God Revealing Himself

I invite you to open, we'll read two passages today, Romans chapter one and first Corinthians chapter two. This afternoon I'll be speaking with you about the God revealing himself and the ways in which God reveals himself and hopefully we can see the great truth and the glory of the gospel of Christ as we see those things through the word of God. So let's read first Romans chapter one. We're reading from verse 18 until verse 21. It's the Word of God.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. Because what may be known of God is manifest in them. For God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Verse 21.

Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. We're going to 1 Corinthians chapter 2, And I, brethren, when I came to you did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything about you, except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling, and my speech and my preaching of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor the wisdom of the rulers of this age, who are concomitant to nothing, but we speak the wisdom of God in history.

the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew, for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. Let's pray. Father, we come before You, Lord, in total dependence upon You.

We need You, Lord, to see the truth. We need You, Lord, to receive it. because you're the one who is in no need of anyone. You're self-sufficient, Lord. You're glorious.

But we thank you, Lord, that you chose to reveal yourself to sinners like us. We pray that as we come together, Lord, that we may hear your word, that you may speak to our hearts, that we may hide it in our hearts so that we may not sin against you. that we may rejoice in the salvation that you have given us. Be with me, Lord. I need you.

Be with us. We need you, Lord. Forgive us for all our sins. They are many. Have mercy upon us, and help us to see more of Christ.

In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. So brother, we'll just start with a question. And the reason why I'm bringing this today, the idea of God revealing himself, because of the discussions we had on our Bible study on Wednesday, and the discussions that we had with some brothers on Monday, when we gathered together. So that's one of the reasons for it as well.

But in seeing that, what I'm about to bring to you, hopefully you'll see more of the glory of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. And hopefully you'll be eager and desire to know the Lord more. So the question that I want to ask you, just to open up, is that what is the most important thing you should do in your lives? What is the most important thing you should seek in your life? And some may say that maybe to be the husband that the Lord has called me to be.

And that's true, we need to seek that. Or to be the wife that the Lord has called me to be. Or for the children to be the child and the son or the daughter that the Lord has called me to be. Or the parents to set up everything for the future of my family and to look and to provide and to do what I need. And that's true.

But nothing can be accomplished unless we know the Lord. So the most important thing in your life and in my life is the knowledge of God. There is nothing else that compares to it. And all the fountains, every blessing, and every Christian labor comes from it. As you know the Lord and as you abide in Christ, knowing the Lord through the Lord Jesus Christ, that's when you can derive power to live the life that the Lord has called you to live.

We see in Jeremiah that the Lord will tell us that the one, but let the one who boasts, let the one who glories, glory in this, that he understands me and that he knows me. That I am the Lord which decides love and kindness and judgment and righteousness in the earth, for in these I delight. That's the word of God. So we know that the main thing that he should do and that I should do is to seek to know God. That's the whole of the Christian life.

And a few years ago, when we brought the idea of beholding the glory of Christ, and we were preaching the word, beholding the glory of Christ, we saw that to behold the glory of Christ is the whole of the Christian life. The same idea of to know the Lord. Because to behold the glory of Christ is to be saved. Look unto me and be saved. That's what the Scriptures will tell us.

To behold the glory of Christ is not just to be saved, it's the pathway of sanctification. As you look to the Lord, as you get to know Him more and more, that's how you are being sanctified by the Lord. Paul tells us, when he was writing to the Corinthians, he said, but we, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, we are being transformed into the same images by the Spirit of the Lord. So to know the Lord, or to behold the glory of Christ, is that which brings salvation, is that which helps you to move in sanctification, but also is that which will help you to have your body transformed in that day. The scripture tells us, 1 John will tell us, it will come a day in which we will see Him and we'll be transformed, we'll be like Him.

So we have this whole idea that salvation, sanctification, glorification happens as we behold the glory of Christ. as we get to know the Lord more and more in the Lord Jesus Christ. And we know that that state of glory, as mentioned a few years ago, that state of glory in which we are glorified and live within the Lord, will be a state of eternal beholding of the glory of Christ. The Scriptures tell us that the Lord Jesus Christ is the light of that place and will behold His glory at all times. So that's the whole of the Christian life, and I want to mention to you why.

Why you should behold the glory of God. Why should you know God? Why is the most important thing in your life? And I think what was said just mentioned a few things, but I want to mention a few more. Why?

And the first thing is that by knowing God, you can actually know who you truly are and your desperate need for the Savior. You can never attain that knowledge of understanding who you truly are if you don't see who God is. That was the experience of Isaiah. He came to the point where he saw the holiness of God and said, woe is me. I'm undone.

I'm a man of unclean lips. I live among people of unclean lips. And I've seen the King, the Lord of hosts. That knowledge of who you are just comes as you get to know the Lord more and more. And that's how it makes you dependent upon God.

That's how make you abide in Christ, because you know that without Him, you can do nothing. There's nothing good in you that will help you to do anything that you should do, or to live the life that the Lord has called you to do. So the commands of the Lord cannot give you that power. Only Christ, the giver of the commands, can give you the power that is needed to fulfill the things that you need to fulfill in your life. So to know God is the most important thing in your life.

There's nothing compared to it. To know God is not just because you need to know who you truly are and understand your dependence upon God and upon Christ because without Him you can do nothing. But also because to know God is eternal life. The Lord Jesus Christ will tell us in John chapter 17 verse 3, For this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. So to know God is the most important thing in your life.

Because it makes you realize who you truly are. And that you are dependent upon God for every good work and for everything in your life. But also because you know God is eternal life. And that eternal life is not just a quantity, but a quality life. And will give you communion and fellowship with God.

We are known by Him and therefore we know Him because He's the one who reveals Himself to us. So we know that you know God makes you see who you are. And your dependence upon Christ. To know God is eternal life, but we also know that to know God, why we should know God? Because there is none like Him.

We saw a few weeks ago, two weeks ago, in our Bible study, in Jeremiah chapter 10, verse 6, when our brother Joshua was sharing with us, that there is none like the Lord. We saw the idea of God as the necessary being, the one who must be. That God cannot not exist. In order for creation to exist, God must exist. We saw that everything was contingent, dependent upon another thing within creation.

And we came to the realization that we need someone who does not depend on anything, but is the source of all things. And that's God. There is none like our God. And just to stop a little bit on this idea, let's go to Jeremiah chapter 10. Jeremiah chapter 10, verse 6.

Remember that this idea of there is none like God. If we look to creation, there is none like Him. The Lord said, you thought altogether that I was like you. We cannot see anything in this creation Something that will actually explain to us fully who God is, because he's above the created order. There's nothing, there's no one, there's no thing in this universe that is like our Lord.

So let's read verse six. Inasmuch as there is none like you, O Lord, you are great, and your name is great in might. Let's go to verse 11. Thus you shall say to them, the gods that have not made the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens. Look the God to whom we serve.

He has made the earth by his power. He has established the world by his wisdom and has stretched out the heavens at his discretion. When he utters his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens. And he calls the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain.

He brings the wind out of his treasuries. So we can see that there is none like our God. He's the creator of all things. He's the one who created us. There's nothing we can compare to him.

And we know that this God is above time, that this God is self-sufficient, that this God is the provider of all things that we need, and the provider of creation, and the creator himself. So because God is above everything and everyone comes the question, how can we know him? How can we come to know this God, who is above everything and everyone, and who cannot be understood fully by the things that we've seen in this world? Because we saw that the Lord is not like us. There is none like him.

He's the creator of all things. So how can we come to the understanding of the knowledge of God? How can we come to know Him? That's only possible if the Lord reveals Himself. No human mind can attain to the knowledge of God unless God is the one who steps forward and reveals Himself.

And He does that. Praise God, He does that. He didn't need to do so, but He does that. And He does that in two ways, what we call general revelation. God reveals himself in a general way.

And we'll see that. And God reveals himself in a special way. And hopefully by the end of it, we may see the glory of Christ. The full revelation of God. And that we may rejoice in the salvation that he has given us.

And that those who are not yet in Christ may see that without Christ, they have nothing. They're under the judgment of God and they have no excuse in the courts of heaven. They'll give an account. for everything that they did. But there is hope in the Lord Jesus Christ, saying, look unto me and be saved, the Lord will save you.

So as we come to this idea of God revealing himself and the ways in which he reveals himself, let's come to Romans chapter one. We read from verse 18 to verse 21. And I want you to pay attention of the scriptures as well, to together this idea of the general revelation of God, how God reveals himself. We see that God reveals himself in a general way, and when we say in a general way, this is what we mean. It's general because every man on earth receives from this revelation.

There is no one in the whole earth that would not receive from it. It's a testimony of the existence of God. Everyone under the sun receives of this revelation. The Apostle Paul, when he's writing to the Romans, he'll bring the idea of who are those who receive of this revelation. We'll see that it's everyone.

Everyone we see here in another part of the world, everyone has this witness and this revelation of God. Remember that the Apostle Paul is speaking about the wrath of God in verse 18 is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Suppose addressing those who are sinners, that they have no excuse before God. That revelation is given to them. And now we're not in the same boat.

We're enemies of God. We're sinners and we still sin. We're still sinners, redeemed by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. So that revelation is for you, that revelation is for me, that revelation is for everyone under the sun, as I said. It's for the sinner.

Everyone who is born into this world is born under sin and under condemnation. That's why we need the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul brings this idea that everyone is in the same boat, when in Romans chapter three, he'll tell us in verse 10, as it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one. There is none who understands. There is none who seeks after God.

So this idea of the general revelation is general because it's revealed to everyone. No one's outside of it. But it's general as well because it's not just revealed to everyone, but revealed God in a general way. Not all the things pertaining to God, but what is general to God, to the Godhead. We see that in verse 20 and verse 21.

For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead. So that they are without excuse, because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God. There are three things I want to mention that general revelation shows us. First, that there is a God. So every man is without excuse.

They know that there is a God. And the suppressing of the truth is just a rebellion against the one whom they know that exists. That's why we see that at the end of chapter one, who says, who know in the righteous judgment of God. So these people to whom Paul is talking to are those who know the righteous judgment of God. That those who practice such things are deserving of death.

Not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them. So everyone has this idea that yes, there is a God. That God indeed does exist. For although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, Paul would tell us. So this idea that there are three things that are revealed in general revelation, that God is, that God exists, but also not just that God is and that God exists, but as verse 20 will tell us, even his eternal power and Godhead, his divinity.

So when we see creation and the proclamation of nature and the creative order is that someone created us, and someone who's more powerful than any of us, As we look to the complexity of this world and the universe and all things, the complexity of the human body, just proclaim the mind and the power of the one who created all things. That's someone whose wisdom we cannot apprehend or understand. Whose wisdom surpasses knowledge. The depths of the wisdom of God. So we see through creation that the power of God is shown to us.

his divinity is shown to us because as we mentioned there is none like God it should be someone who is above this created order therefore divine someone who is not like us and that's what general revelation will tell us remember it's general because it's for everyone under the sun there is no one who is cannot see or cannot perceive the general revelation, yet men do not understand it fully, because it's only in Christ that he can actually understand those things that are contained in general revelation, but every man under the sun has the witness of nature. But not just that, not just creation that reveals that, and we'll see that Paul will tell us the idea of, since the creation of the world in verse 20, these invisible attributes are clearly seen. being understood by the things that are in it. So as we said, the heavens, the earth, we go to Psalm 19, hopefully soon, that the heavens declared the glory of God and the firmament, his handiwork, that we see the witness of nature and of creation, that there is a God, that we did not come here on our own strength out of ourselves, that there is a God who brought us here. And then we'll see on that great day as we say today, let all creation, Praise the Lord.

All the creatures of our God and King, the sun, the moon, the heavens, the earth, everyone will praise the Lord, the one who created them. Creation and nature declares that, and it's heard in the whole world. But not just creation that proves to us or declares to us that there is a God. We see in verse 19, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. There is a manifestation of the, that indeed God exists.

That there's someone, that there's someone who's more powerful, who is divine. And that's manifested in man. How is it manifested? And when we appeal that there is conscience, and we'll see what Paul will tell us in chapter two of the same book. If we go to chapter two, so Romans chapter two, verse 14 and 15.

We see the idea of the work of the law written in the heart of man and the conscience of man. That was in Amen. So verse 14, for when Gentiles who do not have the law by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves. Now here, verse 15, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience, also bearing witness and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them. So man has an idea of right and wrong.

It does not come from creation. It comes from the one who actually created man and gave man a conscience and has written in the hearts of man the works of the law. We see that through this picture. So general revelation is revealed to such a point that nothing could exist without God. All things were made through him.

And without him, nothing that was made was made, John would tell us. We see that revelation as well expressed or shown in man, in man's conscience, in the works of the hearts of man. And we see the outcome of it. So we have general revelation. It's for all, everyone.

or excusing them for the things that they have done. So we see that. But there's an outcome of general revelation. That outcome is only judgment. Remember that Paul tell us in verse 20, even his eternal power and Godhead, I'll read the whole verse 20, for since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead.

so that they are without excuse. No one will be able to come before God on that great day, kids and everyone here who is without Christ, and thus no one will be able to come to the Lord on that day and say, Lord, I've never heard about you. I had no idea you existed, Lord. The Scriptures tell us that man knows this, and it's revealed to them by the things that they see. That's revealed to them in them, and that they are without You have no say before the Lord.

It was proclaimed to them day after day, night after night. It was proclaimed to them about the one who is powerful, who is divine, and who indeed exists. Let's go to Psalm 19, and let's see this whole idea in Psalm 19. Psalm 19, let's read probably the first four verses. Remember this idea of the heavens and the created order declaring God?

The heavens declared the glory of God. And the firmament shows his handiwork. Day unto day utters speech. So this proclamation or this revelation of God that we see in the created order is proclaimed day unto day. And night unto night reveals knowledge.

where their voice is not heard. It goes throughout the whole world. To the king's palace, to the poor man's house, everyone has this witness. And it's a witness that is there day after day, night after night, and it's proclaimed powerfully and mightfully to the point that leaves man without excuse. Their line has gone out through all the earth, the earth was formed.

In their words, to the end of the world. If we go to Romans, again, if we go back to Romans, and we just stop a little bit in Romans chapter 10. We see Paul quoting. this very Psalm, Psalm 19. And he says, but I say, have they not heard?

To bring this idea of his sign, prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved. And then he'll say that he'll bear them witness that they have zeal for God, but without understanding. So there's no distinction between Jew and Greek in verse 12. For the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon him. For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

So he brings this idea of how they can hear, and we'll come back to that soon. But look what he says, but I say, verse 18, but I say, have they not heard? Yes, indeed, their sound has gone out to all the earth, in their words, to the ends of the world. So we have this idea that general revelation proclaims that God indeed exists, that man is without excuse, man is under judgment, because although they knew God, They do not retain God in their knowledge. They suppress the truth in unrighteousness.

And that's the position of everyone without Christ. That which is manifested in creation and in man is only there to put them without excuse. Because those things do not provide the power that is needed for us to bow our knees before the one who created all things and to worship him as the creator of all things. So we have this idea that to know the Lord is the most important thing that we should do in our lives. And everything in the Christian life hangs on it.

On our walk, the Lord reveals himself to us. And that knowledge, when I say know the Lord, is not a mental knowledge. It's something that, yes, it's a head knowledge, but sinks into the heart and change the heart of that person, makes them a new creation in Christ Jesus. That knowledge, which is more than a mental knowledge, is a knowledge that brings you communion with God, that you are known to God, and that he make himself known to you. We saw the idea of general revelation, what's revealed to everyone.

And now we have this idea of God reveals himself in a special way. We saw that general revelation reveals God generally, his divinity, his Godhead, his eternal power, that he indeed exists. But we need more. We need more. In order to have peace with God, we need more.

And as I said, there was no need for God to reveal himself to us, and yet he does that. And he goes beyond of what the creation reveals. And he's the one who comes to us revealing himself to us. Ultimately the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's come to first Corinthians now in chapter two.

Let's see this whole idea of God revealing himself in a special way. We read from verse two all the way to verse 10. And the first thing that I want to mention That general revelation is what is proclaimed through creation, proclaimed in man, by man's conscience, in the works of the law written in man's heart. God has designed it this way. When we see that special revelation, when God reveals himself in a special way, that revelation comes directly from God to his servants.

It's a revelation that the creative order cannot provide. Nature cannot provide. Your conscience cannot provide. The works of the Lord written in your heart cannot provide. So therefore, this special revelation is supernatural.

It goes beyond the natural and the created order, in which God intervenes and reveals himself to us. So it's an act of God himself, intervening in the created order to reveal himself to us. And we see this idea in verse 10, it should tell us, has revealed them to us. So it starts with the Lord. It's the Lord coming into the Creator in a sense to reveal more of Himself.

As I said, the Creator cannot show that to us. Their conscience cannot show. It's on God to come and reveal. We see in Matthew chapter 11 when the Lord Jesus Christ is thanking the Father because He was doing miracles in a lot of places and they would not believe in Him. And He says, Lord, I thank you.

Because you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and you have revealed them unto the Hebrews. So that revelation comes from God. We can see in Hebrews chapter 1, at the beginning of Hebrews, we see that the author of Hebrews will tell us that God spoke to the fathers through the prophets in various ways in times past. That God is the one who spoke to them. And we see that it's God that reveals himself, and that's a supernatural way.

in which we cannot see in the creative order or in man. So it starts with God. It's supernatural. It starts with him. And how does it happen?

It starts with God. We see that it happens through proclamation. How does God make himself known to us? It's God speaking to us, proclaiming himself to us. It's the act of God himself.

doing that through His servants as He proclaims Himself to us and we have that in the Word of God. Look to verse 6 of 1 Corinthians chapter 2. Look, and just I want you to pay attention in one word that we see in verse 6, we see in verse 7, we see in verse 13. However we speak, wisdom among those who are mature. So how can we come to that revelation?

It needs to be proclaimed. It needs to be made known to us. It starts with God, as He proclaims that to His servants, and that is proclaimed to us. So we see that in verse 7, but we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery. We saw as well in verse 13, these things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things.

The special revelation comes from God. It's God who reveals and comes as God speaks to his people and they proclaim that to the rest of the world. We see that in Hebrews chapter one. Let's go to Hebrews chapter one. Hebrews chapter one, verse one.

God, where there is times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets. So we see this whole idea here in verse one, that God is the one who spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets. So it's God who reveals himself. He does that in many ways you see that as in this last day spoken to us by his son And when we see the Old Testament this will tell us that in revelation God reveals himself through visions Through prophecies a word of the Lord come to the prophets. We saw what happened to the Prophet Haggai today when he was bringing a revelation from the Lord to the people of Israel as they were building up the Temple of the Lord, the foundations of the Temple and the Temple.

So we see this idea that special revelation is supernatural. It needs to start with Him. And it's revealed as God speaks to us through His servants. And when we think of this idea of God revealing Himself to us, it starts with Him. It's spoken by God to His servants.

And it's proclaimed. We come to the idea of the Word of God. We come to 2 Timothy 3. Verse 16, remember that special revelation comes from God, it's given to men, and it's proclaimed. Otherwise no one would know the deep themes of God.

Remember verse 16, all this scripture is given by inspiration of God. It's given by God. It's God-given. It comes from the Lord to us. And he speaks about the Word of God, the Scripture that we have in our hands.

So the idea that the Scripture is given by God. And not just given by God, but it's proclaimed. We see that in chapter 4, verse 2, when the Apostle Paul will give a charge to Timothy and say, preach the Word. So what was revealed in this scripture, what God has given us that came from himself, God breathed, preaching, proclaiming, so that they may know who they are, so that they may know their desperate need for a savior, so that they may know that there is a way of salvation, so that they may know that there is a way to have peace with God, preach the word, to have discharge from this scripture. So we see general revelation, We see the creation, what is in man.

We see special revelation that starts with God. It's given to man and it is proclaimed. If we go back to Romans again. If we go to Romans chapter 10. We go back to Romans chapter 10.

And before I mention this just, may the Lord help us to understand the glory and the beauty of the Word of God. As I said, there was no need for God to reveal Himself to us. It would be just in the eyes of the Almighty to leave us on our sins, to hand us over to our sins. But yet in His mercy, in His love, He decided to reveal Himself. Not just to show us that He's God, that He is powerful, that He is above this created order, but to show us that He is a loving God.

To the point of sending His only begotten Son to save us from our sins. There was no need for Him to do that, yet He did. That's the outcome of who God is. which was given to the apostles. We have it written.

And may the Lord help us to cherish this word in our hearts. And to do as the Psalmist will tell us in Psalm 119, to hide this word in our hearts so that we may not sin against Him. So that we may cherish it because God reveals Himself to us in His word. He has given us everything that we need. He has given us more than anything that we would ever need.

He has given us Christ. He has given us His Word that proclaims and speaks about Christ. Remember, the Word of God, it's given by God to His people so that it may be proclaimed. Because if it's not proclaimed, no man would never know. So we see that in verse 14 of chapter 10, Romans 10, 14.

How then, let's read from verse 13, for whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. And we see now that the outcome of special revelation, one of the outcomes is salvation. As we said, general revelation cannot save man. Special revelation, God revealing the way of salvation, that's what can save man. We see in Romans chapter one, if you read verse 16, Paul will tell us that, for I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation.

for everyone who believes, the Jew first and then the Greek. Special revelation shows the way of salvation, which we would never know otherwise. For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Look at verse 14. How then shall they call on him whom they have not believed?

And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things. We see this idea that special revelation needs to be proclaimed.

Without it, man would never come to the knowledge of the God who saves. They are without excuse before him, but he's the one who provides the way and who actually saves. Christ has the power to save, and He'll save all those whom He chose before the foundation of the world. And the means by which He does that is through the proclamation of the Gospel. Let's go and open their eyes to see, as the world is proclaimed, that they need Christ, and that Christ is their great exceedingly reward.

So we see this idea of general and special revelation. As I said, the outcome of general revelation is judgment. They are without excuse. But a special revelation shows us the way. And it's special because it's not revealed to all.

It's proclaimed and we are called to proclaim to all, but it's not revealed to all. And we come to the sovereignty of God. The one whom we serve is sovereign. And it's on Him to reveal to whomever He wants to reveal. And that should humble us.

Because we do not deserve to know about Him. And yet that He chose to reveal that to us, And Lord, help us that should amaze us. And put us on our knees and say, Lord, thank you that you would pass millions. I think it was Thomas Watson would say that. That you would pass by millions, Lord, and that you revealed your son to me.

That you make me see the beauty of Christ and my desperate need for the Savior. Lord, me, a wretched sinner, that you would do that to me. That you bring the word of the gospel of Christ to me, Lord, who deserve your wrath. I have pleased you, Lord, because of your great love to reveal Christ Christ to me, and not just to me, but to reveal Christ in me, Lord. And now he's the hope of glory.

So we have this idea that it's not revealed to all. The culture proclaiming to the ends of the earth. But as I mentioned, Matthew chapter 11, verse 25, if you wanna go there. Matthew chapter 11. Let's go from verse 21, just to have a context.

Verse 20. Then he began to rebuke the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. Well, to you, Bethsaida, for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades, for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you. Look what the Lord will say. He'll speak about the sovereignty of God, that special revelation is given according to the law of God. It's not the one who runs, but it's often the Lord who shows mercy. So we'll see that verse 25, at that time, Jesus answered and said, I thank you, Father.

And we see at the end of Ephesians, look, that the Lord rejoiced. He's seeing that the sovereign God is in control of all things. And he says, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and the prudent and have revealed them unto babes. It's revealed to son. And if we say it's revealed to the one who is son, we cannot get out unless we see God.

So the whole process of salvation is with God. It's the knowledge of God. You have heard these things from the wise and the prudent, and you have revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for it seemed good in your sight. All things have been delivered to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father.

Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. So have the sovereignty of God. So special revelation comes from God to His servants. It proclaims God speaking to us. We have that in the Word of God.

God breathing out to us and bringing us the revelation of Himself. And He reveals that not to all, it's to some. And that should humble us, that He should do that to you and to me. Let's... It's about the idea of God is the one who reveals.

And when Paul is talking about the Lord's supper, I just want to mention this, what Paul will say, and then just to build up on the idea that it comes from God. He says in verse 23, for I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you. you will not be able to understand it, to apprehend Christ, to know Christ if he was not the one who taught you this. You see, there is the Spirit of God who gives witness of Christ. It's the Spirit of God who opens our eyes to see the Word of God.

Remember that faith comes by hearing, and hearing from the Word of God, from the Word of Christ. So that's the means by which the Spirit Now let's go, and even in your Christian life, everything that you know at this point in time was revealed to you by Christ himself. Let's go to Ephesians chapter 4. Verse 17, as I said, your salvation is God revealing himself to you through his word, the proclamation of the gospel. And even your Christian life, the putting off of the old man and the putting on of the new man, should leave the call that the Lord has called you to leave, is only as we are taught by Christ in his word.

Look what it says, verse 17. These I say, therefore, I testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their minds. having their understanding in darkness, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart. We see as well in 1 Corinthians, we see that there are people who are blind in their hearts to the truth of the Word of God. And we see that it's God who opened the eyes of people.

Paul will tell us through the Corinthians, he'll tell us, as he was telling the Corinthians, that the knowledge of is the same thing as God was doing when He created the heavens and the earth. He's the one who brought light to our hearts to see Christ, as the Lord is proclaiming to us. So we have some that still, because of their blindness of their heart, who being past feeling, have given themselves over to lawlessness, to work all uncleanness with goodness. Verse 20, but you have not so learned Christ. The Lord says, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught, by Him, as the truth is in Jesus.

So, really, the whole of the Christian life is the knowledge of God that is given to you by God. Now, for you who are not in Christ, you depend totally on God. For you who are in Christ, you are in total dependence on God. You are held by Him. He's the one who is able to keep you from stumbling.

We saw the idea of and we saw the need to abide in Christ. If we abide in Him, and His words abide in us, God's revelation of Himself to us abide in us, then we bear much fruit. Then we live the life that the Lord has called us to live. So we have this idea of special revelation, the word of God being given to us. But the substance of special revelation is someone, is the Lord Jesus Christ.

He's the substance, he's that special revelation of God that was given to us. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. And God revealed all his majesty and his glory and his fullness in Christ, in whom all the fullness of God dwells bodily, Paul tells us in Colossians. He's the image of the invisible God. He's the full revelation of God.

What creation cannot retain, Christ retains on Himself, that God may. How do we know Christ? The Word of God. Let's go to chapter five of John, John chapter five. We saw the Lord Jesus Christ killing a man in the previous verses.

And then we saw that what happened because of that, because he was doing those things on the Sabbath, in verse 17 he says, but Jesus answered them, my father has been working until now, and I have been working. Verse 18, so we have the context. Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was his father, making himself equal with God. Remember that I said that Christ is the full revelation of God, but how can we know Christ? We'll put the word Jesus Christ after to say a few things here, but let's go to verse 39.

Let's go from verse 37. And the Father himself who sent me has testified of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his form, but you do not have his word abiding in you, because whom he sent Him you do not believe. Remember that I said that Christ is the substance of special revelation. Look what the scripture tells us.

Verse 39. You search the scriptures that was revealed by God, given by God, given to the prophets. And your fathers received that. And you search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life. And these are they which testify of me.

So have that substance of special revelation is the Lord Jesus Christ. and assesses the Word, proclaiming or telling us about the Word, which is Christ. The Word will be plain flesh and dwelt among us. So brethren, what a glory we have in the Lord Jesus Christ, that God would reveal Himself to us fully in Him, and that you know God's eternal life will never end, beholding the glory of God. There's much to know of God.

Remember, the depths of the love of God is also a loss of efficiency. And you may know with all the sense, the depth, the length, I don't know all the words that Paul used in English, so you may know all things pertaining to the love of God, and that's eternal life, right? reveals that Himself to us in that way. How do we know that the Lord is love? In Jesus' love, that He sent His only begotten Son to die for us.

The love of God is revealed in Christ. That's why Paul will tell us in Corinthians. Let's go to 1 Corinthians. And that was the message of Paul. And that should be our whole life pursuit, to know the one whom Paul was preaching.

Look what it says, 1 Corinthians. So I read, I'll see if I find it here. Okay, verse 22. For Jews request a sign, chapter one, 1 Corinthians chapter one, verse 22. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified.

If you want to know God and who He is, and if you want to behold the glory of God, look to Christ crucified. At the cross of Christ, the righteousness of God is revealed mightily. The one who knew no sin became sin, so that in Him we may become the righteousness of God. It's in the gospel of Christ that the righteousness of God is revealed, and that the just shall live by faith. You see, the righteousness of Christ begotten Son because of his hatred towards sin.

It pleased God to crush him. We see the mercy of God revealed in the gospel of Christ, that you, that me, do not deserve anything. God showed His mercy and grace in the gospel of Christ. He does not give what we deserve. He punishes only begotten Son in our place.

And His grace mightily proclaimed. So that you, so that I may have peace with God. Having therefore now peace with God. So we have this proclamation of God in the cross of Christ. Christ crucified.

Receiving the whole wrath that you deserve. Drinking the cup fully. A cup that you'll never be able to drink fully. And that will take a whole eternity. And yet Christ did that.

In a few hours, he deteriorated completely. He was punished in our place. And we see the power of God proclaimed. Because who can withstand the wrath of God but God himself? And we see the God-man coming victorious from the grave as he endured the wrath of God till the end.

And God was pleased. to proclaim to the whole world through the resurrection of Christ, Jesus, my beloved son. And we see that in the gospel of Christ, in Christ crucified, in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have God revealed. That God will take that step to do that, the triune goal, and to accomplish that, to make himself known to us, and to give us all things in Christ Jesus. Not just to forgive us, but to reconcile us to God.

And not just to reconcile us to God, but to bring us into His family. We who are enemies of God. Now we can come before Him and say, Abba, Father, He has adopted us. He has called us into His family, so that we may behold His glory. And that we may be transformed into the image of the beloved Son of God.

Children. And if you're here, you do not know Christ yet. Pursue and know the Lord. Look how the Lord has manifested all things before you. You cannot say you never heard about Him.

You are without excuse. And how much more, because you haven't heard the gospel of Christ being proclaimed through your parents, as you sit under the preaching of the Word of God, And if you reject this great salvation that was given to you, it will be more tolerable for those who have never heard the gospel of Christ than for you, who have the witness of creation, who have the witness within yourself, the conscience that the Lord has given you, who have the witness of the word of God being proclaimed to you through your parents as they labor to see you saved in the Lord. Look to Christ. Behold the glory of God in the Lord Jesus Christ, and be saved. Brother, sister, let's do what Hosea tells us in chapter six, verse three.

Let's know, let's pursue the knowledge of the Lord. He said not a knowledge that stops here, but a knowledge that sinks down here, and that helps us, and that changes us into the image of Christ. It's by beholding Him that we can grow in holiness. So let's pursue the Lord, to know Him, to grow in fellowship with Him. May the Lord help me.

May the Lord help you. I have no strength on my own. I sin each and every day of my life. I need the grace of the Lord. You need the grace of the Lord.

And praise God that He's the one who's able to keep us from stumbling. Praise God that He's the good shepherd who carry us in His bosom. Brother, sister, if you've seen today that anything on your conscience bothering you, Come before the Lord. The Lord is faithful and just to forgive you your sins and to cleanse you and us from all unrighteousness. Christ has paid the price.

Pursue in the knowledge of God. He doesn't stop because you sin. Come before the Lord. He's faithful. He's just to forgive you your sins and to keep you growing in the knowledge of Him.

As a church, may the Lord help us And whatever we do as a body of Christ, even our fellowship, may the Lord help us that that will be for us to grow in the knowledge of Christ. Remember that I mentioned what Paul tells the Ephesians, his prayer for the Ephesians, that you may grow with all the saints in that knowledge of the law of God. So may the Lord help us to have this in our hearts. May this be the goal of our lives. Everything else flows from it.

You cannot be who you're called to be. as you are in the One who gives you strength to be and your call to be. So may the Lord help us. Let us know. Let us pursue the knowledge of God.

Let us seek to know God in Christ Jesus. As the Lord Jesus Christ said, to see Him is to see the Father. So we know God through Christ. Amen? Amen.

Let's pray. Father, we come before you, Lord. Please forgive us for our sins, dear mini. Thank you for your grace, Lord. You are the mighty, the lofty one.

You come to send, Lord. You came into this world to reveal yourself to us. Emmanuel, God with us. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father.

Grace, truth, proclaimed in Christ, Your mercy, Lord, Your majesty, Your righteousness, Your holiness, proclaimed fully and mightily in the Lord Jesus Christ. In whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells, May this be the goal of our lives, Lord. To know you in Christ Jesus. And to do what Peter tells us, that he told us in your word. Let us grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ.

Because to know Christ, is to be saved. To know Christ, Lord, is to grow in holiness. To know Christ, and to see Him, bring us to that state of glorification, and the beholding of Christ, who remain throughout all eternity. Thank you, Lord, for saving us, for revealing yourself to us. We who do not deserve anything more, we deserve your wrath and your judgment, yet it pleased you to do so.

And you will do that to us, wretched sinners, Lord, who sin daily against you, Lord, who raise up our face against you, Lord, who take your grace in vain, Lord, and who do not behold the grace that you have given us in Christ as we should, and that it please you, Lord, to save us. Help us to be amazed by you, Lord. May the Apostle Paul proclaim all the depths, both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God, your ways that are revealed to us in your word, Lord. Help us to love your word and to cherish it in our hearts, to hide it in our hearts so that we may not sin against you, Lord. Thank you for the lives of my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Help all of us, Lord. Those who are not in Christ, help them to see the beauty of the Savior. Open their eyes for the truth and save them, Lord. As you made the light shine in darkness when it created the heavens and the earth, please shine the light of the glory of the gospel of Christ in the hearts of those who do not know you yet. And may that light, Lord, be even brighter As we come together, Lord, under the preaching of your word, remember these, Lord, or as we read your word in a private place.

So may that light, Lord, be even brighter. Help us to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ.