Election - National & Personal — Rolfe Barnard

The Gentile Woman and National Election

In the 15th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, we have the story of a Gentile woman who was very rude to us. It is recorded in verse 10, and says, Have mercy on me, O Lord, son of David. My daughter, Grievous of Ex, was a demon.

But he answered her, first of all, not a word. His disciples came, but sought him, saying, Send her away, for she cries after us. So he finally spoke to the woman. Here she comes now, saying a thing to her.

And then when he does say something to her, he brings up the doctrine of national election. He said, I'm not sent, under the law of Israel. This version suggested that perhaps one reason the Lord confronted this woman with a very stern doctrine, and he did it in such a way as to, it looks like, was that he wanted to get her the truth about the matter before she heard it misrepresented as she later would.

Somebody's bound to tell this seeking woman's ministry, when he first came here, was confined exclusively for a while to the Jewish people. He wasn't looking for Gentiles. And they were going to tell it in a way to make error out of truth, and discourage a woman that didn't need to be.

I wouldn't be surprised if this version hadn't got the truth there. One of the times every week, people come to see me, and I go see others. Many of them, people, are making a terrible boogie-boo. That's a little new church that we're trying to start.

The Doctrines of Grace and Personal Election

Hope the Lord will plant. That we do believe in the doctrine, not only of national election. Now and then I feel impressed with the spirit, as I have all week. Myself, tonight, in earnest, about your soul's relationship to God.

And to say a helpful word, if I can, to all of you, who in this, they don't know much about what the scripture remembers. That it's not simply this and the Bible. You must approach it to be taught. And that your conception of any teacher of God will be guided conception of the God of the Word.

You've got a little God that you can comprehend, that you can understand. Then you'll expect to understand his great teaching. But the Apostle Paul is of the New Testament, the one writer who devotes more time than anybody except our Lord.

And there together, Paul didn't learn something the Lord didn't know. But he's responsible for what we call the doctrines of grace. Gets on them. Let's be very helpful, we pay attention to them. In the 11th chapter of the book of Romans, chapter 9, where God's sovereignty is certainly taught.

The 11th, where sovereignty rings in every. The Apostle Paul to write down as his own reaction. And I trust it'll be ours. Truth in the Bible, but none of them to understand. There is no man living. How God is one and yet three.

There is no man living that can explain how the Lord Jesus Christ is one and yet two. He's God and yet he's man. There is no man living that can understand a single basic teaching of the word of God. And I beg you to know that some of the spirit of the Apostle Paul, when he delved into the secrets of God.

The Unsearchable Wisdom of God

36, this is a good place to camp. And I use this before coming to the text tonight. Voyage of God. Understand them. Searchable. Picture of God's word. That while we cannot understand for more life. That sounds like a Christian.

Sounds like somebody who's got some conception of the majesty and the glory of God. Has known the mind of the Lord. Apostle Paul was a graduate of the greatest universities of his day. He was a member as a young man of the Sanhedrin.

You had to know something. He was the greatest teacher of his day. He went to school to Jesus Christ in the spirit in Arabia for three years. Took him that long to show him the gospel. And after he's expounded into all so far above the dust in God.

Then we'll believe only what we can understand. Reason out. That's to dishonor God. And to make our wisdom. He who hath known the mind of the Lord. Or who hath been his counselor. Or who hath first given to him.

And it shall be recompensed unto him again. For of him the Bible's going to bring glory to God. And this Bible's going to bring glory to God by being a blessing to mankind. When God says he does all things to promote his glory.

Election, God’s Glory, and Human Good

He's not pulling his rank like the dead in the ark. To promote his glory by promoting the good. To promote the. Where that word come down. There is such a vast. What the doctrine of election is. You meet it on your milk route.

You meet it on your mail route. You meet it where you work. You meet it down at Reynolds. You meet it down at Hays. You meet it on the streets. You meet it everywhere. But isn't it awful. In with our old heart.

To know Christ as our Lord and Savior. Hear some of the smoke. That religious people. Picking great truths in the Bible. Seize them from them. Out of that little hole. Down every center that listens to them.

And will dishonor God Almighty. And the glory of. Is mentioned as a truth in the Bible. We find in Exodus chapter 33. That God's going to promote his glory. Moses asked. God I want to see your glory. Show me thy glory.

And God says. The way I'll show my glory. I'll make all my goodness pass before thee. In the name of Jehovah before thee. And will be gracious to whom I will be gracious. And will show mercy on whom I will.

Sovereignty in Creation, Providence, and Salvation

People. I've been in hundreds of Baptist churches. Where the merit mention of it. And it is so. You say they know the Lord. Jump up. Take the bits in their hands. God. Of being a devil. And a monster.

The sight of God. That was used by my Lord. As a source of encouragement. When he faced people. And they wouldn't believe. Although they saw him. He fell back on the truth. That God Almighty had some.

That would listen to him. For the company of God. Everybody who is. Of understanding. But from the realm of revelation. Instead of what we make God say. Sovereign in creation. He's sovereign in providence.

He handles a nation that's seen it good in his sight. He's sovereign in salvation. He's gracious to whom he will be gracious. He shows mercy to whom he will show mercy. But I say to you my friends. That God Almighty has a right.

To do that very thing. And whether you believe it or not. It's so. And it worries God very little. I'm not here tonight to apologize. For the glorious doctrine of the truth. That God sovereignly. And without asking anybody.

According to his own will. That God Almighty. Tonight. If I may. To show you. That he endured at the sight of God. That the one in whom all. Some light shines. You by faith. No one of them. Does not oppose the terms of the gospel.

The Gospel Call to Believe in Christ

What is the gospel message to anybody? Believe on the Lord Jesus. Believe on Christ. Sovereignty or no sovereignty. All your strength. I'm preaching tonight. Made for an argument. Has a marvelous effect.

People who do not know Christ. He's divided. That congregation of sinners into two groups. You know the Lord. Whistled by the cemeteries of his sins. Just hard to get. Wonderful word to a sinner that's interested.

I ain't talking to a fellow if he wants to argue now. But if you awaken to your need. In the matter of power. You say preacher. I've done this. I've done that. Sing arms. With you a minute. You say preacher.

Human Inability and Dependence on God’s Mercy

In the prison house. You're in the prison house. You ain't going to be condemned. Been condemned already. You're in the hands. Of Almighty God. You get out. He's going to get you out. You ain't going to do it yourself.

Sure not going to do it yourself. You get saved. God must. At the vast numbers through the ages. As wicked as I am. I could get you to face this. You get out. God's going to get you out. You can quit doing this.

You can quit doing that. That's something only God can do. Wish you'd do one two things. Curse God and go on to hell with both feet straddling down the middle.

Casting Oneself on God at the Cross

If it's up to God to tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to cast myself on it. I'm going to say open God have mercy.

He talked to me today this week. About tackling some lost people this week. And he said just break your heart. Well you tackle them and it will break your heart. Every place. He's an insult to God. One place I know.

At the foot of the cross. I said. When you remember. That before God saves anybody else. How marvelous.