“For ye see your calling, brethren”: Look among you and see that “the truly called and saved are (for the most part) not the elite of society, but the lowly, humble, and the despised! NOT MANY of the elite are saved; but for the few that God does save from among the wise, mighty, or noble of this world; they are first drained of every last bit of their own selfworth, self-confidence, and pride so that they may SEE the exceeding sinfulness of their sins before a holy God. If you are saved this morning, understand that “God effectually and personally called” you by the gospel. And it was NOT because of some commendable thing about you. It was not because of your wisdom, status, or nobility in the world. If you’re born-again this morning, it is because God DETERMINED to save you from foundation of the world! 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 If God did not DETERMINE to save you, you would not be saved. Christ is the Lord and Savior! Think about it, we’ve all heard testimonies in which, someone has actually drowned, stopped breathing; and then a rescuer/savior went into the water, pulled their lifeless body out of the water, performed CPR on them, and revived them. Their heart had literally stopped beating; if it wasn’t for the savior, the victim would surely had died! Understand that you and I were spiritually dead in our trespasses and sins; alienated from the life of God; estranged and separated from God; enemies of God! You might say, yes, that’s all true, but I was NOT ACTUALLY dead; I still had the power to react and believe! Why do you think so many sinners reject Christ and refuse to believe on Him? Why are lost sinners, who live every moment of their lives on the edge of eternity, who are literally one step and one breath away from dying so uninterested and apathetic and callous to the welfare of their never-dying souls? Why are they dead to the message of Christ? Because they are dead in their trespasses and sins! Ephesians 2:1-6, John 5:24-25 Christ is the Savior; we are His witnesses/messengers! It is God’s work to awaken & raise the spiritually dead; when God awakens sinners, they will believe the gospel! This is the new birth! John 1:12-13 1 Corinthians 1:29: “That no flesh should glory in His presence” (Verse 30-31): “It is written" Jeremiah 9:23-24“BUT OF HIM are ye in Christ Jesus”: WHO’s Him? It is of God that you are saved! (In Christ Jesus). God is the FIRST CAUSE of all who are saved! You are NOT in Christ because of anything in YOU; it was God alone who CAUSED you to be saved. Ezekiel 36:21-27 It is only in Christ that I am truly made wise. Christ is now the source of all my godly wisdom. 1 Corinthians 1:24, 2 Timothy 3:15 Christ is your righteousness: He was perfectly innocent and sinless; He was without blemish and without spot; perfectly righteous! But then, Christ was made to be sin for us, WHO knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him! Christian: God put your sins on His account, He agonized and suffered and died for them; He paid debt of your sins in His own blood, God’s justice and wrath was done upon Him; Christ died in your place; now, His perfect righteousness, which He earned/merited) is put on your account; imputed to you! O what a great salvation!! Psalm 32:1-8 Christ is your sanctification: If you’re in Christ, you are cleansed, purified, and made holy by God, all through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Understand therefore that God doesn’t save sinners and leave them filthy and unclean; He washes & cleanses; makes them holy! Removes your filthy grave clothes! 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Ephesians 1:3-4 Christ is your redemption: To redeem someone is to deliver or free them who was a captive by payment of a ransom. Christ freed us from the bondage and captivity of our sins and from Satan by His blood. 1 Peter 1:18-19, Matthew 20:28, Ephesians 1:7 Rehearse this over and over in your heart and mind: “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: THAT, as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” We now come to the Lord’s Supper, to remember His vicarious death on the cross for our sins. Vicarious meaning that He suffered in your place and died for your sins. As always, I remind you that the Lord’s Supper is for those who ARE Born-Again by the Spirit of God and NOT for the unregenerate. 1 Corinthians 11:26-29
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