It is just a real joy again to be here with you and indeed I do love your pastor. Please give him my greetings when he returns. I think the people at Glen Cullen were disappointed when they knew I was coming here and he wasn't coming there. They love him dearly and you are blessed that God has given to a faithful man who is a preacher of the gospel.

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 55:4–5

Open your Bibles, I'm tempted to say, to the gospel according to Isaiah, Isaiah chapter 55. Surely we see much and great gospel truth throughout the book of Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 55, we will gather our thoughts around verses four and five this evening. Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples.

Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know and a nation that did not know you shall run to you because of the Lord your God and of the Holy One of Israel for he has glorified you. Let's pray once again and ask for the Lord's help.

Opening Prayer

Father, we once again come before you and we do thank you for your word that is able to make us wise unto salvation and we thank you for the truth that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word. Father, we are very aware of our own frailty and weakness of ourself And so Father, once again, we ask that you would come in the power of your Holy Spirit and minister to us this evening, that you would bless the consideration of your word to our heart. We pray especially that the Lord Jesus Christ would be exalted in all that we say, for he indeed is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, our glorious Savior. And so, Father, bless these things to our heart.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Introduction

There's a lot of ground that I would like to cover this evening. Our theme is the sufficiency or our sufficiency in Christ. And by sufficiency, I mean completeness or all that is necessary. Jesus suffered and He died to take away all of our sins.

He is a complete Savior. The hymn that we just sang speaks of that, of His perfect intercession for us. The verse at the top of the hymn, Hebrews chapter 7, 25, speaks of the fact that He is able to save all who come to God by Him to the uttermost. And that suffering of Christ has been clearly described for us in Isaiah chapter 53, throughout the whole chapter, but especially in verses 5 and 6.

Isaiah 53, 5 and 6. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities. Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray.

We have turned everyone to his own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." And then in chapter 54, it's declared that the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ would issue in victory. The redemption of a vast number of people from all nations being brought to the knowledge of Christ and to full complete salvation in him. And so we read in chapter 54 say verses 2 and 3. Enlarge the place of your tent and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out.

Do not hold back. Lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes for you will spread abroad to the right and to the left and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate The means by which the multitude of sinners for whom Christ died would come to the knowledge of the Savior is the declaration of the gospel. You know what the word gospel means. It means the good news.

And there is a free offer of the gospel given so clearly in Isaiah 55 verses 1 through 3. Come everyone who thirst, come to the waters. And he who has no money, come buy and eat. Come buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me and eat what is good. Delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear and come to me. hear that your soul may live and I will make with you an everlasting covenant my steadfast sure love for David.

Note it says there in verse 1 come everyone who thirst and the thirsty are those who desire satisfaction of soul. Now brethren that's something that is common to all men and women and because God is blessed Forever, in and of himself, he is the source of all that is good and blessed. True satisfaction of soul can only be found in him through Christ. Now, note it's a free offer.

It's not restricted to those who are sensible of their need of Christ. Because they are described in verse 2, as those who spend their money for that which is not bread, and their labor for that which does not satisfy. So this gospel invitation is addressed to all kinds of sinners freely and without restriction. Now, it's true, and to put it simply, only those who know and are convinced of their sinfulness will see their need of Christ.

However, that doesn't mean that the offer of the gospel and the offer of the gospel in Christ is limited or restricted to those who see their need of Him. But only those who do will listen and obey and receive the offer. But brethren, the offer itself is addressed to all sinners in need of forgiveness, in need of blessedness. The Dutch theologian William Baracco wrote, there is a general and unconditional declaration to all, that is to him who thirsts, who is without money, and who wills, Isaiah 55 and John 7 and Revelation 22, he who neither wills nor is thirsty will refrain from coming.

This is his own doing and he will be responsible having been invited and having heard this general calling. Since many reject the gospel, it is necessarily offered to them for whatever is not offered cannot be rejected. It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you, but seeing you put it from you and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles, the Apostle Paul. Many are disobedient to the gospel, 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 and verse 8, and are disobedient to the Son, John chapter 3 and verse 36.

It thus follows that Christ was offered to them and they were commanded to believe in Christ. John Calvin wrote, the gospel is to be preached indiscriminately to the elect and to the reprobate, but the elect alone come to Christ because they have been taught of God. Calvin adds, God invites all indiscriminately to salvation through the gospel. But the ingratitude of the world is the reason why this grace, which is equally offered to all, is enjoyed by a few.

Now the question comes up, can man naturally thirst after Christ? No, they can't. But they can and they do thirst after blessedness. They can and they do thirst after satisfaction of soul.

But they call it all sorts of other things. Self-fulfillment maybe, or realization, or getting all the gusto. And because all men seek it and are lost in sin, as we said this morning, spiritually blind, To the truth, they seek satisfaction of soul in many ways. And so the prophet says there in verse two and three, listen diligently to me and eat what is good and delight yourselves in rich food, incline your ear and come to me here that your soul may live.

Ritterboss commented in his is a commentary on Isaiah, the foolish person could have it so much better. In contrast to the self-sacrifices the world demands, there is the simple act of listening to the voice of the Lord calling. And over against the getting of no bread, there is the eating of what is good. The experience of real soul satisfaction.

This is expressed even more strongly by saying that their soul will delight in fatness. Fat being considered a great treat by Orientals. An image therefore of the experience of greatest joy. The invitation to listen to the Lord and to come to him And so to the blessings of redemption he offers is again repeated.

To this is added the promise that then their soul or their person will live. The natural life is an image here of the higher life which may be experienced only in the obedience of faith. Now it's by this means of this unrestricted offer of mercy to sinners that the elect of God out of fallen mankind are brought to salvation, are brought to the knowledge of God in Christ and their soul is satisfied in that. Their thirst is quenched and we have this promise in verse 3, and I will make with you an everlasting covenant my steadfast sure love for David.

So the way God effectually and irresistibly establishes his covenant with those he chose in Christ even before the foundation of the world is through this unrestricted offer of mercy and this conditional promise that all who come will indeed be received into the bonds of this covenant of grace. Brethren, God cannot lie. Titus chapter 1 and verse 2, in hope of eternal life which God who never lies promised before the ages began. Now in verses 4 and 5 we have two sentences which begin with the word behold.

Pay attention. Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, and behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know." It's speaking of the true son of David because it's pointing back to verse 3, where it says, and I will make you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. In other words, Promises of blessing given to David. Back yonder.

Remember in 2 Samuel chapter 9. Those promises find their fulfillment and completeness in Christ. David's greater son. So when it says, I've made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples there in our text, it's speaking about Christ.

About Christ who was all of that for his people. And that's what I want us to consider this evening.

Christ as Witness to the Peoples

So in the first place, consider Christ as a witness for the people. You know what a witness is, it's one who gives testimony. I should have known that you would have a Reformed Baptist hook. I think I forgot about that.

Can I tell a little story here before we take on the... When I went to the pastors conference in Montville, New Jersey for the very first time and I would watch these guys. They would get up into the pulpit and they would announce the scripture. They would read and pray and you would look up and they'd be out of their coats.

And I, I never saw anybody get out of their coat, but I figured I, if I was going to be reformed Baptist, I had to come back and get a hook to put on my, my pulpit. So we have hooks on all of our pulpits. I shouldn't have done that. Let's see.

Christ is a witness. for the people. A witness is one who gives testimony, and I want you to understand that Christ was always a witness. In the Gospel of John, chapter 1, our Lord Jesus is called what? The Word.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the reason that Christ is the Word is because God from all eternity determined to reveal himself to men by Jesus Christ, the second person of the Godhead. And in eternity, there was a covenant of redemption within the Godhead. The Father gave a people to the Son in order for him to redeem them and to make his truth known to them, to glorify them together with himself, and the Lord Jesus Christ was always to be the word, the one through whom God made himself known to men." John chapter 1 and verse 14, and the word became flesh and dwelt among us.

And we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. Second Corinthians 4.6, for God who said, let light shine Out of darkness has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, where? In the face of Jesus Christ. He's a faithful witness to the people.

And

Witness in the Covenant of Redemption

in the covenant of redemption, Christ was appointed the mediator between God and man. He was committed to come. And he was to declare the Father. And in his coming and in his declaration, of the Father.

He was committed to bear the guilt of sin for all of those given to him by the Father and to open the way through his blood to the Father. And the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ and what is, what is his primary work? To testify of Christ. And He, the Holy Spirit, was in the prophets in the Old Testament, revealing the eternal purposes of God to speak to man through Jesus Christ.

So in the appointed time, the Spirit of Christ was in the Old Testament prophets speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Spirit of Christ in the Prophets

Turn with me to 1 Peter 1. Verse 11. Actually, let's pick up in verse 10. Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully inquiring what person or time The spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.

In other words, Christ by the Holy Spirit was declaring the truth concerning himself, a faithful witness to the peoples through the Old Testament prophets. And then in the fullness of time, Christ himself came. And he was manifest in the flesh. So Malachi chapter 3 and verse 1 speaks of Christ as the messenger of the covenant.

The covenant of redemption. Behold I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me. John Baptist. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple.

And the messenger of the covenant, the Lord in whom you delight, behold, he is coming." So there's no question our Lord Jesus, prior to his becoming a man, appeared in the Old Testament as the angel or messenger of the covenant. He appeared in human form, though he had not yet become a man in the Old Testament. He appeared to Abraham. He appeared to Joshua, to Gideon, and others.

Remember how he appeared in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the book of Daniel. But he was to actually come in the fullness of time, as the Apostle Paul says in Galatians chapter 4 and verse 4, by becoming a man as a messenger of the covenant, as the one through whom the covenant of God with men was to be fulfilled, was to be ratified, who was the source of all the blessings of God's gracious covenant with man.

Christ's Witness in His Earthly Ministry

And he came in perfect fulfillment as the Word, showing God to be the God of truth. Paul wrote in Romans chapter 15, verses 8 through 13, For I tell you that Christ became a servant, the word servant there could also be translated minister, to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs. And in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy, as it is written, therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles and sing to your name. And again it is said, rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.

And again, praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him. And again, Isaiah says, the root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles, in him will the Gentiles hope. And may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. The Lord Jesus Christ came as the messenger of the covenant, the one who fulfills all the promises of God.

That's why the Apostle Paul can say to the Corinthians that in him, in Christ, all the promises of God are yes and amen. He is the truth and he's always faithful. He is a witness to the peoples. And he bore witness to the truth throughout his earthly ministry.

Even before his enemies, as you see in the gospel accounts. For example, in John's gospel, this witness bearing of Christ is a major theme. Turn over to the gospel of John chapter 3. Verse 11. our testimony.

John chapter 5 and verse 24, truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but is passed from death unto life. Truly, truly, I say, whoever hears my word, whoever receives my witness, and then verse 36 says, but the testimony that I have is greater than that of John, for the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me." Turn to John chapter 17. This high priestly prayer of our Lord in verse 5.

And now Father glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed as his suffering and his death upon the cross draws very near. He declared how he faithfully bore witness to the truth of God in verse 6, I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were and you gave them to me and they have kept your word. And he spoke the words given to him by the father. verses 7 and 8.

Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you for I have given them the words that you gave me and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you and they have believed that you sent me. So in John chapter 18 and verse 37 before pilot who says to Jesus, so you say that you are a king. Jesus says for this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world. To what end?

To bear witness to the truth. Witness to the people. And then our Lord Jesus having bore the sin of many Taking upon himself the wrath of God which those sins deserved on Calvary, having risen and ascended to the Father's right hand, he continues to bear witness to the truth.

Christ's Continued Witness from Heaven

In fact, this is really what our text back in Isaiah 55 verse 4 is speaking of. That Christ, exalted, continues to declare the truth to men. to be a witness to the peoples. Turn to the book of Acts chapter 1 for just a moment. And I'm sure that you remember that this is Luke's second treatise, isn't it?

He first wrote his gospel where he told all that Christ had done and began to do teach and so we read here in verses 1 & 2 in the first book of Theophilus I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day when he was taken up after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the Apostles whom he had chosen. The book of Acts tells us what our Lord Jesus continued and continues to do. And so on the day of Pentecost, it was Christ who poured out the Holy Spirit according to the Father's promise. He raised up lowly, timid men to be bold witnesses to the truth concerning him, his witnesses.

You shall be witnesses for me. They were men like Peter and John, and think of it. fishermen, unlearned men in the eyes of the world. Acts 4.13 says, when people saw their boldness, that is Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished as they recognized that they had been with Jesus. And this very same exalted redeemer, he confronted Saul of Tarsus.

There on that road to Damascus, he transformed him. from a hater of the truth, a persecutor of the church, into a preacher of the very truth he sought to wipe out. A proclaimer of the gospel, a humble servant of Christ, an apostle to the Gentiles, a preacher to the peoples, Acts chapter 9, verses 15 and 16. And so Christ himself declares his own gospel by his ministers. That free offer of mercy contained in Isaiah 55, one through three, is sent out among all the nations by the Lord Jesus Christ.

He is made a faithful witness to the peoples. And so make no mistake, it's his work. It is Christ who sends his gospel to men. He is the sufficient witness to the peoples and men may think it's by coincidence or by accident or circumstances but that's not true in any case.

It is Christ at the right hand of God who by his spirit causes his servants to make known the gospel to sinners. It's the very work that Christ is doing. Again, turn to his high priestly prayer, John chapter 17 and verse 2. Since you have given him authority, let's back up and read verse 1.

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify your son that the son may glorify you. To what end? Verse two, since you have given him authority over all flesh to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.

And so when the gospel is brought to men and women in their sins, in their need, it is Christ who confronts them with the truth. A faithful witness to the peoples. And brethren, that's true in every case. Well, there's so much more that we could say about that.

One thing that I would say is don't take lightly the hearing of the gospel. Don't take lightly the hearing of the word of Christ. That's why the apostle says in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 20, therefore we are ambassadors for Christ. We're not speaking our own words.

We're not here for ourselves. We're ambassadors for Christ. God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God.

You see, it is Christ who speaks in his gospel. And he does so through its free proclamation, even when it's by weak and frail and mortal men. He enables them to declare the truth as it is in Jesus. That's why the Apostle Paul can say in 2 Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 5, for what we proclaim is not ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.

Zankeas, a theologian from the 16th century wrote, nor is the gospel to be preached only, but preached to every creature. To reasonable beings, promiscuously and at large, to all who frequent the Christian ministry of every state and condition in life, whether high or low, young or old, learned or illiterate, all who attend on the ministrations of Christ ambassadors have a right to hear the gospel fully, clearly, and without mincing. Preach it, says Christ, Mark 16, 15. Publish it abroad.

Be its criers and heralds. Proclaim it aloud. Tell it out. Keep back no part of it.

Spare not Lift up your voices like trumpets, because Christ is a faithful witness, made a faithful witness to the peoples.

Christ as Leader and Commander

Well, Christ is also a leader and a commander to the peoples. Isaiah 55, once again, and then the second half of verse 4, Or let's just read the first half again. Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. In our adult Sunday school at Glen Cullen for the last couple of years, we've been studying David.

And certainly David was given as a leader and commander to the people. But this is speaking of a greater than David. This is speaking of David's son according to the flesh. the Lord Jesus Christ, David's Lord. And our passage says he is a leader and commander.

It's applying his care and power on the one hand and his authority on the other. You see, Christ is the head of the church. And he's head in two senses. He is a life-giving head and a governing head.

So he is the source of the church's life. He alone is the one who has right to tell the church what to do. He's the leader and the commander because he's given them life. And he leads the way onto glory.

He leads his people into all the blessings that he has secured in his redemptive work on the cross. As mediator of that eternal covenant of redemption, he gives salvation and all the blessings of it to all of those given him by the Father. Every single blessing to every single one. The blessing of regeneration, the renewing of the heart and the will.

So that a sinner is made willing to repent and to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. He freely gives all of those blessings held out and offered in the promises of God and he leads his people into them. Justification, even the forgiveness of all of our sins. Peace with God.

Adoption into the family of God and glorification with him in the new heavens and the new earth. He's a leader to the peoples. He's also a commander to govern his people, his church. A church that's made up of people from all the nations and yet one in Christ Jesus.

He's the ruling head as well as the life-giving head. And so he has the right, he has the right to appoint its government.

Christ's Authority Over Church Worship and Practice

He has the right to appoint its mission, its goals, and all of its practices. He has the right and the authority to declare its way of worship and how it's to function. He's given us special ordinances to observe until he comes again to receive us unto himself. He's given to us baptism and the Lord's Supper as our leader and commander.

He gives us these things out of love to remind us of all that we have received out of his richness, of all that we have received of his rich blessings by and through his suffering and death upon the cross. He's given us these things to strengthen and to confirm our faith. And brethren, while that's true, it's also true, all that he hasn't appointed in practice and worship ought to be excluded. I know I'm probably preaching to the choir here, but it's important that we get that.

All that he hasn't appointed in practice and worship ought to be excluded. The Church of Jesus Christ is not some social clock to behave or act or carry out its mission in any old way just so long as it works or is agreeable to the people, making up its own rules. No, we have a head. We have a leader.

We have a king, a commander to the people. And he has authority over us. It's sad. Some people join clubs with others where they have a common, that's not sad, but it's a reality.

It's sad where I'm going with this. Some people join clubs with others where they have a common interest, maybe a chess club, a hunting club. When I was in high school, I used to belong to the varsity club. and the Spanish club. I think I can order eggs for breakfast about all I can remember from being in the Spanish club.

The point is for some the church is simply a religious club. But brethren it's the body of Christ and he's the head. He's its leader and commander. He dictates its mission and its strategies and its tactics.

Matthew chapter 28, 18 through 20, all authority, all power in heaven and earth has been given unto me, said Jesus. Go therefore into all the world and preach the gospel, making disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." And he's caring for us, you see. He is leading us through all our trials onto victory. 2 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 14 we read, but thanks be to God who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere, from victory until victory, until glory comes. Geoffrey Wilson wrote, commenting on Paul's words there in 2 Corinthians 2, thus Paul sees his apostolic progress through the world as a continuous triumph by means of which the knowledge of Christ is spread abroad like perfume.

As Christ's loyal lieutenant, triumph is assured to Paul in every place, even at Corinth, the place where he appeared to be facing an ignominious defeat. And such confidence we ought to have as Christ's commands his church as he is the leader and commander to the people. And brethren, I guess the question that I would ask is why would we want it otherwise? He is such an all wise and ever caring leader and commander.

How foolish and how contrary to faith for the church to think it knows better. to think that we know what this generation needs. Ultimately and sadly, brethren, that is a denial of Christ's sufficiency and authority as a witness and as a leader and commander. So we must submit to his scripture in all things. We talk about regulative principle, don't we?

I trust you understand what I mean by regulative principle. Just one example, and let me suggest to you that regulative principle is not about preference, our preference. It's not simply our narrow outlook. The way we do it here, hope you don't mind, it's the way the church ought to respond to its all-sufficient witness, leader, and commander in every place and circumstance.

Brethren, I would encourage you to press on in faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ in your worship here, that you would give yourselves to the reading of God's Word, the singing of His hymns, the prayers of his people, and the preaching of the word of God. These are the things that God has called us to. So much more that we could say we need to move on quickly.

Christ as Builder of His Church

And let me move on then and mention that Christ is the designer and the builder of his church. Verse 5, behold you shall call a nation that you do not know and a nation that did not know you shall run to you because of the Lord your God and of the Holy One of Israel for he has glorified you. Now there is some discussion as to who is meant here. Behold you shall call a nation that you do not know.

Is it speaking of Israel the existing people of God at the time, some may refer to it as the Old Testament church, or is it speaking of Christ? And let me just say briefly, certainly God used Israel, the existing church as it were, to further his cause, to bring the truth to the nations. So instrumentally, verse 5, could apply to the church. But brethren, above all else, it is still speaking of the Son of David, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our sufficiency.

And it is He who calls a nation. Those people who had not known Him. And so we read in Isaiah 65 and verse 1, I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me. I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me.

I said, here am I, here am I, to a nation that was not called by my name. But here in Isaiah 55 and verse 5 it says, he calls a nation he knew not. Now obviously that doesn't mean in the sense of having no awareness. of them, or any idea that they existed. He's the Lord.

And Christ knows about everyone, even their innermost thoughts. No, it means he calls a nation he did not know in the sense that in the past. Back yonder, he had no saving dealings They walked in darkness. Therefore, he would no longer seek only the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

He had other sheep to seek and to save for whom he would make atonement. John 3.16, for God so loved the world that he gave his only son, gave him to die upon a cross, not just for Israel, after the flesh, but for all who would believe upon him in the world. So in John chapter 10 and verse 16, Jesus declares, I have other sheep, others given to me of the father sheep, sheep that are not of this fold, Israel, they're Gentiles. And I must bring them also.

And you know what? They will listen to me. And there will be one flock and one shepherd. And so Isaiah 55 and verse 5 is saying that the Lord Jesus after his exaltation would call.

And the word call implies an effective, irresistible call. And who? Who would he call? A people from the nations.

See, that's why the book of Acts is so vital. I'm glad you're reading through the book of Acts. Some of this is fresh in your minds. We're reading through the book of Acts as well in our second service.

I think you're in Acts 15, we're in Acts 14. So right about the same place. The book of Acts is so vitally important. Christ not only calls the apostles to make the gospel known, But he actually empowers that gospel by his spirit to the effectual calling of his people, all his sheep.

That's why the Apostle Paul can say in the book of Romans that I want to come. I want to be there in Rome. Why? Because I want to declare the gospel.

Because it's the power of God to salvation to all who believe, to the Jew first, but also to the Gentile, to the Greek. bringing every last one ordained to eternal life and to faith and repentance. And so we read in the book of Acts how the Lord added to their number daily. Who added to their number? The Lord added to their number.

Or we think of Lydia in Acts chapter 16, how she gathered with other women down by the riverside and the apostle Paul went down And he was impressed and he spoke to them the word of God. And they were attentive to what he had to say because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. But what happened? The Lord opened her heart and poured in grace.

And the Lord saved Lydia. Or Acts 13 in Antioch and Pisidia, verse 48 is a wonderful verse, Acts 13. Verse 48, and when the Gentiles heard this, the gospel, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. And of course, at the end of the book of Acts, we read in chapter 28 and verse 28.

Therefore, let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles." They will listen. They will listen. Christ is building his church. He is a leader and commander of the people.

This is Christ doing, and he is continuing to do what this text says he would do. He is at the right hand of God, and he is building his church. And Christ brings his redeemed to the Father. Verse 5 again, But you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you because of the Lord your God and of the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you.

Brethren, briefly, what is that saying except those effectually called, those who have been changed to love the truth they once despised, Now they embrace and receive the truth in Christ. They run to the Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet says, because of the Lord your God, which is to say they run to Christ for acceptance with the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. I probably need to be invited back so we could finish this passage.

Application

But let's stop there and make some application. Brethren, this passage is teaching us that all our life and all our welfare comes to us by God the Father through Jesus Christ. He is a witness to the peoples. He is a faithful leader and commander.

Might we examine our hearts and cast off all sense of self-sufficiency. We are a needy people and Christ alone is our sufficiency. If God in Christ has effectually called us by the gospel, let's then live in alignment to that powerful God. As the Apostle writing to the Ephesians in this very same context speaks of living a life worthy of your calling.

Resting and trusting completely in Him. You see, as He is our witness, then we need to quit listening to others. We need to quit listening to all the noise out there in the world. We need to even quit listening in a sense to our own inner voice, you know.

And we need to listen to His testimony with childlike complete dependence. As He tells us the plan of salvation, let's submit with reverence and no disputing. No seeking to substitute in its place our own ideas. As he shows to us great and precious promises which God has given in his word, let's rely upon them.

Let's expect their fulfillment with confidence. Paul said in Christ that all the promises of God are yes and amen. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. All things that he calls us to do, all things that he calls us to be.

Paul says I can do that, not in my own strength, but through Christ who strengthens me. Brethren, do you believe that? We need to live out of it. And as he declares his righteous judgment against sinful ways, Let's be in awe and even tremble at the thought of disbelief.

Let's humble ourselves under his true witness in all things. I believe that's what we all want to do, but let's confess we fall short. And so what to do? Well, we confess and we repent and we press on.

Let's confess our feeble, wavering faith and pray, Father, I believe, please help my unbelief. Might we be strong in faith, giving all glory to God. Might we walk in unreserved obedience before our leader and commander. You see brethren, we're not alone.

We can live in content obedience because He will never leave nor forsake us. I think if we were to really get our hands around this, this would increase our sense of contentment in Christ by bounds. I think that contentment is one of the greatest testimonies that a believer can have before a sinful world. Contentment is a fruit of the Spirit.

It's a grace. Contentment with godliness, Paul says, is great gain. Contentment is a learned experience as well. It's a grace that we grow in to and in.

Aren't you glad for that? I think of the Apostle Paul wanted to go to Rome as I mentioned earlier and there he is in Rome but not exactly the way he thought it was going to turn out initially. He's in prison and he's writing to the Philippians and he says, I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content. The key is I have learned.

I'm always thankful for that. Paul had to learn a measure of contentment. But brethren, contentment is also a command. It is a Christian imperative.

In Hebrews chapter 13, we are told, we are warned against the love of money, and then we are commanded to be content with whatsoever things you have. But then it goes on to say, because I will never leave you. I will never forsake you. What can man do to you?

You see, Christ is a faithful witness and commander to the people. We're not alone. We can live in content obedience because he will never leave nor forsake us. What can the world do?

And so with joy let's fight the good fight of faith. Sometimes we have to do hard things for Christ. You young people, and I know Pastor Butler would never lie to you, it's not easy to be a Christian. It's not easy to be a Christian.

You are called to take up your cross, and that goes for young people as well as old people, to take up your cross and follow Christ. It's not easy, but you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Put on the whole armor of God. Study his word.

Meditate upon it. Pray. Fight the devil. Put the old man to death.

He's got to go. He's got to go. And whatever the Lord gives you to do, do it with all your might. We have our sufficiency in Christ.

Isaiah 55, 4 and 5, Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, And a nation that you did not know shall run to you because of the Lord your God and the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you." Well, may God bless the consideration of these truths to our heart. Let's pray.

Closing Prayer

Our Father, we do thank you for this Lord's Day. We thank you, Father, for the time that we've had together to worship you. We thank you for your word. We thank you, Father, for the fellowship of believers.

And Father, I thank you for these dear people. And Lord, I ask that you would bless them and that you would enable them to grow in the faith and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ together. I pray, Father, that they would all be found safe, trusting the Lord Jesus, living in hope of eternal life. So Father, bless all of these families, bless their children, bring them all to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus.

Be with Pastor Butler. Thank you for him and his ministry here. Father, encourage his heart, I pray. Lord, grant unto him all of his desires as he seeks to follow you.

And Father, I pray that for continued faithfulness in this place. I pray, Father, that the gospel would always ring out clear and that there would be a healthy sound of the truth from this place. And that you would bless these dear people, Father, grow them numerically, grow them spiritually, add to their numbers, Father, give them greater measures of influence in this community. And Father, I just pray, Father, you would do all of this, not that they may boast, but that, Father, that you would be glorified and that your son, the Lord Jesus, would be magnified.

And Father, we do thank you again for this word. We thank you and ask that you would bless it to our hearts. Draw us closer to you. Forgive us of our sins.

Forgive us, Father, for our weak and wavering faith at times. Increase our faith, we pray. Father, increase our love to you. May we serve you with greater devotion and greater vigor, looking forward to your return.

We ask all of this in the name of your Son, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Scripture References

• Isaiah 53:5-6; 54:2-3; 55:1-5; 65:1
• Malachi 3:1
• Matthew 28:18-20
• Mark 16:15
• John 1:1; 1:14; 3:11; 3:16; 3:36; 5:24; 5:36; 7:37; 10:16; 17:1-8; 18:37
• Acts 1:1-2; 4:13; 9:15-16; 13:48; 15; 16:13-14; 28:28
• Romans 15:8-13
• 2 Corinthians 2:14; 4:5-6; 5:20
• Galatians 4:4
• Ephesians 4:1
• Philippians 4:11; 4:13
• 2 Thessalonians 1:8
• Titus 1:2
• Hebrews 7:25; 13:5
• 1 Peter 1:10-11
• Revelation 22:17