Mother's Day

[0:00] Okay, thank you. And I cannot possibly tire of that hymn, Amazing Grace. And every time I hear it sung, I cannot help but reflect back on one of the lines that I heard uttered by John Newton, senior moment, a line uttered by John Newton as he was being interviewed for a publication. And at the time, he wasn't too far away from glory and his memory had faded. And the reporter was asking him about some notable things that had occurred in his life. And he said, Well, I'm an old man now.

[0:42] And there is much of my life that has gone by that I'm unable to recall. But I do vividly remember two things. Number one, I was a great sinner. And Jesus was a great Savior. And apart from that, what else is important to remember? So a huge Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms who are with us today.

[1:09] I'm sure that you recognize as well as we that this is a different kind of Mother's Day than what you have ever had before. And the Covina virus is what is shaking the entire globe and is changing almost everything for just about everybody.

[1:28] And as a result today is our fifth electronic service together. People across the nation and likely across the whole globe are becoming increasingly and understandably restless because everyone wants things to return to normal as soon as possible.

[1:50] People across the nation and we are among them. People across the nation and we are among them. But there are precautions that need to be taken. And the issue of reopening, as they call it, is fraught with many complexities.

[2:01] Because some areas are regarded as hotspots where the virus has been especially potent. Others have suffered very little or almost no impact at all as a result of the virus.

[2:15] And that being the case, nearly every state and its degree of infection is different. So President Trump has seen the need for the reopenings to be determined by the governors of each state.

[2:31] And that means that the reopenings will be staggered across the country in the midst, of course, of a lot of disagreement from the population, because no matter what decision our nation's leaders make, there will be people in favor of it and people against it.

[2:47] So nothing is new there. We do, however, want to pause now and offer a word of thanksgiving for our mothers and prayer for discernment among our nation's governors.

[2:59] So would you join us in prayer, please? Accept our thanks, Father, for the privilege of sharing this time together electronically. We regret that we cannot be together, as is our usual custom.

[3:14] But we are thankful for this medium that is made available to us so that we can at least be together in some fashion. And our hearts of praise and thanksgiving go out today for all of the mothers in our audience.

[3:28] And for those of us who have mothers that have gone on to glory, we are grateful for their memory. We cannot begin to honestly or correctly evaluate the enormous contribution that mothers have made to humanity.

[3:44] Indeed, we are so dependent upon them, not only for life itself, but for the sustaining of it, for the enjoyment of it, for the provision that they make.

[3:55] And in so many ways, mothers are often unsung heroes throughout the year. But today, especially, we want to honor them and their memory. So we thank you for the gift of motherhood, for the truth and tenderness that comes from these remarkable beings.

[4:13] And we are so appreciative of having memories, those of us who can enjoy precious memories of mothers gone by. We can only regret those who mothers have departed when they were yet at an early age and they did not have the benefit of a mother growing up.

[4:32] And we ask that you will undertake for all of these many respects, halfway orphaned early in life. And we pray for a nation's governors, not only our own here in Ohio, but across this country, as they are under enormous stress regarding decisions that they are required to make.

[4:53] That could, in effect, be responsible for the loss or the saving of many lives. And we pray a special portion of your wisdom to be upon them. We pray that they will have the resources to realize how important it is to look to you for decisions to be made that are above and beyond their level of expertise.

[5:16] Thank you for the manner in which you undertake for us in so many ways. And often we are unaware of, but we are grateful for your presence in our life.

[5:26] And we want to reflect our gratitude by a spirit of obedience and thanksgiving to you. We offer this today in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. The passage of scripture that is very pertinent to Mother's Day is found in 1 Timothy chapter 1.

[5:45] I'm sorry, 2 Timothy chapter 1. And the first five verses, let me share them with you, please. Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my beloved son, grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

[6:07] I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy.

[6:26] For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice. And I am sure that it is in you as well.

[6:41] So 2,000 years ago, a young man by the name of Timothy had a very important grandmother and mother and Eunice and Lois.

[6:52] And we today are beneficiaries, at least in part, of the contribution that this young man, Timothy, made to the ministry of Paul. And in turn, the ministry that Paul makes to us.

[7:04] And in regard to remembering mothers, I have a poem I want to read you. A poem that was created by someone who many of you know and just happens to be one of my very good friends.

[7:20] A man by the name of Randy Ark. And you are familiar, I know, many of you in the Grace audience are familiar with Randy Ark. And the contribution that he's made, not only musically, but this particular poem as well.

[7:34] And I want to share it with you. But I'll preface the reading of it. By the way, this is a poem that Randy wrote in 1993.

[7:45] And I'll preface the reading of it by informing those of you who do not know it. But Randy was a combat medic in Vietnam.

[7:58] And I know that he had to do and he had to see a lot of things that he would prefer to forget. But so many of the horrors of war are branded deeply in the minds and psyches of those who experience them.

[8:17] And I'm sure Randy is no exception. Today, we call this the syndrome that comes from experiencing combat, PTSD, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

[8:32] It affects just about everybody to one degree or another who has been in a combat situation and exposed to things that we would consider virtually abnormal.

[8:44] And they have a way of embedding themselves in the minds and hearts of those who experience them. Randy has written this poem. And let me share it with you. I think it's very touching and very fitting.

[8:55] It's called Remembering Mothers. As a man who's taken on some years, I look back upon my time. And though weathered by experience, my thoughts are more defined.

[9:10] Of all my life's amazements, and there's more than just a few, there's something in particular that amazes me anew.

[9:20] There is a word that soothes the savage beast and comforts those that mourn. Always a willing sacrifice since the day that we were born.

[9:32] That special word is mother. God's love expressed so fair. A creature like no other. Full of love and warmth and care.

[9:44] There's something supernatural that binds a mother to her child. A strength that comes from deep within when she wants to cry aloud.

[9:59] I'll never know how many tears my mother cried for me. I'm sure it seemed like a thousand years with her son across the sea.

[10:11] As a younger child, I often called for mom in times of pain. And I heard that word from soldiers' mouths on the fields where they were slain.

[10:28] You know, there's something in a mother's touch that nothing can compare. Wiping all our tears away when no one seems to care.

[10:42] And it's a mother's arms that seem to know just when to hold you tight. To shelter you from things unseen that frighten in the night.

[10:55] Don't try to hide your pain or grief. A mother's eyes will know. She feels the hurt you feel inside.

[11:07] Although it seldom shows. At the end of the day, with things put away, after hugs for her daughter and son, a heavenly chorus resounds in song with the words of our father.

[11:26] Well done. Written by Randy Ark, May 7, 1993. Thank you, Randy.

[11:37] And with some other tributes that are appropriately made to mothers, I've asked Marie to share a couple with us. These are from a recent letter that we've received from Focus on the Family.

[11:52] And they are letters that listeners had written to the folks at Focus on the Family, thanking them for their ministry. And we kind of, at Grace Bible Church, kind of feel a part of that because from the very earliest times in the 1970s, when Focus on the Family first went on the air with Dr. James Dobson, Grace Bible Church put Focus on the Family in our missions budget, and they have been in our missions budget ever since.

[12:28] So we feel a sense of warmth and concern when listeners write to them and express their gratitude for something. It's Grace Bible Church and churches like Grace and individuals who have contributed to Focus that makes this kind of response possible.

[12:47] The following account we received from Sue in Minnesota highlights the way that the resources of Focus on the Family have benefited mothers facing very difficult situations.

[13:00] And I've asked Marie if she would read that letter. I am a wife and mother of four children. Life wasn't so bad. I was blessed to stay home with my children when they were born up until when the youngest started kindergarten.

[13:16] When Zach was born, he was sick for the first two and a half years of his life until the birth of our final baby, Ella. Her newborn screening showed she had cystic fibrosis and we quickly realized Zach did too.

[13:33] During those difficult days, I often wouldn't express my pain and frustration. Instead, listening to Focus on the Family became my alone time.

[13:43] It was God's way of speaking to me. It opened me up and I found myself freely praying out loud and singing and worshiping in the house and in the car.

[13:56] Focus on the Family broke down many of the tough walls I had built up over the years. You are a mighty, mighty vessel for the Lord. Zach was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma last year.

[14:09] My nine-year-old boy was battling two terminal illnesses. When we told Zach, his reply was, well, that sure is a curveball.

[14:20] He is just a bit of a baseball fan. Zach wears a shirt that says, lice, throws, curves, balls, left and right. But God gave me a bat and he teaches me how to swing.

[14:34] All four of my kids enjoy singing along with me to Christian songs and listening to your programs with me. It has really opened up some doors to cover topics that can be hard to initiate.

[14:47] Life is tough, but God's God is always in his hands. He answers prayers and sends us messages through your programming. I dream of a day I can financially support you more.

[15:01] Again, thank you for all you do. Keep up the good work. Zach has indeed been thrown some tough curveballs in his young life, but his unflappable spirit and unshakable faith are an inspiration.

[15:18] Despite the challenges of illness and adverse diagnoses, Zach is living, breathing proof that we all have a role to play in proclaiming God's goodness and faithfulness.

[15:30] And Sue's unconditional love for her children and her reliance upon the Lord embody the high and beautiful calling of mothers who are entrusted with the care of their precious kids.

[15:43] And now we've got another reading to offer that came from, I believe this one is from Minnesota or from California. Okay, go ahead, Marie.

[15:54] I know that times can be tough and that circumstances might not be the right ones. Like many others, I was a teen who found myself in a room with a doctor who said, you are pregnant, but you have choices.

[16:09] I didn't know if I was going to be a single mother. I didn't know if I was going to get kicked out of my home. I didn't know what was next. But I did know that my baby had a purpose.

[16:21] She is now 13 years old. Our life has not been easy, but it is blessed. I now have five children and if God sees me fit to have more, I will welcome them with open arms.

[16:33] I am not the perfect mother and we do not have luxuries. Our house is loud and messy, but the smiles, the hugs, the kisses, and the little voices saying, I love you, give me the best feeling, one I can't explain.

[16:50] The children have hopes and dreams about becoming the best baseball players, the best business owners, the best dirt bike racers, and the best gymnast.

[17:00] The baby doesn't speak yet, but I am sure that God has a plan for her too. I pray that my children will be followers of Christ and that they will bring millions to Jesus.

[17:12] My life did not end at 19 when I decided to walk the unknown journey of motherhood. My life started and my walk with Jesus got better. Thank you for what you do.

[17:23] Thank you for the recordings and family topics. Thank you for broadcasting the good news of hope through any situation. God continue to bless you. Diana in California.

[17:34] And the response to that letter on the part of Focus on the Family was what a powerful picture of the Lord's care and tenderness for mothers and their children.

[17:47] I especially love the joy Diana obviously takes in the everyday moments with her kids. She points us to the wonderful purpose that exists as we engage in what may feel like humdrum routine days.

[18:01] To be sure, motherhood can feel mundane at times but the Bible casts a beautiful eternity facing vision for this sacred role. So we really appreciate those contributions that were sent to us from Focus on the Family and those of you who are mothers especially with multiple kids in many ways can identify with the writers of those two letters.

[18:26] And I've asked Marie to share something else. I thought this was kind of kind of humorous and I want to advise you men out there to be on guard because this is going to come down on us.

[18:38] Okay. The author is unknown but it's entitled Like His Mother Used to Do. He didn't like the casserole and he didn't like my cake and my biscuits were too hard not like his mother used to make.

[18:54] I didn't perk the coffee right he didn't like the stew. I didn't mend his socks the way his mother used to do. I pondered for an answer as I was looking for a clue then I turned around and smacked him like his mother used to do.

[19:13] Okay. That's all too true. Well. We related something to our Wednesday evening group a couple of weeks ago and I promised that I would share the rest of the story with them on the next Wednesday but as it turned out there were very few that were able to make that second Wednesday and as a result I thought that those who had heard the first part would who hadn't heard the first part would be at a loss than if I shared the second part.

[19:51] So we've got a little more time for this session than what we had for the Wednesday evening so I want to share this with you but I'm going to start with rereading what I already shared with that Wednesday evening group and the importance of the content speaks for itself.

[20:08] The author that we are sharing with you is named Frederick E. Lewis he's since passed away he's now with the Lord but during his 34 year pursuit Fred was a professional in the financial services industry he was and is active in his church family, community and profession having served as a member and officer on many organizations boards and committees Fred was semi-retired a U.S. Army Vietnam veteran and lives in the country on several acres of river frontage he was married to Jan his wife of over 40 years has three children and two grandchildren as we mentioned he is now at home with the Lord but Frederick Lewis has written a very valuable book and I think that you will appreciate very much the content especially those of you who come from a grace position in the preface of the book he states permit me to preface this book with part of my personal story

[21:14] I was raised in a Baptist church and Jan my wife of over 40 years in a Lutheran church when we were first married we would alternate between the two churches as we lived in the same city in which we grew up after a stint in the military the children started to come and we visited new churches to find a single church home this went on for about 12 years and during that time I began to have an interest in studying about end times known as eschatology during the late 1970s I read a book by Hal Lindsey titled Late Great Planet Earth and it was helpful in kindling my interest as I would try to study in the various churches we visited I discovered that there was a wide variety of opposing views concerning what the Bible taught about end times I was still a few years away from coming to a knowledge of the mystery given to the Apostle Paul by direct revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ basically

[22:17] I found two main systems of theology covenant and dispensational covenant theology centers around the belief that God has but one overall program in dealing with us and tends to spiritualize many passages that the dispensationalists take as literal dispensational theology includes a belief that God has changed the program from time to time in dealing with us on the covenant side you have amillennialism where it's believed that the kingdom promised to Israel is occurring now in the spiritual realm and there isn't to be a literal earthly kingdom set up in the future under this covenant system there would be no rapture of the church prior to the end and the majority of the events of the book of revelation are taken to be fulfilled in spiritual setting only Jan's upbringing in the Lutheran church embraces this type of interpretation and if I might just insert here this is also referred to as replacement theology which posits the idea that the church has become the new Israel and that Israel as a nation is completely set aside and the promises that God originally gave to the Jew he has removed and has instead extended them to the church which is the body of Christ he goes on to say the dispensationalists on the other hand believe in a literal earthly kingdom established after the rapture of the church and the period of time known as the tribulation when the events of the book of revelation will be literally played out my Baptist upbringing embraces this type of interpretation as I was wrestling to try to sort out the above some friends invited Jan and me to their baptismal ceremony as they were joining a new church at that service we met the preacher of their new church which turned out to be a non-denominational church on the covenant side of interpretation we ended up joining that church in the early 1980s the preacher was a great teacher and we had a good sized

[24:37] Bible study that met each week for years without that Bible study I would never have learned how the covenant side worked as I studied I realized that what I was learning was very different from what I was taught growing up but I couldn't seem to find a way to understand what the Bible really taught on end times and many other issues for example I was water baptized by immersion when I was 10 years old after making a public statement that I wanted to trust Christ for my salvation Jan on the other hand was water baptized by sprinkling as an infant the new church believed that water baptism by immersion was a necessary act for anyone wanting to trust Christ for salvation and Jan and the children were all water baptized in this fashion the children were also water baptized by sprinkling as infants after about five years at the new church I'd studied about everything I could get my hands on regarding end times and prophecy and many other topics this time

[25:39] I began reading the Bible through cover to cover to see if I could figure out which system of interpretation fit the scriptures a friend of mine Dave called me one day about one to two years after my starting to read the Bible on a daily basis he said he had an idea he wanted to run by me when we were together he seemed more serious than I usually saw him he said he had something to share and he didn't know with whom else he could share it over the years he and I had talked extensively concerning matters of the Bible and through the Bible studies we both attended he came to know the Lord he related a story to me that took him back to his younger school days and to me folks this is this is just absolutely amazing if you if you ever wanted to see the sovereignty and the timing of God in action this is just one of who knows how many instances this story took him back to his younger school days as the story went he had run away from home due to a disagreement by hitchhiking from Michigan to Indiana on one of the rides he received somehow his wallet worked its way out of his pocket and was undiscovered by Dave until it was too late through a series of events his father drove down to pick him up and he was homeward bound but still with no wallet after being back home for a few days the package arrived containing his missing wallet it turned out that the driver was a local pastor who had found the wallet was able to get an address from its contents and mail the wallet back to him along with a bible tract called

[27:27] Simple as Can Be by Cornelia Stan Dave Dave was delighted to get the wallet back and took the tract without reading it and zipped it into the bible he had received when he was confirmed a few years before at his local church after more than 20 years and during the move to a different house the zippered bible showed itself and Dave realized that he hadn't opened that bible for over 20 years and when he did the bible tract popped out and this time he read it and called me for a meeting mentioned earlier our conversation over lunch centered on the concepts in that tract which outlined a system of bible interpretation that takes into consideration the idea that God changed the program of his dealings with mankind about midway through the book of Acts at that point

[28:34] God essentially concluded the kingdom program temporarily and ushered in a new program known as the mystery through the apostle Paul the complete changeover to the new program took about 30 years as Paul was receiving direct revelations concerning this new program from the ascended Lord Jesus Christ this system of bible interpretation is dispensational except it recognizes that the current church the body of Christ began in the mid part of the book of Acts and not as most view it start in the first part of Acts the significance of the mid-Ax position is that the truth of the distinctive message and ministry of the apostle Paul is recovered and when you view his letters as such all the confusion disappears that occurs when you mix the previous kingdom program with the current one communicated to Paul known as the mystery it took some time to discover the broad and sweeping nature of this new program but it has led me to a much clearer understanding of topics such as end times and others since that meeting

[29:50] I have read the bible through numerous times in many versions and have spent hundreds of hours in intense study to be able to come to a better understanding of many biblical topics it is from this backdrop that I submit the following and what he is submitting is a copy of that track that was tucked away unread for 20 years by Cornelius Stamm and it is entitled Simple As Can Be and while Mr. Stamm's article doesn't deal particularly with the idea of future things or prophecy it deals with something that is even more important and more valuable to each and every one of us and that is the principle of salvation and how is that realized and over the years let me just preface before I read Mr. Stamm's article I have talked with others and sometimes pastors about the importance of the mystery and the message committed to Paul and the progressive revelation of the bible etc and I have often been met with this kind of an objection well

[31:05] I really don't see the deed or the importance of all of this dispensational stuff and what was to Paul and what was to Moses and so on as far as I'm concerned I just take the whole bible and the only thing that matters is that you just get people saved and all the rest of that stuff is immaterial and it's incidental and it's just not that big a deal well alright let's think in terms about salvation what does the bible have to say about that and does the dispensational approach have any bearing on salvation it's called simple as can be and the article goes on yes the plan of salvation is simple if the scriptures are rightly divided otherwise it is far from simple hence the grave responsibility upon those engaged in the work of the lord to obey 2nd Timothy 2 15 which says study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth now

[32:17] Mr. Stam says let us illustrate here in the heart of a city let us say stands a man who has been convicted of his sin he is miserable as at last he sees himself as he really is a guilty condemned sinner and as he stands there brooding Mr. Average Evangelical comes walking down the street in his lapel he has a button which says Jesus saves seeing this our unsaved friend thinks here is the man for me and approaching him says I wonder if you can help me I'm in trouble what must I do to be saved why exclaims Mr. Average Evangelical I'm so glad you asked me there are some things in the Bible which are hard to understand but thank God the way of salvation is as simple as can be look here in my New Testament at Acts 16 30 when the Philippian jailer asked the same question the Apostle Paul answered believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved isn't that simple that's all you need to do just believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and salvation is yours and here are a few more scriptures along the same line

[33:38] John 3 36 says he that believeth on the Son has everlasting life and he that believes not the Son of God shall not see life but the wrath of God abides on him and Romans 4 5 but to him that worketh not but believes on him that justifies the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness and Ephesians 2 8 and 9 says for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast but while Mr. Evangelical has been showing our friend the simple plan of salvation a Roman Catholic has been listening to the conversation at last he can contain himself no longer stepping up to Mr. Evangelical he says pardon me for interrupting sir but you are leading this man astray don't you know that James 2 20 says that faith without works is dead and I dare you to read James 2 24 to this man and turning to the passage

[34:43] Mr. Evangelical reads you see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only well could anything be plainer than that says the Roman Catholic and with this he begins to outline all these works which he considers necessary to salvation and just then a Campbellite steps up and says well I've been listening to you gentlemen and if you will pardon me I think Mr. Evangelical is making salvation too easy while our Catholic friend here is making it too hard it shouldn't be difficult to determine what is required for salvation for our Lord himself made it very plain when he commissioned his apostles to preach the gospel look here in Mark 16 we have it as simple as can be and he said unto them go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature he that believes and is baptized shall be saved but he that believes not shall be damned now isn't that plain if this scripture means anything then those who believe and are baptized and those alone are saved and notice how carefully

[35:57] Peter carried out this commission at Pentecost when his hearers were convicted of their guilt and began to ask what they must do to be saved what did Peter say to them he said repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost now it seems to me that anyone who really wants to know the truth should see that it's so simple but now a Pentecostalist steps into the circle almost exploding and says why didn't you read those next verses in Mark 16 Mr. Campbellite why did you stop right in the middle of the passage the rest is plain too only you won't receive it see what it says here Mark 16 17 and 18 says and these signs shall follow them that believe in my name shall they cast out devils they shall speak with new tongues and it should seem certainly they shall take up serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover now isn't that perfectly plain so according to the same great commission if you do not have miraculous powers you are not a true believer you can't make it mean anything else it distinctly says these signs shall follow them that believe none of you can deny that under the great commission which practically all Christians claim to follow faith and water baptism are the requirements for salvation while miraculous powers are the evidences of salvation finally one more person joins the company saying haven't you men all forgotten something what they ask why apparently you have forgotten that there is an Old Testament in the Bible and the Old Testament is three times larger than the new the speaker is the seventh day Adventist and he presses his point home don't you men know the terms of God's holy law let's turn to

[38:16] Exodus 19 5 and see what it says now therefore if you will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people for all the earth is mine with scripture after scripture the seventh day Adventist seeks to prove that the observance of the ten commandments is essential to acceptance with God especially does he stress Sabbath observance to the very sign of relationship to God and to prove this he quotes Exodus 31 13 and 17 which says speak thou also unto the children of Israel saying verily my Sabbath you shall keep for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations that you may know that I am the Lord that does sanctify you it is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever poor unsaved man all of this began with his simple question what must I do to be saved

[39:21] Mr. Fundamentalist plan Evangelical's plan had seemed so simple until the others began challenging him and each other and strangely each of the others seemed to think his particular view was so simple too but our poor unsaved friend what on earth can he make of all of this as he stands there guilty and condemned certainly the way to peace doesn't seem very simple to him now and no man had better say the plan of salvation is simple if he does not rightly divide the word of truth and no man had better say it is simple who claims to be working under the great commission and no man had better say it is simple who teaches that Pentecost marked the beginning of the body of Christ the church of his age and no man had better say it is simple who denies the distinctive ministry of the apostle Paul the way of salvation for sinners today can only be simple when we recognize our place in history and acknowledge that to Paul by special revelation

[40:30] God made known his message for the world today and his program for the church today it should surely seem significant to the careful student of scripture that after our Lord had given the great commission to his apostles another apostle should dare to say Romans 11 13 for I speak to you Gentiles in as much as I am the apostle of the Gentiles I magnify my office did God then raise up Paul because the 12 were unfaithful in carrying out the great commission indeed not it was Israel's rejection of the kingdom message and God's infinite grace to a lost world that brought about the conversion and commission of Paul see Paul's own words to the Jews at Antioch and Pisidia some years later 1346 of Acts then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing you put it from you and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life lo we turn to the Gentiles and we have but to read

[41:53] Galatians 2 to learn that it was by the will of God and under the direction of the Holy Spirit that the leaders of the 12 finally handed over their Gentile ministry to Paul who went to them with another message saying Galatians 2 that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles the gospel of the grace of God we must not forget that when Israel rejected the glorified king and his kingdom the last and only nation which still had a relationship with God was alienated from him the very channel of God's blessings to the nations was stopped up as it were and Romans 5 20 tells us moreover the law entered that the offense might abound but where sin abounded grace did much more abound in the crisis God acted to make known his eternal purpose in Christ raising up Paul to proclaim the glorious news that in response to Israel's rebellion he would dispense grace to a world of lost sinners salvation to the Gentiles through the fall of Israel what grace the favored nation temporarily cast out that individuals everywhere might find peace with God through the blood of the cross see what Paul writes to the Gentiles in Romans 11 saying for as you in times past have not believed

[43:33] God yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief even so have these also now not believed that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy for God has concluded them all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out God is having mercy upon all today and reconciling both Jews and Gentiles unto himself in one body by the cross Ephesians 2 16 says that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross having slain the enmity thereby salvation has come to the Gentiles then not through

[44:34] Israel's instrumentality but through her obstinacy not according to any covenant but by grace not through the ministry of the twelve who were and are to be Israel's rulers according to Matthew 19 28 but through the ministry of Paul the rebel who obtained mercy and so it is in the 11th chapter of Romans Paul emphasizes his commission as the apostle of the Gentiles read it again and remember that it is not merely Paul's word it is God's word through Paul I speak to you Gentiles for as much as I am the apostle of the Gentiles I magnify mine office if this does not satisfy the reader as to Paul's distinctive ministry to the Gentiles and his God given authority as the apostle of grace surely no more should be needed than the opening verses of Ephesians 3 for this cause

[45:35] I Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles if you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you word how that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery as I wrote afore in a few words so important is this matter that even before the sentence of judgment was pronounced upon Israel and the kingdom hopes of that generation were fully withdrawn Paul with double emphasis pronounced a curse upon any who dared proclaim anything but the gospel of the grace of God to the Gentiles Galatians 1 says for though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be a curse as we said before so say I now again if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that you have received let him be a curse how these words should cause every sincere man of God to tremble and to make sure that his message conforms with that which the Lord of glory from his throne in heaven revealed to Paul observe this and the plan of salvation is simple do you ever find Paul proclaiming salvation by works does he ever command sabbath keeping circumcision or water baptism not once true he practiced all these during his early ministry but that is what he came out of what he emerged from

[47:10] Paul lived in a transition period he was saved under the Jewish economy but raised up to bring in a new dispensation the dispensation of the grace of God and note well Paul was raised up to make the very mystery or the secret of the gospel known when all mankind had demonstrated its utter sinfulness God saved Saul of Tarsus making known through him the riches of his grace showing how it was that everyone that anyone ever had been saved now it is revealed that it had not been the blood of beasts the waters of baptism or any other physical ceremony that had saved the saints of ages past those these were required under law but the infinite grace of a loving God read Paul's majestic words to the Romans in chapter 3 but now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested being witnessed by the law and the prophets even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God has set forth to be a satisfaction through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the sins that are passed through the forbearance of God to declare

[48:50] I say at this time his righteousness that he God might be just and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus well where is boasting then it is excluded by what law of works no but by the law of faith therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law yes see this and the plan is sublimely simple today no works are required for salvation indeed salvation is offered to those who will stop working to get it for today God wants us to see and acknowledge our utter ruin and his infinite grace Romans 4 5 and 4 says now to him that worketh not is the reward not reckoned but I'm sorry now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but a debt but to him that worketh not but believes on him that justifies the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness

[50:05] Romans 5 1 therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and I want to interrupt Mr. Stan's conclusion here by inserting a comment of my own because I know exactly what some people are thinking when they hear this justification by faith thing oh that's too easy that's too easy that's cheap grace that's cheap faith that's too easy no no it isn't cheap it's free not cheap but free and the reason it's free is because Jesus did the hard part and he left the easy part for us believe on the Lord Jesus Christ Titus says but after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit for by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourself it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast for we are his workmanship created in Christ

[51:25] Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them and to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved in whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace and Colossians 2 9 and 10 for in him Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily and you are complete in him which is the head of all principality and power yep it is simple as can be but only when you rightly divide the word of truth well our time is gone but what I would like for you to do I assume that we will be having a session like this next week and you will have a whole week in between to fashion any questions that you might have and these need not be just from grace people they can be from anybody who is able to tune in and listen to this if you would be so kind as to fashion any objections any questions any additions any suggestions that you would like to make in connection with what has been stated and email them to the church and that's easy to do just send them to you can check you can go online and just and just click on grace grace bible church grace bible springfield dot com grace bible church it's on the directory it's on the just go to the directory just go to the directory grace bible church dot com and there you can you can find the emails spot and you can click on the email and send us whatever you like by way of a question for for additional information for clarification for objection

[53:28] I care not what it is and I will do my best to answer it then a week from today as we go over your questions in the meanwhile and prepare an answer and I trust we'll have a good session next week I don't know I don't want to take any more time because our hour is just now up but I'll talk to Terry and see if there's some way that maybe we can get a Q&A going so that we could do it on time and not just by by what my audio maybe be able to do it in real time next week I don't know if that's possible or not but thank you so much for joining us today we appreciate your sharing your morning with us and again we wish all of our mothers out there a very happy Mother's Day and I know the rest of the day is going to be kind of abnormal because of what's going on in our culture but as a believer in Christ I'm sure you'll be able to make the best of it however the Lord leads you so goodbye for now and may the Lord richly bless you