A Must Message!

While I have never personally met Pastor Albert. N. Martin, he has been one of the greatest helps by God in my walk with Christ. His preaching and teaching has been absolutely priceless and I know that he will be a great help to all who listen.

Close to the end of this sermon, Pastor Martin quotes this old hymn:
by Anne R. Cousin (1824-1906).

"O Christ, what burdens bowed Thy head!
Our load was laid on Thee;
Thou stoodest in the sinner’s stead,
Didst bear all ill for me.
A Victim led, Thy blood was shed;
Now there’s no load for me.

Death and the curse were in our cup:
O Christ, ’twas full for Thee;
But Thou hast drained the last dark drop,
’Tis empty now for me.
That bitter cup, love drank it up;
Now blessing’s draught for me.

Jehovah lifted up His rod;
O Christ, it fell on Thee!
Thou wast sore stricken of Thy God;
There’s not one stroke for me.
Thy tears, Thy blood, beneath it flowed;
Thy bruising healeth me.

The tempest’s awful voice was heard,
O Christ, it broke on Thee!
Thy open bosom was my ward,
It braved the storm for me.
Thy form was scarred, Thy visage marred;
Now cloudless peace for me.

Jehovah bade His sword awake;
O Christ, it woke ’gainst Thee!
Thy blood the flaming blade must slake;
Thine heart its sheath must be;
All for my sake, my peace to make;
Now sleeps that sword for me.

For me, Lord Jesus, Thou hast died,
And I have died in Thee!
Thou’rt ris’n—my hands are all untied,
And now Thou liv’st in me.
When purified, made white and tried,
Thy glory then for me!"

Here is a video you can watch, listen or save the sermon to a device.

Or you can go here, and you'll open a new window directly to the SermonAudio.com page.

Oh I know this will be such a blessing to all who listen. What a wonderful display of the gospel... "Our desperate condition and God's gracious provision."

"Do you understand?"

Photo from Huffingtonpost.com

As Philip, led by the Holy Spirit, came upon the Ethiopian eunuch who was reading from the prophet Isaiah in Acts 8:26-40, we see in verse 29 that "the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot." It says in the next verse, "And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?"

This is a question that a lot of people have never thought about... "Do I understand what's going on when I'm reading this? Do these words just skim my brain or do I comprehend it an place the pieces correctly?"

So I ask you...

Do you understand what you've read and heard so many times?

Do you really understand the gospel of Jesus Christ?

 

Well, I hope that you will allow me to explain the gospel (good news) to you! After all, "it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." (Romans 1:16)

 

While we go through this, I encourage you to be like the Bereans of Acts 17:11 who "received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so."

Go get your Bible and look up the references with me. I like to include context so that people know what the Word of God says and they know that I don't pluck verses from here and there out of context to twist them up and make the Bible conform to my own agenda.

 

So there are several verses in the Bible that sort of simply the whole gospel. Such as John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Also 2 Corinthians 5:21 which says "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."

 

While these verses are so direct and to the point, I want to look at a broader picture so we can really understand the gospel!

I want us to really take in what Christ has done... digest it so to speak.

Jesus said in John 6:

"51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever."

Photo from lifeillinois.org

In this way, lets feel the texture of the gospel, smell the savor of the gospel, taste the gospel that it is sweet, consume it... digest it and let it become a part of our lives! "Oh taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man that trusteth in Him." (Psalm 34:8) 

 

I. Man is corrupted by sin

1. The gospel begins with the whole reason WHY we need a Savior.
• Man's first act of disobedience.
• Genesis 2:16-17 "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
  

  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."
• That was the command (Do not eat), that was the consequence (death), plainly stated...
• Genesis 3:6 "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."
• Thus we see the disobedience, in the rest of chapter 3 we read of God's punishments and His judgment in verse 19 "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."
• Death has now entered the world as a result of sin.
• Man is now separated from God because of His sin.
• Oh, but our loving God, even after their disobedience, provided a covering for their nakedness, instituting the very first sacrifice. (Genesis 3:21 "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.")

II. Judicial system is initiated

Photo from theoldgiftshop.com

1. The Law (10 Commandments) is given. In Exodus 20:1-17
• #1 (v 3) - No other gods
• #2 (v 4-6) - No Idols
• #3 (v 7) - Do not take the name of God in vain
• #4 (v 8-11) - Keep the Sabbath Day holy
• #5 (v 12) - Honor father and mother
• #6 (v 13) - Do not kill
• #7 (v 14) - Do not commit adultery
• #8 (v 15) - Do not steal
• #9 (v 16) - Do not lie
• #10 (v 17) - Do not covet
2. Other laws, specifications and guidelines were given for Israel to follow that gave them instruction in everything, so that they might know what God expects and so that they might be obedient to Him.
• From Exodus 20:18 all the through the book of Leviticus explains diverse laws, statutes and instructions given by God in categories such as laws to the nation, laws to priests, how and when sacrifices are to be given, measurements for furniture... etc.. etc.
• In these chapters God tells of consequences for disobedience and makes promises for restoration.
3. It is in these chapters that we find that God requires a sacrifice for the covering of sins.

So we see that our sin requires a sacrifice to be made. As Hebrews 9:22 says "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission." Lets continue...

III. Our inability

1. Have you ever noticed how we don't have to be taught how to sin? That's because its our nature.
• Look at a child for example. 2 years old, he's got crumbs all around him, chocolate all over his face and you ask "Have you been eating those cookies?" --  "No!"

Photo from writingmyselfthin.com

• What about when we are young and mom and dad told us something we didn't like? Disrespectful words tend to come out very easily, disrespectful attitudes are almost always a given... or how about when we're struggling on the exams and give a quick peek at our neighbor's answers?
• Let's get a little older now, we know the law... and yet when we're running late we so easily break the law by speeding. and on top of that, when we're pulled over, we're so quick to fudge a lie about why we were speeding.
• Or if we're just not feeling up to going in to work today... if we have time available or maybe even if we don't, we formulate a false story about how sick we are...
• If we've ever stolen ANYTHING, regardless of it's value... we're once again - guilty. whether we got caught by a human or not. (Proverbs 15:3 "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.")
• Lastly, Jesus said, recorded in Matthew 5:27-28 "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Looking on other people with sexual desire before marriage or on people who aren't our spouse after marriage, Jesus says is adultery.

If we're honest... we've all done something out of this very short list.

King David said in that great 51st Psalm "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." (v5)

You see... we're all sinners from birth! Its our nature... its this flesh, it is corrupted by sin, as we covered in point I.

So you see, as one of my favorite teaches says:

"We're not sinners because we sin;

We sin because we're sinners."

-Les Feldick

[You can find his great teaching for free at www.lesfeldick.org]

 

This is why #I was explaining how man is corrupted by sin! Because we MUST understand that we are in need of salvation or else we will never reach for the Savior!

Romans 3:19-20 says "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.

Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." You see? Some people may not even know they are in need! They may not know they are sinning!

Oh, don't we have a gracious and merciful God who sends forth laborers to spread the message, that He has provided a way! The Way!

Oh, I pray that if you don't know Christ today that you are aware of your sin by looking at God's holy law, seeing that His standard is perfection and seeing how we, no matter how hard we try, cannot live perfectly...

Psalms 51:17

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit:

a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."

James 4:6

 "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."

 

 

IV. The Lamb of God

Photo from Jesuswalk.com

1. Philippians 2:6-8 says "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Christ Jesus is the form of God. God Himself, humbled Himself and took upon Himself human flesh.
2. In John 1:29, John the Baptist said "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." An in verse 34, he said "And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God."
• Do you remember in point #II, where we saw how God required a sacrifice for sins? How it was to be a blood sacrifice?
• 1 Peter 1:18-19 "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:"
3. The book of Hebrews explains it so perfectly:
• Chapters 8-10 tell how Christ is the center of all the Old Testament ordinances
• Chapter 10 tells in verse 1 "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect." and verse 4 "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins."
• Do you see?? They were a shadow of the One Sacrifice! The one and only human, perfect, sinless, who would willingly lay down His life for sin!
• Verses 10-12 continue to elaborate, "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
  And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
  

  But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;"
• Oh, I could go on and on... continue reading those chapters!
4. Christ Jesus was the sacrifice that fulfilled EVERY requirement of God so that we can be reconciled to God!
• So because Jesus perfectly obeyed the law of God
• because He perfectly fulfilled every requirement
• He was the sacrifice that ended sacrifices! He was the last actual sacrifice that God will ever accept because all of the Old Testament was looking forward to Him and nothing we could ever do could ever match Him.
• Isaiah 64:6 says "... all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags..."

V. Salvation by Grace, through Faith

Photo from flickr.com

1. Grace is defined as "the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings."
• Ephesians 2:8-9 says "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
2. The great chapter on faith in the Bible, Hebrews 11, says in verse 1 that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
• Faith is defined as "complete trust or confidence... or strong belief in God."
3. It is by faith in God that all of the saints in the Old Testament were saved
• Even though they obeyed God in their sacrifices and ordinances, without faith, it would've been worthless. Without faith I'd fear to say they would've even participated.
4. It is by faith in Christ that all the New Testament saints were saved and it is by faith in Christ that we, today, ongoing in this present moment, must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved!
5. When Jesus was crucified, they buried Him in a tomb that had never been used. (Matthew 27:60)
• 3 days later, just as Jesus had foretold, just as the Old Testament foretold... Jesus arose from the dead. He was resurrected by the power of God claiming power and authority of death and hell.
• Revelation 1:18 "I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."
• For the resurrection read John 20, Luke 24, Mark 16, or Matthew 28.

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved!"

(Acts 16:31)

And now we must have "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 20:21)

 

By faith in the works of Christ Jesus... God can "legally" dismiss our case because where our sin was requiring God to punish us with death (Romans 6:23), by His own law... Jesus stepped in on our behalf and paid the penalty for us.

 

• So now I hope you understand a little more clearly what God meant when He inspired the apostle Paul to write "For He [God] hath made Him [Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin [He never sinned]; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21)
• The wrath of God that was due to us, was poured out on Christ Jesus... this is why he can say in Romans 1 "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ..." - "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed..." (v 16-17)
• God is not unrighteous by letting sinners into heaven just because He is partial to some and not to others, the Bible says in Romans 2:11 "For there is no respect of persons with God." No, He is righteous because the payment (Judgment) of all who trust in Christ has been paid by the only one able to pay it... Jesus, the Christ.

 

"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

 

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Saving Faith in Christ produces a transformation, however fast or slow, we see a work of God begin to take place in our lives that molds us to the image of Christ.

 

If you have never come to Christ... won't you today?

You can never be too far gone.

No matter what kind of sin you're living in, no matter what kind of lifestyle you live... you can NEVER be too dirty to be washed by the precious blood of Christ.

 

He says "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18)

He says lets be reasonable... I've told you of your sin... I've told you of the consequences... and I've told you of the pardon.

 

Oh, don't give your soul another moment's rest until you've gone to God and received peace in your soul by faith in Christ and the pardon of your own sin! 

Jesus said "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:37)

Photo from orthodoxnet.com

 

Come to Christ today --

Amen.