Apr 17
6
The all-wise God, whose never-failing providence ordereth every event, usually makes what we set our hearts upon unsatisfactory; and sweetens what we feared: bringing real evil out of seeming good; and real good out of seeming evil; to shew us what short-sighted creatures we are, and to teach us to live by faith upon his blessed self.
Augustus Toplady
To Him Give All the Prophets Witness
Peter in Acts 2, Stephen in Acts 7, and Paul in Acts 13 delivered sermons that summarized the entire history of the Old Testament. And the subject of each of their sermons was the Lord Jesus Christ. How I wish that all men and women could see this blessed fact: — Jesus Christ and him crucified is the theme of Holy Scripture! — “To him give all the prophets witness!” And to him give all the apostles witness. Every book of the Bible speaks of Christ. Let me show you just one thing revealed about Christ in each of the 66 books of Holy Scripture. Christ is the theme of every text, the subject of every page, and the message of every subject set forth in Holy Scripture. But space will permit me to show you just one thing revealing Christ in every book of the Bible.
In Genesis He is the Seed of the Woman
In Exodus He is the Paschal Lamb.
In Leviticus He is the Atonement for Sin.
In Numbers He is the Brazen Serpent.
In Deuteronomy He is the City of Refuge.
In Joshua He is Rahab’s Scarlet Cord.
In Judges He is the Angel of the Lord.
In Ruth He is our Kinsman Redeemer.
In 1st Samuel He is the Slayer of our Enemies.
In 2nd Samuel He is the Gracious King.
In 1st Kings He is the Builder of His Temple.
In 2nd Kings He is the Great Prophet.
In 1st Chronicles He is the Ark of Blessing.
In 2nd Chronicles He is the Defender of His People.
In Ezra He is the Restorer of His People.
In Nehemiah He is the Rememberer of His People.
In Esther He is the Preserver of His People.
In Job He is the Daysman.
In Psalms He is the Good Shepherd.
In Proverbs He is the Wisdom of God.
In Ecclesiastes He is the Teacher of Wisdom.
In Solomon’s Song He is the Beloved of His Church.
In Isaiah He is the Substitute for Sinners.
In Jeremiah He is the Lord our Righteousness.
In Lamentations He is the Lord our Portion.
In Ezekiel He is the Glory of the Lord.
In Daniel He is the Messiah the Prince.
In Hosea He is God my Husband.
In Joel He is the Hope of His People.
In Amos He is the Sifter of His People.
In Obadiah He is the Searcher of Hearts.
In Jonah He is the Sovereign Deliverer.
In Micah He is Bethlehem’s Infant.
In Nahum He is the Great One.
In Habakkuk He is the Faithful One.
In Zephaniah He is the Mighty One.
In Haggai He is the Desire of All Nations.
In Zechariah He is the Fountain Opened for Sinners.
In Malachi He is the Sun of Righteousness.
In Matthew He is the Son of David.
In Mark He is the Son of Man.
In Luke He is the Son of God.
In John He is the Lamb of God.
In Acts He is the Ascended Lord.
In Romans He is the Just God our Savior.
In 1st Corinthians He is the Power of God.
In 2nd Corinthians He is the Reconciler.
In Galatians He is the End of the Law.
In Ephesians He is the Effectual Savior.
In Philippians He is the Joy of Saints.
In Colossians He is the Pre-eminent One.
In 1st Thessalonians He is the Hope of Salvation.
In 2nd Thessalonians He is the Coming Lord.
In 1st Timothy He is the Preacher’s Doctrine.
In 2nd Timothy He is the Eternal Surety.
In Titus He is the Grace of God.
In Philemon He is the Intercessor.
In Hebrews He is the Fulfillment of the Law.
In James He is the Giver of Grace.
In 1st Peter He is the Effectual Redeemer.
In 2nd Peter He is the Longsuffering Lord.
In 1st John He is the Propitiation for Our Sins.
In 2nd John He is the Doctrine of God.
In 3rd John He is the Truth of God.
In Jude He is Our Security
In Revelation He is the Fulness of God
If we would understand, profit from, and rightly use the Word of God, we must understand everything written in the Sacred Volume as it relates to the glorious Person and saving work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Never be satisfied with your understanding of any text in the Book of God until in it you have “found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus,” the Christ, the Son of God. The Book of God is a Book about Him! Don Fortner
God chose to save his people through preaching that he might be glorified in the glorification of Christ, our Prophet, Priest and King. Christ says, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD HATH ANOINTED ME TO PREACH GOOD TIDINGS unto the meek; HE HATH SENT ME to bind up the brokenhearted, TO PROCLAIM liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; TO PROCLAIM the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, THAT HE MIGHT BE GLORIFIED.” (Is 61:1-3)
Clay Curtis.
“The Gospel of God’s grace in Christ Jesus is not a thing to be proved, but truth to be believed. It is not submitted to our reasoning powers as a subject for critical examination. The gospel is a MESSAGE FROM GOD, addressed to the conscience, feelings, and affections. For this reason, men fond of argument and proving everything by strictly logical deduction generally make very poor preachers. In the Scriptures, God does not argue, He proclaims!”
J.C. Philpot
“Seven elements which distinguish the real gospel, the new covenant, from imitations:
the free grace of God as the cause of salvation;
peace with God as the result of salvation;
Christ as the heart of salvation;
Christ’s death and resurrection as the means of salvation;
deliverance as the hallmark of salvation;
the will of God as the source of salvation
the glory of God as the purpose of salvation.”
“The gospel is of divine origin, made known to Paul ‘through the revelation of Jesus Christ’. It is revealed, unique, Christ-centred, perfect, complete and eternal in its conception, validity and effects. This revealed gospel differs from all ‘gospels’ of human origin in that its purpose is to glorify God, rather than to please man.”
Edgar Andrews
Extracts from the book “Free in Christ”.
Whosoever will
Those that love and preach the message of God’s sovereign saving grace in Christ alone are often accused of not believing in “whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely”. How can one that God has taught by His Holy Spirit believe anything other than this? It is clearly taught in scripture! The unregenerate falsely say that because we accept and preach the truth of God’s electing grace, we proclaim a message that excludes some men from coming to Christ even if they want to. The problem is not the call to come…the problem is man’s willingness and ability to come. When the Lord Jesus cried in the last day, that great day of the feast (Jn.7: 37) “if any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink”…why did men not come to Him to drink of the water of life? I’ll tell you why…they didn’t want to! Men by nature are just not willing to come to Christ as He is revealed in scripture! (Jn.5: 39-40)
Hear the sweet message of God’s grace to an undeserving people…”Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power”. (Ps.110: 3) Those that the Holy Ghost effectually calls, willingly come to Him as spiritual beggars in need of a Savior! They come because they now see the hopelessness of salvation without Christ the Mediator between God and themselves. They have been given a new heart to come to Christ for mercy. They willingly come to Christ as their Surety, their Representative, and their Substitute before God.
I leave you with these questions. Do you want to come? If you do, believe me, it’s not because you decided to exercise your free will, because your natural will is the slave of sin! Will you be saved by His grace alone? If you will, it’s because you’ve seen your works of self-righteousness to be unacceptable before God because of sin. Do you know by faith that the imputed righteousness of the Lord Jesus to robe you for justification before God’s law is the only covering of eternal hope? Will you come to Christ as the One who was made a curse for you at Calvary? If you will, COME! If you have no desire to come to Christ like this and you perish in your sins, it’s your own fault. But if you desire to willingly come because you see by faith your need of Christ for life by His blood, it’s because God has shown you mercy by giving you that new heart to come and has been pleased to not leave you to yourself.
Marvin Stalnaker
Whosoever
It does not matter who you are, what you’ve done, how evil you have been or how far from God you find yourself, believe the gospel, come to Christ and ask Him for mercy, and you shall have it. Our Lord Jesus Christ has never yet turned away a sinner who has called upon Him.
Chris Cunningham
I See Him
A true revelation of Christ will take care of some unpleasant things that we see. I see sin in myself but I also SEE HIM as my righteousness and sin offering! I see trial and sorrows everyday but I also SEE HIM caring for me and in His good providence working them all together for my good! I see death and judgment approaching but I also SEE HIM, my Justifier, my resurrection, and my life! I see friends and neighbors in darkness, ignorance, and unbelief, but I also SEE HIM who is able to save to the uttermost them that come to God by Him! I see Satan and the forces of evil seeking the destruction of Christ’s church but I also SEE HIM who is the conqueror of the prince of this world and remember His promise, “The gates of hell shall not prevail.” My friends, if you can see Him, you will find that one sight will make amends for the dark things you see (I Jn. 5:11-13). Pastor Henry Mahan
The believer is perfect in Christ, but in himself is a poor, feeble creature, ever liable to fall. Oh, the blessedness of having One who can manage all his affairs for him at the right hand of the Majesty in the Heavens: One who upholds him continually by the right hand of His righteousness: One who will never let him go: One who is able to save to the uttermost: One who is the same yesterday, today and forever: One who will bear him triumphantly through all the difficulties and dangers that surround him and finally, present him faultless before the presence of His Glory with exceeding joy. Blessed forever be the grace that has made such ample provision for all our sins in the Blood of a spotless victim and the intercession of a Divine High Priest.
Pastor Scott Richardson