The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder Lasser Bradley Jr. Mm-hmm. Dozen tumblers seem My great Redeemer's praise, the glories of my government, the triumphs of his race. This is Lisa Bradley Jr. inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace.
Oh, yeah. When heaven was filled with his praises, one day when sin was as black as could be, Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin, dwelt amongst them, my example is he. One day they led him up Calvary's mountain, one day they nailed him to die on the tree, suffering anguish, despised and rejected. Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is he. Living he loved me, dying he saved me, buried he carried.
My sins foreign. Christians justify freely forever. One day he's coming. Oh, glory of Spain. One day they left him alone in the garden.
One day he rested from suffering free. Angels came down over his tomb to keep visitors. Hope of the hopeless my Savior receive. One day the break could conceal him no longer. One day the storm rolled away from the door.
Then he arose.
Now he's ascended by forevermore. Living he loved me, dying he saved me. Marry he carried my sins for a grave. Rising he justified freely forever. One day he's coming.
Oh glorious day. One day the summer, the sun for his coming. One day the skies with his glories will shine. Wonderful day my beloved ones bringing glorious. Lord, this Jesus is mine.
Living he loved me, dying, he saved me, buried he carried my sins for a rain, rising he justified, freely forever. One day he's coming. Oh, glorious name as you began to look. Toward the end of the year, we're reminded that many of our listeners make it a point. to send a special donation to help with the expense of this work at the year's end.
We have incurred a number of deficits over the past months, and this is a good time to catch up.
so if you would like for us to remain on your local station and you can help us at the present, we certainly will be thankful for that. Our address is the Baptist Bible Hour, box seventeen O thirty seven, Cincinnati, Ohio, four five two one seven. Please mention the call letters of the station over which the program comes to you or the website from which you receive the program. That address once more is the Baptist Bible Hour, box seventeen zero thirty seven, Cincinnati, Ohio, four five two one seven. No one knows the actual date.
of the Savior's birth. One writer actually compiled A hundred and thirty-six. Learned opinions. as to how that date might be determined. All of them having their own point of view.
as to what the date would be. It was not until the middle of the third century that there was any celebration. about the birth of Christ. Among Christians today, There are certainly many different opinions and ideas. Whatever your view is, we obviously need to keep in mind what Romans chapter 14 verses 5 to 6 says.
One man esteemeth one day above another. Another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind He that regardeth the day regardeth it unto the Lord, and he that regardeth not the day to the Lord, he doth not regard it.
So the important thing for us as followers of Christ is to say that we honor him. in every detail of life. And in every day. It is to be a day where our Lord is worshipped and praised, honored, and served. On the broadcast this morning, I read a lengthy portion from the second chapter.
of the book of Luke. The text for that message was verse 14. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. I want us to look now at verse 11. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
I've read that verse many, many times over the years. But as I read it a few days ago, It just came to me with greater force than it ever had before. Unto you this day in the city of David, a Savior. is born. which is Christ the Lord.
A Saviour It's born. In a day when You don't hear as many carols. particularly in the public places, although there are exceptions. Let's talk about the birth of Christ. And overall Throughout the land there is greater opposition.
to the message. that Jesus Christ Was God come to this earth? to safe centers. Strong opposition. to his gospel.
I think it then appropriate to speak of the Savior's birth during a season when some attention is still being paid to it. I like the Words of Warren Weersby. on this text. He said, life was difficult at that time, just as it is today. Taxes were high, unemployment was high, morals were slipping lower.
and the military state was in control. Roman law Greek philosophy. and even Jewish religion. could not meet the needs of men's heart. Then God sent His Son.
End of quote. A saviour. is born. First we want to think about the great need. The need for a Savior.
Man was in a desperate Condition. God had created Adam. Put him in the beautiful Garden of Eden. giving him every advantage A beautiful place to live. all needs readily supplied.
But Adam had disobeyed. He had listened to his wife. His wife had listened to Satan. Satan has a very good Had distorted what God had said. made her believe that God was trying to deprive her.
of better things that she might gain if she but took of this forbidden fruit.
So as a result, of rebellion and disobedience. Man fell. Adam stood as the head and representative of the human race. And as a result of his sin. Sin then is passed on to all of his descendants and we are a part of that fallen sinful race.
The book of Genesis, chapter 3. Verse eight. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD. amongst the trees of the garden.
Previously there had been no need to hide. To hear the voice of the Lord would have been a beautiful sound to them. They could delight in his fellowship. But sin separates From God. Sin brings destruction.
And so in the twenty-fourth verse After God had brought to their attention. The terrible sin that they had committed.
So he drove them out.
So he drove out the man and placed at the east of the Garden of Eden cherubims and a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the way of the tree of life. What a contrast. A man in a beautiful paradise on this earth. A man with everything that he could ever have hoped for. God saw that it was not good for man to be alone.
And he took a rib from his side and Made Eve.
So they had a beautiful wife. He had a companion. He had fellowship and communion with God. But he disobeyed him. And that act of rebellion.
brought disaster. He's driven from that wonderful garden. He no longer has fellowship with God. He's doomed for destruction. Then we find in Genesis chapter 6.
Verse 5. And God saw that the wickedness was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Man's not getting any better. In Noah's day, Sin was rampant. There was such corruption in the human race that God said, I'm going to send judgment.
I'm going to send a flood. There had never been rain on the earth before.
So no doubt Those who saw Noah building an ark, Thought he must be some kind of a fanatic. Why would somebody build such a large structure out here on dry land. And as he was a preacher of righteousness and talked about the judgment that was to come, he no doubt was ridiculed. How could it possibly be? But the day came.
When Noah and his family were safely in the ark, The rain began to fall, and the fountains of the deep were broken up, the waters began to rise. But of all the inhabitants of the earth, save those that were safely in the ark, were drowned.
Now people will say today I just like to think about God as being a God of love. God is a God of love. It's wonderful to think about his love. But to exclude the fact. That God also is a God of wrath is to deny what the Bible reveals about the true and living God.
God is holy. God hates sin. God will punish sin.
Somebody says my God wouldn't do that.
Well, then, your God is not the God of the Bible. It's not a matter of your personal opinion. It's not a matter of what you prefer. It's not a matter of what popular opinion may be in the day in which we live. It's what God says about Himself.
And God has made it clear. that sin will not be tolerated. When sin entered Adam and Eve in the garden? They were banished from it. When sin reached such gigantic proportions in the days of Noah, Judgment came.
And then in Genesis 19, verse 24, Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and Galara brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven. Man and his sinfulness is corrupt acts His absolute rebellion Against God. continues on a wicked, sinful course. And God sends judgment. I know there are people who say, I just can't understand that.
I came to understand that. A God who is good. A God who is loving. would judge in such a harsh way. And go on to say, I can't imagine that there's such a Thing is.
Eternal punishment. Surely that could not be. But you see, all of this reveals that we have not yet comprehended. Who God is. and to be able to embrace the truth of his holiness.
God is holy. You read in the sixth chapter of the book of Isaiah. where the angels, the cherubims, sang holy, holy, holy. This is the song of heaven. This is praise that's continually given to his name.
He is perfect. He hates every evil way. And he will punish sin. Judges chapter 21, verse 25 said, In those days there was no king in Israel. Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
Is that not descriptive of the day in which we live?
Somebody will say How can you possibly claim That what you're getting from a book that was written by so many different authors and written so long ago and has been translated so many times, how can you say that this book is authoritative. And I'm obligated. to conduct my life. in accord with it.
Well, we were told that scoffers would come, and of course there have always been scoffers to some degree. Man says I want to do things my way. Nothing new about that. You look at these precious little children that are born into the families of our church. We say how sweet they are and how beautiful they are.
And it doesn't take but just a short time to determine they came into this world, determine I want things my way. And if I don't get it... I'm going to make you wish you had given it to me. I'm going to pitch a fit and it takes time to get that little fellow subdued so that he understands he's not in charge. That comes as a real shock to some of these little guys when they find out that the world doesn't revolve around them, that they've got to obey some rules and regulations.
Well, some people have never learned it. They're always already They're already well into their adult life. They still have the idea, at least if I'm not harming anybody else. Can't I make my own choices? This is the idea that is used to support Abortion, the idea that a woman says, this is just a part of my body.
I ought to have the right. to have an abortion if I please. overlooking the fact that God is the life-giver. And to have an abortion is to destroy a life. It is a violation.
of the word of God, which says, thou shalt not kill. On and on the list goes as people begin. their effort to defend and justify What are actions? they want to be participating in. Every man did that which was right.
in his own eyes. But the fact is, no matter what anybody's personal opinion might be, we all are accountable to God. And there's coming a judgment day. Either a person will have Jesus Christ as their advocate. be clothed in his righteousness, and their sins put away.
Or will stand in his presence at the great white throne judgment to give an account for the deeds they have done and will be punished accordingly. See that's difficult to comprehend. I can see that it is. To think of somebody. Being cast from the presence of God.
Castor, the lake of fire. and to suffer forever and there to be no remedy. No hope. It's all over. But that's the teaching of Scripture.
So The story throughout the Old Testament presents a picture. of great need. In the book of Isaiah, chapter 65. We read about a rebellious nation. Israel was favored of God.
You only, if I know, of all the families of the earth, he says, I've known you in a special, intimate way. I've blessed you above all other people. And yet they did not appreciate it. They did not walk obediently as they should have. Isaiah chapter 65, verse 2 says, I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people.
Which walketh in a way that was not good after their own thoughts. I've stretched out my hand. I've sent my message. I've sent the prophets to speak to you. But I've been speaking to a rebellious people that walk in their own way that is not good.
A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face, that sacrifices in gardens and burneth incense upon altars of brick, which is another way of saying they have been guilty of idolatry. I have blessed them and favored them. When I gave them the law through my servant Moses, It says, Thou shalt have no other gods before me. But they were influenced by the pagan religions around them in the land of Canaan and began to worship false gods. And God says, therefore they have been a rebellious people.
Jeremiah chapter 5. Reading in the twenty-third verse. For this people hath a revolting A rebellious heart They are revolted and gone. Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season. He reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins are withholding good things from you. And then in Psalm 14. We get God's view of man.
Sometimes it is suggested that God before the foundation of the world looked down through time and saw those who would live an honorable life and make a correct decision and base some of his choices upon what he saw man would do. But if we want to know what God saw when he looked down, He tells us.
Some Fourteen. Verse 2, the Lord looked down from heaven. upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God. God looked down to observe if there were any moving in the right direction, any that were seeking God. And what's the conclusion?
They are all gone aside. They all together become filthy. There is none that doeth good, no, not one. And then that... Portion of Scripture is quoted by the Apostle Paul in the third chapter of the book of Romans, telling us, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
It's a dark scene. It's a scene of sin. Rebellion. There's a great need. A great need.
Secondly, We think of God's great gift. Through the years, the message was clear. Man. cannot save himself. No matter What method may be employed?
Those among the pagan religions that were willing to cut themselves. And cry and pray for extended periods of time. Those who threw their babies into the fire with the idea that they would appease their God. All were in terrible darkness. And certainly, no progress was made by them, but they moved farther and farther away from God.
Here were the Israelites who had the greatest of advantages. And yet they too continue to rebel. The law was given. But the law is not given for the purpose of bringing salvation, but only to reveal Man's inability. The law is the schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.
And if you once see yourself in the light of God's perfect standard, you will acknowledge, I am a sinner, I've transgressed the law of God. And he tells us that if we're guilty in one point, we're guilty of it all. Through the years The Lord then made it clear that If there was going to be salvation. He would have to bring it. After Adam's sin, Adam sought to clothe himself With an apron made of fig leaves, an inadequate covering.
And God made coats of skin and clothed Adam and Eve. symbolic of the fact that in order for a righteousness to be provided for us, There must be death. The Lamb of God must die. that we might be clothed upon with his righteousness. When the children of Israel were ready to leave Egyptian bondage, The Lord said.
The death angel is going to pass through the land. At the midnight hour of the first morning, every family is going to die. In order to escape death. You must take a lamb. Keep it up, test it for 14 days, and it might be proven to be without spot and without blemish.
Then the lamb must be slain, its blood caught in the basin. And then you put the blood on the doorposts on either side and over the door. And it says, when I see the blood, I will pass over you. What a night that was. You can imagine among the Egyptians When the midnight hour came, A mother might have been holding her firstborn child and death comes and she cries out in anguish.
But among the Israelites or the blood was on the doorpost. The death angel passed by. And the observance of the Passover was instituted so that it became an annual event. And it was a reminder to them. We cannot save ourselves.
It required the shedding of blood. No There is a fountain filled with blood, drawn from immangles veins, and sin is plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains. The observance of the Passover conveyed a great lesson. The book of Hebrews tells us that without the shedding of blood there is no remission. but because of the blood shed by the great Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.
We then can believe that by His grace and mercy He passes over, and the judgment that would befall us has fallen on him. Yes, we rejoice in Jesus Christ. The Savior of sinners, and know that redemption is by His precious blood. I hope that you will write us, and until next week at this same time, may the Lord richly bless you all. Till one The ransomed church of God be saved to sin no more.
Be safe to sin no more. Be safe to sin no more. Till all the ransomed church of God be saved to sin no more. 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, four five two one seven. Yeah. Where since my faith I saw the stream, Thy flowing wounds of blood Redeeming love has been my theme And shall be till I die And shall be till I die.
