It's good to have all of you
that are visiting with us this morning. We appreciate you being
here and pray that you will come back at every opportunity. We
need to remember our pastor. Our pastor and his wife, Pat,
are away this past week on vacation. We need to remember them as they
travel home and pray that the Lord will refresh them. And then remember, of course,
our services this evening at 6 p.m. We will have our evening
services. And remember, our church picnic
in our bulletin is more information concerning the church picnic
on May 14. Our message this morning will
be brought to us by Brother Jonathan Pledger. I believe we all know
Jonathan. We need to be in prayer for Jonathan
as he brings the message to us. Jonathan, you come. If you would, open your Bibles
with me to start with Matthew chapter 17. Matthew chapter 17.
We have been so blessed as a church blessed with a faithful pastor,
blessed with faithful deacons and faithful members. It's a real blessing to be a
part of this church. And you think, am I talking about
you? Yeah, I'm talking about each
of you. I'm so blessed to be part of this church along with
you. and to have the opportunity to worship our Lord together,
or two or three are gathered in his name. Our Lord Jesus is
in our midst. He's here today, and what a blessing
to have you together around with our Lord Jesus Christ and attempt
to worship him today. It's a true blessing. So I wanna, the title of the
message this morning is Great Faith. Great faith, and I prepared
this message with a thought in mind that, like me, I'm sure
you would like to have great faith. That's a desire of every
believer, I believe, to have great faith. And we know the
scripture says that without faith, it's impossible to please God. It doesn't say that it's difficult
or unlikely. It says it's impossible. Without
faith, it's impossible to please God. And we want it to be able
to be said about us as the scripture says about Abraham, don't we?
The scripture says that Abraham staggered not at the promise
of God through unbelief, but he was strong in faith, giving
glory to God. How did Abraham give glory to
God? Because he was fully persuaded
that what God had promised, he was able to perform. what God
had promised he was able to perform. It's very important in this message
that we pause here for just a second and understand that Abraham had
a word. He had a promise from God. And
he staggered not at God's word. His faith was in God's word and
God's promise. And that's how he gave glory
to God, by believing God's word, by believing God's promise. Now
notice here, Matthew 17, we're going to look at various scriptures
today. I hope you have your Bible with
you, and if you do, that you'll turn with me. Matthew 17, verse
number 14. Verse number 14, the scripture
says, And when they were come down
to the multitude, that is, the Lord Jesus Christ and Peter,
James, and John, there came to him a certain man kneeling down
to him and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son, for he's a lunatic
and sore vexed. For oftentimes, he falls into
the fire and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples,
and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said,
O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you?
How long shall I suffer you? Bring him hither to me. And Jesus
rebuked the devil, and he departed out of him, and the child was
cured from that very hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus
apart and said, Lord, why could we not cast him out? Jesus said
unto them, because of your unbelief. For verily I say unto you, if
you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say unto
this mountain, remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove,
and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit, this kind
goeth not out, but by prayer and by fasting. And turn forward,
if you would, to me, to Matthew chapter 21. Matthew chapter 21, verse number 17. Matthew 21, verse 17, and the
Lord Jesus left them and went out of the city into Bethany
and he lodged there. Now in the morning, as he returned
into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in
the way, he came to it and found nothing their own. but leaves
only, that is, no fruit. And he said unto it, let no fruit
grow on thee henceforth, forward forever. And presently the fig
tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it,
they marveled, saying, how soon is the fig tree withered away?
Jesus answered and said unto them, verily I say unto you,
if you have faith and doubt not, you shall not only do this which
is done to the fig tree, but also if you shall say unto this
mountain, be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea, it
shall be done. And all things whatsoever you
shall ask in prayer, believing you shall receive. Now, I don't know about you,
I think I do know about you, but I'm not able to say unto
a mountain, be lift up and be cast into the sea. And I'm not
able, as we saw in another scripture, I'm not able to say unto a sycamine
tree, be you lift up by your roots and then go be planted
again in the sea. None of us can, can we? So does
that mean we don't have any faith? Is that what the Lord Jesus is
saying here? He said, if you told his disciples,
if you have faith the size of a grain of mustard seed, what
I've read is that that was like the smallest seed that there
was. So was the Lord saying that if
we cannot do these things, that we have no faith? And just in
passing here, let me say this. I don't believe that when our
Lord Jesus told his disciples, his apostles this, I don't believe
he was speaking literally of having a mountain, telling a
mountain to be lift up and cast into the sea or telling the tree
to be replanted in the sea. But he was speaking of things
equally as impossible to men. If he was speaking of that, then
You know, if he was literally speaking of the mountains and
of the trees, that shouldn't surprise us. The one who created
the mountains and the trees can give the power to move them by
the word of man through faith in him. But I don't believe that
that's what he was speaking of. I believe he was speaking of
things that are equally impossible for man. And as I said, we're
not able to heal the sick and we're not able to raise the dead
and we're not able to cast out evil spirits. So does that mean
that we have no faith? Does that mean we don't believe
in the Lord Jesus Christ and have no faith in God? Of course, I believe you know
the answer to that, but I do believe that for Many a believer,
perhaps for a young believer, they could read these passages
and become concerned when they read these words of our Lord
and how does it apply to them. In the cases we read, our Lord
Jesus was speaking to those unto whom he had given a word. He had given them a promise that
great wonders and signs and miracles would be worked by them through
faith in him. He was speaking to those that
he had endowed with special powers through faith in Christ, faith
of miracles. That's who he was speaking to
here. Looking back, if you would see this, back to Matthew chapter
10. Matthew chapter 10. Verse number one. Matthew 10, verse one. Scripture says, and when he had
called unto him his 12 disciples, that is when the Lord had called
his 12 disciples, notice, he gave them power against unclean
spirits to cast them out and to heal all manner of sickness
and all manner of disease. Look down at verse five. These
12 Jesus sent forth and commanded them saying, go not into the
way of the Gentiles and into any city of the Samaritans, enter
ye not. but go rather to the lost sheep
of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying,
the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers,
raise the dead, cast out devils. Freely you have received, freely
give. You see, the Lord had given them
a word. He had given them a promise.
And he said, when you go, you go and you preach. The kingdom
of heaven is at hand. What did he mean by that? We're
told that the Lord Jesus preached that the kingdom of heaven was
at hand, the kingdom of God was at hand. He told his apostles
to preach that. He told his disciples to preach
that. What were they saying? They were saying that the kingdom
of God, that is the Messiah, the one that God had promised
that would come into this world, that he was among them and was
tabernacling with them. That the word that John the Baptist
had preached when he said, repent ye for the kingdom of heaven,
the kingdom of God is at hand, that that word was true. That
when he said, behold the Lamb of God, take away the sin of
the world, and he pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ, God was
confirming that that message was true. We saw that in the
lesson in one of the verses Brother Streeter read this morning when
Philip preached, he preached the message concerning Christ
and worked miracles confirming the message that he preached
about the Lord Jesus Christ, that it was indeed true. Look
if you would now to Luke chapter 10. Luke chapter 10. Luke chapter 10. Verse number one. Luke 10, one says, after these
things, the Lord appointed other 70 also. We saw where he appointed
the 12. Now he appointed other 70 also
and sent them two and two before his face into every city and
place whether he himself would come. Now notice down in verse
eight. And the Lord told them, into
whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things
as they set before you, and heal the sick that are therein, and
say unto them, the kingdom of God has come nigh unto you. But
into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you not, go
your way out into the streets of the same. And you say, even
the very dust of your city which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off
against you. Notwithstanding, be you sure
of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto you, it shall
be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city.
You see, when the Lord commissioned the 12 and then he commissioned
the 70, you see here, they were sent into every city, the scripture
says, and place, whither he himself would come. As John the Baptist
was a forerunner, these 70 disciples and these 12 apostles were also
forerunners to Christ coming into those cities. He said the
message that they were to preach is the kingdom of God is nigh
unto you. How is it nigh unto you? It's
nigh unto you because the Lord Jesus Christ is about to come
into your city. And he said, even if they don't
believe, you tell them one more time, notwithstanding, be you
sure of this, the kingdom of God has come nigh unto you. You see, God purposed that he
would bear testimony that Jesus was indeed the Son of God by
miracles and wonders and signs through those who preach the
message. Until the Word of God, the Bible
was complete. You see, at this time when these
apostles and these disciples went into these cities where
the Lord Jesus was going to come, they didn't have a Bible like
we have. I was thinking this week, we
live in such an age where we have God's word so accessible
to us. I think I have three Bible apps
on my phone at any time. What a blessing. What a blessing,
but what a responsibility. But these that they went to preach
the gospel to, they didn't have that privilege. And until God's
word was complete, God ordained. You say, why did he ordain that?
Because he's all wise. And he ordained that those who
brought that message until his word was complete, that they
would also work signs and wonders, thereby confirming that the Lord
Jesus truly is the Son of God. But here's the point. These apostles
and chosen disciples They had a promise. They had the word
of Christ. The Lord Jesus had given them
his word. Go preach this message. And through faith in me, you
will have power over all these things. And they did. And they
did. I want us to look at one example
of this and then I'll try to settle down a little bit here
in the passages that we're turning to. But look over with me after
the Lord Jesus had died and rose again and ascended. Look in Acts
chapter three with me. Acts chapter three. Let's look at, let's see an example
of this in action. These who the Lord had commissioned.
Acts chapter three. I know that, like me, you love
to read this instance here. Acts chapter 3. You can't help
but have your heart leap within you when you read this scripture
here. Acts chapter 3. Now Peter and
John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer,
being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his
mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of
the temple, which is called Beautiful, so to ask alms of them that entered
into the temple. Who, seeing Peter and John about
to go into the temple, asked an alms." In other words, they
asked for help, or he asked for help. Peter, fastening eyes upon
him with John, said, look on us. And he gave heed unto them,
expecting to receive something of them. Thought maybe they would
give him a coin. Oh, but there was so much more.
There was so much more that they would share with him. For freely
they had received, and freely they would give. And he gave
heed to them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter
said, silver and gold have I none. But such as I have, give I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him by the right
hand and he lifted him up. And immediately his feet and
ankle bones received strength. And notice, he, leaping, stood
up and walked and entered with them into the temple, walking
and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking
and praising God. And when they knew that it was
he which set for alms at the beautiful gate of the temple,
they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had
happened unto him. And as the lame man which was
healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto
them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.
And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, You men of Israel,
why marvel you at this? And why look you so earnestly
on us, as though by our own power or holiness we've made this man
to walk? the God of Abraham and of Isaac
and of Jacob, the God of our fathers hath glorified his son
Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied him in the presence
of Pilate when he was determined to let him go. But you denied
the Holy One and the just, and you desired a murderer to be
granted unto you. And you killed the Prince of
Life, whom God hath raised from the dead, whereof we are witnesses."
And notice, In his name, through faith in his name, hath made
this man strong. Whom you see and know, yea, the
faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in
the presence of you all. You see what the Lord commissioned
them to do. You see it in practice here.
The Lord said, freely you've received, freely give. And that's
what they did here. And they were speaking to those
who had taken the Lord Jesus Christ and crucified him, confirming
God by these miracles, confirming, yes, that one that you crucified,
he has indeed risen and ascended to the right hand of God. And
it's by his power. Someone who has no being, someone
who's dead, has no power. It's by his power, by faith through
him, that this man is raised up. I say again, God the Father
bore testimony to the fact that Jesus is the Son of God through
these miracles, and that the message that the Lord Jesus is
the way, the truth, and the life, and that he was the seed of the
woman that would bruise the head of the serpent, that he is the
Lamb of God, all of those truths concerning the Lord Jesus Christ,
God chose in his in his infinite wisdom to use miracles and signs
and wonders to confirm that message. But you know, you say, what does
that have to do with us? That's great, we'd love to read
about all that, but what does that have to do with us here
this morning? I say that our merciful and gracious
father, he's given us so much more. More than working signs and wonders
and miracles, yes, our God has given us so much more. Because
he not only has given us his word where we can read of these
signs and wonders that were done in confirmation of the Lord Jesus
Christ, but he's given us so much more. He's given us the
truth concerning the perfect life of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He's given us the truth concerning the victorious death of the Lord
Jesus Christ upon the cross. He's given us the truth concerning
the triumphant resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and how
he led his disciples out to that mountain and before them ascended
up on high. And they watched him ascend back
from where he had come. And has given us so, so much
more. You say, well, if I could just
work a miracle, if I could just work a miracle, then I would
be happy as a believer. If I could just cast out an evil
spirit. Oh no, God has given us so much
more. He's given us so much more than
that. You know, in the scripture, you never see the Lord Jesus
Christ wondering and marveling that these disciples could work
miracles. Never see it. Let me show you
that. Look over in Luke chapter 10.
I know we're looking at passages that you know, but they're good
to be reminded of. Luke chapter 10. Luke 10, verse number 17. We saw a few minutes ago where
the Lord commissioned the 70 to go out, and now they come
back, Luke 10, 17. And the 70 returned again with
joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject to us through your
name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall
from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power
to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the
enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding,
in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you,
but rather rejoice. Why, Lord? Because your names
are written in heaven. Here's something for you to rejoice
in. Not that you can do these signs and wonders that I, and
I think the Lord is, of course, speaking comparatively. There's
nothing wrong with them rejoicing that what the Lord said that
he could truly keep. But the Lord speaks comparatively
here. You know, compared to that, that's
nothing. Rejoice in this. Your names are
written in the Lamb's book of life. That's something to rejoice
in. You see, the Lord has given us
so much more. So much more has been recorded
for us in the word of God. You know, I don't have time to
get into just all the truths that are revealed to us that
the Old Testament believers and those during the time that our
Lord was upon this earth, they had only in type and shadow.
And we have the full revelation of these things in God's word.
I'll just mention one of these, predestination. That God has
predestined us to be adopted into his family. That he has
predestinated us to be heirs and joint heirs with his blessed
glorious son, the Lord Jesus Christ. How in the world could
they have ever known that? Until it was given to us in the
scriptures here. The full revelation of God in
his word. Heirs and joint heirs with Christ.
The Lord said, don't rejoice that you can work these miracles.
Of course, freely you've been given, freely give out, but rejoice
in this. Your names are written. They're
written in heaven. They're written in the Lamb's
Book of Life. How would we know about that Lamb's Book of Life
if there was not the Book of Revelation? We wouldn't. I've taken a long time to get
to where I'm trying to get to here, but I'm going to be brief
for the rest of this message, or I'm going to try to. I want
us for a few minutes to think of two examples where the Lord
Jesus said to human beings like you and I, that their faith was
great. Two examples, and I'll be brief. I want us to read these two examples,
and then I just want to share with you five things that I see
in these scriptures. Look in Matthew chapter 8. What
does the Lord Jesus call great faith? Matthew chapter 8. Is it being able to work miracles? He never once called that great
faith. Matthew chapter 8. Verse number
five, and I'm gonna try to just read these passages and then
give you five truths that I see in them. Matthew 8, verse number
five. And when Jesus was entered into
Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion beseeching him and
saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home, sick of the palsy, grievously
tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I will
come and heal him. The centurion answered and said,
Lord, I'm not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof.
But speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For
I'm a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say
to this man, go. And he goes. And to another,
come. And he comes. And to my servant,
do this. And he does it. When Jesus heard
it, he marveled. and said to them that followed
verily, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no,
not in Israel. And I say unto you that many
shall come from the east and west and will sit down with Abraham
and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, but the children of
the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There shall
be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Look at the other passage of
scripture where the Lord says that someone had great faith.
Look at Matthew chapter 15. Matthew chapter 15. Matthew 15 and verse 21. It's very, very hard to read
these passages and not comment along the way. Matthew 15, verse
21. Then Jesus went thence and departed
into the coast of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, the woman of Canaan
came out of the same coast and cried unto him, saying, Have
mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David. My daughter is grievously
vexed with the devil, but he answered her not a word. And
his disciples came and they besought him saying, send her away, for
she cries after us. But he answered and said, I'm
not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then
came she and worshiped him saying, Lord, help me. But he answered
and said, it's not me to take the children's bread and to cast
it to dogs. She said, truth, Lord. Yet the
dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table.
Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy
faith. Be it unto thee even as thou
wilt. And her daughter was made whole
from that very hour. So let me briefly just point
out five things the Lord called to the centurion and to this
woman said that their faith was great, that he had seen faith
no greater than what he saw among the centurion. And then he called
this woman's faith great. Five things that they had in
common. We want great faith, don't we? I feel so often my
faith is smaller than the grain of mustard seed. But I don't want it to be that
way, and I know you don't either, believer. We want to have great
faith, but what does the Lord say is great faith? Not what
we think it is, but what does he say that it is? Here's the
first thing, and I'll be brief with this. First of all, they
both knew they had a great need that only the Lord Jesus Christ
could meet. That's the first thing that they
have in common. See, there was no need for them to turn anywhere
else or to anyone else. There was only one who could
meet their need, and that was the Lord Jesus Christ. And they
knew that. That's one thing that they knew.
They had great physical needs. But friends, we have a great
spiritual need. We may also have great physical
needs today, and I don't minimize those, but we all have great
spiritual needs. You say, what's our need? We have a sick heart. We have
a sick heart. That's what the scripture says.
Scripture says that the heart is deceitful above all things
and desperately wicked. Who can know it? Our Lord Jesus
said it's out of the heart that proceed evil thoughts and murders
and adulteries and fornications and thefts and false witness
and blasphemies. These are the things that defile
a man. You ever have evil thoughts proceed
out from your heart? You ever have evil actions, the
Lord said they start from the heart? We have a problem, we
have a sick heart. You know, the sinner starts feeling
a little conviction for his sin. And the first thing we think
is, you know, we need to turn over a new leaf. We need to improve
ourselves a little bit. And then we're going to go to
church. Then we're going to get back in church. The problem is, our Lord said,
can the Ethiopian change his skin? Can any of us change the
color of our skin? Or can a leopard change his spots?
He said, Then may you also do good that are accustomed to doing
evil. You see, we need a new heart.
We have a great need. We need a new heart. And there's
only one. And those who have great faith
know this. There's only one who can help
our great need. There's only one great physician.
Think about it. Would you say, I can't go to
the doctor because I'm too sick? Nobody would say that, wouldn't
they? I can't go to the doctor because I'm too sick to go to
the doctor. Then why do we say we can't come to Christ because
we're too sick? My heart is too sick. It's too
evil. It's too sinful. We need a new
heart. That heart that God gives us
in the new birth, we must be born again for it's from the
heart that man believes unto righteousness. It's not that
old heart. It's not that wicked heart that
we all still carry with us that continues to do battle with the
new heart in this world. We need a new heart, don't we?
And only the Lord Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit can
give us that new heart. Those who have great faith, they
know that. They know that that's true. Here's the second thing. They both confessed that they
were unworthy. They were unworthy of the mercy
that they were asking for. Our pastor often tells us, well,
if you were worthy of it, it wouldn't be mercy, right? Mercy and grace is for the unworthy.
The centurion, he said, Lord, I'm not worthy that you should
come under my roof. Lord, don't trouble yourself. I'm not worthy that you should
come under my roof. And the Lord Jesus told the Syrophoenician
woman, the Greek woman, he said, it's not meat to take the children's
bread and to cast it to dogs. Don't you love the response? of this woman of faith that we
have revealed here in the scripture. She said, truth, Lord. Lord,
if anyone ever spoke the truth, you did. Truth, Lord. Yet, even
she responds, even the little dogs, not these great majestic
looking dogs. She said, even the little dogs
eat the crumbs which fall from their master's table. The picture
is, you know, the master of the house has children, and the children
have these little dogs. And the master gives his children
the food. Have you ever seen a family with young children
get up from a table? Food everywhere, right? Bring
out the broom and the mop, especially if you're letting them feed themselves.
That's what the woman says. The truth, Lord, but even the
little dogs eat the crumbs that fall. In other words, yes, Lord,
I'm unworthy. I am unworthy. And my friends,
we are unworthy that the holy, spotless, harmless, just Son
of God should show mercy to us. We're unworthy. But the Lord Jesus came into
this world, the scripture says, what? To save sinners. He came,
not to save, not to heal the whole, but those that are sick.
Are you sick this morning? Those who have great faith know
that they're unworthy that God should show mercy to them. Number
three, they both had a great confidence in the power and the
ability of the Lord Jesus Christ to meet their need. They had
that in common, their great faith. They had confidence that the
Lord Jesus could meet their great need. The centurion said, Lord,
you don't need to trouble yourself and come. Just say the word.
Just say the word. He was confident that the Lord
had the power to do what he said he would come to do. Just say
the word. He said, I'm a man under authority.
There's people that I'm in charge of and I tell them go, they go.
I tell them to come and they come. Lord, all sickness, all
things are under your power, under your control. You're the
holy, all powerful son of God. Just say the word and my servant
will be healed. And the woman, we're told about
her, first of all, that she worshiped him. Worship is only for God. She worshiped him. We're told
she called him the son of David. She had great confidence that
as the Messiah, as the son of David, she could meet the needs
of God's people. And she confessed, and I love
this, she confessed that though it was impossible for her or
for anyone else to meet her need, that for the Lord Jesus Christ,
it was no more than just a little crumb. Not hard for him. Lord, impossible for me, but
not hard for you. Why? Because of who they believed
that he was. God manifests in the flesh. Number
four, neither one allowed their unworthiness to keep them from
coming to the Lord Jesus Christ for help. They both confessed
they were unworthy, but it didn't stop them from coming. They did
not allow it to stop them from coming. No, they cried, Lord,
Help me. Yes, I'm unworthy, but Lord,
help me. Help me. You may be thinking,
I'm so unworthy. Well, join the crowd. Join the
crowd with the person who's up here trying to bring God's glorious
gospel to you today. I'm so unworthy. Oh, yes, I'm
so unworthy. But you know what? That should
not stop us from coming to the Lord Jesus Christ. Great faith
will still come, even if unworthy. You know, there's a verse of
a hymn that we used to sing that was in our old hymn book. I'm
not sure I didn't look if it's in the new hymn book. I know
we haven't sung this hymn in a long time, but I think the
title of it is, I Will Arise and Go to Jesus. There's one
verse that says, let not conscience make you linger, or a fitness
fondly dream. All the fitness he requires is
that you feel your need of him. What a glorious gospel for the
unworthy, for the unworthy. And here's the last thing in
the fifth place. And there are so many, so many
more. Brother Lance could come up here
tonight and just pick right up, where I'll leave off and give
you 10 more wonderful truths that you see in these passages.
But here's the fifth thing. They both received the help that
they so desperately needed. Isn't that good? They both received
the help that they so desperately needed. I told you early on in
the message, Abraham gave glory to God by believing that God
was able to accomplish what he had promised by accomplishing
his word. And sinner, we have a word from
the Lord Jesus Christ. We have a word. We have a promise. It's not that we can work miracles
and cast out demons and devils and evil spirits. No, but we
have a much better word. There's nothing to indicate that
Judas, the son of perdition, didn't work miracles and signs
and wonders. We have a much greater blessing,
a much greater word. Our Lord said, come unto me,
all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Anybody here? I believe there
is. I believe the Lord gave me this
message for someone here, if not for no one else, for me.
Is there someone here laboring and heavy laden under the burden
of your sin? Yes, we are to feel our unworthiness. We are to feel our sinfulness. Yes, but we're not to stay there.
Great faith is not staying there in that place. No, it's not letting
that stop us from coming to the only one who can help us, the
one we have a word from, a promise from that he will. He will help
those who are laboring and heavy laden with sin. I will give you
rest. He doesn't stop there. There's
more, even more. He said, take my yoke upon you. Take my yoke upon you, believer.
Take the yoke of the Lord Jesus Christ upon you this morning.
We don't use that word yoke so much today because we have these
big John Deeres and Kubotas and all these tractors. But a yoke,
for some of you young people here, y'all may not know what
a yoke is. A yoke is generally it would be some type of contraption,
some type of wood contraption that would go between two beasts
of burden. And those beasts would pull a
plow or pull a cart or pull something. And you can always tell the ones
that are well-trained, because when they come with that yoke,
they'll just put their head down. You ever had a good horse that
comes, and instead of fighting him, pulling back, they put their
head down to put their reins on them? The Lord Jesus said,
take my yoke upon you and learn of me. For I am meek
and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls. For
my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Take my yoke upon you. We have a word. If you've never come to Christ,
come now. If you have come to Christ, come now. He'll give us rest from our sins
and our guilt, and he will give us fulfillment in this world. Oh, we become like Solomon, vanity
of vanity. All things are vanity. Everything's
empty in this world. No, the Lord said, take my yoke
upon you. Learn of me. You'll find rest unto your souls.
Not only rest from sin, not only rest from the burden of our sins,
but rest to live in this world. Rest and not live our life in
this world in a miserable fashion. Take my yoke upon you and learn
of me. We have this promise. My yoke
is easy and my burden is light. Scripture says there is no difference
between the Jew and the Greek. For the same Lord over all is
rich unto all that will call upon him. For whosoever shall
call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Whosoever shall
call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Let's call upon
him right now. In our hearts, Lord, just like
these two that the Lord said had great faith, Lord, help me.
Lord, save me. May the Lord give us this great
faith. Faith to trust him. We have a word. I feel like this truth came home
to me this week. We have so much more. Have so
much more than these disciples or even apostles had. Have so
much more. God's given us his word where
he's given us all these great and precious promises. But you know what? They don't
do us any good unless we take them and appropriate them to
ourselves. Yes, oh boy, there's some great
promises in there. Well, you know what? They only help us
if we believe them, if we take them to ourselves, if we trust
our Lord, that He can give Him glory to God, that He is able
to do what He has promised. May the Lord bless His word.
Thank you. Thank you.