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The Puritan Hope: A Reformed Expectation For Success

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• Thank you, brother. It's good to see each one here tonight. I'm certainly thankful the Lord spared each of us and let us meet back and assemble together to worship His name. I want you to open your Bibles, now, if you would, please, to two passages, Romans chapter 15 and Colossians chapter 1. Just want to read two verses. Romans chapter 15, we'll read verse 13, and then Colossians 1 and verse 23.

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• I've been asked to deal with the Puritan hope and eschatology of victory. So if you look in Romans chapter 15 and verse 13, the Word of God says this.

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• "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." So God is called the God of hope. We're to abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Notice in the book of Colossians chapter 1 and verse 23, the Bible says, "If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister." Interestingly enough, in this passage, he talks about the hope of the gospel.

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• Now, it's not my intent tonight to deal with these two particular passages. Nor is it my intent tonight to deal with particular views on eschatology. It is my intent, of course, tonight, by the grace of God, to expound upon our hope in the gospel and our hope in God. When you think about eschatology, you have to admit and you have to remember that good and godly and great men have disagreed on that subject, especially in relationship to the return of Christ for many, many years. I do not think I could settle that issue tonight, especially in one particular message.

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• In fact, I'm probably pretty sure that it'll probably never even be settled again until Christ actually comes back. But then, of course, everyone will understand at that particular time. But it is my intent to try to demonstrate not only from history, but also from Scripture, that there is indeed an eschatology of victory. You must understand that Christians do not need to be a defeatist people, a discouraged people, a distressed people with a detrimental attitude, especially in the areas of the return of Christ and also in the success of the gospel. When we talk about the Puritans, we have to understand in their day and age, they were optimistic.

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• It seems as if today we've gone from optimism to pessimism. We have denied victory and we have embraced defeat. We seem somehow to masochistically enjoy being ruled over and dominated and subjugated by the wicked. In fact, the usual hope or the average Christian today is one of flight or rescue instead of conquering for Christ and exercising biblical dominion.

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• Now, when it comes to eschatology, you have to understand that our view of eschatology does indeed affect our lives. It determines how we act. It determines how we live. It determines how we respond. And if you and I are to remain faithful in every venue—cultural, domestic, financial, religious, evangelistic—we need to understand that our Lord is absolutely victorious. He has already won. He is the victor.

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• He is not the loser. And since He is our head and we are His body, we are victorious in the Lord Jesus Christ as well. It was Professor John Murray who said this, listen carefully, now Christians: "The more great and glorious things you expect from God—as the downfall of Antichrist, the conversion of the Jews, the conquest of the nations to Christ, the breaking of all yokes, the new Jerusalem's coming down from heaven above, the extraordinary pouring

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• out of the Spirit, and a more general union among all the saints—the more holy, yea, the more eminently holy in all your ways and actings it becomes you to be." Isn't that interesting? He is saying if you have an eschatology of victory, you ought to be more and more holy, more and more godly, more and more conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. The Bible says very plainly in 1 John 3 and verse 3, "He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure." Obviously, it does matter what you believe concerning eschatology, and your eschatology does indeed affect how you live and how you witness and how you act and how you respond. It was Dr. J.

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• Vernon McGee who said many years ago that you don't polish brass on a sinking ship. And what he meant was, this world is going down, and what we need to do is just snatch anybody and everybody out that we could possibly snatch out. Well, I have two problems with that statement. First of all, this world is not a ship. And secondly, this world may be populated with evil and wicked men, but the world is not going down with the wicked.

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• I want you to look in your Bibles, if you would please, to the book of Romans, chapter 8. I referred to this passage last night just pointing out one particular word, but I want you to look at it in light of what I'm preaching tonight. Look in Romans, chapter 8, beginning there with verse 19. Romans, chapter 8 and verse 19. The Word of God declares, "For the earnest expectation of the creature"—or the creation—"waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God."

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• So stop and think about that right now. The Word of God says the earnest expectation of this creation, this world, is just waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. Verse 20, "For the creature"—or the creation—"was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope." Watch carefully. "Because the creature"—or the creation—"itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." In other words, the Word of God is telling us that the entire creation is going to be delivered from the bondage and corruption that is in it unto the glorious liberty of the children of God. Now, if God is going to deliver the creation, how can the creation sink and go down? Obviously, it cannot.

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• If you will turn in your Bibles to 2 Peter 3, you'll find that Peter speaks about this world being purified with fire. Notice in 2 Peter 3, if you would please, and let's begin reading there with verse 12. 2 Peter 3 and verse 12. The Word of God says it like this: "Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved"—or loosed—"and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless we, according to his promise,"—notice that, according to his promise—"look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." So he says we look now for a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. If you will go back in your Bibles to Isaiah 66, you'll find there where our Lord spoke again about the new heavens and the new earth. So look in Isaiah 66, if you would please, and verse 22. Isaiah 66 and verse 22. God says, "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain."

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• So even in the book of Isaiah, God is speaking about a new heaven and a new earth. And of course you know Revelation 21 in verse 1, where the apostle John said, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea." John even speaks about the New Jerusalem coming down. Wow! Where would it be coming down to? Probably upon this earth. For he said in Revelation 21 in verse 2, "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."

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• Now, if you put all these passages together, and there's plenty more, I think you can see that these passages indicate that the earth is not forsaken, it is not given up, it is not destroyed. Rather, it is purified, it is made new, and it is set free from the bondage of sin and from the curse. So, in light of that, we probably had better begin obeying our Lord when He said, "Occupy till I come," or "Do business till I come."

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• Let me give you one wonderful quote. One author said it like this: "The entire Puritan experiment in America was aimed at creating a city set on a hill for all the world to see—a model republic based on biblical law and Christian charity for the whole world to emulate. The Puritans also believed in the concept of patient gradualism. They understood they might not live to see the fruit of the field that they had planted.

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• They understood the kingdom of heaven as being progressive and having a gradual growth, as a stone cut without hands, which becomes a great mountain and fills the earth. The kingdom of heaven was to attain universal dominion, but through slow degrees and with gradual progress. The Puritans understood that the Messiah would be gradually magnified until he became the omnipotent ruler of the world. Thus the battle cry of the Reformation, 'No king but Christ,' would become a temporal reality." Just stop. No king but Christ.

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• The earliest declaration that actually talked about a victorious eschatology was the Savoy Declaration of 1658. Here's the one paragraph: "As the Lord in his care and love towards his church, hath in his infinite wise providence exercised it with a great variety in all ages, for the good of them that love him and his own glory; so according to his promise, we expect in the latter days, Antichrist being destroyed, the Jews called,

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• and the adversaries of the kingdom of his dear Son broken, the churches of Christ being enlarged and edified through a free and plentiful communication of light and grace, shall enjoy in this world a more quiet, peaceable, and glorious condition than they have enjoyed." So in 1658, here was an eschatology of victory.

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• Now, instead of just simply quoting the Puritans tonight, which I could do, I want to present you with a number of passages that undeniably teach that our God is omnipotent, victorious, and has absolute dominion. The Puritans were well aware of these passages, they understood them, and they believed them very firmly and very fully as well. After I show you these passages, I then want to try to summarize everything under three points and show you three truths that you and I can hang our hats on, that we can hang our hopes on and say, this is our hope for victory.

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• Now, although I'm talking about victory right now, I understand that we're living in a day and age of apostasy and lukewarmness and apathy. I understand that we're living in a day and age when Christianity is being assaulted on every side. There are many who try to say that Islam is the reigning religion or some cult, and that is not true. But many say that, and certainly Islam is trying to make inroads against Christianity. I understand that.

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• But may I remind you something? As Christians, we do not live by sight, but we live by faith. And we can look around and we can see the deplorable conditions that exist in our world today. And we can also understand that, look, things are going wrong. But we have to confess in faith that things are going wrong just right. Because there are no accidents in a world that's ruled by a sovereign God, everything flows according to His eternal purpose.

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• This verse was quoted last night, or yesterday sometime. Psalm 76 and verse 10, where the Word of God says, "Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain." You want to know how much wickedness, you want to know how much sin is going to be allowed in this world? Here's the answer. Just enough that it's going to redound to God's honor and God's glory, and what will not redound to His honor and glory will be restrained.

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• It will be held back. You say, well, how can sin glorify God? Well, if there's not any sin, you would never know of God's mercy and God's grace and God's love and God's goodness. And if there's never any sin, you would never know of God's holiness and God's justice. So God is going to allow just enough sin that's going to ultimately redound to His honor and His glory, and the remainder He is certainly going to restrain. So contrary then to all circumstantial evidence, in opposition to situational observances, Christ is on the throne of His glory, ruling and subduing all things. He is in absolute control and He is subduing His enemies in His way and His time.

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• Let me tell you something. The greatest problem that you and I have in relationship to this truth is this. We want to help Him and we want to help Him right now. Have you ever understood this principle? That His way is not our way. And His time is not our time, but the Scripture tells us very plainly in 1 Corinthians, chapter 15, verse 25, "For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet." So Christ right now is reigning. Christ is putting His enemies under His feet. You say it doesn't look that way. It may not look that way, but it is still true.

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• We live by faith and we do not live by sight. And we live by the Scripture and not by our own understanding.

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• Now, you have to consider the impact of a number of passages. And I want to show you these passages. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 2. Your pastor read that passage. But that's fine. I want to read it again because I'm going to emphasize several things. Look in Isaiah chapter 2. And let's begin there with verse 1. Isaiah chapter 2 and verse 1. Notice the Bible says, "The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem."

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• "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house"—and by the way, mountains are usually signified kingdoms—"shall be established in the top of the mountains"—or the other kingdoms—"and shall be exalted above the hills"—or the smaller kingdoms. Notice, "and all nations shall flow unto it." Notice not only are all the nations flowing unto it, but verse 3 says, "And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in

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• his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." So in this passage then the Word of God speaks of nations coming to Christ, submitting His law and living obediently.

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• It's not speaking about eternity. It's speaking about time in history. His law is to be the absolute authority and all nations will have to submit to it. I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Daniel, chapter 7. Daniel, chapter 7. And let's begin reading there with verse 13. Daniel, chapter 7. And look, if you would, please, at verse 13. Daniel 7 and verse 13. Here it is. Listen carefully.

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• "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him."—the Lord Jesus Christ coming to the Father—"And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom." Watch carefully, "that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." Note, if you would, there's a kingdom given to the Lord Jesus Christ, and that kingdom shall never be destroyed. And moreover, he says that all people, nations, and languages should serve Him. Wow. Look in verse 27, the same chapter, Daniel 7 in verse 27, "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him." So the saints then are involved in this kingdom as well.

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• Now these truths, just from these passages that I've just read, should indeed encourage us in evangelism, in witnessing, in proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Why? Because He is the absolute victor. He is God of gods and King of kings and Lord of lords. As you heard this morning, it was this truth—it was this truth that gave rise to the great missionary movements in the 17th and 18th century. It's the same truth that motivated the Apostle Paul. Did you know the Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 2, verse 10, "Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes," listen carefully, "that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." Why was Paul beaten? Why was he imprisoned? Why was he stoned? He said, "I endure all these things for the elect's sakes." Paul understood that our Lord had a people and He had a kingdom. And he also understood that in His time and in His way, those people were going to be called into that kingdom.

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• In other words, our Lord was going to be absolutely and totally victorious. I believe that we could accurately say it like this: The kingdom has come, because the King has come. The kingdom is here because the King is here, but the kingdom is coming more fully when the Lord returns and there will be fuller and more complete and final manifestation of it.

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• Now, the truth of the matter is this, if we wish to see the increase of His kingdom, if we wish to see His people brought into His kingdom, we must preach and pray as He has ordained. Now, what I want to do very quickly is this. I want to give you three very important truths that are the guarantee of victory. They're just to me so simple. And yet at the same time, they should be so encouraging.

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• What are we to hang our hopes on? We're hanging our hopes on the same exact principle, or principles, I should say, that the Puritans hung their hopes upon. What are they? Well, let me give you three. First of all, the promise of the Sovereign, the promise of the Sovereign. If you will go back in your Bibles to Isaiah 2 once again and look, if you would please, at verse 2 and verse 3. Isaiah 2, verses 2 and 3. We're talking about the promise of the Sovereign now.

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• God says, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem."

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• Now, let me ask you, can it possibly be true that the Lord's kingdom is superior and shall be superior to all other kingdoms? Can it also be true that all people are going to flow into it exactly as He said? If so, how in the world can these things be true? And the answer is this. God's kingdom is superior to all the other kingdoms. Why? Because He is the Great I Am.

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• He is the Sovereign of the Universe. And yes, it shall come to pass because of the absolute power of God. He is omnipotent.

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• Now, let me just try to tie this thought together for you. We must understand that the faithfulness of God, as well as the power of God, are intricately and intimately connected to His promises. We could say it like this: The very Godhood of God is at stake. If God's promises ever fail, then God would cease to be God. It is impossible for God to lie. It is impossible for God to fail. If God ever ceases to have the power to accomplish His will, He'll cease to be God. Obviously, God is omnipotent. He is not going to fail in that power. When God gives His word, His power sustains that word. Have you ever stopped to think about this? There are three things that will stop a man from keeping his word. I could look at Brother Jim Nelson and say, "I'll be at your house tomorrow at 8 o'clock sharp." He said, "Do I have your word on that?" I said, "Yes, you have my word on that." Well, there are three things that could stop me.

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• First of all, I may not have the foresight to envision all the complications and problems connected with my word. I could get up in order to go, but my car has a dead battery or I have four flat tires. I didn't have the foresight to see those problems. The second thing that could stop me from keeping my word is that I may not have the necessary power to accomplish my word. I could wake up in the morning with a virus.

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• I'd just be unable to move, unable to go. You say things don't happen like that. Oh, yes, they do. I can assure you things happen like that. Do you know? I found out what it means to have two good hands, because I taught a class on Friday and Saturday, had absolutely no problem, had no pain, had no nothing. I woke up Sunday morning ready to go to preach and I couldn't even use my left hand. It was totally dead. It was totally useless. I had a nerve in my neck that was totally encapsulated by bone. Never a first bit of pain. But I woke up and I couldn't use my hand. Because, you see, at times we just simply do not have the power to fulfill our word.

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• The third thing will stop us is sometimes we may not have the character necessary to carry out our word. So I may not have car trouble and I may not have physical problems. I might just say, "I'm not going over there." A lack of character. When you think of God, God doesn't have those problems. God is omniscient. God knows everything. Moreover, God is omnipotent. He is all-powerful.

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• And thirdly, He is infinitely holy and faithful and wise. He cannot deny Himself. If you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews, chapter 6. Hebrews, chapter 6. Look, if you would, please, beginning there with verse 16. Hebrews, chapter 6 and verse 16. Notice the Bible says this, we'll read through verse 20, Hebrews chapter 6 verse 16, "For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath." The immutability of his counsel, he confirmed it by an oath.

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• "That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us." There is that word hope. "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." The two immutable things are: it is impossible for God to lie and it is impossible for God to change. God is not going to change in His person and God is not going to change in His counsel. He cannot change for the worst because He's perfect. And He cannot change for the better because He's already perfect. If you get better, you were not perfect before. And if you lose something, you cannot be perfect. He cannot change. He is immutable. He has no need to change because He's the most perfect being. He has no need to change His counsel because Acts 15 verse 18 tells us, "Known unto God are all his works from the beginning."

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• God knew the end from the beginning because God ordained and predestinated everything from the beginning. I wish you would take the time sometime to read Ephesians 3 and verse 11, where God talks about "the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord" before the world began. You know, you pick up any systematic theology book and you will come to the doctrine of God, and then usually, usually you will see a section on the decrees of God. But, you know, when you go through Scripture, there's only one decree. There's only one purpose. The reason we talk about the decrees of God is because you and I have to think successively. We cannot think at everything at one time. We think this and then we think that and then we think this.

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• We do it in succession. But to the infinite mind, God only had to have one thought or one purpose which entailed and included absolutely everything. And we're talking about that eternal purpose, which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord, before the world ever began. You know what God said in Isaiah 46 and verse 10? Listen to this. He said, "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." Of course, God can do that because His word is "I AM THAT I AM." That's who God is.

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• He is the very essence of faithfulness. By the way, do you know why you did not die in your sleep last night? Do you know why you have been enabled by God to live through this day? Here it is. Here's the answer. "It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning." Are you listening? "Great is thy faithfulness." You know what He said in Deuteronomy 7 verse 9? "Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations."

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• Now, I want to show you something. If I were to ask you, "Who are the two greatest enemies of God's people in the Old Testament?" that would be an easy answer, because we would immediately think of Egypt and we would immediately think of Assyria. I want you to turn in your Bible to Isaiah chapter 19, and I want you to consider for a moment, please, that the two leading enemies of God's people have historically been Egypt and Assyria.

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• Yet in light of their enmity, it appears that God will include them in the nations that flow unto Him in His law and in His worship. Look, if you would please, Isaiah chapter 19, and let's begin reading there with verse 18. Isaiah 19, verse 18. This first verse is an absolutely astounding verse. "In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction. In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them. And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation;

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• yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it. And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them." Now watch. "In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance." Isn't that amazing?

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• Go back to verse 18. "In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction." In other words, God saying that five-sixths of the land would be bowing to Him and worshiping Him. Wow. Egypt and Assyria. The notable enemies of God's people and of God Himself. I preach for over 50 years now. I do not know how many Bibles I've been through and how many I've worn out, but one of my old Bibles, I have dates written by one verse. That one verse is Psalm 68 in verse 31. Every time that verse spoke to my heart, I would just simply pencil in the date. You know what that verse is? Psalm 68 verse 31. Listen to this. "Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God." Wow. We must conclude that God's elect, that is, His people are scattered everywhere and He will bring them to Himself just as He promised.

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• And we may rely upon His promises. And when God says that He will redeem His people, whoever they are and wherever they are, we may rest upon that. He shall do so. He shall convert them. He shall make sure that they hear the gospel message. And He will give them repentance and faith, and they will come to Him. So the very first truth that we can hang our hope upon happens to be the promises of the Sovereign. He's given us these great and glorious promises, and we need to meditate upon them. We need to think about them. We need to see how extensive they really are. The second thing that we can hang our hope upon, the second principle is this: not only the promise of the Sovereign, but the second one is the person of the Savior. 1 Timothy 3, verse 16, the Word of God says this, "And without controversy"—can't argue over this—"without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:

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• God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." Now listen to what he said, "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh." After three things under this, I want you to listen. First of all, the person of the Savior, we must consider His person. He is God manifest in the flesh. He is the God-man. He's perfect God and He's perfect man. He's one person with two natures. Consequently, He's the only mediator between God and men. 1 Timothy 2 and verse 5 tells us, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Colossians, chapter 1. Look, if you would, at what the Scripture says concerning Christ. The book of Colossians, chapter 1, and let's begin reading there with verse 15. Notice if you would. In fact, let's read verses begin with verse 13, just to show you that Jesus Christ is in the context.

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• The Bible talks about God, the Father, "who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." So we're talking about Jesus Christ. So look what the Bible says, "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by him"—that is, by Jesus Christ—"were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist"—or have their being or are held together. Now, He is the image of the invisible God.

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• What did He say to Thomas? "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father." I am God. He is the creator. If you would turn in your Bibles right on over to 1 Timothy, chapter 6, 1 Timothy, chapter 6. And notice, if you would please, beginning there, verse 14, 1 Timothy, chapter 6 and verse 14, Paul writes to Timothy and he tells him in verse 14 "that thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ," just to show you that Jesus Christ is the subject, "which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting." Note, if you would, that Jesus Christ is the only Potentate and King of kings and Lord of lords.

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• Years ago, I was invited by another pastor to go with him to a gun show in Albany, Georgia. And when we got there, we found the gun show was in the Shriner's Temple. Well, we were there, so we walked up to it, and here's this parking spot. And it's kind of roped off, and there's a little sign, and it reserved for the potentate. I said to my pastor friend, "Isn't this wonderful? They have a parking spot here for Jesus Christ. He's the only potentate that I know."

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• That's what the Scripture says. He is the only potentate. He is King of kings and Lord of lords and God of gods. And as the Son of God, He is the creator. He is the controller. He is the inheritor. He is the Lord of all. I want to show you. Look in your Bibles to Psalm 2. Oh, I love this Psalm. I wish I had time just to preach from this passage tonight. But look in Psalm 2.

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• Let's begin reading with verse 1. Watch this. Psalm 2, verse 1. "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us." We don't like the limitations that God has placed upon us. We don't like His boundaries. The Bible says in verse 4, "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

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• Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure." Look what God decrees. Now watch. "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee." Are you looking? Watch at the next verse. "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." Do you realize all Jesus Christ has to do is ask the Father? God said, "I'll give it to you. You're Lord of lords and King of kings. You are my King. I've set you on the hill of Zion." And listen, it doesn't matter that the kings of the earth are in rebellion against Him. It doesn't matter that they hate Him and despise Him. In light of all that rebellion, God said, "I've set my King there."

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• And that's exactly where He's going to be. He's not going away. He's not going to disappear. No. He's King of kings and Lord of lords and God of gods.

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• Secondly, you have to remember His position. I get tickled. And I get angry, especially around Christmastime. The reason I get tickled and the reason I get angry is for the same reason. Everywhere you go, you see little baby Jesus in a manger. You know why the world loves Christmas? And you know why the world loves baby Jesus? Who's afraid of a baby? Who's afraid of a baby?

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• But let me tell you something. Jesus Christ is not a baby any longer. Jesus Christ is not hanging on a cross any longer. Jesus Christ is the risen, resurrected, glorified Son of God. And He's seated at the right hand of God, the Father, and all power in heaven and earth is given unto Him. One of the most frequently quoted verses out of the Old Testament in the New Testament is from Psalm 110 in verse 1. "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." The Bible says in Ephesians 1 in verse 20, "Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places." In Hebrews 1 in verse 8, "But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom." Jesus Christ is a resurrected, ascended Lord of glory.

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• Do you remember that passage in Acts chapter 2? The Apostle Peter was preaching. And he preached the risen, resurrected Jesus Christ, and guess what? All these men, after he preached the resurrection of Jesus Christ and that He seated at the right hand of God, they said, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

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• Now, stop and think about that. Why were they so concerned? Why were they so upset? Here's why. Because when Jesus Christ was in a state of humility, the state of humiliation, they took Jesus Christ and spat upon Him and slapped Him and crowned Him with thorns and mocked Him and crucified Him. They had Him in their hands and they did on Him as they pleased. But now Peter's saying, that same resurrected, risen, glorified, exalted Son is now at the right hand of God the Father. And all of a sudden they realize that they're in His hands and He may do with them as He pleases.

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• Yeah, you better consider His position. I want you to look very quickly in the book of Zechariah, right before the book of Malachi. Look in Zechariah, if you would, beginning there with verse 9, or chapter 9 and verse 9. Zechariah, chapter 9 and verse 9. Notice, if you would, what the Scripture says. Zechariah 9, verse 9. Here it is. "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem:

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• behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth." Wow! You better remember not just the person of Christ. You better remember His position. He has already conquered. He is the conqueror. He cannot fail.

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• He is the eternal, immutable, immortal Son of God, seated at the right hand of God. He has all authority in heaven and earth and everyone is in His hand. And I want you to turn to Isaiah 53, because I want you to consider thirdly, under the person of the Savior, I want you to consider His purchase. Look, if you would, in Isaiah 53. Notice, if you would please, beginning there, verse 10, this is such a powerful, powerful passage. Isaiah 53, look at verse 10. Here it is, Isaiah 53, verse 10.

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• "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin." Now, look at this. Underline this in your mind and in your heart. "He shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied."

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• "By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities." Oh, did you read that? Did you hear that? Look in verse 10. "He shall see his seed." Do you realize that Jesus Christ shall see everyone for whom He died? He will see His seed. He will see His people. Here's the amazing thing, Brother Mooney. Here's the amazing thing to me. Look in verse 11. "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied."

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• Just stop and think that the sovereign God of heaven and earth will be satisfied with poor, wicked, wretched, reprobate sinners like you and me who've been saved by His infinite, wonderful grace. How could I satisfy the heart of God? How could you satisfy the heart? But He shall see of the travail of His soul, and He shall be satisfied. When you get to John 17, the high priestly prayer of our Lord, and you must remember that our Lord's prayers are always answered. He prayed in John 17 and verse 24, "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world." What did He say?

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• "I will that they shall be with me." Our Lord's purchase. Israel, He shall see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied. We must remember the promise of the Sovereign. We must remember the person of the Savior. And one last thing, we must remember the power of the Scriptures. I want you to look in Isaiah 55, since you're there. Isaiah 55, and let's begin there with verse 8. Isaiah 55, verse 8, God says this, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

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• For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." The power of the Scriptures. God's Word is like Himself. It is invincible. Nothing can stop it. Nothing can hinder it. It will always accomplish the purpose and the pleasure of God. It will always.

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• We tend to forget that oftentimes we have a ministry of condemnation as well as a ministry of reconciliation. Noah preached 120 years and never had any converts, and yet he's in the heroes of faith. Look at Isaiah. Look at Jeremiah. God's Word said His Word is not going to return to Him void. It will accomplish that whereunto He sends it. You know what we fail to do so many times? We try to defend the Word of God instead of using the Word of God.

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• What do I mean by that? Well, let's suppose I had a Glock pistol laying up here on the pulpit. And you came up to me. And you're my enemy and you're threatening me and you're telling me everything you're going to do to me. And then you see that Glock pistol and you said, "That's sorry, piece of trash. That's nothing but aluminum. That's plastic. That's the worst pistol ever made." I'm not going to pick that pistol up and say, "Let me tell you, this thing is machined out of the finest aluminum available. It's got the hardest—"

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• No, no, no, no, no. I'm going to take that pistol and point it at you and start pulling the trigger. You'll find out sooner enough whether or not it works. That's what we need to do with the Scriptures. We need to point the Scriptures and pull the chapter and verse with our finger and say, "Here's what God says. You wrestle with it. You wrestle it. This is the Word of God." God's Word is invincible.

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• Stop and think about this. Politicians cannot contain it. Governments cannot destroy it. Persecution cannot hinder it. The wicked cannot succeed against it. Ignorance, apathy, and complacency cannot change it. If every demon out of hell, and the devil himself, and every wicked individual that has lived, is living, and shall ever live, united in rebellion against God, it would occasion God no uneasiness. And it would not change one iota of His Word. Persecution cannot destroy it. Do you realize in the hottest of all persecutions during the first century, we're told in Acts 12 and verse 24, "But the word of God grew and multiplied." And then, of course, in Acts 19 and verse 20, "So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed." Persecution today is pale and anemic compared to the persecution of the first century and the persecution under the Roman Catholic Church in later years. If the Word of Jesus Christ prevailed during those hot times, and if it grew during the times of the hottest persecution, why is it being hindered today when persecution is so mild and so anemic?

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• It's because we don't use it. You know what God said in Psalm 119, verse 89, "For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven." Our Lord said in Matthew 5 in verse 18, "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." He said in Psalm 138 verse 2, "Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." If God's Word ever ceases, if God's Word ever fails, God would cease to be God. Wow. He said in Psalm 46 and verse 10, "Be still, and know that I am God.

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• I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." Malachi 1 verse 11, "For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts." The power of the Scriptures.

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• Let me tell you something, dear friend. You need to never back up, never back down, never sway away from the absolute authority and power and simplicity of the Word of God. God's Word can defend itself, it shall accomplish that whereunto He sends it.

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• Now, let me ask you this tonight, think about this. How do we know that we shall prevail? Do you honestly think that somehow in some way that Islam is going to wipe out Christianity? Do you think that our ungodly, wicked, reprobate rulers are somehow going to make a law that says, "Well, Christianity is no more"? They can try all they like, but I've got news for you folks. The way that I know that Christianity is not going to become extinct, the way that I know that we're not going to fade away into the twilight somewhere, is because of the promise of the Sovereign, the person of the Savior, and the power of the Scriptures.

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• Do you realize it was the preaching of the Word of God under the influence and power of the Holy Spirit that brought to pass the great personal, societal, governmental, and cultural changes in times past? The Puritans believed not simply in a personal, individual transformation, but they also believed in the transformation of a culture and a society and a government by the power of God and His Word. And the same God and the same Word that worked to affect such great cultural and governmental and societal and individual changes in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries is the same God and the same Word that we have today.

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• I want to show you, I want you to turn in your Bibles one last passage. I want you to go to Psalm 44. I love this passage. I'm trying to show you that the Puritan hope is a biblical hope. And their hope is our hope because it is a biblical, God-honoring, Christ-exalting hope. Our God shall never fail. Here's where we need to be today. Watch carefully. Verse 1, Psalm 44. "We have heard with our ears, O God.

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• Our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old." You can read all of the things that God did to the heathen. Watch carefully. How about this? "How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them"—that is, the people. How about "how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out"? "For they"—that is, Israel—"got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them." Now watch what he says in verse 4. "Thou art my King, O God.

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• Command deliverances for Jacob. Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever."

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• Now here's what the psalmist said. Our ears have heard. Lord, we've been told about all these mighty miracles and all these great works and all these great wonders that You have done in times past. We know about that, Lord. We understand that our people did not get the land in possession by their own power. It was not their sword. It was not their arm. The only reason they got there was You were merciful and gracious to them and You gave them that land.

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• And then He says this, "Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob." Can I give you a good South Georgia translation of that verse? Here's what he said, "Thou art my King, O God. Do it again. Do it again. You did it in time past. Do it again. Do it again. We will rejoice in thy name and give thee honor and glory and praise. Through thee

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• we will push down our enemies. And through Thee, we will give Thee praise and honor and worship and glory." And we need to fall before our great, sovereign, immutable, unchangeable God and say, "Oh God, do it again. Do it again. Do it again." Hang your hope on the promise of the Sovereign, the person of the Savior, and the power of Scriptures. That's what the Puritans did. And that's what we need.

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• Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we ask Your blessing. We ask Your help. Teach us. Encourage us. Help us to understand, Lord, we're not the losers. We're the winners. We're not the victims. We're the victors. Give us Your grace. Put a fire in our soul. And I pray, Father, You would move us to that mighty victory which You've ordained in and through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray, Amen and Amen.

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T01:46:26Z