Now let's turn again to Acts
chapter 13. Acts chapter 13. I'm taking the title for the
message from verse 38. The forgiveness of sins. Think about it now. The forgiveness
of sins. Your sins, think about this.
The Lord says to you, thy sins which are many are freely forgiven. Isn't that good news? Be it known
unto you therefore, men and brethren, Acts 13, 38, that through this
man, this man, talking about the Lord Jesus Christ, this man
is preached and declared unto you the forgiveness, not of just
some sins, all your sins forgiven. Wow, I'm interested in that. This is something that ought
to be of interest to every one of us. We're all sinners before
God. Is that right? In desperate need
of forgiveness, we have sinned against God. We have transgressed
the law of God, for sin is the transgression of the law. The
Apostle writes in Romans 3, we've all sinned. Can you identify
with that? We've all sinned and come short
of the glory of God. We're all in need of so great
salvation. In the Gospel recorded by John
Mark, Our resurrected Lord gave His church direct and specific
instructions to go and preach the gospel. Remember Mark 16? Go into all the world and preach
the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved. Throughout the book of Acts we
see the Lord's church doing that very thing the Lord commanded
them to do. Beginning at The day of Pentecost,
the Feast of Pentecost, when Peter stood up and he preached
the gospel to them, didn't he? In Acts chapter 2, let's turn
back, just look at a few places here. In Acts chapter 2, Peter
stood up and preached the gospel unto them, pointing to salvation
in the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 22, ye men of Israel, hear
these words, Acts 2.22, Jesus of Nazareth, a man, approved
of God, among you by miracles and wonders and signs which God
did by him in the midst of you as you set yourselves. No, him
being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of
God. No one took his life, he laid down his life and he used
these wicked men to do so. You've taken and by wicked hands
have crucified and slain whom God raised up having loosed the
pains of death because it was not possible that death would
have a claim upon him. So look at Acts 2 38, rather
Acts 2 36, Acts 2 verse 36, Acts 2 36, Therefore let all the house
of Israel know assuredly that God had made that same one you
crucified, God had made him both Lord and Christ. Now look at Acts chapter 4, Through this man is preached
unto you the forgiveness of sin. Anytime one of the apostles had
an open door to preach that's recorded here in the book of
Acts, they pointed sinners to the Lord Jesus Christ. In Acts
chapter 4 verse 9, if we this day be examined of the good deed
done to this impotent man by what means he's made whole. Acts
4 verse 10, be it known unto you all and 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, this
cripple stand here before you whole. This is a stone which
is set, not a view builder which is become the head of the corner.
Neither is there salvation in any other. They preach the Savior
who really saved. Neither is there salvation in
any other. For there's no other name under
heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. They preach
Christ crucified as all of salvation. But let's read on, look at Acts
chapter 5. Verse 29, then Peter and the other apostles answered
and said, we ought to obey God rather than men. You see, they
were commanded not to preach and teach anymore in the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 30, Acts 5, The God of
our fathers raised up Jesus whom you slew and hanged on a tree.
Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be Prince and Savior
for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we're witness of these things.
And so is also the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that
obey him. So they preached Christ's salvation
in the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's look at a couple more places.
Turn to Acts chapter 8. Philip's message to the eunuch. In Acts chapter 8 verse 34, the
eunuch answered Philip and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh
the prophet? He was reading Isaiah 53 about one being wounded for
our transgression. Of whom speaketh the prophet?
Of himself or some other man. Then Philip opened his mouth
and began his same scripture and preached unto him the Lord
Jesus Christ. They all pointed sinners to the
Lord Jesus Christ. Forgiveness of sin and salvation
in Him. Turn to Acts chapter 10, when
Peter went down to the house of a Gentile named Cornelius. Verse 39 of Acts 10. God anointed Jesus of Nazareth,
the Holy Ghost, with power, verse 38. It went about doing good
and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with
him. We are witnesses of these things. All these things which
he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they slew
and hanged on a tree. We see things every time that
they preach they mention His crucifixion and His resurrection.
Him God raised up the third day and showed Him openly, not to
all the people, but unto witnesses chosen. before God even to us
who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead and
he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that
it was he which was ordained of God to be judge of the living
and the dead to him give all the prophets witness that through
his name whosoever believeth shall receive forgiveness of
sins the remission of sins I'll come back to Acts chapter 13
in just a minute. Let's turn over to Acts chapter
26. Acts chapter 26, and I could
point to other scriptures as well in the book of Acts, but
let's turn to Acts chapter 26. This is Paul before Agrippa,
Paul the Apostle, and he's reciting what happened to him on the road
to Damascus. Acts 26 verse 16. But rise and stand upon thy feet,
for I appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a
minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast
seen, and of the things which I will appear unto thee, delivering
thee from the people, from the Gentiles unto whom I now send
thee, to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light,
from the power of God, from the power of Satan unto God, that
they may receive the forgiveness of sins. and inheritance among all them
which are sanctified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ." So
again, we see their message was God sent him, he was crucified,
raised again, and there is forgiveness of sin in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now look back at Acts 13, 38. Be it known unto you therefore,
men and brethren, that through this name, through this person,
the Lord Jesus Christ, we preach unto you the forgiveness of sins,
verse 39, these two verses, and by him all that believe are justified. justified from all things, from
which you could not be justified by the deeds of the law." Now
we find here the church of the Lord Jesus Christ very busy and
active in sending out men to preach the gospel. And this is
our primary purpose here and our chief aim here. in this ministry
here at Zebulun that God has given to us to preach the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ, to set forth the person and work
of the Lord Jesus Christ, declaring Him. It's only at the feet of
the absolute sovereign Lord that any sinner will truly bow and
worship. We're determined as Paul to preach
among you nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. If you look
at this sermon carefully in Acts chapter 13, Paul declares unto them that
the Lord Jesus Christ he came. Verse 23, of this man's seed
hath God, according to his promise, raised unto Israel a Savior,
who is the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle also declared that
the Lord Jesus Christ died for sinners. They have fulfilled
the scripture in that they condemned him, and even though they found
no cause of death in him, Yet they crucified the Lord of glory. They fulfilled all that was written
of Him. They took Him down from the tree,
laid Him in the sepulcher, but God raised Him from the dead.
There's the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus
Christ again. And then He declares unto them
the good news. Verse 32. We declare unto you
glad tidings. How that the promise which was
made to the fathers, all things have been fulfilled in the Lord
Jesus Christ. Then he declares unto them the
gospel. The gospel. God raised him from
the dead. He saw no corruption. He was
delivered for our offenses. Verse 37. Raised again for our
justification. Now, be it known unto you, salvation
is in this person, the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is in a person,
isn't it? He that hath the Son hath life. He that hath not the
Son does not have life." Now be it known unto you that through
this one, through this man, there is forgiveness of sin. There
is but just one way in which God justifies sinners. Just one way. And that one way
is through Christ, through the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified. This blessed truth of salvation
from all sin will only interest you if you know yourself to be
guilty before God. Guilty before God. It's only
through this man that we have salvation. It's only through
the righteousness of this man, not another, that we have salvation. It's only through the obedience
of this man that we have justification before God through His doing,
through His dying, what He did for us through this man. Turn
to Romans chapter 5. You see this man here in which
there is forgiveness of sin and all salvation is no ordinary
man. This man is God and it's through
His coming, through His obedience unto death through the shedding
of His blood that we have remission of sin. In Romans 5 verse 19,
For by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by
the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. The Lord Jesus
Christ is our obedience. The Lord Jesus Christ is our
righteousness before God. You see this man that's mentioned
here in Acts 13 verse 38, through this man This man here, born of a woman,
made under the law, is no ordinary man. This man is God. According to the flesh, he's
of the seed of David. Right? But he's the only begotten
Son of God. Turn to Romans chapter 1. He's declared to be the Son of
God. He's made of the seed of David. Romans 1 verse 1. Paul,
a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto
the gospel of God, which he had promised, afore by his prophets
in the Holy Scripture, concerning his son Jesus Christ, made of
the seed of David, according to the flesh, but declared to
be the Son of God. You see this one from Nazareth,
they called the despised Nazarene, the Galilean, is no ordinary
man. He's God in the flesh, declared
to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness,
by the resurrection from the dead. There is only salvation
through this one who is our mediator. He is our covenant head and surety
and our mediator. Find 1 Timothy chapter 1. It's through this man who is our surety, who is our
mediator, who is our great high priest who intercedes for us,
who represents us. 1st Timothy chapter 2 verse 4 who will have all men
all sorts of men to be saved and come to the knowledge of
the truth for there there is one God and one mediator between
God and men that is the man Jesus Christ who gave himself a ransom
for all that is all his people to be testified in due time Who
is he the man? Christ Jesus bone of our bone
and flesh of our flesh. He was a real man had to be to
represent us didn't he turned to Hebrews chapter 2 and through
this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sin. In Hebrews
chapter 2 little verse 14, for as much sin as to children and
partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took
part of the same that through death he might destroy him that
had power of death, and deliver them, redeem them, who through
fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
For verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he
took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved
him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a
merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God,
to make this man, in which we have forgiveness of sin, to make
reconciliation, atonement for the sins of the people through
this man, through who he is, through what he had done for
us, that we have the forgiveness of sin. It's only through the
shedding of his blood, right? this man in whom we have forgiveness. We have forgiveness. Now find
Ephesians chapter 1. It's through his blood, the shedding
the blood of this man, God bought the church with his own blood. Look at Ephesians chapter 1. Verse 6 and 7, Ephesians 1 verse
6 and 7, To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He
hath made us accepted in the beloved, in whom we have redemption. We have it right now, through
His blood. We have the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of His grace. Forgiveness of sin through
this man. You see, the blood of bulls and
goats cannot take away sin. All our efforts to reform, to
repent, to be righteous will not put away our sin. is through
this man, through this man coming, through this man's obedience,
through this man dying, through this man being raised again,
through this man being seated at the heavenly, that we have
the forgiveness of sin in Christ, only in Christ, only through
this man, is their forgiveness of sin. And as I said earlier,
this is no ordinary man. That's what so confused the Pharisees,
as we read there in Mark chapter 2, when the Lord said, your sin
to forgive it. They said, wait, hold on a minute,
you're a man. He was indeed a man, but more
than that, he's God. You remember what he said? Oh,
that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to
forgive sin, That paralyzed man that you may know, you get up
and walk, that you may know. You see, He has power, all power
in heaven and earth. Aren't you glad that He has power
to forgive my sin against Him? Why is there only forgiveness
of sin through the Lord Jesus Christ? Why? Because he's the
one who died to put away our sin. He's the one who gave himself
as a sacrifice for our sin. He's the only one that can forgive
sin on the basis of the Lord Jesus Christ putting away our
sin. He appeared once in the end of the age to put away sin
by the sacrifice of Himself. When He by Himself purged our
sin, He sat down on the right hand of the throne of God. The
Lord Jesus Christ is the only Lamb, the only sacrifice for
sin. There is no other. John identified
the Lord Jesus, behold God's Lamb. He is the only Lamb that
God has provided and He was the only blood atonement that God
will accept and which God is satisfied with. How complete
is the forgiveness of sin in the Lord Jesus Christ? Is it
a partial forgiveness? The blood of Jesus Christ, God's
Son, cleanses us from all our sin. Actual sin, original sin. I've been charged with Adam's
sin. Actual sin that I've committed, forgiven. Adam's sin charged
in me, forgiven. Sin past, present, future. All
sin forgiven through, through this man. Through this sacrifice. Through the shedding of his blood.
But how complete is the forgiveness of sin? Well, let's turn and
read it one more time. Turn over here to Hebrews 10.
How complete is the forgiveness of our sin and our sin against
God, but thank God it's put away by the sacrifice of the Lord
Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 10, verse 9, the Lord
said, I come to do thy will, O God. Hebrews 10, verse 9. He taketh away the first, that
he may establish a second, and the second here is the eternal
covenant of grace, by the which will we are sanctified through
the offering of the body of Jesus Christ to this man once for all.
Every priest stand a daily ministering offering, oftentimes the same
sacrifices which can never take away sin, but this man. See, it all gets back to this
man, doesn't it? If this man is not God, we're doomed. If this man didn't put away our
sin, we're damned. If this man didn't raise from
the dead, we have no hope. If this man has not ascended
to glory, we have no hope. But this man, after he offered
one sacrifice for sin forever, sat down on the right hand of
God, who I have hope. from henceforth expect until
his enemies be made his footstool for by one offering he perfected
forever them that are sanctified." Wherefore the Holy Ghost also
is a witness to us, for after that he said before, this is
a covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith
the Lord. I put my law into their heart and their minds will I
write it, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember
no more." Now, where remission of sin is, now where remission
of these is, there's no more offering. No more offering for
sin. It's through this man that we
have the forgiveness of sin. This pardon is a full pardon.
This pardon is a free pardon. Justified freely by His grace
through the redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ. This pardon
and the forgiveness of sin is irreversible. It's a complete pardon. A full
pardon. Irreversible. It's a present
pardon. We enjoy this right now. I thoroughly
and truly enjoy the forgiveness of sin right now. Standing before
God, this sinner, on the basis of merit and righteousness and
blood sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, I have no sin. That's the only way we can stand
before God, to have no sin. The Lord Jesus Christ put away
our sins. Now look at Acts 13, 38. Be it
known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this
man, the God-man, the mediator, we can declare unto you the forgiveness
of sin. Now, look at verse 39. By him,
by him, all that believe are justified. Doesn't say all that
work, all that labor. You see salvation is by faith
in Christ. Faith is a gift of God. By Him
all that believe are justified. Now what does it mean to be justified?
Justified before God. It means to be cleared of all
guilt. Not guilty. Justified. Justified
before God. By Him all that believe are justified. You say, I have no sin. I'm justified.
From all things, from all sin, from which you could not, you
could not be justified by your works. By the deeds of Allah
shall no flesh be justified. By Him all that believe. Why is faith so precious? Because it's a gift of God. Turn
to John chapter 5. John chapter 5. Let's read this
verse one more time. John 5 24. What a great privilege
to hear the good news of the gospel but what a greater privilege
to be granted faith and life to believe the gospel and to
trust the Lord Jesus Christ. Look what it says right here
in John 5 25. Verily, verily, I say unto you,
he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me have everlasting
life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from
death unto life. Passed from death unto life. Now look back at Acts 13 verse
38 Acts 13, verse 38. You see, faith
is the sovereign gift of God. God doesn't give faith to everybody
indiscriminately. All men do not have faith. Faith
is God's precious gift that He sovereignly gives to whom He
will. Look at verse 48, Acts 13, verse
48. Here's the reason why any sinner
believes the gospel. Look at verse 48. And when the
Gentiles heard this, the Jews rejected the word of the Lord.
The Gentiles were blessed to hear it and believe it. They
were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as were
ordained to eternal life believed. Now notice the order of that.
It doesn't say to as many as believe were ordained. It doesn't
say that, does it? That's what this religious world
says. But it says the reason that you believe the gospel is
because you couldn't help it. As many as were ordained to eternal
life believe the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, faith
is the gift of God. We believe, how do we believe
the gospel? Faith is not something turned
to Ephesians chapter one. Faith, the faith of God's elect
that acknowledges the truth. Faith is not something you hear
people say, well just muster up some faith. Just work up some
faith. My friend, that's impossible.
Now you may work up some religious excitement, but you're not gonna
work up saving faith as the gift of God. And it's by this gift
of God, look at Ephesians 1 verse 19. What is exceeding greatness of
His power to us were to believe. How do we believe? According
to the working of His mighty power which He brought in Christ
when He raised Him from the dead. The same power it took to raise
the dead body of the Lord Jesus Christ is the same sovereign,
holy, eternal, mighty power that raises a dead sinner up and causes
him to believe the gospel. of the Lord Jesus Christ. By
Him, all that believe are justified. Turn back over there. Justified. We believe through the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved. By Him, notice
that carefully, by Him, all that believe. How do we believe? By Him. We studied that in our
Bible study lesson this morning, didn't we? Who by him do believe
in God? Our Lord said, I am the way,
the truth, the life. No man come to the Father, but
by and through me. He said in John 10, verse nine,
I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he
shall be saved. And then in John chapter six,
he said, this is the work of God that you might believe on
the gospel. It is by the sovereign will of
God that we believe the gospel. It's not because we decided one
day to believe the gospel. You see, believing the gospel
is not a choice. We believe because we have no
choice. It is by the sovereign will of God that we believe.
Not free will. Thank God we're not left to free
will. Man does have a will. You do
have a will. man by nature's will is fallen,
is depraved. Man's will is in bondage to his
nature. You say, man's will is free.
Really? Okay. Walk out that door and
start flapping your arms and let's see you fly. Well, it's
free. I have a will. I want to fly.
I reckon how high you're going to get. You see, your will is
in bondage to your nature. It's not your nature to fly.
Now, a bird, a bird, he can fly. That's his nature. See where
I'm getting at? You see, the scriptures teach
in Romans 9, it's not of him that willeth, nor of him that
runneth, but it's God that shows mercy. It's God that shows mercy. And look back over here in John,
John chapter 1. Remember from our study in John
chapter 1 John 1 As many as received him You see
this new birth Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born
of God in John chapter 1 look at verse 11 John 1 11 he came
into his own and His own, His own nation, His own people received
Him not. What did they say when Potiphar
presented the man? Behold the man, you remember?
Behold the man! Away with Him, crucify Him, we
have no king but Caesar. He came into His own, His own
received Him not. But as many as, there's that
many as again. As many as were ordained to eternal
life. As many as received Him. The man, the God-man, to them
gave he power, right, or privilege to become sons of God, even to
them that believe on his name. Now, what is the punctuation
there? Not a period, is it? A lot of
people read this verse and stop. But the reason is given why they
receive him and why they believe on him. Verse 13, which were
born, born from above of his own will begat he us with the
word of truth, not of blood. Talking about earthly inheritance. Nor the will of the flesh, nor
the will of man. We believe the gospel, receive
the Lord Jesus Christ because we're born of God. You see that? By this man, by him, all that
believe are justified from all things. You cannot be justified,
declared not guilty, or be made righteous by anything you do. Prayer will not justify. Repentance
will not justify. Water baptism will not justify. What does justify? Justified
freely by His grace through the redemption that is in the Lord
Jesus Christ. By Him all that believe are justified. Salvation has always been by
grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. It's always been that way. The
first sinner that God saved, I believe it was fallen Adam.
To the last sinner that God saved, it's all by grace, Christ, faith,
to the glory of God. To the glory of God. Well, in
Acts chapter 13, when Paul preached the gospel, two things happened. Two things happened. Did you
notice that when we're reading Acts chapter 13? Some folks got
mad. Some folks were made glad. The
reprobate said this, verse 45, The Jews,
when they saw the multitude, were filled with envy, spake
against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting
and blaspheming. Some rejected the gospel, didn't
they? They said, it's not for me. This
salvation through the blood sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, not
for me. I'm going the law way. I'm going by works, by ceremony,
by tradition. Paul said, you judge yourselves
unworthy of everlasting life. Lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
Some folks got mad. Ran Paul and Barnabas out of
town. Stirred up these women, raised
persecution against Paul and expelled them out of their coasts.
Get out of town! We don't want no more of this
Jesus crucified stuff. Give us the law. The reprobate
rejected the way of God's forgiveness. The other thing that happened,
some folks got glad. Look at verse 48, when the Gentile
heard this, they were glad. What is the preaching of the
gospel? How does it affect you? You get mad? You get glad. Oh, I'm glad he makes me glad. And they glorified the word of
the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. Now, who made the difference?
Who made the difference? If you say the difference was
in the individual, then you say that salvation is by the creature's
will and not by the will of the Creator. Who makes you to differ
from another? God who's made us to differ. He will have mercy on whom He
will have mercy. You say, well, that's not fair. Well, the Word of God said that
He will have mercy on whom He will have mercy. I don't care
what you think. It matters what God says, not
what we think. What does God say? He said, I
will have mercy on whom he will have mercy. That's why the Apostle Paul said,
to you who believe the gospel, he is precious. Do you see your need of the Lord
Jesus Christ for all your salvation? Do you entertain any other thought,
idea, or hope of salvation than anything or anyone else but Christ
crucified alone? Is that all your hope? All your
salvation? All my pardon before God is Christ
and Him crucified. Absolutely so. I see my need
of the Lord Jesus Christ to put away my sin. Oh may God give
us grace to trust Him. You know who the blessed man
is? Turn to Psalm 32. Who is the blessed man? Who would
you say that's the man who is blessed of God? I tell you who
it is. Psalm 32 verse 1. Here's the blessed man. Psalm
32 verse 1. Blessed is he whose transgression
is forgiven. There is forgiveness of sin in
this man, the Lord Jesus, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the
man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and whose spirit
there is no God. David said in verse 5, Psalm
32, I acknowledge my sin unto thee, my iniquity have I not
hid. I will confess my transgression
unto the Lord, and the Lord forgave us the iniquity, the iniquity
of my sin. Is there forgiveness of sin?
Yes, through this man, the Lord Jesus Christ. Is there justification
from all sin? Yes, in this man. He justifies
us. He is called the just God and
Savior. He is just and the justifier. He justifies the ungodly.