DELIVERED, CRUCIFIED, RAISED, EXALTED

BY W. F. BELL

In Acts 2:22-36 the central message of Christ is clearly outlined for us by Simon Peter.  Four words are at the heart of this message: delivered, crucified, raised, exalted.  Nothing greater could ever be proclaimed!  The Lord of glory came to earth to do His Father's will (John 6:38), and after accomplishing it (John 17:4), "Jesus the Son of God" returned to heaven in triumph (Hebrews 1:3; 4:14).  He was not frustrated in the least in what He came to do.

Peter says, "Hear these words," so let us do so with joy.  "Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you."  A just and righteous approval of a wonderful life; a perfect life, for Jesus "knew no sin."  "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God."  What?  Yes, though without sin, "delivered" by divine purpose and predestination.  Why?  "Ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain."  So, the cross was no accident; it was not just a human murder.  There was purpose and reason behind it.  Note carefully, Jehovah "delivered" His Son, but wicked men "crucified" Him.

But Peter goes on to say, "Whom God raised up."  Don't pass that so quickly.  Death upon the cross for Jesus was gory, and His burial was gloomy, but glory was to follow, for we read, "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses."  "Raised up!"  What glorious words, filled with hope.  Christ was not left in "hades" (the grave), and His body saw no "corruption."  He arose!  He arose the Victor!  "It was not possible that He should be held" in Joseph's new tomb.  Note, "not possible."  David foretold of the Messiah's victory over death (Psalm 16:8-11).  David himself "saw corruption" (Acts 13:36), but not the Christ of God!

Now we enter the heavenly throne-room.  The Lord "ascended" to His Father's right hand, never to die again.  "Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted."  "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him" (Philippians 2:9).  Yes, "highly exalted."  He reigns triumphant over all, now!  "Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come" (Ephesians 1:21).  Note, not just "above," but "far above."

Peter concludes his message: "God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."  Here is where sinners must bow!  Though Christ was crucified, He is now forever exalted.  We do not "make" Him "Lord," but we do humbly acknowledge that He already is "crowned with glory and honor" (Hebrews 2:9).  Yes indeed, "crowned" already!  So, poor sinners come in contrition, and gladly worship the exalted Christ!  And with Charles Wesley, all of God's elect people gratefully sing,

Christ, the Lord, is risen today!...
Love's redeeming work is done!...
Lives again our glorious King!...
Hail the Lord of earth and heaven!...
Thee we greet, triumphant now!

JOHN BUNYAN, THE TINKER OF BEDFORD

BY CHARLES WOODRUFF

John Bunyan (1628-1688) was born into a poor English family near Bedford in the parish of Elstow, Bedfordshire , England. After some formal schooling, he became a tinker by trade. We may call such a trade "a handyman" today. He repaired all sorts of things, mostly for poor people who couldn't afford new items. After serving in the Parliamentary Army, and living an ungodly life, Bunyan came under powerful conviction for his sins.He believed that God was speaking audibly to him. The voice had said: "Wilt thou leave thy sins and go to heaven or have thy sins and go to hell?" There were several years of struggle, and seeking light from God. Like Paul, he saw himself as the "chief of sinners". When he was converted, he was baptized in St. Johns Church  (a non-conformist church, which was baptist, immersing repentant sinners). Bunyan began to preach there in1655. This was in an era of turmoil in England. The state church (Church of England, i.e., Anglican) opposed all others, and especially the Puritans and Baptists, of which John Bunyan had, in the best sense, become both. He was a strict non-conformist, and had been immersed.

The next year (1656), he wrote his first of many books Some Gospel Truths.  Ultimately, after the Restoration of the monarchy in England, Bunyan was jailed for preaching without a license. The monarchy had put the Anglicans back in power, and persecution against other churches increased.

John Bunyan wound up spending 12 years in the Bedford prison, with some short releases during that time. But, because he refused to conform  to the statutes of the Anglicans he could not be licensed, therefore he remained imprisoned most of those 12 years. During that time in jail, he wrote his best known book Pilgrims Progress, an allegory of the Christian life. That book is still a good seller. In earlier times, it was the best selling book in the world, other than  the Bible. In these apostate times, his books are still valuable, having been reprinted many times. Most are available online.
http://www.monergism.com/free_online_books.php    and in print as three large volumes. Many of his individual books are still in print as well.  I recommend to you, after first reading Pilgrims Progress, read Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, which is Bunyan's autobiography. The try The Holy War. All of his work is in 17th century English (like the King James Version). If that troubles you too much, Pilgrims Progress and some of the others are available in modern English versions. Check Amazon, or Monergism.


Now a few short Bunyan quotes to further whet your appetite for this godly writer.

“He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find him the rest of the day” John Bunyan

"Temptations, when we first meet them, are like a lion that roared at Samson; but if we overcome them, the next time we see them we shall find a nest of honey within them."  John Bunyan

“You can do more than pray, after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed”   John Bunyan

“He that is down needs fear no fall, He that is low, no pride”  John Bunyan

“If you have sinned, do not lie down without repentance; for the want of repentance after one has sinned makes the heart yet harder and harder” John Bunyan

“No child of God sins to that degree as to make himself incapable of forgiveness” John Bunyan 

"One leak will sink a ship: and one sin will destroy a sinner." John Bunyan   

"Words easy to be understood do often hit the mark; when high and learned ones do only pierce the air." John Bunyan 

HIS BY PURCHASE- THOMAS BROOKS

I am His by purchase and I am His by conquest; I am His by donation and I am His by election; I am His by covenant and I am His by marriage; I am wholly His; I am peculiarly His; I am universally His; I am eternally His. Once I was a slave but now I am a son; once I was dead but now I am alive; once I was darkness but now I am light in the Lord;...
 

once I was a child of wrath, an heir of hell, but now I am an heir of heaven; once I was Satan's bond-servant but now I am God's freeman; once I was under the spirit of bondage but now I am under the Spirit of adoption that seals up to me the remission of my sins, the justification of my person and the salvation of my soul.

WHY SALVATION MUST BE SUPERNATURAL

 

BY STEPHEN CHARNOCK

Charnock  was one of the great puritan preachers. He is known best in our time for his powerful  Existence and Attributes of God, and Christ Our Passover. Recently Banner of Truth has reprinted all his books in one set, as they do so well. Money being tight just now, you can also find many of them online at Monergism.com until, and if we ever have money again. Here, read this great article by him.

The insufficiency of nature to such a work as conversion is, shows that men may not fall down and idolize their own wit and power. A change from acts of sin to moral duties may be done by a natural strength and the power of natural conscience: for the very same motives which led to sin, as education, interest, profit, may, upon a change of circumstances, guide men to an outward morality; but a change to the contrary grace is
supernatural.
 
Two things are certain in nature. 
(1.) Natural inclinations never change, but by some superior virtue. A loadstone will not cease to draw iron, while that attractive quality remains in it. The wolf can never love the lamb, nor the lamb the wolf; nothing but must act suitably to its nature. Water cannot but moisten, fire cannot but burn. So likewise the corrupt nature of man being possessed with an invincible contrariety and enmity to God, will never suffer him to comply with God. And the inclinations of a sinner to sin being more strengthened by the frequency of sinful acts, have as great a power over him, and as natural to him, as any qualities are to natural agents: and being stronger than any sympathies in the world, cannot by a man’s own power, or the power of any other nature equal to it, be turned into a contrary channel.
 
(2.) Nothing can act beyond its own principle and nature. Nothing in the world can raise itself to a higher rank of being than that which nature has placed it in; a spark cannot make itself a star, though it mount a little up to heaven; nor a plant endue itself with sense, nor a beast adorn itself with reason; nor a man make himself an angel. Thorns cannot bring forth grapes, nor thistles produce figs because such fruits are above the nature of those plants. So neither can our corrupt nature bring forth grace, which is a fruit above it. Effectus non
excedit virtutem suae causae [the effect cannot exceed the power of its cause]: grace is more excellent than nature, therefore cannot be the fruit of nature. It is Christ’s conclusion, “How can you, being evil, speak good things?” Matt. 12:33, 34.  

Not so much as the buds and blossoms of words, much less the fruit of actions. They can no more change their natures, than a viper can do away with his poison. Now though this I have said be true, yet there is nothing man does more affect in the world than a self-sufficiency, and an independence from any other power but his own. This attitude is as much riveted in his nature, as any other false principle whatsoever. For man does derive it from his first parents, as the prime legacy bequeathed to his nature: for it was the first thing uncovered in man at his fall; he would be as God, independent from him. Now God, to cross this principle, allows his elect, like Lazarus, to lie in the grave till they stink, that there may be no excuse to ascribe their resurrection to their own power. If a putrefied rotten carcass should be brought to life, it could never be thought that it inspired itself with that active principle. God lets men run on so far in sin, that they do unman themselves, that he may proclaim to all the world, that we are unable to do anything of ourselves towards our
recovery, without a superior principle. The evidence of which will appear if we consider,
 
1. Man’s subjection under sin. He is “sold under sin,” Rom. 7:14, and brought “into captivity to the law of sin,” ver. 23. “Law of sin:” that sin seems to have a legal authority over him; and man is not only a slave to one sin, but many, Tit. 3:3, “serving divers lusts.” Now when a man is sold under the power of a thousand lusts, every one of which has an absolute tyranny over him, and rules him as a sovereign by a law; when a man is thus bound by a thousand laws, a thousand cords and fetters, and carried whither his lords please, against the dictates of his own conscience and force of natural light; can any man imagine that his own power can rescue him from the strength of these masters that claim such a right to him, and keep such a force upon him, and have so often baffled his own strength, when he attempted to turn against them?
 
2. Man’s affection to them. He does not only serve them, but he serves them, and every one of them, with delight and pleasure; Tit. 3:3. They were all pleasures, as well as lusts; friends as well as lords. Will any man leave his sensual delights and such sins that please and flatter his flesh? Will a man ever endeavour to run away from those lords which he serves with affection? having as much delight in being bound a slave to these lusts, as the devil has in binding him. Therefore when you see a man cast away his pleasures, deprive himself of those comfortable things to which his soul was once knit, and walk in paths contrary to corrupt nature, you may search for the cause anywhere, rather than in nature itself. No piece of dirty, muddy clay can form itself into a neat and handsome vessel; no plain piece of timber can fit itself for the building, much less a crooked one. Nor a man that is born blind, give himself sight.
 
God deals with men in this case as he did with Abraham. He would not give Isaac while Sarah’s womb, in a natural probability, might have borne him; but when her womb was dead, and age had taken away all natural strength of conception, then God gives him; thatit might appear that he was not a child of nature, but a child of promise.
(From The Chief of Sinners Saved which I  selected from Fire and Ice.)

VANCE HAVNER'S HUMOR

(Some more good sayings of Vance Havner, compiled by W. F. Bell. This time humorous).

We looked recently at the man Vance Havner (1901-1986) and some of his powerful insights into the gospel and related truths. Here we look at a few things with humor in them. But remember, when Havner used humor it was not like worldly people do. For Havner, to speak with humor was to put across a spiritual message. You don't have to read him long before noticing the special gift he had for this. Christ is still central.

IMPROVING OLD ADAM
"We are trying to make the gospel acceptable to man as he is. The church becomes an Old Adam Improvement Society. The rich young ruler would be gladly received today, with no questions asked and no sacrifice required."

ABSENT OR PRESENT?
"Some church members tell us that they will be absent in body but present in spirit -- one has a spooky feeling of preaching to ghosts! Then there are those who are present in body but absent in spirit. I'm not sure which crowd I'd rather preach to."

WHOOPING, HOLLERING, MISGUIDED
"Rip Van Winkle slept through a revolution. When he fell asleep, George III was ruler of America. When he woke up, George Washington was President of the United States. Rip didn't know what had happened. He started whooping it up for the King and almost got into trouble. He was hollering for the wrong George! Not a few misguided souls are doing just that today."

IDEAL ENVIRONMENT?
"Ideal environment does not guarantee perfect performance. After all, Adam was in Paradise when he fell! The New Testament was not written on vacation; much of it was penned in jail. Paul was not resting at a pleasure resort when he wrote the Epistles. The Pilgrim's Progress was not put together in a villa on the French Riviera."

MYSTICS OR MISTAKES?
"Some of the old mystics were really mistakes. They tried to be more saintly by hiding in caves. Living in a hole never made anybody holier."

TOUGH HIDES, SOFT HEARTS
"A preacher should have the mind of a scholar, the heart of a child, and the hide of a rhinoceros. His problem is how to toughen his hide without hardening his heart."

GOD'S HOOT OWL
"Better to be God's hoot owl than the devil's mocking bird."

DUMB DOGS
"The Bible speaks of false prophets as 'dumb dogs, they cannot bark' (Isaiah 56:10). That is one D. D. degree I don't want."

OLD BERT
"On the farm of my boyhood days, we had an old horse named Bert. I observed that Bert never seemed enthusiastic when we started out in the morning, for he knew that a hard day's work lay ahead. But, believe it or not, in the late afternoon, when by all odds Bert should have been tired, he climbed the old hill back to the barn with amazing alacrity. I have often reflected that if an old horse knows when he is headed home and joyfully treads his way at sundown, should not we pilgrims of earth, who seek a City (Hebrews 11:10,14), walk liveliest when we near the other side?"

"Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come." Hebrews 13:12-14

"How sad shall be the days in store,
When voice and vision come no more."
Often quoted by Havner

VANCE HAVNER AND HIS WISDOM

BY W.F. BELL

I have a large picture of Vance Havner hanging on the wall of my study. Evidently taken at his home, he is seated with an open Bible in his hand, with a slight grin. Havner (1901-1986) was like Peter and John, having much "boldness," and also like them, when it was said the religious leaders of their day "took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus" (Acts 4:13). An apt description of Havner! How we miss such preachers as this North Carolina prophet. As we note here some of Vance Havner's wisdom, the big question we must ask ourselves is, Does the world take knowledge of us that we too have "been with Jesus"? Combining his country upbringing with his "open Bible," Havner's true wisdom came from "Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God" (I Corinthians 1:24). May Christ fill our lives with His wisdom also.

SANCTIFIED COMMON SENSE
"The plainest man who is right with God will make decisions by sanctified common sense that PhD's will never arrive at."

RELIGIOUS SHOP-TALK
"When I listen to the shop-talk in religious gatherings, when I watch the scramble for top seats in the synagogue, when I behold the wire-pulling and politicking for posh pastorates, I cannot make the modern tune fit the Bible words."

CHRIST AND CHRISTIANS
"The issue is Christ. Not the Christ of modernism -- that is a false Christ. Not the Christ of party -- simply Jesus Christ Himself. To know Him and to make Him known, that is enough. The New Testament speaks of being called Christians -- there is our name."

AMAZED OR AMUSED?
"Once we stood amazed at worship in the presence of the Lord. Now a generation bred on entertainment wants to sit amused. What was once an experience has become a performance and the church must put on a show."

SPECTATORS, NOT PARTICIPANTS
"Americans are a generation of spectators. They sit, thousands strong, in a football stadium. Then they go to the movies and thrill to the sham of Hollywood. On Sunday some of them go to church, and once again they are spectators before whom the minister is expected to perform. Many of them have no more intention of doing anything about the sermon than they intend to act out the movies. They are spectators, not participants."

CORNBREAD AND MILK
"On the little farm where I grew up we kept a cow and mother milked the cow each late afternoon. The wood thrush was always at his best at that time and mother called him the milking-time bird. How sweet his vespers as I, a hungry little country boy, waited for my supper of cornbread and milk! A lot of water has run under the bridge since then. This young generation never heard of milking time; they know only about milk in cartons."

Precious memories, how they linger!
How they ever flood my soul!

TRUE GRACE--JONATHON EDWARDS

(Jonathon Edwards is known for being perhaps the greatest theologian in American history. He was instrumental in the great Awakening in New England. He was a preacher famous for preaching "Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God". This was a sermon that moved many, and which God was pleased to use to bring many to Himself. We likely will place it here soon. here is a smaller, but profound quote for you.)

Though true grace has various degrees, and there are some that are but babes in Christ, in whom the exercise of the inclination and will, towards divine and heavenly things, is comparatively weak; yet everyone that has the power of godliness in his heart, has his inclinations and heart exercised towards God
and divine things, with such strength and vigor that these holy exercises do prevail in him above all carnal or natural affections, and are effectual to overcome them: for every true disciple of Christ "loves him above father or mother, wife and children, brethren and sisters, houses and lands: yea, than his own life."