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Chapter 77
Sovereignty and Instrumentality
“Jesus said, Take ye away the stone.” (John 11:39)
“Salvation is of the Lord!” — Salvation is the work of God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ. From start to finish, salvation is by grace alone. This is the message we preach to all men. You cannot save yourself. You cannot contribute anything to the work of salvation. And you cannot keep yourself saved. No preacher can save you. No church can save you. No religious system can save you. No priest can save you. No ceremony can save you. God alone can save you. Salvation is by God’s grace alone.
Salvation originates with the sovereign will of God the Father. — “It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy” (Romans 9:16). Salvation, as it is revealed in the Bible, begins with election, predestination, and the covenant of grace ordered in all things and sure. Salvation was earned and purchased for God’s elect by the obedience and death of God the Son as the sinner’s Substitute, our covenant Surety. — “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Galatians 3:13).” Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. He came to save His people from their sin; and He did what He came to do. The Son of God has saved His people. He brought in an everlasting righteousness for us. He obtained eternal redemption for us. And He entered into heaven as our Forerunner to claim the prize of eternal glory for us. And salvation is effectually applied to chosen, redeemed sinners by the irresistible grace, omnipotent mercy, and sovereign power of God the Holy Spirit. — “It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing” (John 6:63). The Holy Spirit of God calls sinners from death to life, creating in those whom He calls repentance toward God and faith in Christ. He seals to our hearts all the blessings of God’s grace, and seals us in grace forever, so that those who are born of God can never perish.
If today you trust Christ, if you are a child of God, it is not because of your will and work, but because of God’s will and work. If you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, it is because God the Father chose you, God the Son redeemed you, and God the Spirit gave you faith in Christ. — “Salvation is of the Lord!”
Our Responsibility
There lies Lazarus in the tomb. He is dead, helplessly dead. It is obvious to any sane man that Lazarus could do nothing to change his condition. He is dead! His sisters, though they loved him dearly, could do nothing to help him. All the disciples standing by could not breathe life into his body, or call back the departed spirit of their friend, Lazarus. Dust had already begun to return to dust again. His body had already begun to decay. But the Lord Jesus was there. He was about to perform a great miracle. Soon the voice of God who created Lazarus would be heard, speaking with life-giving power, “Lazarus, come forth!” And this dead man would begin to live again. But, before our Lord would perform this great miracle, which only He could perform, He required His disciples to do something. — “Jesus said, Take ye away the stone.” Isn’t that strange? No, not really.
Without question, He who by the mere power of His word can cause the dead to live could have removed the stone from the mouth of the tomb with great ease. But He chose to use His disciples. He gave them a work to do, which was essential to the resurrection of Lazarus, essential because He required it. The removal of that stone could not give life to Lazarus. Only God can give life to the dead. But the Lord would not raise Lazarus from the dead until His disciples took the stone away.
When “Jesus said, Take ye away the stone,” at first the disciples hesitated. Human reason got in the way. Martha said, “Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days” (v. 39). Human reason will have either human instrumentality or Divine sovereignty, but not both. God’s Word teaches both. Our Lord gently corrected Martha’s unbelief (v. 40). “Then they took away the stone” (v. 41). When they rolled away the stone, those disciples demonstrated three things…
There are some things that you and I must do for the salvation of God’s elect. We look to Christ alone as the Giver of Life and the Savior of men. But we do not fold our arms in indifference and say, “God will save His elect no matter what.” That which we can do we must do. We must look for opportunities to be instruments in the hands of God for the salvation of sinners. Wouldn’t you like to have been the one who rolled away that stone from Lazarus’ tomb that day? Well, we cannot go back to Lazarus’ tomb. But there are many like Lazarus around us who are dead in sin. And you and I can do some things to help them. There are some stones for us to take away!
A Word for the Dead
Here is a word for the dead. Fallen sinners are in the same condition spiritually Lazarus was in physically. They are spiritually dead; but spiritual death is no excuse for neglect, indifference, or even unbelief. Poor, lost sinners are dead spiritually and legally. Yet, all are both physically and morally alive and responsible. And there are some things dead sinners can and must do. Dead in sin, fallen, depraved men and women cannot save themselves, redeem themselves, put away their sins, or give themselves life. But there are some things sinners can do. And what you can do you must do.
Was the Ethiopian Eunuch dead in sin? He certainly was. Yet, he did not neglect his soul. He did what he could (Acts 8:26-39). That Ethiopian Eunuch bought a Bible and began to read it. You can do that, too. That African earnestly sought the Lord. You can do that, too. He went up to the place where the Lord promised to reveal Himself (Matthew. 18:20). It was a long, costly, dangerous journey. But he was in trouble. He was a sinner in need of a Savior. So he made the trip from Ethiopia to Jerusalem. Though he did not find the Savior at first, he was not discouraged. When he left Jerusalem, he was still seeking the Lord. He was reading Isaiah 53. He did not seek to know the mysteries of Scripture, or the deep doctrines of the Bible. He was seeking a Person! No doubt, he prayed much. And while he was seeking the Lord, God sent him a Gospel preacher! What mercy! — He heard! — He believed! — He was baptized! — “He went on his way rejoicing!”
He walked in the light God gave him, did what he knew he could do and had to do; and God gave him more light. If you care for your soul, seek the Lord while He may be found and call upon Him while He is near. — “The Lord is good to the soul that seeketh him!” (Lamentations 3:25). — “Seek and ye shall find. Knock and the door will open. Ask and it shall be given to you.” — There are no exceptions. If you seek the Lord, He will save you. If you do not seek Him, you will not find Him.
It is true, the Lord God declares, “I am found of them that sought me not” (Isaiah 65:1). Yes, it is true that the Holy Spirit searches for the lost coin; and the good Shepherd seeks His lost sheep. But that prodigal son must return to his Father’s house. You must seek the Lord. — “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light” (Ephesians 5:14). — Without question, if you seek the Lord, it is because He is seeking you; but seek Him you must (Jeremiah 29:12-13).
“I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew He moved my soul to seek Him, seeking me; It was not I that found, O Savior true, No, I was found of Thee.
Thou didst reach forth Thy hand and mine enfold; I walked and sank not on the storm-vexed sea,— ‘Twas not so much that I on Thee took hold, As thou, dear Lord, on me.
I find, I walk, I love, but, O the whole Of love is but my answer, Lord, to Thee; For Thou wert long beforehand with my soul, Always Thou lovedst me.”
A Word for the Preacher
Second, here is a word for the preacher. As a Gospel preacher, as the servant of God in this world, there are some things every Gospel preacher can and must do for the souls of men. I know that whenever God is pleased to save a sinner, He sends a Gospel preacher to the sinner He is determined to save to proclaim the Gospel of His grace. We do not exalt the ministry of the Gospel into a popish priesthood. But we dare not despise it as a needless thing. The preaching of the Gospel is essential to the salvation of God’s elect, because, “It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21; Romans 10:13-17). Spurgeon once said, “We cannot turn dry bones into living men, but we can prophesy upon them, and, blessed be God, we can also prophesy to the four winds, and so by our means the dead may live.”
Not everyone can or should preach. God has not called and gifted all of His people to be preachers. But he has called and gifted some for the work. It is the responsibility of all who are called and gifted of God for this blessed work to give themselves whole-heartedly and conscientiously to the work of preaching the Gospel (1 Corinthians 9:16). They must be diligent in study and preparation, diligently seek God’s message in prayer, and avail themselves of every means and opportunity to preach the Gospel to this generation.
There is a work to be done for the souls of men before they are converted. Before Lazarus was raised from the dead, our Lord required those who were standing by to take the stone away from his tomb. God’s servants have no power to make dead sinners live. But we are responsible to remove the stones which have been laid over their tombs. Like those men who were sent out to clear all debris from the road leading to the City of Refuge, Gospel preachers must “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God” (Isaiah 40:3). The Lord God commands us, “Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people” (Isaiah 57:14).
Some do not come to Christ because the huge stone of ignorance prevents them. There are some things you must know in order to trust Christ. You cannot trust an unknown Savior. Therefore, we are sent to preach the Gospel that men may know who Christ is, what He accomplished as our Substitute, and how He saves sinners by His almighty grace. Many others do not come to Christ because they have been entombed beneath the heavy stone of religious error. They are blinded by false religion and the doctrines of men. Therefore, a faithful Gospel preacher must continually combat and expose religious error. And some do not come to Christ because Satan holds them under the heavy, black stone of despair. — There is no cause for any sinner to despair of grace. Grace is free and unconditional. — “Him that cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37).
There is much to be done for sinners before they believe; and there is much that must be done by God’s servant for people after they believe. — Before they are converted, the Lord’s word to His servants is, “Take ye away the stone.” Once the dead are given life, His word is, “Loose him, and let him go” (v. 44). Christ’s word to his servant is, “Feed my lambs” (Jeremiah 3:15; 1 Peter 5:1-3).
Young plants in the vineyard must be tenderly watered and nurtured. Newborn babes must be fed the sincere milk of the Word. The children of God must be brought into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. And the men of grace must be fed with strong meat. New converts must be set free from religious tradition, the grave clothes of legalism, and the oppressive care of the world, as well as the chains of sin. God’s children must be fed and nurtured and cared for, so that they may enjoy the freedom of fellowship with Christ and His people. This loosing of God’s people is a life-long process. It requires the constant, faithful, loving, and knowledgeable ministry of the Gospel. Gospel preachers are ascension gifts of Christ to His Church, given to lead sinners to Christ, instruct saints in faith, establish churches in doctrine, guide pilgrims in their sojourn, comfort believers in their troubles, and protect God’s sheep in their pasture.
A Word for the Believer
Third, here is a word for the believer. There are some things you who are saved by the grace of God can and must do for the souls of men (See Mark 2:1-5). Perhaps God has not called you to preach. You are not gifted, perhaps, for that work. But God has given you a sphere of influence with some, and gifted you with the ability to do some things that no one else can do.— That which God has given you the ability to do and the opportunity to do you must do.
You can do for the unbelieving what Mary and Martha did for their dead brother. — You can call upon the Master on their behalf.
“Brethren, see poor sinners round you, Slumbering on the brink of woe. Death is coming, hell is moving, Can you bear to let them go?”
As God gives you opportunity, you can tell what you know (John 9:11). You can tell your friends, relatives, neighbors, and acquaintances what you have seen, heard, felt, and experienced of the grace of God in Christ. — “What great things God hath done unto thee!” You can use what God has given you for the support of the Gospel ministry (3 John 5-8). You can make a decided effort to distribute tracts, tapes, CDs, DVDs, bulletins, books, and articles to the people you come into contact with. You can work to prepare a place for others to hear the Gospel. You can find a way to bring men and women with you to hear the Gospel of Christ. And you can exemplify the grace of God in your life before the people of this world.
A Word for Us All
Fourth, here is a word for us all. That which we can do, before God, we are responsible to do (Ezekiel 33:7-9).
“So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.”
Necessity is laid upon me. I must preach the Gospel (1 Corinthians 9:16). We are under the constraint of Christ’s grace and love; we must be His witness (John 20:21). What are you doing for the glory of Christ and the souls of men? Be your own judge in this matter. Men and women are perishing for lack of knowledge. I see zeal and enthusiasm for everything in this world, except for the Gospel of Christ. How very sad! The time is short. Dedicate yourself to the Master’s work. Throw yourself into it today!
Don Fortner
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