Thank you. It's a pleasure to be here and I thank your minister and yourselves for such a warm welcome. I came through the door and looked at the literature you had out on the table and I heard you praying in the prayer meeting and I know you're a church that's awake already. You're worth spiritual warfare and what's going on in our nation and it's a privilege and a pleasure to be here. I feel very at home. But anyway, I'm here to tell you a short word about the Protestant Truth Society. The Protestant Truth Society was founded way back in 1889. That's when Spurgeon was still preaching in the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London. It was formed by a man called John Kenseth. And it was formed to make a stand, ultimately, against the growing influence of Romanism, the Roman Catholic Church in our nation. That's originally why it was founded. And it grew into a bigger group. In 1898, the first band of Wycliffe preachers was sent out. And that's one of the things the Protestant Truth Society does. It has a number of preachers called Wycliffe Preachers, and they appointed me as the Wycliffe Preacher for Northern Ireland, and there's a few in England. And they go out and they preach the true gospel. And in 1905, they formed a Bible college in Finchley in London to train the preachers how to declare the gospel, but also to defend the Christian faith. And today that is the job of the Wycliffe Preachers, and it is run by a group of trustees. They also are the trustees for the London Theological Seminary currently. They also have a big bookshop on Fleet Street in London, and that's where the offices were and where I was interviewed. So a lot of their work is publications. That's originally why the Protestant Truth Society was formed, but today our world is a wee bit different from what it was in 1889. Britain no longer rules the waves. There's no longer any such thing as the British Empire. But, though some things have changed, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Political, social, technological change is continual, but sin is still the exact same as what it ever was, and so is the remedy, the gospel of Jesus Christ. And that never changes. And the gospel of Jesus Christ, the true gospel, is still the only hope for our weary, sin-sick world and country. Now, of course, Romanism is still at variance, in essence, with the gospel. But also, there are other enemies of the gospel as well. False religion. All false religion. Atheism. A religion, those that have no religion at all. And all those philosophies and ideologies propounded by our government and the BBC and the mainstream media, all those things that set themselves up against the truth as contained in the word of God and in Jesus Christ. These things that enslave the hearts and the minds of men and women. Under Satan, of course, because he's behind that. Now this includes the current politically correct religion in our country. People like to think I'm not religious because they don't like to believe in God, but men and women always have a faith or a trust in something. And the current religion in the Western world is absolute trust in the media and whatever the government says. and the BBC. They have absolute trust in the National Health and all these boards and education. They trust in that, and that is their religion, because they don't trust in God. Now, Protestant truth, in the true sense of the meaning of the word, is the only truth that can stand against conversion therapy, the law that's been brought in. against the gospel in this country, and all the other nonsense that goes with it, and RAC in schools, and all this pronoun nonsense. The true biblical gospel, the truth from the scripture, is the only thing that can refute and contradict the errors that are coming in. But I ask you this question. The Protestant Truth Society, what do Protestants believe? They believe the Bible. That's how simple it is. And if a person doesn't believe the Bible, they're not a Protestant. That is a misinterpretation of the meaning of the word. The name Protestant first appeared at the date of S-P-E-Y-E-R, I'm not sure how to pronounce that in German, in 1529. when the Roman Catholic emperor of Germany, Charles V, rescinded or took away the liberties that the provinces got under the Reformation, the religious liberties. And this emperor rescinded those liberties and wanted to take it away. And he expected the rulers of each province to uphold his edict and to take away religious freedom. Well, at that time, there were six Lutheran princes in 14 free cities of Germany, along with the ministers of churches and so on, and they chose to obey God rather than men. And they stood up to the emperor and they said, they interposed is the word, the doctrine of the lesser amount, they interposed and they said, we will not be carrying out the emperor's edict. We will not be applying it to the people and we'll stand against them. And they were besieged and all sorts of things. But what they were doing was they became known as protestants. because they protested against the tyranny of the state telling people what they must believe. taking away freedom of religion. And that is what a protestant, a protestant is. Someone who believes the Bible and refutes all kind of error using the Bible. They're an evangelical believer and that's what a protestant is. True protestants are not those who are politically protestant, so called, but those who protest against all forms of error using the word of God. And in our nation, children of God, it is time to stand and protest against all error, especially moral error, in this day of evil legislation, when they're going to try and bring all sorts into schools, even to our children. And we are going to stand and say, we will not comply with your evil legislation. We're not having it. And we are going to follow the Bible, no matter what the cost is. We're not having it. We do not comply with our ruler's perverse morals nor the psychological child abuse of not calling boys boys and girls girls. We're not going to take part in that at all. It's not going to happen. We will not comply and we will protest and pray down the judgment of God upon our nation while at the same time. pleading that he will be merciful and pour out his grace on people and see them saved. And that is what it means to be Protestant, not weak, but strong, but not strong in ourselves, strong in the Lord and the power of his might. So the Protestant Truth Society is needed today, I believe, more than ever, as we stand upon a precipice in this nation. and I would urge you to stand with us. And if you want to know more about the Protestant Truth Society, I've brought a number of magazines out there, there's a few diaries, they'll be running out at the end of the year, but you can take them, all the stuff's free. And there's also subscription forms for the magazine. And if you see the magazine with the Mountains of Mourne on the front, inside there, there's actually a picture of me saying that I was being brought in as the Wycliffe preacher for Northern Ireland. I always say I'm surprised the printing press didn't break printing so many of that ugly mug. But anyway, please take the literature. It's just on the wee table at the back of the pews. And thank you for your attention so far, and the Lord bless you. We're going to turn, please, in our Bibles to Acts chapter 4. Acts chapter 4, and we'll read the first 12 verses, please. Verse 1. And as they speak unto the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them. being grieved, that they taught the people and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them and put them in the hold of the prison until the next day, for it was now even tide. Howbeit, many of them which heard the word believed, and the number of the men was about 5,000. And it came to pass on the morrow that the rulers and the elders and scribes, and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, by what power or by what name have you done this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, ye rulers of the people and elders of Israel, If we this day be examined of the good deed done unto the impotent or paralyzed man by what means he is made whole, be it known unto you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which has become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Amen, and God will bless the reading of his inspired words. In the 1500s, the Roman church had dominated and tyrannized Christianity for almost a thousand years. She had hidden the Scriptures, God's Word, in a language that the people didn't know, Latin. That church had hidden Christ by obscuring him with Mary and the saints and the priesthood. They had hidden faith in Christ as the way of salvation by multitudes of man-made works. They had hidden grace by seven sacraments, wee things that we could do to gain brownie points with God. and they'd hidden the glory of God by exalting the traditions of men above the scriptures. It was called the Dark Ages for a very good reason. But on the 31st of October, 1517, which will be 506 years ago this Tuesday, an Augustinian monk called Martin Luther, who was a doctor of theology, kneeled 95 theses, and the word just means complaints, to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg. He was wanting only to reform the Roman church, to bring her back to the Bible, but unwittingly, Martin Luther caused, in God's providence, the Reformation, the greatest event for freedom and liberty for ordinary people in over a thousand years in Europe. Politically, what did the Reformation accomplish? It brought equality and for people to have a say. Economically, it brought dignity to men, and educationally, It was the Reformation that brought education to ordinary people. Nobody educated people. But through the Reformation, people were educated how to read so they could read the scriptures. Schools came from Christianity in the Western world. But it was, of course, in religion, the area of religion, where the seismic shift or the earthquake occurred most. Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, John Knox, and the other men that followed them wanted one thing, to restore the church to apostolic purity, to bring her back into line with the Bible. And that's what Reformation is. That's all it is. change our faults by reading the scripture and seeing and then doing what we should do. That's what reformation is. But what was it all about? And what were and are the implications of the reformation to the gospel and God's people? Well, I want to give you a few points this evening. My subject is actually Sola Christos, Christ alone. And you'll see why it's from verse 12 of Acts 4. But there are four points and I want to briefly give you these. Number one, what were the central points of the Reformation? What was it all about? Two, Sola Christos, what does that mean? Christ only. And three, the various opinions of men. And fourthly and lastly, I want to give you the Scripture proof that Jesus Christ alone is the only Savior, solo Christos. But firstly, the central points of the Reformation, the main issues of what the Reformation was about can be summed up in the five solas. Now, Scripture teaches five solas. What does sola mean? It simply means only. or alone, alone. And when it comes to true Christianity and being forgiven of our sin, the Bible teaches five things in summary. And these are the things that the Reformation emphasized. Number one, sola scriptura, the Bible only. The Bible alone is our rule of faith and practice as Christians. Not scripture plus the Pope. Not scripture plus tradition. Not scripture plus whatever the government says. No, the only rule of faith, what we believe, and practice, what we do, is sola scriptura, scripture only. And if you want to know what to believe and what to do in the Christian life, read the Bible. Sola Scripturae. If we want to know what the gospel is, read the Bible. If we want to know what to do, read the Bible. We go to Scripture alone. Sola Scripturae, the Bible only, is the only rule of faith and practice, belief and action in the Christian church. No add-ons. Scripture alone. The gospel is not. Faith in Jesus Christ plus circumcision. Faith in Jesus Christ plus penance. Faith in Jesus Christ plus indulgences. Faith in Jesus Christ plus good works. No, it's faith in Jesus Christ plus nothing. There's no plus, sola scriptura, scripture alone. The second sola is sola Christos. We'll be looking at it tonight. Christ alone. Jesus Christ alone, Jesus only. Christ is the Savior and he has accomplished salvation for all sinners. He finished the work of redemption, he himself. There's nothing more to add to it. By being sacrificed and shedding his atoning blood on the cross, he paid it all. He redeemed his people. Nothing more is needed. Sola Christos, Jesus Christ alone. There's no other. There's no other way for sinners to be saved except through Jesus Christ only. And all who are saved and all who want to be saved must come. through Jesus Christ. Sola Scriptura, sola Christos, sola fide, by faith alone. That simply means faith only, not works. Faith alone. Trusting in Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. It's faith only. And then, solo gratia, or by grace alone. Grace, undeserved favor. It means more than undeserved favor. Mercy is God holding back the judgment we deserve. Grace means that, but it's a double barrel. Grace means mercy, God holding back what we deserve, but also giving us something that we do not deserve, forgiveness and a home in heaven. And it can't be earned. It's purely of God's grace. He gives it as a gift. And then the last sola is sola de gloria, for the glory of God only. And that's the purpose of the gospel. It's all God in saving people and bringing them into heaven is ultimately for his glory. So that's sola scriptura, sola Christos, sola fire, sola gratia, and sola deo gloria. Now, what does all that mean? It simply means the Reformation taught back to the Bible. Jesus Christ is the only savior. Faith is the only means of salvation. Grace is the only reason for salvation. We don't deserve it. And God's glory is the only goal of salvation. And Rome could not live with that, so the Reformation happened. Now, I'm going to preach solo Christos, Christ only. Jesus is the only Savior. He's the only way to heaven. And we are saved by Christ alone. Now, this is a very important doctrine, firstly, because it's in the Bible, but secondly, in our day, because some writers, recently there was a man called Timothy Keller, a number of years ago, and he was being interviewed. Generally, he was a good man, but he was being interviewed on TV, and then he was asked about Jesus being the only way, and he said, well, if there are any trapdoors, other ways to heaven, I don't know about them. In saying that, he was just opening the door to the possibility of another way to heaven by playing with words. But there is no other way because of what the Bible teaches, sola Christos. Christ only is the only way to be saved. Verse 12 says in Acts, neither is there salvation in any other. There is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. And the context which I read to you, the day of Pentecost, just after 3,000 people were saved, Peter and John went to the temple the next day. They healed a lame man at the beautiful gate. And then they went into Solomon's porch and Peter preached. And 5,000 people were converted. And Peter and John are arrested mid-sermon by the police, the guards of the priests, the religious police. And they're kept overnight in prison. and brought to trial the next day before all the chief priests, all the religious fuddy-duddies, and they're asked in verse 7, by what power or by what name have you done this? And Peter gave them an answer that resounds through 2,000 years. He gave them an answer by what name he has done this because he said, Ye rulers of the people and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined for the good deed done to the paralysed man, by what means he's made whole, be it known unto you all and all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him does this man stand here before you whole. This, or he, is the stone which was set at nothing by you builders, you religious leaders, which has become the head cornerstone. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there's no other name under heaven given among men, whereby you must be saved. What's Peter saying? He's saying, sola Christos, Jesus only. He's the only way. By the name of Jesus is the only way to heaven. Look at the words of verse 12. Neither is there salvation. See that wee word neither. In the Greek, that word neither is an absolute negation. No, not, never. No, not never is their present indicative, that's a statement of fact. No, not never, it's simply a fact, is their salvation rescue or to be saved. Neither is their salvation in any other, no man or no thing. For there is present, Indicative, another statement of fact, for there is no other name under heaven. Heaven, the air where the clouds are, the starry heavens, and the heaven where God lives, all of it. There's no other name under heaven given among men whereby or by which we must, and you see that wee word must? That's not an indicative. That in the Greek is an imperative verb, a direct command of God by which God commands people to be saved. So when you put all that together, Peter is saying in verse 12, there is most certainly not under any circumstances, any salvation in any other person, And there's no other name in the whole universe by which God commands people to be saved. No other name but the name of Jesus. Now it can't be misunderstood, sure it can't. If you're gonna be saved, for everyone in the whole world, if they're gonna be saved, if their sins are gonna be forgiven, it must be through the name of Jesus Christ. Because there's no other way. Sola Christos, Christ alone. There's no other way. Now think about that. That has great implications for religion in our nation, the interfaith movement, the ecumenical movement. There's no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Oh, but what about Buddha? Buddha's dead. He didn't get resurrected. Does he have a name? Yep. Well, there can't be any salvation in him because the Bible says there's no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. What about Muhammad? Does he have a name? Yep. And it's not Jesus, so then there's no salvation in Muhammad, and nor in Hare Krishna or in the Pope or anybody else. There's no other name in the whole universe by which men and women must be saved. If anyone's going to be saved, it must be through Jesus Christ, because there's no other option. Sola Christos. That's what the text teaches. Jesus Christ alone is the only Author of salvation. Now at this point, I come to point two. Various silly opinions of people in our society. In the light of what I've just said, Christ's the only way. In our society, there'll be various opinions. Oh, the interfaith movement, the ecumenical movement, all these various opinions. And all these organizations get more support in the modern Western world. Because what they believe is all world religions, they all have a wee bit of truth and they're all pointing to the one same God. That's what they believe. It's funny if they believe that all that happens because Hinduism believes in 15 million gods. But anyway, it's easy to believe that They're all wee religions, have a bit of truth, and they're all pointing to the real God. It's easy to believe that under one condition. And the one condition is this, that you don't believe anything much yourself. And that's exactly what people in the interfaith movement and the ecumenical movement, they're all united on the fact they don't believe anything very much at all. And it's very easy, therefore, to be united with other people that don't believe anything very much at all either. Because there isn't much problem, because you don't believe anything very much. And the whole ecumenical movement is based on that. Both organizations, they're made up of people united on the fact that they don't believe anything very much. That's the truth. And they're gaining more support in the Western world because the majority of the population of our nation are godless pagans. And most of them have not got the slightest clue what they believe. I was talking to a man a few years ago and I said, So you don't believe that God created the heaven and the earth and everything in it?" And he said, no. I said, well, what do you believe? Where do you believe everything came from? He said, I believe it came from nothing by itself. I said, what? You haven't a clue what you're talking about. Show me one scientific experiment in real science, physics, where something comes from nothing, where order comes from chaos. It's nonsense. It's total contradiction. Most people haven't a clue what to believe. So therefore it's easy for them to set aside their differences, what differences I would ask, because they don't believe in it very much, and be united with other people that also don't have a clue what they believe. John Blanchard in his book Does God Believe in Atheists quotes a secular newspaper reporter from England who went to one of the multi-faith ecumenical meetings in Sweden, I think it was the 1970s or 80s, and this unsaved man reported in a British public newspaper when he came back, seeing all these ecumenicals getting together, he said, quote, they can agree on almost everything because they believe almost nothing. Even an unsaved man could see it. They're united on the basis they don't believe in hardly at all. and unity on that condition is easy. But the problem is, for anyone who believes the Bible, that the Bible says, neither is there salvation in any other, for there's no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must, must be saved. Christ's the only way, and all other ways are lies, they are sinful, and they are wrong. How can you say that? I know you're not asking me that, but other people listening in our society would ask me that. Very simple, you can say it too. I can say that and you can say that because you simply believe the Bible. Jesus is the only way because the Bible says so. And for anyone that says they're a Christian, but doesn't believe that Jesus is the only Redeemer and Savior, and doesn't believe that Jesus is the only way to be saved, then you don't believe the Bible. You don't. Lots of them don't believe the Bible. It's very simple. But if they don't believe the Bible, they're not believers, because a believer has to believe, don't they? And they're not Christians, because the word Christian means follower of Jesus. The thing about a follower is they follow, don't they? They follow Jesus and what he teaches. So they're not Christians nor believers if they don't believe Jesus is the only way to be saved. I was talking to a man when I was in White Abbey. I was in White Abbey Congregational Church as the minister for 16 years. And I was talking to him that Jesus is the only way. And he said, no, no, he says, I don't think that. And I said, stop right there. Maybe that's why I got in trouble sometimes. I said, stop right there. You've hit the nail on the head. You don't think. That's it. You don't think that. Because if you did think, I said, you'd realize that Christianity and what the Bible teaches contradicts every other religion in the world. So how on earth could they be united? Christ's the only way of salvation. The Bible clearly says it. And the man said, oh, but I don't believe that. And I said, exactly, you've got it right. You don't believe you're not a believer. Now, now that you say you're not a believer, you're in a position to get saved, because you can't believe. But if you don't believe what the Bible says, you can't be a believer. Christ is the only way to be saved, and we must believe that. For anyone who doesn't believe that Jesus Christ's the only Savior, they need to do two things. Read their Bible. and start believing the Bible. That's it. Jesus Christ is unique, and the whole Bible teaches that. Now let me come to my last point. We've given you the solos, solo Christos, and then the various opinions of men is point three. The fourth and last point is this, the scripture proof that Jesus is the only way, because we need more than one verse. John chapter one, verse 12. To as many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God, even to those that believe on his name. Whose name? Jesus, Christ alone. John 10, nine. Jesus speaking, he said, I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved. You see that word door in the Greek? It's singular, not plural. Jesus is not saying, I am one of the doors. He's saying, I am the door, singular, one. There is only one way. I am the door, by me, if any man enter in. Jesus is the only way, solo Christos. John 14, 6, the one you all know, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me. Acts 2, 21, whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Whose name? The name of Jesus. That's the name. Only those that call on the name of Jesus are saved. Acts 10, 43, that through his name, whosoever believes on him shall receive the remission of sins. Whose name? It keeps saying this name all the time, every verse. Whosoever believes on his name, the name of Jesus. Because the whole Bible teaches Christ alone is the only way of salvation. Romans 10, 13, whosoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Philippians 2, 9 to 11, God has highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth. The name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And then it says in 1 Timothy 2, 5, for there is one God. and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. There's only one way of salvation, and it's Christ alone, it's sola Christos. And there's more verses, but I'll not give them to you, I've scribbled them out because you could just keep going forever, couldn't you really? There's only one pedestal. And Jesus Christ is on it, he's the only saviour, and there's no room for anybody else. There's no other saviour of sinners except Jesus Christ. And for anyone in our country or any of our churches in this country, if you don't believe that, you don't believe the Bible. And if you don't believe the Bible, you're not a believer. And if you're not a believer, you're not saved. For anyone that doesn't believe Jesus is the only way, they've got the threefold problem. Number one, they're ignorant of what other religions teach. They think all religions point to God. Ignorance. The second problem they have is they don't believe the Bible. They're ignorant of the Bible, they don't believe it. And thirdly, they're putting their feelings against, because it's not their thoughts, it's their feelings, against the whole teaching of the Bible, the Scriptures. Because salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ. And there's no other way for forgiveness of sins. And there's no such thing as a believer who doesn't believe that. Or a Christian, a follower of Jesus, who doesn't follow him. Sola Christos. I conclude and apply. I've given you four points. The central points of the Reformation Scripture alone, Christ alone, by faith alone, through grace alone, to the glory of God alone. Sola Christos, Jesus is the only way, that was point two. Various opinions of men, they're all based on stupidity and ignorance. And the scripture proof is undeniable. The Bible teaches Jesus is the only savior. Let me give you a wee line of application to the church and believers. Let us, brothers and sisters, let us not go soft and woolly in our days of compromise and political correctness. Let us never compromise on the uniqueness of Jesus Christ. We believe sola Christos, Christ alone. And I am disappointed with Tim Keller and many other modern evangelicals so-called because of their wooly evasive maneuvers. Now they probably do actually in their heart believe the truth but when they get on TV and they're in front of the world then they start wobbling and coming out with silly things. Timothy Keller said, if there's a trapdoor, it hasn't, I don't know about it. Well, Mr. Keller, I would say to you, I'll tell you what you do know. You do know that Jesus said, I am the door, singular. He's the only way. There is no trapdoor. You've been told there's no trapdoor to heaven. There's only one door and Jesus is it. Neither is there salvation in any of it. There's one mediator between God and man. Playing around with words is just a waste of time. Don't let us compromise in this powder puff Christianity in this modern society. We have to stand on the truth and hold our ground on the basics of the faith, the essential doctrines of salvation. Win or lose, ultimately we're on the winning side. But in practical things, near we lose this battle, we lose the battle, maybe for abortion and all these things, we still have to make a stand, win or lose. Because in the future, when the church history is written about our day, maybe Christians will look back and say, well, you know, abortion come in and this come in and all these horrible things come in. The Christians lost the battles, but at least they fought them. They didn't give up. They didn't give up. And you can respect that, but it's hard to respect when you look back at church history and see a compromised church that just went along with things because they couldn't win. I wanna say something just as a close to the unsaved person. Here's the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the only begotten son of God And he was born of a virgin into this world, and he lived a perfect, sinless life. And he was tried and found guilty, even though he'd done nothing wrong. Even the judge said, I find no fault in this man. And he was nailed to a wooden cross between two thieves. And during the three hours of darkness, when he cried, Eloi, Eloi, laba sabbathane, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? God made his soul, the soul of his only begotten son, an offering for sin. And it says in Isaiah 53, God the Father saw the travail of the soul of his son and was satisfied. Jesus died bearing the punishment of sinners that whosoever believes in him is forgiven. And if you're in Christ, if you believe in Christ, that means God is satisfied with you. Your sins are forgiven. trusting in Jesus, having faith in his sacrifice, believing. It's a present active verb usually in the New Testament, not a one-off belief. We'd have to start believing wherever we got converted, but it continues and we continue to believe. Our faith lives, it's a living faith. And when you put your trust in Jesus Christ, you are forgiven and that's it. But let us, and with this I close, let us never, Never take for granted, believers, the sacrifice that God the Father actually made to save you and me. I look at myself and I quite often think, how on earth did God love me? Because there was nothing to love. There was nothing for a holy God to love. And yet he sent his son to die in my place and yours. He offered such a costly sacrifice. on that cross, that altar, that we would be free from our sin and forgiven. Let me read to you a letter. This is a true letter that was written in 1864. Listen to this. It illustrates in a small way the sacrifice that God made. It's a letter written to Mrs. Bixby of Boston, Massachusetts, and says this, Dear Mrs. Bixby, It has been drawn to my attention by the Adjutant General of Massachusetts, this is during the American Civil War, that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I realize how weak and helpless might be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from a loss so overwhelming. Five Psalms. But I wish to tender to you the thanks of the Republic they died to save and pray that God would assuage the anguish and grief and leave you only the precious memory of the loved and lost. and the solemn pride that must be yours to have led so costly a sacrifice on the altar of freedom. Yours, thankfully and sincerely, Abraham Lincoln." What a sacrifice. But it pales in comparison. Look at the costly sacrifice that God the Father laid on the altar on that old cross for our freedom, freedom from sin, forgiveness, and a home in heaven. Jesus is the only way. He's the only savior. There's no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Trust in him. And the Lord bless you and thank you for your attention.