Gospel—David So
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Well, good evening.
It's good to see many here, children included.
I thought perhaps we're going to sing two children's him first, if that's OK with you, and then we'll sing one.
For the adults, and let me suggest one in the back of the hymn sheet. Hymn #40. I believe every child here should know that. Let's sing the 1St and the second verse of hymn #40.
The second hymn I like to sing is number 42. Many of you know that's one of my favorite. It's a short ham, but you have the sing it my way. We sing that him twice. The first time around we sing it the way it is. The second time around we change just couple of words in there because I believe this theme includes all children of all ages. So the second time around we were saying a little child of.
70 I like that as I'm getting close to that number. So #70 looks good. And then the second verse was saying or even 34 and I think some of you could be around that age. We got that ready.
Lord.
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I enjoy that hymn because not only we can sort of relate to it, that awe in this room.
Old or young can relate to it, whether you are 70 or seven or three or four. And the way of salvation is simple because God knows our stubborn heart.
Is saying we're saying this here, How do we? How can we be saved? Is that for when the heart, not the head?
But the hard believeth on Christ the Son of God.
Oh, you know, in this world a lot of people say I believe in Jesus. There are people you even say I got proved that I wear the cross. But do they believe on the same Jesus they will be preaching tonight? The Jesus who is the Son of God, the one who came into this world.
A born as a man gone through manhood so that he can taste death for every man.
The one who gone through men heard without sin. I know their children here. They can be little baby, that we say. Look how innocent they are. Yet we know they well. For lack of a better word, I said they all have an opinion.
They have an opinion of what things should be the moment they are born. They are there to train the parents of how things ought to be.
And you're smiling because you have children. You know if they know they can get away with things, they will.
Because the Word of God tells us that they were born in sins. We were all born in sins and shaping in iniquity. For there is none that doeth good. No, not one. We just had a new grandchild. He's three months old. We can see that when he wants something, the tempers got to start to flare. That's our nature, isn't it?
The sin We were born with sin, but how precious here that the word of God is simple.
As the Philippian jailer said to Paul and Silas, they said to him, sirs, what must I do to be saved? Simple question, is there anyone in this room tonight is seeking a way of salvation? Are you one of the one that is asking that same question? What must I do to be saved?
And we know the answer. We all learned it at Sunday school. This most that I can recognize in this room.
We can easily say that verse believe, believe what? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Precious verse, isn't it? You know I like that verse because that verse doesn't just end there. You look it up.
Is that belief on the Lord Jesus Christ? And thou shalt be saved.
Comma. Interesting, isn't it? The statement is not completed.
And thine house.
Our precious Savior. Delight to bless family.
When we we see accept the Lord Jesus as our Savior, whether we are three or four.
Your blessings not only for you to be saved from the wrath to come, but that the Lords promises and thine house.
So I trust that a simple message that perhaps even the younger one are able to take home with. I know this meeting is not gear for children. That's worry. If the Lord leave us here till tomorrow, we'll have a Sunday school that are more gear for children but nevertheless.
Thank you children for attending this meeting and that this is for you too, isn't it?
I like to share a story before I go to the portion that I want to turn into two different stories. And I don't even remember who I talked with yesterday. This young sister said to me, they got here finally. I said, oh, you should have follow AGPS.
And she said we did.
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We still got lost. I said GPS doesn't work. No, it's me.
How many of us have the guided Word of God that we carried in our hand?
And perhaps you too will say, well, it doesn't work.
Is that because the word of God doesn't work? Or can we be honest and say.
That it's me, and I trust that tonight as we open the word of God.
That we would listen and hear what God has for you.
Then I'll share another story with you. I know, and some of you may have the same experience. My children always say don't talk about me.
We get complain like that all the time. So tonight I have a four year old grandson here. I don't think he understand if I talk about him, so I'll talk about a little story on the way here. This is his first trip here. He was all excited that he can come with us.
The only problem was half an hour into the trip this is about 6 hour drive and we had about an hour delay at the US Canadian border. So that was more than seven hours plus lunch plus well little kids breaks. It was a long trip and we have forgotten as our kids are growing that phrase. Are we there yet?
Somewhere you still remember that, right? Are we there yet? We heard that many times over.
Excited about coming here because we told him a little bit about what he can do and play.
About 3 hours into the trip, he said.
I want to go back to your house.
I tell you that story because do we find? We do that because we thought we found someone or something better.
But then because we didn't search it out, because we didn't look hard enough to see what the better is.
We want to go back to your house because something we're comfortable with, but yet there is something far better than we can see or expect. So I'm going to, we're going to sing one more hymn, just one stanza to build a thought hymn #24 perhaps we were just saying the first verse only then we'll go into our reading.
Hymn #24 verse one only.
Perhaps someone can help me start at hymn?
We have before us the last two days the book of Ephesians. What a wonderful book, and I would like you to turn with me to the Book of Ephesians, chapter one.
I know some of you might say, well, we've been in this book for a while, but this is a wonderful book. And as a side comment, I'll challenge you. I see many young people sitting at the back there. Learn the book of Ephesians. Learn it to the point where you can expound. What is chapter one about? How is the book divided? You know, we have the privilege of going through chapter 6 and we have the privilege of some told us.
The difference the the work that we have.
So I won't spend the time on it, but I'll give you a hint that the book begins by addressing to the faithful, to the sayings and faithful. And they give you a hint that you are too thought for the book. The 1St 3 chapters that we didn't take up is in regard to the to those who are called Saints. But we are. It's not two different categories of people. But the second part of the book is how do we walk as faithful chapter 4 and as I think a brother tried to.
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What's the difference the other day? So let's begin with Ephesians one. Let me preface this. And brother Tim was telling a story how someone else spoke on this book. And as he told the story, oh boy, I hope it didn't read my note. And I go, well, I don't have any notes so we couldn't read my notes. But I think it's a wonderful chapter. My thought tonight was the story I told you how someone would say I want to go back to your house.
Part of that reason is because we don't know what to expect at the new place, do we?
So rather than often we preach urging you the need to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior, I'd like to change the tone a little bit to share with you. What is it like to be hissed?
What is it like to be redeemed by the precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ?
What are the blessings that we have been talking about and if you are paying attention, we talk about a lot of these already.
But I think is good that we talk about it again. You know, it's interesting to me to comment to someone this afternoon. I had a visit with an older brother recently, far away from here, maybe a few 1000 miles away. He, he said to me, he said I don't know what's wrong with the young people today. How's that? He said we have to tell them things over and over again. They don't seem to get it.
I looked at him. I go. Are you talking about me?
He said no, no, no, no, I'm talking about the young people. I said, I think you're talking about me. He thought, no, I'm not. I said, well, I want to be honest. I said, you may be speaking and I may be looking back at you with a smile.
But I'm not there.
Do we find that? So sometimes you might say we talk about that, but you have to remember there are times that people like me that is not there. So it's good, isn't it, to repeat the word of God. Hopefully we trust that when it's repeated at the right moment that you are with us. And here this is in regard to your salvation. This is in regard to eternity, not just.
Meeting where you learn something or not. So let's see the blessings that maybe you already know or perhaps for some of you.
Is that I didn't know that. And I trust that you would want to learn. Perhaps we'll use it in another phrase. We're sharing it with your family's secrets. Doesn't that neat to know, right? I know a lot of young people will go. Oh, secret that kept my attention. I want to know now. Of course, if it's a real secret, I can't tell you.
Because if I tell you, then it's no longer a secret.
So the word of God used the word mystery. So sometimes they would say, well, it's like a secret, but no, not really a secret because once you learn it, it's no longer a secret. It's just that it wasn't talk about much. So before I go in, let me give you the example. So what's the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, a secret to the Jewish nation?
No, I'm sure you can think of many passages.
In the Old Testament that talk about the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, What about his suffering on the cross? Can you think of passages that talk about that? Well, if so is not a secret. But then there are things we're going to read that in a minute that are not mentioned in the Old Testament that in a sense is a mystery until you learn it. So let's turn to Ephesians chapter one.
Now let's just read a few verses and we talk about it briefly. The power and apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God to the sayings which are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace be to you, and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Here's an introduction to this book.
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That is from God.
The Father is from our Lord Jesus Christ. How important now is this letter to you? And as we work through it, as we go through, it is also telling us the work of the Holy Spirit.
Isn't it precious to see the Trinity is at work? Yes, we can say, well, this book is church truth, giving us this highest truth as if it were, but yet it's also a book.
To tell us the blessing we receive as a redeemed person and then if we have time into the second chapter if draw the analogy to see how we have no part with God's work. We were alienated from him but yet because of grace we're brought into blessing. Isn't that a wonderful secret that was kept is good for us. So just to preface it with time we find I'm going to read verses.
Four to verse 6 together and as I preface that this as we read it is telling us what has God done.
What has God done for you? Let's read that. I don't think you will even need much explanation. Verse four. According as He had chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ.
To Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us, accepted in the Beloved.
Rather long, but there are three things we want to sum it up quickly because of time here that we find God has done something very special for us. In verse four He says He has chosen us. Did you know that you were chosen before the foundation of this world?
God himself has chosen you.
Before the foundation of the world, to be without blame, to be holy, to be like himself. Before the foundation of the world, verse five said and predestinated. Now that word predestination is a little bit difficult to understand. I like the new translation. Use the word you have been marked out.
You know, I, I heard there's a list for you to do things right. Can you picture someone saying I'm going to mark all those that have to do the dishes three times more than the other ones?
Right. That's what marking always is. We pick those things. The Lord have picked your name. You are marked out way before.
Until the adoption unto sonship. Now you find the adoption of children or children is not there in the new translation, it's just the adoption of the proper translation is in the place of a son.
Wow, did you know that? Did you know that God beforehand?
Not sometimes man would think of predestination. They said yeah, this this guy is predestinated to go to hell. That's a terrible thought. And I do not believe anywhere in scripture that mention predestinating to hell, but we have been predestinated to sonship. So three things he owe and.
And it is according to His good pleasure to be the praise of His glory. And then He sat. Then because of that, we are found to be accepted in the Beloved.
Now let's look at something here. What did we have to do to get all this?
I don't see a condition here.
Is God's grace, isn't it, that we have been chosen, we've been marked out?
As a son and accepted in the beloved the grace of God before you were even born. Now let's look at another portion verse 7 to verse 12. Now this is talking about the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. What did he do because we'd see the Godhead, the Trinity is at work for our blessing. Verse seven in whom we have redemption through.
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His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace, wherein he had abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence or intelligence, having made known unto us.
The mystery. Oh, now what mystery pops up here now the mystery of His will, according to his good pleasure.
That He had purpose in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in Him.
In whom also we have obtained, and inheritance, being predestinated, according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the council of His will, that we should be to the praise of His glory, who trusted in Christ.
The Son of God.
The Son who shared his blood in order to redeem you, in whom we have redemption through his blood, Even the forgiveness of sins, isn't that a big issue? That for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And we know from reading of the scripture.
The Sunday school or gospel meeting we learned that the wages of sin.
Is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord, so we find that because of his finished work on the cross.
Because he came to die for sinful men, he came to do God's will.
We find in the book of Hebrews he would say, I come to do thy will, O God.
No one else can say that to come and do the Father's will. And so we find the work of the Lord Jesus for us there, that that we have redemption because of his finished work. And then he came, and he may know of a mystery. What is this mystery?
The mystery that he.
For free the Gentiles, that he's going to make the Gentiles to be part of the one body. It's interesting as you go through the book of Ephesians and the book of Colossians 2, that the body of Christ is mentioned many times. There is one body. We don't separate the two from the gospel to the breaking of the bread because there is one body.
He died so that we can be pard of that one body.
And we have an inheritance that he has given us. Now I'm going to skip ahead now verse 13, verse 14, it tells us now the work of the Spirit of God, in whom ye also trusted. After that he heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation in whom also.
After that ye believe.
You were sealed with the Holy Spirit, a promise which is the earnest of the inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession. And to the praise of His glory. Oh, we are to be the praise of His glory now. It's interesting to see that too, in.
In here in verse 12 we ended it previously. It says who trusted in Christ? Who is that we should also be the praise of his glory? Who first trusted in Christ? Brethren, how many of us here have first trusted in Christ?
Or are we in the situation in verse 13, in whom ye also trusted, after you have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation?
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Precious, isn't it? To see the two different categories of people as if it were those who first trusted. That's a Jewish nation, isn't it? They trust it. And then we Gentiles, after the gospel was presented to us, we too trusted in Christ. And because of the work of the Spirit, it says we are sealed. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
And we have even given that as an earnest.
As if there's a deposit saying that you are his.
And that we are to be the praise of his glory. Now I I skip a lot of things there because of time. It's precious to read through that. And then we find here that.
That the Apostles prayer raised those questions is good for you to read through our Lita. For now, I'd like to go to chapter 2. Chapter 2 reminds us of the conditions that we were in.
What will we by nature, chapter 2 verse one and you had the quickened who were who were dead.
In trespasses and sins.
Do we see that that's our conditions before we were saved? The word of God look at it and say you are dead, you were in trespasses of sins, when in time past you walk according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.
Do you recall we took up a lot of these power of darkness?
We'll talk about the enemy, Satan, the devil, the dragon, and so on. Yeah, now we see he is the Prince of the power of this air. Verse three. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature.
The Children of Wrath.
Even as others.
As we read this, does it remind you of someone? Can you look across the room?
Can picture someone who was in this category of people who were in trespasses against God with no part?
Walking in the lessons of the flesh, perhaps you look across, perhaps you should look at the person next to you. And you go, hmm, And what if it's that person?
Or perhaps we can do this in this room. Perhaps we should pick up a mirror and look into the mirror and see is the word of God talking about me?
And I have to say when my heads bow, those were my conditions. And I think many in this room would be, would be able to say that that was us. Sad, isn't it? No parts. We were by nature children of wrath. Let's go to verse four. What did God do but God, who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved.
Even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us to gather. What cries by grace are you saved? Oh, what a wonderful picture here, God, who is rich in mercy.
How rich was his mercy? We know God is a righteous God. God cannot have sin in His presence.
So how can he reconcile sinful man to be in his presence? Oh, that's when the redemption work has to be done, a prize has to be paid, that we have to be redeemed to be back into his presence, that he sent his Son, that we read earlier on the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son.
Cleanse of us from all sins. How precious to know that.
Even though we were violent, as vile as we were, we're now new creature in Christ by believing that God sent his son to die for me. What do you have to do? There's nothing to do. It's a hymn who are sometimes saying there is nothing to buy. It is simply by believing that God.
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Sent his son. The work of redemption has been accomplished.
And all we, for lack of a better word, to do is to accept the fact that our sins are forgiven because of the work. So verse seven tells us that that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace.
In verse 8:00 and 9:00, we often have those that memorize our brother said.
You know, it's good to memorize versus and I look at our brother Bob. I say, yeah, brother bra, Bob, you're getting older. But I look at myself and say, yeah, me too. I'm having trouble memorizing verses. So I will echo the same sentiment to you younger ones. Remember, try to memorize the verses when you're younger is much. It'll be very handy as you're going along the path of life. So let's read that verse, verse 8:00 and 9:00.
Four, by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God.
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
With God's grace, what have you done to deserve that? We don't, we haven't, but it's the grace of God that we are saved and.
Nothing to do with yourself, not that. Not of yourself is a gift. What do you have to do to receive a gift? You say thank you.
But then the next verse I found a very fascinating for me because that verse as we read this in the gospel sense, it says lest any man should boast because you can't save yourself. We can't even save our children or grandchildren because the salvation that you, you have to be, it would be between you and the Lord.
It's not of work.
Why? Because if I can do something about it, I will.
I don't know how many of you have this problem. I have this problem that I don't like to let go. I would say, yeah, there's one more thing I can try. We try, we try, we struggle, and oh, there's one more thing I can try.
We find that here is set. When it comes to South Asia, it is not of works.
Don't bother trying, it won't work. Why? Because if I can do it, then I can say I did it. It's not the work of God.
So we assess, lest any man should boast. Let me take the liberty to expand this application.
I believe even with our Christian lives we need to take that it's not a works because if we can find a way to work around our lives to be better, especially spiritual lives, then we can boast of our life. Look what I have done.
Not a works, Not a works, lest any man should boast just a couple more verses. Verse 11.
Wherefore remember that when ye being in time, pass Gentiles in the flesh, who were called uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision in the flesh made by hands.
That at that time you were without Christ.
Being alienated from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenant of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world, but now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off, or may not, by the blood of Christ.
I know I crisscrossed the thought I began by seeing kind of show you the inside secrets.
So for many of us here who are His, who has been redeemed by the precious blood, we are reminded with His phrase, aren't we, that we were?
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In times past, we're just Gentiles in the flesh.
That we were without Christ.
Being an outsider from the Commonwealth of Israel.
Strangers from the Covenant of Promise. And as if that wasn't enough.
Without hope.
Without God in the world.
Put a desperate command, isn't it?
How many in this world are in despair? Why are they in despair?
Because they have no hope. You may have read stories of what people that are in distress, perhaps prisoner of war, so someone in dire situation. And most stories that I read is that they survive because they hope. They have hope either to be somewhere or see the loved ones.
Hope keep things alive.
That is set here without hope.
If you are without Christ.
What hope do you have?
Do you hope that it will be better tomorrow? Can you hope the sun may shine again tomorrow?
You can. If it does, then what?
Still in the same despair.
Without hope, why are there so many suicide in this society?
No hope.
Nothing more to live for.
Man would think by taking their lives so they don't phase anymore problems.
But here it tells us even more without God.
Oh, not only do you have no hope if you don't have the Lord Jesus without God.
God is not mocked. Where will you spend eternity? The world is trying to deny that there is a God.
But you know The funny thing is, when it comes to time of trouble, they cry for God.
Without a whole, without God in the world. Oh, how precious. Dear friends, if you are still lost in your sins, we presented the way of salvation. The gospel message was presented to you last night. It is presented to you tonight. The Christ Jesus is the Savior for sinners.
By believing, you can be saved believing that Jesus is the Son of God.
By believing that He came into the world not just to save the world, but to save you as sinners.
But let me speak from the sense that what I believe many in this room would echo as redeem one the things as the chapter begins with. But now.
In Christ Jesus.
Ye who sometimes were full of Maynard by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall or partition between us, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained inordinances.
For to make it in himself of train a new man.
So making peace. Oh, he tells us that we become a new creature in Christ because he has shed his blood force.
Brother Tim, I hope it's not you. Don't mind me quoting you. He said A brother talk about this and then he abruptly stopped.
I don't know if I did that. If I did, it's not intentional, but all I can exalt you is receive Christ. Christ is the Savior for sinners. Christ is the Savior for me.
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If you reject this offer, there may not be a second chance.
As I look across the room tonight.
Some of you don't quite recognize, but when I take a good hard look.
I remember you from a few years back. You just have grown. You just have grown a little older, a little bit bigger.
So I believe that almost everyone here have heard.
Of the way of salvation.
Whether the speaker tonight or last night did or didn't present it, clearly, you know what the answer is from the Word of God. You are responsible to God.
Where would you spend eternity if you were taken home tonight? And I know our time is gone. Let me just take the liberty to address many who are His.
The event around us is telling us the Lord's return is so ever near.
Do you still think you have time to delete?
Do not delay, my dear friends, my young people.
Eternity where you must acknowledge that before God.