Amazing Grace - Part 2 of 2

The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley, Jr. O for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer's praise! The praise of my God and King, the triumph of his grace!

This is LeSaire Bradley, Jr. inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. Praise is a charming sound, harmonious to be heard, And with the echo shall resound, And all the saints shall hear. Praise turns from time come way, To save rebellious men, And all the saints that praise his way, Wish to the wondrous plan. Praise first in stride by name, In God's eternal form, The strength that gave me to the Lamb, Who all my sorrows took. Praise then my roaming feet, To gent the heavenly role, And use the pines each hour I meet, While pressing on to God. Praise of my soul to pray, And name my light or goal, But praise that can be true this day, And will not let me go. Praise all the world shall crown, Through everlasting days, In blazing heaven the top host own, And well deserves the praise. I want to thank all of you who wrote to us during anniversary month, And also remind you that the expenses continue to go on as we endeavor to keep the program on the air on all these stations. So if you can help us at present, we'll certainly be thankful for it. And when you write us, if you'll request it, we will send you the January-February issue of the Baptist Witness, Which is the last printed copy that will be available.

We're moving it on to the internet, and it will be there soon. The address is Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. Now we continue the message entitled Amazing Grace. And if you're his, you think about this. He made choice of you before he ever created heaven and earth. When you were born, maybe your parents had a name picked out. But if like most parents, they were still struggling with it.

I know of a few parents here that got right down to the wire and the hospital says, You can't leave, you've got a name, and they struggled with it until the last moment. But while your parents were struggling with your name, God already knew it. And if you're one of His, He had already put it in His book. Recorded it in the Lamb's Book of Life before you were ever born.

That's remarkable in itself, isn't it? Just imagine, God was thinking about you. I've had people say to me, I just think God must be too busy to be concerned about me and my problems and my interests. Well, because He is the great, sovereign, glorious, awesome God, He's never too busy at all. Because nothing is too hard for the Lord. Things are not difficult for Him.

He doesn't have to do like we do and write ourselves little notes and say, I want to be sure to do this tomorrow and try to focus on it. God has perfect knowledge. And so, He thought about His people. He made choice of them. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 4, According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory, here it comes again, of His grace. That's what this is all about. It's to the praise of His grace wherein He hath 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.

Can't get away from it. You're reading about God's purpose. If you're reading about how He saves sinners, it's grace, grace, everywhere you turn.

Grace was at work. Man had not been created. There was not an earth for him to dwell upon. But God chose a people. He knew the names of His own. And not that God had to write them down as though He would forget, but for our benefit and our comfort, He tells us that He wrote them in the Lamb's Book of Life. And in the Old Testament scriptures, He talks about the fact that He had engraven them on the palm of His hand. So God was thinking about His people. 2 Timothy 1, the last word of verse 8 is God. So the pronoun that begins with verse 9 obviously is talking about God. God who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus when?

Before the world began. It was given to us in the covenant. Some misunderstand this point and make the assumption that we were saved before the world began.

That's not the case. Election and salvation are not synonymous. Election is unto salvation. God made the choice, determined to save a people, but now here in time He has saved us, He has called us with the power of His Holy Spirit, called us with a holy calling.

It's not according to our works, but it was given to us in Christ Jesus before the world began. So before there was a world, before the sun and the moon, the stars were in their places, before Adam ever walked in the Garden of Eden, God thought about His people. Grace was at work. Furthermore, grace is amazing because of the change that it brings. John Newton, in writing those beautiful words of his hymn, says, I was blind, but now I see. That's a significant change, isn't it? In human nature, we're blind to spiritual things.

The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. Oh, but what a change. When conviction comes, a person that had this notion, I'm not too bad. I never had really thought about needing a Savior. Now there's conviction. Now there's a sense of sin.

Now there's a feeling, I'm in desperate need of salvation. Let's look at the book of Acts, chapter 9, verse 3, talking about the experience of Saul of Tarsus. It says, As he journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven, and he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest.

It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. Now Saul of Tarsus was not on his way to a city-wide crusade. He hadn't been thinking this past week that it's about time for me to make a change. I think I'm on the wrong path and I've got to reexamine things.

I'm going to have to ponder all this. This man hated the gospel of Jesus Christ. He hated the Son of God and everybody that was loyal and following Jesus Christ. He is on the road to Damascus going to persecute the church and to consent to the death of those who were preachers of the gospel.

And the very one he despised called his name while he was on the road. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? At one point here, Saul was persecuting God's people, but the Lord said, You're persecuting me.

It's a dangerous thing for somebody to persecute the children of God and His church, because the Lord says, You're persecuting me. He trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said, Let him arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. The men which journeyed with Him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man, but they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. And he was there three days without sight, neither did eat nor drink. The Lord then directed Ananias to come and visit him.

You talk about a beautiful scene. This preacher being directed of the Lord to go was just a little bit apprehensive. Lord, I've heard about this man. He's not really somebody I'm interested in visiting because he's vicious, but the Lord said, I've conquered him.

It's all right. The hold he prayeth. And Ananias comes in and lays his hand on him and says, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, has sent me to thy house. What a change. What a transformation in this man's life. Hating the gospel, persecuting the church. Now he's subdued, he's gentle, he's submissive, and this gospel minister can lay his hand on him and bring him the good news that he needs to hear and talk to him about baptism and he's receptive to it. What a change. Grace brings a change.

This calling of God, this effectual work in one's heart makes such a difference. Psalm 110 verse 3 says, Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. Man by nature is not willing. Jesus said, Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life. Man says no. Man is enamored with his own pride and self-interest. He will not come.

He said again, You cannot come. But in the day of his power, when the Spirit of God moves upon that heart, there touched by divine grace and the one who has said no repeatedly says yes. The one who had no interest in the Son of God sees his beauty and embraces him by faith and rejoices in his sovereign mercy. What a change. This change is described as a creation. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17 says, If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.

All things are passed away. Behold, all things have become new. If you have a creature or a creation, you must have a Creator. I'm thankful for the emphasis that's being placed in this day on the Genesis account of creation, that God himself created the heaven and the earth. And all the argument about whether it took place in six days or not seems to be so absurd, as though it would have been difficult for God to do it in six days, where he might have been able to do it in periods of millions of years. It wasn't hard for the Lord.

He just spoke and it was done. But the fact is that not only the natural creation, but the spiritual creation is God's work. It's not a process of evolution. You don't start down here with the natural man and he climbs the ladder and finally gets up here on the spiritual plateau eventually.

He's not going through a transforming process and finally gets there. Creation comes about by the voice of the Creator. The Gospel of John tells us the hour's coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. It didn't say those that hear will think about living. They'll take it under consideration.

They'll decide whether it's convenient for them. And they tell you, when Jesus went out to the grave and Lazarus had been dead for four days, and they said, four days have passed. He's already gone. Jesus said, Lazarus, come forth. And Lazarus got up. And every time the life-giving voice of the Son of God is spoken, that one that's dead in sin is alive.

They become a new creature in Christ Jesus. What a change. Now, I see. I've been called out of darkness into His marvelous light, according to 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 9.

Yes, I could not see because it was in the dark, but I've been called out of darkness. Now I see. I see my sin. I see my Savior. I see that He's my hope and I rely upon Him and I trust Him. I see. And it's a beautiful sight.

Now, I see. This transformation brings about a commitment. That same passage in Ephesians chapter 2, after talking about salvation being by the grace of God, then says in verse 10, for we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God before ordained that we should walk in them. So grace doesn't just save your soul and leave you until finally, at the moment of your death, you're transported to heaven. Grace continues working within you. The grace of God teaches us that denying ungodliness, we should live soberly and righteously in this present evil world. Grace is the greatest teacher there is. Grace teaches you something. If you've been drawn to the grace of God, in spite of the fact you have a conflict with its old human nature that still plagues you, there is something deep within you that cries out for righteousness. I want to be done with sin. I want to live in a godly way. I want to show my appreciation for this grace that has conquered me and been so beautifully bestowed upon me.

There is a change, a great change. This apostle who had been such an enemy of the church could now say in the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 10, But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. By the grace of God, this man dedicated every detail of his life to the service of Jesus Christ. He endured hardship, persecution, terrible beatings, imprisonment, shipwreck, all of these things, but he never folded his hands and quit.

He never said, in my physical condition I can't go on. He kept going because of the grace of God that was in him. Yes, grace is amazing because of the change that it brings. I've always been thankful when I've had the opportunity to baptize somebody, and they would make the comment, if somebody had told me a few months ago or some time back that I'd be here going in this watery grave to represent my faith in Christ, I wouldn't have believed it. And neither would Saul of Tarsus. If somebody had visited him a few days before and said, let me tell you something Saul, you're one day going to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and give your whole life to it and you're going to love every minute of it and you're going to say, for me to live is Christ.

Oh no, no, you've got the wrong man, not me, not me. But you know, it gives me great courage to realize there's no case too hard for the Lord. It doesn't matter how rebellious somebody might be, how many times they have spoken against the faith, how many times they've said it doesn't make sense to me, I don't want any part of that, I want nothing to do with it. God is able to break their proud, stubborn heart and humble them and bring them to the foot of the cross. Yes, grace brings about a great transformation and grace is amazing because it takes us home. Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come. Have you gotten through those difficult times?

Have you gotten through those snares that Satan had laid for you? God said in Isaiah 43 and verse 2, When thou passest through the waters, they shall not overflow thee. When thou standest in the fire, thou shalt not be burned. God is with His people, holding them up, sustaining them. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 6 says, Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations, that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found under the praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. He says these trials, these dangers, these snares that you encounter, are all part of the testing of your faith, but in God's sight it's much more precious than gold.

They're not sent to destroy you and harm you, but to teach you and to have you focus your attention on that great day when at last you're at home with the Lord. Grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home. Look at the verses just ahead of that. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 3, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that faith is not away, reserved in heaven for you.

Oh, somebody might say, well that part sounds good. Reserved in heaven, but what if I don't make it? You will, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. If it was left up to you, you'd get lost on the path.

You'd falter somewhere. But friends, when you've been called by divine grace, when you've been brought to repentance and you have laid hold of Jesus Christ by faith, trusting Him as your Savior, He says, He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life. And that individual has been blessed of God, has a lively or a living hope, and they have this inheritance. It is incorruptible. It's undefiled. It's reserved for you.

Your name's on it. The inheritance cannot be dissipated and you cannot be lost in the process because you're kept by the power of God. The same power by which He created the world is a power that sustains and upholds you.

What a day that's going to be. Revelation chapter 21 describes some of the beauty of it. Verse 1, And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea.

And I, John, saw the holy city in new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men and He will dwell with them and they shall be His people and God Himself shall be with them and be their God and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Oh, how many tears are shed in this life. Tears of disappointment. Tears over great losses. Tears because of the death of loved ones.

Tears because of our own sin and failure. But up there, no more tears. No more separation. No more losses. No more conflicts. No more battles.

All the warfare has ended. No more tears. And there shall be no more death. Neither sorrow nor crying.

Neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away. Grace will take you home. No wonder John Newton, who knew what it was to be in the depth of sin, the old slave trader, man who had sunk deep in corruption, and then called by divine grace, not only to a relationship with Jesus Christ, but to preach His gospel. A man of such a sweet spirit. A man of such a great example. A man whose words, both in his messages and in his hymns, had brought comfort to multitudes.

To say amazing grace. How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found. Was blind, but now I see.

How is it with you today? Have you recognized your need of grace? Have you seen yourself as a guilty sinner in the sight of a holy God?

You recognize that there's nothing that you have to offer? Apart from the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, you're ruined and lost forever. But you hear the good news. Jesus Christ came to save sinners. He came to save sinners. And He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.

Do you believe on Him today? Amazing grace. How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but now I see. Surely we can rejoice together today as we consider the words of that well-loved hymn, Amazing Grace. How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.

Jesus Christ is the Savior and it's because of the grace of God that gave His Son and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ that we have the hope of eternal life. I encourage you to write us this week. Let us know that you've listened to the program. And until next week, at this same time, may the Lord richly bless you all. Have a merry come.

Jesus Christ, that God be saved thus far, and grace will lead me home. The Baptist Bible Hour has come to you under the direction of Elder LeSair Bradley, Jr. Address all mail to the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. That's the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. When we've been there ten thousand years, Bright shining at the sun, We know there's days to sing God's praise, Than when we first begun.