GRACE FOR TODAY Radio Message #496

 

                I KNOW THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

               

                Pastor Don Fortner

                Grace Baptist Church of Danville

                2734 Old Stanford Road

                Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438

 

I know three things that you need to know. The Lord God has taught me three things that give my heart peace, joy, and comfort. These three things keep me encouraged, inspired, and optimistic. I believe that these three blessed truths of Holy Scripture will help you, if you will receive them.

 

The fact that THE LORD GOD IS ABSOLUTELY SOVEREIGN gives me great comfort and peace. The God whom I worship, whom I trust, and whom I serve is totally sovereign in all things. He has his way, accomplishes his purpose and performs his will in creation, in providence, and in salvation. Listen to what God says concerning himself, "I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure" (Isa. 46:9-10). Such a God as this is worthy of all the worship, trust and service I can render unto him. Nothing ever comes to pass in God's creation, except that which my heavenly Father has purposed. The God of heaven is a God who does what he will, has mercy on whom he will, and graciously accomplishes the salvation of his covenant people by his own right arm. Our hearts can safely trust a sovereign God.

 

Secondly, REDEMPTION IS ACCOMPLISHED BY THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST, THE SINNER'S SUBSTITUTE. When our Lord Jesus Christ cried, "It is finished" (John 19:30). redemption's work was done. Nothing is left to be completed by us. God will never accept the work of sinful men; but he has accepted the work of his own Son, the sinner's Substitute. By his perfect life of obedience to the will and law of God as our Representative, the Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished perfect righteousness for all his people. He is "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jer. 23:6). By pouring out his life's blood unto death as our Substitute at Calvary, Jesus Christ has accomplished the redemption of all believers, satisfying Divine justice for us. Peace, pardon, justification, reconciliation, the forgiveness of sin, and acceptance with God were all perfectly accomplished for God's people at the cross. He did not leave so much as one ounce of suffering for us to pay to the offended justice of God. He did it all! Accomplished redemption is good news for hell-bound sinners. In preaching the gospel we do not tell helpless sinners that redemption is Possible. We tell them that redemption is accomplished by Christ.

 

And, thirdly, I know that "WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED" (Rom. 10:13). There are no exceptions, no qualifications, no limitations. The invitation is as free as the salvation it proclaims. Anyone in the whole wide world who will call upon Christ as Lord will be saved, even you, even me! The fact that I call upon Christ the Lord in faith is proof positive that he has chosen me, redeemed met and called me. Will you call upon the name of the Lord and be saved? If you will call upon him, he has called you. If you choose him, he has chosen you. If you seek him, he is seeking you. If you are willing to be saved by his grace, his grace has made you willing; and he is willing to save you.

 

Take these three blessed gospel truths for the comfort of your heart today; God is Totally Sovereign, Redemption is Accomplished by Christ, and All Who Call Upon The Lord in True Faith Shall Be Saved.

 

AMEN.