The Sovereign Grace of God
For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. Romans 9:15
Look around you, my friends, and witness, there is a sovereignty in all the works and dealings of God. In all things, His hand is clear to those who have eyes to see; and we are to witness to all men, what we have seen; and when I'm asked to define and defend this sovereignty, I use God's own definition of His sovereignty; I refer the inquirer to His words, "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy." Here is the Sovereign! Speaking forth as a sovereign! He carries forward His gracious purposes of infinite wisdom and love—chooses or rejects—reveals or withholds, "working all things after the counsel of His own will," and "giving no account," either to angels or to men, "of any of His matters." I can easily give many examples of His sovereign choices; but I will limit myself to just 4 -- that should be enough to get the picture: my friends, look if you will upon the lives of Jacob and Esau—the Publican and Pharisee—Saul of Tarsus and the men who journeyed with him—the two thieves upon the cross— in all these cases, and untold millions of others, God, in His almighty sovereignty, has chosen one, and left others behind. It is,as His Holy Word witnesses to us: one will be taken, the other left behind."
I trust that you, my friend, are a child of God? With that in mind, I will not limit and confine our talk to His Word alone. I will turn the spotlight back on you: Who and what made you different? You have been taken out of your family, your kindred, your friends, your companions. From this circle you alone have been selected, called, and made a child of grace, an heir of glory. The others, where are they? Still stumbling, and dead in trespass and sin. What are they doing? Living in the world, and to the world—lovers of pleasure, lovers of self, lovers of sin, hating God, rejecting Christ, and warring against the Spirit. And to what purpose? Bursting through every restraint, and hurrying their own footsteps down to the doom of the lost. Again I ask you, where are they? Gone, many of them, into eternity—past the confines of all mercy. And what are you? A sinner saved by grace—a sinner chosen and called, pardoned and justified, washed and clothed, adopted and sanctified—brought to the foot of the cross, constrained by the love of Yeshua, to take up His cross, and to follow Him; and on what basis, I would ask you, was this transformation. I tell you now; as all scripture and testimony bear witness; that it was nothing of you, but only of the sovereign electing love of God! Through the distinguishing grace of our sacrificed and risen Lord Yeshua-------who is, in fact, Almighty God. Bow down in thanks, my friend, to the sovereignty of His will—silently wonder in awe, and adore Him who says, "Be still, and know that I am God."
I understand that this is a hard truth; but that doesn't make it any less true. Many who claim religion reject it because it stains the pride of the human ego, and diminishes the man's merit; but that doesn't make it any less true — they fear it, why do they fear it?; because it lays the axe at the root of self and reveals them in their shame and nakedness —it humbles and abases—it empties and lays low; and then and proclaims all the praise, honor, and glory, might, majesty, to Almighty God alone----leaving nothing for the man.
This is the clear witness of the next verse:
So then it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy. Rom. 9:16
The free grace of God is intimately connected with His sovereignty. No worthiness within the the man allures the Holy Spirit of God to the sinner's breast. What worthiness could we even suppose to have been there, in light of His piercing holiness; His awesome majesty; and His call for justice?—what merit could we possibly find?— The only honest answer, is absolutely None whatever.
Behold, in your own lives, my friends, the sovereign grace of Almighty God: He comes—He enters—He unbars—He cleanses, and creates all things new, without regard for the dungpile of merit. You brought nothing; and He brought all. This too is a hard truth; many times I have asked "Lord, what did you see in me?" Just like the rest of you, I'm sure. But the one I know best is me; and I know for sure that there was absolutely nothing in me that was good, or humble, or had any merit whatsoever. I guess that's why I love Him so much.
The truth is, our salvation, our love, and our prayers proclaim His sovereignty; and bring Him honor and glory; while, at the same time, they humble the man; bringing contrition to his soul ------- they exalt Yeshua, on the ruins of self. This, my friends, is the great joy within the hearts of all lambs------- and worthy of continual praise to Almighty God.
Poor in spirit, chosen of Almighty God; blessed are you! You are rich in your poverty— all things are yours by the sovereign will of God. Sit back and hear His words out of Luke:
3 ¶ Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 ¶ Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 ¶ Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 ¶ Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 ¶ Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 ¶ Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
9 ¶ Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10 ¶ Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 ¶ Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
13 ¶ Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
14 ¶ Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 1 "For thus says the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."
Amen---praise God in all His sovereign glory all ye lambs---Amen
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