Today we are going to be in a passage that is talking about why Jesus speaks to the unbelieving crowds in parables. Remember last week we learned from the parable of the sower the necessity of all of us as Christians to bear fruit. This week Jesus is going to explain the reason why he speaks to the unregenerate in parables is really twofold. In order, first of all, that they would not perceive the truth, a form of divine hardening, but also in order that they would not incur greater culpability, a form of divine compassion. And so today we're going to learn that since the human heart is so sinful and so depraved that none of us could ever come to saving faith on ourselves, that you and I need God. But it's only through God that any of us would come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And so we will learn today that God is the one who reveals the gospel to whomever He desires, and therefore He gets all of the glory. Let's begin here in the first two verses, Matthew 13, 10 through 11. Here Jesus is going to be answering the question why He speaks to them in parables. Notice it says, Now, the first thing I want to point out, dear ones, notice in the question, why do you speak to them in parables, the implied them are the large crowds that are on the seashore, the vast majority of them are unbelievers. And the question is, why do you speak to them in a parable lace? The parable is a saying that uses metaphor in symbol to speak of a greater reality. So, these sayings, yes, they can be used to teach, but they are more enigmatic. And so I think ultimately the point of the disciples' question is, why Jesus do you tell us plainly, but you leave them with that which is enigmatic, namely the parables? That's what's being implied here. Now notice here in verse 11, Jesus' answer has to do with two different groups. Does everyone see the distinction between the blue and the red? The blue is referring to the twelve, of course, minus Judas, but it's really referring to God's elect. Whereas the red is referring to the non-elect. And so he says, to you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. Now I want you to notice that term granted, it is didomi. And the term can literally be rendered either grant as it is here, which I like, or to be given. And this is a passive. And so when it's in a passive, you have to think about who is the implied agent. Well here, I think it's clearly God. So God is the one who has granted them to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. Now I'm claiming here that the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven is really synonymous with the gospel itself. And so why would Jesus use though the phrase mysteries? Well perhaps the backdrop to this is Daniel chapter 2. Remember in Daniel chapter 2, Daniel was the one who revealed mysteries to Nebuchadnezzar because God revealed the mysteries to him about Nebuchadnezzar's dream. And so a mystery is something that was formerly concealed but is now revealed because God gives it through his prophets, and in this case, it's through the Messiah. Think about, in the Old Testament, it was rich with promises of prophecy about the person and work of the Messiah, but the details are not found until the Messiah comes on the scene of history. And so that's what it's referring to. The Messiah comes and he is therefore revealing the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. And so literally, you could render this, I think, to you it has been given to understand the gospel. I think it's that clear. Now, let's talk about the idea of knowing. The term here is gnosco. And it simply means to rationally understand, to comprehend. And I mention that because let's tie that to the parable of the sower. Remember, we just came out of the parable of the sower where you had four soils. And remember, three of the soils didn't have understanding. They were unbelievers, but the fourth soil, the good soil, had suneemi, understanding of the gospel. Well, here we learn the way that they had that understanding, it was granted to them or given to them by the Father. If you're going to be good soil, it's because the Lord grants you the knowledge of the gospel. Now, here we see that this is being contrasted with the non-elect. It says, but to them it has not been granted. And so Jesus clearly is saying that to the outsiders it has not been granted to them the understanding and knowledge of the gospel. Now, many are shocked by this, but I think the reason why in evangelicalism many are so shocked by this doctrine is because for too long evangelicals have lacked an adequate understanding of man's depravity. If we understand that man is so depraved that in and of ourselves we could never come to faith or do that which is pleasing with God, then you and I realize that the only way any of us can come to faith is by it being granted to us. In fact, later on, I'm going to show you why I believe this passage is essential to understand in the debate between Arminians and Calvinists. Remember, in Arminian theology, they believe that God grants all people the ability to believe the gospel in something called prevenient grace, a first grace. And so again, in Armenian theology, the key to it is that God grants everyone the ability to believe. Well, what is being taught today is a problem for that theology because Jesus says it's not given to all. He says, to you it's been granted. but to them it's not been granted. That's not universal, that's particular. And that is a direct refutation of Arminian theology. Dear ones, Jesus is simply saying that the outsider gets everything in parables, so that while they're seeing they'll keep not perceiving. But for those that have been chosen, that belong to him, they're given understanding into the gospel of his kingdom. Now, Jesus here in these next verses is going to explain the significance of what he has just said. Notice, he goes to say, for, he's explaining further the significance. He says, for whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he shall have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables because while seeing they do not see and while hearing they do not hear nor do they understand." Now, dear ones, I want you to notice here the two groups. You have the halves, the ultimate halves. and blue and the ultimate have-nots in red. You know, for the last decade, America has been inundated with Marxist thinking, at least culturally, where the Marxists want to break people up into different groups of the haves and the have-nots. The reason for that was because the business owner and the worker in America got along too well. And so the Marxist realized they had to break people down according to race, class, and gender. And so there's always a have versus a have not. But if we're going to have a biblical worldview, we understand that the ultimate haves are those who have been given messianic salvation. That's who it is in the blue. The one who has is the one who has been granted knowledge of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. And notice the result of that is that they will be given more, not only more fruit in doctrine and deed, but also the abundance of life in the resurrection in the everlasting kingdom. So yes, for those who have, that is they've been granted the knowledge of the kingdom of heaven, They get it all. They get it all. The resurrection, everlasting life, forgiveness of sins, all of it. But notice the ultimate have-nots is not the proletariat. It's ultimately those who have not been granted the knowledge of the understanding of the gospel. And even what little they have, which is just this life, one day is going to be taken away as they are subject to the very wrath of God. That's what Jesus is saying. That's how stark it really is. And again, if we're going to have a biblical worldview, the haves and have-nots are not broken according to race, class, gender. It is according to those who believe the gospel, haves, and those who don't have the gospel, have-nots. That is a worldview that comes from the Holy One of Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice in verse 13, this needs very careful interpretation. He says, Now notice here in verse 13, it seems, as Matthew records this, that he in fact is talking that Jesus speaks to them in parables, in a sense, because he wants to remedy their blindness. He does it because they are blind. Well, don't turn to this, but if you're a note-taker, jot down Mark 4.12. And the reason you want to jot down Mark 4.12, it is a parallel account of the same parable. But there, Mark says literally, therefore I speak to them in parables in order that Hina rather than Hoti here in order that while seeing that they do not see and while hearing they do not hear nor do they understand. And so in Mark's account it seems to be very clear that Jesus speaks in parables in order to further harden them or to leave them in their condition. And so some scholars have thought well maybe there's a discrepancy between Matthew and Mark or perhaps Matthew is trying to take it down a notch when it comes to this doctrine of election. I don't think so. And the better rendering and understanding of this because is I think rightly said by a great scholar named R.T. France. Listen carefully. I'm gonna cite him because he said it so well. A great scholar in the book of Matthew, R.T. France says, the because here in Matthew does not in and of itself make the parables a means of curing the people's blindness, but only a form of teaching appropriate to that condition. Let me say that again. The because does not in itself make the parables a means of curing the people's blindness, but only a form of teaching appropriate to it. That's exactly right. There's no difference between Mark and Matthew in this regard. There's another great scholar, his name is Evans, and he says it this way, he says, the parables do not in and of themselves promote stubbornness, but they make it easier to remain so. Well said. Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus isn't using parables to make the unbeliever have greater understanding or making it easier for them to understand. but because it's appropriate to their hardened heart, that is their condition. Think of it this way, since the unbeliever won't receive the direct teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus refused to cast his pearls before swine, and what he does is he gives them only the enigma which further exacerbates and leaves them in their condition. Dear ones, a big issue in the last 30 years in theology in America is too many people have listened to teachers and the seeker-sensitive movement like Bill Hybels, people like Rick Warren, who say that we as pastors just have to be storytellers. Why? Because after all, Jesus used parables so that everyone could understand. But what does the text say? Jesus, dear ones, on the contrary, is giving parables to the non-elect so that they may remain in their spiritual stupor. And that's exactly why he cites from Isaiah chapter 6. Notice here in Isaiah chapter 6, he's going to cite that as being again fulfilled in his day. So he says, in their case, and I think he's referring to his audience, that is the masses of unregenerate on the seashore. In their case, the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, you will keep on hearing, but will not understand. You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive. For the heart of this people has become dull. With their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they would see with their eyes, hear with their hearts, and understand with their heart. and return and I would heal them. First thing I want to point out, notice in verse 14, Jesus here is saying that this prophecy, or at least Matthew is recording it that way, that the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled. Now, the term fulfilled there normally in our Gospels is pleiroo, and it simply means to be filled to the full. It reaches its culmination. But here, the term ana-pleiroo is used, and it's the only time ana-pleiroo with the prefix is used in the Gospels. Now, you might think perhaps it's merely stylistic, but perhaps there's significance to it, and I think there is. Ana may have the idea of again. And the idea would be, in their case, the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled again. The idea was that in Isaiah's day, remember Isaiah and Isaiah 6 was commissioned to do the same thing Jesus is doing. Let's remind ourselves. Isaiah chapter 6, Isaiah has a vision of the Lord. He sees Him lifted up and high. He says, holy, holy, holy. Remember, the superlative use of holy is the Lord God Almighty. Isaiah himself is so sinful that he has to have his lips cleansed. And then there's a call that someone has to go and to present the gospel of Yahweh, as it were. And Isaiah volunteers, in Isaiah 6, 8, here I am, send me. But when the commission goes out that we're reading here, that's being cited by Jesus, the commission to Isaiah is to preach a gospel to make them further be hardened. Because they won't listen, they're going to be even further hardened. Can you imagine being given that commission? Go and preach so that no one will hear. That's the idea. And so that's why it says, you will keep on hearing, but will not understand. Dear ones, the term understand there is the same tsunami that was used of the good soil in Matthew 13, in the parable of the sower. The good soil understands the gospel. And what did we just learn in Matthew 13, 11? It's because it's been granted to them by God. But to those who don't understand, they're the bad soils that never bear any fruit. And so they never understand. They keep on seeing, but they don't perceive. Notice in verse 15, he says, "...for the heart of this people has become dull, With their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes." And notice the otherwise. Otherwise, if they didn't have this hardened condition, what would they do? Well, they would see, they would hear, and they would su-ne-a-mi. They would understand. Again, the reason why people don't understand is because they are left to their own devices. and the sinful condition of humanity is not God's fault, that's ours. What is God's fault is if he removes that hardened condition. He gets the glory for that. He doesn't get the blame for our hardened condition. We brought that on ourselves. Notice he says, they would understand with their heart and return. The term return there has to do with repentance. And if the repentance, God would heal them. He would give them salvation. The idea in Isaiah's day is Isaiah was commissioned to teach a gospel that the vast majority were never gonna listen to because of their hardness of heart. Jesus is in the same predicament. He's giving a gospel that the vast majority will never listen to because of their hardness of heart. And he gives them parables, not to make it better for them, but because it's the only fitting thing for them. Brothers and sisters, let's think about how this relates in a mini-application for our own ministry. I think many of us have evangelicals, I've been guilty of this myself, is you often think, well, if someone is really successful in human terms, you're going to bring thousands of people to saving faith. But yet, Isaiah was commissioned to give a gospel that the vast majority would never listen to. Jesus gave a gospel that the vast majority on the seashore would never listen to. So the point for us that we should take from that is that you and I aren't called to be successful as it were in terms of numbers. but faithful in giving the truth and love. Faithfulness is what matters. That's what we're called to. Jeremiah, think about his preaching led to what? Being thrown into a cistern. Doesn't sound like a lot of fun. He didn't have a Cadillac and big mansion to live in. He was thrown in the cistern and rejected. The same thing happened to Isaiah. The same thing happened. Not, by the way, the cistern. But he was also rejected, just like Jesus Christ. Dear ones, we're called to faithfulness, not necessarily the human idea of success. All right, now, we see the change now from the reprobate heart now to the regenerate. Notice Jesus continues, verses 16 through 17, he says, and to hear what you hear and did not hear it. Do you notice here in verse 16 he says of his inner 12, remember minus Judas, that they're blessed. Blessed are your eyes because they see and their ears because they hear. They perceive the truth of the gospel. Why? Because they were smarter than their neighbor? No, because God granted them the knowledge of the kingdom. Now, this term blessed, I really don't like this idea that many scholars put into it as the idea of merely being happy. Do you realize that blessed most often in the Bible, it can refer to that, but most often it's referring to a status that belongs to believers that does not depend upon our symptoms. And the status is that you and I have the favor of God, where we have the forgiveness of sins and the assurance of everlasting life. That's what it means to be blessed. So take Corrie Tanboom. Most of you know that she was in a concentration camp. And I'm sure as she's in the concentration camp, a Christian, she didn't feel happy, but she was still blessed. Why? Because her status was that she had the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. The Nazis who were chasing her, who had all the food, who seemed to be having a grand old time, they weren't blessed. Their status was that the wrath of God was upon them. And when they died in the absence of Christ, they will forever perish. So the idea of being blessed here is ultimately for those who come to the accurate perception that Jesus is exactly who He claimed to be. And notice here, Matthew says, recording Jesus, that many of the prophets and righteous men of old, they desired to see these things. Meaning, yes, in the Old Testament, there were prophets who talked about the person and work of Christ, but they didn't know all the details. And so, these men that belong to the Lord Jesus Christ had the supreme privilege of seeing the messianic light dawn in their day. And we should always remember from this that our saving faith is not a great power on our part, but a great privilege given to us by God. Let me say that again. We always have to remember from text like this, that our saving faith is not based on our great power, but on a great privilege given to us by God. Brothers and sisters, salvation is only of Him. That's how we're blessed. And that's why He gets all the glory. Now, let's come to our applications. I have two points for you here this morning. Number one, we must know that humans are completely responsible for their own depravity, while God alone is responsible for alleviating it. Number two, we must know that salvation is a monergistic work of God alone. What's the difference between monergism and synergism? Monergism says that salvation is a work of God. It's not through a cooperative effort with humanity, as if God does 99%, but we meet him the 1% of the way. No, we see that it in fact is not a synergistic work, a cooperation, but a monergistic work in which God takes dead sinners, enables them for the first time to believe. and then they have the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life. They are blessed. That's what we're going to be learning here today. So, let's begin with number one. A major concept that I think we all have to understand is that the human depravity is such that none of us, none of us could ever come to saving faith on our own. But this depravity isn't God's fault, it's our own. So what I want to show you is that a depraved heart applied to humanity is our fault. Our regenerated heart, given by God, that's His doing. That's His fault. And so no one can say, well, Lord, you made me this way. No, the Lord may have left you that way in your depravity, but your depravity is your own. And so what I want to show you is what the Bible really reveals. about the nature of humankind. Many today believe in evangelicalism and around the world that humans are basically good, or if we're sinful, we're not that sinful. Well, let's look at what Paul says about the human condition in Romans 3, 9 through 12. Notice he says, what then? Are we better than they, meaning Jews or Gentiles? No. He says, not at all, for we've already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin. As it is written, there is none righteous, not even one. There is none who understands. There is none who seeks for God. All have turned aside. Together they have become useless. There is none who does good. There is not even one." First thing I want to point out, notice in red in verse 9, he says that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin. That is a fancy way of saying all people. By the way, the Greeks here is really synonymous with the Gentile. If you're not a Gentile, you're a Jew. And if you're not a Jew, you're a Gentile. Those are the two categories that Paul's dealing with. So what does that mean? He's saying all people. All people are what? Under sin. Under sin. Hupo hamartia. Under sin is just that. It's a good rendering. But a way that we can think about it is being in bondage to sin. Meaning that we can't extricate ourselves from it. that we can't come to faith, we can't come to obedience in and of ourselves. Why? Because all people are in bondage to sin. That is a universal condition. The only person in all of history that that doesn't apply to is the person of Jesus of Nazareth, the God-man. But it applies to all the rest of us. And notice here, In verse 11, I'll skip to that, he says, there's none who understands. Again, that's universal of all people. That term understands, again, is sunetimi. The idea is no one understands God. No one understands, if you want to put it in the terms of Matthew 13, the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. That's the default position for every single human being. Remember, in the parable of the soils, the good soil, the believer, understands. And today, we learned why that person understands as opposed to his neighbor. It's because it has been granted to them by the Father. That's what the Bible is teaching. Notice, it says there's none who seeks for God. Well, isn't right there? Shouldn't that be the end of the seeker-sensitive movement? The seeker-sensitive movement was created for a group that doesn't exist. Now, remember there was a famous debate between Pelagius, the monk, and Augustine. In the 4th century, Augustine He had a saying that said, let me cite it for you, because I'll probably goof it up if I try to do it from memory. He said, grant what thou dost command, and command what thou wills. Now, the idea there is, Lord, you command us what you want, but you have to give us the ability to do it. Well, there was a monk named Pelagius, and he was enraged by Augustine's saying. And what Pelagius claimed is that God could never command us to do something that we don't have the power to do. Well, brothers and sisters, don't we see in Isaiah 55, 6, the Lord says, So, the Israelites were commanded to seek the Lord. Well, let's go to the diagram here. They're a Jew, and therefore, They don't seek for God. You might say, well, that's mean about Jews. Well, you're a Gentile. It applies to us, too. Are you a Gentile? Well, that's the rest of them. They don't seek for God. So, the idea, then, is that, yes, God does command us to do things that we don't have, in and of ourselves, the power to do. Doesn't Jesus command all people? In Matthew 5, 48, he says, be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. And you say, well, that's it. I'm going to go home and I'm going to start right in. That's it. From now on, perfect. No, we know that we need. We need to bear fruit, but we need God's grace and power to do that which is pleasing in His sight. We need to be clothed in the perfection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Brothers and sisters, human beings are so depraved that, left to our own devices, we would not seek God. We don't. and we don't understand the gospel. And that's why we need the regeneration from the Lord. So, we must know that God enables His elect to believe our regeneration and salvation is therefore God's fault. But the depravity of man is our own. What I'm gonna do is show you through history the different views on the relationship between Adam's sin, our ability, and what God does for us. And I'm gonna relate this passage to show us that yes, this passage we read today really does help us understand the difference between Calvinism and Arminianism. Let me first of all put up Pelagianism. Again, Pelagius was a fourth century monk. He was the one that disputed with Augustine, as I mentioned. And in Pelagius' idea that Adam's sin didn't affect us in any way. That we were clean slates. Adam's sin didn't affect us either genetically, nor was it imputed to us. In fact, when he talks about ability, he would say, yes, human beings have the ability in and of themselves to believe, and do that which is pleasing to God. The first step in salvation is that of humans. Humans can choose to come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. So, this view, by the way, would be held by some evangelicals today. like Charles Finney. Bob has written many articles refuting Charles Finney. He was a full Pelagian, as Bob has shown. Now, there was a man, a French monk, in around 440 AD that taught something called semi-Pelagianism. Now, John Cassian, who taught semi-Pelagianism, he would say, well, yes, Adam's sin does affect us. And yes, we may have some inability because of his sin, but we have enough ability that we can do that which is pleasing and we can come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And so therefore, the human being can still come by cooperative grace to the Lord Jesus Christ. And so, yes, there was some effect by Adam's sin, but we can still cooperate with God, and therefore salvation is a synergistic work, a cooperation between God and man. And the idea is that if we will reach up from the water as we're drowning, the Lord will reach down and meet us halfway and pull us into the boat. That's the semi-Pelagian view. Now there was a man, many of you have heard of him, Jacob Arminius. He was a Dutch reformed minister who reacted against Calvinism. And Jacob Arminius said this, he said, yes, Adam's sin so affected us that we really don't have human ability in and of ourselves. But the good news is that God, he said, through a prevenient grace, meaning, prevenient, by the way, means first, gives all people the ability to believe the gospel. And so because it's given to all people, if you don't believe, that's on you. And if you do believe, that's on you. Because God has given everyone through prevenient grace, all people, the ability to believe. John Calvin said, and Calvinists who follow, and by the way, as I put these up here, and I agree with Calvin, it doesn't mean I'm a Calvinist and I agree with all that he said. I use the Fahrenheit scale when I talk about temperature. It doesn't mean I agree with everything Mr. Fahrenheit believed. Okay? And I like to put up these terms because what if I put up view 1, view 2, view 3, view 4? Well, that's not real helpful. Can you imagine we're debating between a Corvette a Ford Mustang, a, what would you say, a Charger, let's go with a Charger, and a GTO. Well, that means something. It would be a lot better than saying Car 1, Car 2, Car 3, Car 4. Okay, so that's why I'm using these terms. That's how people understand it in history. The Calvinist understanding is that, yes, Adam's sin is imputed to us. So that is, Adam sinned, you and I were the sinner. And therefore, we don't have the ability to do that which is pleasing in God's sight. We can't come to faith. And God does grant some, through effectual grace, not pervenient grace, the ability to believe. Brothers and sisters, why am I laboring this? Because the Arminian-Calvinist debate isn't that hard. People are messed up in their thinking about it, but it's not very hard. Does the Bible teach that God gives all people the ability to believe? Arminianism or some? Well, let's read the text today and let's decide who's right. Does it say to all people, I've granted them to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven? No. It doesn't say that. It's particular, not universal. To you it's been granted, but not to them. That text directly refutes the major tenant of Arminian theology. Brothers and sisters, mankind is so depraved that none of us left our own devices would ever come to faith. But God, through effectual grace, takes His chosen. He enables them to believe so that they come to faith. in the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what we are learning here today. And so what the Bible then is clearly teaching is a monergistic work of God. That's how salvation is accomplished. Monergism, God alone does it. Synergism, well, we're good enough to cooperate. No, the Bible doesn't teach us that we're good enough to cooperate. And as I say that, we really believe. But the question is, why do I believe and not my neighbor? Because I was smarter? Can I boast? No, there's no boasting before the Lord. because even our faith is something that's gifted as a gift of God. Let's see some evidence of that. Let's look at how we are born spiritually so that we have salvation. Notice what John says, John 1, 11 through 13, regarding the Messiah. It says, he came to his own, that would be the Israelites, and those who were his own did not receive him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name." So notice the relationship between receiving Him and believing in His name. How do you receive Christ? you believe in his name. His name, remember, represents his person and work. So it's synonymous with believing in the gospel. But notice then John says, who were born. Now stop there for a moment. Notice in the underline, the being born here cannot be a physical birth, it's a spiritual birth. Meaning it's a birth where you go from eternal death to eternal life. You go from having your sins accrued against you to where they are forgiven. That's the birth he's referring to. And notice he says three ways that this birth is not in any way brought about by a human being. He says it's not of blood, literally it's the plural, the bloods, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man. Three synonymous ways of saying that in no way and in any part does it have to do with anything that a human being does. So how were you born? He says it's of God. Brothers and sisters, let me ask you this. What did you do to be born physically into this world? Did you contribute anything? No. The conception and all of it, it was your parents doing. In the same way, the birth unto eternal life, coming to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, that birth is completely and only of God. That's what the Bible is clearly teaching. That's what we're seeing today in Matthew 13, in verse 11, where it says that God is the one who grants them the knowledge of the kingdom. Now, this shouldn't surprise us because this is found all over the Bible. Think about Acts 13, 48. Here you have Paul preaching at Antioch, Pisidia. And it says, Now, notice here we have another divine passive. Notice the had been appointed. That's a passive form of tasso. So the idea here is God is the implied agent who's doing the appointing. So notice it doesn't say, and as many as had chosen to believe, believed. It says, and as many as had been appointed by God, they believed unto eternal life. That's what the text of scripture. Now, if you go online, you go on YouTube, you'll see teachers that will say, well, that can't be taken literally. We have to look at the surrounding context. No, the surrounding context will not help you in this regard. The simple issue is Gentiles were coming to faith. And why were they coming to faith? Of their own merit, their own power? Should we eliminate John 1 11 that says they're not born of the human will but of God? No. We see in the text that it was because they were appointed by God to eternal life. Now, we see the same idea in 2 Timothy 2.24-25. Here, by the way, I think Paul's specifically speaking to pastors, but it extends to all Christians. He says, able to teach patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance, leading to the knowledge of the truth." Dear ones, let's ask the question, why would God have to grant, by the way, that's the same term we used, or we saw used, in Matthew 13, 11 today. That Matthew records Jesus saying, to you it's been granted, dido me, the knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God. So here he says, God grants them repentance. Remember repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin. If you're repenting, you're turning from rebellion, idolatry, sin, self, the world, and you're turning to faith. in the Lord Jesus Christ. So if you've repented, you're turning to faith. And if you have faith, it's because you've repented. They go hand in hand. Two sides of the same salvific coin. So make no mistake about it, this is a granting of salvation. Why would God have to grant it if we had the ability to do it? No, in history, it wasn't that Pelagius had something going for him and Augustine had something. Pelagius was wrong. Jacob Arminius was wrong. John Cassian the semi-Pelagian was wrong. People do not have the ability to come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ apart from God's doing. It is completely a work of God. Let me illustrate this and why this is important by telling you a story. And it's a story that I've used numerous times, and so forgive me for doing it again, but I want to talk about Mephibosheth. Most of you have heard this story that I've told in the past about a man named Ephibosheth from the Old Testament. He was a son of Jonathan. Now, Ephibosheth is very interesting because of his relationship with Jonathan. He was a son of Jonathan. If you remember, Jonathan and David were best friends. And they loved each other so much that they had made a covenant together. That if either one had died before the other, the other, in chesed, meaning covenant love, would take care of the other's family. The idea of chesed that they had for one another is the same term that's used of God's covenant love for us. A grace and mercy that's bestowed without any merit. That was the kind of covenant they had for one another. Well, in the Old Testament you probably remember from 2 Samuel that Joshua, excuse me, not Joshua, Jonathan and his dad, Saul, they died in battle at Mount Gilboa. Well, now you have this man named Mephibosheth, who was a son of Jonathan, and he's a cripple. In fact, Mephibosheth, his name literally probably means the mouth of shame. Anytime you see an osheth, it means shameful. And so he's thought of as a shameful one because he was crippled. He was considered accursed. He was dropped as a child, and he could no longer walk. Well, Mephibosheth, the shameful one, who is crippled, comes from a place called Lodivar, which in our vernacular we'd probably say he comes from no place. So here's a nobody from nowhere who is crippled. And the one thing that was true in the culture of the day, not just in Israel, but in the world, is that a king, a new king, who was installed on a throne would kill all those who would be his rivals. That is from the rival families. And so naturally, someone like Jonathan, because he was a relative of the previous king, should be killed. He'd be considered a possible enemy of the king. Well, lo and behold, one day, you can read about this in 2 Samuel 9, you have men that come from King David and they go to Mephibosheth's house. And can you imagine the fear that must have been in Mephibosheth? He's crippled, he can't do anything. He probably thinks, that's it for me. I should be dead if the king has his way. But instead, he's brought into the throne room of the king, and because of David's chesed, his covenant love that he had for Jonathan with no merit on Mephibosheth's part. Mephibosheth didn't do anything to deserve this. David says to Mephibosheth, you're going to eat at the king's table all the days of your life. And do you remember Mephibosheth's response? Who am I but a dead dog that I should eat at the king's table? Brothers and sisters, what I'm claiming is that the Bible's revealing that we're all Mephibosheths. A bunch of nobody from nowhere who are spiritual cripples. Truth be told, we should be wiped out by the king. But he came and got us and he showed us chesed. Not because of anything we had done, but purely because of his grace and mercy. And all of you who came to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, he has said to you, you shall eat at my table all the days of your life. Brothers and sisters, if you have something to do with your salvation, you can't say what Mephibosheth did. But brothers and sisters, we learn afresh today that we should all say in our salvation, like Mephibosheth, who am I but a dead dog to sit at the king's table forevermore. All glory goes to the King, none to us. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, Lord, we do thank you for the truth in Scripture. We do realize that some of these are difficult sayings, but I do pray, Heavenly Father, that these things won't roll off our back, so that we'd realize that salvation is only of you, that we'd be those who are faithful servants and letter carriers of the Gospel, but that we would trust you for the results, and that we can relax in our ministry in you, knowing that salvation is only of you. We pray, Heavenly Father, in the weeks and months, years ahead, again, please give us ample opportunity to have the gospel upon our lips with boldness and love, Perhaps you may grant others through us repentance and the knowledge of the truth. Heavenly Father, we do pray for Bob. We pray for his healing. We pray for our other brothers and sisters here that need healing. We pray that you bring them back to us. We lift those things up to you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.