It's very good to see everyone who's here this morning.
And I just got to admit my mind is racing, I thought.
Okay, I'll speed things up and we won't even do a reading, so I
can get right into it. And here we are.
We're already 11:30. I thought that would buy me five
minutes. And then the service itself has
inspired me. It's interesting for those of
you that know this month were looking at some of the songs we
sing and considering them as they apply to God's word.
And so we're taking these songs and looking at the lyrics and it
was interesting that the song Money wrote this morning was
the, the other side of that coin.
It was a song that was inspired by a sermon.
Oh, Lamb of God, brother, Wayne mccamey preached, and cause the
right writer to decide to write a song about it.
It works both ways. Absolutely.
But, you know, as I was also sitting there, I thought I
wanted to be sure and thank those who have already taught so
far. I'll make a little confession of
sorts, I guess I've always been a little bit hesitant about
preaching on songs, because I've always been afraid to put too
much emphasis on the writer, and their Rick lyrics.
And not enough on the word, And the teachers have done the very
opposite and I thank you for that.
I believe that's important. You know Jesus as he talked in
John chapter 4 and 23 he says, God is a spirit and those that
worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth, The fact is
Jesus pointed out. People need both, we don't want
to have a truth worship, that is void of spirit and we don't want
to have a Spirit Worship, that's void of truth, even when we sing
so much, even when Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, in First
Corinthians chapter 14, you might recall that really has a
lot to do with miraculous gifts, and speaking in tongues, and
which is the greatest gift, and all of those things about
miracles. And, you know, in the midst of
that. That he says, what's the
conclusion? He says, I will pray with the
spirit and I will pray with the understanding.
Also, I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the
understanding. Also, what is happen?
This time as we've looked at these songs in my mind, it has
reinforced to me, this very principle, Because quite
frankly, I'm kind of in some ways.
I'm not emotional in another ways, I get real emotional.
I don't remember the few first funeral, I went to and it feels
like as a child growing up. I went to funerals, that's what
people did my parents mourn with those who mourn.
And we went to a lot of funerals and I could pretty much sit
through those funerals. And Beyond impacted in a whole
lot of ways. Not that I didn't care, but I
wasn't emotionally engaged in that service.
Until I began to sing. and to this day, I can be singing in
the funeral of somebody, I don't even personally know and get
over whelmed with emotion. Singing brings out, it creates
even with music Alone. Can create passion and emotion.
And the reason it's important that we sing with an
understanding or we worship in, not only Spirit, but truth is
because that emotion can be channeled.
Also in the wrong way, it happens in music all the time,
many wrote Riders have boasted of their ability to turn and
sway People based on the music, they write despite the lyric.
And if you question that just go into some of these music Studies
classes that are at some of these universities and you'll
find out how This has been used throughout history. and so as we
consider the music that we sing, the worship that we offer to our
God and the emotion, and the impact that makes upon us inside
It is so important. That we sing and we understand
what we're seeing. And that what we understand is
true. God deserves that and I'll tell
you right now, you deserve it and I deserve it.
Because God created it for us, to take advantage of it would be
on his behalf. And yet as so many times happens
with gifts, we maybe give to others, we find that we feel.
We ourselves were the Most Blessed or the most that got the
most out of it. Even though we gave the gift to
them. In my mind, this is The way I
feel about are singing worship at times.
Indeed, it's designed to give praise and honor to God and to
yet, I feel like it, blesses me, Whatever we do, we want it to be
in truth. The song, we're going to
consider this morning is in Christ alone.
If you wanted any point to follow along, it's number five
in the blue binder. I tell you that in case you want
to follow along because most of the time was scriptures.
I'm able to cut and paste them and just put them up here for
you to read. I don't do any typing because my
typing skills Wayne sorely. I didn't couldn't find this song
already typed out for me to cut and paste so you're relying on
my abilities. This morning, I keep finding
errors and so I'll just apologize in advance.
In Christ Alone. As I researched this, everybody
was researching the writers I thought.
Okay, I got to come with the great story of emotion and
passion that was at the at the root of this song.
And but I didn't find that I found that this was the first
song. These two people wrote together,
they teamed up wanting to write lyrics.
One was better at music, one was better at lyrics, they teamed
up, they wanted to write a song and this is their first shot.
You know, what their goal was in this song?
This is the coolest part about it.
They wanted to write a song that would describe.
The gospel. If you only had one chance to
get two people with the song they heard, how would you tell
him the most you possibly could? That was kind of what I took out
of, what they wrote about the inspiration for this song, And
then the title they gave was in Christ alone, but I read that
title, I couldn't help but think of John chapter 14 and verse 6,
where it says, Jesus said to him, I am the way the truth and
the life. No man comes to the father,
except through me. This is indeed the message of
the song, it's not just the title sometimes as Edwin.
Pointed out to me this morning, my titles, don't always match
where he thinks I'm going. but in this case, the title matches.
And today, I suppose if there's one thing that we need to make
sure we understand and that the world understands as the Jesus
Christ, is our only hope our hope is in him.
Alone with that in mind, I would like to go through the lyrics,
turn this on the beginning of this says, In Christ Alone, My
Hope Is found. He is my light.
My strength, my song. The psalmist said, your word is
a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
We learned from John chapter 1 beginning in verse one that
Jesus said in the beginning was the word and the Word was with
God and the Word was God, you keep reading down through that
and you'll get to verse 14, it says the word became flesh and
dwelt among us and we beheld his glory, the glory, as of the only
begotten of the father full of grace and truth, he wasn't just
great. He wasn't just loving, he wasn't
just full of grace. But he was full of Truth.
You could not find any deceit, any light, anything that wasn't
true in the life of Jesus Christ.
Hazard light that the psalmist referred to and the word being
that light we find later on and this is a whole study in itself
that Jesus is the word. Jesus is the light.
And so when the writer says, in all my, hope I find him because
he is the light, he's everywhere.
I get strength and he is even my soul.
And that's what this song will be about this.
Cornerstone the lyrics, go on to say this, Solid Ground firm
through the fiercest drought and storm.
You know, Peter describe Jesus as a Cornerstone therefore, to
you, who believe he's precious. But to those who are disobedient
the stone, which the builders rejected has become the Chief,
Cornerstone. Now, a Cornerstone basically is
the part of the building that they would use at that time that
set and it's it set the whole pattern for the building.
It said, its location it set where it was Square to.
It said its orientation to everything around.
It was within the Cornerstone, it was the key to the
foundation. Jesus Christ is the Cornerstone.
He's also that Solid Ground through which everything else
will be built. This is described by Jesus
himself in Matthew chapter 7. Beginning in verse 24, he says,
therefore whoever hears these sayings of mine, these words
that are a lamp to my feet and does them.
I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon the
rock the rain descended, the floods came the winds blew they
beat on that house. And it did not Fall for it was
founded on a rock. That's the verse I think about,
when I think about this, this Solid Ground firm through the
fiercest storm, you see Greg, you missed the drought I did I
miss that in this song, every time we've sung it till I
prepared this lesson. We in California.
We know a lot about drought. We've been in it.
We've suffered the every time you look at your water bill.
Now I heard somebody saying the other day.
Their water bill is more than their electric bill and there.
Some other Bill combined. I think it was Gas and Electric.
Water is precious and it's not just in California.
I heard a Californian telling you that somebody and maybe it
was back in Alabama, I can't remember.
They said, well, it's same for me and this was somebody that's
back east in a place. I thought they just had a lot of
kinds of water. Water is precious.
Jesus said this song talks about, even through the
fiercest, drought I'm okay in Jesus, you know, the scriptures
talk about drought, the Bible says, in Isaiah 58 in verse 11,
the Lord will guide you, continually and satisfy your
soul in drought and strengthen your bones.
You shall be like a watered Garden, like a spring of water,
whose Waters do not fail. It doesn't matter what life
throws at us today. Jesus Christ, is that answer?
It's in this song, it's throughout the scripture,
whether it is a storm that is literally we just don't know if
we can stand against or whether it's the misery and the
loneliness of drought because that's what drought represents
in my mind. It's like it just doesn't come
and it just doesn't come and you, wait and you pray, but it
doesn't come. That's a lot different than just
feeling like you're being pelted constantly, right?
Right? And yet, it's just as miserable.
And in some people's mind, it's worse.
Some people feel like, at least with the storm, there's
something to fight against with the drought.
You're just waiting and there's nothing you can do and some of,
you know what that's like spiritually.
It's just like, there's nothing. And through God's word, he says
that's not true. You're not left with nothing.
In the midst of the drought of life or whatever you're going
through, you can be like a well-watered garden.
Everything can flourish? But that's only going to happen
through Jesus Christ. Consequently the, the lyrics of
the song, go on to say, what Heights of love, what depths of
Peace when fears are stilled? And when striving cease, my
comforter, My All In All Here in the love of Christ.
I Stand When you can face a storm and when you can face a
drought and know that it's going to be all right, and that's
everything's going to be okay because you're on the right
foundation. He says the depth.
The height of love, the depth, the magnitude, the volume of
peace that you can get, when you're feeling her, fears are
stilled. And when you stop fighting
against it, that's driving it ceases.
It's not talking about death, it's talking about just peace of
mind. In Philippians chapter 4 and
verse 6. It says be anxious for nothing,
but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving,
let your requests be made known to God.
How did he say? We're going to avoid being
anxious and worrying about stuff.
He says, we're going to be anxious for nothing but we are
going to turn to prayer and supplication.
We are going to pray to God. We are going to go to God and
ask him beg. And we're pretty good at that
part. But we're Greg Branch can fail
when I get really worried about something and overwhelmed by
anxiety about something. Is I stopped being thankful and
that's exactly what Paul told the Philippians he says, pray
what you need to pray for beg for what you need to beg for but
before you finish, thank him. You're like, what am I going to?
Thank you for, I don't know, but I know you have something to be
thankful for. I guess yesterday was the first
time I've been to a funeral buried, somebody in my own age
group, Matt Banks, I don't know how many of, you know Banks
glass up in Jamestown. Thanks family.
Is there into a lot financial and glass?
And they've done commercial and residential glass for
Generations I guess. Matt Banks, the class of 1980
Sonora High School. Collapsed Monday night.
Massive heart attack. Killed him instantly.
You see him? You'd say, man, you played
football, didn't you? You still stay in shape.
He's just one of those guys. Maybe is a little overweight,
but if you're 53 54, I guess you're entitled to a little,
he's a grandpa. Three little granddaughters.
None of them hardly big enough to barely walk.
My grandson that was born Tuesday that he never got to
see. Nothing else.
Today I am thankful for God that I have the breath of life and if
everything and if my life other than that was falling apart, I
would know that I could have hope and maybe from here forward
something can change for good. Because here.
In the love of Christ. I stand.
I can be thankful for that. Let alone.
I've got lots more to think God about.
So even in the midst of whatever is bothering me, whatever's
bothering you Thank God. It may require some thinking.
But do you reckon that's God's whole point?
We can get in that rut. And not get out.
You know, I want to say this about ruts.
Sorry. Ruts are not always bad.
In Oklahoma. There were some Farm roads that
you were grateful for the ruts because they kept you out of the
ditch. And if you could keep your
momentum, it would get you through the bad spot.
Ruts were only bad when you were stuck and you couldn't get out
of them. Because sometimes it rains and
it gets muddy and it gets slick. And some toes, those ruts are
what keep you through but you keep pushing You may think I'm
in a rut. Tell you, it could be worse.
You can already be in the ditch. Enough said about that.
And the peace of God, when we have that attitude, which
surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and Minds
through Jesus Christ. I want you to know, he did not
say it's going to heal your heart and your mind.
And that is important because I know good Christian people who
really care and I pray to God about some things that are on
your heart and you really discourage because you don't
think it's fixed and you still are worked up about it and they
say at least why am I still worked up about it?
He didn't say it was going to leave.
He says he would guard your heart and Minds.
He'll take care of you, you're going to make it.
And in case you're saying yes but it just the pain, I wish
you'd go away. I'm going to tell you, from Greg
branches perspective, and maybe somebody else has one like this
emotion. For me comes when I least expect
it and I really can't control it once.
It does too well. But it doesn't come near enough.
Especially when it comes to my dad.
I loved him. I'm people I still meet people
and they say they call me Sammy back in Alabama, Sam branch and
I'm like I'm his son. Oh, I knew that but they just
saw him little Sammy. I can't always cry and be
emotional when I wish I could, when I think about not having
him anymore, I missed that emotion.
It makes me feel guilty. Like I don't love him enough,
like I didn't care enough, I know that's not true but when
that emotion finally comes in, I can cry again.
I actually am thankful for that. Because it reminds me that it is
in there. Today.
Just because you don't have the piece that you wish you had.
It's not all bad either. What God Says is you pray and
you have your supplications, you be thankful and the peace of God
that passes understanding is going to guard your heart.
And mine through Jesus Christ In Christ Alone.
The next verse says, who took on flesh fullness of God in
helpless babe. Luke said the angel said unto
him do not be afraid for behold. I will bring you good tidings of
great joy which will be to all people for.
There is born to you this day in the city of David, a savior who
is Christ the lord. And this will be assigned to
you. You will find a baby wrapped in
swaddling clothes lying in a Manger, the picture of God.
In the Flesh starting out as a baby.
Full complete God, he would be to us.
He starts as a helpless baby. Can't go anywhere on his own,
has to be carried everywhere. That is Jesus Christ when we
hold our babies and they can't do anything.
Remember at some point Jesus started, just like that.
Fullness of God in helpless Bay. This gift of love and
righteousness scorned by the ones, he came to save.
Yes, this little baby, this gift of love this, perfect gift will
wound up being scorned by the very people.
He came to save the soldiers. The governor took Jesus to the
praetorium. The whole Garrison around him
and they stripped him and put on him a Scarlet Road.
When they had Twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on his head
and a reed in his right hand, they bowed the knee before, he
mocked him saying hail King of the Jews and then they spat on
him. They took the Reed and they
struck him on ahead and when they had mocked him, they took
the robe off, and put his own clothes on him and led him away
to be crucified. Within These few words of lyrics
by the writer, as they tried to talk about the Life of Christ,
they talk about the baby, all the way to his crucifixion, and
what he was dying for was the very people that were killing
him. On the day of Pentecost, the,
the beginning of the church, you think you've done something so
bad, you got will never forgive you.
Oh, you need to visit the day of Pentecost.
The very people who did this were given the opportunity to
repent and become joint heirs with Jesus.
Our God loves you. He loves everybody.
They scorned him. And yet there was the
opportunity, despite this, he came to save them.
Till on that cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was
satisfied. I want you to know today.
That the Wrath was not Upon Jesus.
There was Wrath, that was satisfied.
That day Colossians 3 and verse size, their 5 says, therefore
put to death your members which are on the earth.
Fornication, uncleanness passion, evil desire
covetousness, which is idolatry because of these things.
The wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience in
which you yourselves. Once walked when you lived in
them, God's Wrath is going to be on people that Do this matter
fact, you used to do this? When you walk that way.
Someone says I did some of that. That's why I'm having trouble
forgiving myself over some of that he says to them in the
church and colossi, you used to do this, God's Wrath will be on
people that continue to. You used to be like that.
Let's consider John's connection to this.
The Bible says, he who believes in the Son of God has
everlasting life, but he who does not believe the son, shall
not see life, but the wrath of God, Abides on him.
The fact is we learn from this and a host of other scriptures,
I'm not going into right now that the wrath of God is going
to be on people who disobey and will not walk according to
Faith. But when you come in faith,
accepting Jesus Christ and his plan, his will for your life.
That wrath is covered. It was covered on the cross, the
wrath of God, that required a sacrifice because of that sin.
Jesus Christ became that atoning sacrifice and in that God's
Wrath, for those sins was satisfied.
He was not angry with Jesus, Jesus fulfilled prophecy.
He that was his beloved Son in whom he was well pleased, The
Wrath was upon the sin that you and I deserved for every sin on
him was laid, John 1, verse 29, Behold the Lamb of God, which
takes away the sin of the world, John to, and one my little
children. I write to you.
So you don't sin and if anyone sins, we have an advocate with
the father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.
He is himself to propitiation for our sins, not ours only, but
for the sins of the whole world, it's not our own little sin-free
Club. It's for everyone.
That Jesus did this. This is going to come port and
later but we'll keep moving here in the death of Christ.
I live a lot could be said about this but I want you to know
Romans chapter 6, says don't, you know, as, as many of us as
were baptized into Christ were baptized Into his death.
It's in the death of Christ that we live.
How do we participate in that through baptism?
And if I don't do it full enough later, I apologize because that
is our connection to this Saving Grace.
We are buried with him, through baptism into death, just as
Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father, even
so we also should walk in newness of life, as sure as
Jesus rose out of the Grave to walk.
We rise to walk in a new life, the death that he died.
He died to sin once for all the life that he lives.
He lives to God likewise you also reckon yourselves to be
dead, indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus, our
lord, if you have not been baptized into Christ today, I
want to beg you to do that. Jesus, did it and he did it.
He said to fulfill all righteousness and he was
sinless. Who are we to not want to do
that? There in the ground.
His body lay. Light of the World by Darkness.
Slain, now for times sake, I'm just going to tell you Matthew
2757 through 61. Jesus Christ was buried after he
died on the cross. The very light of the world was
slain by Darkness. Then bursting forth in Glorious
Day up from the grave he rose again.
Matthew 28 verses 1 through 8, he died but yes Heroes, that's
why we read in Romans 6, that just like Heroes we too can know
them that we can rise verse 2 says and I like this one too.
I want to miss it. Behold.
There was a great earthquake for the an angel of the Lord
descended from Heaven came, and rolled back the Stone from the
door and said on it. And he said, he is not here.
For he is risen. As he said.
And as he stands in victory since cursed, his Lots, it's
lost. Its grip on me.
For I am his he is mine. but with the precious blood of
Christ, It was Jesus sacrifice his willingness to die that
purchased me out of the sin debt Iowa.
That was the death. Who is he that condemneth?
It is Christ who died. Furthermore is also risen.
Who is even at the right hand of God who also makes intercession
for us. Jesus stands there at the right
hand of God, he sits there. He's described Acts 20 and 7
says, therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock
among whom the Holy Spirit has made, you overseers to Shepherd
the Church of God, which he purchased with his own blood.
The Church of God, there's God the Father, there's God the son,
there's God the spirit right? We know that from scriptures,
how do we know which God's here? He says it's the one who
purchased it with his own blood, the Church of God which he
purchased with his blood. That's Jesus Christ.
God, the son. I know I'm flying through, but
If we need more, put it in the, in the, in the back, say, I'd
like to hear more on this no guilt in life.
No fear in death. This is the power of Christ in
me because of this salvation plan because of this
opportunity. I don't have to walk around with
guilt. I don't have to be afraid in
life. That's the power of Christ for
God, has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of
love and of a sound mind. Paul told Timothy, therefore do
not be ashamed of the testimony of Lord nor of me his prisoner,
but share with me in the sufferings, for The Gospel,
According to the power of God who has saved us and called us
with a holy calling, not according to our works, but
according to his own purpose and Grace, which was given to us in
Christ Jesus Before Time began. But now has been refilled by the
appearing of Our Savior Jesus Christ whose abolished death and
brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
So much can be said about this. But one thing I think about is I
think of those scriptures and this whole no fear in death, You
remember what Paul said? He said, we're not going to
sorrow like those who have no hope.
Did he say we're not going to sorrow?
He says no we're not going to sorrow like they do.
We're going to have sorrow Jesus wept when Lazarus died and Jesus
know he's about to raise him. Death and loss is emotional.
But we don't sorrow, like, people that sorrow without hope,
at least we have hope. Because he is abolished death
and brought him mortality to light.
We can get through this from life's first cry.
To final breath. Jesus commands, my destiny.
Now, this is one of those. I really think it's important to
understand spirit and truth. And I'll blow through this as
fast as I can. But this is the one part of this
song that I think we can, there's multiple meanings and a
matter. A fact, if you use the primary
definition for this word destiny that you find in in dictionaries
that's false Doctrine and I won't explain to you why.
So it's important. Now there are secondary
definitions and we talked a lot about poetic license for People
that write music and there's a lot of examples like this and I
just want to make sure that when we sing this, when we talked
about the destiny, that's commanded by Jesus.
We understand it in light of Truth in Scripture.
Destiny is a word if you just look up an English dictionary
because that's what they wrote Our Song Book.
It's the seemingly inevitable or necessary succession of events.
That's definition number one, number two, it's one Spate
number three, that which determines event set of
Supernatural agency or a necessity.
So I go to fate to determine the outcome of events before they
occur. The third definition of fate is
ones final outcome. Now, if when you sing this song
from life's first, cry to final breath, Jesus commands, my
destiny. And you mean that Jesus from the
day I was born. He was going to determine my
final outcome than that is absolutely scriptural.
And I'll work thought will prove that.
But if when you sing this, you say from life's first cry to
final breath, Jesus, determine the outcome of my events before
they ever happened, and they just set them in order and
there's nothing I can do about it.
And that's not right. And there's a lot of reasons,
you say, well, I have always thought that now, I'm kind of
worried. Oh no, don't worry this.
You're going to like this message better, trust me.
But that's why I think it's important that we cover about it
in this song, Jesus commands. Now, I'm going to tell you why.
I think we can sing it, because this phrase Jesus commands is an
active verb. I mean, think about it.
It's something ongoing Jesus commands, he's something he's
doing. It's not past tense.
If it said Jesus commanded my destiny, then that would imply
that you believed in some predestination that meant before
you were ever born. At the moment, you're conceived.
Everything was just planned and you didn't have a choice in it.
But because it says it's active and ongoing, I believe.
It's implying the final outcome. And that's exactly true when we
have, I believe it conception but if you want to make it the
first breath outside the womb you make it what you want to
make it I guess but the Bible's clear Jesus our God acknowledges
and participates in life within the womb.
From very Inception, I believe Jesus commands, the destiny, the
destination, the final outcome of everybody.
To the point they die. And it can change.
I know that because the Apostle Paul says that he beats his body
keeps it brings it into subjection lest at any time when
he has preached to others, he himself should become a
Castaway. He wasn't already a Castaway.
He's worried about becoming one, so he wasn't set.
There was Choice, he had. And we want to talk about the
reason. It matters is because of a false
Doctrine called Calvinism. Calvinism, basically has five
tenets and and Brian spoke on them within the not too long
ago. So I'm not going to go.
D, but tulip is kind of the acronym total depravity.
What that means is mankind. There's nothing we can do.
Could ever do couldn't do. It's just weird.
Totally depraved. We're sinful even if we wanted
to believe we couldn't have God didn't let us and make us an
appoint us to that because we are totally depraved, it
believes in unconditional election.
That means that if people will be elected or saved
unconditionally, regardless of what they believe, what they
don't believe what God, just picks you like.
It's just like, Like that. Or if you looks and says, I'll
take you, I'll take you. That's unconditional election.
Has nothing to do with what you believe it has everything to do
with just God's going to just decide.
That's a principle of unconditional, limited
atonement. That means the other side of the
coin when God does unconditionally select some
people that limits the rest, that's limited atonement.
It means some people are lost and there's nothing they could
do to be saved. Yeah, there's people that
believe that, matter of fact, most of the religious world that
accepts Calvinism, accepts that and they don't even realize it.
Irresistible Grace, this kind of goes back with unconditional
election, you're like, well, what are some?
I don't want to be saved and God just going to make them say, oh,
it's irresistible. They once he decides, he just
puts the Holy Spirit Adam and they can't resist.
That's irresistible Grace, and perseverance of the Saints.
Now, I'm going to time out. Lest you think?
I'm making this up and so that you can so I can make some of
the people calvinist. Look bad.
This is off their website. I'm not going to use the
scriptures, they try to point it out because anyway we're going
to cover some of them. I didn't make this up and it's
not my Twist on it, perseverance of the saints.
That means the Saints who ever saved.
They're going to make it through somehow no matter what
regardless we call that predestination or once saved
always saved what's wrong with that Doctrine?
And that's implied by this concept of Destiny.
That's why we're even on this subject.
If limited atonement is true, then the word of God would not
be for everybody in the world, right?
It's only for people to be saved yet.
The word of God says of itself that it is for everybody in the
world. Matthew 28:18.
Jesus came spoke to them saying all authority has been given to
me in heaven and on Earth go therefore and Make Disciples of
all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, Son and
the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I
have commanded you and lo. I Am With.
You Always even to the end of Age.
First of all, it is for every nation something that's only for
a select few, that they picked out wouldn't be for every
nation. Second of all predestination and
unconditional election. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 11
says in him. Also, we have obtained, an
inheritance being predestined, I chose this passage because some
people say, we don't believe in predestination.
I do, we better it's in there. But what does it mean?
Being predestined? According to the purpose of him
who works all. All things according to the
counsel of his will. Greg sounds like he's saying
what you said. They were saying that we who
first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of his glory.
The apostle that Rose says, we who first trusted him, they had
a personal choice in this. It didn't just happen.
They trusted. And they would be to the praise
of his glory but it doesn't stop there.
It gets better in him. You also trusted after you heard
the word of Truth, The Gospel of your salvation.
If this was predestination that was unconditional and really
just happened and it was irresistible.
You couldn't do anything. Why does he point out?
It came as a result of you here in the word of God.
It says it came as a result of them.
The apostles remember they were miraculously and do endowed with
it, right? They could read it in a book.
They were getting it for the first time.
So they had to trust it. That's why in my mind Paul said
I keep myself into subjection lest at any time.
Once I've told this to somebody else, I don't do it.
I gotta do it too. So I'm not a Castaway.
He couldn't read it. He didn't get it here.
It, he was endowed with it. Everybody else, trusted it
after, they heard it from the apostles.
And that's how they were predestined.
What do I believe about this? Predestination, I believe that
God, before the foundation of the world set that he knew how
he was going to save, man, and that anybody who would believe
this, who would follow his will would be born again.
It was predestined to be saved. Not that he set your whole life
in order. Quite frankly, if that's what it
means, you don't need the rest of the Bible.
You just need a page. It says, God's already decided.
Good luck. That's not what the bible does
it it testifies, to us? It gives us a chance to believe
it gives us a chance to mess up and fix through God's grace and
awesome message. It is 2nd Corinthians, 5 and 10
for we must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ.
That each one may receive the things done in his body.
According to what he has done, whether good or bad that is not
unconditional election. There are conditions and it's
based upon your choice. You said Greg, now I'm scared
again. Let's talk about this destiny.
John says, if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we
have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ,
his son cleanses us from all sin.
You say, Greg, I still I make mistakes.
That's alright. Jesus blood still clings us.
You it's not a one-time gift and then if you mess it up again,
you lost it. No, it will continue to cleanse,
and that's based upon oh, one thing we learn in first John,
one and seven, we know that we can be walking in the light and
still make mistakes or sin. Yet, the blood of Christ will
cleanse us. That's a very complicated
statement and yet, it says it. How does it do that?
I mean does God doesn't hold us accountable.
No, here's how I believe it happens in.
Fortunately, I got a pretty good emphasis to get you to believe
it too. Because two verses later in
verse 9. It says, if we confess our sins,
he's faithful. And just to forgive us, our sins
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
So I can be a faithful Christian and I can sin and I'm not like,
poof lightning strike you wasted on you Greg?
No. Because when I sin, I'm going to
realize that I'm going to confess it and he is faithful.
And just for Ginza And cleanse us of everything.
Now, if I want to continue in that sin, that blood of Christ
does not continually cleanse me, Hebrews 10:26 says that is
showing despite to the spirit of God's grace and under the Moses
lall people died. How bad how much worse do you
think it's going to be who people that trod underfoot the
Son of God like that? No, he does not tell us, go
ahead and do your thing and then it's all going to work out.
He says, when you sin you don't have to worry about, you're
headed straight to hell. Now, Jesus blood is there
because you're going to when you sin, you're going to know it and
you're going to confess it as the apostles told Simon, pray to
God, that the sin of your hearts forgiven you and he absolutely
will. That is how you can have this
confidence. It's not this destiny that you
couldn't control and it was whatever its choices you're
making. Based on the grace God, extended
to us that we didn't deserve. That we did nothing to Merit.
Therefore no power of hell, no scheme of man.
Can ever pluck me from his hand. Because I have that choice,
nothing anybody can do to me. Where have we been in this song?
We've been through drought. We've been through storm.
We've been through persecution, perhaps.
We've even been subject to our own sinfulness but there's
nothing. Anybody else can do.
No power. That Satan has in all the power
of hell that can pluck you out of the hand of God.
There is no scheme that people at school or people that work or
God forbid. People at church can plot
against you that can cause you to lose your salvation.
It's between you and God. And he has absolutely done
everything, he possibly can to provide you a red carpet path
into the family. We find this in scriptures
Romans chapter 8, I am persuaded that neither death, nor life
Angels, principalities Powers needs things present, nor
anything. Still yet to come, your like
Greg. What if we do really have an
Armageddon? So, now that maybe to say it
could be bad, but it's not going to stop anything that God says
to do or your salvation nor height nor depth, nor any other
created thing shall be able to separate us from the love which
is in Christ Jesus, our lord, therefore, the final verse of
the song till he returns, Or calls me home.
Here in the power of Christ. I'll stay. today, if you're not
standing in the power of Christ, I hope you've seen through the
lyrics of this song as they are supported and proven to be true
from the word of God that it's time.
That you stood in this power. But because it's an awesome
power meant for you. So it's only going to sing it.
Now Brian's going to do that, don't worry.
And this services But right now you have the opportunity to
respond, if you're not a Christian and you need to become
one. He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved, Jesus, Mark 16:16.
If you're willing to change your life that means whatever God
wants you to do. Look, 13 and 3.
If you're willing to confess him before men and be baptized, we'd
love to assist in that. If you're a Christian and you
examine yourself as we prepare to meet around the Lord's table,
you can pray to God, he will forgive you, but if you desire,
the prayers of the church and to confess their false according to
James, bye. 16:17. Then we'll pray with.
You will pray for you. One of either class while we
stand in one piece. We thank you for listening to
our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.
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