Sermon in Ishpeming 20.06.2010

May the peace of God that passeth all understanding strengthen and comfort your heart through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Continuing our services on this beautiful summer Sabbath day, we do so again in that prayer of faith that God might grant unto us according to his good and gracious measure of grace. Reading from the last chapter of the book of Acts, chapter 28, beginning with the 16th verse on to the end, we read the following words in Jesus' name.

And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard. But Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him. And it came to pass that after three days, Paul called the chief of the Jews together. And when they were come together, he said unto them, men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. When they had examined me, they would have let me go because there was no cause of death in me. But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar. Not that I had ought to accuse my nation of. For this cause, therefore, have I called for you to see you and to speak with you, because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.

And they said unto him, we neither received letters out of Judea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came showed or spake any harm of thee. But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest. For as concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against.

And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging, to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses and out of the prophets from morning till evening. And some believed the things which were spoken and some believed not. And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed.

After that Paul had spoken one word, "Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, saying, Go unto this people and say, Hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see and not perceive. For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."

Be it known therefore unto you that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.

And when he had said these things, the Jews departed and had great reasoning among themselves. And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no man forbidding him. Amen.

The theme of today's text is lost and found. And perhaps you, brothers and sisters, are very familiar with the life of Apostle Paul, of whom we read here. And certainly we find in scriptures how he was one who was lost and then one who was found.

The writer of the book of Acts is understood to be the evangelist Luke, and it seems as though from what we read here that Luke was also traveling with Paul, and perhaps there were others. However, that is not so important that we are fully convinced or understand that this is what this is the way it was. But this we would understand and remember that the apostle, because of his confession of faith, was taken captive. He was a prisoner.

And in reading the book of Acts, we find how he, before the authorities, before the king, confessed his experience. Apostle who was one who was a very learned man. It is written that he studied at the feet of a famous teacher, Gamaliel. He was very well learned in the scriptures. And of course, it is very easy to understand that at that time the scriptures that were available was the Old Testament.

And so in his self-righteous way, Apostle was persecuting the believers. He had authority from the authorities to go and take them captive and have them cast into prison. And he went so far as to approve the stoning of the first New Testament martyr, Stephen.

And so he was traveling, as we are familiar with that portion, toward, on the road to Damascus, to take some of the believers captive. But there he met a very unusual situation. He was struck blind by a very bright light. And Jesus approached him and asked him this question: Is it hard for thee to kick against the pricks?

It has been understood that this means that perhaps inwardly he was battling with himself in what he was doing. But any case, he was given some instructions. He asked what he should do, and he was given directions to go into the city, and there would be one person, a believer whose name was Ananias.

And this he did. In Ananias, a believer proclaimed unto him the gospel, and Apostle's eyes were opened. And what he saw through those new eyes of faith was the kingdom of God. He received the grace of repentance and had his sins forgiven. And of course, in the name and in the precious blood of the Lord Jesus.

The scriptures teach us that there is no other name given here on earth or in heaven by which man can be saved, and also that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. That is the reason why believers have used this proclamation in proclaiming the forgiveness of sins, because Jesus is the author and finisher of faith. He is the redeemer, the Lord, our Lord and redeemer.

And through the work that he has so perfectly and preciously accomplished, he has brought the hope of life unto sin-fallen man who by the law was otherwise judged unto eternal punishment and death. Remembering what the law preaches: it preaches that if you sin you must die.

But our Lord and Savior fulfilled the demands of the law in all perfection on our behalf, and therefore we are no longer under that condemnation of the law but we are under grace. And grace does not teach contrary to the law, but as one brother has once explained, it teaches along with the law. But the difference is that it does not condemn, but grace teaches and preaches the gospel of the forgiveness of sins.

And so to join with Paul's experience, we could read how he testified before King Agrippa. He said when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise and stand upon thy feet, for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee, delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom now I send thee to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness into light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me."

That was Apostle's confession before the king. And it is interesting to note after Paul finished his speech before the king, this king said unto Paul, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian."

It is obvious that the king did not receive the grace of repentance, but again obviously he was touched by the sincerity and the power of Apostle's speech.

We can also refer to Jesus when he spoke. People marveled, they were amazed, they said no man has spoken like this with such power and authority. Think of it, dear travel friends, brothers and sisters, how those who heard him heard the Lord Jesus, heard his loving call but yet did not respond but rather rejected him and persecuted him and crucified him.

But think of us, dear brothers and sisters, who have, as Jesus prophesied, have received such grace to believe that word of faith that has traveled from that time to our time. This visitation, as we heard here, Apostle is speaking first of all to the Israelites or to the Jews, his own heritage or his own nation, and he told them that be it known therefore unto you that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles and that they will hear it.

So we are living in this visitation time that began soon after Jesus was ascended into heaven. And as it is written in the book of Romans, that this message has traveled from faith to faith and it has come even on to our day and on to you and I who have been called with this holy calling.

The Old Testament prophet mentions how we are called by name. So how would we even dare to think that we have accomplished anything of ourselves to receive this great and precious gift of faith through which we have a living hope on to life everlasting.

It is eternally by and through the love and grace of God that he has opened even our ears to hear, in our hearts to receive the message of the gospel of the forgiveness of sins proclaimed with that power and authority that Jesus gave unto his own. Sins are forgiven. Believe sins forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood.

And so this story of the life of the Apostle Paul is one that describes and really magnifies God's love and grace. Apostle himself comprehended this true faith that he, as he confessed at one point with the chief of all sinners, that he was one who persecuted the believers and in turn was, we could say, denying the power of God that he had entrusted unto his own here upon this earth; that one who was even approving the stoning, the death of one of God's servants, Stephen.

And yet he received grace, grace to have even such sins forgiven.

I think we also, dear brothers and sisters, can join with the Apostle if we examine ourselves in this way: have we been able to accomplish anything of ourselves? Or if we look at our walk of faith, has been in our walk so successful? Are those words of Apostle appropriate to say that I am the chief of all sinners? But yet God has in his love and grace called even me to be a child of his kingdom and to enjoy the righteousness, peace, and joy through the Holy Spirit.

Perhaps that work of Apostle Paul, along with all the others who were called to serve, continue to resonate and has even affected the work of God's kingdom yet today. It is in this way that we have such testimony that God has preserved in his word that continues to teach us how greatly he has loved the sinner and how he has so preciously provided a way that this message can be heard even in our country here.

It has been proclaimed for tens and tens of years. It is the visitation time of which Apostle spoke here that the Gentiles will hear it. We know some from history past days it has come into this country, this homeland of ours, where there is perhaps every nationality or nation represented who are citizens of this country.

And God has this work of God's kingdom could not be found in our country and as well as in other countries at some time in the times past and now we have God has blessed the work of his kingdom.

But it came to my mind also this morning during our service when our brother mentioned about the spread of the city as he will be the one in our city and our world and our city is as our city is our community and all our world.

Yet only a handful were believers, children of God's kingdom. But then he added, do not forget the children. And we know throughout the world there are countless numbers of children that God has called home before they have been taken captive by the enemy of souls.

And now in these last days, from what we read in the reports, how many millions there are who have been killed before they have been born into this world.

Through faith we understand what the scripture teaches, that at the moment of conception a soul is born. And so those who are aborted, we can in all confidence of faith say that they are secure in the rest of the righteous.

And so lastly we heard here how there could have been much more to say concerning the life of Apostle Paul and the work that God accomplished through his time of serving up until his death as a martyr. But God gave a time according to his own purpose.

As we heard here that Paul dwelled two whole years in his hired house and received all that came into him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

Are we not fortunate today, brothers and sisters in our land, that we have this freedom, that the work of God has not been hindered in any way to prevent the work of the gospel.

So we can truly say that we have much to be thankful for. And we have reason to thank and praise God that he has called us and that he has preserved us even unto this very moment in living faith.

And we can be assured and comforted once again, brothers and sisters, that we have this freedom.

Brothers and sisters in faith, this evening, with that message of the gospel, it is old, but it is ever new. It is ever refreshing. It is a living gospel when through the office of the Holy Spirit it is proclaimed unto you and I.

Believe even now from grace, brother and sister, the forgiveness of all journey faults and sins, doubts and fears, in Jesus' name and precious blood.

And look forward to that moment in living hope that one day this earthly journey will draw to a close and it will no longer be a struggle to believe, for faith will have been changed to seeing and eternal peace and rest awaits.

We cannot comprehend with our minds, but God grants us sometimes it seems as though a flash, a moment, how great that reward is: eternal peace and joy and rest.

In Jesus' name. Amen.

The Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make his face shine upon us and be gracious unto us. The Lord lift up his countenance upon us and give us peace.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.