R sbc
Date: April 28th 2006
Series: Christ the Sum & Substance of The Bible
Sermon # 80
Subject: “Given Us In Christ Jesus”
Text: II Tim 1:8-10
Intro: The great gift of the Lord Jesus Christ to fallen sinners, is beyond the undertaking of this preacher to expound it fully. In introducing this subject I wish to show four things about a gift.
(1.) A gift that cannot be earned: Eph 2-8 “ Not by works lest any man should boast.
(2.) A gift from God: Our Lord Jesus Christ said to the woman: Joh 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
(3.) A gift that cannot be bought: Ac 8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
(4.) A gift that can be chosen, earned, bought is really not a gift at all: 1Pe 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
I... THE GREAT FACT HE ESTABLISHES ...VS 9 “ WHO HATH SAVED US”
Those in this service who are the recipient of this great gift of salvation know of the great value it is to us. To save us is to deliver us from the penalty of the law. To save us means that we need not fear the enemy anymore... Ac 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
We know that it was the eternal purpose of Jesus Christ to come into the world to save sinners, for it was clearly announced... thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins.. The angels said, for unto you is born this day in the city of David a saviour which is Christ the Lord.
ALL AND I DO MEAN ALL, WHO HAVE TRULY RECEIVED THE GIFT OF GOD BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST KNOW OF THE GREAT MAGNITUDE OF IT. Many have come and gone, and never experienced the greatness of Jesus Christ. Some have even came through these doors and slipped into hell because they have not know the Lord Jesus Christ.
II... “ THE MEANS OF THIS SAVING”... “ CALLED US WITH A HOLY CALLING”
To be called... I show two things..
(1.) There is that general call that goes to all men without distinction:
It comes in the way of a command to repent and believe the gospel... Ac 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Preach by John the Baptist and Jesus Christ: Mt 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. It is given by me and other gospel preachers every time we preach the gospel. I call upon sinners to act , even though they want and can’t.
It was preached by the Apostles early in their ministries...Ac 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
This general call is further manifested in the duty of man:
Jesus said again:
Mt 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. Mt 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
It is the work of the church to extend this general call to everyone we can: Re 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
(2.) The effectual call...”our text” holy calling.
There is such a distinction when the LORD opens a sinners heart, when he begins theat working of grace in us... when he breaks our will, and when he draws us to himself. May are called but only a few chosen.
1st. The effectual call is a distinct call..
The word distinct means: Different in nature and quality. It is clear to the intellect, it leaves no doubt in ones mind and heart. This is totally different from the general call. While the general call may even have some emotional tie to it, or it may not. This call leaves one with a sense of reality...
It is different from anything that has ever happened to you. Know one has to tell you, you look them up to tell them. On the day of Pentacost, many heard many seen, many were called by Peter, but only three thousand cried out what must we do to be saved! In the jail house where Paul and Silas was the Philippian jailer likewise cried out what must I do to be saved...
Let me give you a prime example of this where the effectual call was actually exercised on one and not others...when Paul was giving his testimony he said these words concerning his calling:
Ac 22:9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
2nd. The effectual call is without doubt a call that is effective:
Using the same example as above, Saul of Tarsus immediately said Lord what wilt thou have me to do? The woman at the well, said come and see a man that hath told me all that I ever done, is not this the Christ.
A. It effects the heart:
2 Cor 5-17 “ Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creation, behold old things are passed away and all things become new. In the prophecy of the Old Testament the LORD said these words:
Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
The reason men need a new heart is because it is yet uncircumcised... Jer 9:26 Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.
Ro 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
b. It effects the will of confession: Ro 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Sinners are made willing in the day of his power... Sinners are made willing in the regeneration of their hearts, they now have a new heart, that will govern their will. No longer are they rejecting Christ but now they are crying out to him... Save us we pray. Lord be merciful to me a sinner...
c. It effects the fruit of our life:
Mr 4:8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. I do not know what fruit you will bear, but I do now that you will bear fruit because Jesus said you would...
The first fruit that you will want to bear, is baptism, 1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
III... THIS SALVATION HAS AN ETERNAL PURPOSE IN IT:
This is clearly seen in the fact that it was “given us in Christ before the world began”
Nothing could be clearer. Those who do not understand this, those who do not believe it, those who refuse to believe it will never change the LORD’S purpose to save a people for his name sake.
My margin says “ before time began” God in his wisdom planned the entire plan of salvation and all those whom he would save in time before there was time. That is beyond us but I love it...
We know that it is so, because of who it is in: “ Christ Jesus the eternal God himself”. Paul said all the spiritual blessings were given us in him before the world began Ephesian 1
Let us examine what this really means:
(1.) It means we are eternally saved:
John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. The idea promoted by a lot of Baptist that once saved always saved is a doctrine that promotes a life of sin in people, just make a confession and then you never have to worry again... If Christ gives you eternal life you never will want to go back if you do you want stay...
(2.) It means that you are eternally secure:
2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
(3.) It means that we have an anchor that is steadfast:
Heb 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Can you this morning trust this Christ, if so do it and do it now.