Sovereign Grace, Sovereign Grace. Back to the Book of Acts, Chapter
16. Acts, Chapter 16. Remember what went on in the
last part of Chapter 15. Paul and Barnabas parted company. Parted company. Let's read beginning
at Acts 15 verse 36. Some days after Paul said unto
Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city
where we preach the word of the Lord, and let's see how they
do. Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname
was Mark. This is John Mark, the young
man. Paul thought it not good to take with them, take him with
them who departed. from them, from Pantalea, and
went not with them to the work. And the contention was so sharp
between these two friends over this young man, they departed
asunder, one from another. Barnabas took Mark, and they
sailed to Cyprus, preaching the gospel there in Cyprus. Remember,
that was Barnabas. That was his home country. Paul
chose Silas and departed. Being, it says there, recommended. And that actually means, that
word there means given up. Surrendered up. Yielded up to
the grace of God. That's a good place to be. Yielded
to the grace of God. Surrendered unto the grace of
God. Unto God's purpose. And he went, that is Paul and
Silas, they went through Syria, Cilicia, confirming them, confirming
those who had already heard and believed the gospel, encouraged
them and helped them with the word of truth by preaching the
gospel. Now, chapter 16, verse 1, and
here we see Paul and Silas endeavoring to go back over some of the same
ground, visiting the same city, Derbe and Lystra, And it says
here in verse 1, and they met a certain disciple, and his name
was Timothy. He was the son of a certain woman,
which was of Jewish heritage. She was Jewish, but she believed. She believed the gospel. And
his father was a Greek. Now, Paul went back to some of
these same cities. Now, it mentions there Lestra. Do you remember what happened
in that city? He was persecuted severely. They
tied him up to a wall or to a tree and took big old rocks, big old
rocks, and committed to dash his brains out for the gospel. Now notice the courage of this
man and the backbone of this man. Paul is no mealy-mouthed
preacher. They say that he was a scrawny,
His physical appearance was weak and he was bent, but I tell you,
this man was strong in the faith. He went right back into the city
that had persecuted him so severely, right back to Lystra preaching
the gospel. I desire that kind of courage,
don't you? That kind of gospel boldness to stand for the gospel
You remember what we read earlier? He said, those who will live
godly in Christ Jesus, it's going to cost you. It'll cost you. Now, compromise won't. You compromise
if you can do that. I don't think a believer can.
There are some areas that we can compromise. We're going to
see Paul here doing that, but not on the gospel of God's grace. Now, we see this. By God's providence,
Here we see John Mark's replacement. John Mark decided to go back
to Jerusalem, and he left town with Barnabas, but here we see
John Mark's replacement, his substitute. God raised up this
young man, and he was a young man because in one place, Paul
told Timothy, let no one despise your youth. God does use young
people. He does. And there was this man,
this believer here, his name was Timothy. His name was Timothy. We see the Lord calling this
man, now he was a believer, but God is calling him here to preach
the gospel. Now you can read through the
writings of Paul, and he is mentioned repeatedly in the gospel letters. There is 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy. Two epistles addressed directly,
inspired of God, and addressed directly to Him. And you remember
how Paul refers to young Timothy in those writings? He calls him,
my dearly beloved son. Paul loved this man, and Paul
took this young preacher, this young disciple, and put him under
his arm. and took him with him and schooled
him and taught him and helped him in the gospel. We see here
that Timothy was a disciple. A disciple is one who is disciplined. Disciplined by God and made to
believe the gospel. I want you to turn to 2 Timothy,
and you might want to put a marker back in 1 and 2 Timothy because
we're going to be referring back and forth here. Timothy was a
believer. come to be a believer? Well,
it's by not his free will, but by the grace of God. 2 Timothy. 2 Timothy. I want you to look
at verse chapter 1. 2 Timothy chapter 1. Now notice
this. Look at verse 5. He said, When
I called remembrance the unfeigned faith. You know what that is?
That's genuine faith. Genuine faith is a gift of God.
that is in thee, which first dwelt in thy grandmother Lois,
and in thy mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee also. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance,
that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting
on of my hand." Paul recognized that God gifted this man. For
God had not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of
love and of sound mind. Now remember, Paul when he's
writing here is in prison. You know, Timothy, I'm sure that
that upset Timothy, knowing that his father in the gospel, so
to speak, was in jail and condemned to death. But he said, God not
given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a
sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed
of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but be
thou partaker of afflictions of the gospel of God, according
to the power of God. Now here's how Timothy was a
believer. And Paul's reminding him here.
It's God who saved us. Look at verse 9. And called us
with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to
His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ before
the foundation of the world, but is now made manifest by the
appearing of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who has abolished
death, and has brought life and immortality to life through the
gospel. Whereunto I am appointed a preacher,
an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the things
for which cause I also suffered these things, ever lest I might
be ashamed. For I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed
on him against that day." So Timothy was a disciple, and Paul
writing back and reminding him that it's God who saved us. by
his grace alone, and it's the eternal, eternal purpose of God. Now, how Timothy came to hear
the gospel, some suggest that Paul, when he first came to those
cities, heard Paul preach the gospel, and God used that message
to save him, but we have no scriptural record of that happening. However,
we do know that he was exposed to the truth of God's Word by
his mother, as we just read. His mother and grandmother were
faithful believers, and they believed God's Word, God's truth,
and they exposed the young man to the teaching of the gospel.
One of the greatest responsibilities and privilege we have as parents
is to put our children under the preaching of the gospel.
If God's going to save them, He's going to save them with
His Word, by His grace. Now, I want you to turn and read
this with me. Find Ephesians chapter 6. I made it a point when my children
were under my roof and living in my house, that when it came
time to worship, there was no Question as to whether they were
to come or to stay home. And this is what he's saying
here in Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 6, look at
verse 1. Children, and there are several
children here today. Children, you listening? This is God's word to you right
here. Children, obey your parents in the Lord. But this is right. honor thy father and mother,
which is the first commandment with promise, the promise is
your days will be long, that it may be well with thee, that
thou mayest live long on the earth. And ye fathers, provoke
not your children to wrath." I guess maybe fathers are prone
to do this more than mamas. But fathers, provoke not your
children to wrath, but bring your children up in the nurture
and admonition of the Lord." That's God's commandment to us
as parents, to put our children under the preaching of the gospel.
And God will bless that. He'll bless His Word. I want
you to find the book of Proverbs, Proverbs 22. And there's a reference
there in Ephesians 6 to this chapter right here, Proverbs
22. Proverbs 22, look at verse 6.
Train up a child in the way he should go. Not in the way he
wants to go, but train him up in the way that he should go.
Put him under the preaching of the gospel. And when he's old,
God said he will not depart from it. That's God's promise. I believe him. So Timothy had
a had a blessed mother and grandmother who put him under the gospel.
And when a gospel preacher came to town there in Lystra and Derby,
whether it was Paul or Apollos or some other, they took the
young man to hear the gospel. And God used that preach word
or written word, however it may be. God used his word to save
that young man. And I pray that God would be
pleased to save some of our children. All of them. All of them. I know
he's able. I know he's willing. And we pray
to that end. So look back at the text again,
Acts 16. We see that Timothy had a mother
who was of Jewish heritage, but she believed also. She believed
the gospel. God gave her grace to believe. I tell you what, children, if
you have a mother that believes the gospel, that is a blessing. That is a blessing from God.
This young man was blessed with a loving mother who believed
God. I can't say that of my mother.
Not at all. Some of you can. Some of you
can. His father, his father, as far
as we know, his father was a Gentile. Now, according to the law, the
Jewish woman shouldn't have married the Gentile, but she did. But God blessed that union and
God gave him this special son, Timothy. Now look at verse 2.
Timothy, speaking of Timothy, was well-reported of the brethren,
that is, the believers in those churches. Timothy had a reputation. His reputation was one of faithfulness
and commitment to the gospel. Well-reported by the brethren
in the churches in Lystra and the churches in Iconium. Timothy
had an unblemished reputation. His character and conduct exemplified
The gospel. Paul encouraged him in this. Turn back to 1 Timothy now. 1
Timothy. Paul encouraged him in this.
1 Timothy chapter 4. 1 Timothy chapter 4. Look at verse 9. This is a faithful
saying and worthy of all acceptation. For therefore, we both labor
and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God, who
is the Savior of all men, all sorts of men, especially those
that believe. These things command and teach.
Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of believers
in word, in conversation, that is, your conduct, in love, in
spirit, in faith, in purity. Until I come, give attendance
to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift
that is in thee, which is given thee by prophecy, with the laying
on by hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things, and
give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear
to all. Take heed unto thyself and to
thy doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing
that thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee." Continue. Don't neglect and let no one
despise our youth, but be an example. Be an example. The local church also recognized
this young man's gifts. Now look back at Acts 16, verse
3. And here Paul, having heard what was said, and the
recommendation of the church and heard about Timothy being
a believer, verse 3, him, Paul would have to go forth with him.
Paul actually, in a sense, drafted him into the ministry, drafted
him into service, and took him and circumcised him because of
the Jews which were in those quarters, for they knew, they
all knew, that his father was a Greek. Now, I'm sure that Timothy
Though it's Paul's desire that he travel with him and preach.
I'm sure it was Timothy was willing to serve. Paul likens his ministry
to entering into the battle. He was willing to serve. Why
was he willing? Well, he's made willing in the
day of God's power. Turn back again to 1 Timothy
chapter 1. 1 Timothy chapter 1. Now notice what Paul writes
about the ministry here. 1 Timothy chapter 1 verse 18,
this charge, I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the
prophecy which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest
war a good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience, which
some having put away concerning the faith have made shipwrecked.
So, that you might war a good warfare. Now find 2 Timothy,
2 Timothy chapter 2, 2 Timothy 2 verse 3, Thou therefore
endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, no man that
warth entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that
he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. So he drafted
him into the service and then reminds him that we're entering
into a battle. And he encourages him to be a
good soldier. Now notice, if you will, in verse
3, Paul Before they endeavored to go and preach the gospel,
Paul took him and had him circumcised. Now this seems most strange in
light of what went on in chapter 15. On other occasions, Paul refused
to have Titus circumcised, but here For the fervence of the
gospel, and because the issue wasn't over circumcision for
salvation, he simply took away any offense that the unbelieving
Jews might have. He said, Timothy, this may be
an issue, so let's just make it a non-issue. Let's just go
ahead and circumcise you. That way, any unbelieving Jew
would never question or shut the door to the synagogue and
shut you out. Let's just take care of it. You
see how this man is wise? Now, if the Jews came along and
said, well, Timothy's not Satan unless he'd be circumcised, well,
Paul would have said, we're not circumcising him. And that's
what happened to Titus. But here, because that was not
an issue, But he said, let's get this done, that we might
not be hindered in preaching the gospel. They didn't make
circumcision the ground of salvation. Paul simply took the argument
away from the unbelieving Jews that the gospel might run well.
And this is wisdom. I want you to look at this scripture,
1 Corinthians 9. 1 Corinthians chapter 9. 1 Corinthians
chapter 9. Now notice what he says here,
1 Corinthians 9 verse 19. 1 Corinthians 9 verse 19. For though I be free from all
men, yet have I made myself a servant unto all, that I might gain more. Unto the Jews I became a Jew,
that I might gain them. To them that are under the law,
as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the
law. To them that are without the law, as without law, being
not without law to God, but under the law of Christ, that I might
gain them that are without law. To the weak I became weak, that
I might gain them. I made all things to all men,
that I might by all means save some." You see the length that
this man would go to get a hearing for the gospel. Look at verse
23, And this I do for the gospel sake, that I might be a partaker
thereof with you. So in whatever area that Paul
could compromise to get a hearing, he did that. Not that he would
compromise the gospel, but that he might have an open door to
preach the gospel. I remember hearing and reading
about years ago in the days of the early church, when they had
leper colonies? How do you go to a leper colony
and preach the gospel without being infected? You know, that's
a contagious disease. Well, back years ago, some of
these early missionaries were so dedicated to the gospel and
sold out to the gospel of God that they went and lived and
moved in with the lepers to preach the gospel to them. And you know
what happened. They became infected and died. That is a real love for the gospel
and to preach the gospel to others. And that's what Paul said when
he wrote back to those Romans and he wrote about those Jews,
his brethren, according to the flesh. He said, I wish I could
be a curse for my brethren, according to the flesh, that they might
believe the gospel. I think of another young man in this country
back in the early 1700s. You've ever heard of a missionary
named David Brainerd? David Brainerd. I've got his
life story if you'd like to borrow that book and read it. David
Brainerd was a missionary to the early American Indians up
in New England. And he had TB real bad. He was
a sick man. They said you could follow him
in the wintertime through the snow because it left a trail
of blood. He'd cough and spit up blood. But he gave his life, living
with the Indians, preaching the gospel. And at 29 years old,
he died. That's dedication. I'd like to
have that kind of dedication. To preach the gospel to those
to whom God would have hear it. Everybody, going to the world,
all the world, and preaching gospel to every creature. Now,
notice, if you will, verse 4. Acts 16, verse 4. Now, here's
this threesome, as they went through the cities. Now, this
is Silas, this is Paul the Apostle, and here's young Timothy. They
delivered them the decrees for the keep. that were ordained
of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem." Now, this
refers back to what happened in Jerusalem that's recorded
in Acts 16. As they traveled, they delivered
the good news of that conference in Jerusalem. You remember the
theme of that conference? Turn back to chapter 15, verse
11. They delivered the good news here that salvation was by grace
alone, not circumcision, not law, grace alone. Acts 15 and
11, we believe through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ that
we shall be saved even as others. So as they preached, now look
back at the text. As they traveled, they delivered
the decrees for the keep that were ordained of the apostles
and elders which were at Jerusalem. They delivered the good news
of the gospel, free from the curse of the law, Christ being
made a curse for us, justified freely by his grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Now this is our message.
The ordained, and here's what I want to camp on right here.
They delivered the decrees ordained, and we can read it this way,
they delivered the decrees ordained of God. They delivered the decrees
ordained of God, and that's the gospel. The one old preacher
of the past, his name was Rowland Hill, said this, Every sermon
should contain the three R's. Now you young people know what
the three R's are, right? In school it's reading, writing,
and arithmetic, right? The three R's. Do you know what
the three R's of the gospel are? And Rowland Hill said every sermon
that's preached should contain these three R's. Ruin, Redemption,
and Regeneration. Regeneration. That's the sum
of the Gospels. This is the decrees ordained
of God for us to deliver. God's Gospel. Let's look at those
three R's. Ruin in Adam. Ruin in Adam. Now here's the verse. Find Roman
chapter 5. Now this is back to the basics.
Ruin, ruin, thaw, sin entered in. And this is by the decree
of God. They delivered the decrees of
God. Sin entered in by the decree
of God, by the will of God. Romans 5, it happened by the
sin of man, but God brought it to pass. Romans 5 wherefore as
by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin so death
passed upon all men in whom all sin. Adam rebelled against God
but God said in the day you eat You'll die. Did God know Adam
would fall? Absolutely. Did God know that
sin would enter in? Absolutely. Could have God prevented
it? Absolutely. Did He decree it?
Yes. Yes. Because Christ stood as
a lamb slain before Adam ever fell. God had the remedy already
ready. That is a decree that we declare
to all men. There's no accidents in God's
dominion. There's no accidents in God's
universe. He does according to His will
in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of this earth,
and none can stay His hand or say unto Him, Lord God Almighty,
what are you doing? Sin entered in by God's purpose. What better way to magnify His
mercy than when you go to a diamond store, a jewelry store, and you
look at that brilliant diamond. What do they put it on? They
put it on a black velvet cloth. Why? That it might show the brilliance
of the diamond. And that's what God does in the
Gospel. He takes the blackness of our sin and depravity and
puts the jewel of His grace in Christ that He might be magnified
against the background of our blackness of our sin. And that's
what the Gospel does. And this is all by God's purpose.
Now, the second thing we deliver not only ruin in Adam, sin entered
in, and death upon all, dead in sin, but we also preach the
decree of God, redemption by Christ. Redemption by Christ.
Now stay right in Romans chapter 5 and turn to verse 18. Romans
5, 18. Romans 5, 18. Therefore as by
the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation.
That's that one man, Adam. Even so, by the righteousness
of another, the free gift came upon all unto justification of
life, that is, all men in Christ. For by one man's disobedience
many were made sinners. So by the obedience of another,
of one shall many be made righteous." Disobedience in Adam? obedience
in Christ. Moreover, the law entered that
the offense might abound, but where sin abounded, grace did
much more abound, that as sin hath reigned unto death, even
so might grace reign." I like that phrase, don't you? Grace
reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ
our Lord. Redemption in Christ is by the
decree of God. by the decree of God. The coming
and the entrance of the Savior is by the decree of God. We studied
that in Acts chapter 2. Him being delivered by the determinate
counsel of God. The crucifixion of the Savior
was not an accident. He died according to God's appointment. He is the appointed Lamb of God
who came and died to put away our sin. The entrance of the
Savior and the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son. He decreed
that. See, our redemption is by the
decree of God. That's what we preach. His decrees. The crucifixion of the Savior.
We studied that in Acts chapter 4. They did what God's hand determined
before to be done. And the accomplishment of salvation
is by the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn over here
to 1 Peter chapter 1. Look at this with me. 1 Peter
chapter 1. Redemption is by the decree of
God. Sin entered in by the decree
of God. Redemption entered in by the
decree of God. 1 Peter 1, verse 18, Forasmuch
as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things,
as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by
tradition from your father, but with the precious blood of Christ,
as the Lamb without blemish and without spot, who was foreordained
before the foundation of the world, but was made manifest
in these last times for you." You see, redemption is by the
decree of God. That's what we deliver, the decree
of God. Thirdly, you've got the first
two, ruins, redemption. The third one is regeneration. The new birth. The new birth.
Our Lord said to Nicodemus, except you're born again, you cannot
see, you cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Our new birth
is by the decree of God. As many as were ordained to eternal
life believe. Now turn to Romans 9. This too
is by the decree of God. Sin entered in by the decree
of God. Redemption came by the decree
of God. Regeneration, the new birth.
Salvation is by, not man's will, it's by the decree of God. By
the decree of God. Let me show you here. Look at
Romans 9, verse 11, For 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 was said to her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it
is written, Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated. What shall
we say then? Is there unrighteousness with
God? God forbid. Or 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, it's not of him that
willeth or of him that runneth, but it's of God that shows mercy. Regeneration and a new birth
and salvation is by the decree of God, the ordained decree of
God. That's what we, that's what they
delivered in that day. That's what we delivered. Same
message, same message. Of his own will begat he us with
the word of truth. James 1 18. We're born again,
not with the corruptible seed, incorruptible with the word of
God. by the decree of God. The new
birth is by the divine message, preaching the gospel, and it's
by the divine appointment. We're appointed. Let me show
you this. Turn over here to 1 Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, I
believe it is. Look at verse 9. 1 Thessalonians
5, 9. For God hath not appointed us
to wrath, But the appointment is to salvation by our Lord Jesus
Christ. That's His appointment. You see,
salvation is by the will of God, the decree of God. Now, look
back at Acts 16. You see what it says in verse
4? As they went through the cities, they delivered the decrees of
God. And they're to be believed. They're
to be kept. that were ordained of the apostles
and elders by the will of God at Jerusalem. Now, verse 5, in
closing, two things happened. Here's the fruit of good gospel
preaching. True preaching. Two things happened. Look at
verse 5. Churches were established in the faith. Churches were established
in the faith. They were established in Christ.
And that is through the teaching of the gospel. Turn to Ephesians
chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4. Churches
were established. Established on the rocks. Established
in Christ. And it's through the Word of
Truth. Ephesians chapter 4. Look at verse 11. He gave some apostles, some prophets,
some evangelists, some pastors and teachers for the perfecting. For the perfecting. The growth
of the saints. For the work of the ministry.
For the edifying of the body of Christ. till we all come in
the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God
unto a perfect man, unto a measure of the stature of the fullness
of Christ, that we henceforth be no more children tossed to
and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the
slight of men and the cunning craftiness whereby they lie in
wait to deceive us, but speaking the truth in love, may grow up
into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ." be
established in Christ were no more tossed to and fro and carried
about by every wind of doctrine. So gospel preaching produces
two things. Back to the text. Churches are
made up of sinners saved by God's grace. Churches established in
the faith in Christ. The second thing that happened
was this. An increase in number Every day,
every day, God was calling out of people to Himself. Now, I
want you to find this scripture, 1 Corinthians 3. 1 Corinthians
chapter 3. They increased in number. You
remember what we read in the book of Acts earlier? And the
Lord added daily to the church such as should be saved. We don't
add people. God adds. God calls. God saves. Now this is what Paul says here,
notice this if you will, 1 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 5. But he says, Who then is Paul?
And who is Apollos? But ministered by whom you believe,
even as the Lord gave to every man. I have planted, what did
he plant? The word of truth, the seed of
the word of life. Apollos watered with gospel preaching,
But God gave the increase. The increase has to be his doing.
This is the Lord's doing. So then, neither is he that planteth
anything, neither he that watereth, but God that gives the increase. You see, my friend, the increase
of number is of the Lord. Now, I get literature all the
time in the mail. and emails as well that try to
come up with clever ways how to grow your ministry, how to
have a mega church, how to increase your building and knock out the
walls and make an impact. And they call that being successful
in the ministry. Numbers being successful has
nothing to do with numbers. Having a successful ministry
has to do with the message of Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ. And in due time, God will call
out His people with the truth, with the gospel. Maybe many,
maybe a few. In that day, there was many.
Maybe again in this day, the Lord will be pleased to call
out His people. But it's His doing. It's our business to preach
the gospel. That's our business. He's in
the saving business.