Let's open our Bibles now to
1 Corinthians 2, verse 1. Paul says, I, brethren, when
I came to you, now the church at Corinth was a church as rich
in gifts as any other church. You read in the first book of
Corinthians how that God gave many gifts to this church at
Corinth. gifts of prophecy, gifts of faith,
gifts of healing, gifts of tongues. And also this church not only
was as rich in gifts as any church, but they profited from the personal
ministry of the Apostle Paul for about 18 months. Paul labored
with them over 18 months. Evidently it was a large church
and a strong church. But it was a church crumbled
with division, crumbled with discord. This shows us that the
purest churches, like the moon, have their spots. There's no
perfection on this earth. Perfection is reserved for the
future. And Paul said, Brethren, when
I came to you, a gifted church, a large church, a strong church,
one crumbling with division and discord, when I came to you,
I didn't come to you with excellency of speech, or of man's wisdom
declaring unto you the testimony of God. Now man's wisdom may
charm the ear, and it does, but it will not reach the heart.
Only the word of God can reach the heart. Actually, man's wisdom
detracts from the glory of God, and man's wisdom It does not
add anything to God's message. It does not contribute to it.
It does not add to it. It rather detracts from it. And
it would be a height of pride to think that my eloquence or
my wisdom or my argument could prevail where the Word of God
had failed, or could do what the Word of God could not accomplish.
So the apostle says, Brethren, when I came to you, I didn't
come to you with wisdom of words, excellency of speech, declaring
unto you the testimony of God. For I determined, I determined,
knowing it was profitable for you, and knowing it's the only
effectual power of life, and knowing that man's wisdom is
foolishness, I determined, I resolved deliberately not to know anything
among you. not to know anything, or to believe
anything, or to approve of anything, or to preach anything, or to
make known anything. Not your traditions handed down
by your fathers or your philosophies so much admired by you nor your
scientific claim. But I determined, I resolved
deliberately not to know anything among you, neither tradition
nor philosophy or scientific wisdom, only Jesus Christ and
Him crucified. Christ in His deity, the glory
of His person, but also crucified in shame. Christ in His deity,
the honor and glory of His person, but also crucified on a cursed
tree. Now some people understand this
to read this way. I determine not to know anything
among you, say, Jesus Christ, though he were crucified." Though
he were crucified. Now this is the sum of the gospel,
and this contains all the riches of the gospel. Stephen Sharnock
said that Paul was so taken up with Jesus Christ that no other
message could drop from his lips or from his pen. it was always
Christ. Whether Paul was witnessing,
preaching, or writing, it was Christ and him crucified. In fact, he used the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ in his epistles five hundred times. I will boast of him whom others
despise. And you Corinthians, though learned
and rich and gifted, I would know nothing among you but the
crucified Redeemer, who is the wisdom of God and the treasure
of God and the unspeakable riches of God." All human wisdom, according
to Paul, takes a back seat to Christ Jesus. All human wisdom
takes a back seat to the glory of Christ, for He and the mysteries
of His death are the main subject of our study, our knowledge,
and our preaching. And this is the honor and psalm
of the gospel. In fact, back in verse 17 of
1 Corinthians chapter 1, Paul says that the preaching of the
gospel is really the preaching of the cross. Look at it. Christ
sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel. not with wisdom
of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
For the preaching of the cross is to them who are perishing
foolishness, but unto us who are saved it is the power of
God." The preaching of the gospel is the preaching of the cross.
The preaching of the gospel is the preaching of Christ and Him
crucified. So here we have a gifted church. Here we have a strong, large
church. Here we have a church sitting
under the ministry of the Apostle. And the Apostle declares, I will
know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified. Now there are four points to
my message. Number one, the person who altered
the death of Christ. Number two, the person who died. Number three, what he accomplished
by his death. And number four, what does his
death mean to me? Now those four things, if you
listen to them, if you hear them, if you're able by the Spirit
of God to enter into them, you'll know the gospel. If you're able
in your heart to receive them, you'll believe the gospel. First
of all, the person who ordered his death. I determine not to
know anything among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified. Now his death on the cross was
plotted and planned by the religious leaders of his day. The Sadducees
and Pharisees and scribes and lawyers sat in their council
meetings and plotted and planned the death of the Son of God.
They wanted him put to death. They wanted him out of the way.
They wanted him crucified, and they wanted him crucified in
such shame that the people would turn from following him. So they
plotted his death, and they planned his death. His death on the cross
was demanded by the mob. Pilate said, Whom shall I release
unto you, Barabbas or Jesus, which is called the Christ? And
they said, Give us Barabbas and crucify Jesus. What shall I do
with Jesus? Crucify Jesus. but he hath done
no wrong. Crucify him, but I find no fault
in him. Crucify him." And they kept calling,
crucify him, crucify him. His death on the cross was demanded
by the mob. His death on the cross was permitted
by Pilate. Finally the Roman governor called
for a basin of water. They poured the water in the
basin He washed his hands in the presence of the crowd. And
he says, I'm free, my hands are clean from the blood of this
innocent man. See you to it. And he dried his
hands with a towel and walked away. But he permitted the death
of Jesus Christ on the cross. And his death on the cross was
carried out by the soldiers who drove the nails in his hands
and in his feet. Yes, the religious leaders planned
it. and the mob demanded it, and
Pilate permitted it, and the soldiers carried it out. But
my friend, what was done in the fullness of time, what was done
on that morning 2,000 years ago, was ordered in heaven before
time ever began. Turn, if you will, to the book
of Acts, chapter 2. I'm saying that actually the
death of Jesus Christ on the cross, though planned by the
religious leaders and though demanded by the mob and permitted
by Pilate and carried out by the soldiers, was decreed and
ordered by the Heavenly Father long before time began. In Acts
chapter 2 verse 23, Him being delivered by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken, and with
wicked hands have crucified and slain." Now turn to Acts chapter
4, verse 26. The kings of this earth stood
up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and
against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy
child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod Pontius Pilate, with
the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before
to be done." Who ordered his death? The Heavenly Father ordered
his death. The Heavenly Father decreed his
death. The Heavenly Father appointed
his death. One writer said he is the Lamb
slain determinately in the covenant and decree of the Father, promissorily
in the prophecies of God beginning with Adam and to his family. Typically he is the Lamb slain
in the sacrifices and offerings of Israel, and efficaciously
he is the Lamb slain in the body of his flesh. He was made sin,
not by us. He was made sin, not even by
himself. He was made sin by the Father,
who ordered his death, who decreed his death, who planned his death,
who purposed his death, for his death was an act of God. Turn
to Isaiah 53. In verse 10, this is what it
says. Isaiah 53.10, Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him. It pleased the Lord to bruise
him. He hath put him to grief. When thou shalt make his soul
an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong
his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his
hand. Yes, the death of Christ was
an act of God's sovereignty. Now God might have left us in
our guilt to perish. God might have left us in our
darkness to perish in condemnation. But He chose to redeem us by
the death of His Son, and the death of Christ was a commandment
given to the Son by the Father. Yes, the Son voluntarily received
it, and the Son willingly carried it out, but His death on Calvary's
cross was a commandment given Him by the Father. Turn to John,
chapter 14, and you'll see this. John 14, Now these words were
spoken just before Christ went to the cross. He had met with
his disciples, he had talked with them, he was on his way
to Calvary, and he says in verse 29 of John chapter 14, listen
to it, verse 28 of John 14, You have heard how I said unto you,
I go away, and come again unto you. If you loved me, you would
rejoice, because I said, I go to my Father. for my Father is
greater than I. And now I have told you before
it come to pass, that when it is come to pass you might believe.
Hereafter I'll not talk much with you, for the Prince of this
world cometh and hath nothing in me, but that the world may
know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment,
even so I do arise and let us go hence. Yes, the death of Christ
Though plotted by the religious leaders, and though demanded
by the mob, and though permitted by Pilate, and though personally
carried out by the soldiers, they did what their wicked hearts
devised. They did what their wicked hands
pleased to do. Yet everything they did to Christ
was in the purpose and plan and counsel of the Heavenly Father,
who determined before what should be done, and who gave His Son
commandment. And Christ said, as my Father
hath commanded me, even so I do. The death of Christ was an act
of God's sovereignty, it was an act of God's love. Turn to
1 John chapter 4. Now listen to this. Here in his
love, 1 John 4 verse 10, here in his love, not that we loved
God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son, he sent his Son,
to be what? A mercy a sin offering, a sacrifice,
for that's what propitiation is. It's a mercy seat. The word
propitiation is mercy seat. And when we see this mercy seat,
we go in the temple under the veil, and there is the Ark of
the Covenant, and in that Ark are the tables of stone, the
Law, the Ten Commandments. Over the top of that Ark is the
mercy seat, and once a year on the Day of Atonement, the high
priest goes in there with the blood of a sacrifice of a lamb,
and puts that blood on the mercy seat as an offering for sin,
as a propitiation. And God loved us and gave his
Son and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins. And then the death
of Christ not only was an act of God's sovereignty and an act
of God's love, but it was an act of God's justice. Now God
being the great lawgiver, God being the righteous governor
of the universe, even God, Yes, some things God can't do. God
can't lie. God can't do anything contrary
to his character. And God can never pardon the
guilty without punishment for the offense. Now you remember
that. God cannot pardon the guilty
without the offense being punished. He said, I will in no wise clear
the guilty. The wages of sin is death and
the wages must be paid. God's justice demands that God
be truthful and God be holy and God be righteous. And therefore
the weight of the whole punishment of my sins that were due unto
me was laid on Christ by a just judge. Who planned his death
actually? Who decreed his death? who sent
him to Calvary, who plotted his death, who purposed his death,
all of it by the Heavenly Father, as an act of his sovereignty,
as an act of his will, as an act of his love, as an act of
his justice, Almighty God sent his Son. For God so loved the
world that he gave his only begotten Son. Now the second thing in
this message, the person who died. Paul said, I've determined
not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified. The really important thing that
comes to us from Calvary, the really important truth that rings
from Calvary, is who died on that cross. It is whose blood
was shed. Paul said in Romans chapter 8
verse 34, who is he that condemned me? Christ has died. It was more than a man who died
on that cross, though it was a man. It was more than the flesh
suffering on that cross, it was the flesh of the Son of God.
It was the Son of God who became a man, the Lord of angels who
took the nature of a servant, the Lord of life who suffered
on Calvary. He that is greater than heaven
became a man. I've told this story before,
but I'll repeat it because it illustrates, and it's the best
illustration that I have on this particular point. The really
important truth that rings from Calvary is who died on that cross
and whose blood was shed. If he is a mere man, his blood
has no efficacy whatsoever. If he is a mere man, his death
cannot atone for his own sin, let alone mine and yours. A little
boy and his father had been to church one Sunday morning. And
they were on their way home from church, walking along the sidewalk.
And the little boy was real quiet. Daddy noticed he was rather quiet,
hadn't said a word for good ways. And he turned to him and he said,
son, why are you so quiet? And the little boy looked up
at his father and he said, I don't understand what the preacher
preached. And the father said, well, maybe I can help you. What
about the messages bothering you? He said, well, dad, he said,
you know, the preacher kept saying that Jesus Christ died for all
the sins of all believers of all ages. And he said, that's
a lot of people. Going all the way back to Adam,
to this present day, that's a lot of people. That's millions and
millions of people. And Christ died for all the sins
of all those people. Now dad, how could one man pay
for the sins of so many people? How could the death of one man
put away so many sins? And the father thought a few
minutes. They kept walking. Finally there was a grasshopper
on the sidewalk. jumping out of the grass right
on the sidewalk in front of him. Dad stopped his son. He said,
son, what is that? Well, he said, that's a grasshopper.
His daddy said, son, how many grasshoppers you reckon are worth
one little boy? And the little boy looked at
that grasshopper, you know, and he said, well, he said, Dad,
I don't guess all the grasshoppers in the world are worth one little
boy. He said, you wouldn't trade me for all the grasshoppers in
the world, would you? And the dad said, son, you're
right. I wouldn't trade you for all the grasshoppers in the world.
All the grasshoppers in the world are not worth one son to me. And you know, son, the Bible
says that God holdeth the nations in his hand as a drop in the
bucket, and he considereth all the inhabitants thereof as grasshoppers. And the one who died on that
cross was God's Son. Do you reckon God's Son is worth
more than all the grasshoppers in this world? Huh? It wasn't, my friends, so much
just blood being shed, it's whose blood was shed. It wasn't so
much on Calvary that a man died, it's the man Christ Jesus. It's the Son of God. He is infinite
in His worth, and infinite in His glory, and infinite in His
value, and infinite in His power. And the gift of God's Son is
worth to God all the grasshoppers of this world and all the universe,
angels and men. You cannot limit the power of
Christ to save. You cannot limit the sufficiency
of Christ to save. You cannot limit the power of
Christ to save, the ability of Christ to save. His blood is
able to save all who come to him and to the uttermost. His death was a shameful death. It was a death for slaves. It
was a death for thieves. He was numbered with the transgressors,
and He took our shame. They spat upon Him. They accused
Him of being in league with the devil. They called Him an imposter. His death was a cruel death.
His death was a lingering death. From His birth in Bethlehem,
from the first breath He drew in that manger to the last breath
when He said, Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit, He
suffered And he suffered from hell, and he suffered from earth,
and he suffered from heaven. And he suffered in his body,
and he suffered in his soul. And his death was a curse. Who planned his death? The Heavenly
Father. Who ordered his death? The Heavenly
Father. who decreed his death, the Heavenly
Father. It was the counsel of God. It
was the purpose of God. It was the eternal plan of God. His blood is the blood of an
everlasting covenant. He is the guarantor of an eternal
covenant. Who died? The Lord of Heaven
died. The mighty God, the everlasting
Father, the Prince of Peace, the One who is wonderful, Counselor,
He died. And his death is an infinite
death, and his sufferings are infinite suffering. And his blood
is efficacious blood. He is able to save to the uttermost
them that come to God by him. All right, thirdly, what did
he accomplish by his death? Turn to Romans chapter 5, Romans
5 verse 9. What did he accomplish by his
death? Number one, he appeased the wrath
of God. He appeased the wrath of God. Romans 5, 9 says, Much more then,
being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath. Now I know this world doesn't like
to talk about, preach about, think about, or hear about the
wrath of God. But this world, one of these
days, is going to have to deal with the wrath of God. The Bible
says God is angry with the wicked. The Bible says God hated the
workers of iniquity. The Bible says he that believeth
not on the Son, the wrath of God abideth on him. The Bible says it's a fearful
thing to fall into the hands of a living God. As a merciful
God, he pities us, but as a holy God, he hates our sin. As a loving God, he desires our
blessings, but as a righteous God, he demands and must have
obedience. As a gracious God, he delights
to show mercy, but as a just God, he's got to punish sin. got to punish sin. But my friends,
when a sufficient offering for sin has been made, when an infinite
person, my near kinsman, the one who has the right to redeem,
when he comes and makes a sufficient payment, however heavy my debt,
however deep my guilt, when the right person with the right payment
makes that payment to the right person, eternal God. No charge
of the law or plea of justice can prevail against that payment.
When Christ died on that cross, he appeased the wrath of God.
Turn with me to Romans 8. Not only did he appease the wrath
of God, but he silenced the law. In verse 33, who can lay anything
to the charge of God's elect? Huh? Paul calls on heaven. Who in heaven can lay anything
to my charge? Who on earth can lay anything
to my charge? Who in hell can lay anything
to my charge? I've been justified. Who is he
that condemneth? Why can't you be condemned, Paul? Why can't anything be laid to
your charge? Christ died. My near kinsman,
the one with the right to redeem, has made sufficient payment,
and there are no charges left, for Christ hath removed my guilt."
We have redemption, even the forgiveness of sin. What did
he accomplish by his death? He removed the wrath of God.
He appeased the wrath of God. He reconciled us to the Father. He silenced the law. He satisfied
justice. He removed our guilt. He took
away the curse. He forgave the sin. He pardoned
the iniquity. He gave us a perfect righteousness. And I want you to listen to this.
He destroyed the power of Satan over us. I turn to Hebrews chapter
2 verse 14. He destroyed the power of Satan. Now this will help you a little
bit. You read throughout the Bible about the power of the
devil and the power of Satan. Satan has no power over God's
children. The only way and only reason
he could touch Job was God permitted it. You and I have been delivered
from the power of Satan, from the kingdom of darkness, from
the rule of Satan. Christ is our Lord, Christ is
our King, Christ is our Sovereign. Now people outside of Christ
are subject to Satan. People outside Christ are under
the rule of Satan. People outside Christ are in
the kingdom of darkness still. Now that's true. They're under
the power, they're under the influence, they're under the
rule of Satan. They've been turned over to Satan.
They're following the prince of this world, but not the believer. Satan cannot touch you who are
in Christ. That's an impossibility. That's
like the Russian secret police coming over here in Ashland,
Kentucky and arresting a citizen of this nation. It can't be done,
especially not in the days of America's pride and glory. It can't be done. And Satan cannot
touch you who are in Christ, because Christ hath destroyed
the power of Satan. Now look at Hebrews 2, verse
14. For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood,
he also himself, that's Christ, likewise took part of the same.
That through death, He, Christ, might destroy him, Satan, that
had the power of death, that is, the devil. Christ destroyed
him. He destroyed his power, he destroyed
his rule over you, over his people. Now let me read you something
here. The empire that the devil exercises over men, and he has
an empire, he has subjects, he has a kingdom. And the empire
that he exercises over men did not arise from any dignity in
his person. That's not the reason he has
that power. That's not the reason he has
that empire. That's not the reason he has
that kingdom because of any dignity in him or any right that he earned. But his power over men was founded
on sin. That's where it started, in the
Garden of Eden. It was founded on sin. And his
power over men was granted to him by the justice of God. It was given to him by the justice
of God. And his power over men is not
the power of a prince. It's the power of an executioner. He has the power of death. Spiritual
death. physical death, eternal death. His power is erected on our guilt,
and he becomes the executioner of divine wrath. That's what
he is, he's the executioner. It's just like the law finds
a kidnapper guilty, and justice sentences him, and the judge
turns him over to the executioner. And the executioner sits him
in the chair and pulls the lever. And Satan is the executioner. He has become the executioner
of divine wrath. And when Christ Jesus died on
that cross, turn to Revelation 12, verse 10. Look at this. In Revelation 12, verse 10, And
I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation
and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of
his Christ. For the accuser of our brethren
is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night."
Oh, the death of Christ destroyed the power of Satan. Who ordered
his death? The Heavenly Father. Who was
it that died on that cross? The Lord of glory. What did he
accomplish in his death? He appeased the wrath of God.
He silenced the law. The law said, you're guilty.
Christ said, no he's not. I paid the debt. He silenced
justice. He delivered me from the power
of Satan, from the kingdom of darkness, into the kingdom of
his word. Christ is my Lord now. Christ
is my King, Christ is the one that orders my life, and orders
my death, and orders all things, my trials, and he sanctified
me by his death. Have you ever noticed Toplady's
hymn, Rock of Ages? There's one verse in there that
goes, I think it's the first verse, Be of sin, the double
cure. The double cure? Yes, the double
cure. Toplady knew what he was talking
about. save from wrath and make me pure."
When Christ died on the cross, he not only restored us to divine
favor, but by the new birth he restores in us the divine image. Not only to divine favor, but
the divine image. And it says he came by water
and blood, by blood to expiate our guilt and by water to purify
our hearts. So there's a two-fold operation
when a man comes to Christ. Not only are his sins forgiven,
but he receives a new nature. Another thing Christ did for
us in his death, he opened heaven for us. What is this life but
wallowing in the mire? Isn't that what it is? What is
eternal life? It's to live with God. Last of
all, what does his death mean to me? Well, first of all, I'm
thankful for my Redeemer. I will sing of my Redeemer and
his wonderful love for me. On the cruel cross he suffered,
he paid the debt, and he set me free. Now, the people at 13th
Street have heard the illustration I'm going to give in closing
my message, but the people in the radio audience haven't heard
it, so I'm going to give it for their benefit. Many years ago
in Boston there was a pastor called A.J. Gordon. He pastored
the Church of the Open Door. This was years and years ago.
He was a famous minister, beloved by the people in that town, beloved
by his church members. One day A.J. Gordon was out walking
down the street And he met a little boy, and the little boy had in
his hand a birdcage. It was a homemade birdcage. And in that birdcage were two
little birds, two little field birds, just old sparrows, or
wild birds. And Gordon looked at those little
birds cringing over in the corner of that homemade cage, scared
to death, in captivity. And he felt sorry for them. And
he stopped the little boy and he said, son, where'd you get
the birds? He said, I trapped them. What
are you going to do with them, boy? He said, well, I'm going
to play with them. They get tired of playing with
them. I'll probably feed them to the cat. Well, son, I wonder
if you'd sell me those birds, would you? I said, preacher,
you don't want these old birds. They're no good. Dr. Gordon said, I know there aren't
some, I know the heavens are full of them, but he said, I'd
like to have them. Well, he said, you can get you some, there's
plenty out in the field. I'll trap these, you can trap
you some. He said, no. I realized I could trap some,
but I happen to want those two birds right there. Well, a preacher
that can't sing, he can't do you no good. I know that, son. I know canaries sing, and these
birds don't. I've just taken a liking to them,
and I want them. Now, will you sell them to me?"
The little boy stood there a minute and thought, and he said, All
right, preacher. If you want them, you can have them for two
dollars. Cage and all. The preacher reached in his pocket,
and he pulled out two dollars, and two dollars was a lot of
money back then. He handed that little boy the
two dollars, and the little boy handed him the birdcage with
the two little frightened birds over in the corner. That little
boy started down the street. The preacher watched him as he
walked down the street. And every once in a while he'd
turn and look back at that preacher and shake his head. Crazy preacher,
wasting his money on those old field birds. He has money if
he wants to spend it. He walked on a little further
and he'd turn and look back and shake his head at that fool preacher.
Finally he disappeared around the corner and Dr. Gordon took
the birdcage. He unwired the little homemade
door there and opened it up. and held a birdcage up in the
air. And he patted on the back of
it and he said, Now little birds, you're mine. I bought you. I paid for you. And I'm going
to set you free. Now you just fly out. You're
free. And those little birds, he said, got up one at a time.
They spotted that open door, looked around, and then one went
out. Right behind him the other one
And he said he watched them fly through there and dip and turn,
and he said he could almost hear them saying, redeemed, redeemed,
set free, as they flew off into the beautiful blue sky. He said,
one day, justice came across heaven and had me in slavery and bondage
to a broken law. There I sat in that old cage,
in that old dungeon, in that cell, in that bondage to sin. I was a captive. And my Lord
met Justice and said, Justice, what are you going to do with
that bird? And Justice said, well, after he lives a little
while, I'm going to kill him, and I'm going to cast him into
everlasting darkness. punish him eternally for his
sins. And the Lord Jesus said, Would
you sell him to me? And justice says he's no good. And the Lord said, I know him
better than you do. I know he's no good. And Lord, he can't sing. There's nothing he can do. I know that. Angels can sing
better than he can. Well, Lord, you can get you plenty
more of them. They're everywhere. I know they
are. They're everywhere. They're all over the world. But
I want that one. Now, justice, will you sell him
to me?" And justice said, All right, Lord, but he comes awful
high. What he's done and what he's guilty of, he's a traitor,
he's broken God's law, he's sinned against the Father, the King
of the universe. He ought to be cast into hell
if no crime he hadn't committed, I know that. He comes awful high,
Lord, I know that. What'll it cost to redeem him?
Well, Lord, it'll cost you the gold of your blood and the silver
of your sweat. You'll have to go down to the
earth and take his place. You'll have to be bound in the
bondage of sin, in the likeness of flesh, and you'll have to
live on his earth and die his death and suffer for his sin
and bear his shame. And you'll have to suffer to
death. Okay, the Lord said, I'll pay
the price. So he came down here and he bought me and he paid
for me. And he jammed open that old cage door with the foot of
his cross and he said, little old bird, you're mine now. You don't belong to the law anymore.
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law. You don't
belong to justice anymore. He silenced justice. You don't
belong to the wrath of God anymore. You don't belong to the sentence
of death anymore. You're mine! I bought you! I paid for you! I decree your
freedom! Now get out of here!" And I spread
my wings of faith on his orders, and I flew out. And oh, redeemed
how I love to proclaim it, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, redeemed
by His infinite mercy, His child, forever I am. That's the reason
Paul said, I'm determined to know nothing among you save Jesus
Christ. That's all that's good news.
That's all that's worth studying, that's all that's worth preaching,
that's all that's worth talking about. Everything is comprehended
in Christ. Everything is understood in relation
to Christ. Everything, every blessing, every
benefit is received because of Christ. For of him, and through
him, and because of him, and for him, are all things. We can
have no greater thing. You can't improve on it. Our
Father, bless the word to the prophet of every hero, to the
glory of Jesus Christ our Lord, and to the salvation of every
sinner. May some feel bird in the clutches of the law and justice
and in the slavery of sin, hear the voice of his master today
who loved him and gave himself for him. Hear him say, O little
bird, I bought you, you're mine, you're free, fly out. Don't live
in subjection to justice. and in the slavery of sin, fly
out in the beautiful blue sky of God's grace. I bought you. In the name of our Lord, we pray.
Amen.