But God demonstrates His love

Now, if you have a Bible, please turn to Romans chapter 5. That's in the New Testament, the latter half of the Bible. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and then comes the book of Romans. We're just going to read a couple of verses, and we'll make reference to a few other verses.

But Romans chapter 5 and verse number 8 is really what is on my mind. I'll read this first, and then we'll read a couple of verses that precede it, just to sort of show you the context of the verse. Romans 5 and verse number 8. Now, if you've never heard these words before, I want you to listen to what God has for you, because this is tremendous.

Romans 5 verse 8. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Now look at verse number 6. For when we were yet without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely, and that word means with difficulty, for scarcely for a righteous man will one die.

Yet peradventure, that word peradventure means possibly, for a good man, some would even dare to die. But, there it is, but God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Now that's all we're going to read, and we'll look to the Lord to give help with the thoughts that are on our minds.

Wonderful to read verse 8, and to read from the word of God what God is presently doing. Right now, in 2012. Now you might sort of take me to task on that and say, well what are you talking about? It talks in the verse about Christ died for us.

That sounds like a past event. Why are you saying that we are able to understand from verse 8 that we are able to find out what God is presently doing, Saturday, 2012, as we sit here in the Cedar Falls High School. Well you see it's all in the grammar, it's all in the Greek grammar, and it's a wonderful verse.

I want you to notice the third word in verse 8, but God commendeth. Now that's a lovely verse, that's a lovely verb. It's actually in the present tense, that means it's happening right now.

And do you know what the word means? It means to introduce to. It means to place in front of. That's what it means.

Now if you and I were, let's say Murray and I went to visit you at your house and you didn't know me. This gentleman would probably introduce me. He would commend me to you by saying this is Scott McLeod from Canada, we're here to visit you.

So really what's happening in that moment of time is this. Into your focus is coming me. What a privilege to come here tonight and to be able to open the Bible and tell you what God is trying to introduce you to.

It's an event that took place 1900 years ago. Christ died for us. Maybe you sit here and you say, now why would God be presently introducing, commending, placing in front of people in 2012 an event that took place over 1900 years ago? How could possibly an event so far back in the past, how could that affect me in 2012? Because friend, if you understood what happened over 1900 years ago, you'd understand the truth in the verse.

That is when God sent his son into this world to die for our sin. And really in the verse it tells us, but God commended his love. Do you ever think about that for a minute? This tremendous event that took place over 1900 years ago.

It is the greatest display. It's the greatest demonstration. It's the greatest outpouring of God's love for sinners.

Nothing will ever top it. Nothing will ever come close to that event that happened over 1900 years ago. When to normal people they looked upon what they thought was a normal man.

They called him the carpenter. Isn't this the carpenter? Jesus of Nazareth. No friend the Bible tells us he wasn't.

He was God manifested in the flesh. We heard about the birth of the Lord Jesus this afternoon in ministry. And what a tremendous day it was.

When into this world, into time, the Son of God stepped from eternity. With a tremendous goal, a purpose, a desire. What was that? To die for your sin.

To answer to God for your sin. To enable God to offer the forgiveness of sins to whosoever will may come. It's not a wonder I get excited when I preach the gospel.

Because I am directing people to the greatest display. That's what I want you to get a hold of. What happened over 1900 years ago.

When God sent his Son to die for our sins on that lone hill of Calvary. Outside the city of Jerusalem. God has not sat down after that event and said, Oh, if I only would have done that.

You know, sometimes when we do stuff. And maybe we discover later months down the road. Oh, if I only had that piece of tool, I could have done a much better job.

Or if I only had that little bit of information, I could have done a super job. And then based on what you presently know, you look back and you say, Oh, what I thought was wonderful. What I thought was great.

It's kind of a letdown. Listen, listen, listen. The heart of God has been absolutely satisfied for over 1900 years.

There hasn't been a moment, friend. There hasn't been a flicker. There hasn't been a thought that coursed across the mind of God over the past 1900 years.

Where he all of a sudden said, Oh, I wish I would have done that. To show my love greater. Friend, listen.

That tremendous event that took place. What the world celebrated a week and a day ago called Good Friday. As the eastern sun began to rise over those Judean hills.

And there was bound an individual called Jesus of Nazareth. It wasn't an accident. He wasn't a martyr.

He wasn't a victim. He was the ultimate. The ultimate sacrifice.

The ultimate demonstration, display, outpouring of just how much God loves you. And nothing. It wouldn't matter if you add on infinitum.

And you project your mind 10,000 years down the road. You project your mind a million years down the road. Nothing will ever eclipse.

Nothing will ever overshadow, friend. The greatest display of God's love for your soul. You want to know why, friend? Because a soul, a sinner that dies in their sins.

They go to an awful place called hell. An awful place called hell. And God so loves you.

He doesn't want to see you go there. So God has unshackled everything, alright? He's come out with the best. He's done everything that is required.

What a tremendous thing. I look over this audience tonight. I preach to many different people all over the place.

I don't need to know your background, friend. I don't even need to know your name. Nice to know your name.

Nice to get to know you after the Gospel meeting. But I don't need to know that. I know you have the greatest problem that you haven't faced yet.

It's your sin. I know that God is the only one that can meet that need. I can't do it.

This man can't do it. All of us all put together, friend, cannot answer or meet the need of your soul. Friend, you need to be saved.

You don't need to be saved for heaven. You need to be saved from hell. That's important to see that distinction.

Christ is going to take me to heaven. The work of Christ is going to take me from heaven. But, friend, even the very words that God uses.

Saved. Saved from what? Oh, friend, listen. I'll freely admit to you that I do not have the verbal ability.

I do not have the intellect to be able to describe to you what it means to die in your sins and lift up your eyes in a real place called hell. I'm unable. This world, be it the social system, be it the entertainment system, be it the religious system, be it whatever system it might be, they can try to spiritualize hell.

They can try to say that it's figurative. They can try to say that God is just using graphical words to sort of convey to us a spiritual truth. No, friend.

Hell is a real place with real flames, real torment. And, friend, that is where every sinner will go if they die in their sins. If they go by the greatest display of God's love and they just keep going on in this world saying, I don't believe there's a God.

I believe just in what I see before my eyes. Friend, could I please get your ear tonight? There's more to life than just the tick of that clock. There's more to life than just a good career.

There's more to life than money. How delightful to hear these young men stand up and tell you how they discovered true peace with God. Able to look up to heaven and not with some mystical nonsense going through their heads.

Not a hope so, maybe so, but to be able to lift your eyes heavenward and know that God is up there. And God loves me. And God sent his son to die for me.

And I can call God my savior. Friend, I'm 46 years of age. April the 4th, just last month.

The year was 1990. I was 24 years of age. I understood.

Yes, when Jesus died, he died for my sin. Yes, that is the capstone of all of God's dealings. I find it delightful in the verse.

You know, but God. That's really the two words I'm thinking of. But God.

You ever sometimes, you're reading an article, right? Or a paragraph or a sentence or whatever. And all of a sudden, everything. And all of a sudden, but.

It almost like it wakes you up. Because the whole focus of the sentence or the paragraph or the whole thing is going to change. But it just swings it right around.

What did we read right before it? There are people out in that world. And maybe because they're not thinking at the moment. They see a child in danger.

And it's going to be hit. And they rush to push the child out of the way. And boom, they're hit.

They're killed. Because that child has potential. Maybe there's people that do the security guards for your president here.

And those men are sworn to what? I'll take a bullet for that man. He's a good man. I'll take a bullet for him.

They're willing to lay their life down for what? Someone they deem to be good. Helpful to society. Look what the verse says.

But God commendeth his love toward us. In that while we were yet sinners. Not righteous.

Not good. But an open rebellion to God. That's what the word sinner means.

Going against the laws of God. Saying no to God. God, I don't need your laws.

I'm going to live my life the way I want to live. I'm going to fly in the face of all of your laws, God. Because I don't care about God.

While we were yet sinners. Here we are, the greatest display of our rebellion. The way we're born into this world.

It's almost like we're just spewing out wickedness toward God. Is God vindictive? No. God looks down.

Look down. And he saw the wickedness of the human heart. He saw the anger, the hatred that was in that heart.

And God looked over at his son. His only son. The only begotten son of God.

And encapsulated in that person. Is all of God's love. All of his thoughts.

Everything is in his son. And he looks up at this world. And it wasn't a, it wasn't a, oh whatever, I'll send him.

Oh no. It wasn't something that he had to sit down and agonize and go. Oh, I really don't want to send him.

But I really love those people. Such is the love of God for you, friend. That he willingly.

Gladly. Sent him to die for your sin. Friend, that's why hell is going to be an awful place of torment.

We're not dealing with an accident. Where the son of God accidentally left heaven. No, no, no.

This Bible from cover to cover. Is just packed full. Purpose.

Need I remind you from this book, dear friend. Whether you are familiar with the gospel that we're preaching or not. Even before there was air.

Even before there was a sun. An S-U-N. Even before there were planets.

Even before there were angels. It was all in the mind of God. To send his son to die for our sin.

That's why it's so tremendous when you're reading this. But God. Man, it should just, should just jump off the page and smack you.

Oh, what's going on here? But God. Commended. What a privilege you have tonight, friend.

You say, well, you Canadians are some cocky. Not at all. What a privilege.

To come and hear from the Bible. That the almighty God is placing in front of you. Salvation.

All wrapped up in his son. What a thing to be introduced to. You ever sometimes go through the mall and they're always passing things out to you.

50% off this, big deal. All these sort of things. They're just trying to get you.

It's a gimmick. There's no gimmick to this friend. God is not saying, well, you know, I'm just going to kind of scare them with hell.

I'm going to give them a little bit of religion. No. Friend, hell is real.

And sin is real. It matters not to me what this world says is sin that I go to this book. Whether people want to acknowledge God, I go to this book.

Bible tells me God is. Bible tells me that I will meet God. You know, I was thinking of a few other verses.

I was thinking of the verse in Luke 16. This is how it terrifies. But God knoweth the heart.

You look respectable to me, friend. I can't look into your heart. I can't look into your mind.

I don't know what you've done in the quietness of the night or in the privacy of your room or in some of these wicked places around this world. I don't know what you've done, but I can tell you this. But God knoweth your heart.

God knows everything that's in your heart. God knows everything you're capable of doing. God knows all of those low, down, deep thoughts.

He knows them all. And in spite of it all, but God commendeth his love toward us. My sakes, what a God.

I tell you, I say it again. I never tire preaching the gospel. This body is going to wear out before I'm tired preaching the gospel.

This voice box will wear out because I cannot, after being saved for 22 years, I cannot yet understand why would God love me? Why? I don't even know what's in my own heart. I'm totally blind to what I'm capable of, but not to God. We think we're pretty good.

But friend, you've got to look into this Bible. This Bible tells me that the heart is crooked. Permanently crooked to evil.

This Bible tells me the heart of man is deceitful above all things. Yes, even above the devil. Oh, someone says, my land, does that fellow up there not know who he's speaking to? I'm a refined individual.

I go to church on Sunday. We'll praise the Lord. I give money to the poor.

We'll praise the Lord. But friend, if you're ever going to be in heaven, you need to understand why did God so demonstrate His love? Why did it take such a majestic person called the Son of God, the eternal Son of God? Why did God allow men to hang Him up on a cross? Why was the Son of the Light shut off? And the wrath of God poured out like a torrent, a mighty torrent upon His Son. Why? God is showing us just how terrible our sin is.

Last week, I was in the barber shop before I came here. You wonder why I need to go to the barber, but anyway, she's going quick. But anyway, she just does a whole bunch of scissor actions, and I pay him 15 bucks for that.

But anyway, listen, I was in the barber shop, and the man that was cutting my hair, I know him quite well. He came up to one meeting that Marie and myself had. He's very interested in salvation, but he's playing with it.

He's just playing around with it, all right? It's nice how God can clear out a whole entire barber shop, and there's just you and the barber. And you start loading the guns and giving it to him, because you don't know how soon someone's going to walk in for another haircut. Anyways, another gentleman came in, and I was out of the chair, and he made this comment to me.

He said, isn't tomorrow a good day, Scott? Right in front of this older gentleman. And I didn't quite get what he was getting at. And the gentleman, the older gentleman sitting in the chair said, Oh, are you religious, Kenny? Tomorrow's Good Friday.

And then the old brain picked up then, and I said, It's the best day of the year. It's the day the Lord Jesus Christ died for my sin. And the older man in the chair was like, Man, that's a true thing to know, friend.

That's not some religious story, eh? That they just sort of talk about inside church buildings. That's a real thing. I think we should every day, we should probably every Friday, we should stop for a minute and go, Hey, it was a Friday.

The Son of God literally died on a cross for my sin. But I'll tell you what, I'll go one further. Praise God for Sunday, Resurrection Sunday.

Because I'll tell you right now from this book, A dead Savior is no good to nobody. All right? If God had left him in the tomb, we'd have nothing to say. But friend, just as real as his death is, There was the man Christ Jesus, according to this Bible, I believe it with all my heart, He lay absolutely cold and still in death.

And from the other side of eternity, Sunday morning, He just simply once again stepped across that boundary line into time and back into that body. And up from the grave he arose! Triumphant! And friend, there's a living Savior. And you know what God's trying to do? He's trying to place that in front of you.

What are you doing? Not now. Not now. How much longer do you think God's going to put it in front of you? I think it's a tremendous thing.

The older I get, I'm not that old yet, but the older I get, When I hear people tell how they got saved, And as you preach the gospel, And you start to see people being dealt with by God, I think that's a miracle. What a miracle. I can't describe it.

Why God would take time to deal with wicked sinners. I don't understand it. And what a delightful thing when God starts to speak to a sinner, And they start to become conscious of their sin.

Oh friend, if you could just get a hold of that tonight. I could preach here until I'm blue in the face, And tell you how much God loves you, And how great the Son of God is, But friend, if you're not willing to face your sin. That's what I had to face 24 years ago, At the age of 24, sorry.

22 years ago. I didn't want to face it. I thought I was somehow just a little bit better than everybody else.

And certainly God is going to look upon me, And he's going to just sort of take me into heaven. No friend. Such is our sin.

So horrific. That it took the Son of God, Through much pain, much suffering, much agony. He literally died for my sin.

You know what God is doing? Right tonight. You're here, you're listening. God is presently putting that in front of you.

That's God's design for the gospel. It's not the power of God that's going to save you. It's not me up here telling you about the mighty power of God in creation, That's going to save you.

God's ultimate number one thing, That he wants to put in front of everybody, Is the death of his Son. That's the answer for sin, friend. I think it's tremendous when I was over in Israel nearly 8 years ago, And they took us out to that little garden, Outside the northern gate of Jerusalem.

Gordon's Calvary. What a thing, To look over to what they say is Skull Hill, And to think, Over 1,900 years ago, Not just blood, Okay? Not just average, normal, human blood. Sinless perfection, okay? All wrapped up in Christ Jesus, the eternal Son of God.

His blood fell onto this ground, For my sin. Oh friend, it's a tremendous thing to be saved. If you haven't caught that yet, you're sleeping.

If you can't get a hold of the excitement, I'm just bursting here ready to go. I feel like shouting hallelujah. Wonderful thing, To know you're going to be in heaven when you die.

Recently, I may as well tell you at 46, I had a little bit of trouble with my hiatus hernia. Putting pressure on my heart. Every now and again, my heart will just start to race.

No fear. I'll just be in heaven if it stops. What? Why is that terrible? That's wonderful.

Friend, you can know that tonight. Maybe I'm preaching to someone tonight, and you came in, and your heart is heavy. And just like we've been hearing, you're trying to figure it all out.

Can I give you some help? Stop trying to believe it. Stop trying to analyze it. Stop trying to figure it out.

Stop trying to add it up like a formula. 1 plus 1 equals 2. I'm this, God did this, this equals this. Just let a thought run through your mind.

If God was to put me in hell tonight, would he be right? If God was to send me to hell tonight forever, would he be right? Absolutely. You get to that point, and it won't take too long to say, Oh God, save me! Deliver me! Rescue me! And what God has been putting right in front of you all along. I love to think of it.

The moment I got saved, no one had to tell me to believe it. I didn't need a coach beside me. I didn't need somebody going over, Now put your name in the verse.

The minute I understood I'm going to hell, that's where God wanted me. I like preaching with this man, because I don't like putting words in people's mouth. And I don't like talking to sinners too long.

I like getting them to the Bible. You realize that thing that you're holding in your lap? Eternal life. It's not in my words.

It's not in my crafty sentences. It's not in my preaching. As weak as it is, it's in the word of God.

It's what God says about his son. It's what's recorded in us, in all different languages. Isn't it tremendous to think? You can go all across this world.

Everybody has the same problem. Sin. Sin.

Sinners. And the son of God who died, he's able to save every single one of them. I was enjoying that just tonight.

With this I'll sit down. I was reading through 1 Timothy chapter 2. What a delightful passage. The Bible says this, God takes delight in people, Christians, praying for the salvation of all men.

That's tremendous. That ought to liven up your prayer meetings. To actually think that someone is listening to our prayers.

And God is in heaven, and here's an individual praying. I wonder if you've been prayed for tonight. I think you have.

And God's heart is delighted. Why? Because his son shed his blood. He can save everybody.

There's not a person you can't bring into your mind, be he a king or a beggar on the street, that the blood of Christ can't cleanse. There's not a dictatorship all across the sands of time, no matter how many millions they've killed. There's not a person that is beyond the reach of the death of Christ, the blood of Christ.

It's not beyond the power of God to break into their life. Do you realize, friend, the worst criminal America has ever seen? God has been placing the death of his son, the demonstration of his love, right in front of them. There's not a man, not a woman, not a boy, not a girl, on the face of this earth that God hasn't taken time to introduce to the greatest display of his love.

Do you know how many people ignore it? Nope. I'm going to try to do it myself. Oh, friend, please listen to me.

If you push away what God is placing in front of you, do you know the only thing that's left? Hell and destruction and for all eternity. There's nothing else. God can't do anything else once a sinner refuses to take the death of Christ.

Nothing else can be done. And I wish that would grip a hold of you tonight. I could go to bed tonight in my sins and I'll never see that sun rise tomorrow morning, but I will see the flames of hell.

Please, friend, listen. Accept what God is placing in front of you and go home rejoicing in God's salvation.