The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder Lasser Bradley Jr. Please get Thousand tongues to see my great redeem. It must Bye. The glories of my government. The triumphs of his This is Les Aaron Bradley Jr.
inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. When thou, my righteous Judge, shall come To fetch thy random feeble home, To fetch thy random feeble home, Shall I among them stand? Shall such a worthless man as I, Who sometimes am afraid to die, Who sometimes am afraid to die, Be found at thy right hand I love to meet among them now, Before thy gracious feet to bow, Before thy gracious feet to bow, The vilest of them all. But glad I battle grace in God, for if my name should be left out, what if my name should be left out, when love for them shall call? Prevent, prevented by thy grace.
Be thou, dear Lord, my hiding place. Be thou, dear Lord, my hiding place in this accepted day. Thy binding voice of letting dear to still my unbelieving fear, to still my unbelieving fear, and grant me faith thy praise. Let me among thy saints be found when heaven argues trouble shall sound, when ever the archangel's trump shall sound to see thy smiling face. Then love among the proud sing what heaven's resounding mansions bring, what heaven's resounding mansions bring with shouts of solemn grace.
I want to thank all of you who have written. Yeah. and help to support this broadcast to keep it on the air. And I'm sure there are some of you who have been intending for a long time. to send a donation, but you just haven't gotten around to it.
So I encourage you, the need is particularly great. and I encourage you, if you want us to stay on the air, to do what you can to help us. Our mailing address is Baptist BibleHour Box 17037. Cincinnati, Ohio, four five two one seven. I also encourage you to visit our website.
There, you can make a donation, you can read the Baptist Witness. and also hear both the Sunday and daily broadcasts. that is at Baptist Bible hour dot org I will sing the wondrous story of the Christ who died for me, how he left his home in glory for the cross. Of Calgary. Use of singing.
The wondrous story of the Christ of the Christ who died for me, who died for me, singing it. The saints and gold gathered by the crystal sea, the crystal sea. I was lost. But Jesus found me. the sheep that was a strange It's hard.
I'm not sure if I can do it. To be born. Back into his way. You know what I'm saying? No.
of the Cry on Christ who died for me, who died for me, sing it for The same single The sounds of me not the ball. Called by the crystal sea, the crystal sea He will keep me till the river rolls its water. Will you carry safely over? And the Lord. Yeah.
Yes. The wondrous told me of the Christ of the Christ who died for me, who died for me. Sing it with. See you with the Oh, the crystal sea, the crystal sea. We continue our message today entitled He Delights in Mercy.
The text is Micah chapter seven, verse eighteen. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. We first have noted the need of it. there is a need for mercy, because man is a fallen sinner.
And then the proof of it. that in spite of all of your sin, You are able to day to listen to this message and know that it's by God's grace that you have been sustained thus far. and certainly there is clear evidence that God has bestowed mercy upon multitudes, and that ultimately there will be a great number to praise Him in heaven for ever. And then you think about The condition in which those that have been saved were found. Hitch a further Proof.
of mercy. He saved the publican, not the Pharisee. Luke chapter 5, verse 32 says, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. If a person is self-righteous, At text. Is a rebuke, it's no comfort.
But if you know yourself to be a sinner, that's good news. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Look at the individuals described in Scripture that he saved. He saved the thief on a cross. He was a man who was suffering for his crimes.
He was a criminal. He was being put to death, suffering justly because of his offense. He first joined with the other Individual. at the opposite side of Jesus. and ridiculed him.
To be the Christ. Save yourself and us. Come down from the cross. But there is a remarkable change. He's asking for mercy.
Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. He's acknowledging that this man on the center cross. Though he's nailed there, though he's bleeding, though he's dying, he sees past all of that and knows that this man has a kingdom. He's a king. That's too late.
To turn over a new leaf. It's too late for good works. It's too late for baptism. But it wasn't too late for Jesus to save him. And he said, This day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Then we think of Saul of Tarsus. Here's the chief enemy of the church. He's full of zeal. He despises the gospel. He resents the name of Jesus.
He hates his followers. He's persecuting the church. He's putting people to death. He's on the road to Damascus to put others to death. But a voice from heaven says, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
He said, Who art thou, Lord? He knew that voice was from one that had power. He recognized him as Lord, but he couldn't identify: who art thou, Lord? I'm Jesus, whom thou persecutest. Because he was persecuting the church of which Jesus Christ is the head, because he was persecuting those who are the children of God, the redeemed by Jesus Christ.
He said, You're persecuting me. What would thou have me to do? And the Lord sends Ananias. and brings him a message. And Saul of Tarsus was baptized.
His life totally turned around. The one who had been the greatest enemy of the church became its greatest defender. This is a faithful saying, says Paul, and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came to the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. Proof. Proof of his mercy.
And then let's consider the basis of it. What is the basis of mercy? Does it mean that some would suggest that God is All love. and would never punish anybody for anything.
Now, if that were the case... then God would no longer be holy. Just overlooking sin, excusing sin, considering it to be a light thing. But God hates sin. God is angry with the wicked every day.
Then what's the basis of it? First, we would say it's God's sovereign purpose. Romans chapter 9. Verse 15. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion, so that it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.
Mercy is not bestowed because The senator has complied. with a long list of rules and regulations. He has elevated himself to a place now that God can ultimately be merciful to him. No, this is by God's sovereign choice. God is not obligated to man.
If he passed by every member of Adam's family, And all perished in their sin, he would be. just and holy because There is no obligation to fallen ruined centers. This is according to God's sovereign pleasure. Secondly, It is through his son. Jesus Christ.
That mercy is bestowed. Titus Chapter 3, verse 5. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us. If you're saved today, it's according to his mercy. By the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which He shed on us abundantly, how through Jesus Christ our Savior.
No other way that God can be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus than through the sacrificial death of his Son at the cross. Think of it. Jesus Christ. The sinless man. the spotless Lamb of God.
Going to the cross. Having the sin of all that were given to him laid upon him.
So that he was made sin for us. That we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Again, it's an issue that's beyond our ability to fathom. How could it be? that Jesus would be made sin for us.
If you've been saved with the mercy of God, All of your sins. The sins which may sometimes come back and haunt you when you think about sins of the past. And you've confessed them, and you've felt like you'd been forgiven, but Satan is the accuser of the brethren, and he brings them up once again. But if you are one of his and have been saved by his mercy, all of those sins were laid upon you. All of the sins of the teeming multitudes that have been saved through the ages or will be saved are laid upon him.
And therefore, the Father poured out his wrath upon him, so that Jesus suffered. what all of those for Khumi suffered. could never have accomplished they Being sent to hell forever, they never would have paid for sin, but Jesus suffered in that time upon the cross. what man could never have accomplished. There's mercy.
He is through. Jesus Christ. It says in Romans 8, verse 32, He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? God spared not his son, he didn't hold him back. The father loved the son.
But he gave him up. He delivered him up for us all. The basis of mercy. Is according to God's sovereign purpose and through His Son, Jesus Christ. And then let's think about the abuse of it.
There are those then who will argue, considering that God is merciful. There surely is no final punishment for sin. A merciful God, the God of love, would never, never cast anybody. into hell.
Well Jesus himself Taught the doctrine. very explicitly. Matthew chapter 7. Verse 22. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Just to read those words. should have a sobering effect. To think of anybody in that day Would say, Lord, look what we've done.
We've cast out devils. We've done it in your name. We thought all was well. And He says, I never knew you. And that's final.
There is no remedy. After that judgment. Then We read in the book of Revelation chapter 20. Further confirmation. Verse fifteen.
And whosoever was not found in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Yes, there is. Punishment for sin. There is a final judgment for sinners. And then The reasoning goes today, considering that God is merciful, that God is a God of love.
Surely he would not require me to believe on Jesus. I'm sincere in my religion. I just don't happen to believe Jesus was God. I don't believe that He was the Savior of sinners. 1 John chapter 5, verse 10.
He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself. He that believeth not God hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
So, the person who says, Oh, I believe in God, I just don't believe in Jesus, he says, You're making God a liar. There is but one way. Jesus says there is no access to the Father. but through him, through the Son. No salvation apart.
from Jesus Christ. And we see that illustrated so When Jesus comes back. The book of 2 Thessalonians chapter 1. Reading the eighth verse. He's coming in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Judgment is coming on those that have rejected Jesus Christ. They know not God, they have not believed on the Son. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power. And then someone else will say Considering that God is merciful. I think I can I can live Life, though it's fraught with many discrepancies, and maybe there's some things I know, I've been told about it, but there's some things I just don't want to give up.
I just want to continue with this course of action, I want to continue with this activity. I don't see that much wrong with it. and have the idea that Person can just go off on their own course. Say, heaven is my destiny. That's where I'm going to be someday.
But I don't have to be interested or concerned about serving God and honoring Him in the meantime. Hebrews chapter 12 says in the sixth verse, that whom the Lord loves, he chastens and scourges every son whom he receiveth. If you are a recipient of God's mercy, you're a child of God, you've been saved by grace, and you go out of the way, the Lord's coming after you.
Sometimes the assumption is made that Well I've been kinda leaning over this direction for a while and nothing's happened. But just because chastisement is delayed doesn't mean it's not coming. God saves his people not only for heaven, but he transforms them here. And so, the idea that a person can say, Well, I believe Jesus is my Savior, I just don't recognize him as my Lord, that's not biblical. If you've received the mercy of God.
He has wrought a change in you that gives you a sincere desire to honor and serve him. Are there going to be any failings? Certainly so. Many times God's children I'm woefully short. But they're not satisfied to continue in a course of disobedience.
The Spirit of God moves upon them, convicting them and chastening them when necessary, so that there is. A change. In fact, the text we have here in Micah, verse 19, God says. I will subdue their iniquities. God is not only going to Redeem you.
put away the penalty of sin, but break the power of sin. Subdue. your iniquities. Finally, Let's think about the blessing. of this mercy.
We ought to rejoice in it. Why to think that By nature. We deserve nothing but the wrath of God, that left alone to go our own way, we would suffer his vengeance in hell forever? And that you have been redeemed from such a state. You've been lifted up.
He lifts up the beggar from the dung hill to inherit a throne of glory. That's reason to rejoice.
Some Speaks of it. Very beautifully. As to how God's mercy. is carried out in our lives in verse 10. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
Isn't that true? Must we not all say amen to that this morning? He has not dealt with us. according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities for as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
That's good news. The sin that you could never put away. You can look at the past, you can regret the past, you can grieve over the past, you can be frustrated over the past, but all that does nothing to change it. But the one who can make a difference is our Savior Jesus Christ, so that sins are washed in the blood of the Lamb, put away, separated as far as the East is from the West. There is reason to rejoice.
Psalm 136. Speaks of the mercy of God. in every one of the verses. Verse 1, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever. Oh, give thanks unto the God of gods, for his mercy endureth forever.
And it continues right on in every verse to verse 26. Oh, give thanks unto the God of heaven, for his mercy endureth forever. His mercy endures. We're to rejoice in it. We're to proclaim it.
What a joy. to proclaim that Not only is he merciful, But according to our text, he delights in it. It's not something that God has to be persuaded about. It's not something God is reluctant to do. He delights in mercy.
What? Good news it is to proclaim that. It's the gospel message. There is mercy for guilty, fallen, ruined sinners. totally incapable of saving or helping to save themselves.
In Luke chapter 1, we find reference To the ministry. Of the forerunner of Christ, John the Baptist, says in verse 77, to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of sins through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the day spring from on high hath visited us. Speaks of it as tender mercy. He delights to give it. It is Tinder.
Mercy. And then We ought to display it. If you are a recipient of mercy. You are to show mercy. Jesus said it.
Matthew chapter 5, verse 7, Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. How inappropriate. For one who has received this great mercy. To rescue them, to save them, to change them, to lift them up.
Something they didn't deserve, they didn't pay for it, they didn't earn it, it was given to them. It's mercy. bestowed with the grace of God, and then to refuse to be merciful to somebody else. Those who have obtained mercy. Are going to be merciful in their spirit and their attitude.
You've been forgiven. It says if you fail to forgive others, you will not be forgiven. How could a person who has any sense of their sin. and believes God has forgiven me, then say, I'm sorry. Your offense is so great.
You have hurt me so deeply. You've been a problem in my life so many times. I cannot forgive you. If you have a relationship with Jesus Christ. You believe that you've been forgiven.
It should then be a joy. to forgive somebody else. to be merciful to somebody else. to show mercy to the one who is cast down. The one who is broken.
The one who has messed up bad. But God was merciful to you. Can you not be merciful to them? And then to ask for it. to ask for mercy.
Hebrews Chapter 4. Verse 16. He bids us come boldly to the throne of grace. Come boldly that you may find mercy and grace to help in time of need. Do you today feel the need of mercy?
He says, ask for it and I'll give it. Surely, if we know ourselves at all, if we know our own faults and failings, we know we need mercy. Not just in our initial experience of grace, but every day that we live. And if you're one That is never Called on the Lord for mercy. I bet you call on him today.
He says to ask for mercy. And that mercy comes through the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ. May God bless you. the following. Yeah.
I was lost without a Savior. I lied as sinful as could be. My Father sent His Son from glory, and Jesus paid the price for me. He paid the Price him for my burdens. His mighty game upon the tree.
Oh, praise the Lord, he is my Savior. He paid the price, the price for me. Today we've brought you the concluding portion of a message entitled, He Delights in Mercy. I hope that you will write us and until next week at this same time, may the Lord richly bless you all. His precious heart was broken.
He made the Price, the price for me. He paid. The Baptist Bible Hour has come to you under the direction of Elder Lessere Bradley Jr. Address all mail to the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. That's the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217.
They made his body to the tree. The crown of thorns they placed upon him. He made the price for me. He paid the price for my burdens. His life he came upon the tree.
Oh, praise the Lord.
