1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,760 We're going to do a short Bible reading, Ephesians chapter 2. 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,240 We're going to read verses 1 to 10 and then immediately after 3 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:10,680 this, I'm going to invite our sister Brianna to come and she's 4 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:15,000 going to come and minister in Psalm 2 pieces, Ephesians 5 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:17,320 chapter 2. And we're reading from verses 6 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:19,840 one through to 10. Let's hear the word of God 7 00:00:20,080 --> 00:00:23,440 reading, of course, from the King James Bible. 8 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:28,960 I said this morning I have a number of Bibles and we'll show 9 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:31,600 them to you some of these Lords days. 10 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:35,680 And if anybody would like a Bible, then you're free to 11 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:39,920 receive 1 Ephesians chapter 2 verse one. 12 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:46,960 Let's hear the word of God. And you hath He quickened, who 13 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:51,920 were dead in trespasses and sins, where in time past you 14 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:55,600 walked according to the course of this world, according to the 15 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:59,640 Prince of the power of the air, the Spirit that thou worketh in 16 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:03,880 the children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our 17 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:06,680 conversation. And time passed in the lust of 18 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:09,760 our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the 19 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:12,040 mind. And we're by nature the children 20 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:16,280 of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy 21 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:21,400 for His great love for what He loved us even when we were dead 22 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:25,880 in sins, as quickened us together with Christ by grace 23 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:30,960 are you see, and have raised us up together, and made us sit 24 00:01:30,960 --> 00:01:35,920 together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages 25 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:39,520 to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in 26 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:43,400 His Kingdom toward us through Christ Jesus. 27 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,960 For by grace are you see it through faith, and not not of 28 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:51,920 yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of 29 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:55,400 works, lest any man should boast, For we are his 30 00:01:55,400 --> 00:02:00,920 workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God 31 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:04,680 had before ordained, that we should walk in there. 32 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:07,120 Amen. We know God will stamp with His 33 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,680 own approval and blessing this reading of His own precious and 34 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:15,480 infallible word. Now my text tonight is taken 35 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:18,560 from Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 8. 36 00:02:19,640 --> 00:02:21,960 It reads as follows. For by grace are you saved 37 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:23,760 through faith and not, not of yourselves. 38 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:28,360 It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should 39 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:31,400 boast. And I want us to think this 40 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:35,760 evening of the subject that have entitled focusing on the faith 41 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:38,520 that saves. They're one of the great 42 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:43,200 buzzwords around today in the Christian community and about 43 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:45,600 the Christian life is the word faith. 44 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:50,000 And we meet many people and I've met some in Belfast recently and 45 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:53,640 they've asked me, despite having the clerical collar on, are you 46 00:02:53,640 --> 00:02:56,480 a man of faith? And sometimes they've asked 47 00:02:56,480 --> 00:03:00,360 others say for example, the woman, are you a, a woman of 48 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:02,480 faith? And if you start a conversation 49 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,880 with someone and you mentioned God, heaven and hell, Jesus 50 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:09,920 Christ, the Bible, then the response is, oh, I have my 51 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:13,880 faith. Now, they don't define faith and 52 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:17,600 they don't describe what that faith means to them 53 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:20,920 individually. So we asked the question 54 00:03:20,920 --> 00:03:26,280 tonight, what is faith? What is the real genuine nature 55 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:30,000 of true saving faith? Why is it so important? 56 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:35,840 What is the true, genuine object of saving faith? 57 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:40,600 Do all men have faith? You see, these are questions 58 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:44,480 that all demand answers and sadly today there's a lot of 59 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:47,840 confusion and loads of misunderstanding. 60 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:51,960 Even misunderstanding that borders on ignorance when it 61 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:56,600 comes to this subject of faith. And sadly, some preachers, 62 00:03:56,720 --> 00:04:00,840 ordained ministers of the gospel do not know what true saving 63 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:04,200 faith is. And when they speak about faith 64 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:08,560 or preach about faith, they end up clouding the issue rather 65 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:11,600 than make it clear and very concise. 66 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:15,360 You see, I believe that you have to be clear and concise. 67 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:22,640 Here's the Apostle Paul and if we asked him how could an 68 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:26,640 individual be see if they're right with God hears this answer 69 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:30,280 for by grace are you saved through faith and not not of 70 00:04:30,280 --> 00:04:32,640 yourselves. It is the gift of God. 71 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:35,640 So what is faith, Paul, It's the gift of God. 72 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:38,960 Remember in Philippi when he was asked the question, a second 73 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:42,520 missionary journey there by the Philippian gaoler serves, What 74 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:45,400 must I do to be saved? That man got a very clear, 75 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:47,640 plain, straightforward answer. What was that? 76 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:51,560 Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. 77 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:53,680 Now let's think tonight of the following. 78 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:58,040 For the 20 minutes that we have, think of three things. 79 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:03,560 If we focus on the faith that sees the substance that is 80 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:08,200 revealed, Look at the text and underline the 2 words through 81 00:05:08,280 --> 00:05:13,720 faith and will add the words and not not of yourselves. 82 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:18,400 It is the gift of God. So what is faith? 83 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,040 Here's the best answer. Here's the most clear and 84 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:24,640 precise answer that I could give. 85 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:29,280 Shorter Catechism question 86. What is faith? 86 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:35,480 Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace whereby we received 87 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:39,600 and rest upon Him alone for salvation as He is offered to us 88 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:44,080 in the Gospel. And remember what we read there 89 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:48,920 in the book of Hebrews. In Hebrews chapter 10 and in the 90 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:56,240 verse 39. We read these words, but we are 91 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:59,920 not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them that 92 00:05:59,920 --> 00:06:03,240 believe to the saving of the soul. 93 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:10,320 Over in John's gospel in John chapter one we read here in 94 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:13,560 verses one to three. In the beginning was the Word, 95 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:15,960 and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 96 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:17,880 The same was in the beginning with God. 97 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:20,400 All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything 98 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:24,200 made. That was made Over in the book 99 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:30,200 of Philippians in Philippians chapter 3 and in the verse 9 we 100 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:33,200 read this statement. And they found in him, not 101 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:36,080 having my own righteousness which is of the law, but that 102 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:39,400 which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which 103 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:45,640 is of God by faith. In John 6 and 29, the Lord Jesus 104 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:49,000 answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that 105 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:52,400 you believe in him whom He have sent. 106 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:55,800 He added in verse 40, And this is the will of him that sent me, 107 00:06:55,920 --> 00:07:00,080 that everyone which saith the Son and believeth on Him may 108 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,520 have everlasting life, and I will raise him up with the last 109 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:05,480 day. What a tremendous promise. 110 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:08,840 And then of course, we turn again to the book of Galatians, 111 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:14,760 And in Galatians chapter 2 and in the verse 16, we read knowing 112 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:19,080 that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the 113 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:22,760 faith of Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Jesus 114 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:26,320 Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ 115 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:29,760 and not by the works of the law. For by the works of the law 116 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:36,480 shall no flesh be justified. Christ is the object of true 117 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:41,360 saving faith. Now, faith is not, as some 118 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:48,200 preachers like to say, the new birth, conviction of sin, 119 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:52,520 effectual calling, or trusting Jesus. 120 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:56,520 You see, what some preachers do is they Add all of those truths 121 00:07:56,520 --> 00:08:00,120 together and make those truths from the new birth, the 122 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:03,240 conviction of sin, to effectual calling, to trusting in Jesus. 123 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:07,520 They make that the essence of faith, but that's not what the 124 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:11,800 Sinner is to rest on. That's not what he is to 125 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:14,800 receive. Other preachers want to exalt 126 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:18,960 the act of faith and they say, well, let's have confidence in 127 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:21,840 the fact that I've made a decision for Jesus, or I've 128 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:25,360 walked a Nile for Christ, or have signed a decision card. 129 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:28,800 I have prayed a prayer and the focus is on what they have done, 130 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:33,480 and they make what they have done the object of their faith, 131 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:37,360 and they're exulting in their mind and by their mouth what 132 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:41,280 they have done. And it's as if the exercise of 133 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:46,960 faith was a kind of reward for doing some good what they have 134 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:49,320 done. Other preachers, of course, go a 135 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:52,800 step further and they look for evidences of true faith. 136 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:55,520 They asked us, has the life changed? 137 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:59,000 So and so has professed Christ as Lord and Saviour. 138 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:01,760 Is there life changed and transformed? 139 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:05,600 Is there inward and outward graces marks of grace? 140 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:11,400 We talk talk and sadly they end up making the evidences the 141 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:17,560 object of their trust. Now I want to tell you listen to 142 00:09:17,560 --> 00:09:21,280 me carefully. True saving faith is not adding 143 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:27,400 something to its essence. It's not something we do in an 144 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:33,560 offer sales, it's not exalting our decision or act of faith. 145 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:37,040 It's not something that we're glorying and saying I did this 146 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:40,480 and I did that. It's not centralised and rooted 147 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:43,840 in the outworking of the means of grace. 148 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:48,480 No, listen again to what the substance of true faith is. 149 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:54,080 Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace whereby we receive 150 00:09:54,680 --> 00:09:58,520 and rest upon him alone for salvation as He's offered to us 151 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:03,360 in the Gospel. You see, there's four kinds of 152 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:05,720 faith. There's natural faith. 153 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:10,360 All men and women and young people have natural faith. 154 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:13,760 Let me prove it. They come into a house and 155 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:17,080 there's a chair sitting at the table, and they go and sit down. 156 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:20,280 The chair doesn't break. They go to the doctor. 157 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:22,760 They're sick. They ask the doctor for medicine 158 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:25,680 and they trust that that medicine, as they partake of it, 159 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:27,680 that that medicine is not going to poison them. 160 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:31,680 They go away in their holidays and they get on an aeroplane and 161 00:10:31,680 --> 00:10:34,920 they they're trusting the pilot to take them safely to the 162 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:37,200 destination. They're trusting that the pilot 163 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:42,560 will not crash the plane. What about setting down at the 164 00:10:42,560 --> 00:10:46,400 dinner table and partaking of the food that Mummy has made? 165 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:51,360 You come in, you wash your hands, you sit at the table, you 166 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:55,280 say thanks, thanks to mum, thanks to the Lord and you eat. 167 00:10:55,800 --> 00:11:00,000 You see all of those actions sitting in the chair, driving 168 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:03,960 the car, at the getting on the aeroplane, sitting at the table, 169 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:07,080 eating food, going to the doctor and accepting the medication 170 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:11,160 that he gives. All of that action involves what 171 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:16,760 I'm calling natural faith and all men, including sinful men 172 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:20,880 display those natural acts of faith day and daily. 173 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:24,280 But that's not the faith that saves. 174 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:30,080 The second kind of faith that I want to mention is real, true 175 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:33,840 saving faith and that's a gift of God. 176 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,280 If you go back to our text, it says there in Ephesians chapter 177 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:41,200 2 and in the verse 8. If you look at it carefully for 178 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:42,880 by Gracie, you see it through faith. 179 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:45,440 Notice these words and not not of yourselves. 180 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:49,400 Faith is not of yourself. What is faith? 181 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:55,720 It is the gift of God. It is the gift of God-given in 182 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:59,600 the new birth. The Holy Ghost comes and awakens 183 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:04,160 the Sinner about his sin, quickens that individual, makes 184 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:08,360 them alive to all that God is, alive to the person work of 185 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:12,320 Christ, alive to their need of their soul salvation. 186 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:17,720 And in that new birth, the Holy Ghost deposits a most precious 187 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:20,840 gift, and that's the gift of saving faith. 188 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:26,200 See, the Bible says, But without faith it's impossible to please 189 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:28,120 Him. For he that cometh to God must 190 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:31,000 believe that He is, and his rewarder of them that diligently 191 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:33,520 seek Him. And how can a man or woman 192 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:36,960 believe? And how can there be those who 193 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:39,760 do not believe? All men have not faith. 194 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:44,120 What's the difference? The Holy Ghost has made the 195 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:48,040 difference because the Holy Ghost has deposited the gift of 196 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:51,680 faith into those that he's awakened to their need of 197 00:12:51,680 --> 00:12:54,240 Christ. To those who have come to 198 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:57,600 Christ, you know, tonight there's a difference between a 199 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:00,200 dead, spurious, lifeless kind of faith. 200 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:05,520 And in contrast to that, there's a real, living, saving faith. 201 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:07,840 And that saving faith is the gift of God. 202 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:12,800 It's not of yourselves, notice the demonstrative here, and that 203 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:17,600 not of yourselves making it abundantly clear it's the gift 204 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:21,640 of God. So when we exercise that gift, 205 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:26,240 we're exercising a gift that's been given to us, planted within 206 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:30,800 us in the new birth. There's another kind of faith 207 00:13:31,160 --> 00:13:34,160 called increasing faith. It's mentioned in the Gospel of 208 00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:39,080 Luke. The disciples prayed. 209 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:43,080 Lord, increase our faith. Can faith be increased? 210 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:44,000 Yes. How? 211 00:13:44,680 --> 00:13:48,000 Faith can be strengthened by reading and studying and 212 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:50,560 meditating upon the Word of God and standing in the promises. 213 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:54,280 Faith can be strengthened by prayer, waiting on the Lord. 214 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:57,720 Faith can be strengthened by attendance of the House of God. 215 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:02,600 Faith can be strengthened by the means of grace, participation in 216 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:05,800 the Lord's Supper, obedience to the waters of baptism. 217 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:11,400 Faith can be strengthened when we aim purposely to live a life 218 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:16,160 of holiness, when we're doggedly determined to say no to sin. 219 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:20,200 And of course, all of this is connected to the wonderful 220 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:23,640 doctrine not only of our adoption into God's family, but 221 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:26,440 the the doctrine of assurance of salvation. 222 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:29,960 And then of course, there's another kind of faith, the 223 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:35,320 demonstration of our faith because we're born of the Spirit 224 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:36,960 and because we've got a new nature. 225 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:41,360 Second, Peter 1 and 4, then the the Bible tells us, let the 226 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:45,200 redeemed of the Lord say so. See, the redeemed of the Lord 227 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:47,360 are going to face hardship and difficulty. 228 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:49,720 They're going to have trials and troubles in their life. 229 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:53,280 They're going to be held up to ridicule and to mockery. 230 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:55,440 And there's going to be loads of opposition. 231 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:59,440 There's going to be persecution. But despite what we face, 232 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:05,560 despite what we experience, here's the crux of the matter. 233 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:10,560 The just they shall live by faith, not just see it by it, 234 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:13,920 but the whole of the Christian life is a life of faith. 235 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:16,600 And they of course are amongst those that do not go back. 236 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:21,680 You see in the context of reading the book of Hebrews to 237 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:27,120 you it says in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 30, 8 neither just 238 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:30,440 shall live by faith, but if any man draw back by soul, shall 239 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:33,960 have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw 240 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:38,200 back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of 241 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:43,680 their soul. The only real faith is a faith 242 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:50,880 that saves in Christ, a faith that raises up to serve the 243 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:54,920 Lord, a faith that's steadfast, a faith that stands, a faith 244 00:15:54,920 --> 00:16:02,920 that that perseveres, hears something that's important, the 245 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:06,680 substance that has revealed. Think of the word faith. 246 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:10,560 Now notice something else very quickly in the text. 247 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:15,880 The Saviour that is received. He would go back to our 248 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:20,520 definition. What is faith? 249 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:26,920 Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace whereby we receive 250 00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:30,400 and rest upon Him alone for salvation as He's offered us in 251 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:32,640 the gospel. And what's Paul talking about in 252 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:34,680 verse 8? He's talking about salvation. 253 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:39,800 For by grace are you saved high through faith? 254 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:45,520 Faith's the instrumental cause and it's faith in Jesus Christ 255 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:49,320 and if you look at the context here, it, it talks here in verse 256 00:16:49,320 --> 00:16:53,800 7 through Jesus Christ. For by grace you see it through 257 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:56,840 faith and that not of yourselves is the gift of God, not of 258 00:16:56,840 --> 00:16:58,040 works. Does anyone should book? 259 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:00,760 For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus. 260 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:03,440 Do you see the the reference here to Christ Jesus? 261 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:06,920 See, can I tell you tonight that Jesus Christ is the most 262 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:10,240 suitable saviour? Why is Christ the most suitable 263 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:12,240 Saviour? Think of his person. 264 00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:14,760 Who is he? Many people tell us he's a good 265 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:17,280 man. He is a gracious man, 266 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:22,319 tremendous. He's also a godly man. 267 00:17:23,599 --> 00:17:25,440 But more than that, he's the God man. 268 00:17:25,839 --> 00:17:29,000 Great as the mystery of godliness, God was manifested in 269 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:30,440 the flesh. And that's what many people 270 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:32,680 miss. That's what many professors and 271 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:35,760 preachers miss. They, they, they don't go as far 272 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:39,840 as saying he's the God man, that, that he's God Incarnate. 273 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:45,200 He, he's Emmanuel, God with us. We've already read there from 274 00:17:45,360 --> 00:17:51,680 first John chapter 1 and I, I was really struck this week 275 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:55,480 thinking of the context here. In the beginning was the Word. 276 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:57,880 The word was with God and the word was God. 277 00:17:57,880 --> 00:17:59,560 The same as in the beginning with God. 278 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:02,320 All things were made by him and without him was not anything 279 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:06,240 made that was made in him was life, and the life was the light 280 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:08,120 of men. That's a wonderful statement, 281 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:11,960 and yet that statement has been mangled by the Jew witnesses. 282 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:16,840 Jew witnesses are a false cult and they have inserted here. 283 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:21,040 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was a God. 284 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:29,080 Now you, I want to tell you to insert the letter A has no basis 285 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:33,960 in the Greek language. It has no basis in the Greek 286 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:38,480 text out of the 5000 manuscription board that your 287 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:42,720 witnesses are guilty to adding to and corrupting the Word of 288 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:47,560 God to distort the true essential deity of the Lord 289 00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:50,440 Jesus Christ. Because whatever the Bible says 290 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:55,440 in the beginning was the Word. You're talking about one who 291 00:18:57,320 --> 00:19:02,520 predates the beginning, the one who is Co eternal, the one who's 292 00:19:02,520 --> 00:19:05,240 Co equal for there's another person here in the beginning was 293 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:07,160 the word and the word was with God. 294 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:11,560 Two persons, another person here, person in the Godhead, and 295 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:16,600 he's not only Co equal and Co eternal, but he he Co exists 296 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:21,320 tremendous truth there. And then we we read further in 297 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:25,840 John's Gospel, it says in verse 14 And the word was made flesh 298 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:27,680 and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory. 299 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:30,320 The glory is of the only begotten of the Father, full of 300 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:34,440 grace and truth. He was manifest in a real true 301 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:37,720 flesh and blood body. And that's something that Paul 302 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:39,560 emphasised in the book of Hebrews. 303 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:42,960 Whenever he says in Hebrews chapter 2, Speaking of the Lord 304 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:46,320 Jesus, he says this. For as much then as children are 305 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:50,000 partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself likewise took part 306 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:52,640 of the seam that through death He might destroy him. 307 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:56,280 That had the power of death, that is the devil. 308 00:19:56,840 --> 00:20:01,720 See, the Lord Jesus was the God man, and yet He was a real true 309 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,680 man. He was manifest in the real true 310 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:07,320 flesh and blood body. And that necessitated the 311 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:10,640 doctrine of the incarnation, necessitated the doctrine of the 312 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:13,880 virgin birth. Think not only of His passion as 313 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:16,120 a suitable sea, or His person as a suitable seaver. 314 00:20:16,120 --> 00:20:19,840 Think of His passion. But this man, after he'd offered 315 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:24,280 one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of 316 00:20:24,280 --> 00:20:27,800 God. Can you think of Christ coming 317 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:32,000 into this world in a mission of mercy, living his life in a real 318 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:36,720 flesh and blood body, never sinned and thought and word and 319 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:38,360 deed. In fact, the Bible says He do 320 00:20:38,360 --> 00:20:41,120 knows He did no sin. He knew no sin in him is no sin. 321 00:20:41,120 --> 00:20:45,840 He kept the law of God perfectly for us, and then He went all the 322 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:49,240 way to the cross. And then that human real body 323 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:52,640 that He had, he bled and died, and shed his blood. 324 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:57,360 Wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities. 325 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:00,840 The chastisement of our peace was upon him with a stripes. 326 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:05,720 We are healed, Peter says, who did no sin, neither was guile 327 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:07,960 found in his mouth. Who when he was reviled, reviled 328 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:10,560 not again when He suffered, He threatened not, but committed 329 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:13,800 himself to him. That judges righteously who His 330 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:16,960 own self bear our sins, and His own body in the tree, that we 331 00:21:16,960 --> 00:21:20,400 being dead, the sins should live on the righteousness by whose 332 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:25,360 strikes you're healed. And again in the book of Hebrews 333 00:21:25,360 --> 00:21:28,920 you read in Chapter 9 and in the verse 26. 334 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:31,800 For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of 335 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:34,160 the world, but now once in the end of the world have He 336 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:37,720 appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 337 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:42,560 Think of His power tonight. Do you know He is able and 338 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:45,920 willing to save? Again, quoting from the book of 339 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:52,000 Hebrews in Hebrews 7 and verse 25, read these tremendous words. 340 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:55,120 Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost had 341 00:21:55,120 --> 00:21:59,200 come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession 342 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:02,560 for them. It's not wonderful. 343 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:05,680 Tonight He is able, He is willing. 344 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:12,280 Tonight Christ is alive, He's risen from the dead, He's 345 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:16,320 exalted to God's right hand. Not only he ascended, but he's 346 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:20,040 seated tonight at God's right hand, and he's there as a Prince 347 00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:23,240 and he's there as a saviour. And that's why God raised him. 348 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:29,200 That's why God has exalted him. Think of us pardon we were 349 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:31,120 singing tonight. It's not tremendous. 350 00:22:31,120 --> 00:22:37,080 Him, he that believeth on the Son tis true hath everlasting 351 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:40,040 life. You don't want to come to John 3 352 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:42,440 and 16. That word, whosoever a man by 353 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:46,880 the name of Richard Baxter, one of the old Puritans said that's 354 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:48,920 powerful. It's not wonderful. 355 00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:54,280 It doesn't say RB because you know, if it said Richard Baxter 356 00:22:54,360 --> 00:22:57,800 when I read it, I would think it probably means some other 357 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:01,960 Richard Baxter. It doesn't mean me, but it 358 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:04,520 doesn't say Richard Baxter. It said For God so loved the 359 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:09,320 world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever 360 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:13,600 believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting 361 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:16,880 life. You see, He's able to save. 362 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:19,120 There's none that he's unable to save. 363 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:26,400 None too hard, none too far away, none too old. 364 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:29,280 You've got to think of His pardon. 365 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:36,360 Whosoever includes everyone. All that the Father giveth me 366 00:23:36,360 --> 00:23:39,680 shall come to me, and him that cometh I will in no ways cast 367 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:40,960 out. Do you think of His promise? 368 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:43,920 Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are head the laden, and I 369 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:47,000 will give you a rest. And Isaiah 1 The children of 370 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:51,360 Israel were laden, full of guilt and sin, and yet the Father 371 00:23:51,360 --> 00:23:55,520 stands, the Son stands, the Holy Spirit calls. 372 00:23:55,720 --> 00:23:58,960 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will 373 00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:01,280 give you a rest quickly. He's not only a suitable 374 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:03,200 Saviour, but He's a sole Saviour. 375 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:05,840 Acts 4 and 12. Neither is there salvation in 376 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:08,200 any other, for there's no other name under heaven given among 377 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:11,920 men whereby we must be saved. John 14 and 6. 378 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:14,680 I am the way, the truth to life. No man comes unto the Father but 379 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:16,720 by me. Thousands tonight are trusting 380 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:22,080 in false religion, they're lost. False cults, whether it be 381 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:25,920 Mormons or jewel witnesses, they're trusting in that. 382 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:29,240 They're also lost. Thousands who are trusting in 383 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:35,200 the church, they're lost. Trusting in themselves, they're 384 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:37,320 lost. You see, you can't get to heaven 385 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:43,320 without Jesus Christ. There's none else. 386 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:47,240 No man comes unto the Father but by me. 387 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:49,920 And I hear it so often. But what about those that refuse 388 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:53,920 to hear and believe? What about those that didn't 389 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:57,320 have a preacher? What if no preacher can get to 390 00:24:57,320 --> 00:25:04,640 them and preach the word of God? They're without excuse because 391 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:08,520 they have the law of God written in their heart, and the book of 392 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:12,440 nature preaches and screams to them that there is a God and 393 00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:17,760 that God exists and that God is powerful and his eternal Godhead 394 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:20,520 has made known, and that voice has gone out through all the 395 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:25,080 earth. Jesus Christ is a soul Saviour 396 00:25:25,360 --> 00:25:27,080 tonight tell you something very quickly. 397 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:31,000 He's a satisfying saviour. Think of all his blessings and 398 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:33,240 benefits. You've peace with God. 399 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:37,720 You've pardon for all your sins, full, free and forever. 400 00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:39,200 You have a promise of eternal life. 401 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:42,360 It's already begun here and now. You have the prospect of a home 402 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:45,560 in heaven. You have the proof. 403 00:25:46,240 --> 00:25:50,080 He's given you a deposit, down payment, the Spirit of God 404 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:54,800 indwelling, and you have power changed in your life. 405 00:25:55,520 --> 00:25:57,480 Now through Christ I can do all the things. 406 00:25:57,480 --> 00:25:59,920 Through Christ for strengthening me, you can face trials and 407 00:25:59,920 --> 00:26:03,000 troubles. We were singing, Brianna was 408 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:05,120 singing, He walks with me and he talks with me. 409 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:10,640 We, we, we can, we can say no to sin, whether it be gambling or 410 00:26:10,640 --> 00:26:14,680 drunkenness or dancing or whatever the chief sin is, we 411 00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:16,680 can say no. We can overcome, we can have the 412 00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:18,680 victory. Why? 413 00:26:19,120 --> 00:26:22,080 Because the life has changed. If any man be in Christ is a new 414 00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:24,960 creature, old things have passed away and all things have become 415 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:31,360 new very quickly as we finish the salvation that is realised 416 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:35,160 for by Graeus. Are you saved through faith? 417 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:41,360 Graeus is the spring of salvation, undeserved, unmerited 418 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:45,040 favour shown to lawbreakers and criminals, not just God's riches 419 00:26:45,240 --> 00:26:48,120 at Christ's expense. You've got the subject of 420 00:26:48,120 --> 00:26:50,400 salvation for by Gracie is saved. 421 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:55,320 Save from sin's penalty, save from sin's power. 422 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:58,920 He breaks the power of cancelled sin, sets the prisoner free save 423 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:02,240 from sin's pleasure. He takes the love of sinning out 424 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:05,760 of our heart, where changed in our mind, in our outlook, save 425 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:11,040 from sins presence. One day, see Matthew 121 says I 426 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:13,920 shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from 427 00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:16,760 their sins. That's why He was born, for unto 428 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:19,840 he was born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is 429 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:21,080 Christ the Lord. Why did he come? 430 00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:23,080 He come to save us, save us from what? 431 00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:28,360 Save us from sin, sins, penalty and power and pleasure, and one 432 00:27:28,360 --> 00:27:31,640 day from its presence and and all the consequences that flows 433 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:34,600 from sin. Dying without Christ, ending up 434 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:39,640 at a lost eternity in hell, in the place where the fire's not 435 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:42,560 quenched, and a place of outer darkness where there's weeping 436 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:44,400 and wailing, of gnashing of teeth. 437 00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:48,120 And what's the source of the salvation? 438 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:53,520 How can we receive it? Here's the answer through faith 439 00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:57,960 for seeking all. I trust Him for seeking all. 440 00:27:57,960 --> 00:28:02,000 I take Him because feath in Jesus Christ is a saving grace 441 00:28:02,120 --> 00:28:07,640 whereby we receive and rest in Him alone for salvation as He's 442 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:13,160 offered to us in the Gospel. It's the instrumental cause, not 443 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:16,000 a meritorious 'cause it's the empty hand. 444 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:22,360 If someone comes to you with a gift, regardless of the size of 445 00:28:22,360 --> 00:28:26,200 that gift or the nature of it, what have you got to do? 446 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:28,560 We've got to reach out the hand and you've got the ticket. 447 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:33,920 You have a choice. The Lord Jesus comes and he says 448 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:37,960 I'm come that you might have life, you might have it more 449 00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:41,720 abundantly. And he offers life, life to the 450 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:46,200 full, a full life now, an abundant life in him, eternal 451 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:50,280 life that can begin now and he offers it. 452 00:28:52,120 --> 00:28:57,320 You have a choice to make. Will I take it, Will I receive 453 00:28:57,320 --> 00:29:02,800 it or will I reject it? The salvation that was realised 454 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:09,320 and that faith is not of ourselves, it's the gift of God. 455 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:12,000 So there's nothing meritorious about it. 456 00:29:13,080 --> 00:29:16,680 It's an instrument. Let me finish tonight with an 457 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:19,320 illustration that I gave and Wednesday night at the prayer 458 00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:21,640 meeting. I was thinking the other day 459 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:23,680 about the trees of the Lord being planted. 460 00:29:24,720 --> 00:29:27,480 Bible says in Psalm 104, the trees of the Lord are full of 461 00:29:27,480 --> 00:29:30,280 SAP. Did you know that there's a tree 462 00:29:30,800 --> 00:29:37,360 in California in Tullier County? It's called General Sherman. 463 00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:39,280 It's the largest tree in the world. 464 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:47,600 It's 2100 years old. It's 270 feet tall, it's 100 465 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:53,440 feet wide, and it's roots cover one acre of ground and they're 466 00:29:53,440 --> 00:29:59,840 spread out down into the soil and they're spread far and wide. 467 00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:05,120 And I was thinking it's not a picture of the Christian who's 468 00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:07,920 rooted in Christ. Remember, what did the psalmist 469 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:12,280 say about the godly man in Psalm one as we finish tonight, he 470 00:30:12,280 --> 00:30:16,480 said this in Psalm one. Speaking of the the godly man, 471 00:30:17,200 --> 00:30:21,160 having told us what the godly man is like, he made this 472 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:24,680 particular comment. And he shall be like a tree 473 00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:28,520 planted by rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his 474 00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:30,960 season. His leaf also shall not wither, 475 00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:34,080 and whatsoever he doth shall prosper. 476 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:38,840 You see, those who are joined to Christ through faith are rooted 477 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:42,240 in Christ, and then they grow up in Christ. 478 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:47,320 They display something of the wonder and knowledge of Him as 479 00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:51,520 Lord and Saviour, the salvation that is realised. 480 00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:54,680 Do you know anything of this spring? 481 00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:57,760 The grace of God? Do you know anything of this 482 00:30:57,760 --> 00:31:00,080 subject You're testifying tonight? 483 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:03,360 I'm saved. Do you know the real source of 484 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:06,960 that salvation? It's through faith in Christ. 485 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:12,200 Faith in Jesus Christ. That's the object, that's the 486 00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:15,440 true essence. That's all that we need. 487 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:19,160 That's what we realise and rest upon. 488 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:23,240 The Lord bless you tonight. Thank you for coming, and I pray 489 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:27,560 that the Lord will bless this gospel message to everyone that 490 00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:28,160 heard it. We're going.