Sermon #1512[1] Miscellaneous Sermons
Title: A
Message for Perilous Times
or
Seven Irrefutable Facts of
Divine Revelation
Text: 2
Timothy 3:1-4:5
Subject: Vital
Gospel Doctrine
Introduction:
(2
Timothy 3) "This know also, that in
the last days perilous times shall come. (2) For men shall be lovers of
their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy, (3) Without natural affection,
trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are
good, (4) Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than
lovers of God; (5) Having a form of godliness, but denying the power
thereof: from such turn away. (6) For of this sort are they which creep
into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers
lusts, (7) Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the
truth. (8) Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also
resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. (9) But
they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men,
as theirs also was. (10) But thou hast fully known my doctrine,
manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, (11) Persecutions,
afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what
persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
(12) Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution. (13) But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse,
deceiving, and being deceived. (14) But continue thou in the things
which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast
learned them; (15) And that from a child thou hast known the holy
scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which
is in Christ Jesus. (16) All scripture is given by inspiration of
God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: (17) That the man of God may be perfect,
thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
(2
Timothy 4:1-5) "I charge thee therefore
before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead
at his appearing and his kingdom; (2) Preach the word; be instant in
season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and
doctrine. (3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,
having itching ears; (4) And they shall turn away their ears from
the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (5) But watch thou in all
things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of
thy ministry."
Without question, we are living in perilous
times.
·
Blasphemers abound.
·
The Church heaps to itself teachers having itching ears.
·
Multitudes have a form of godliness, while denying the power of it.
·
The messengers of Satan transform themselves into angels of light and
preachers of righteousness.
·
The Gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace is opposed on all sides.
In such times as these, the responsibilities
of a Gospel preacher are excruciatingly heavy. It is my responsibility,
as the servant of God, to do what I can to stop the mouths of the religious
gainsayers and rescue perishing sinners from their pernicious lies. And Paul
tells me that the way to do that is to simply, unceasingly preach sound
doctrine (2 Tim. 4:1-2; Tit. 2:1; 1 Tim. 4:6).
(1 Timothy 4:6)
"If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt
be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of
good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained."
(2 Timothy 4:1-2)
"I charge thee therefore
before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead
at his appearing and his kingdom; (2) Preach
the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all
longsuffering and doctrine."
(Titus 2:1)
"But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:"
Proposition: No
pastor is faithful to his calling, charge, and responsibility as God’s
messenger to men who does not faithfully instruct men and women in sound
doctrine, with distinctive clarity and in unmistakable terms. Sound
doctrine is essential both to the salvation of sinners and to the spiritual
stability and maturity of God’s saints (Eph. 4:14; 1 Tim. 4:16).
(Ephesians 4:14)
"That we henceforth be no
more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of
doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning
craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;"
(1 Timothy 4:16)
"Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them:
for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee."
Fundamentals
Tonight we are going to go back to the basics. I am
not going to have anything new to say. Everything will be elementary,
foundational, essential gospel truth. I want to lay before you the foundation
doctrine of the gospel, the fundamentals and essentials of the faith, Basic
Bible Doctrine. When you think about the fundamentals of the
faith, I am sure your mind immediately goes to things like the verbal, plenary
inspiration of Holy Scripture, the Bible account of creation, and the Deity and
virgin birth of Christ. But those things are not the real issues of sound
doctrine.
·
Why argue about the
inspiration of the Scriptures if we do not believe and preach those truths
revealed in the Scriptures? If the Bible is not our only rule of faith and
practice, it really does not matter whether it is inspired or not, does it?
·
Why argue about the Bible
account of creation if we refuse to accept the Bible account of the new creation? Why
fight over Darwinian evolution if we embrace the far more evil Arminian theory
of evolution? - “God gets salvation started and man completes the work.”
·
Why argue with men over the
Deity of Christ and his virgin birth, if we are willing to embrace any doctrine that
makes Christ a failure, robs him of his glory, and frustrates the purpose of
his incarnation.
Some of you may be thinking to yourself, “If these
things are not the issues, what are they?” I want to show you. And I want to
show you from the Word of God. I am going to give you today my own confession of faith. This
is what I believe and preach, because this is what I have experienced. This is
my doctrine. And this is the doctrine of Grace Baptist Church. But, more
importantly, this is basic Bible
doctrine. Upon these seven
points there can be no compromise. God’s saints embrace, love, and rejoice in
these things. Only God’s enemies oppose them.
I want everyone here to follow me through the
Scriptures (Isa. 8:20). If what I say this day is God’s truth you must bow to
it and embrace it, or perish forever in hell. If what I have to say is not
God’s truth it is because I am a lost man, without light from God. If that is
so, you must never hear me again, lest you embrace a lie and perish with me in
the last day. That’s how important, basic and vital these issues are.
Tonight, I am calling us, once more, back to the old
paths, to walk in the good way, wherein you shall find rest (Jer. 6:16). Give
me your ear, and I will feed you with knowledge and understanding. Here are seven irrefutable facts of Divine Revelation.
I. THE ONE TRUE AND LIVING GOD IS TOTALLY SOVEREIGN IN
ALL THINGS (Ps. 135:6).
Either God is sovereign, or he isn’t. Either God
almighty is indeed almighty, in total, absolute, sovereign control of all
things, or he has no real control over anything.—What does the Book say?
(Psalms 135:6)
"Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that
did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places."
To say that God is sovereign in all things is to say
that God rules all things. Before objecting to that fact, consider the
alternative. If God does not rule everything, then something rules God! If God
does not control everything, then something controls God! If God does not
govern everything, then something governs God!
If God is not totally, absolutely, universally
sovereign, then it must be concluded that faith in God is nothing more than
throwing a coin in a wishing well - because...
·
No promise of God can be sure!
·
No prophecy of God can be absolute!
·
No word from God can be believed!
A. God is
the sovereign Creator of all things (Gen. 1:1).
B. God is the sovereign Ruler of all things (Rom.
8:28; 11:36).—“All things are of God!”
(Proverbs 16:4)
"The LORD hath made all things
for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil."
(Romans 8:28)
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
(Romans 11:36)
"For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory
for ever. Amen."
C. God is the sovereign Disposer of all things (Rev.
4:11).
(Revelation 4:11)
"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power:
for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were
created."
Illustration: The Farmer And His Irrigation Canals
D. God is totally sovereign in the exercise of his
saving grace (Rom. 9:11-24).
(Romans 9:11-24)
"(For the children being
not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God
according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) (12) It was said unto her, The elder
shall serve the younger. (13) As it
is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. (14) What shall we say then? Is
there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. (15) For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have
mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. (16) So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God
that showeth mercy. (17) For the
scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up,
that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared
throughout all the earth. (18) Therefore
hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy,
and whom he will he hardeneth. (19) Thou
wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his
will? (20) Nay but, O man, who art thou
that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? (21) Hath not the potter power over the
clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto
dishonour? (22) What if God, willing
to show his wrath, and to make his
power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to
destruction: (23) And that he might
make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore
prepared unto glory, (24) Even us,
whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?"
II. ALL MEN
AND WOMEN BY NATURE ARE TOTALLY DEPRAVED (Rom. 3:9-19).
Either man is totally depraved, dead in trespasses
and in sins, or he is not. If he is not, he is in no need of a Savior. If we
are not totally depraved, utterly without life before God, all we need is
someone to persuade us and nudge us in the right direction.— What does the Book
say?
(Romans 3:9-19)
"What then? are we better than
they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles,
that they are all under sin; (10) As
it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (11) There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh
after God. (12) They are all gone out
of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth
good, no, not one. (13) Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues
they have used deceit; the poison of asps is
under their lips: (14) Whose
mouth is full of cursing and
bitterness: (15) Their feet are swift to shed blood: (16) Destruction and misery are in their ways: (17) And the way of peace have they not known: (18) There is no fear of God before their eyes. (19) Now we know that what things
soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth
may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God."
(Ephesians 2:1-5)
"And you hath he quickened, who
were dead in trespasses and sins: (2) Wherein
in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the
prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of
disobedience: (3) Among whom also we
all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling
the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of
wrath, even as others. (4) But God,
who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (5) Even when we were dead in sins,
hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)"
Do you know what happened in the Garden
of Eden?
(Describe
the Fall).
The doctrine of man’s original sin and total
depravity does not mean that all men are as sinful and corrupt in their
behavior as they can be. God will not allow men in this world to be as wicked
in deed as we all are in heart. When we talk about man’s total depravity, we
are talking about spiritual death and moral inability (Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3).
(Romans 5:12)
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by
sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:"
Here are seven effects of Adam’s fall upon the human
race...Those things are true of all men and women by nature.
A. Man cannot
see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).
B. Man cannot
understand the things of God (1 Cor. 2:14).
C. Man cannot
do anything pleasing to God (Rom. 8:8).
D. Man cannot
hear the Word of God (John 8:43).
E. Man cannot
receive the Spirit and truth of God (John 14:17).
F. Man cannot
come to the Son of God (John 6:44).
G. Man cannot
call Christ Lord (1 Cor. 12:3).
H. Man cannot
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (John 12:39-40).
(John 12:39-40)
"Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, (40) He hath blinded their eyes, and
hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their
heart, and be converted, and I should heal them."
Total depravity means that you cannot be saved by
your free will, or your works. Total depravity means that “Salvation is of the Lord,” entirely. If ever you are saved you
must be saved by grace alone.
·
Salvation is not determined by you.
·
Salvation is not dependent upon you.
Because we are sinners, we
are all deserving of God’s everlasting wrath in hell. We are justly condemned.
And unless God saves us by his almighty grace, we will forever die. That’s the
bad news. But here is the good news.
III. GOD ALMIGHTY, FROM OLD ETERNITY CHOSE SOME OF ADAM’S FALLEN
RACE TO SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST, AND HIS LOVING CHOICE OF SOME WAS
AN UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION OF GRACE (Eph. 1:4; 2 Thess. 2:13-14; John 15:16).
Either God chose to save his people, or he didn’t.
If he did not choose to save anyone, the salvation of any sinner must be a
matter of total uncertainty.— What does the Book say?
(John 15:16) "Ye have not chosen me, but I have
chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that
whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."
(Ephesians 1:4) "According as he hath chosen us in him
before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame
before him in love:"
(2 Thessalonians
2:13-14) "But we are bound to give
thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath
from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit
and belief of the truth: (14) Whereunto
he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ."
If you read the Bible at
all, you know that election is a Bible doctrine. And if you understand what the
Bible teaches about election, you know that it is a precious Bible doctrine.
A. The cause of our election was the love of God (Jer. 31:3).
B. The time of our election was before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4).
C. The only condition of our election was the will of God. “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.”
D. The object of our election was our everlasting salvation in perfect
holiness - Conformity to Christ (Eph. 1:4).
E. The comfort of our election is the immutability of our God (Mal. 3:6).
IV. IN THE FULNESS OF TIME THE LORD JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR AND
EFFECTUALLY REDEEMED ALL GOD’S ELECT (Isa. 53:8; John 10:11, 15, 26; Heb. 9:12;
Gal. 3:13).
Either the Lord Jesus Christ redeemed his people, or
he didn’t. Either the Son of God redeemed all for whom he died, or his death is
of no more meaning or consequence than the death of any other man.— What does
the Book say?
(Isaiah 53:8) "He was taken from prison and from
judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the
land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken."
(John 10:11) "I am the good shepherd: the good
shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."
(John 10:15) "As the Father knoweth me, even so know
I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep."
(John 10:26) "But ye believe not, because ye are not
of my sheep, as I said unto you."
(Galatians 3:13) "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse
of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a
tree:"
(Hebrews 9:12) "Neither by the blood of goats and
calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having
obtained eternal redemption for us."
Nowhere in the Bible is it
written, or even suggested, that Christ died for everyone in the world,
redeemed everyone in the world, or made atonement for everyone in the world.
The doctrine of universal redemption is the most hideous, blasphemous doctrine
ever spewed from the pit of hell.
·
It reduces the love of God to nothing.
·
It perverts the justice of God.
·
It is a mockery of the blood of Christ. Did Christ die in vain?
·
It makes man his own savior.
We believe, according to the
Scriptures that Christ died for and redeemed God’s elect. His blood was not
shed in vain. Our Savior’s limited atonement was and is the effectual
redemption of his people. The atonement of Christ is limited in scope, but not
in efficacy. It was limited in design, but not in merit - “It is finished!”
The issue of the gospel is
not the bare fact that Christ died, but “HOW
that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3).
This is how he died...
(1 Corinthians 15:1-3) "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you
the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein
ye stand; (2) By which also ye are
saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed
in vain. (3) For I delivered unto you
first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins
according to the scriptures;"
·
Sovereignty! “I lay down my
life!”
·
Substitution! “For the
transgressions of my people.”
·
Satisfaction! “I have found a
ransom!”
·
Success! “He shall not fail!”
V. SALVATION IS WROUGHT IN GOD’S ELECT BY THE IRRESISTIBLE POWER AND
GRACE OF GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT (Ps. 65:4).
Either the Holy Spirit saves by his almighty call,
omnipotent grace, and irresistible power, or he merely stands by in helpless
frustration, hoping someone will accept Jesus. Either salvation is of the Lord,
or it isn’t.— What does the Book say?
(Psalms 65:4) "Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy
courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple."
(Psalms 110:3) "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of
holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth."
A. Conviction is the work of the Spirit (John 16:8-11).
(John 16:8-11) "And when he is come, he will reprove
the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (9) Of sin, because they believe not on me; (10) Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no
more; (11) Of judgment, because the
prince of this world is judged."
B. Regeneration (the new birth) is the work of the Spirit (John 3:3).
(John 3:3-7) "Jesus answered and said unto him,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God. (4) Nicodemus saith
unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time
into his mother's womb, and be born? (5) Jesus
answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God. (6) That which is
born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (7) Marvel not that I said unto thee,
Ye must be born again."
C. Calling is the work of the Spirit (2 Thess. 2:13-14).
(2 Thessalonians
2:13-14) "But we are bound to give
thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath
from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit
and belief of the truth: (14) Whereunto
he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ."
D. Faith is the work of the Spirit (Eph. 1:19).
(Ephesians 1:19) "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe,
according to the working of his mighty power,"
(Ephesians 2:8-9) "For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the
gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest
any man should boast."
(Colossians 2:12) "Buried with him in baptism, wherein
also ye are risen with him through
the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead."
·
The instrument of grace is the Word of God.
·
The end of grace is salvation.
·
The cause of grace is the will of God.
VI. EVERY BELIEVER SHALL PERSEVERE IN FAITH, BECAUSE ALL WHO TRUST
CHRIST ARE INFALLIBLY PRESERVED BY THE GRACE OF GOD (John 10:28; Phil. 1:6; 1
Pet. 1:5).
Either none of God’s elect shall ever perish, or
none are safe.— What does the Book say?
(Ecclesiastes 3:14) "I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it
shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and
God doeth it, that men should fear before him."
(John 10:28) "And I give unto them eternal life; and
they shall never perish, neither shall any man
pluck them out of my hand."
(Philippians 1:6) "Being confident of this very thing,
that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:"
(1 Peter 1:5) "Who are kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
Here are five bold challenges of faith (Rom. 8:31-39).
(Romans 8:28-39) "And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according
to his purpose. (29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son,
that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and
whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also
glorified. (31) What shall we then
say to these things? 1If
God be for us, who can be against us? (32) 2He
that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not
with him also freely give us all things? (33) 3Who shall lay any thing to the charge of
God's elect? It is God that
justifieth. (34) 4Who is he that condemneth?
It is Christ that died, yea rather,
that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh
intercession for us. (35) 5Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ? shall tribulation, or
distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (36) As it is written, For thy sake we
are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. (37) Nay, in all these things we are
more than conquerors through him that loved us. (38) For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels,
nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, (39) Nor height, nor depth, nor any
other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord."
·
“If God be for us, who can
be against us?”
·
“How shall he not with him
freely give us all things?”
·
“Who shall lay anything to
the charge of God’s elect?”
·
“Who is he that condemneth?”
·
“Who shall separate us from
the love of God?”
VII. ALL WHO ARE IN CHRIST ARE FREE FROM THE LAW (Rom. 6:14, 15; 7:4; 10:4).
Either we are free from the law, totally and
absolutely, or we are still in bondage to the law.— What does the Book say?
(Romans 6:14-15) "For sin shall not have dominion over
you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. (15) What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law,
but under grace? God forbid."
(Romans 7:4) "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are
become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to
another, even to him who is raised
from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God."
(Romans 10:4) "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that
believeth."
In
Christ we are freed from...
·
All legal condemnation (Rom. 8:1).
·
All legal service (Col. 2:16-23).
(Colossians 2:16-23) "Let no man therefore judge you in meat,
or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath
days: (17) Which are a shadow of
things to come; but the body is of
Christ. (18) Let no man beguile you
of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding
into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, (19) And not holding the Head, from
which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit
together, increaseth with the increase of God. (20) Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the
world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (21) (Touch not; taste not; handle not; (22) Which all are to perish with the
using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? (23) Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship,
and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying
of the flesh."
·
All legal motivation (2 Cor. 4:18).
·
All legal fear (Rom. 4:8).
Application:
1. I call upon you who hear
my voice to make your calling and election sure - “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Faith in Christ is both the
fruit and the proof of -
·
God’s Election!
·
Christ’s Redemption!
·
The Spirit’s Call!
2. I call upon you who believe to join me in the
proclamation of the glorious Gospel of the blessed God around the world.
3. And I call upon us all to give God alone all
praise, honor, and glory for his great grace to us great sinners in his great
Son!
(Psalms 115:1)
"Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory,
for thy mercy, and for thy truth's
sake."
(1 Corinthians 1:26-31) "For ye see your calling, brethren, how
that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: (27) But God hath chosen the
foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak
things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; (28) And base things of the world, and
things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea,
and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: (29) That no flesh should glory in his
presence. (30) But of him are ye in
Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and
sanctification, and redemption: (31) That,
according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."
(Colossians 2:9-10)
"For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (10) And ye are complete in him, which
is the head of all principality and power."
(Revelation 5:9-14)
"And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the
book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us
to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (10) And hast made us unto our God
kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (11) And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round
about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten
thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; (12) Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory,
and blessing. (13) And every creature
which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in
the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and
glory, and power, be unto him that
sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. (14) And the four beasts said, Amen.
And the four and twenty elders fell
down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever."
AMEN!
[1] Date: Buck Mountain Baptist Church, Roan Mountain, TN
(08/09/02)—Danville (08/18/02)—
Zebulon
Baptist Church, Pikeville, KY (09/05/02)
Tape # X-17b
Readings: Lindsay Campbell & Ron Wood