Lord Jesus Christ. Preaching peace by him, preaching
salvation by him. Now turn back to Acts chapter
four. every ounce of mercy that God has for any sinner is by
and through and because of the Lord Jesus Christ in Acts chapter
4 the same message Peter and John declared Be it known unto
you verse 10 to all the people of Israel that by the name of
Jesus Christ of Nazareth Whom you crucified whom God raised
from the dead even by him that this man stand here before you
hold Talking about that cripple who was made whole, complete
in Christ. This is the stone which was set
at not a few builders, which has become the head of the corner.
Neither is there salvation in any other For there is no other
name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved."
Preaching peace, salvation, justification, reconciliation by the Lord Jesus
Christ and Him crucified. He made peace for us. In Isaiah 9, 6, he's called the
Prince of Peace. In Hebrews 7, he's called the
King of Righteousness and the King of Peace. He is King of
Peace, King of Righteousness, because as it says there in the
text, verse 36, he is Lord of all. Is he your Lord? Yes, he is.
Turn back to Acts chapter 2 verse 36, you remember Peter's message
back here, he has not changed. He has not changed his message
in Acts chapter 2 verse 36. Therefore, he concludes his message,
let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God had made that
same Jesus whom you crucified, God had made him both Lord and CHRIST. HE IS LORD OF ALL. ROMANS 14 VERSE 9 SAYS THIS,
TO THIS END, OR TO THIS PURPOSE, CHRIST BOTH DIED AND ROSE AND
REVIVED, THAT HE MIGHT BE LORD OF THE DEAD AND THE LIVING. HE'S EVERYMAN'S LORD. HE'S YOUR
LORD WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT, WHETHER YOU ACKNOWLEDGE IT OR
NOT, WHETHER YOU SUBMIT IT UNTO HIM OR NOT, HE'S STILL LORD,
LORD OF ALL. My dear pastor used to say this.
Brother Mahan would say this, don't tell me who your Savior
is, tell me who your Lord is. If Jesus Christ is not your Lord,
he's not your Savior. He is God our Savior. He's Lord of all. The scriptures declare, whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. A whole lot of difference between
making Jesus your personal Savior. That's not in the Word of God.
We call upon Him because we call upon His name in fear and reverence. Whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved. Jesus Christ is Lord of all things. He's Lord in salvation. HE PRAYED
IN JOHN 17, FATHER YOU'VE GIVEN ME POWER OVER ALL FLESH THAT
I SHOULD GIVE ETERNAL LIFE TO AS MANY AS THOU HAST GIVEN TO
ME. HE'S LORD IN ALL SALVATION. SALVATION IS OF THE LORD. HE'S
LORD IN PROVIDENCE OF HIM AND THROUGH HIM AND TO HIM ARE ALL
THINGS. HE'S LORD IN CREATION. WE READ
THAT IN COLOSSIAN CHAPTER 1. ALL THINGS WERE MADE BY HIM AND
FOR HIM AND BY HIM ALL THINGS CONSIST. YOU EVER NOTICE THAT
EXACT ORDER IN GOD'S UNIVERSE, THE SUN, THE MOON, THE STARS,
HOW EVERYTHING IS ON EXACT, EXACT COURSE? HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?
HE CONTROLS ALL THINGS, ALL THINGS ARE HELD TOGETHER BY HIM. HE'S
LORD IN SALVATION, HE'S LORD IN PROVIDENCE, AND HE'S LORD
IN CREATION. EVERY KNEE ONE DAY WILL BOW AND
EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS. GOD HAS GIVEN HIM A NAME WHICH
IS ABOVE EVERY NAME. AT THAT NAME EVERY KNEE WILL
BOW, EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD THROUGH
THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER. I hope you know him as the Lord
Jesus Christ, and love him as the Lord of heaven and earth. Now, verse 37, Acts 10, verse
37. The word, that message, I say
you know, which was published throughout all Judea, and began
from Galilee in the north, after the baptism which John preached. The Lord God sent a forerunner
named John the Baptist. You remember what he said of
the Lord Jesus Christ? Behold the Lamb of God that takes
away the sin of God's people in this world. That was John's
message. Behold the Lamb. Behold the Lord
Jesus Christ. Now look at verse 38. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth. That despised Galilean who said,
can any, one man said, can any good thing come out of Nazareth?
Oh, come and see. How God anointed The Lord Jesus
Christ, Jesus means Savior. He's a Savior who grew up in
Nazareth, and God anointed Him with the Holy Ghost. God anointed
Him with all power in heaven and earth, and He went about
doing good, healing all that were oppressed of the devil.
Now watch this, for God was with Him. God was with him. God was in him. He is our God
and Savior. God anointed Jesus of Nazareth. He is the Christ of God. He is
the Messiah. Christ means the anointed one. The only one who can anoint and
empower and give power is God Almighty. The Holy Spirit was
given to the Lord Jesus Christ. If you want to turn with me,
John's message was this. Turn to John chapter 3. He must
increase, I must decrease. John chapter 3. Verse 30, you
see that? He that cometh from above is
above all, verse 31. He that is of earth is earthy,
and speaketh of the earth. He that cometh from heaven is
above all. And what he hath seen, and heard,
and testified, no man receive his testimony. He that hath received
his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. Verse
34, for he whom God hath sent Speaketh the words of God, for
God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him. He was anointed
with God, anointed by God, that is the humanity of the Lord Jesus
Christ from Nazareth, God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto
him, verse 35, for the Father loveth the Son, and giveth all
things into his hand. He is Lord of heaven and earth.
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. He that
believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God
abide on him. That was John's message. Behold
the Lamb of God, taketh away our sin. Jesus of Nazareth is
anointed of God. He's the priest of God. The God-man
mediator has all power in heaven and in earth. He declared that
in Matthew 28. Go and preach the gospel to every
creature knowing that I have all power in heaven and earth
and lo, I'm with you always. The Lord Jesus Christ is anointed
in all of his office. as prophet, as priest, and king. God never anointed anyone or
gave any other Old Testament prophet or anointed any other
man with all three offices, prophet, priest, and king, but the Lord
Jesus Christ. He is that prophet sent of God
to reveal the gospel unto us. Turn back to Acts 3. Acts 3,
verse 19. Acts 3 19 repent therefore and
be converted that your sins be blotted out when the times of
refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and he shall
send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you whom the
heaven must receive until times of restitution of all things
which God has spoken by the mouth of all of his holy prophets since
the world began For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet
shall the Lord God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto
me. Him shall you hear in all things
whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass
that every soul which will not hear that prophet shall be destroyed
of the people. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
prophet God sent unto us to reveal unto us the way of salvation.
Matthew chapter 11 says, he's hid these things from the wise
and prudent and he's revealed them unto babe. Christ is a very
revelation of salvation that God has sent unto us. Salvation's
in a person. The Lord Jesus Christ is not
only that prophet, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS THAT PRIEST TO REDEEM
US FROM OUR SIN. WE'RE NOT REDEEMED WITH CORRUPTIBLE
THINGS, BUT WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. HE APPEARED ONCE IN THE END OF
THE AGE TO PUT AWAY SIN BY THE SACRIFICE OF HIMSELF. HE'S THE
ANOINTED PRIEST OF GOD WHO HAS SOMEWHAT TO OFFER. WHAT DID HE
OFFER? HIS OWN BLOOD AS A SACRIFICE FOR OUR SIN, AND HE IS THE KING,
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. GOD HAD SET THIS KING UPON THE
HOLY HILL, ZION. HE IS KING AND HE IS LORD OF
ALL THINGS, ANOINTED OF GOD. LOOK BACK TO THE TEXT, HOW GOD
ANOINTED THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WITH THE HOLY GHOST WITH ALL
POWER. NOW WATCH THIS. WHO WENT ABOUT
DOING GOOD, HEALING ALL THAT WERE OPPRESSED OF THE DEVIL,
GOD WAS WITH HIM. HE WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD. THERE'S NONE GOOD BUT ONE, AND
THAT IS GOD. HE'S THE ONLY ONE WHO DID EVERYTHING
GOOD. God said so. This is my beloved
son in whom I am well pleased. The Lord says this in John 8.
The father hath not left me alone for I do always those things
that please him. In his life as our Redeemer,
Seerity, and Savior, he perfectly honored the law of God for us. He said, I didn't come to destroy
the law. I came to honor the law of God for us, who went about
doing good. HE HAD NO SIN, KNEW NO SIN, AND
DID NO SIN, BUT HE WAS MANIFESTED TO TAKE AWAY OUR SIN. NOW THAT'S
GOOD. HE'S THE ONLY ONE THAT IS GOOD.
MATTER OF FACT, THE SCRIPTURE SAID THE LORD IS GOOD. HE'S GOOD. HE'S GOOD IN EVERY
WAY. HE'S ALWAYS BEEN GOOD. AND HE
DOESN'T CHANGE. HE DOES NOT CHANGE. HE SAYS,
I'M THE LORD, I CHANGE NOT. WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD IN SAVING
HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SIN, AND HE SAYS HEALING ALL that were
oppressed of the devil, for God was with them. God was with them. This is my beloved son in whom
I am well, well pleased. He went about doing good, healing
all that were oppressed. Now, if you want to turn with
me, you can, but I love this verse in Luke chapter nine. Remember
from our study in Luke chapter nine, verse 11, And the people, when they knew
it, they followed him, and he received them, and spake unto
them of the kingdom of God, and he healed them that had need
of healing." You need healing? I do. The Lord Jesus Christ,
he is our healing. He has not changed in his holy
character. He still delights to show mercy
to sinners. He said, come boldly under the
throne of grace that you may obtain mercy and find grace to
help in time of need. He went about doing good, healing
sinners. He said, I didn't come to call
the righteous. THOSE WHO WELL DON'T NEED A PHYSICIAN. I CAME
NOT TO CALL THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT SINNERS UNTO REPENTANCE, HEALING
ALL THAT WERE OPPRESSED. I'VE NEVER READ ONE TIME IN THE
WORD OF GOD WHEN A GUILTY SINNER CAME TO THE LORD JESUS, CRYING,
SEEKING MERCY, WHO DID NOT RECEIVE MERCY FROM THE LORD. NOT ONE
TIME. I'VE NEVER... I'VE BEEN LOOKING
AT THIS BOOK FOR 40 YEARS. NOT ONE TIME HAVE I EVER READ
WHEN A NEEDY GUILTY SINNER CAME TO THE LORD SEEKING MERCY He
went home justified, always. Now, the Lord has some very sharp
word for those Pharisees who went about to justify themselves
by the deeds of the law, but never did a sinner approach him
in need of mercy that didn't receive mercy from the Lord. Now, watch this. The last thing,
and I'll quit with this. God was with him. God was with
him. What does that mean? Turn back
to Matthew chapter one. GOD WAS WITH HIM. GOD WAS IN HIM. HE IS GOD. GOD WAS WITH HIM. MATTHEW CHAPTER
1, YOU REMEMBER THE STORY OF THE ANGEL BEING SENT TO JOSEPH,
VERSE 20, BUT WHILE HE THOUGHT ON THESE THINGS, BEHOLD, THE
ANGEL OF THE LORD APPEARED UNTO HIM IN A DREAM, SAYING, Thou
son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for
that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. Thou shalt
bring forth his son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for
he shall save his people from their sin. Now all this was done
that it might be fulfilled, which is spoken by the Lord, spoken
of the Lord by the prophet saying, and this is from Isaiah nine,
verse six, behold, Isaiah 9, excuse me, Isaiah 7, 14, Behold,
a virgin shall be with child, and thou shalt bring forth a
son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel. which being interpreted
is God with us. He is Emmanuel. He is God with
us. I read this several years ago
and it helped me. In creation, we see God above
us. The heaven declared the glory
of God, Psalm 19. In the law of God, we see God
above us. against us, cursed is everyone
that continues not in all things which are written in the book
of the law to do them, only in the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ do we see God for us and God with us. WITHOUT CONTROVERSY,
GREAT IS THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS. GOD WAS MANIFEST IN THE FLESH. PREACHER, ARE YOU SAYING THAT
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS GOD? ABSOLUTELY. TURN TO JOHN CHAPTER
14. Give me just a minute or two,
and I'll wind this up. John chapter 14. The Lord Jesus
Christ is God, our Savior. John 14, verse six. I am the way, the truth, and
the life. No man comes unto the Father
but by me. If you had known me, you should
have known my Father also. From henceforth you know him
and have seen him. And Philip said unto him, Lord,
show us the Father, and it satisfies us, suffices us. And the Lord
said, have I been so long time with you, yet thou hast not known
me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen
the Father. How sayest thou, show us the
Father? Turn to John chapter 10, verse
30, in John 10, verse 30. He says in verse 29, you believe
not, verse 26, because you're not of my sheep, as I said unto
you. John 10, 27, my sheep hear my voice, I know them, they follow
me. I've given them eternal life and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which
gave them me is greater than all. No man can pluck them out
of my Father's hand. I and my Father, we are one. You've seen Him, you've seen
the Father. I and my Father are one, for
God was with Him. Without controversy, great is
the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. Now, the whole gospel stands
or falls upon His person. The whole gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ stands or falls upon who He is. If he's not who
he says that he is, God Almighty, the eternal God, we have no salvation. It's vital to the gospel because
it's who he is that gives eternal merit and everlasting value to
all that he said and did. If he's not God, we don't have
salvation. For God has come to put away
our sin in the Lord Jesus Christ. who he is gives eternal merit
to what he did. Christ once suffered for our
sins, the just for the unjust that he might bring us unto God. He is the captain of our salvation
who is bringing by his sacrifice, by his grace, by his power, many
sons unto glory. Verse 38 one more time, how God
anointed The Lord Jesus, the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, truly
man, truly God, God the Holy Spirit, he had without measure,
he had all power in heaven and earth, who went about doing good,
doing the business of the Father. He said, I must be about my business,
healing all that were oppressed of the devil, putting away the
sin of God's people, God was with him. what he has accomplished. How do we know God accepted what
he did, what he said? How do we know that he was accepted
of God and he satisfied God? He was delivered for our offenses
and raised again because he justified us, seated at the right hand
of God. He said, it is finished, it is
done. Well, we'll look at the rest
of that message next week.