Participants: Pr. Kenneth Cox
Series Code: GMTB
Program Code: GMTB000001
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00:19 Well we welcome you tonight
00:21 to Give Me The Bible 00:22 which is a brand-new series 00:25 with Pastor Kenneth Cox. 00:28 And this series, folks, is one that is unusual 00:31 because it'll be five nights, once per month. 00:37 And Pastor Cox will be looking at a subject in depth. 00:42 Sometimes we look at just one night at a subject 00:44 then we move on to another. 00:46 And it has been a dream of his to present messages in depth, 00:51 and that's what's going to be taking place here at 00:55 Give Me The Bible. 00:56 And the only textbook we will have is God's Word... 01:00 the Holy Bible. 01:01 As most of you know, Pastor Kenneth Cox is a very 01:05 well-known speaker. He's spoken all over the world, 01:09 and he has been very popular here with 3ABN. 01:14 When I say popular, I mean people request Pastor Cox. 01:19 They want him to come be in their churches, 01:22 and they watch him on Three Angels Broadcasting Network. 01:25 He has been one of our favorites! 01:29 And I will tell you this... that the staff here at 3ABN 01:33 loves Kenneth Cox. They always look forward 01:36 to his being here because this is a man that not only 01:40 knows about the Word of God, 01:43 he knows the Lord 01:46 who is the One who has given us His Word. 01:50 And so this is so apparent in such a loving, kind way 01:55 we have found that he... our people here... 01:58 have really truly fallen in love with Kenneth Cox over the years. 02:02 Right now before we hear Pastor Cox, 02:05 we're going to listen as Pam Rhodes sings, 02:09 and she's going to sing a fantastic song. 02:12 And she's going to be accompanied by her husband Jim 02:15 and by Dona Klein. 02:18 Pam Rhodes. 02:34 I sing through the shade and the sunshine, 02:38 I'll trust Him whatever befall. 02:42 I sing for I cannot be silent, 02:46 my Father planned it all. 02:50 What though the way be lonely, 02:54 and dark the shadows fall. 02:58 I know where ere He leadeth, 03:02 my Father planned it all. 03:06 I sing through the shade and the sunshine, 03:10 I'll trust Him whatever befall. 03:13 I sing for I cannot be silent, 03:17 my Father planned it all. 03:21 He guides my faltering footsteps 03:25 along the narrow way, 03:29 He guides my faltering footsteps 03:33 along the narrow way, 03:37 for well He knows the pathway 03:41 will lead to endless day. 03:45 I sing through the shade and the sunshine, 03:49 I'll trust Him whatever befall. 03:53 I sing for I cannot be silent, 03:57 my Father planned it all. 04:00 I sing through the shade and the sunshine, 04:04 I'll trust Him whatever befall. 04:08 I sing for I cannot be silent, 04:12 my Father planned it all, 04:16 my Father planned it all, 04:20 my Father planned it all, 04:24 my Father planned it all! God bless you. 04:34 Thank you, Pam, and good evening. 04:36 I'm very happy to welcome each of you 04:39 and our television audience. 04:40 We're happy to welcome you to a new series 04:43 entitled Give Me The Bible. 04:46 And what this does is we're 04:49 going to spend time in God's Word so that people can have 04:53 something to build their faith on. 04:55 That they can look at it and say 04:57 "I know this is what the Bible says. " 05:00 What says the Bible? The blessed Bible? 05:04 This my only question be. 05:07 The teachings of men so often mislead us. 05:11 What says the Bible to me? 05:14 That's what we want to find out. 05:15 That's what we want to know, 05:17 and that's what we're going to be looking at 05:19 as we go through different subjects. 05:21 And tonight we're looking at the subject of salvation. 05:25 And for the next five nights 05:28 we're going to look at different subjects about salvation. 05:32 Tonight we're looking at the grace of God. 05:35 What does the scripture tell us about the grace of God? 05:38 Tomorrow night we're going to look at the subject of 05:41 repentance. What does the scripture say about repentance? 05:45 Do I need to repent? 05:46 Why? 05:48 In fact it's so important that if you go to the scripture 05:50 and look at it, you'll find that John the Baptist 05:53 started out preaching "Repent, for the kingdom of God 05:58 is at hand. " 06:00 If you look at it, Jesus Christ did the very same thing 06:04 when He started His ministry. 06:06 He said: "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand. " 06:09 So repentance must be very, very important. 06:14 That's what we're going to be looking at 06:16 in our next presentation on repentance. 06:19 And so we hope that it will help you in your understanding 06:23 of the subject of repentance. 06:25 But as I mentioned, tonight we're looking at 06:29 the grace of God. 06:31 What does the scripture tell us about the grace of God? 06:34 You need to look for about four things tonight. 06:39 First, as we go through the subject you need to notice 06:42 what does the scripture say about man's condition? 06:46 That needs to be clear in your mind. 06:48 And then after we've taken a little look at man's condition, 06:52 we're going to take a look at the greatness of God. 06:55 Because you will never understand God's grace 06:59 until you understand His greatness. 07:02 And so we're going to take a little look at God's greatness 07:05 and then we're going to see how that comes to the 07:09 immutability of God's law. 07:12 Immutability of God's law. 07:14 How that fits into it, and then how the grace of God 07:18 brings all that together. 07:20 That's what you're looking for in tonight's subject, 07:22 and we hope that it will bless you 07:25 in a special way as we study God's Word. 07:28 Take a look at what the Bible has to say 07:31 on the subject of salvation. 07:34 So we hope that you will join us 07:36 for each one of these presentations. 07:38 It's always a special blessing to me 07:42 when we can have Jimmy and Pam Rhodes with us. 07:49 Pam's going to do a song tonight, 07:52 one that Dona Klein wrote. 07:56 One that's always blessed me very, very much. 08:00 And I hope it will help you in a special way. 08:05 The words I think are beautiful. 08:07 And it's entitled: "Sometime Before Dawn. " 08:22 Sometime before the dawn 08:27 His heart was aching. 08:33 Sometime before the dawn 08:38 His heart was breaking. 08:44 The cross was just ahead, 08:49 "Not My will, but Thine" He pled. 08:55 For me His tears were shed, 09:00 sometime before dawn. 09:06 They struck and they cursed Him, 09:12 they mocked His dear name. 09:18 They stripped off His garments, 09:23 despising the shame. 09:28 Those precious hands 09:34 they nailed to a tree. 09:39 He hung there in agony 09:45 for you and for me. 09:51 She ran to the garden, 09:57 her eyes blind with tears. 10:02 She knew she must find Him 10:08 her heart filled with fear. 10:13 The angel told her 10:18 that Jesus was gone. 10:24 He rose from His prison 10:30 sometime before dawn. 10:35 Sometime before the dawn 10:40 His heart was aching. 10:46 Sometime before the dawn 10:51 his heart was breaking. 10:57 The cross was just ahead 11:02 "Not My will, but Thine" He pled. 11:08 For me His tears were shed 11:13 sometime before dawn. 11:19 Those scenes pass before me 11:24 as I kneel at the cross. 11:30 My heart breaks within me 11:35 as I think of the cost. 11:41 How much He loved me, 11:47 and to Him I belong. 11:52 For His blood paid my ransom 11:58 sometime before dawn. 12:03 Yes, His blood paid my ransom 12:10 sometime before 12:14 dawn. 12:27 It's my practice before I speak 12:31 always to talk to my Maker, 12:35 my King, my Savior, and my friend. 12:38 So I'm going to kneel, 12:40 and if you'd just pray with me at this time. 12:48 My Heavenly Father, 12:50 I come to You tonight 12:53 asking for Your presence. 12:57 Asking that the Holy Spirit 13:00 may be able to work in my life 13:06 that the hearts of people may be drawn unto You. 13:12 Give us wisdom, 13:15 give us understanding, 13:17 that we might see clearly 13:20 the gift that You have given to each one of us 13:25 and we might reach out in faith 13:28 and accept that gift. 13:30 For this we ask in Christ's name, 13:34 Amen. 13:41 Education. 13:42 Culture. 13:45 The exercise of the human will. 13:48 Heredity. 13:50 None of those things have ever changed the hearts of men. 13:56 Never has happened. 13:59 In fact, history is full of examples 14:04 of how it failed. 14:07 I'd like for you to go back with me in time 14:09 to one of the great nations... to the nation of Greece. 14:13 Greece was a nation that brought to mankind 14:19 civilization like they had never known before. 14:23 When you start taking a look at education and you go 14:27 thumbing back through the pages of history, 14:29 great, great men at the time of Greece... 14:33 Aristotle, Plato, Socrates... 14:37 great, great minds. 14:39 They brought a system of education the world had 14:43 never known. 14:44 When you take a look at culture, 14:46 take a look at the arts, 14:48 it has been... hasn't been reached to this day. 14:52 Unrivaled in what they did. 14:55 If you go back to the time of the Pergama history 14:59 of Greece, the culture and the statues and all the things 15:04 that they did... it's not... not reached to this day. 15:08 Marvelous what they did there! 15:11 You take a look at language. 15:13 It spread across the whole world. 15:16 The Greek language was spoken by all those people. 15:19 But when you read history, you find that they were 15:24 drunken. That they had prostitutes, 15:29 concubines. 15:31 Morality was extremely low. 15:34 Slavery. None of that that they had 15:38 at all there... changed their hearts, changed their minds. 15:42 And you know, nations are pretty much like men. 15:47 They come up and they go down. 15:49 And so as Greece is fading off the scene of existence, 15:54 you have Rome coming on. 15:58 And Rome brought to the world things that they hadn't really 16:02 known before. They brought a system of government 16:04 like the world had never seen. 16:07 It took hold of things, and it made things different. 16:12 In fact, the law - under the Roman power - was elevated 16:16 and great things were done. 16:19 They made the roadways. 16:21 They made the seas safe for travel. 16:25 People could go places they had never gone before. 16:29 Soldiers marched down the road carrying a plaque 16:34 that said PAX ROMANA... Roman peace. 16:37 They made all this available. 16:40 But when you take a look at Rome, 16:44 it didn't change the heart of man. 16:47 They: gladiators, prostitutes, 16:53 drunkenness. In fact, they were known for their drunkenness. 16:57 In fact, their leaders were known as being very vile and 17:02 sinful people. Nero... 17:04 All this took place; didn't change their hearts. 17:08 And when you come on down to modern times 17:12 in which we meet at the United Nations, 17:15 gather around the table and there we are supposed to 17:18 solve the world's problems. 17:20 And yet modern nations... it hasn't changed their hearts. 17:26 Germany... Germany as it developed 17:31 brought to the world architecture 17:35 like man hadn't known. 17:38 They... They had beautiful buildings that they built 17:42 in honor to all those things. 17:44 Inventions... one invention after another 17:46 took place under Germany. 17:49 Great, great system of education. 17:52 All that was done by the German people. 17:57 And yet, out of that nation that at that time 18:01 had advanced so much, we have the Holocaust. 18:07 And even if we want to take a look at the United States, 18:12 with the development of this country, 18:15 industry like it had never been done before 18:20 began to take place and move across this country, 18:24 and man began to make things and develop things 18:27 like had never happened. 18:30 Tremendous amount of industry. 18:32 And we take a look at the question of education. 18:35 Our educational system reached the top, and we had great men 18:41 and women of stature because of the educational system 18:44 that we had. 18:45 And when you take a look at prosperity. 18:48 No country in the entire world 18:53 had known the prosperity that this country has known. 18:56 But when it comes to changing the hearts of men, 19:01 all we have to do is take a look 19:06 at greed on the part of those 19:11 in charge of the oil companies. 19:15 All we have to take a look is at the fraud 19:18 and deception by those in high places in Wall Street. 19:24 And even a nation that would sink so low as to 19:28 torture. 19:30 And morality has fallen to a new low. 19:34 Education; culture. 19:38 Those things do not change the hearts of people. 19:42 In fact, all that education really does, folks, 19:47 is make people smart sinners. 19:50 That's what education does. 19:54 So that isn't what changes hearts. 19:58 That's the reason the Bible has some very clear words 20:00 to say about this... about man's condition. 20:04 This is what God's Word says: 20:16 No one can do that. 20:19 You can't take something that is unclean and bring 20:23 something clean out of it. 20:25 In fact, it goes on and says 20:28 in Romans the 8th chapter verse 7: 20:40 The human is at enmity with God. 20:44 It's not subject to God's law 20:46 and it doesn't fit in. 20:47 And because man is this way, 20:49 and because man's heart is not changed, 20:53 Jesus had this to say to Nicodemus: 21:11 Unless a person is born again 21:14 he cannot see the kingdom of God. 21:16 You see, it takes something 21:19 outside of you. 21:23 It takes something outside of me 21:26 to change our hearts and to make us different. 21:31 We can't get there by man's own efforts. 21:37 It takes something different that has to come in 21:41 and change your heart, change your desires, 21:46 change your purpose. 21:48 All that has to take place 21:50 in order for a life to be different. 21:54 That's why we read: 22:13 You see man, through human reasoning, 22:19 can't know the things of God. 22:23 They're just spiritually discerned. 22:26 That just doesn't fit, 22:28 and they don't understand it. 22:30 Doesn't take place... there has to be something different 22:33 that happens in their lives. 22:35 "The heart, " we are told here in Jeremiah 17 verse 9: 22:51 In fact, what it's telling you and me 22:53 is that we don't even know our own hearts. 22:56 Have you ever said: "Well, I wouldn't do that! " 23:00 and then did it? 23:02 Yeah. All of us have. 23:06 The heart... desperately wicked. 23:10 You and I don't even know our own hearts. 23:15 OK. It says, but we know 23:19 that the law - God's Word - 23:23 the law is what? It's spiritual. 23:26 That's what the law is. 23:28 But I am carnal... sold under sin. 23:34 That is man's condition. 23:36 That's where we are, and what can I do about this? 23:39 Paul talked about this, and that's why he... 23:42 you hear him crying out here in Romans 7:24 when he said: 23:54 That's our problem. 23:56 Who's going to deliver us from this? 23:58 Let me tell you something tonight. 24:00 There's only one way. 24:02 There's only one way. 24:04 I don't care what other people have to tell you. 24:07 I'm telling you what the Bible says. 24:09 The Bible says there's only one way. 24:12 There's not many ways. 24:15 And that's the reason you've got to find out 24:17 What does the book say? What does the Bible say? 24:20 Because Jesus made it very clear: 24:36 Nobody comes to God except through Jesus Christ. 24:41 And Jesus said: "I am the way. " 24:45 I'm the truth. I'm the life. 24:47 In Me you can find a change. 24:51 In Me you can find something different. 24:54 So dear friend, tonight, man's condition 24:58 is something that you and I 25:00 of our own strength cannot change. 25:04 Impossible. 25:06 But you really don't understand what God has done for you 25:10 unless you understand His greatness. 25:14 And it says here... Psalms says: 25:28 You and I can't comprehend the greatness of God. 25:34 We will never be able to comprehend it. 25:37 But dear friends, we ought to take a look 25:40 and try to understand as much as we can of His greatness 25:45 because when you see His greatness, 25:49 then you begin to understand what He really did for you. 25:54 Marvelous! The marvelous, wonderful 25:59 grace of God... what He did for each one of us. 26:03 Because it tell us here. It says: 26:16 Think about it. 26:19 God is so great 26:21 that He can speak things into existence. 26:26 It says that He spoke the worlds into existence. 26:31 Marvelous! 26:33 A God so big, so great, 26:37 that He can speak things into existence. 26:41 In fact, you and I live because of Him. 26:47 He says here in the Psalm: 27:03 You and I move, we have our being, in God. 27:08 And you are breathing tonight, wherever you are, 27:13 because of Him. 27:15 Because if He takes away your breath, 27:18 that's it. It's over. 27:21 The greatness of God that He can hold in the palm of His hand 27:27 your life. Hold it in the palm of His hand. 27:33 Created the world; made them all. 27:36 Indeed, how great He is! 27:39 I'm sure many of you are aware of the story of Lazarus. 27:44 Very close friend of Jesus. 27:48 Received word from his sisters that Lazarus had died. 27:55 Coming there to their home - 27:57 Lazarus had been dead about four days - 28:00 and they told Him that he had died, been buried. 28:04 And it says that Jesus walked out to the tomb 28:09 and just simply said: "Roll away the stone. " 28:14 And they rolled away the stone. 28:17 And He said three simple words: 28:21 "Lazarus, come forth. " 28:25 And he who was dead ROSE and came forth from that tomb. 28:31 Just think. 28:34 There is a God that is so great 28:39 that He can speak and give an individual life. 28:46 All lies within His hand. 28:52 He is the Maker; He is the Creator. 28:56 He gives live, and He can take life away. 29:01 Both. 29:02 Now, this is the marvelous thing about it 29:05 is because it says here, Ephesians 2 verse 7: 29:12 Now that means down through eternity 29:23 In the ages to come 29:25 God is going to show to the universe 29:28 the exceeding greatness of His grace, 29:32 OK, and the kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. 29:37 In other words, this God 29:41 that could speak things into existence 29:44 is going to show us the greatness of His grace 29:49 in Christ Jesus. 29:51 So what has He done for us? 29:53 What has He done? What has He accomplished? 30:08 God's great mercy... that He loved us. 30:14 What is there to love? 30:18 I mean we just found out our condition. 30:22 I mean there's nothing good about us. 30:25 Condition is bad, but God in His great love 30:30 loved us. And because of that love, 30:36 He is going to give to you and to me His grace. 30:42 Marvelous grace that He's going to give to us. 30:46 We don't deserve it! 30:48 We certainly haven't done anything to deserve it. 30:52 And He says: 31:10 Now He said: "I'm going to betroth... " 31:13 marry, if you please... 31:16 "you to Me in righteousness. " 31:19 Then He also says: "in justice, 31:23 and in lovingkindness, and mercy. " 31:26 I've often looked at that text and wondered 31:29 How could God be willing 31:35 to let me take His name? 31:39 That He's going to betroth, and let me take His name? 31:43 And let me be called a child of God? 31:47 Who is depraved 31:51 and nothing good about me in any way? 31:55 And God in His lovingkindness 31:57 is going to reach out and do that for me? 32:01 Righteousness? 32:03 Give to us? And justice? 32:07 See, that's telling us that God's not only going to 32:12 reach out and save us 32:14 but He's going to do it in a way that settles all questions 32:19 because it's in righteousness and justice. 32:24 How do you have justice? 32:26 Where do you get justice from? 32:30 How do you know that something is just? 32:32 Where does that come from? Do you pull it out of the air? 32:38 No, justice comes from something that has to be written down. 32:43 It has to be delineated, it has to be spelled out. 32:46 That's what we call law. 32:50 Law determines whether something is right or whether it's wrong. 32:53 Whether it's just or whether it's not. 32:56 And God says that He's going to satisfy the law. 33:01 Marvelous, 'cause I'm a sinner! 33:08 But He's going to satisfy the law. 33:12 That's what He promises in lovingkindness and in mercy. 33:17 OK: 33:28 I remember reading where it says 33:31 that John Wesley got up once 33:34 and he said: "Well, I broke all the commandments but one. " 33:37 And his wife got up and said: "You broke that one, too. " 33:40 And so, we're sinners, folks. 33:45 And it says here the law was added so that the offence might 33:50 abound. Man, I thought my... my sin was bad enough 33:56 it didn't need to be added to or abound that much more! 34:00 But it says it does. 34:02 But is also says "but where sin abounds, " what? 34:07 "grace abounds much more. " 34:11 Marvelous. 34:13 That the grace of God abounds much, much more. 34:19 You see, there's no sin that you've ever committed 34:25 that is so dark that God can't forgive it. 34:32 Put it down. I don't care who you are 34:35 in the listening audience tonight, 34:37 you have never committed a sin so bad 34:41 that God can't forgive it. 34:44 Because where sin abounds, 34:48 grace abounded much, much more. 34:53 My Savior is able to come... 34:58 this is part of His grace. 35:00 And if you tell me that God can't forgive you your sins, 35:05 then you're limiting... you're limiting what My Lord could do. 35:09 He will forgive us. 35:11 He will make us what we could never be of ourselves. 35:17 That's what He does for us. 35:19 That is His grace. 35:32 Nothing wrong with God's law. 35:35 It's spiritual. 35:37 It says that God's law is holy. 35:40 It's just; it's good. 35:42 There's nothing wrong with it in any way. 35:45 The problem's not with the law, 35:49 the problem's with me. 35:51 That's where the problem is. 35:54 Not with God's law... with me. 35:56 But God said: "Listen, I'm going to give you My grace 36:01 and I'm going to satisfy righteousness, 36:05 and I'm going to satisfy justice... both. " 36:08 And you watch how He does that. 36:21 So if I do something wrong, 36:24 if I sin, I have broken God's law. 36:28 I have sinned. And when I break God's law... 36:33 Sorry... there's a penalty for that. 36:36 Absolutely. 36:39 Two things the law demands: 36:42 And when I say two things the law demands, 36:46 dear friend, let me tell you something. 36:48 That's not just referring to God's law. 36:50 Every law demands these two things... 36:56 every law. 36:57 And one thing the law demands is: 37:03 Have you ever walked in a china shop 37:06 and saw the little sign there? It says: 37:09 Don't drop it. 37:11 If you break it, you bought it! 37:13 They're very, very definite. 37:16 The law says if you break it you're going to have to pay 37:21 the penalty. Every law says that. 37:24 Of course with God's law, 37:26 it simply says the wages of sin is... 37:31 DEATH. 37:32 Hmmm. 37:35 I broke it. I broke God's law. 37:40 Therefore I have a penalty 37:44 of death on my head. 37:48 And so do you. 37:50 So do we all. 37:53 "The wages of sin is death. " 37:58 We are all under that penalty. 38:15 Death spread to all men because all sinned. 38:20 None of us exempt. 38:22 Doesn't make any difference who you are. 38:25 Doesn't make any difference where you were born. 38:30 Doesn't make any difference who your parents were. 38:33 Doesn't make any difference what you've done. 38:36 We ALL have sinned. 38:39 Come short of the glory of God. 38:43 OK. The law says if you break it 38:46 you've got to pay a penalty. 38:47 Another thing the law says, it says: 38:56 God's law or man's law 39:00 will not be satisfied with anything less than 100%. 39:06 What's this? 39:08 When you take a look at God's law, 39:10 it says here: 39:31 See the law demands 100%. 39:34 If I get in my car, 39:39 drive down the road here, 39:41 and I run the stop sign. 39:43 Cop pulls me over. 39:46 Says: "Mr. Cox, didn't you see that stop sign? " 39:49 I say: "Yes, sir, I did. " 39:51 He said: "Well, why didn't you stop? " 39:53 I say: "Listen, officer. 39:55 I'm holding some meetings over here, 39:57 and I go back and forth here all the time 40:00 and I go back and forth past this stop sign all the time, 40:04 and I only run it 1% of the time. " 40:07 What do you think he's going to do? 40:10 Going to give me a ticket and say: 40:12 "You stop EVERY TIME. " 40:16 Law demands 100%. 40:20 It will not settle for anything less than that. 40:24 OK. You see, God will not let you be like Ivory Soap. 40:30 That won't... it won't count. 40:33 You can't be 99.44% pure. 40:37 It requires 100%. 40:40 It's what's required; you have to be that. 40:43 That's what the law requires. 40:46 Therefore... question: 40:51 If the penalty for breaking God's law is death, 40:55 how is that penalty paid? 40:59 Like the fellow who had a dream. 41:02 Got up to heaven, 41:05 and there was St. Peter at the gate. 41:10 And Peter greeted him; 41:13 told him how glad he was 41:14 that he was there and all. 41:16 And they talked for a little bit 41:17 and Peter said to him... Said: 41:18 "Well I'm sure you'd like to go 41:20 on in. " And the fellow said: "Yeah, I really would. " 41:23 And Peter said: "That's fine. " 41:26 He said: "All you've got to do is have 100 points to get in. 41:29 That's all that's required. " 41:31 And the fellow said: "Well, what do I have to do 41:34 to get 100 points? " 41:36 And Peter said: "Well, what have you done? " 41:39 The fellow said: "Well, I've lived a good life. " 41:43 Said "I've gone to church. 41:45 I've raised my family. 41:47 I took them to church. 41:49 I tried to be good to my neighbors. " 41:50 He said: "I've... I've lived a good life. " 41:53 And Peter said: "OK. " He said, "that's good for a point. " 41:57 The fellow said: "What? Good for a point? " 42:02 And Peter said: "Don't you have something else? 42:05 Isn't there something else you have? " 42:07 He said: "Well, yeah. I'll think about it. " 42:09 He said: "Before I died I left a large contribution 42:12 to the church. I left them a large contribution 42:16 to help people and to help humanity and all. " 42:19 He said: "I gave that to the church. 42:21 That ought to be worth something. " 42:22 Peter said: "Yeah, it is. It's good for another point. " 42:26 He said: "You mean to tell me all my life and all that I gave 42:32 is only worth two points? " 42:34 He said: "I'll never get in except by the grace of God. " 42:38 Peter said: "That's good for 100 points! " 42:40 That's the only way that you and I get there 42:45 is by the grace of God. 42:47 No other way. 42:50 So, I'm a sinner. 42:53 I broke God's law. 42:55 I'm guilty. 42:57 How is my penalty going to be paid? 43:00 In Him we have? 43:03 In Him we have what? 43:06 Friend tonight, if you're lost, 43:10 if you don't know the Lord Jesus Christ, 43:13 if your soul is lost, 43:16 IN HIM you have REDEMPTION. 43:20 That's available to you through His blood... 43:23 the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His 43:28 grace. 43:29 You don't deserve it, so don't try to think up 43:33 some reason why He should give that to you. 43:36 There is no reason why He should give that to you 43:39 except out of the riches of His grace. 43:42 NO OTHER WAY is it given to you! 43:46 He died that you might be redeemed. 44:00 While we were still sinners Christ died for us. 44:04 He didn't say: "I'll tell you what. 44:06 You clean yourself up. " 44:09 I have people do that so often to me. 44:13 Talk to them about giving their heart to the Lord, 44:15 and they'll say: "Well, Brother Cox, there's a few 44:16 things I've got to take care of yet. " 44:18 Just... sorry, you'll never come to the Lord. 44:22 That will never happen if you're going to wait till 44:25 you've got a few things to take care of... 44:27 You'll have a few things to take care of from now on! 44:31 You've got to come to Jesus Christ just as you are. 44:37 No other way. 44:39 Just as you are. 44:41 HE paid your penalty. 44:45 HE died in your place. 44:52 What about the perfect life? 44:54 Because the law demands a perfect life. 44:57 Can't get there without it. 45:02 "Be ye holy, as He is holy. " 45:06 Demanded: 45:19 Now it didn't say "When you were His friend. " 45:23 It says that "while we were enemies. " 45:29 I'm still talking about His grace, folks. 45:31 While we were enemies, OK? 45:35 We were reconciled to God through the death of His Son. 45:41 That paid the penalty. 45:43 That paid what you and I owe. 45:45 But then Paul goes on 45:50 and he says: "Much more... " 45:53 "Much more than being reconciled, " he said. 45:55 More than just Him dying that you might be saved. 46:00 It says: "We shall be saved by His life. " 46:05 That's the reason Jesus Christ 46:11 stayed around for 30 years. 46:15 You see, if all that was necessary 46:19 to save you was for Jesus to die, 46:23 He could have done that as a baby. 46:25 Herod would have helped Him out. 46:28 See? But it took more than that. 46:32 It took a perfect life. 46:34 And Jesus Christ came to this old earth 46:37 on which you and I live, 46:39 and He lived an absolute perfect life. 46:43 He never sinned one time... 46:46 not even so much as in thought. 46:50 Lived a perfect life that you and I 46:55 might have His righteousness. 47:01 Christ told a parable about this. 47:03 He said: 47:16 It says that she took this yeast... 47:19 leaven. Put it in three measures, 47:22 and that yeast leavened all the meal. 47:26 So when you and I come to the Lord Jesus Christ 47:30 and accept Him into our hearts and He comes into our lives, 47:33 His grace comes into our life 47:36 and it begins the leavening process. 47:39 It begins to change us. 47:41 It begins to make us different. 47:43 Oh how thankful I am tonight that God doesn't say to me 47:46 "Change yourself. " 47:48 That it says: "Accept Me. 47:51 Give Me your heart, and I will change you. " 47:56 The leavening process begins to take place 48:00 and it begins to change our lives and make us different. 48:05 That's the grace of God, folks. 48:08 That not only is He willing to die to save you, 48:11 He's willing to go farther and He's willing to change you 48:15 and make you different. 48:18 You see it takes a power greater than you and I. 48:22 It takes a power outside of us 48:25 to come into our lives and to change us 48:29 and to make us different. 48:31 This is what is required. 48:43 You see, that is wonderful text, folks. 48:48 It doesn't say that God gives you His grace 48:52 by addition. 48:56 He gives you His grace by multiplication. 49:00 Multiplies it unto you. 49:03 He gives us grace, and more grace, and more grace. 49:07 Gives that to us over and over, 49:10 multiplies it to you and to me. 49:14 Marvelous in His grace! 49:16 If you didn't underline 49:20 or you didn't remember any other text 49:25 in what I've talked to you about tonight, 49:27 underline this one. 49:30 Write it down. 49:32 Remember it. 49:33 It's one of the great, great scriptures because it says: 49:48 "Him who knew no sin. " 49:52 He who was pure, 49:54 spotless, undefiled, 49:57 became sin for you. 50:01 Became sin for you. 50:04 He died on the cross. 50:07 He didn't deserve it, 50:09 but He did it out of His grace. 50:13 Out of His love for you He died that you might live. 50:19 Took Him who knew no sin 50:22 and He became sin for you 50:27 "that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. " 50:33 You see, not only... Not only does He 50:37 come and pay your penalty 50:39 but He turns around and says: 50:42 "Here, I'll give you My righteousness. " 50:46 Marvelous. His righteousness. 50:50 Let me tell you something. 50:52 He said: "Listen. " 50:54 He said: "I'm going to take care of it in righteousness 50:58 and in justice. " 51:00 And His righteousness is pure! 51:04 It's undefiled. 51:05 It meets all the requirements, 51:08 and He gives that to you and to me. 51:14 It's the greatest gift that's ever been given. 51:19 The Lord is saying to you this evening: 51:21 "Listen, if you will give Me your sins, 51:26 I will give you My righteousness. " 51:32 There's no gift on earth like that gift. 51:36 Marvelous. 51:39 You see, the scripture compares 51:44 God's grace to water... 51:47 to living water. 51:49 And that's what it says here: 52:10 So it says that wherever water comes they'll live... 52:14 wherever it goes. 52:16 The grace of God is that way. 52:19 Wherever it goes, it brings life... 52:25 that men and women can reach out and accept it 52:27 and have life. 52:30 Who all can accept it? 52:33 Who all's invited? 52:52 Marvelous that you can reach out and receive God's grace 52:58 as the water of life. 53:04 Receiving God's grace is kind of like the man who 53:10 went with his friends to a city to party. 53:13 They spent the weekend 53:16 drinking and partying. 53:19 And then the next thing he knew 53:22 he woke up. Found himself beaten 53:28 and in very unfamiliar territory in the desert. 53:33 As he staggered down the road, 53:35 he realized that he had been robbed 53:39 and he had been left out in the desert to die. 53:45 Head is throbbing. 53:48 He's weak. 53:49 As he staggers down the road 53:51 the sun is beating upon him unmercifully 53:54 and he's thirsty. 53:58 Exhaustion has taken place. 54:00 Dehydrated. 54:04 Start walking down a road that he doesn't know 54:07 where it's going to; in fact, going nowhere. 54:11 And on the third day he's very, very weak. 54:18 He realizes if something doesn't happen soon, 54:20 he's going to die. 54:22 And as he struggles down the road, 54:26 off in the distance he can see a line of trees. 54:32 And he heads for that line of trees, 54:34 walking, sometimes falling, sometimes crawling, 54:39 hoping just to get there. 54:41 And finally, struggling for all he's worth up the last hill 54:46 he looks over the hill and there are the trees. 54:50 And there is water... cool water. 54:55 And renewed in energy, he struggles on 54:58 to get to the river. And as he's going to the river 55:01 he says to himself: 55:03 "This can't be true. 55:05 There's no river out here in the desert. 55:09 This is my imagination. 55:11 This is not true. 55:15 This is a mirage. " 55:18 And the man died beside the stream 55:23 of living water. 55:26 God's grace is offered. 55:29 All you and I have to do is accept it. 55:31 You see, you can't win God's grace. 55:35 It's already been given. 55:37 And since it's already been given, you can't lose it. 55:40 All you can do is either accept it 55:43 or reject it. 55:46 God offers to you His grace. 55:49 As He says: 55:50 "Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift. " 55:57 Jesus said in John the sixth chapter 56:00 "I am the living bread that cometh down from heaven 56:03 that a man may eat thereof and not die. 56:06 He who comes to Me will never hunger or never thirst. " 56:11 He went on to say: 56:12 "The words that I speak unto you 56:15 they are spirit and they are life. 56:17 Just as the Father sent Me, 56:19 and I live because of the Father, 56:21 so he who eats of this bread 56:24 will live because of Me. " 56:28 So many people in this world are literally starving and weak 56:33 because they do not feed on the Word of God. 56:36 Their minds are filled with matters of minor importance 56:39 instead of eating the bread which came down from heaven. 56:42 If they would only eat the Bread of Life, 56:45 they would be regenerated and renewed. 56:48 The bread sent down from heaven would give them new life. 56:51 The Holy Spirit would show them things of God. 56:54 As we feed upon the Word, 56:57 we would become new creatures in Christ. 57:01 Our whole ministry exists for one purpose only: 57:04 to bring the Bread of Life to those who are hungering 57:07 and thirsting for truth. 57:09 I wish you could see the eagerness 57:11 with which they take hold of the spiritual food 57:13 that we offer them. 57:15 I wish you could see the light that comes on in their eyes 57:18 as they accept Him as their Savior. 57:20 Christ is able, Christ is willing, 57:24 Christ is longing to save all who will come unto Him. 57:28 Please pray for these souls. 57:31 And I hope you will consider supporting our ministry 57:34 as we continue to offer Jesus, the Bread of Life, 57:38 to all who are hungry and thirsty for new life. 57:42 We thank you for your support. 57:46 If the Holy Spirit impresses you to support this ministry, 57:49 please send your tax-deductible gifts to: 58:05 Thank you for helping us to bring the gift of salvation 58:08 to millions all over the world. |
Revised 2014-12-17