And the rest of us can turn to the last book of the Old Testament and the last chapter, well, nearly the last chapter of the last book, maybe the last page in your Bible in the Old Testament, but Malachi chapter three and verses 13 down through verse 18. Well, it's officially the Christmas season. I guess I don't know what makes that. official or not. It seems like shops are jumping the gun early and earlier. You know, pretty soon it's going to be like July, then it's going to be March, then it's going to be maybe year-round Christmas. But, you know, now as you go out, you've got the communities and the shops turning on the Christmas lights, and it looks lovely, you know, to see those lights at night. The houses are being decorated. Christmas trees are up in the windows. We know this last week as we're driving the kids home after church, they're looking for those Christmas lights. You know, they're up there in those windows and things. We enjoyed that. Christmas music is on the radio, and it's been on the radio again in the shops for quite a while, trying to get you in bed. A generous spirit of buying things, I guess. And the Christmas market's open. I don't know if you've been down there at all. I don't know if Glasgow has one, but Edinburgh has the German market. It's not what it has been in the past, but it's still lovely to get down there and see the shops and the atmosphere and whatnot that is down there. I noticed across the street from our house that yesterday they had a Christmas market. And sadly, they have the sign up and it says, X-mas market. You know, they're advertising it that way. And I wanted to print a little, you know, Christ and put it out there and put it on that just to keep the Christ in Christmas. You know, the X, let me say this about the X. The X comes from the Greek letter, which is the first letter of the Greek word Christos, which became Christ in English. And I've heard that, and I get that, but at the same time, I think a lot of people that would say X-mas or put X-mas out is because they don't want to offend somebody that doesn't want the Christ in Christmas, and maybe them themselves don't really want the Christ in Christmas. If you were to talk to them about that, I think they'd probably say, you know, I'm not really against religion. I'm not really against God. You get that a lot from people that they would express it that way. But in reality, the truth is this, that they are against God. And that if, especially if they're an unbeliever, they are absolutely against God. Though they might say, you know, I'm not against God. And we get that in our evangelism. A lot of times it'll be somebody that we speak to that they would, they would categorize themselves as somebody that thinks the Bible's okay, thinks religion's okay. They would really not feel like they're against it, but in reality, there is this reality that they are against God. In Malachi 3, verses 13 through 18, what we're looking at is the people that are against God, but don't feel like they're against God. But Malachi is gonna prove to them through the truth that he, expounds here in these verses that they are in actuality against God. And so verse 13 says, God says to them, you've been stout against me. That word stout means to be to make strong or to be obstinate. A stout branch, we know is a good pry bar. I mean, it's a good solid piece of wood that you could use. It's stout. And so they were strong, but they were strong against God. You know, obviously it's not a good thing today to be somebody that's obstinate against God. I mean, that would be a bad thing for us if that's our heart, that that would be something that is not a good thing at all. They were God's people. They had practiced his religion, but they were strongly opposed to God. Again, it's possible to be that person and not really realize that you're that person. Saul was very much that way. You know, Saul thought he was strongly for God. I mean, he was zealous for God, he thought. And in his zealousness, he was persecuting Christians, putting Christians to death. The Lord had to confront him on that road to Damascus and say, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And Saul says, who art thou, Lord? He says, I'm Jesus, whom thou persecutest. It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks. The sharp pointed goads that they would use to drive the oxen, that would be obstinate. They would poke them with that goad. That was Saul. Saul was obstinate against God. He was stout against God, but praise God, his life would change and he would become stoutly for God. And so what I want us to consider this morning is do not be stout against God. but be somebody that is stout for God. All right, be somebody that really stands for God. Are you truly standing for God? Or in actuality, is there in your heart that which would be against him, against him? So let's pray. Ask the Spirit of God to help us to become to the Word of God. Father, we're grateful again for the grace that you give. Thank you that it's warm enough in here this morning. And Father, I praise you that we can meet together today. And Father, for the privilege that we have of congregating, thank you, Lord, for a place to congregate. Thank you for permission from the government to congregate, that we have religious liberty in Britain and in Scotland. And Father, as we come to the Word of God, this morning we ask that this would be a profitable time in the Word of God. Father, we thank you for the Word of God. Thank you that it is the very Word of God. And Father, I pray that we would receive it as such today. It's our desire that we meet with you, Father, more than anybody that we want to meet with today as we come to church. It's our desire. We want to fellowship together. We want to encourage one another in the Lord, but Father, more than any person we long to meet in this time, in this place, at this hour, it's God. And so Father, we pray for that. And Father, we pray for that transparency between man and God, that clarity between man and God, that ability of the word of God to very easily work in our hearts and our minds. And Father, I pray today, if somebody in their heart, they're against God, maybe they wouldn't say they are. They don't feel like they are. They would think the opposite. But Father, I pray, would you use the word of God to show them their position if they are indeed against you? Father, those that are for you, I pray they'd be encouraged to stand even more strongly for God in a day where the majority of people are standing in a position that is against God. And Father, I pray for grace that we could hear. Bless the kids' class today. I pray, Spirit of God, bless Mrs. Shores, you guys, the kids' class. Give them grace to have a good class. and be encouraged. Father, I pray that you speak there as well. Father, as I speak in this place, in this hour, at this time, I pray that you'd give me liberty. I pray that you'd guide my lips. I pray that you'd guide my heart, my mind, help us as we come to the text and as we go through this text. I pray that you'd help me to express the truth that the Spirit of God has impressed on my heart as I've studied. Thank you, God, for your grace. It's in Christ's name we pray. Amen. So do not be stout against God, but be stout for God. Those are the two main points that we're going to look at. So we're going to start with, do not be stout against God. So the person in our text that is stoutly against God is a religious person. We'll see that in the way that the text speaks to them about their position. They observed religious practices, but it was external and not internal. It was a religion, but not a relationship. Romans 10 verse 13 speaks about, or verse three speaks about that. It says, for they, being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. The truth is this this morning, somebody has to have the righteousness of God to go to heaven. But there are many people today that are seeking to go about obtaining righteousness, but not God's way. And in that they're not submitted to God. They haven't yielded to salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone and received God's gift of righteousness. And in that they're obstinately against God. They would think I'm a religious person, but their religion is a false religion because it does not submit to God's way. God's righteousness to man is God's gift to man. Ephesians two, verse eight and nine says, for by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. All right, so it's a gift. God gives it freely. It's not earned or anything like that. But this person refuses to submit to what God's word says about the gospel, what God's word says, what righteousness is. For instance, they would not accept that they are a wicked sinner. They would look at themselves, they view themselves as a good person. They think that their goodness is worthy of going to heaven. Yet the Bible says in Romans 3.23, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. This person wouldn't recognize that principle of sin in their life. They wouldn't see themselves as somebody that is separated from God because of that sin against God, because of their sin. They wouldn't accept that their sin is worthy of death in hell. Romans 6.23 says, for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. But the wages of sin is death. And we know that the Bible is speaking about the second death where it says, whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Like the rich man that died, and the Bible says, and in hell, he lifted up his eyes being in torment. This person would refuse to accept that idea that they would be a sinner worthy of damnation and a lake of fire for all eternity. They would be somebody that would not accept that nothing they can do can change the condition of their soul. They think by their works, they think by their religion, by their goodness, by the things that they do, that they can somehow merit favor with God, that God should look at them and accept them into heaven. And yet the Bible says that there's nothing we can do to change the condition of our heart before a holy God of ourselves, Jeremiah 2.22. It says, for though thou wash thee with niter, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord God. It doesn't matter what somebody does, they could come to a church, a good church, any church, whatever religion that is, and be faithful in that religion, and be committed to all the rites of that church, whether baptism, or christening, or the sacraments, or whatever that may be, and yet in doing those things, there's no righteousness of God that is imputed to them through that. That it's a vain attempt by man to try to cleanse themselves, but they would not accept that. They do not accept that Jesus alone is the Savior. who can deliver them from their sins, from the stain of their sin and the forgiveness and cleansing that they need, as well as from the wrath of God against their sin. As the Bible says in John 3, 16, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him trusts in Jesus should not perish, but have everlasting life." Okay, so this person, rather than that, attempts by religion, rather than accepting the gospel, attempts by religion to try to merit favor with God. And so how can they perhaps today recognize that they stand in that position? How can they understand that I stand as somebody that has not submitted to the righteousness of God, and I'm somebody that thinks that I could somehow earn my salvation by what I do? Well, their condition is discoverable by examining what they say and what they think. Those two things, what they say and what they think when it comes to even religion. And so we see this in our text, this person that is stout against God ought to examine what they say, okay? Again, they don't think they're against God, but they reveal by their words that they are against God. And so I would ask, if I was preaching to the audience that Malachi was writing to, this would be a good question to ask them. Do you say that serving God is pointless? Somebody that just looks at it and says, serving God is vain, it's empty. Verse 14, these people, God said to them, ye have said, it is vain to serve God. It didn't satisfy. It seemed to them just pointless. It was an endured ritual. And so in their heart, they looked at it and saying, why do I bother to do this? Because this is in vain. We know this morning that the word of God refutes that idea that the true religion is a vain religion. You get what I'm saying? There's a difference here. They're professing a religion and yet they look at that religion and think this religion is empty. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 58 says, therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as he know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Someone that's truly saved in Christianity as God intends in that right relationship with God, it's not in vain. It's wonderfully not in vain. It's satisfying. There's a fulfillment in it and a recognition that, hey, what I'm doing is of value, but this person in their religion, looks at the religion and just says it's empty, it's vain to be in this religion. 2 Corinthians 15 verse 7 says, Again, as a true believer, we understand that there is profitability in this. because it's real. I said to an atheist that I was witnessing to, and he was an antagonistic atheist as we were speaking, but I said to him, I said, look, people have died for this. Because he's saying, what's the idea, what's the point? I was trying to show him that there is a reality to this that is deeper than just kind of a head knowledge about God. And I say, look, people have died for this. In the Solway Firth, there over by Dumfries, in that area, Dumfries and Galloway, they staked out the two Margaret's, the Covenanters, the young one's 16 years old, the older one's something like 64 years old. The older one was staked further out. And as the tide came in to the Solway Firth, the older Margaret drowned. The younger Margaret, as the water began to lap around her head, they pulled her up and said, would you recant of your position? She would not and she died for the faith. You go to St. Andrews and you got the GW in the ground there out in front of St. Andrews Castle. It's George Wishart's initials. A man that said to John Knox, as John Knox wanted to go with him before the tribunal, that he was going to stand before. He said, one sacrifice is enough, right? And he died for the faith. And so many, as you go down into Edinburgh and you see at Greyfriars Church, the monument to the 18,000 that died, you look at their life and you say, what? You know what? They weren't living for a vain religion. To them, it wasn't just a religion. There was something deeper to that. And we understand that as true believers today, that there's something wonderfully satisfying about a true relationship with God. But these people did not see that. They looked at it and say, it's vain. It's empty to serve God. So do you say that serving God is pointless? That's evidence of somebody that's stoutly against God. Secondly, do you say that keeping rules is profitless? Do you say that keeping rules is profitless? It says, again, in our text, verse 14, in what profit is it that we have kept his ordinances? Can you kind of see their hearts there a little bit? It's kind of like, oh, it's just a bunch of rules. They looked at that religion and that relationship with God, it's just like, we got to tick this off, tick this off, tick this off. And again, it's that vain, profitless religion. And I'm just doing all these things, trying to, as it were, please God as a self-righteous person, trying to merit favor with God. The Pharisees were like this in Jesus' day. Jesus said to them, Matthew 23, 23, Judgment, mercy, and faith. "'These ought ye to have done "'and not to leave the other undone.'" The Lord was not saying tithing is bad. They would tithe off of their herbal garden. I mean, they would take each one and they would measure it out and they give a 10th to the Lord. And the Lord says less, he doesn't say that's bad. He said that you ought to have done, but you left out the big things, the things about a true relationship with God that you know nothing as it were about. They knew nothing about judgment. Judgment is the judicial forgiveness of God, whereby God can justly look at man and say, I forgive you in our case because of the shed blood of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, that died for our sins. They didn't know anything about the judgment of God that would impute righteousness to them by faith in God, the coming Messiah, and the work that the Messiah would do as we look back at the Messiah who came. They didn't know that. They knew nothing of tasting God's mercy. He left out the law, omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment and mercy. They didn't know what it was to be forgiven by God truly in their hearts to have that right relationship with God. They hadn't established that by faith in God. And that's the last thing that they knew nothing of that true faith in God whereby they would receive imputed righteousness. You know, Martin Luther was in a religion like that. How did he fare? You know, how did he enjoy that Catholic religion that said, do all these things, do all these things. And if you do all these things, God will accept you. And he afflicted his body and he chastened his body and he tried to keep all those rules. And he came to the point of like, this is pointless. To what purpose have I kept all these ordinances? You see the connection, that idea of being trapped in a religion with no relationship with God. that that person is actually against God. They don't realize they're against God, but they're against God. They're stoutly against God because they think that they can establish their own righteousness. So do you say that keeping the rules is profitless? By the way, if it's true religion and you keep the rules, is it profitless? I mean, the Bible speaks very clearly in Joshua 1.8, it says, this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein. What is that, keeping the rules? For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success. I mean, if somebody desires to prosper, prosperity is found in keeping the rules. Daniel just preached a message two weeks ago, I think, on a Sunday night, and he preached about Psalm 1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of the sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. What is that? Keeping the rules. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night, and he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season. Is that profitless? There's great profit. The problem is this, somebody cannot, that doesn't have a right relationship with God, they don't have the grace of God, the spirit of God, and the forgiveness and the mercy of God to be able to keep the rules. They don't have what's necessary to have imputed righteousness that raises them up to the standard that God has given, the forgiveness and the mercy of God, so that they could be righteous before God and daily go to God and say, God, I need your mercy. I need your forgiveness. I need your grace. And by the grace of God, obey God and please God. But this person just looks at it and says, man, all Christianity is keeping the rules. It could be a young person that grows up in a good church and never really comes to a relationship with God and thinks about church. All it is, is us keeping the rules. That's not true. But do you see their heart in the text? They're stoutly against God. The person that's stoutly against God, they begin to look at it and go, this is vain, it's empty. All it is, is a bunch of rules that we have to keep. And the third thing, Do you say that it is sad to be a Christian? They said, what's the point they are saying? And then it says that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts. You know, to them, their religion was, you know, sad faces and dark clothing, I guess. I mean, they just saw it as, what is the point that we have humbled ourselves? And to them, religion was just kind of very cold and calloused and calculated and not happy at all. I say praise God today that I grew up in an independent Baptist church of born again believers that knew God, and that our church was a vibrant church that loved the Lord, that our fellowship was a sweet fellowship, that it was a joy and delight to go to church. And even so, that's the way it should be in our church, that we get together and it's refreshing, and it's encouraging, and we meet with God, and we know that it's not just a place, and I understand there's times for soberness, there's time for seriousness, and we get to that in preaching at times, sometimes we laugh, sometimes we don't, but it's not just about sad faces. And if I look at church and I think all church is, is going to church and being sad and being grumpy or something like that, I'm just entering into the same idea that these people had. They looked at it and said, what's the point? And I would say this, if I was at a Catholic church, I could understand that. I've been to a Catholic funeral. When I was in New York City, a deacon in our church, his wife passed away and she didn't come to our church. And so we went to the funeral and she was Catholic. And I mean, as they did the funeral, you got the priest waving the incense and the darkness of it and the hopelessness of it. It was definitely not what Paul spoke about, that we sorrow not as others which have no hope. It was the sorrow of those that have no hope. Praise God, that's not us. That's not us. If we had a funeral of somebody that is born again in our church, that would be a, yes, there's a sorrow of having lost that person, but even in that time of mourning, there's a joy. There's a peace. so that we don't look at it and say, all it is is about being sad and having these sad faces and things. And so today, whether somebody is in a good church or they're in a false church, they can tell if they're against God, if they examine their heart and what they say, do they say serving God is pointless? Do they say keeping rules is profitless? Do they say it's sad to be a Christian? Do you understand? I mean, those are some things that you can look at and say, if that's in my heart, at the very least, I'm stepping over to the position, even if I'm saved, I'm in a position of somebody that is against God. We ought to look at Christianity and say, it's a joy to serve God. It is profitable to serve God. It's a blessing to be in the house of God. And so, as they look at their heart and examine if they're stout against God, the first thing is examine what I say. What do I say? Do I say these things? But then secondly, examine what you think. Examine what you think. Do you believe that men of pride are happy? Okay, so we're gonna get into the text about what the people are thinking. Do you think that men of pride are happy? It says in verse 15, and now we call the proud Okay, this person's looking with envy at those that are proud people, are proudly against God, stout against God. And, you know, they look at them and think, you know, here I am, I'm a religious person, but I look at that person, I'm envious of them. They look so happy in their position against God. You know, the Bible says about God that God hates pride because pride is rebellion against God. Pride is what says, I don't need God. I can do kind of my own thing. And it's interesting that the greatest rebellion in our day against God is called the movement that is defined by pride. And in pride, they say to God, God, you can't say anything to us about reproduction, about gender identity, about the family, about marriage. And God, I cast that off. That is what pride does. Pride says to God, God, you have no right over that. God lists six things that he hates in Proverbs 6, 16, and 17. And the first is pride. It says, these six things that the Lord hate, yea, seven, are an abomination unto him. And the first one is a proud look. And God hates that pride. Pride took Satan out of heaven, the great angel. You know, we always only ever think of Lucifer or Satan as somebody that is bad, but you know, he wasn't bad when he was created. He wasn't bad in his origin and what God did there. He was a glorious angel. And yet Isaiah 14 says, I will ascend into heaven. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will sit upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the most high, yet thou shall be brought down to hell to the sides of the pit. Satan said, I will, I will, I will, I will. And God said, no, you won't. And God dealt with his pride. but pride is absolutely against God. But this person is so contorted in their religion that they look at those that are against God and they're envious and think that they're happy in that position against God. Look, nobody can truly be happy in that position against God. The Bible says in 1 Peter 5, verse 5, likewise ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility for God resisted the proud. but he giveth grace unto the humble." How could somebody today, and just understand from a rational perspective, how can somebody today be happy in their pride when God's against them? But this person, again, it could be a young person that grows up in a church and I mean, they hear it and they're in that religion and they hear that truth, but they look out and they go, man, they look so happy in their pride, but they're absolutely against God. And we know that in that position, they cannot truly be happy because God is against them. Do you believe that men of pride are happy? And then do you think that wickedness has a foundation? Has a foundation? This person looks at him and they say this, yea, they that work wickedness are set up. You know, they're doing that sin against God, but look how established they are, look how strong they are, is what this person is thinking as they view that person. You know, our area here is being very built up. We're getting 400 new houses over by our house, not far from here. We've got the houses that are going here and in Bilston. And as you see them putting the houses up, and I said, Pentland View is about to block our view of the Pentlands, you know, from the road over there. But as they're putting those houses up, they're laying foundations, every single one. It's a solid concrete foundation. Why? Because as the foundation is, so the house stands, right? The house either stands or falls based on whether or not it has a good foundation. You know, how good a foundation does a wicked person have? Matthew 7, verse 24. Says, therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the wind blew and beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon the rock. Jesus got done preaching. He said, if you listen to this message, if you obey these precepts, guess what? Your house is rock solid. And so the truth is this, if we were to add truth to this text, a righteous person or a good stout person for God would look at a righteous person and say, that person is set up. That person is set up. Because that's true. But the Bible goes on to say, And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended and the floods came and the wind blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it. So the truth is this, this morning, the wicked are not set up. You know, we can look at them and think, oh, they're established, they're doing so well, it's so strong. But the reality is, the reality is, that their house is going to fall. That it's not something that we should look at and say, well, I envy that. No, I don't envy that because that's going to be destroyed. That life even is going to be cast into a lake of fire for all eternity. They are absolutely not somebody that is established. So someone who's stout against God, though, looks at that and thinks, man, the wicked have a good foundation. And then lastly, do you think that men can tempt God and get away with it? Do you think that they're actually getting away with their sin? It says, yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. They see somebody shaking their fist at God and they look at them and say, it's okay. They got away with it. God's not going to do anything about that. You know, in our day, again, this is the religious person that agrees with churches that okay sodomy and who will okay abortion. This is somebody that says that's good, that agrees with that or agrees with those that deny the authority of God's word and say there is no such thing as absolute authority and they agree with that and stand with that or somebody that thinks it's right to deny a literal creation. that God created in six days. They agree with that and agree against God who mock miracles that can't be explained rationally. We would call this maybe liberalism or something like that. But this person looks at that and says, you can take that position against God and that's just fine. That's just fine. You know, are those people who have done those deeds really safe from God's wrath? 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 1 says, And the reality is this today, if people understood that are outside these walls, that take these positions against God, that agree with those that take positions against God, if they understood what was coming, they would literally scream in terror because the wrath of God is coming. And so we understand the wicked have not gotten away with that, but this person looks at that and they say people contempt God, say whatever they want against God and they will be fine. You know, our text here is prophetically speaking about the day of the coming of the wrath of God. And it says that they will not be fine. Chapter 4, verse 1, it says, That's the reality. But it goes on to say this, So God says, I'm going to take care of it. But this person looks at it and says they got away with it. They blaspheme God, it's okay. They tempt God, it's okay. And they're deceived by that. Again, it's somebody that is stout against God, has to examine these things and say, well, you know, is my heart thinking that men of pride are happy, that wickedness lays a good foundation, that men contempt God and escape? Or they're saying things like, you know, serving God is pointless. Christianity is just keeping rules and it's just sad faces, all right? So you get the idea of somebody that is stout against God. Now, I hope as we consider that, that that's not our heart this morning. that we're not somebody that is against God, but we have true religion and that we are stoutly for God. And so do not be stoutly against God, but be stoutly for God. My mom said probably what some famous person said at some point, but she would say this, your greatest liability can be your greatest asset. And that's stuck with me in my mind. Who knows what famous person said it, but your greatest liability can be your greatest asset. The thing that was your obstinance, maybe even against God could be your obstinance for God. We certainly see that in the life of Saul. He was strongly against God, but then when he got saved, he was strongly somebody that was for God. And so turn your strong opinion and position to the side of God, be stoutly for God. And as we consider that, be somebody that knows God's people, knows God's people. And our prophecy here is referring to a day that is in the end times and we're very much living in the end times in our day, it was a day of declension. But even as there are people that were stoutly against God, There were people that were stoutly for God. And so assemble with them. Know God's people. Assemble with those that fear God. It says in verse 16, spake often one to another. So there's a lot of people with these opinions that we've just talked about. They were thinking this way, saying these things, and yet there were some people that were just faithful and getting together and worshiping with God's people, encouraging each other in the Lord. It's evident that they joined together often for fellowship. often speaks of frequency. I don't often go fishing. I wish I did. I don't often go to the grocery store, and I'm glad about that, but often speaks about how the frequency of that time together. The Bible says in Hebrews 10 verse 25, it says, You know, the approaching day is the same as what we see in our text, that in these last days there were people that would often get together, God-fearers that would congregate, and encourage each other in the Lord. We understand today that we need to be a church that often gets together. I've said to our church at different times, a church that ceases to congregate is a church that ceases to exist. We're called out assembly. I mean, the reality is that if we stop assembling, that we stop existing. And so that we need that as a church. And so much more, as the day approaches, we need to be those people that get together and say, I'm committed to getting together with the body of Christ and to joining together in seeking God. And so a believer who is stoutly for God is a believer who fears the Lord and often congregates with God's people. But then secondly, assemble with those whom God hears. It says in verse 16, and the Lord hearkened and heard it. Okay, God was present in that place and he was listening. Our technology in our day is amazing. You know, when you can pick up your Facebook or FaceTime or whatever it's called, and be able to immediately talk to somebody that's in a different nation or something like that. This week on, I think it was maybe Wednesday, I was studying and then I realized that the Supreme Court justices were hearing an argument that could potentially overturn Roe v. Wade. So I turned on the oral arguments, I began to listen to that, and I listened to the Mississippi Solicitor General as he presented the case for the 15-week from conception abortion ban that Mississippi has put into place that Supreme Court is weighing whether that is to be upheld or not. I listened to the Chief Justices. and the justices as they ask questions. I listened to the Planned Parenthood or whatever it was person attorney stand up and argue their case for why they think women should have the right to an abortion. It was like I was there as I was listening. I could hear every argument as it took place. You know as I've been preaching this morning and as we've had Sunday School out in the cafe this morning because of the coldness of this room. You know, God's been listening. And it's pretty awesome to hear that God is hearing the preaching and the teaching. He's hearing the encouragement that we give to one another as we fellowship with one another and strengthen each other in the Lord. He knows that we're present here this morning at this time. Just like in our text, he heard as the God-fearers got together and as they worshiped. So assemble with those whom God cares. Then assemble with those who have a record in God's remembrance book. It says in verse 16, and a book of remembrance was written before him. God didn't just listen, but God wants us to know that God wrote it down, that God had somebody there that was taking notes. and observing and saying, you know what, that person is present, that person is there, that person is saying this, that person is standing for this. It's a book of remembrance. It's like what the kings used to keep. We read about it in the story of Esther, as Mordecai was there in the gate of the king's palace, and he heard about those two men that were gonna assassinate the king, and he told the king about it, and the king's life was spared. The king had a record of that, a book of chronicles. He called for that to be read before him. And it was found that Mordecai had told of Bithynia and Tyresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king of Hasuerus. And the king said, what honor and dignity have been done to Mordecai for this. Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, there is nothing done for him. And what does he want to do? He wants to do something great. And it's an awesome story, as you know, as Haman becomes the one that runs before Mordecai and heralds the great man that's behind him. It's an awesome story. But the point is the king wanted to do something. Why? Because he had a book of remembrance. And it ought to encourage our hearts this morning that we look at our day and say it's a day of declension. There's so many people that take the positions that we looked at at the beginning of this. They're stoutly against God. Yet, if we abide faithful that God is aware of that and God is taking note of that position for him. Assemble with those who consider the Lord. Verse 16 says, for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name. Okay, if somebody fears the Lord, they think upon his name, then they act accordingly, right? A young person could be tempted to do something and they're out there with their friends and they say, hey, let's do this, whatever this may be. But the young person thinks to themselves and think, mom and dad really wouldn't like that. And if I do that and mom and dad find out, there's going to be punishment for that. And so they look at that and they think, I don't want to disappoint mom and dad, and I don't want to suffer from their punishment. And so because I'm thinking about them, I'm not going to do that. And that's what I was speaking about in our text, is somebody that's a God fearer that says, what does God think about that? How will God respond to that? And because I fear God and I don't want to disappoint God, I'm going to obey God, I'm going to please God. I'm not going to go to that place. I'm not going to do that activity. I'm going to do what pleases God. 1 John 2, verse 6, in our Bible reading this past week, we read this. It says, he that saith, he abideth in him, ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. If I'm to walk, even as he walked, I've got to stop and think about it like this. What would Jesus do, right? Would Jesus listen to that? Would Jesus go to that place? Would Jesus have those friends? Would Jesus put that into his life? Would that be in his life? Those that abide in him, say they abide in him, ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. And that is somebody that stops, they think upon his name and say, no, I fear God. And God says, I know who that person is. That's somebody that's stoutly for God. They know those that stand for God, those who assemble to speak for God, those whom God hears, those recorded in God's book of remembrance, those who consider the Lord. And then secondly, as we consider the stout for God, not just know God's people, but know God, know God. Be somebody that's possessed by him. Verse 17 says, and they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts. God looked at those people, he said, they're mine. They assemble for me, they fear me, they stand for me. He takes those people that obey him, be possessed by him, they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts. George W. Robinson, who actually went to Trinity College in Dublin, and is from Dublin, He wrote the hymn, I am his and he is mine. It says, loved with everlasting love, led by grace that love to know. Gracious spirit from above thou has taught me it is so. Oh, this full and perfect peace. Oh, this transport all divine in a love which cannot cease. I am his and he is mine. It repeats in a love which cannot cease. I am his and he is mine. At different times, we've had a lot of children in our church, up to 20, I think, children at different times, but of those 20 children, only six were mine. Today, of those however many, only five are mine. Those are my kids, that means this, I possess them, and they possess me. Yet today, it's a great thing to be somebody that God possesses, right? They say, I possess God, God possesses me. I am a part of the family of God. John 1.12, but as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Ought to be somebody that knows God, somebody that's possessed by God, somebody that, secondly, is precious to him, precious to him. It says in verse 17, in the day when I make up my jewels, All right, there's a future day that the Lord's looking forward to of claiming his own, taking his own to himself. And it speaks to the preciousness of that by describing it as jewels. You know, I like rocks. I think everybody knows I like rocks. And we love to find agates. And we go out and we look, and they're semi-precious stones. And as we're looking for them, and if I find one, it's precious to me. I take it, I put it in my cabinet. I put it in a precious place in my house. God says that his people are precious to him. Again, praise God as we gather together this morning, we may not be the biggest church in the area or something like that, but God would look at us and say, you know what? That's precious to me. They're part of those that are gonna make up my diadem and make it sparkle even that much more in glory because they are my jewels in that day when I make up my jewels. Be precious to him. And then lastly, be preserved by him. Be preserved by him. Verse 17. It says, and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. The day of wrath is coming, the day of the judgment of God, but those people are spared. Those people are not gonna suffer when the judgment comes. Just like we see so many times in the word of God that God spares his own. God spared Noah and his family when the flood came. God took and he covered the righteous. God spared Lot when he judged Sodom. In his mercy, he took Lot out of Sodom. God spared Israel when he judged Egypt. God's gonna spare the church of the tribulation. When the tribulation comes, the rapture's gonna take place before the tribulation, and God in his mercy is gonna spare his people his wrath, and God will not cast his children into hell, because God is gonna spare them. You know, as that day comes, are you part of those that are, again, protected by God? We pray that for every person in our church, that every single one would know that they are saved. Are you among those that will be spared? Saul was stoutly against God before he got saved. After he got saved, he was stoutly for God. Some of that stoutly against God, these things that we've considered this morning, they could be speaking against God. They could say things like it's vain to serve him. It's empty. They could look at it and say, it's just a bunch of rules. And certainly there's been a lot of young people that have grown up in what we would call fundamentalism in the United States. And I would say this reflects their heart. They look at it and say, it's vain to serve God. It's pointless to keep all these rules. It's just a bunch of sad faces. And I don't look at the problem as being, oh, the standards were too high and the problem was the standards. I look at it and say, you know what? That young person never got a heart for God. They never had a relationship with God. To them, all it was was rules. They didn't know anything of judgment and mercy and faith and that walk with God that's vital and real and alive and the fellowship of those that are in a position of obedience to God. They looked at the ungodly, those that were in pride and those that were in wickedness and say they're happy and they're set up and they've got it. They blaspheme God and it's fine and they've gotten away with rebelling against God. And the fact is, no, they haven't. But this person that's stout against God, they think, oh, I don't like this and that looks good. But somebody that's stoutly for God just continues to congregate and says, I'm just gonna stay with those that obey God. And God sees it. And God records it. And God says, that's mine, that's precious, I'm gonna keep that. I mean, the text I think is wonderful for explaining that it is everything, it is so worth standing for God. It's so worth understanding that it's not about a religion. A religion damns. Self-righteousness damns. That idea that I could be good and that I could please God by doing all these things. And somebody that maybe hadn't recognized in their heart that I'm actually against God because I'm a religious person might look at it and say, but I am against God because I don't, that's the way I see it. I see it as a bunch of rules, difficult, and I wish I had that. But when somebody gets saved, received Jesus Christ by faith, it becomes a joyous relationship where you're with the family of God and it's great. And it's refreshing and it's encouraging. And so I just ask this point, where are you? Where are you? Because I could be stoutly against God and not even realize it. That's the condition in this text. That was definitely the condition of Saul. But if I recognize it, I could step away from that and say, you know what, I reject that. I'm gonna stand strongly for God. I'm gonna get together with God's people. I'm gonna stand with God's people because I am his and he is mine, right? And so may God help us to get that idea from this text this morning and help us to be those that are obstinately, obstinately for God. Let's pray. Father, I just pray that the Spirit of God speak to hearts There are some wonderful litmus tests in this text. And Father, I pray that there could be somebody that's stoutly against God. They don't really realize it. They're religious, Lord. They think, you know, they're a religious person. But if they would be honest, they'd have to look at it and say, you know, I just look at it as a bunch of rules. I'm fretting against it. I kind of wish I could be with the wicked. I think that they're good, they're okay. But Father, that's somebody that is against God. And Father, I pray against that. But Father, help us to be those that will assemble, that will say, you know, I'm just gonna stand with God. I'm just gonna obey God. I'm gonna please God. Because it's not profitless. It's not vain. There's great reward. And Father, we know the joy of a relationship, a relationship with God. And so we pray for that. God bless your word to our hearts this morning. In Christ's name we pray, amen. Amen. Let's stand, please. We'll sing a hymn of invitation here. Nearer, still nearer, 382.