← Back to sermon library

I'm going to focus primarily 
on verse 18 this morning in terms of our meditation for the Lord's 
Supper, a verse that B.B. Warfield calls the summation 
of the gospel. But I just want to read beginning 
in verse one so we can see the larger context and all that the 
apostle had said to Agrippa. Beginning in chapter 26 at verse 
one. Then Agrippa said to Paul, you 
are permitted to speak for yourself. So Paul stretched out his hand 
and answered for himself. I think myself happy, King Agrippa, 
because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning 
all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, especially 
because you are expert in all customs and questions which have 
to do with the Jews. Therefore, I beg you to hear 
me patiently. My manner of life from my youth, 
which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, 
All the Jews know. They knew me from the first, 
if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest 
sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and 
am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. To this promise, our twelve tribes, 
earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this 
hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. Why should 
it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead? Indeed, I myself thought I must 
do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. This 
I also did in Jerusalem. And many of the saints I shut 
up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests. And when they were put to death, 
I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in 
every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme. and being 
exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign 
cities. While thus occupied, as I journeyed 
to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 
at midday, O King, along the road I saw a light from heaven, 
brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed 
with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard 
a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, Saul, 
Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick 
against the goats. So I said, who are you, Lord? 
And he said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But arise 
and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for 
this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things 
which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal 
to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish 
people as well as from the Gentiles to whom I now send you to open 
their eyes in order to turn them from darkness to light. and from 
the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness 
of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith 
in me. Therefore, King Agrippa, I was 
not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to 
those in Damascus and in Jerusalem and throughout all the region 
of Judea and then to the Gentiles that they should repent. turn 
to God and do works befitting repentance. For these reasons, 
the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. Therefore, 
having obtained help from God to this day, I stand witnessing 
to both both to small and great, saying no other things than those 
which the prophets and Moses said would come, that the Christ 
would suffer, that he would be the first to rise from the dead 
and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles. 
Now, as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, 
Paul, you are beside yourself. Much learning is driving you 
mad. But he said, I am not mad, most 
noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. For the 
king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things. For 
I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, 
since this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do 
you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe. Then 
Agrippa said to Paul, you almost persuade me to become a Christian. 
And Paul said, I would to God that not only you, but also all 
who hear me today might become both almost and altogether such 
as I am, except for these chains. When he had said these things, 
the king stood up as well as the governor and Bernice and 
those who sat with them. And when they had gone aside, 
they talked among themselves, saying, This man is doing nothing 
deserving of death or chains. Then Agrippa said to Festus, 
This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to 
Caesar. Amen. Let us pray. Father, we 
thank you for the written word and we pray for the ministry 
of your spirit now. We ask that he would guide us 
and instruct us in the things concerning Christian truth. Father, that we would understand 
the gospel of our salvation, that it would be a means to encourage 
us on this day, to remind us afresh of the great work of Jesus 
Christ on behalf of his people. And we ask in his most blessed 
name. Amen. Well, as I said, we're going 
to focus primarily on verse 18 this morning, making five observations 
on this particular text. But it is good for us to consider 
the larger context. Remember that the apostle had 
appealed to Caesar. And so Festus calls to Agrippa. Festus wants Agrippa to hear 
what is going on concerning this man, Paul, the apostle. Now, 
the Agrippa mentioned here in chapters 25, and 26 is Herod 
Agrippa II. He is the son of Herod who killed 
James and imprisoned Peter, as recorded in Acts chapter 12. 
His great uncle was Herod Antipas, the Herod that is indicated in 
the Gospels. His great grandfather was Herod 
the Great, who ruled at the time Jesus was born. Now, the one 
indicated in the passage as Bernice is not his wife, but rather it 
is his sister. And their incestuous relationship 
was spoken of or was talked about in all of Rome. And then Felix's 
wife, Felix from earlier on, his wife, Drusilla, was their 
sister also. So that's the man to whom the 
apostle is speaking. He had some understanding, as 
is evident in the passage of the Jewish religion. He understood 
something of Moses and the prophets. Paul could appeal to him on that 
particular level. And so we notice Paul's defense 
very specifically beginning in chapter 26 at verse one. He mentions first his early life 
as a strict Pharisee. His early life, verses 1 to 8. 
Then he mentions the fact that he raged against the church in 
verses 9 to 11. He was a fanatical persecutor. Some of those things ought to 
strike a chord with us when we consider the magnificent grace 
of God. We see what the Apostle Paul 
was. He was engaged in rage against 
the very church of whom Jesus died for. It is Paul, who was 
one of the chief antagonists in the early chapters of the 
Book of Acts. It is Saul of Tarsus who is standing by, nodding his 
approval, giving his consent, while that holy and godly man 
Stephen is executed. It is Saul of Tarsus who is guarding 
the garments or the clothes of those engaged in stoning Stephen. And as a response to Stephen's 
prayer, Lord, do not charge them with this sin. In Acts chapter 
nine, the great change comes upon Saul of Tarsus. He goes 
from murderous rage. He goes from fanatical persecutor 
to a commissioned apostle. And that's what he recounts in 
verses 12 to 18. He had authority and a commission 
from the chief priests. He rehearses that he was on his 
way to Damascus. This is the third time in the 
book of Acts where this testimony is given. This is the fullest 
account of it in Paul's words before Agrippa. He highlights 
the fact that Jesus appeared to him and said, Saul, Saul, 
why are you persecuting me? I find it very interesting that 
when Christ's church is persecuted, when the souls of this world 
target the people of God, it is Jesus that is being persecuted. He says, why are you persecuting 
me? And then Jesus saves him on the 
road to Damascus. Jesus gives him this commission 
as an apostle, primarily to the Gentiles. And it is that to which 
we direct our attention. Notice in verse 16, it says, 
But rise and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for 
this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness, both of the things 
which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal 
to you. Jesus revealed other truth to the apostle. along his 
life. Verse 17, I will deliver you 
from the Jewish people as well as from the Gentiles to whom 
I now send you. Paul was persecuted by everybody. He was in a Jewish synagogue. 
He was opposed there. He was among Gentiles. He was 
opposed there, wherever he went and whoever he spoke to. If they 
were not saved, they mocked or they rejected him. They opposed 
him and very often wanted to kill him. He records that in 
Second Corinthians 11, the very things that he suffered on behalf 
of the gospel ministry. In fact, Jesus, in his call to 
him in Acts chapter nine, says, I will show him how much he must 
suffer for my sake. And certainly that came true 
in the life of the apostle. But then notice, Jesus sends 
Paul to the Gentiles and to Jews as well to give a very specific 
message on a very particular mission in verse 18. He says, 
to open their eyes in order to turn them from darkness to light 
and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness 
of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith 
in me. It's the primary calling of the 
gospel minister. the primary calling of the apostles 
of our Lord Jesus. It wasn't to be the most winsome 
fellow. It wasn't to be the most popular 
fellow. It wasn't to be the best speaker, 
the most knowledgeable, but rather they were to function as a witness. 
They were rather to function as God's man, bringing God's 
message to the people to whom they were sent. And I want to 
look at five things from verse 18 this morning by way of encouragement 
to our hearts to see the purpose of Jesus and the purpose of gospel 
ministry. The first thing he indicates 
there is to open their eyes from darkness to light. to open their 
eyes from darkness to light. Again, Paul did not go to synagogues, 
and he didn't go among the Gentiles simply to teach another way. 
He didn't go there simply to tell them other religious truths. He didn't go to supplement what 
they already knew by nature by their own pagan or heathen religions. But rather, Paul understood the 
real condition of mankind. Their eyes are closed. They are 
in spiritual darkness. If you are here this morning, 
your condition is a lot worse than you ever imagined if you 
are not a believer in the Lord Jesus. You don't need a little 
help. You don't need a little encouragement. 
You don't need a bit of supplemental information that Christianity 
provides. The Scripture says that your 
eyes are closed. The Scripture says that you live 
in darkness. The Scripture says that you love 
darkness rather than light. You want nothing to do with the 
things of God Most High. The scripture tells us that this 
is one of the one of God's judgments upon men for their idolatry. When men worship idols, they 
become like those idols, according to Psalm 115 and verse eight. 
When we worship those who have eyes but cannot see, when we 
worship those who have ears but cannot hear, when we worship 
those who have mouths but cannot speak. It is no accident that 
we become like them. It is no accident that we take 
on their characteristics. The Psalms tell us this. And 
here, the idea is that as we worship dumb or blind idols, 
we are blind. We are spiritually darkened. 
We have no understanding. We have no ability to comprehend 
the truth. So Jesus sends Paul, again, not 
to supplement the religious understanding in the Roman Empire or among 
the Jewish people, But he sends them with the message of truth 
so that their eyes will be open, so that they'll behold their 
own sin. They'll see their place before a holy God and they'll 
see that Christ alone is the way of salvation. To open their 
eyes from darkness to light. The scripture tells us over and 
over again that this is a mark of those who are dead in their 
trespasses and sins. We read it in Isaiah 42 today, 
didn't we? What's one of the missions of 
Jesus? to open their eyes. This is what he is dispatching 
Paul to do. It's always struck me as well 
that when Paul, the apostles, and effective gospel ministry 
imitates the Lord Jesus, they participate in his mission. And 
this is precisely what he says here. Paul doesn't have the ability 
to open spiritual eyes. Paul is a vehicle, a vessel, 
to preach the truth by which the Holy Spirit works to open 
their eyes. Cornelius Van Til said, man walks 
around like he has an iron mask on his face. Our task is to preach 
truth to him, trusting in and praying for the spirit of God 
to rip that mask right off of his face so that he can behold 
the glory of Jesus Christ. This is what Paul was tasked 
to do, to open their eyes from darkness to light. Warfield said, 
here we have, in the briefest compass possible, the whole apostolic 
mission. You want to understand what the 
apostles were about? Verse 18 describes it. You want 
to know what the ministry ought to be about today? Verse 18 describes 
it. The apostles are sent into a 
world blinded by sin, sunk in the darkness of soul that comes 
from sin to open men's eyes. Witness bearers, as they are, 
their duty corresponds with their equipment. They have received 
of the Lord. Let them impart of what they 
have received to others. They have only to open men's 
eyes to open them to a clear vision of their state, of their 
danger and destiny, and of the love of God in Christ, which 
has provided a reprieve from the danger. So in other words, 
when Paul goes on this mission to open their eyes, he doesn't 
just come and say, look, you take Jesus and you'll have a 
better life. You take Jesus, you'll be a happier soul. You 
take Jesus and everything will be great for you. No, he comes 
and he declares God's wrath. He comes and he pronounces the 
fact that men are lawless. Men are rebels. Men sin. Men 
reject. Men rebel. Men love darkness 
rather than light. Men would rather bow to an idol 
than glorify the living and the true God. You see, Paul always 
started with the bad news. He spoke of God's wrath for man's 
having broken his law. Because until we come to that 
place, brethren, our eyes will never be open. Until we come 
to the reality that we are under the wrath and fury of an almighty 
God, we will never see the beauty and amazing character of Jesus. 
We'll see him as one option among many, a little bit more happiness 
for my already packed life. That's not how the gospel is 
presented in the apostolic account. You need to be reconciled to 
God. What does that presuppose? There's a breach between you. 
You need to be redeemed by God. What does that mean? But that 
you're a slave in the market of sin. You need to be saved. What does that mean? Except that 
you are lost. You need to have your eyes open 
to the light of Christ because the presupposition is your eyes 
are closed. You're in darkness. The sad testimony 
today is that men in darkness, apart from the Spirit of God, 
love that darkness. Isn't that what Jesus taught 
us in John 3, 19 and 20? He says men love the darkness. 
They don't want to come to the light. They don't want to be 
exposed. They don't want to be found out. It's like being blind 
and loving itself. being opposed to God and loving 
it so. And I realize sinners aren't 
usually that honest, but the Bible is honest and it tells 
us the truth concerning man in sin. Darkness is representative 
of evil in scripture, and it further illustrates this idea 
of spiritual blindness. Again, if you're here this morning 
and you don't know Christ, you're blind. You may have physical 
sight. You may be able to go out today 
and see the rain, the clouds, the beauty. You may be able to 
go out and see the mountains. You may be able to see the sunshine. 
You may be able to see your mothers and your fathers and your friends 
and your children. But if you don't know Jesus Christ, 
you're blind. You're dark. You love it. The scriptures are clear. And 
the purpose for Christ coming into this world and his commissioning, 
the apostle Paul, is to open their eyes to spiritual reality, 
to open their eyes to the truth, to turn them from darkness onto 
that marvelous light. In fact, Peter summarizes it 
in that way. It is God who calls us out of 
darkness into his marvelous light so that we may proclaim his excellency, 
so that we may proclaim his praises. The Scripture highlights this 
fact that God in the Gospel is giving us eyes to see. He's giving 
us ears to hear. He's giving us that ability to 
move from darkness into the light, which is Jesus Christ. Brethren, 
as we feast this morning on this bread and wine, think about that 
reality. I realize we're not as holy as 
we ought to be. We're not as godly and as righteous 
as we ought to be. But brethren, the fact that we 
see The fact that God has called us out of darkness and that we 
now see our sin and we see Jesus as the only way for sinners. 
Praise God Almighty. This is not to be taken lightly. 
We understand the sovereignty of God in these things. Man can't 
just click his fingers and open his own eyes. Any more than a 
blind man can go to a surgery and lay himself down 
and conduct eye surgery and fix his eyesight. Can't do it. If you see this morning, it's 
by God's grace. If your eyes are open, it's by 
God's grace. If you understand something of 
the gravity of your own sin, it's by God's grace. If you see 
that it's Christ alone who pays the debt, it's by God's grace. 
If you understand what this bread and this wine represents, it's 
by God's grace. If you realize it's not just 
an empty ritual or an empty rite that we just sort of go through. 
What represents the doing and the dying of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
That's why God's grace to open their eyes from darkness to light. He goes on, secondly, to say 
to turn them from the power of Satan to God. It's not a beautiful 
statement. Remember, Jesus indictment of 
the Jewish leaders in John eight says you are of your father, 
the devil. You are of him. That's a strong 
statement. And the desires of your father 
you want to do. What's he described Satan as? 
He's the father of lies. He's a murderer from the beginning. Oh, Jesus, don't you know that's 
going to offend their delicate sensitivities? Don't you know 
they're going to be a little bit bothered by that association? 
Don't you realize that these men and their pride and arrogance 
are boasting that they're sons of Abraham? He says, you are 
not sons of Abraham. Your sons are the father of your 
father, the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. Well, that's not just true of 
unbelieving Jews to whom Jesus threw down. It's true of us as 
well. Look at Ephesians chapter 2 verses 1 to 4. Ephesians chapter 
2 verses 1 to 3 actually is a before picture, a before picture, what 
we are prior to salvation, prior to the but God of verse 4 in 
Ephesians 2. Notice in verse 1, and you. who 
were dead in trespasses and sins in which you once walked according 
to the course of this world, according to the prince of the 
power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of 
disobedience. We all walk this way. We are 
all of our father, the devil. We were all of this spirit who 
works in the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now 
works in the sons of disobedience. Notice Paul lumps himself in 
this description as well. Among whom also we all once conducted 
ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires 
of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of 
wrath, just as the others. You see what Christ has come 
to do? He comes to deal the death blow to Satan. He comes to make 
good on the promise of Genesis 3.15. He will crush the head of the 
seed of the serpent. He doesn't play games at Calvary. 
He doesn't partially save. He doesn't just keep the devil 
at bay. He crushes him. He destroys him. The language is very powerful. And it's interesting here that 
Jesus tells Paul that I send you to turn them from the power 
of Satan to God. The rule of Satan is the power 
of darkness. It is described as the hour of 
darkness in Luke 22. He is the God of this world, 
according to 2 Corinthians 4. And he is behind the opposition 
to Christ, which his people in this world face. Not the thrust 
of Ephesians 6. We don't wrestle against flesh 
and blood. Oh, now, flesh and blood manifest that aggression. 
They manifest that opposition. Abortionists are driven by a 
devilish rage. But it is the devil who is behind 
these things. You see, it's a very strong power. But Christ comes to break that 
power. Christ comes to deal with that 
power. John Murray says it is most significant 
that the work of Christ, which is so central in our Christian 
faith, is essentially a work of destruction that terminates 
upon the power and work of Satan. He said, this is not a peripheral 
or incidental feature of redemption. It is an integral aspect of its 
accomplishment. He says, it is surely significant 
that the first promise of redemptive grace, the first beam of redemptive 
light that fell upon our fallen first parents was in terms of 
the destruction of the tempter. He also says elsewhere, we are 
prone to a naturalism that fails to reckon with spiritual truth. 
In other words, we see the abortion clinics, we see the drive-by 
murder, we see the drug wars, we see all this stuff, and we 
forget there is an enemy behind this. We think our struggle is 
only against flesh and blood. We run into a spiritual battle 
armed physically. We need to be prayerful. We need 
to understand the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but 
they are mighty for the pulling down of stronghold. We need to 
understand that abortion. We need to understand the drug 
trade. We need to understand child molestation and pedophilia. 
We need to be in prayer about those things. Who's behind that 
but the father of lies? Who's behind that but he was 
a murderer from the beginning? It is not an incidental thing 
that in the garden, that when God came to deal with Adam and 
Eve, that covenant of commencement, he says, it is he who will crush 
the head of the seat of the serpent. He deals decisively. The New 
Testament fleshes this out throughout. John 12, verse 31. I want you 
to see this and understand this. Mentioned before, at least when 
I was a kid, there was a comedian by the name of Flip Wilson. And 
Flip used to say, the devil made me do it. That may fly, well 
it doesn't fly even with the non-Christian, but I've heard 
Christians sometimes, oh the devil, he's so strong. What's John tell us? Greater 
is he that is in you than he that is in the world. There's 
actually Christians who claim that Christians can be demon 
possessed. As if Jesus or the Spirit of 
God and a demon can hang out together. No. Jesus deals decisively. John 12, verse 31. John 12, verse 
31, verse 30. This voice did not come because 
of me, but for your sake. Now is the judgment of this world. 
Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted 
up from the earth, will draw all men to myself. Colossians 
2, 13 to 15. Colossians 2, 13 to 15. I encourage you, brethren, when 
you sin as a Christian, don't blame the devil. Blame yourself. It's easier to have a scapegoat, 
isn't it? Isn't that what we find in the garden? Pass the 
buck. The woman who now gavest me, she gave me and I ate. He 
blames not only Eve, but he blames God. The implication, of course, 
is if you hadn't have given me this person, I would have never 
been given this fruit. What happens with Eve? Oh, it 
was the serpent. Right? Pass the buck. Christians do that today. Instead 
of saying, you know, I'm not living consistently, with my 
profession of faith in Jesus. I'm not living like Paul tells 
me to in Romans 6. It was this guy. It was the devil. It was this. It was that. You 
know what? Accept responsibility. When David 
comes to repent before the Lord, he says, against thee and thee 
only have I sinned and done this evil in your sight. He doesn't 
say, you know, she was hot. She was dressed immodestly. I 
had time on my... He didn't go into all these excuses. We are an excuse-making people. Jesus has dealt the death blow 
to the devil. Colossians 2, verse 13. It says 
that you being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your 
flesh, he is made alive together with him, having forgiven you 
all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements 
that was against us, which was contrary to us. And he has taken 
it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross, having disarmed 
principalities and powers. He made a public spectacle of 
them, triumphing over them in it. It wasn't just something 
done in the corner. When he said, it is finished, 
one of the things that he was referring to was dealing the 
death blow to Satan. It was making good Genesis 3.15. Though his heel was bruised through 
crucifixion, that heel dropped on the head of the serpent and 
destroyed him. Hebrews 2. Just want you to see 
this. That we have been turned from 
the power of Satan unto God, Hebrews 2, 14, inasmuch that 
as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself 
likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy 
him who had the power of death, that is the devil. Notice where 
the decisive victory comes. It's through the death of Jesus. 
We're not waiting for him to come again in glory in order 
to judge the serpent or to crush the serpent. He did that at the 
cross. 1 John 2, or 1 John 3 rather. Again, he links this decisive 
blow to the enemy of our souls with the first coming of our 
Lord Jesus. 1 John 3, verse 7. Little children, let no one deceive 
you. He who practices righteousness 
is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, 
for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose 
the Son of God was manifested. that he might destroy the works 
of the devil. Now, 1 Peter tells us that the 
devil roams about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. 
Revelation 20 tells us that he is bound so that he may not deceive 
the nations. The idea is that he has been 
defeated. He has been destroyed. He still 
wants to try and molest us. What's the scriptural admonition 
to us? Sit on a mountain and pray and fast for 40 days and 
the devil won't bother you. Go to a Bob Larson conference 
and learn all the tricks and trades about how to cast those 
demons from you. Demon riddance through whatever 
potion that you can take. You know what the scripture says 
for the Christian to deal with the defeated enemy? It's very 
simple. Resist him. Resist him. I got a buddy who 
said when he first got converted, he was going to a church where 
they were casting out demons from everything. We're going 
to have a church car wash. Let's cast out the demons of 
rain. Demons behind those tumbleweeds. The Mojave Desert has a lot of 
tumbleweeds. Cast out. You know what? Resist him and 
he will flee from you. You don't have to recite an incantation. You have to wear garlic around 
your neck. You don't have to give him this. 
Resist him and he will flee from you. There is madness in the 
church today with reference to the devil. He's not God, he's 
not deity, he's not omniscient. He is a defeated foe. Brethren, 
the blood of Jesus Christ, his son, has cleansed us from all 
sin. It has broken that bond that 
has connected us to the devil. We are now of the father. And 
the desires of the Father, we want to do. We don't do it perfectly. We do it with sin, but we confess 
our sin. He's faithful and just to forgive 
us. Acts 26, the third thing. It says to grant them forgiveness 
of sins. Paul tells Agrippa. Jesus sent 
me to do this, to open their eyes in order to turn them from 
darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Thirdly, 
that they may receive forgiveness of sins. Isn't that beautiful? You can see why Warfield called 
this verse a summation of the gospel. It's all here. It's all 
there. Conversion. Our eyes are open. Forgiveness. Cleansing through 
the blood of Christ. washing, purification. Remember 
how Paul puts it to the Corinthians. And such were some of you. What 
were they? Drunkards, extortioners, adulterers, 
homosexuals, murderers. Such were some of you. He says, 
but you were washed. But you were justified. But you 
were sanctified. He breaks the power of reigning 
sin. He sets the prisoners free. His blood atones for the foulest, 
all your sins. Jesus paid it all. When you trace 
through the book of Acts, brethren, note the emphasis. Repent and 
be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins. Pisidian 
Antioch. Through this man has preached 
to you the forgiveness of sins. Christ makes this an identifying 
mark of the ministry that Paul would have. Go preach to them 
forgiveness of sins. Thinking about this earlier, 
imagine a social setting. I don't know what social setting, 
just anything away from the church. Let's say there was a time to 
mingle before the actual meeting began. You might talk to people. 
You might say, hey, what brought you here? Let's say it's a financial 
thing. Well, you know, I've made such 
and such a bit of money and I need to roll it over into whatever 
and I need these guys to sort of teach me. There's a common 
bond betwixt you. You say, well, that's why I'm 
here too. I've made such and such amount of money. I need 
to hear from the Guru what I'm supposed to do. There's something 
that brings us together. You know what brings us together? When this mingling occurs, why 
are you here? I'm a sinner. Isn't that it? We're not here because we're 
good. We're not here because we're better. We're not here 
because we've arrived. We're not here because we've 
learned. We're here because we're sinners, saved by grace, forgiven 
by Jesus. That's what brings us together. 
That's why we can have unity. That's why we can have fellowship. 
It doesn't matter what your economic background is. It doesn't matter 
what your social status is. It doesn't matter your educational 
level. We're sinners saved by grace. 
Right? In our mingling time, that's 
how we describe it. Why are you here? How come you 
came to this church? Because I'm a sinner. I need Jesus. Isn't that why you're here? Are you here because you've arrived? 
You found out the Reformed Baptist got it all together? We don't. 
It's a nice group of people. It's a nice group of people. 
Wonderful. Great. But why are you here? Because 
I'm a sinner. That's all I love about that. 
Oh, wow, the church is full of hypocrites. Exactly. What better 
place for them? What better place for a sick 
man than in a hospital? Really? What better place for 
a hungry man than at the chow line? What better place for a 
thirsty man than falling down at the river to drink? We're 
sinners. That's our common theme. That's 
what brings us together. That's what unifies us. That's 
why it amazes me as well. In the church, that person sinned 
against me. Duh! That's what we do. It's how we roll. I'm not justifying 
it. But I'm saying we ought never 
to just go, I can't believe it! You ever done that with your 
kid? I can't believe you've done that! What's the implication? I would never do that. I'm holy, 
pure, righteous, and undefiled. We're parenting biblically. We 
will be like God in Psalm 103. He pities us. He knows our frame. He knows that we are dust. When 
we come to God, He doesn't go, how could you ever do that? He 
says, you've done it. Confess it. Forsake it. You will 
find mercy. Now get out of here and don't 
do it again. I don't think He says it just like that, but that's 
the idea. We're sinners forgiven. That's 
the issue, and that they may receive forgiveness of sin. Brethren, 
focus on this in your lives. Think about this chief blessing 
of the gospel. Think about it on a Sunday morning 
when you wake up. Think about it each and every 
day when you wake up. Think about the blood of Jesus Christ, His 
Son, cleanses us from all sin. Think about the Gospel. Think 
about the cross. Don't make the bread and wine 
just a monthly thing, but make it an everyday thing. Think about 
the death of Jesus. Think about His resurrection. 
Get Romans 4.25 deep in your mind and in your heart. He was 
delivered up for our offenses. He was raised for our justification. Live by faith in the Son of God 
who loved you and gave Himself for you. Be always near the cross. Make Fanny Crosby's hymn yours. Jesus, keep me near the cross. Make Paul's statement yours. 
I determined to know nothing among you except Christ and Him 
crucified. Make Paul's statement yours, 
brethren. The life that I now live by faith 
in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me. I hope 
that you don't think gospel only when we come to the Lord's Supper. 
You think gospel constantly. I hope gospel is just in you, 
that it's just what makes you, makes you happy, makes you delighted, 
makes you get up in the morning. Quite frankly, sometimes there's 
not a lot of arguments out there as to why we should get up. But 
when you think Jesus paid it all, you should jump out of that 
bed ready to rumble in a good way, not ready to throw down. 
And then notice, fourthly, to grant them an inheritance. Isn't 
this beautiful? It's not enough that He forgives 
us now. He's going to bring us to glory. Isn't that amazing? It's not enough that He forgives 
us now. He's going to bring us to glory. The best exposition 
of this passage in terms of this inheritance, turn to the latter 
portions of Revelation 21 and read into chapter 22. It's beautiful. In our hymn books, you may turn 
to 599 and it says, The bride eyes not her garment, 
but her dear bridegroom's face. I will not gaze at glory, but 
on my king of grace. Not at the crown he gifteth, 
but on his pierced hand. The land is all the glory of 
Emmanuel's land. We have forgiveness of sins, 
and we've been given an inheritance. We have title deed to Emmanuel's 
land. We have the hope of better things. 
We have joy unspeakable and full of glory. We will one day see 
Jesus Christ. It's amazing, isn't it? I love 
the way the hymn writer puts this. The bride eyes not her 
garment, but her dear bridegroom's face. I've seen weddings in this 
room, and when the lady walks up here, she's not going, wow, 
look at how hot I am. Look at me. Maybe somewhere deep 
in her heart and mind, that thought is there. I got the thunder in 
this room. When she comes up here, she's 
looking at her bridegroom's face. She's gazing into his eyes. She 
is saying, I'm yours and you're mine. We're together for the 
long run. Isn't that what the hymn writer 
says? The bride eyes not her garment, but her dear bridegroom's 
face. He translates it and he says, 
I will not gaze at glory, but on my King of Grace. When you 
get into heaven, I doubt, brethren, the first thing you're going 
to look at are the streets paved with gold, or the pearly gates, 
or the various stones bejeweling that glorious kingdom and realm. 
You're looking at Jesus. Jesus makes heaven heaven. Jesus 
is what heaven's about. I will not gaze at glory but 
on His face. Not at the crowning gifts. Not 
at what He gives me, but I'm going to look at His pierced 
hand. I'm going to see why I'm there. I'm going to see what 
love is all about. The Lamb is all the glory of 
Emmanuel's land. You see what Jesus says to Paul. 
Go and preach to them. Don't tell them they'll have 
their best life now. Tell them they'll be forgiven 
and they are being set aside for an inheritance incorruptible, 
in a place where moth and rust do not destroy, in a place that 
cannot be stolen away from them. You tell them there is something 
better. Paul, when you go to various 
churches and you deal with people who are persecuted, you deal 
with people who have trials and difficulties, you deal with cancer 
patients, don't come along and lie to them and say, well, of 
course God's going to make you whole and healthy and wise. And 
if that doesn't happen, it's all you. No, you come and tell 
them that the maladies, the problems, the difficulties in this lower 
world are a momentary light affliction. We have an exceeding weight of 
glory ahead of us. Brethren, get your minds off 
earth and into heaven. That's what this inheritance 
is all about. Eighty years seems like a long 
time, brethren. It's nothing in comparison with 
eternity. And then the fifth thing. Notice. 
How do these blessings come? Not by works of righteousness, 
but by faith in Me, Jesus says. When you go out and preach to 
those various peoples, Paul, When you go to the Areopagus, 
when you stand before an Agrippa, when you stand before a Thestis, 
when you stand before a Felix, you are not coming to preach 
moral reform. You are not telling them to clean 
up their act a little bit. You are telling them to believe 
on the Lord Jesus Christ. You are turning them away from 
self unto another. The gospel is extraspective. 
It is a focus upon another. It is by faith in Jesus, faith 
alone. That's why Protestantism arose, 
was to fight the idea that we have faith plus words in order 
for salvation. Protestantism needs to maintain 
sola fide in our day, because without faith alone, there is 
no salvation. God will share his glory with 
no man. It's all of Christ, or it's none 
of Christ. These are mutually exclusive 
categories. The summation of the gospel, 
according to B.B. Warfield, and I think he's on 
the right track. We learn a few things and then 
we close. First, the condition of mankind. I touched on this 
initially. There's a man by the name of 
Rolf Barnard. He was a preacher in the Southern 
Baptist churches. He was an evangelist. You can 
find his book, Sermons. He preached with fire. Many of 
you have heard Pastor Al Martin before. You say, wow, he really 
raises his voice sometimes. I don't mean this disrespectfully, 
but he was a bit of a lightweight compared to Ralph Barnard. Ralph 
Barnard would often preach to ignorant people. You know how 
you define total depravity? He says, the Bible says you just 
plumb bad. It's a nice colloquial way of 
saying it. You just plumb bad. Doesn't mean you're as bad as 
you could possibly be. Doesn't mean you only ever go 
out and kill people and do horribly wicked things. But the Bible 
says that in your blind state, in your darkness, you are bad. You cannot merit God's favor. 
You cannot achieve his inheritance. You cannot gain anything from 
him. We see that in this passage. 
To open their eyes. See, Christianity isn't an alternate. 
It isn't a supplement. It isn't something that comes 
alongside of paganism. Well, you know, what you guys 
have is good, but I just want to kind of push you over the edge. No. 
Heathenism, paganism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, they're blind. That's the condition of mankind. 
Blind. Dead in their trespasses and 
sins, as Paul says in Ephesians 2. Notice the purpose of the 
Christian ministry. It's not to come and make men 
happy. It's to come and call men to believe the gospel. Warfield 
here says, the appointed means of breaking this darkness is 
the proclamation of the gospel by which alone can men's eyes 
be opened. The appointed means of breaking 
this darkness is the proclamation of the gospel by which alone 
can men's eyes be opened. Brethren, pray for the Christian 
ministry, not just Pastor Cam and Pastor Jim and this church. 
But we live in a day and age when the false prophets are saying, 
peace, peace, when there is no peace. We're living in a day 
and age of substitution, a day and age of compliment, a day 
and age of attitudes and things that detract from the gospel. 
We need men that see their mission as defined in terms of Acts 26, 
18. Go preach the truth. Call men 
to believe the gospel. Right? Isn't that the point here? The final analysis, if I'm not 
your best buddy, that's okay, or Tam's not your best buddy. 
If we are calling you to believe the gospel, There's no better 
service a man can render in terms of faithfulness to the Lord and 
in terms of service and love to the brethren than preaching, 
faithful exposition and application of God's Word. This isn't a self-promotion 
plot here. This is not, hey, we have something. 
No, no. This is what the context is. 
Paul is defying for a grip on what Jesus called him to do. 
A lot of question, a lot of talk today. What does the pastor do? 
What is missional? What is it? Do what Paul did. Preach. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ 
and you shall be saved. That's what needs to be heard 
in the churches. That's what needs to be heard outside the 
churches. That's what we need to pray to God will be thundered 
from pulpit to pulpit. That's what caused the Reformation. 
Remember that quote, Luther said, all we did was, you know, hang 
out basically and preach the word and God did the rest. You 
look at Calvin and Luther and these giants of the faith. What 
made them giants of the faith? They preach the word. They did 
what Paul does or did. They preached the word. And then 
for us, let us consider the blessings of the gospel. We have had our 
eyes open. We have turned from darkness 
to light by his grace. We have been broken or saved 
from the power of Satan onto God. And we have received forgiveness 
and we have an inheritance. Brethren, that ought to put a 
spring in our step. It ought to put a hallelujah 
in our hearts. It ought to put worship in our 
bones. And when we come to the house 
of God, let it be in terms of Psalm 122. I was glad when they 
said unto me, let us go to the house of the Lord. This is the 
last place we should come in like this. This is the last place 
where we should look like we just got shot. This is the last 
place where we should look so bummed out. Brethren, we are 
here to celebrate the Redeemer who gave Himself for us so that 
we would have these benefits, so that we would have these blessings. 
Let us praise and worship and celebrate and honor and glorify 
and adore this God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Well, let us pray. Father, we thank you for this 
passage of Holy Scripture. We thank you for the blessings 
of the Christian gospel. We thank you for your power. 
The face of man's sin. You have been so gracious to 
provide atonement. You've been so gracious to provide 
forgiveness. And we know it comes through 
the blood of Jesus Christ. And we pray that today this gospel 
would be proclaimed all over the earth. And we pray that today 
your spirit would be at work in the midst of churches and 
assemblies and among sinners who are hearing these words. 
And we pray that your spirit would cause men to come forth 
to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and to know the joy of 
everlasting life. We ask through Christ our Lord. 
Amen.