Let's turn in our Bibles once again to Matthew chapter 8. Verses 14 through 17 is the passage we'll gather our thoughts around this morning. And when Jesus entered Peter's house, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him. That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, he took our illnesses and bore our diseases. This miracle of Jesus has some bearing, in some fashion, a measure of fulfillment of the words spoken of the prophet Isaiah. Let me give you a, just quickly before we start, a biblical hermeneutic. Whenever you see an Old Testament passage quoted, generally it'll just be a verse or two or even a section of a verse. In order to get the full meaning of what the New Testament is trying to tell us, you need to understand that quote and its context. And so even though just one verse is quoted here in Matthew chapter 8, it's really a reference to all of what Isaiah 53 is telling us about the atonement of Christ, which is fitting as we consider the purpose of the miracles of Christ that we discussed a couple of weeks ago. It goes beyond simply the physical act of healing. We'll state that again in a few minutes, but the miracles of Christ are designed to teach us gospel truth. They're physical illustrations of the fact that Jesus Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost. And the passage before us today gives another of those healing miracles of the Lord, and along with a more general statement of His many miracles. of healing. And our focus from the passage will be Christ Jesus, a perfect Savior for sinners. Christ Jesus, Jesus Christ, a perfect Savior for sinners. So, by way of introduction, let's consider the specific miracle itself. Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law. The text leaves no doubt in our minds, despite the false teaching of Rome, that Peter was married. Let me just say a few words about that. The Apostle Paul argued in 1 Corinthians 9 and verse 5, for the right of those who preach the gospel and were acknowledged leaders in the church, like himself, to take along a believing wife, he said, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas. So the apostles could be married, and it appears that most of them were. And so the elders or the pastors of the church may be married men. We read in 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 2, therefore an overseer, a bishop must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, and so on. And the same in Titus chapter 1 and verse 5, when Paul writes to Titus, Pastor Titus, he says, This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order and appoint elders in every town as I directed you. If anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife. It's clear. that the Bible teaches the apostles could be married men, and so the elders of the church, including those who specifically give themselves to the ministry of the word, as those mentioned in 1 Timothy chapter 5. Verse 17, let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. So the apostles, elders, ministers of the gospel could be married men, and so many of them were. I think that's relevant. Rome's doctrine of celibacy is wrong. It is wrong on two accounts. There is no office of priest. in the New Testament and the ministers of the Word are not required to be single men. There is not even a hint of that wicked idea in the Scriptures, but it's an invention of Rome. Maybe you think that's harsh to call that a wicked idea, but that's what Peter, or Paul calls it. It's one of those doctrines of devils that he refers to in 1 Timothy 4, 1, forbidding of marriage, that which God has blessed. We are, and we're well aware in the day in which we live of the horrible damaging results of this doctrine of the devil of a forced celibacy. As the late Lorraine Bettner astutely points out in his book, entitled Roman Catholicism, and I'm sure Brother Richard Bennett will have some more to say about these things next Lord's Day when he's here. Lorraine Bettner writes, celibacy is not to be confused with the vow of chastity, which is also taken by the members of these groups and which means abstention from sexual relations. According to canon law, the vow of celibacy is broken if the priest marries, but not if he engages in sexual relations. Pardon for sexual relations can be had easily at any time by confession to any fellow priest. But absolution for any priest who marries can be obtained only from the Pope, with accompanying severe penalties, and to obtain such pardon, it is required that he forsake his wife." That's the face of Rome. Bettner comments, Rome is more troubled and scandalized by clergy who are married than by those who only have to confess sexual immoralities again and again. A former Roman Catholic priest who has been converted to Jesus Christ, a man by the name of L.H. Lehman, he wrote, Had it, that is celibacy, not been imposed to serve the ends of the papal power, but left to free voluntary choice, priestly celibacy might have been a real service. Instead, it has been made the cause of scandal and shame to the Christian church. Forced as it is by human and not divine law, it has perverted any good that otherwise might come from it. But the real evil, consequent upon forced clerical celibacy, is its innervating effect upon the bodily and mental faculties. It saps all the vigor of manhood from those who must employ the continual force of mind and will against the natural bodily urge. Its victims have to confess that far from freeing them from the sexual urge, it actually breeds a very ferment of impurity in the mind. It is almost impossible for the laity to understand to what extent Roman Catholic priests failed to live up to the celibate state imposed upon them. That's from his book entitled The Soul of a Priest. John Calvin's perspective is nicely captured in the Institutes. He wrote, and I think he gets to the real heart of the issue. Again, this is relevant in our day. Not simply because of the scandal that's taking place in Rome over sexual impurity and immorality among priests, but also because of the degrading of the idea of marriage in our own culture. He says, they, the papists, object that there ought to be some distinguishing mark between the clergy and the people, as if the Lord had not provided the ornaments in which priests ought to excel. Paul enumerates marriage among the qualities of a bishop, whereas those men declare that in the ecclesiastical order marriage is an intolerable vice, and indeed they term it in their canons the uncleanness and pollution of the flesh. Calvin says, let everyone consider with himself from what forge these things have come. Christ ordains so to honor marriage as to make it an image of his sacred union with the church. What greater eulogy could be pronounced on the dignity of marriage? How then dare the effrontery to give the name of unclean and polluted to that which furnishes a bright representation of the spiritual grace of Christ? I think what carries the day ought to be the Word of God, and the Word of God says in Hebrews 13, for marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled, but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Peter was married. Now let's consider the significance and the lessons that are taught by this miracle. And I'm convinced it points us to the fact that Jesus is a perfect savior of his people. Hebrews chapter 7 and verse 25 says that he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him. I want us to think about Jesus as a perfect Savior of his people and first consider the truth that Jesus Christ is a sovereign Savior. A sovereign Savior. Note what our passage says in verse 14. Now when Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. Notice, he saw her. This was a sovereign miracle. Now what do I mean by that? Well, what I mean by that is we're not told that Peter's mother-in-law said anything. She may or may not have been conscious. It's simply not recorded. And I don't think that's an accident, I don't think that's an oversight, because this miracle is intended to present to us Jesus Christ, a perfect savior for sinners. Now remember what we said earlier, in fact we reinforced this a few weeks ago, as to the purpose of these miracles of Christ. They're intended to illustrate to us gospel truth. Because they are the reversal of physical ailments that have come upon men and women because of sin. They serve to illustrate in the physical realm. They serve as an illustration in the physical realm of Christ's salvation of sinners from their sin and all its consequences culminating one day in the return of Christ and resurrection glory of the last day. And some of the miracles of Christ illustrate sinners receiving him. Is that not true? Some of the miracles of Christ illustrate sinners trusting in Him, who believe on Him. In the miracle, Jesus engages them. He speaks to the one that He's going to heal. And He brings out of them, or He elicits from them, an expression of faith and confidence and trust in Him, demonstrating what? demonstrating truly that Christ receives sinners who come in faith to him. Some of the miracles illustrate that. In other miracles, we don't see that. There's no engagement between Christ and the one he's going to heal. There's simply Christ sovereignly healing. Therefore, illustrating what is also true That salvation is of or from the Lord. That salvation is at His initiative. It's at the initiative of Christ that helpless, hopeless sinners are saved. It is by His working through the Spirit that is the source of salvation. That sinners repent and believe in Him is by His initiative. It's to illustrate the absolute sovereignty of Christ in taking the initiative, in causing the sinner to be born again, renewing the heart, so they are brought to spiritual life. So these miracles where there is no verbal engagement or interaction, merely Christ's touch, or a speaking of the word, these show that Christ is the one who saves. It's His initiative. They teach us that He is the cause and source of new spiritual life. Jesus saves. He's powerful to save. He's a sovereign Savior and His saving power operates before faith and repentance, not in response to faith and repentance. And so here we read, and he touched her and then she arose. So it is with the saving of sinners. By way of your own personal testimony, I ask you these questions. Why is it or how is it that any sinner believes on the Lord Jesus Christ? How is it that any sinner seeks after Christ and receives Him as Lord and Savior, repenting of their sins? It's a work of grace initiated by a sovereign Savior. Salvation is of the Lord. You can't save yourself. We have no natural ability in the spiritual realm. The Bible says we are dead spiritually. And He quickens. He makes us alive. How does Peter describe it? He has caused you to be born again. Is that not the clear testimony and teaching of Scripture? We've been studying in the afternoon from Ephesians 2. We'll turn there again this afternoon, but I'll turn over there this morning. Ephesians 2. Just a few of the verses. Verse 1, and you, you Ephesian Christians, you Ephesian members of the church who have been made alive in Christ, he says, you were dead. in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked." Verse 5, Even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved. Verses 8-10, For by grace you have been saved through faith. This is not your own doing, it is the gift of God. Not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in. Brethren, what are these verses teaching except that faith, as a matter of fact, even the willingness to believe comes from God. That God makes the dead alive. He creates us anew. in Christ Jesus. And as one man put it, this miracle is illustrating the very same truth. He saw, he touched her, and she arose. Throughout Scripture, we see clearly that the initiative for salvation belongs to the Lord. It doesn't begin with us, but of Him who first shows mercy. Throughout Scripture, That's the gospel. That's why Paul said, if any man be in Christ, he is what? A new creature. Think about that. What's a creature? Well, one thing, a creature is created. It didn't used to exist so as to initiate its own creation. It's the outcome of the action of another. And so the new creature in Christ is so because God has acted. God has acted in His sovereignty so that the sinner has repented of his sins, has come to faith in Christ, and produces fruit as the evidence of that good work begun. And so our Lord Jesus to Nicodemus in John chapter 3, what does He say? Nicodemus, you must be born again. What's he talking about there? He's talking clearly to what men need, not what men can do. In John 3, verse 8, he goes on to say, The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who was born of the Spirit. Brethren, the new birth is not our work. It's not within our power. It's in the power of God. It's in His hand. The prerogative to save is His alone. It's not waiting upon any act of will or decision of man whatsoever. So we read in John chapter 5, please turn over there, John chapter 5 and verse 21. For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, so also the Son gives life to whom He will." We read in verses 25 and 26, "'Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and is now here. When the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself." Note Jesus says the hour of this is now here. What's He talking about? He's talking about the renewing of the heart. He's talking about new birth. Later, in verse 28, he'll talk about the physical resurrection of the dead at the end of time, when those in the grave shall hear his voice and they shall come out. And verse 29, those who have done good to the resurrection of life and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. But in verses 25 and 26, he's speaking of what now is when sinners who are dead in their trespasses and sins are by the power of God made to hear the Gospel, not just hear the words, but hear the Gospel in their heart and enabled to come to Christ, are born again by the grace of a sovereign Savior. So the book of Acts speaks in chapter 13, verse 48, of as many as were appointed, that is, as many as were ordained to eternal life, And there's Lydia in Acts chapter 16 verses 14 and 15. And we read that the Lord opened her heart. The Lord opened her heart. To what end? So that she might receive the truth she heard. To the saving of her soul. I trust that what I'm going to say next doesn't sound uncharitable to some, but I've got to say this. It's an observation, and I want to be clear. This is the difference between what we refer to as the Reformed view of salvation, which, brethren, is nothing more than what the Bible teaches, and the Arminian view, which at its root is humanism. That man has an independent, free will. that man is able to do good, believe and repent of his own volition. That's a position clearly rejected by scripture. You see, because of the fall of man into sin, which was drastic and terrible and awful, man does not have the ability to believe in the Lord. Now, I don't want to be misunderstood. He's responsible to believe. And he's accountable to God. And he is commanded by God to believe, but he's unable due to his own sin. As Ephesians 2 puts it, he's dead in sins. And salvation start to finish is entirely of God's grace according to his sovereign good pleasure. The false doctrine of Arminianism, on the other hand, says man has something in him. He's sinful. He's fallen, he's in a bad way, but he has something yet in him. There is a spark of spiritual life and he's at least partly inclined already to come to God. He's seeking after God. If we could just give him a little help, a little encouragement along the way. What he needs is some general sort of work of the Spirit to move him on and move him forward. To put him in a position either to believe or not believe, independent of God. That's false. That's not the Gospel. In fact, it dishonors God. as to say, he's done his best, he's done all that he can do, it's up to man to seal it now. That teaching honors man and his so-called free will. It flatters his pride, in fact. And this miracle serves to illustrate how our pride must be deflated. It's telling us that even our willingness to believe is not of us, but it's from the Lord. It's the Lord. It's the Lord who powerfully and graciously quickens sinners. Sinners who are in love with darkness and sin. Sinners who walk according to the course and ways of the world. Sinners who are led by their own sinful desires, following the devil under God's judgment. It is God alone who is rich in mercy that saves hopeless, helpless sinners. Jesus Christ is a perfect Savior. He's a sovereign Savior for sinners. And now, some may object. Maybe you're objecting. Why does the Lord only save some? Well, He didn't have to save any. He's not under obligation to save anybody. But He's rich in mercy and grace. And He chose to save some. As our confession puts it, those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, he's God after all. He's not trying to be God. He is God. And the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will hath chosen in Christ unto everlasting glory out of his mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith or good works or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions or causes, moving him thereunto and all to the praise of his glorious grace." It's not in us. It's of God who shows mercy. There's no place for pride. I didn't choose Christ. He chose me. And then I chose him as he worked in my heart, changing me, giving me new spiritual life. His people were appointed, as John 15, 16 says, to bear much fruit that their fruit should remain. To God alone be the glory. The apostles, with our Lord and Savior, repeatedly taught this doctrine of election that so many despise and so many throw their hands up in as a horrible thing. And yet it's taught throughout the Scriptures, throughout the Word of God, it's on every page of the Bible. In places like Ephesians 1, Romans 8 and 9, 1 Peter 2. Turn to John chapter 6. Verses 35-39, Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. Praise God, that's true. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me. And whoever comes to me, I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, and the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. One man commented on those verses, it is not merely that God foreknew those who would choose to follow and obey him, rather it is that in spite of our rebellion and hard-heartedness, Even though we would do nothing to deserve it, God, by a free act of his grace, according to the secret counsel of his most holy and wise providence, chose a people for himself from all the peoples of the world, making us into one family of God. And this miracle illustrates the sovereignty of God in salvation, that the Son makes alive whom he will. That's the gospel. Are you ashamed of it? Paul said, I'm not ashamed of the gospel. Why? Because it is the power of who? Literally, it is the dynamite of God to all who believe. Don't be ashamed of the gospel. Jesus wasn't ashamed. Look at Luke 10. Luke 10 verses 21 and 22. In that same hour, Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children. Yes, father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my father and no one knows who the son is except the father or who the father is except the son and anyone to whom the son chooses to reveal him. Christ rejoiced in the sovereignty of God in election and predestination, and if we're created anew after his image, so we too should rejoice in this gospel truth. And if we rejoice in this gospel truth, we won't argue against it, nor grudgingly acknowledge it to be true. We should wholeheartedly receive it, proclaim it to a world in need, and rejoice in the reality of a sovereign Savior. Isn't that good news that Jesus saves? As one man stated, the benefit of God's electing grace is to humble man and to exalt God. When believers truly understand that the entirety of their salvation from beginning to end is of God, And when unbelievers see that they are utterly lost beyond hope in themselves, being stripped of their smug self-righteousness, then and only then will God smile with salvation on multitudes. For God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Blessed, said Jesus, are the poor in spirit. Now this might lead us to ask, And maybe you've asked this question or maybe it's rolling around in your head. I've asked it at times. How does this belief in divine sovereignty square then with things like evangelism? How does this belief in divine sovereignty square, even more importantly, with praying for the conversion of sinners? And the answer is wonderfully so. In fact, it's interesting to note in the other accounts of this miracle, which you can find in Mark and in Luke, we're informed that the disciples told Jesus about Peter's mother-in-law and her condition. They besought him on her behalf. Let's turn to those two examples in Mark chapter 1 and verse 30. Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with the fever and immediately they told him about her. Luke chapter 4 and verse 38. And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever and they appealed to him on her behalf. Now here's the question. Did Christ need to be told? Was it absolutely necessary? Remember how He healed the centurion's servant and didn't even go near him in the last miracle, chapter 8 and verse 13? He didn't even go near the centurion's servant. He simply spoke the Word and it was done. Did he need to be told about Peter's mother-in-law? Of course not. Christ didn't need to be told. He could have healed her without anyone pleading her condition. He knows all things. But the truth is, he was besought. And he answered. And so it is in the salvation of sinners. Some are converted independent of any Christian prayer offered up on their behalf. Certainly God can do that. I read a sermon this past week of a man who was illustrating that very truth and he used the illustration of Adam and Eve. He said God converted Adam and Eve in the garden before there were any other Christians to pray. However, God has or God often has ordained prayer as a means, as a powerful means of the outworking of his purposes of election. And so often it is that sinners are converted in answer to the prayers of God's people. But why? We haven't got all the way to an answer. Why? If God is sovereign, can save without prayers, then why pray? Well, because he's told us to pray. That's the best reason. And because prayer is a privilege. To pray is part of our relationship, our communion, which we are blessed to enjoy. with our Father in Heaven. What is prayer but an expression of our trust and confidence in what? His power? If it's not, why are you praying? What is prayer but an expression of our conviction that He is the author of salvation and an expression of our complete dependence upon Him? OK, Pastor, I still have one other question. If God has chosen a definite people to be saved from eternity, does praying make any difference? I get that question. Because we can't change God's eternal plan, can we? We can't make a non-elect sinner elect. His election is fixed even before the world began. So why pray? Now, have you ever wondered that? Be honest. Or maybe you've used it as an excuse not to pray. Here's the point. God has decreed not only who should be saved, but how. And he has decreed all the means used to bring about the salvation of his elect. Just some personal reflection. Remember all the events around your own conversion. Think about that for a moment. Some of you have written testimonies fairly recently. Think about those things you wrote about. You don't think those were accidents, do you? God has ordained the very means by which his people will hear the truth. And you know what? It might be that God has ordained that you would hear the truth in a godly home. That you would be raised by godly parents in the church. And you would sit around the table at family devotions and Bible reading and you would hear the truth. It's possible that God ordains A person who has no typical influence with people of God or no godly influence in his life, but he's downtown shopping and somebody at the square hands him a gospel tract. Accident. Or hearing a sermon in church. It's not an accident. It's not simply a coincidence that we're here today. God has ordained all of those means by which the truth gets to the sinner's heart. And then by the power of the Holy Spirit, he is enabled to believe it. What a great God. What a great Savior we have. A perfect Savior. Another means that God has ordained is that many elect sinners will be prayed for. And God has ordained that they will be converted in answer to prayer. Isn't that a wonderful thing? Paul realized that. We read in Romans chapter 10 and verse 1, and it's important where that comes. Romans chapter 8, 9, he's talking about God's sovereign grace. He's talking about things like predestination and election. And how does he begin? Chapter 10, verse 1. Brothers, in light of the sovereignty of God, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them, that is Israel, is that they might be saved. Certainly Paul knew about the certainty of God's election, but that didn't stop his praying. In fact, that conviction that God is almighty to save, God's sovereignty fueled his prayer, gave life to his prayer. He knew that God was mighty to save. Brethren, free willers pray to a God who is ultimately, ultimately, Now, I'm not suggesting that this is what they believe because of their inconsistencies. But if they were consistent to their doctrine, they pray to a God who is ultimately helpless and unable to answer. It's as if God has done his part. He's done all that he can do. And he's up against the brick wall, if you will, of man's free will. It's up to him now. It's up to the sinner. I think we ask the wrong questions too often. Never mind whether a Calvinist should pray or not, it's the free willer, the Arminian who should question prayer. God is helpless ultimately. He's done everything he can do and he's waiting on the center. Well, praise God we don't believe in a God like that. We believe in a sovereign savior. He's mighty to save. What does the prophet say? His arm is not shortened. He can save by few or many. And shouldn't our belief in such a God show? Think of how we took someone like Saul of Tarsus. Boy, there's an example of sovereign grace, huh? I hope you believe in a God like that and how wonderful it is. He often fulfills his purposes of mercy through the prayers of his people and answering them. We see that throughout the Bible. Let's take a survey. Turn over to the 102nd Psalm. Verses 16-22, for the Lord builds up Zion. He appears in His glory. Now you know Zion in the Old Testament stands for the church, the people of God. He regards the prayer of the destitute and does not despise their prayer. Let this be recorded for a generation to come so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord. That He look down from His holy height from heaven The Lord looked at the earth to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die, that they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord, and in Jerusalem his praise, when peoples gather together in kingdoms to worship the Lord." In Daniel chapter 9, I love the 9th chapter of Daniel. Daniel 9, verses 2-4, in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah, the prophet must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely seventy years. They were in captivity, remember. For how long? Seventy years. Daniel knew ahead of time that it was going to be for seventy years. Why? Because God ordained it to be so. And he read it in the book of Jeremiah. Then I turned my face to the Lord, God seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord, my God, and made confession, saying, O Lord, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments. Daniel didn't presume upon God's sovereignty when he read in the prophet Jeremiah, who said the captivity would last seven years. He didn't say, well, God ordained it so it doesn't matter. It will happen. Que sera, sera. He set his heart to pray. Isaiah 65 and verse 24, before they call, I will answer. While they are speaking, I will hear. Ezekiel 36, 36 and 37. Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the Lord. I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I am the Lord. I have spoken and I will do it. Thus says the Lord God. This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them to increase their people like a flock." And we could go on and on and on. The lesson is obvious. Of course, we should pray for the conversion of sinners. God has ordained it so. We also see in our passage this morning back to Matthew chapter eight. Let me just mention these, these few things. There's the evidence of saving grace in verse 15. He touched her hand and the fever left her and she rose and began to serve him. This was real. Contrast that to the false teachers, these charlatans, these so-called faith healers today who claim to work these miracles of healing. Nothing real like this. You watch these people, and they throw away their crutches or whatever it may be, and they'll take a little step, and for each they take a little step, maybe another one, and the next day it's back to square one. This is real. She got up and she ministered to Christ and his disciples right away. The truth is those who are saved by the power of Christ give evidence. The effects are seen. They serve the Lord and his people. Remember the parable of the talents, the man with the one talent. What did he do? He did nothing. He did nothing with it at all. He hid it away. And what happened? He lost everything. He was cast into utter darkness, Jesus says, in that place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Now listen, is that teaching salvation by works? Of course not. But it is teaching that true Christians serve the Lord. It is teaching that within the professing church there are some who profess and serve Christ and his church. They are real Christians saved by grace. There are others who also profess, but it doesn't show. They don't serve the Lord. They don't love his people. They don't obey his commands. They're not saved. But they're lost in their sense. In the end, they'll be cast out. True Christians, saved by a sovereign Savior, serve Christ and His church. Second, Jesus Christ is not only a sovereign Savior, He is a welcoming Savior. Look at verse 16. And remember, these miracles teach us these gospel truths. That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick." Maybe as you consider the truth of election as we have talked about it at length this morning, you might ask yourself, can I know for sure that if I come to Christ, I will assuredly be welcomed? that he will save me? And the answer is emphatically yes. I'm convinced that that's what this verse is teaching us. Brethren, there is absolutely no contradiction in Acts chapter 16 between Lydia, whose heart the Lord opened, and the Philippian jailer who was told, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. He was assured in the preaching of the gospel, believe and you will be saved. The reason is the gospel command and offer is addressed to all sinners who will hear. And so in verse 16, all who came, what happened? They were received. All who came were healed and delivered. That is, the effects of the fall were varied and Christ healed them all. And the lesson is Christ receives and saves all kinds of sinners who come to Him. That's the good news. Whatever your sins may be, no matter how great, Your guilt is. The prophet says, though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. It doesn't matter how long you've wandered in arrogant unbelief or multiplied lust upon lust. It doesn't matter how long you sat in church and heard the gospel and refused to believe it. Christ says to sinners, come. Come to me. and you will be welcomed. You'll be received and saved. Pray with the psalmist, for thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great. He will. He'll forgive. We sing that hymn by Monsel, My sins, my sins, my Savior, they take such hold on me. I am not able to look up, save only Christ to thee. In thee is all forgiveness, in thee abundant grace, my shadow and my sunshine, the brightness of thy face. There is so much more good news that we could say from this passage. We simply don't have time. Let me just mention, he welcomes sinners at all times. You see there in the miracle, it was later that day, in the evening that they came. Behold, today is the day of salvation. He welcomes a multitude of sinners. They brought Him many to the praise of His grace. The point is, come to Christ and you'll be saved. You say, but I don't know if I'm elect or not, Pastor. You talked all about election. Now I'm confused. I don't know if I'm elect. Well, of course you don't. Of course you don't. But you come and He will in no wise Turn you away. Matter of fact, you know what he says? Him that cometh to me, I will never, no, never, impossible, cast him out. Don't worry about whether you're elect or not. Now when you come to Christ, you give him all the glory. And if you have any inkling in your heart, if you have any desire in your heart, even now, to come to Christ, to believe in him, to repent of your sins, Where do you think that's come from? Finally, Jesus Christ is the suffering Savior. He is a sovereign Savior. He's a welcoming Savior. He's a suffering Savior. Verse 17, this was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah. He took our illnesses and bore our diseases. Of course, that's from Isaiah 53 and verse 4. And as I mentioned at the very start, that's a clear reference to the atoning death of the Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross. In 1 Peter 2 and verse 24 we read, "...he himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness." And then Peter says, "...by his wounds you have been healed." And there he's quoting the very next verse in Isaiah. He's quoting verse 5. So what is the connection with these healing miracles and the words of Isaiah relating to Christ's suffering upon the cross? And let me say, charismatics really distort the meaning of this passage. They read that as if it meant to teach that Christians ought never to suffer from disease and affliction. And if they do, well, it's their own fault for not having enough faith. Brethren, that's not true. And you may think this is harsh and judgmental. I'm sorry. Not only is it not true, that's nonsense. And it's cruel. It's cruel teaching. Why did Paul tell Timothy, take a little wine for your stomach and your numerous infirmities. And there are so many other passages. Why didn't Paul simply call Timothy out? Hey Timothy, why don't you pull yourself together, man? Have a little faith and you wouldn't be so sick all the time. That's nonsense and it's cruel. Do you know how many people there are across this nation that have been damaged because of that type of teaching? Marcia and I had a dear friend, and she appeared to love the Lord, give testimony of faith in Christ, and she belonged to one of these churches that believed this. She had cancer early on in life, and it went away. A few years later it came back. It came back with a vengeance. The diagnosis was severe. The doctor said, you have maybe three, six months. And in her church, they told her, you'll be healed. It's in the atonement. All you have to do is, we're praying over you and for you, you just have to have faith. And when she wasn't healed, they told her it was because she lacked faith. She died with no joy. She died giving no praise and glory to God, her Savior, who would see her through to the very end. Don't tell me these things don't matter. This stuff is real. It does matter what you believe. We're all going to die. And after that, the judgment. The very idea that the church should be sickness free is false. So then what is the connection between the words of Isaiah and Christ healing miracles? We've said it already. The miracles of physical healing are a powerful illustration for us of the power of Christ to ultimately deliver sinners from their sin, its guilt, and all its effects and consequences. Jesus Christ is the perfect Savior of his people. And first he does that by causing them to be born again. enabling them to repent of their sins and believe in his name. And he continues that good work all their days, all their days, better or worse, sickness or health, all their days until they land safe in heaven. You ask Joni Tada Erickson, if Christ is not a perfect Savior. You ask our friend Johnny Faresi if Christ is not a perfect Savior. I quoted earlier from a portion of Hebrews 7, we'll close, I'll stop here, from Hebrews 7, 25 when we began. Let me read, let me close with just reading the entire verse. He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Dear brothers and sisters, Christ is a perfect Savior. He's a sovereign Savior. He's mighty to save. He's a welcoming Savior. He receives sinners. And He's a suffering Savior who bore our sins on the cross, which the Lord's Supper speaks of, as we'll gather around the table this afternoon, that we might be delivered from our sins and be made righteous in Him. May God help us to receive these things and to believe them, even to the saving of our own souls. Amen. Father, we do thank you for the gospel, the gospel of sovereign grace. Thank you that it is indeed the power of God unto salvation. We thank you, Father, for your mighty work in our hearts. Father, we are confident that that good work will continue even to the very day of Christ. Help us, Father, to grow in our love and devotion to you. Lord, deliver us from any remnants of pride Arrogance, Lord, may we never be so proud and sinful as to take any measure of credit for what you have done for us, but give you all the praise and honor and glory. Father, we pray for some who are here this morning and yet lost in their sins. Father, would you be a mighty Savior to them. Draw them to yourself. cause them to be born again and enable them to believe and embrace your Son, the Lord Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen.