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The Simplicity that is in Christ. And the text from which I'm preaching
this morning is found in the book of 2 Corinthians chapter
3, or 2 Corinthians chapter 11, verse 3. Now, if you'll take
your Bible and open it and read the scripture with me, I'll be
speaking to you on the simplicity that's in Christ. Let's look
at the text, 2 Corinthians 11, 3. But I fear, lest by any means,
as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should
be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Jesus Christ. that
your mind should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in
Jesus Christ. Now, there's no substitute for
two things in preaching. One is sincerity. God helps the
man who's not sincere, who makes merchandise to the souls of men
and women. God be merciful, and yet he won't,
to the man who is not genuine and honest and sincere in his
effort to glorify God and bring men and women the knowledge of
the Son of God. Sincerity. And the second thing
is simplicity. There's no substitute for simplicity
in the preaching of the gospel. Our Lord preached the gospel
in language that people could understand. And you know, Paul
said this. He said, I don't come to you
with enticing words of man's wisdom. or eloquent, lest the
cross of Christ should be made of non-effect. Our Lord, perhaps
they didn't believe him, but they understood him. Perhaps
they were unwilling to bow to his royal claims, but they understood
him. Perhaps he crossed their tradition
and their pride, but they understood him. On one occasion in Matthew
15, our Lord had dealt with the Pharisees and their hypocrisy. You know,
in the Old Testament, there were certain meats that the people
could not eat. There were certain ceremonies
that they had to conduct or that they had to observe, and there
were certain traditions that they had to practice. One of
them was the washing of the hands before eating. Now, this is good. This is a good practice. But
these Pharisees made it a form of righteousness. This washing
of the hands, this eating of certain things, they made it
a way to become righteous before God by doing these different
traditional ceremonies, like washing their hands before they
ate. And one day they saw the disciples and the Lord eat without
washing their hands, and they were excited and upset. And they
said to the Lord, Your disciples don't wash their hands before
they eat. And our Lord said to them, It's
not that which goes into the mouth that defiles a man. It's
not eating pork. It's not eating with unwashing
hands. It's not drinking certain liquids
that defile a person. You're not righteous because
you wash your hands before you eat or you leave off certain
meats or certain types of drink. That doesn't make you righteous,
nor does it make you unrighteous. But that which comes out of the
heart, that's what defiles a person. Out of the heart proceeds evil
thoughts, adultery, blasphemies, all of these things. Boy, these
Pharisees understood what he said. And they got angry, and
the disciples came to the Lord and said, don't you know that
the Pharisees were offended by what you said? Well, they didn't
believe him, and they didn't walk in his commandments, but
they understood. Our Lord was preaching in the
synagogue at Nazareth, where he was brought up, and out there
before him were all of these religious Israelites, and it
was on the Sabbath morning, and they were there in their form
and tradition and ceremony to make an effort at worshiping
God, at least with their lips. And our Lord stood before them,
knowing this, that these people were of the opinion that because
they were Abraham's seed, Then they were children of God. Because
they were Jews, they were God's chosen people. That's what they
thought. They thought because they were descendants of Abraham,
that they belonged to God, and they were in the kingdom of God.
Now folks think that today. They think because they're Catholic,
or because they're Baptist, or because they're Presbyterian,
or because they're something else, that therefore they're
children of God. And our Lord told them. He said,
now listen to me, I'm going to tell you a truth. There were
many widows in the land of Israel in the days of the prophet, and
God fed none of them during the famine but a Gentile woman. They
understood that. He said there were many lepers
in the land of Israel in the time of the prophet, and God
healed none of them but one, and he was a Gentile. And they
were filled with wrath, and they rose up to throw him off the
cliff. Now they understood him. That was language they could
understand. And then on another occasion in John 10, he said,
I and my father are one. And they took up stones to stone
him. So what I'm saying, there's no substitute for simplicity. Let's preach so that people can
understand what we're saying. They may not believe it. The
Apostle Paul said in Galatians 2.21, I do not frustrate the
grace of God. He said, I do not complicate
or confuse. I do not frustrate or distort
the grace of God. I sound a clear note. I preach
in plain language. I can't force men to turn from
their idols, but I can tell them they should. I cannot force men
to bow to the claims of King Jesus, but I can command them
to. I cannot make men believe the
gospel of Christ, but I can at least preach the gospel of Christ. and warn the indifferent and
warn the careless and warn the rebel in language he can understand
and invite me into Christ. The scriptures are very plain
on what happened in the garden, very plain. The scriptures are
very plain on what happened at Calvary. The scriptures are very
clear and plain on what happens in a sinner's heart when he meets
the Lord. These things are very plain.
And that's what I want, two things in preaching the gospel, a godless
sincerity, a real honest burden that men know God. Paul said,
I have great heaviness and continual sorrow for my brethren according
to the flesh. My earnest prayer to God for
them is that they might be saved. And that's what we need. But
we need also a simplicity. Now let me say several things
here. I don't know whether you will ever repent or not, but
I do know this, except you repent, you'll perish." Now, that's so. Can you understand that? I don't
know whether you'll ever repent or not. And the Apostle Paul
said the whole message is summed up in this, in a two-fold way. Repentance toward God and faith
in Jesus Christ. I don't know whether you'll ever
repent or not, but I do know except you repent, you'll I can
tell you what repentance is, define it for you, preach it
to you, but only God can give it. Repentance, according to
Isaiah 55, 7, is a change. It's a change of mind, it's a
change of manners, it's a change of masters. Our Lord said in
Isaiah 55, my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are not
your ways. Let a man forsake his thoughts,
turn from his wicked ways. and seek the Lord. You see, that's
a change of mind. Thought. Change your thoughts
about God. Who is God? Change your thoughts
about sin. Change your thoughts about yourself,
your pride, your arrogance, your haughty spirit. Change your thoughts
about Jesus Christ. Change your thoughts about salvation
by grace. Let a man change his thoughts.
Let him do a 180-degree turn and go back the other way. Let
a man change his ways, a change of manners. A believer is a new
creature, a new person, a new attitude, a new spirit, new conduct. And he changes his master. Sin
is no longer self, no longer Satan, no longer his master.
Christ is his master. I don't know whether you'll repent
or not, but I do know except you repent, you'll perish. And
I've got no right to tell you anything else. And then secondly,
I don't know if you'll ever be born again. But I do know this,
except the man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God. Now you can ridicule born again, you can laugh about it,
you can make jokes about it, and it's become popular today
to make fun of different people saying they're born again, but
God's word still stands. Whatever this means, except the
man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Now God
said that, our Lord said that. And this new birth, it's not
traipsing down an aisle, shaking a preacher's hand. This new birth
is of God. We're born of God. It's the work
of God. It's a supernatural work. And
secondly, it is the work of the Holy Spirit using the word of
God. We, of his own will, beget he
us through the word of truth. And this new birth is a new life.
It's a new creature. It's not just what a man says
he is, it's what he really is. It's not what a man professes
to be on paper, it's what he is in his heart. That's what
the new birth is, and I don't know, my friend, whether you'll
ever be born again. You can ridicule it, laugh about
it, talk about it being first century gospel, but our gospel
is older than the first century. Our gospel goes back to the foundation
of the world, when Christ was the Lamb slain in the purpose
and plan and counsel and covenant of a holy God. It's an old gospel,
it's an ancient gospel, it's an everlasting gospel. And I
don't know whether you'll ever seek the Lord or not. But I do
know this, and I can make it plain to you. They shall seek
him and find him when they search for him with all their hearts.
I do know that. I do know that you will be found
of the Lord when you search for him with your heart, not just
with your feet, but with your heart. Salvation is a heart work.
With a heart, man believes under righteousness. With a mouth,
confession is made under salvation. Salvation is a heart work, and
he'll be found of you when you seek him with all your heart.
When you want Christ more than you want anything else, more
than you want health and wealth and prosperity, more than you
want success and fame and popularity, when you want Christ above all
things, you'll seek him and you'll find him. Like David said, he
described that heart, H-A-R-T, the deer, that was panting for
the water brooks. And I can see that deer out there
in that wilderness, heart, his tongue hanging out, weary, tired,
dusty, panting for the water brooks, panting for a stream
of cool, clear, refreshing water. And David said, as that deer
panted for that water, So my soul panteth for the living God. Seek the Lord. I don't know whether
you ever will or not, but I do know no man has ever been found
of God who did not seek Him. You won't be saved by accident.
I guarantee you that. God will make you willing. You'll
seek the Lord. Where would you seek the Lord?
Seek Him in His Word. Seek Him in the assembly of His
people. Seek him in the sermon where the gospel is preached.
Seek him. Seek the Lord. And then, fourthly,
I don't know whether you'll ever be clothed in the righteousness
of Christ or not, but I do know this. Christ is the end of the
law for righteousness to everyone that believes it. I do know this,
except your righteousness exceed that of the most religious Pharisee
who ever lived, you shall in no wise enter the kingdom of
God." The Apostle Paul wrote about some people in Romans 10.
He said they had a zeal for God, they had a zeal and an enthusiasm
for God, but it wasn't according to knowledge. The reason he knew
that, he said, is because they had not submitted to God's righteousness,
and they were going about to establish their own righteousness
before God. They were trying to get a holy,
righteous God to accept them because of the deeds they'd done,
not knowing that their very good deeds were filthy rags in God's
sight, not knowing that their very deeds were permeated with
sin, not knowing that their very deeds of righteousness were tainted
with self and sin and iniquity and they were trying to present
these dirty rags in the presence of God for a spotless robe and
Paul said that's the reason I know they're ignorant of God because
they're trying to establish their own righteousness. Christ is
our righteousness. Why do you think he became a
man and lived on this earth 33 and a half years? Why do you
think he was tempted and tried and tested in all points as we
are? Why do you think Satan tried him, tempted him, Why do you
think that even the Heavenly Father tried him, all types of
infirmities and adversities? Why? For our sake, he was working
out for us a perfect righteousness. And he completed it. And we have
in him that perfect, holy righteousness. With his spotless garments on,
we are as holy as God's own Son. And I don't know, my friend,
whether you'll ever rest in Christ's righteousness. Trust in Christ's
righteousness. Find your sanctification in Christ's
righteousness. Look for your acceptance with
God in Christ's righteousness, or whether you'll go on trying
to establish your own. But I have an obligation to simply
declare unto you that Christ is the end or goal or consummation
of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes it.
And if you would be justified by the law, you remember what
the law says. It requires perfection. And then I don't know whether
you'll ever believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and
Savior or not. I don't know whether you ever
will or not. But I do know this. He that believeth on the Son
hath everlasting life. And he that believeth not the
Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.
I don't know how it could be any plainer than that. If words
mean anything at all, listen to the Word of God. This is the
record. 1 John 5.11, God hath given to us eternal life. This
life, this eternal life, is in his Son. He that hath the Son
of God hath life. He that hath not the Son of God
hath not life. That's clear, isn't it? That's
simple and that's plain, and that's the way we need to preach
with deep sincerity. I don't know whether you'll ever
embrace Christ, whether you'll ever believe on him, whether
you'll ever trust him, but that's so. As Moses lifted up the serpent
in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting
life. For God so loved the world, he
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should
not perish, but have everlasting life. And then I don't know when
you'll die, but I know you will. And I don't know when you'll
stand before the great white throne judgment of God Almighty,
but I know you will. Because God's word says it's
appointed unto men once to die, and after that, the judgment.
And I don't know whether your name's in the Lamb's book of
life or not, but I know this. Whosoever is not found written
in the book of life shall be cast into hell. See, that's simple. And Satan will do everything
in his power to keep us from saving. These facts about Christ
and God and truth and sin and salvation and heaven and hell
and the word of God, he'll do anything to corrupt your mind
and keep you from the simplicity that is in Jesus Christ. I don't
know when Christ is coming, I just know he is. He said, if I go
to prepare a place for you, I will come again. When he ascended
to heaven, the disciples were standing there looking up into
heaven, and the angels appeared and said, Ye men of Galilee,
why stand ye gazing into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken
up from you, shall so come in like manner as you've seen him
go." My friend, the gospel of God's grace has been preached.
It is being preached, and it will be preached. God has not
left himself without a witness. Somewhere there's a prophet who
dares to look men in the eye and tell them the truth about
God, and the truth about themselves, and the truth about Jesus Christ,
and the truth about salvation. And I want to be that man, by
God's grace, to deal with you sincerely and simply, that God,
in his grace, may be pleased to deal with your heart in mercy. Now, men may say, well, preacher,
it's difficult to find the grace of God. Well, that may be so.
But, my friend, it's no secret where the grace of God's found.
It's found in Christ. Now, I know there may be mysteries.
The gospel is called a mystery, and it's heard from the eyes
of them who are blinded by Satan, but I'm telling you this. It
may be difficult to hear the grace of God and to find the
grace of God and to preach the grace of God, but, my friend,
it's no mystery where it is. It's in Christ. That's where
it is. If you can get to Christ, you'll have all that God has.
Everything God has is in Christ. He's bested the whole... As one
old preacher used to say, He's vested the whole shooting match
in Jesus Christ. That's where it is. Righteousness,
redemption, sanctification, life, beauty, love, glory, everything's
in Christ. Get to Christ and you have it
all. And then men may be baffled as
to why God saves sinners, but we needn't be in doubt about
how he saves them. He saves them by his Son, by
Christ. I may not be able to answer for you why God saves
sinners. All I can say is He does it according
to the good pleasure of His own will. He does it for His glory.
He does it that His grace for eternity may be praised. I don't
know why God saves sinners, but I know how He saves them, by
the cross of Christ. And it may be difficult for proud
men to bow to the royal claims of King Jesus. It may be difficult
for them to bow, but they will sooner or later. There's no question
about that. They will sooner or later, because
Philippians says that God has highly exalted him and given
him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus,
every knee shall bow in heaven, earth, and hell. Every knee shall
bow. There won't be a creature in
the universe that will not bow to the royal claims of King Jesus
someday. You and everybody else. It's
not a matter of when you'll go or if you'll bow to Christ, it's
a matter of when. Now, so if these gospel lines
are clearly laid down, these gospel claims are sincerely and
simply set forth, well, the lines will be drawn. And I know that
folks will choose up and take sides, but I know this, God will
be glorified and sinners will be saved and believers will get
some assurance. If gospel claims are faithfully,
sincerely, and simply laid down, then let's quit covering them
up with all of our programs, and covering them up with our
ceremonies, and covering up with our special holy days, and covering
them up with all of our processionals. There's so much junk in religion
today that men can't hear any gospel. But you know, I found
this out. The less a man has inside, the
more he has to put on outside. The less real fellowship and
communion he has with God on the inside, the more show he
has to put on on the outside. And I guess that's why we have
to have our robes and candles and processionals and ceremonies
and all of our liturgies and all of these other things is
because we've got nothing in the heart and we've got to put
on a show for somebody, hoping God will take notice of it, but
he won't. simplicity, the simplicity that is in Christ. We need to
get back to the simplicity that is in Christ. All of the fancy
backgrounds, and music, and entertainment, and showmanship, and dim lights,
and soft music, and candles burning, and stained glass windows, and
house people pointing to the heavens, and all this external
show is nothing in the world but a revelation of our empty
heart. If we had a heart full of God, we wouldn't need all
these things. I'm telling you the truth. I'm telling you the
truth. There's not many folks today
telling people the truth, but I'm telling you the truth. And
here's the shocking thing. Most of you know it's the truth
and won't do anything about it. in that bondage, and in that
slavery, and in that tradition, and in that custom, and in that
refuge of lives, for one day the judgment of God will sweep
down upon you like it did in the days of Noah. Peter stood
on Pentecost and told those religious people they'd better save themselves
from this perverse generation. Religious, perverse generation. Paul in Galatians 4, 16 asks
this question. Am I therefore become your enemy
because I tell you the truth? Is a man your enemy because he
dares to tell you the truth? Am I your enemy because I tell
you the truth about God? Whatever view you have of God,
the Bible, the word of God only reveals God as an absolute, almighty,
eternal, immutable, infinite, holy God. Sovereign in creation,
he made all things according to his own will, just like he
pleased to make them. He took no counsel or advice
from any creature. He's sovereign in providence.
He worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. David
said, our God is in the heavens, and whatsoever he pleased, that
did he in heaven, earth, and the seas, and all deep places.
And he's sovereign in salvation. He said, I will be merciful to
whom I will be merciful. I will be gracious to whom I
will be gracious. Am I your enemy because I tell
you the truth about God? God's not an idol. I see things
on church bulletins. God has no feet but your feet,
no hands but your hands, no eyes but your eyes. That's foolishness.
God was God, independent of the creature before you ever came
along. God doesn't need me and you. We need God. He's sovereign,
he's almighty, he reigns in heaven and earth, he's sovereign in
salvation, he planned it, he executed it, he applied it, he
sustains it, and he'll perfect it. Am I your enemy? Because
I tell you the truth about yourself, about what happened in the garden,
how you were affected by the fall of Adam, and how your nature,
the root of it, the fountain of it, the source of it is corrupt,
and therefore The whole being is corrupt, in your flesh dwelleth
no good thing, that God looked down from heaven to see if there
was one righteous man, he couldn't find any, none that doeth good,
none that speaketh after God. Not only is the root evil, but
the fruit is evil, not only our sin, but our sins, not only our
source, but our product is evil, thought, word and deed. And not
only our sin and sins, but our righteousnesses are filthy rags
in God's sight, in the flesh. No man can please God. We need
help. We need mercy. We need God to do something for
us which we cannot do for ourselves. God's not pleased. He's angry
with the wicked. That's what scripture says. Am
I your enemy because I tell you the truth about sin, about yourself,
about Christ? Who is Jesus Christ? He's the
eternal God, the God-man. Why did he come to this earth?
He came down here to perfect the righteousness for believers
and to die on the cross to put away their sins, and he did it
that God might be just and justify the ungodly. You know where he
is now? He's on the right hand of God. He's not leaning over
the banisters of heaven, crying his eyes out, hoping somebody
will let him have his way. He's a sovereign, satisfied Savior. He's seated, waiting for his
enemies to become his foes. And we better fall at his feet
like the leper of old and say, Lord, if you will, you can make
me whole. If you will, you can make me whole. Am I your enemy
because I tell you the truth about salvation? It's not just
traipsing down the aisle, shaking a preacher's hand, and telling
you beliefs and facts. Salvation is a new birth. It's
a resurrection. It's a new creation. It's a vital
union. It's a living fellowship. It's
Christ enthroned in a man's heart. God Almighty makes him over again
from the sole of his feet to the top of his head, and you'll
never be the same. And whether this ever happens
to you, I don't know, but I just know it's subtle.