Now let's begin in 1 Samuel chapter
21 verse 8 and we'll read verse 8 and 9 and then make some comments.
David said unto God's priest Ahimelech, and is there not here
under thy hand spear or sword? David was seeking means to defend
himself from those who sought to kill him, his own father-in-law,
his own supposed king, King Saul. He's on the run for his life. For I have neither brought my
sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required
haste." Now, David wasn't on King Saul's business. He was
on the king of kings' business, God Almighty's business. And
the priest said to David, I don't have but one sword. It is of
every sword that you use to cut off the head of the giant. of
Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of
Ephod. It is here wrapped in a cloth behind the Ephod, if
thou wilt take it." Take that, take it. For there is no other
save that one sword. And David said, well, there's
none like that sword. You let me have that one and
everything will be okay. Give it me. There's nothing like
that. Give it me. Now, David being
warned by his dear friend, Jonathan, how they loved each other, that
Jonathan's own father, old King Saul, sought to kill him, and
David flees in haste. He flees for his life. And he
takes no food because he flees in haste. He takes no weapon,
but he flees to a place of refuge, to the tabernacle, to the priest
of God, for help. He went to the right place. He
went to the priest of God. And my friend, we as believers
are instructed to come boldly into the throne of grace that
we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in our great high
priest, the Lord Jesus Christ. But when David asked to be armed
with spear and sword by the priest of God, he didn't have an arsenal.
He had but one sword. One sword. I have but one sword,
he said. You have used this sword in the
past to defeat the enemy." And David, knowing the soundness
of that weapon, knowing that it was a good weapon, something
that he had used in the past, he makes this statement, well,
yes, you give that one to me. I can make use of that sword.
And every believer can respond with the same words in regard
to God's gospel God's Christ concerning the Lord Jesus Christ
and salvation in Him, there is none like Him. There is none
like that gospel, give it me." Give it to me. You see what he
says there? The priest of God says, there
is no other. There is no other except that
one sword. And my friend, I boldly, plainly
declare unto you, there is no other gospel but that gospel
of God concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is that gospel
that is all of God's sovereign saving grace. There is no other. No other. And this is the message
of all Scripture. If you'll find the book of Acts,
chapter 4, when Peter and John had healed that cripple. Remember
they said silver and gold, we don't have but such as we have.
We give it to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Stand
up and walk." And that man immediately, his ankles were straightened,
and he went leaping and praising God. Well, the Pharisees got
upset. And they asked John and Peter,
by what you see, Acts chapter 4, verse 9, "...if we this day
be examiners of the good deed done to this impotent man, by
what means he is made whole?" Be it known unto you and to all
the people of Israel by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,
whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by
Him doth this man stand here before you complete, whole. This is the stone which was set
at Nauvoo, builders, which is become the head of the corner."
Now look at verse 12, "...neither is there salvation in any other,
for there is no other name under heaven." given among men, whereby
we must be saved." There is no other gospel but the Lord Jesus
Christ. There's no other. There's salvation
in no other. Find I Corinthians chapter 3.
There is no other foundation upon which sinners can rest.
I Corinthians chapter 3, look at verse 11. There is none other.
Our Lord said, I'm the way, I'm the truth, I'm the light. No
man come to the Father, but by and through Me." 1 Corinthians
chapter 3, verse 11, "...for other foundation can no man lay
than that which is laid, which is the Lord Jesus Christ alone."
There is but one gospel, and we say with Paul, not ashamed
of the gospel of God. And we say with the Apostle Paul
as he writes to those there in Galatia, those who would come
and preach another gospel. which is not another because
they're just one. And those who would come preaching
freewillism or come preaching God done all He can do, now left
up to you is another gospel, if not the gospel. And Paul pronounces
by the authority of God, let him be a curse that would preach
and believe another gospel. My friend, because we love the
truth, We say with David, through thy precepts I get understanding,
therefore I hate every false way. We hate the way that exalts
the flesh. That's a false way. It'll damn
you if you embrace it. We preach and believe that there's
none other and no other Savior but the Lord Jesus Christ. He
is God. Beside Him there is no other.
He is the only just God and Savior. And that's why he said, you look
to me. You come to me. Now, there's none, you see, there's
none other. That's what he's saying. There's
none other save that. And there is no other gospel
but that gospel in the Lord Jesus Christ that magnifies His grace
and His mercy. There is none like that. And
we can say, as David says, there is none like that. Oh, give that
to me. Give that to me. There's none
like that gospel that abases the flesh and glorifies the Lord
Jesus Christ and points us to Him alone. Give it to me. Preach
it to me. I've never heard a believer complain
that we preach Christ too often. that we glorify Him too much
or that we talk about His person and His work too much, too often.
I've never heard. I've heard some religious people
complain, well, all you preach is Christ. Christ and Him crucified. You know, that's all we're supposed
to preach is Christ and Him crucified. We're determined as the Apostle
Paul to know nothing among us but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I like to phrase it when Peter
was sent down to the house of Cornelius He said, we are all
here to hear all those things commanded thee of God, and that's
why we're here. Give it to me. Preach it to me.
Tell me one more time. This is a faithful saying worthy
of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came to save sinners. Now
let's take this phrase and apply it to the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ. And here's four or five things
I'll give you about this gospel. in regards to God's holy, inspired,
God-given Word, which is called the Word of God, which is called
the Spirit of God, the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God,
can't we rightly say there is none like that Word, holy, inspired,
God-given, there's none like that Word? Give it to me. Preach it to me. Read it to me.
Give it to me. It is called in Hebrews 4.12,
a sharp two-edged sword, quick and powerful and sharp. It operates
upon the hearts of God's people. It is called quick and alive
and powerful. Give it to me. Give that sword
to me. Consider for a moment who the
author is of God's holy word. Consider who the author is. Are
these the words of David? Are these the words of Peter?
Are these the words of John? Are these the words of Paul?
Well, no. They are the inspired, God-given,
God-breathed words of God. All Scripture is given of God.
Yes, some of these men were used as instruments to pin the words,
but these words that we hold in our lap that we call the Bible,
they all are God-given. Holy men of old spoke as they
were moved. And that's a powerful word, driven,
driven of God. So consider who the author is.
God Almighty. God Almighty. I say there's none
like that. Give it to me. Give me the Word
of God. Just tell me what God said. I
like what Brother Scott Richardson said. That's what preaching is.
Preaching is not something difficult or complicated, although we make
it that way sometimes. Preaching is simply repeating
what God's already said. That's right. That's the essence
of it. So there's none like His Word,
give it to me." Consider who the author is. Consider who the
subject of the Word of God is. What would you say is the subject
of this book? What is the subject of this book?
It's all about the Lord Jesus Christ. Now I can make good on
that, find Luke 24. Luke chapter 24. It's all about
Christ, His person, His work. All these things were written.
to Him give all the prophets witness. In Luke chapter 24, when the risen Lord was walking
along the road, He says to these two disciples, in verse 25, He
said unto them, O fool, slow of heart, to believe all that
the prophets have spoken, ought not Christ to have suffered these
things and enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and all
the prophets, He expanded unto them and all the scriptures the
thing concerning It's all about Christ. Turn to the book of John,
John chapter 5. Remember what the Lord said to
these Pharisees here. He says, you do search the Scripture,
John 5, 39, you do search the Scriptures, for in them ye think
ye have eternal life, but they are they which testify of me,
and ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. In regard
to this holy Word of God that we have in our hand. Consider
who the author is. Consider who the subject is.
We can say, can't we? There is none like that. Give
it to me. Give it to me. Consider the effects. Consider
for a moment the effects of His Word. Jeremiah 23 says, His Word
is like a hammer. that breaks the rocks in pieces. There is no person too hardened
in sin that God can't hammer apart by His gospel and by His
Word. Consider the effects of His Word
like a hammer that breaks the rock. Consider the effects of
His Word. It's so quickening of His own
will begat He us with the Word of truth. Consider this also
the effects of the Word. It's heartwarming. Don't turn,
but let me just turn back to Luke 24, verse 32. Those disciples
said one to another, "'Didn't our heart burn within us while
He talked with us by the way and while He opened to us the
Scriptures?' You see the effects of His Word. It's like a hammer
that breaks the rock. It's soul-quickening. It's heart-warming. It's a guide unto us. The Word is a lamp unto our feet,
a light unto our pathway. It's our guide. It's our teacher,
our instructor. It's a children's bread. He is
the bread of life. We feed upon Him, desire the
sincere milk of the Word that you might grow thereby. You consider the effects of this
Word. Conclusion, there is none like
that. Give it to me. Give it to me.
Give it to me, His Word, His truth. Give it to me that I may
know Him, the only true God. This is eternal life, He said,
that they might know Thee, the only true God. Sanctify them
by Thy truth. Thy Word is true. And the truth sets sinners free. Give it to me that I may know
Him. Give it to me that I might have
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and see Him as altogether lovely. Faith comes by hearing and hearing
by the Word of God. Give me a constant diet of Christ
in the Word of God that I might see Him and glorify Him and honor
Him and worship Him as He ought to be. Give it to me, His Word,
His truth, that I might grow in grace and in the knowledge
of the Lord Jesus Christ. So in regard to His Word, can't
we all say there is none like that? There's just one Word given
of God and we call it God's Holy Word. There's none like that.
Give it to me. in regards to God's salvation
and God's Savior. There is no other. There is none
like Him. There is none like that salvation.
Can't you say, Lord, give it to me? Like that publican, God,
be merciful to me, the sinner. You know what he's saying? Lord,
give it to me. I'm needy. I'm in a desperate situation.
Lord, be my mercy seat. Be my sacrifice. be my propitiation."
The whole of the sinner's salvation is totally purposed, purchased,
performed by the Lord Jesus Christ alone. He is all in salvation. He purposed it, He purchased
it with His own blood, and then, my friend, He applies that salvation
by His grace and His power. We are bought with the blood
of Christ. We're not our own. We're bought
with His blood. He purchased us. It's God who
saved us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but
according to God's own purpose and grace. There is none like
this salvation. This salvation is of the Lord.
Can't you say, Lord, give it to me? Are you in need of salvation? Yes. Desperately so. Lord, give me that salvation. I know this, there's no other
sacrifice for sin. There's no other sacrifice for
sin. He appeared once in the end of the age to put away sin
by the sacrifice of Himself. He didn't come as our High Priest
and offer up the typical animal sacrifice, did He? He offered
up not the blood of bulls and goats, but He offered up His
own blood. And He obtained for us eternal
redemption. There is no Redeemer like our
Redeemer. And there's no redemption like
our redemption we have in Christ, the complete taking away of sin. We're talking on the way down.
And I have a dear friend, Rupert Rivenbark, who was in a funeral,
called in a funeral, preaching in a funeral, and he got up with
someone else who was also called in that funeral, who was not
a preacher of the gospel. And Brother Rupert got up and
said, the Lord gave and the Lord had taken away. Blessed be the
name of the Lord. And this other preacher later
commented, my God, only gives, he doesn't take away. And Rupert
told him, you've got another God. Not God who is God. And I told Brother David on the
way up here, thank God that he does give. Thank God he does
take away. He taketh away all my sin. Now, aren't you glad he takes
away? Where would we be without an atonement for sin? I don't
want to stand before God. If thou shouldest mark iniquities,
O Lord, who shall stand? I know this sinner can't. Condemn. I'm guilty before God. You see,
there's no other sacrifice for sin. Can't you say there's none
like that? Give it to me that I may be cleansed
from all my sin. There is no other justifying
righteousness but through Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I must
have these two things absolutely essential, all vested in the
Lord Jesus Christ. I know we dissect them, but they're
really the one and the same. I must have all my sin removed,
but I must have also a justifying righteousness applied, and we
have all that in Christ Jesus. God made Him sin for us. who knew no sin, that we might
be made the righteousness of God in Him. Blessed is that man
to whom God would impute righteousness without works." I'd say there's
none like that. Give it to me. I need that justifying
righteousness to stand before God, clothed in Christ, who is
the Lord, our righteousness. And thank God He has taught us
not to go about to establish our own righteousness, but to rest in Him and to Him
alone. I tell you this story, and it's
a crazy story, but it's the truth. As my dear pastor used to say,
I'm not preaching now, I'm telling the truth. Don't misunderstand
what I'm saying. But you know, people are so ignorant,
my own family, so ignorant about going about to establish their
own righteousness, instead of submitting to Christ who is the
Lord, our righteousness. I sent my mother a gift. for
Christmas. I grew up out in Salt Lake City
and grew up a Mormon. We weren't to have tea. We weren't
to have coffee. And now they've come up with
a new thing. You can't have cocoa. You can't have chocolate. And
I didn't know that. My mother's a Dutchman. And you
know, Dutch people like Dutch chocolate. So I went to a website
and ordered some goodies for her to enjoy for the holidays,
some windmill cookies. and some mints, and I ordered
something called holy chocolate, holy cocoa for a hot cocoa. And I called her and I said,
did you get the gift? She said, yeah, I enjoyed the cookies,
but I had to give the cocoa away. It's her righteousness that she
abstained from coffee and cocoa, my soul, my own family. I tell you what, their righteousness
is nothing but filthy rags. Thank God He delivered me. And
I can say with David, there's no righteousness like that righteousness
in Christ Jesus. No wonder Paul said, I count
everything but loss that I may win Christ and be found in Him. He is the Lord, our righteousness. There's nothing like that at
all. What would you rather have, cocoa or Christ? I mean, it's just ridiculous. My poor mother. That's a true
story. Telling you the truth. I tell
you, there is no sacrifice for sin but Christ Jesus. There's
no other justifying righteousness but Christ Jesus. There's no
other cleansing fountain for sin. Sinners plunged beneath
that flood lose all their guilty stains. The blood of Jesus Christ,
His Son, cleanses us from all our sin. Cleanses us always,
always, always, forever, eternally unto Him who loved us and washed
us from our sin in His own blood. There's no other cleansing fountain
like the Lord Jesus Christ. There's no other way of peace
with God. How is peace with God made? It's
peace through power. It is the power of His blood
that reconciles us unto God. We have peace with God through
the blood sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. That's how we're reconciled
unto God. There's nothing I do or do not
do that recommends me unto God. I cannot reconcile myself unto
God. If righteousness is by the law,
then Christ is dead and vain. But thank God we have a Mediator.
We have a Mediator, one God and one Mediator between God and
man. One Mediator, one Gospel, there's none like that Mediator,
the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, give Him to me. Let me
win Christ and be found in Him. You see what he's saying here?
There's none like that. Give it to me. Give it to me.
Give it to me that I may be cleansed. Give it to me that I may be justified
by His grace. Give it to me that I might have
peace with God. through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Give it to me, Christ, salvation, that I might be accepted in the
Beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thirdly, in regard to God's love,
in regard to God's love, can't we say there is none like that? Give it to me. In regard to His
love, we read in Scripture that we are more than conquerors through
Him that loved us. You see, this love of God is
sovereign love. We sing that song, Hail Sovereign
Love that first began the scheme to rescue fallen man. Hail, matchless,
free, eternal grace that gives my soul a hiding place. Jacob
have I loved. Esau have I hated. God will have
mercy on whom He will. You see, it's electing sovereign
love. Give me that love. Oh, give me
that love of God causes us to be conquerors in Christ? He said
nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Lord, give me that love. How
about His electing love? Not only that, but how about
His dying and sacrificial love? Think about that. Here in His
love, John said not that we love God, but that He loved us. While we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us. He loved us. He is our propitiation. He is our satisfaction before
God. You see, there's none like this
love of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. It's electing love. It's
sacrificial love. It's drawing love. Drawing love! He said, I've loved them with
an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness I'll draw
you to Myself. It's not only that, but it's
glorifying love. True love glorifies and honors
God's holy law and justice. And it's adopting love. Turn
to 1 John chapter 3. It's adopting love. We're adopted
into the family. You know something about that
adopting love, don't you? traveled all those miles across
the sea to adopt one little girl. That's adopting love. And that
just pales in comparison to his adopting love in Christ Jesus. I mean, that's the type and picture
of God sovereignly choosing and giving a son to parents, but
this love of God in Christ is beyond measure. Who could know
the depth of it, the breadth of it, the height of it? Look
at 1 John 3, verse 1, Behold what manner of love the Father
hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called sons of God."
That we. Who am I? We say with David,
Lord, who am I? What is my house that you brought
me hither to? That we should be called sons
of God. Behold, you take a good look
at this love. He loves the unlovely. Christ died for the ungodly.
Therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not.
Beloved, now are we sons of God. And it does not yet appear what
we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear, we shall
be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. In regard to God's
love, can't we say, His love, the love of God in Christ Jesus,
that there's none like that. There's none like this love of
God. Give it me. Give it to me. Give it to me
that I may be one with Him. Give it to me that I might know
Him and the power of His resurrection. Give it to me that I might be
called son of God, sons of God. Not only that, fourthly, here's
the fourth thing. In regards to God honoring, saving
faith, God honoring, saving true God-given faith, there is none
like that faith Give it to me. Give it to me. Faith is a gift
of God. No wonder that Peter calls faith
precious. There's not many things in the
Word of God that are called precious. But you know that faith, we have
obtained like precious faith through the righteousness which
is of God in Christ Jesus. We read this in Scripture, in
Hebrews 11, without faith it is impossible to please God.
I'd say it's pretty important, isn't it? A man without faith
is a man without Christ. A man without Christ is a man
without life. Lord, give it to me that I might
live and be found in Him. Without faith, it's impossible
to please God. Faith does not accomplish or
produce salvation. Faith simply receives the Lord
Jesus Christ as all of our salvation. Looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith. My faith is not my Savior, but
true, saving, God-given faith has one sole object, the Lord
Jesus Christ. Looking unto Him. Not a phony. Not a fictitious one. Not a failure. Not the one who tries and can't
because you won't let him. But the one who is the sovereign,
exalted Christ. True saving faith acknowledges
the truth and looks to Him alone. There's none like that. Give
it to me. Give it to me that I may please
God in Christ Jesus. Give it to me that I may be found
in Him. Give it to me that Christ may be honored magnified and
worshipped. Give it to me that I might be
one with Him." Bible union with Christ through God-given faith. The gift of God. Turn back to
1 John chapter 5 and look at this here. 1 John 5. This is a record Look at what
it says here in verse 10. 1 John 5, 10. He that believeth
on the Son of God hath the witness in himself. He that believeth
not God hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the
record that God gave of His Son. And this is the record that God
hath given to us. This is the record that God hath
given to us, eternal life. And this life is in His Son.
He that hath the Son hath life. He that hath not the Son of God
hath not life. These things have I written unto
you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may
know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the
name of the Son of God." Turn to John chapter 5 and look at
this here a minute. God-given faith, how precious
it is. Give it to me that I may believe
God and have life. in Christ. Look what it says
here in John chapter 5. He that believeth that Jesus
is the Christ is born of God. That's the reason we believe
God has given us life. Look what it says here in John
chapter 5 verse 24. Verily, verily, I say unto you,
he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me,
has everlasting life, shall not come into condemnation, but is
passed from death unto life. Boy, there's none like that faith
that honors and magnifies the Lord Jesus and looks to Him.
Lord, give it to me. There's none like that. Give
it to me. Lastly, turn to II Thessalonians 2. II Thessalonians
2. In regard to faith, there's none
like that. In regard to salvation, there's
none like that. In regard to His love, there's
none like that. In regard to His Word, there's
none like that. Lastly, number 5, in regard to
our hope, In regard to our hope, there's just one hope. There's
just one Lord, there's just one faith, one gospel, one salvation
in Christ Jesus. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. And
there's just one hope. One hope. Look at verse 16. 2
Thessalonians 2 verse 16. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself
and God, even our Father, who has loved us and has given us
an everlasting consolation and good hope. We have a good hope
through, what does that say there? His grace. We have a good hope
only because of His grace. Grace and grace alone, Christ
in you, the hope of glory. Our hope is based upon the eternal
Unchanging promises of God of which He said, none will fail. That we might have a good hope.
Turn to Romans 15. Romans 15. A good hope. A good
hope through grace. It's not a wish. It's not a shot
in the dark. It's not a hope, I hope, I hope.
No, it's a good hope through grace. As a matter of fact, the
Lord Jesus Christ is called Christ our hope. He is our hope. Romans 15, look at verse 4. For
whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our
learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures
might have hope." Might have hope. Our hope is based upon the eternal,
unchanging purpose of God. And he says of this hope, turn
to 2 Corinthians chapter 1, he says of this hope and these promises
of God, look what he says here, 2 Corinthians 1, Second Corinthians
1.18, but as God is true, our word toward you, our preaching
toward you was not yea and nay. You ever heard that term yea
and nay preaching? Well, our preaching is not yea and nay.
It's not maybe or if or something else, a possibility. Our preaching
is not yea and nay, it's yes. Look what it says in verse 19,
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by
us, even by me, Silas and Timothy, was not yea and nay, but in Him
was yes. Is there salvation in Christ?
Well, maybe. No, we don't answer it that way.
Yes, there is salvation in Christ. Is there forgiveness of all sin
in the Lord Jesus Christ? Well, maybe. No, we don't answer
it that way. Yes, in Him. All the promises
of God in him are yes. And in him, amen, unto the glory
of God through us. Our hope and all of our salvation,
pardon, righteousness, all fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ, our
hope. There is no hope like the hope
He gives. Can't we say, give it? Give it to me. Give it to me. This hope is the anchor of our
soul. Turn to Hebrews chapter 6. This hope is the anchor of
our soul. Christ who is our hope, who has
entered in our forerunner, who has entered in for us. Hebrews
chapter 6. Look at verse 17. Hebrews 6,
17. We're in God. willing more abundantly to show
unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel,
confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things in which
it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation
who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope that sat before
us. What hope is it? Which hope we
have as the anchor of the soul, sure, steadfast, who entereth
in into that within the veil, whether the forerunner is for
us, entered even Jesus, may the high priest forever, after the
order of Melchizedek. He entered in for us. Christ
is our hope. He is the anchor of our soul. This hope here, turn to Romans
5, is the joy of our life. Christ, our life. Romans 5. Look at verse 2. Romans 5, 2. We can read verse
1, Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by
faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope. We rejoice in hope of the glory
of God. Look at verse 11 in the same
chapter. Not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord
Jesus Christ by whom we now receive reconciliation, is the word.
There is no hope like we have in Christ Jesus. For years, on
my radio program, I used to close the broadcast with this statement.
With Christ, there is endless hope. Without Him, there is hopeless
end. We have a good hope in Christ
Jesus. With the Lord Jesus, there's
endless hope. Without Him, there is hopeless
end. You see, in regards to hope,
we have a good hope through grace. Christ, our hope. In regards
to saving faith, there's none like that. Give it to me. In
regards to salvation, there's none like that. Give it to me.
In regards to His love, there's none like that. Give it me. In regards to His Word, His truth,
there's none like that. Give it to me. Give it to me.
Well, I pray the Lord will bring that text to your mind and maybe
cause you to rejoice in the gospel of Christ Jesus our Lord. There's
none like Him. There's none like Him. No other Savior but Christ, in
Christ alone. Let's bow together in prayer.