Now then, this message that I'm
going to bring tonight, I would like to say this about
it. I don't know when that I've spent
more time on one message than I've spent on this one today,
all day long with the exception of a noon lunch. preparing it, preparing my heart
to preach it, trying to make sure in prayer
that God would have me preach it, and praying that he would give
me the right attitude in which to preach it. I don't have much hope of rescuing
everybody for Christ. Some are given totally over to
the traditions of religion and that's where they'll live and
spend their days and die. But I'm in desperate hope of
rescuing some and bringing some people to know what it is to
have a living, vital, personal union with Christ Jesus. That's my desire above all things.
Now in preparing messages to preach to you, I try very, very
hard to do these three things. The first thing, I want desperately,
desperately to be true to the word of God, true to the scriptures. I mean all the word of God, not
just a verse here and a verse there and a verse yonder to prove
a point. You see, no scripture is of any private interpretation. The scriptures stand together
as a unit. The best commentary on the scriptures
is the scriptures. Scriptures are interpreted in
the light of scriptures. And it's dangerous, deadly, deadly
dangerous, soul-destroying dangerous to isolate one verse of scripture
from another to prove a doctrine or a point. It's so dangerous.
The Bible is to be taken as a whole, as a unit. There's a message
in this book. There's a person in this book. He's a king. He's a sovereign. He's a lord. The king, the sovereign,
the lord. So I want to be true to the scriptures.
I don't want to reach out and take a verse try to establish
a doctrine based on that one verse. I want to be true to the
trend of the scripture. Secondly, I want desperately
in preparing and preaching messages to be true to the glory of God,
the glory of God. Now, that in all things God might
be glorified, not just in this message, but in the reception
or response reception to and response to this message. And what's accomplished by this
message is the glory of God. Our messages must be God-centered,
God-centered, not man-centered. They have to be, they must be,
they will be if they're true to the scriptures. And I need
not tell you that today's religion starts with man and ends with
man. In today's religion, God is used,
not worshipped, but used. He's used as a benefactor, and
he's used as a means to serve man's ambitions, whether it be
the people or the preachers. David said, when I consider the
heavens, the work of thy hands, what is man that thou art even
mindful of him? What is man that's not even mindful
of it? God owes no man anything. And
I've got to learn this, and you've got to learn it, if I'm not in
that heavenly company, heaven will not suffer any loss. Is
that too hard? It's so. If I am not in that
heavenly company, If I don't share in the glory of God as
a joint heir with Christ, heaven will not suffer any loss whatsoever. The glory of God's justice will
be served in my condemnation. God had to teach Job this. If you'll turn with me to the
book of Job for just a moment, to chapter 38, I want to show
you something. which is very strong. And this
was a strong lesson that God taught this man Job, whom he
called his servant. In Job chapter 38, beginning
with verse 1, the Lord answered Job. Now here, Job is surrounded
by his friends. His friends are accusing him
of some great sin, some great crime that brought all of this
misfortune upon him. And Job is strongly, too strongly
actually, defending himself, defending his position, defending
his righteousness. And the Lord God let this go
on for a long time, these people talking, talking about things
God said they didn't know anything about. Who is this, he said,
that darkeneth counsel with words without knowledge? Who is this
that's popping off about things he doesn't know anything about?
And then God said to him in chapter 38, out of the whirlwind, verse
one, who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Goodeth now your loins like a man, and I'll demand of thee, and
answer thou me. Where were you when I laid the
foundations of the earth? Declare if you have any understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof,
if you know? Or who hath stretched out the
line, stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations
of our fastened? Who laid the cornerstone thereof?
When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted
for joy, who shut up the sea with doors when it broke forth
as it had issued out of the womb? Look at verse 17. Have the gates
of death been opened to thee? Or hast thou seen the doors of
the shadow of death? Hast thou perceived the breath
of the earth? Declare it, if thou knowest it
all. Verse 22. Hast thou entered into
the treasures of the snow? Hast thou seen the treasures
of the hail? Verse 33. Knowest thou the ordinances
of heaven? Canst thou set the dominion down
in the earth? Can you lift up your voice to
the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? Can you
send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we
are? Who hath put wisdom in the inward
parts? Who hath given understanding
to the heart? Who can number the clouds in wisdom? Who can
stave the bottles of heaven when the dust groweth into hardness
and the clouds cleave fast together? Wilt thou hunt the prey for the
lion? Bale the appetite of the young lions? Look at chapter
39. Verse 13, chapter 39. Gaveest
thou the goodly wings to the peacocks? or wings and feathers
unto the ostrich, which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth
them in the dust? Verse 26. Does the hawk fly by
your wisdom? Stretch her wings towards the
south? Doth the eagle mount up at your command? Make her nest
on high? Look at verse 8. Wilt thou dishonor
my judgment? Wilt thou condemn me, that thou
mayest be righteous? Hast thou an arm like God? Canst
thou thunder with a voice like his? Deck thyself now with majesty
and excellency, and array thyself with glory and beauty. Cast abroad
the rage of thy wrath, and behold every one that's proud, and abase
him. Look on every one that's proud,
and bring him low. Tread down the wicked in their
place, hide them in the dust together, bind their faces in
secret. Then will I also confess unto
thee that thine own right hand can save thee. Chapter 41. Chapter 41, verse 11. I want you to see this. Chapter
41, verse 11. Who then? Who hath prevented
me? The word there is, who hath obligated
me? Who hath obligated me? Who hath
first given unto me that I should repay him? God says, who hath
obligated me that I should repay him? Whatsoever is under the
whole heaven is mine, is mine. Now this is what I'm saying in
preparing messages and preaching, in coming to the scriptures,
in seeking the face of God, in seeking a relationship with God. Let's remember one thing, that
he's the giver and we're the receiver. It's His sovereign grace and
mercy to us, or we receive nothing. And if God does nothing for us,
then God is still glorified in it all. That's right. That's
right. The glory of God. The glory of
God. Alright, thirdly, in preparing
messages to preach to you, which I preach first to myself, I want
to be true to the word of God. I want to be true to the glory
of God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do it for the glory
of God. Whether we eat or whether we drink, let it be for the glory
of God. Whether you live or whether you die, let it be for the glory
of God. The glory of God will be served. It will be served. In the salvation
of sinners, the glory of his grace will be served. In the
condemnation of the wicked, the glory of his justice will be
served. Is that right, Bob? That's so. All right, thirdly,
in preparing messages, I want to be true to those to whom I
preach. Brother Barnard made the statement
one time, he said, well, it's getting more difficult for me
to come here and preach. After he'd been coming for a
number of years, I couldn't understand what he meant. I said, why? He
said, because I love these people too much. I love them too much
and it's hard for me to be straight forward with people with whom
I have such a relationship. Do you understand what he's saying?
I understand what he's saying. Sometimes it's hard and difficult
and more to be desired to just keep quiet on certain issues
than to speak forth clearly on them, especially when somebody
is very close to you. Sometimes you find it easier
to talk to a stranger than you can someone very close to you
about certain matters. But I want to offer to no man
a false hope. I want to offer to no man a refuge
of lies. And yet I want to comfort, encourage,
and instruct those of an honest heart, and that's not always
easy to do. Turn to 2 Timothy chapter 2. 2 Timothy chapter 2. This is our encouragement and
our comfort. One thing I know, God will call
his elect, and God will use his minister, his preacher, to call
out his elect. Paul said in 2 Timothy 2, Therefore
I endure all things for the elect's sake. Whether it be joy or sorrow,
whether it be success or failure, whether it be trial or whether
it be happiness, I endure all these things for the elect's
sake. whether I reprove, rebuke, exhort, encourage, or whatever,
I do it for the elect's sake that they may also obtain the
salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. So I know this. I know that when
I preach, like I said on Sunday night when I got through with
my message, I said to someone down here, well, people who have
experienced that can enter into what I was preaching. And people
who haven't experienced it will just consider it so much foolishness.
And so I know as I preach this message tonight, that God's people,
those who are his elect, they're going to lay hold upon this and
they're going to strive to enter in, realizing that many shall
seek to enter in and shall not be able. And those who are not
God's elect, well, They are treated with different measures of contempt
or whatever. But I'm sure of this, no matter
what we say, no matter how much we preach the word of God, no
matter how clear the message is, men and women of this generation
are going to continue to play this religious game. They're
going to continue to do it. I was reading a man recently
who said this, preachers and people are engaged in a religious
drama. It's a play directed by Satan. It's produced by the kingdom
of the flesh. It's based on a novel of tradition,
and the leading character is self. Let me read that again. Creatures
and people alike are engaged in a religious drama, playing
a game, like on a stage, going through the motion. and they're
engaged in a religious drama, a play directed by Satan. He's
in charge of this thing. That's what our Lord said, you
do the deeds of your father. It's a play produced by the kingdom
of flesh, it's based on a novel of tradition, and the leading
character is self. The natural religionist can talk
of the sheer mercies of the covenant, but he can never rejoice in him
who is the source. The natural religionist can talk
about the doctrines of grace. He can talk about them, and yet
never in his heart experience the graciousness of grace. That's sad. And the natural religionist
can talk about the love of God, oh how he can talk about the
love of God and never in his heart know that love, experience
that love, or by his life demonstrate that love. And the natural religionist,
and here's a sad commentary, the natural religionist can talk
of the mechanics of the gospel, of the mechanics of the gospel.
He can tell you how that God in covenant mercies decreed to
save. He can tell you how that Jesus
Christ came incarnate of two natures, man and God, of his
impeccability, of his perfect life, of his death on the cross,
of his burial and resurrection, how God can be just and justify. He can talk in the language of
religion, and of true doctrine, and taught plainly of the mechanics
of the gospel, and never in his heart ever partake of the life,
love, and blessings of that gospel. Did you know that so? Never. And those are the people that
will say to Christ at the judgment, Lord I preached in your name.
And I did many wonderful works and cast out devils in your name,
only to hear him say, I never knew you, depart from me." I
do know this. I know that eternal life, true
eternal life, is to know God. It's not to know about God, it's
to know God. To know God. It's not to know
there is a God, it's to know the God there is. It's not only
to know God, it's to know God and Jesus Christ whom he has
sent, the Christ whom he sent. And that eternal life is not
only to know God, to know God with a heart knowledge, and Jesus
Christ whom he has sent, but that true eternal life is to
experience, actually experience, not in doctrine, but in heart
and soul and mind, a new creation. a new birth, a new man, a new
nature, a new direction, a new spirit, and a brand new attitude. It's not just to adopt a doctrine. Here I am going my way through
life and I have the religious tradition
of my fathers or forefathers, and I hear a new preacher, and
he's closer to the word, so I adopt what he says, and I say that's
good doctrine, and that's true doctrine, that's Bible doctrine,
and I'll follow that preacher and his teachings. But there's
no new life. There's no new nature. There's
no new experience with the living God. It's just an acceptance
of a doctrine. It's just a change of religion.
But this thing of eternal life is to know God and to experience
the presence of God in my heart and life. And is not this the
message of baptism? Is not this the message of baptism?
Now, we've observed baptism here and many times in other places. And we pull the curtains and
I've got this water up here just deep water, and a person comes
down the steps, a person who's made a profession, who's heard
the gospel, they come down the steps, and they stand by me,
and we say some words. And then I take that person and
put that person under that water, all the way under that water
to where the person's gone. He's disappeared. She's disappeared. I'm the only one standing there.
This person's gone. And then I bring that person
up. We say amen, that person leaves. Well, what do we have
here? Well, suppose we have a confession of Christ. This is the way that
you confess Christ. This is the way they confess
Christ in the New Testament. And you'd be telling the truth.
That is the way they confess Christ in the New Testament.
They confessed him by baptism. Is that correct? It's a correct
New Testament way to confess Christ. But secondly, somebody
would say, well, it's not only a confession of Christ, but baptism
is identification with Christ. We're certain that Christ died
on the cross and Christ was buried. They put him out of sight, they
put him in a tomb, and then he arose. And when I am baptized,
I'm saying that I believe, I believe that Jesus Christ died on the
cross, that he was buried, and that he rose again. And that's
true too. And then someone else will say,
well, this is an ordinance. And it's an ordinance to be obeyed
in the proper manner. We sit around arguing about the
mode of baptism. Well, there's only one way to
bury a fellow, and that's out of sight. So that's no use arguing
about that. The mode of baptism, no use arguing
about that, no use wasting any time. Somebody else says, well,
it's important that you're baptized after you're saved. Well, that's
true, too. You don't bury anybody but dead
people. You don't bury living people. The person's got to be
dead before he's buried, hasn't he? Somebody else says, well,
it's the entrance into the New Testament church. Well, all of
that has an element of truth. God added to the church daily
such as should be said, those that were baptized. But let me
pose this question here, right along the line that I'm talking
about. I'm saying that eternal life is to know God, to know
God. And Jesus Christ whom he has
sent. And not only that, but as a result of knowing God, there
is a change. There is a remarkable, unusual,
supernatural change. There's a new creature. There's
a new creation. There's a new beginning. There's
a new direction. There's a new life. And this
is what I'm saying baptism basically is. We're baptized for the dead. Dead. Baptism is buried with
Christ in baptism. Is that buried with Christ? That's
the reason this person standing here, I take them and put them
under. And they're gone. They're gone. And then what I bring up is a new person. Now listen to
me. I am dead with Christ. I am dead with Christ. Nevertheless,
I live. Yet not I, but Christ liveth
in me. The reason there's not a whole
lot of candidates for baptism is there ain't many folks dead
with Christ. Not many. Because what we're
doing here now Cecil, in baptism, Because this person is coming
before the church and saying, I ask you people to witness my
burial. I ask you people to witness my
death and burial. I'm coming into this pool saying
that I am dead. The old I is dead. The old person
is dead, crucified with Christ. I'm no longer who I was. I'm
no longer where I was. I'm no longer going in the direction
I was going. I'm dead. And I'm declaring it
to everybody here by burying the body out of sight. And I'm
rising to walk in newness of life with Jesus Christ. Are you
hearing what I'm saying? That's what baptism is. I am
dead. I am buried, and you people are
witnesses of that burial, and I'm coming out of this water,
and I'm saying to this world, this is not the person that I
was before I met Christ. This is another person. This
is a new creature in Christ Jesus. He is not, he said, if any man
be in Christ, he's a what? A new person. He's not the old
man indoctrinated. He's not the old man reformed. He's a new man. A new person. Brand new. With new direction,
new attitude, new spirit, new love, new family, new life. Now
Christ lives in me. That's what Paul said. Turn to
Galatians 2.20 and look at it. Galatians 2.20. Listen to this.
Galatians 2.20. And Paul said, I am crucified
with Christ. I'm dead. Nevertheless, I live. And yet it's not I. It's not
I. It's not the same person. It's
not the same Saul of Tarsus with a new denomination. It's not
the same Saul of Tarsus with a new job. It's not the same
solitarsis with a new doctrine. Christ liveth in me. And the
life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of
the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. And this
occurred to me while I was preparing this message. Then if I am dead,
if what I say in baptism is true, that I am dead, I am dead, the
old V is dead. This flesh, this world is dead. Then why so much time and energy
and money spent on this flesh and so little effort given to
the new man, if I'm dead? Now think about that. If I am dead, if I am dead, if the old person is dead and
dies daily and there's a new person, a new person in living
union with Jesus Christ. If that new person lives, then
why is so much of my time and energy and money spent on this
flesh if I'm dead? I hear people say sometimes,
well, when I die, just put me in a pine box or throw me in
the river, you know. How about now? But I tell you, we got some good-looking
pine boxes right now. some good looking pine boxes.
We're spending a lot of effort and time and energy on this right
here. And yet we say he's dead. If
I'm dead and buried, the honor and glory of this world and its
relationships, I'm dead to them, then why are these connections
and relationships more important to me than the new family? Than
the new man. That's a good question. If I'm
dead and buried, then why am I so sensitive? Why is this old
man still so edgy and sensitive and defensive? Especially when
this old nature is chastened and reproved and corrected. If
I am dead and buried, then why do I still crave recognition
and praise and acclaim for all that I do? If I'm dead. The new man rejoices in Christ.
If I'm dead, then why would I use people for the gratification
of my flesh and the supply of my physical and material needs
and then cast them aside when I no longer need them, if I'm
dead? If I'm dead and buried, This
is a good question. If I'm dead and buried, how could
I ever return to that old house and its dominion? Do I bear Christ
and raise the flesh? Now think about it. You see,
this is a once-for-all thing. We come in here and we say, I'm
dead. I'm doing it. The ambitions of this world,
the connections of this world, the honor of this world, the
riches of this world, the praise of this world, the relationships
of this world, these things are dead now. I live in Christ. How do I go back? Well, something's
got to happen for me to go back. I've got to raise that old dead
carcass and bury Christ because I say Christ lives in me. You
see what a final thing this is? You see what I'm talking about?
This is why my baptism is not a form or a ceremony or an influence
in the church membership. It's not a part of salvation.
It's a declaration of the awesome, supernatural work of God that
has taken place in creating in Christ Jesus a new man. That's what that's all about.
I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm buried. I belong to God. I belong to
Christ. Christ liveth in me. I'm His. But you say, Preacher, I'm a
working man. Turn to Psalm 27. I'm a working man. I'm a school
teacher. Ladies, I'm a nurse. I'm an electrician. I'm a plumber.
I'm a businessman. I've got a business to run. I've
got a family. I'm a mother. I've got duties
and responsibilities. Well, David, listen, I thought
about this. David was a shepherd, a soldier,
a writer, a prophet, a statesman, a king. He was all these things,
wasn't he? And yet David sends up his whole
desire, his whole concern, and his whole objective here in my
text in Psalm 27 verse 4. One thing, whether I'm a shepherd
or a soldier or a king, whether I'm a writer or whether I'm a
prophet or a statesman, one thing, one thing have I desired of the
Lord. One thing. What's that, David? that I may dwell in his presence,
that I may have a constant... This is dwell. Let's not run
in, speak to God once in a while and run out. This is dwell in
his presence, that I may dwell in his presence. It's not just
to pay my dues to God, it's to dwell in his presence. To dwell
in his presence that I may see, that I may behold his glory,
his beauty, and that I may learn of him. That's the one thing.
that I desire above all things, to dwell in God's presence. And
those who dwell in God's presence are those who dwell in Christ,
because Christ is the one that's in God's presence. Is that right? In Christ. Turn, if you will, to Luke 18.
Listen to this. There was a rich young man who
came to the Lord Jesus Christ. This young man had many things
going for him. He was wealthy. He was moral,
he was an influential, powerful young man, and he came to our
Master and he asked him, what must I do to inherit eternal
life? And our Lord said to him in verse 22, now when Jesus heard
what he had to say, our Lord said to him, yet likest thou
what? One thing. The one thing. And it's Charlie, the same one
thing that David said. One thing have I desired, that
I might dwell in thy presence, see thy glory, and learn of thee. One thing thy like is. Tell me
not what you have, it'll all burn. Tell me not what you know,
knowledge shall pass away. Tell me not what you've done,
a righteousness is a filthy rag. Tell me not what you are, man
at his best state is vanity. Tell me this, do you have the
one thing? The one thing. Let me show you
another scripture, Luke chapter 10. Luke chapter 10, verse 42. The one thing, one thing have
I desired. That I may dwell in thy presence,
that I may see thy glory, and that I might learn of thee. Now
watch this, Luke chapter 10. Verse 39, verse 38, Now it came
to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village.
And a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet,
heard his word, sat in his presence, learned of him. But Martha was
cumbered about with much serving. And she came to him and she said,
Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve
alone? Be it her therefore that she
help me. And Jesus answered and said to her, Martha, Martha,
thou art careful and troubled, encumbered about many things.
One thing. One thing is needful. One thing
is to be desired above all things. one thing. And Mary had chosen
that one thing. She chose it. That's what she
chose. And it'll never be taken away
from her. What she chose? To dwell in his presence, to
behold his glory, and to learn of him. And then last, in Philippians
chapter 3. Here's a man called Saul of Tarsus
who met the Redeemer, met the Lord Jesus, was transformed and
regenerated and born again, writing one of his last epistles to the
church at Philippi. He starts chapter 3 with, finally,
after all that I've had to say, And down here in verse 8, he
says this, Doubtless, yea, doubtless, I count all things but loss.
Whatever I have known, whatever I have gained, whatever heritage
or background or accomplishments that I have had, I count it but
loss for one thing, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus
my Lord. For whom I have suffered the
loss of all things, and I do count them but rubbish. that I may win Christ and be found in him. This man's
pretty serious here, isn't he? Here's a man of great accomplishments
and acclaim. Here's a man of great education
and background. Here's a man of great accomplishments
in the religious world and other areas. Knew so many famous people. Kings
knew his name. And yet he said, I count all
these things but rubbish that I may win Christ and be found
in him. Read on. Not having mine own
righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through
the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. Oh,
that I may know him. That strange language to our
ears because we hear people say they have a no-soul salvation,
they know they're going to heaven if anybody makes it, I will,
I'm sure for heaven as if I was already there. And hear this
man Paul say, oh that I may know him and the power, now watch
this, the power of his resurrected life, the power of it. My friends,
there's power in the resurrected life. There's glory, there's
power, there's an awareness, there's a dedication, there's
a victory in this resurrected life that I may know him and
the power of his resurrection. What do you accomplish by his
resurrection? My resurrection, my victory. Who shall deliver
me from this body of death? Thanks be unto God, we have the
victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. By what? By his resurrection. By his resurrection. The world
be not overcome with evil. He said you'll have great tribulation
this world, but I've overcome the world. I've overcome the
world. I've won the victory over the
grave. I've won the victory over sin.
I've won the victory over darkness. My people are not going to walk
in darkness. And watch this, and the fellowship
of his sufferings, the fellowship of his sufferings being made
conformable unto his death, if by any means, if by any means
I might attain unto that grand and glorious resurrection of
the dead. Now watch this, not as though
I haven't already attained it. Either we're already perfect,
I'm not yet perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend
or lay hold on that for which I've been laid hold of by Christ
Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself
to have arrived, but I'll tell you this, this one thing, there
it is again, this one thing. Somebody said, I was reading
the other day, a man will never accomplish anything till he learns
to do one thing well. I don't know, maybe. But I do
know here, a man will never accomplish anything in this business of
relationship with God till he learns well this one thing. One
thing I do. David said, one thing I desire.
to dwell in his presence, to gaze into his face, and to learn
of him. And our Lord told that rich,
young, moral man, one thing you lack. And he said to Mary, about
Mary, he said, that one thing she's chosen. And here Paul said,
here's the one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind,
and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press. I strive, I press towards the
mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. What is that prize? What's that
prize of the high calling? That prize is to win Christ and
be found in Him. Just one thing. Just one thing. If you've got a single heart,
the Lord talks about a divided heart. David talks about having a single
heart. A single heart. Our Father, anoint the Word. Make it effectual. These great Things are not learned
by reason or research. They're only learned by revelation.
No one can see the beauty, the glory, the joy, the comfort,
the rest and peace of Christ Jesus with those to whom those
spiritual eyes are given. No one can hear his voice of
comfort and joy Come, my child, enter into the kingdom prepared
for you before the foundation of the world, except those whose
ears have been anointed. Lord God, grant unto us, O how
we pray that you would grant unto us the fullness of that
joy, to dwell in thy presence, to behold thy glory, and to learn
of thee. that we may be able to say with
the Apostle Paul, I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live,
yet it is not I, it is not I, it is Christ that liveth in me. In his blessed name we pray for
his glory. Amen.