On last Lord’s Day our Pastor Teacher Landis Fisher began to teach how that believers in Jesus Christ must learn to rely on the fact that God is unchanging and stable in every imaginable possible wayu, and therefore, He is reliable to be trusted in all the things He has promised. This week, continuing in this train of thought, Pastor Fisher has prepared another message teaching the application of these facts in a message which he has titled: “Living in the Growth of the Gospel of the Christ”
Old Testament Scripture Reading: Psalms 40:1 – 10 (KJV)
Psa 40:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Psa 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
Psa 40:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
Psa 40:4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
Psa 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
Psa 40:6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
Psa 40:7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
Psa 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
Psa 40:9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
Psa 40:10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
New Testament Scripture Reading: Hebrews 10:1 – 10 (KJV)
Heb 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
Heb 10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
Heb 10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Heb 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
Heb 10:6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
Heb 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
Heb 10:8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
Heb 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Transforming Power Statements:
1) All the world in all of time, have always depended on their own works as a means of ‘salvation’; although in all of time since the same thing was done by Adam, (the ‘federal head’ of all of mankind; ) God has never accepted ‘human achievement’ (that is: ‘Good Works’) as any possible way to make one clean in His sight; but has always proven that true ‘Salvation’ must only be received as a gift of His grace on the basis of His works on behalf of the guilty who always transgress His Law.
2) No forgiveness from God has ever been attained as the result of ‘human achievement’ at any time; by a fallen man, but God by the execution of His plan; (that is the proclamation of and the sending of His Only Begotten Son, Who is the Christ; the Messiah, the Anointed One, JESUS!) has always made provision for everyone to receive His grace as a token of His unchanging position which is His never-changing love for all mankind.
3) Everyone who comes to know that God loves them and has sent His Son Jesus the Christ; receives the Holy Spirit to indwell them forever and must learn to rely completely on the promises and stability of God and not on their own fallen performances and learn from God’s Word how to press forward in growth from the TRUTH, yielding to the indwelling Holy Spirit and not to the fleshly tendencies to judge your progress on the basis of ‘good works’ but rather on the finished work of Jesus Christ.
