Turn to the back of your Psalter hymnal to page 42 in the back of the Psalter hymnal. This evening, we will be looking at Lord's Day 31 of the Heidelberg Catechism, particularly question 84. But for some context, let us recite question and answer 83 and 84. So page 42 in the back of the Psalter hymnal. Congregation, what are the keys of the kingdom? The preaching of the Holy Gospel and Christian discipline toward repentance. Both preaching and discipline open the Kingdom of Heaven to believers and close it to unbelievers. How does preaching the Gospel open and close the Kingdom of Heaven? According to the command of Christ, the Kingdom of Heaven is opened by proclaiming, publicly declaring to each and every believer that as often as he accepts the gospel promise in true faith, God, because of what Christ has done, truly forgives all his sins. The kingdom of heaven is closed, however, by proclaiming and publicly declaring to unbelievers and hypocrites That as long as they do not repent, the anger of God in eternal condemnation rests on them. God's judgment, both in this life and in the life to come, is based on this gospel testimony. And would you now open your Bibles with me to the book of Romans. The book of Romans. Romans chapter 9. As we consider question and answer 84 of the Heidelberg Catechism, we will be looking at Romans 9, verse 30 through 10, verse 17. Romans 9, verse 30 through 10, verse 17. But before it is preached, let us first read it in its entirety. Romans 9, verse 30. Let us hear God's Word. What shall we say then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it. That is, a righteousness that is by faith. But that Israel, who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness, did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith. But as if it were based on works, they have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written. Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame. Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, do not say in your heart who will ascend into heaven, that is to bring Christ down, or who will descend into the abyss, that is to bring Christ up from the dead. But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. That is the word of faith that we proclaim. Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame, for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. The same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But how are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news! For they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us? So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ. Let's go before our Lord in prayer. Heavenly Father, we come before You this evening longing to hear Your voice. We ask now that Your Spirit would illuminate our hearts, that we would be truly convicted over the sinfulness of our sin and be driven to the feet of Jesus our Savior. Father, we pray that Your Word would be living and active, piercing even to the deepest recesses of our hearts. May it go forth and fall on ears ready to hear, accomplishing all that for which you send it. And may you, the Son and the Holy Spirit, receive all glory now and forever. Amen. On a hot summer day in the middle of August 1945, news broke forth, news that shook the world. The Japanese agreed to the terms of the Potsdam Declaration. thereby surrendering to the Allies and ending World War II. When the news of this spread across the Pacific, joy erupted on the streets of America. In fact, perhaps many of you have seen the footage of men and women linking arm in arm and embracing as they go through the streets and raising the American flag, rejoicing in what was perhaps the happiest day of their lives up to that point. Even today, we still celebrate this event, VJ Day, victory over Japan. And as we look fondly upon that day in our nation's history, we don't often call to mind, however, that this was not a happy day for everyone, particularly the people of Japan. Whereas America rejoiced over this news of Japan's surrender, the people of Japan mourned and lamented this news, the same news. On that same day in August, there are reports of weeping in the streets and mass suicides. It was an incredible time of lamentation. News often has this effect, doesn't it, depending on those who hear it. News can often bring joy as well as sadness, pleasure as well as pain. In Scripture, we are confronted by news, by events that occurred 2,000 years ago concerning the person and work of Jesus Christ. In Scripture, we also see that this news was spread by newsies, by men who were appointed to testify to this news and to spread this news to every tribe, nation, and tongue. And yet we also see that though this news was received by those to whom it was given, it was not always received as good news. In fact, just a cursory reading of Acts reveals that there were mixed reactions to this news. It was often received with incredible animosity as well as favor. And beloved, we know the painful truth that this has not changed today. Though, as Paul says, the righteousness of God has been revealed in Christ. And though this news has gone out and continues to go out as it is preached in all the earth, not all men believe it. Indeed, as the gospel continues to pour forth from pulpits across the world, this message has a two-pronged effect. Essentially, it elicits two kinds of reactions from people. Reactions that are seen in our text in Romans 9 and 10. There are those who believe as a result of this message of the gospel and are ushered into the kingdom of God. and there are those who disbelieve, those who reject this good news. And the kingdom of God is shut to them. As V.J. Day elicited two kinds of reactions, those who believe the news of the gospel have their sins forgiven and are welcomed into God's kingdom. And those who reject it are shut out of the kingdom. Indeed, our Scripture text this evening makes this clear. In this text, Paul says that though the righteousness of God has clearly been revealed in the Gospel and is continuing to be revealed through the vehicle of preaching, there is a two-pronged effect of this Gospel. That of belief leading to eternal life and rejection leading to condemnation. So, let's examine this text in light of Heidelberg Catechism question and answer 84, doing so under three main points. The first point is the good news of preaching. The second, the objects of preaching. And the third point, the effects of preaching. The good news, the objects, and the effects of preaching. So the first thing we'll consider is the good news of preaching. Here in Romans 9, Paul has been discussing God's sovereign choice over all people, both Jew and Gentile, to foreordain and elect some to eternal life for the sake of the person and work of Christ and others to condemnation. Yet, Paul also makes clear that this sovereign choice of God's does not render men unaccountable. Men are still accountable for their belief or their rejection of the gospel. Indeed, Paul makes clear in verse 27 that because Israel has rejected the gospel that has been proclaimed to them, they cannot be saved. Now, what is this gospel that they have rejected? Well, as Paul has made clear throughout Romans, it is the righteousness of God revealed in Jesus Christ who not only fulfilled all of the standards of the law in His life and death, being declared the truly righteous One upon His ascension, but He has also imputed this righteousness to sinners. And how? How is this imputed? How is this righteousness credited by faith alone in what Christ has accomplished? And in our passage, Paul makes the subject of righteousness one of his main themes. If not the main theme, if you count it, it actually occurs 11 times just in this passage. Righteousness. Here Paul continues his theme that this righteousness, this moral uprightness that is necessary for eternal life is given, not sought for. It is a gift, not wages. As he says in chapter 9, verse 30, the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it. That is, a righteousness by faith. Now kids, you know what it's like on Christmas morning. You wake up, you run downstairs, and you see all the presents under the tree just waiting to be opened. You can even see the boxes with your name on them just screaming to be opened. So, before you go over there and open them, what would happen if before you go over your mom or dad puts out their hand and says, Stop! You know, you really haven't been very good this year. You need to earn those gifts. Until you have a perfect year, a perfect year of obedience, you can't open those gifts. They will sit there and taunt you. You have to earn them. Now, that would never happen, right? Why? You don't need to earn those gifts because they are given freely to you just because your parents love you. It's the nature of a gift. You don't earn it. Gifts are not earned. They are given. Well, Paul is saying that this righteous standing before God is not earned by us. It is not attained through following the Mosaic law. There was a time that it was necessary to follow the Mosaic codes, to take part in the regular feasts, to refrain from going near anything unclean, to go to the temple, take part in the sacrifices. There was a time for all of this. However, Paul states again and again that righteousness before God could not be attained by this law because of the sin that is embedded deeply in the human heart. A sin that was bent on breaking it. It does not matter how clear and accessible the law is. It cannot be fulfilled. Paul makes this clear, beginning in verse 5, chapter 10. He writes, For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, Do not say in your heart who will ascend into heaven, that is to bring Christ down, or who will descend into the abyss, That is to bring Christ up from the dead. But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. That is the word of faith that we proclaim. It is quite interesting what Paul does here. Here Paul quotes verses 12 through 14 of Deuteronomy 30. A passage that on the surface seems to have quite a different purpose than what Paul has here in Romans 10. Or does it? In fact, let me read it for you from Deuteronomy 30, beginning in verse 11. It says, For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven that you should say, Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea that you should say, Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it? But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart so that you can do it. Here, all the way back in Deuteronomy, Moses makes sure beyond all doubt that his people know the law. Throughout Deuteronomy, he commands that the law be engraved on the hearts of every Israelite, parent and child. It is very important to him that the people know this law. In fact, in chapter 31, however, in the next chapter, He commands that the entire law be read aloud every seven years, that they may know it. It is important that they know this law, that they might not lose the blessings that they have been waiting for for hundreds of years, for 400 years in captivity and 40 years wandering through the desert. And in this text, in Deuteronomy 30, he states that they have no excuse if they break this law. It has been brought near to them. They don't need to go to heaven to find it. They don't need to go beyond the sea to find it. They don't need to go on some kind of a treasure hunt to locate this law. No, it's revealed here. And yet, was this enough? Was this enough for Israel? Well, no. In fact, in the next chapter, in chapter 31 of Deuteronomy, God gives an oracle of Israel's future doom. God says that though this law has been made loud and clear in Israel's ears, they will turn aside and be disobedient. They will be an unfaithful wife and they will lose all of the blessings that they have been waiting for as the nations come in and wash them away into captivity. And we know from reading the Old Testament that this comes to pass. Israel plays the harlot and they are carried away as spoil by their enemies, Such tragedy. The law cannot provide what it demands no matter how clear it is. But beloved, it is in this context that Paul quotes this passage from Deuteronomy 30 and says that just as the law was made crystal clear, which was not enough to reconcile them with God, the Gospel has been made equally clear. Here, Paul takes this passage from Deuteronomy and applies it to the Gospel. As he says, do not say in your heart who will ascend into heaven. And then Paul applies it to Christ. That is to bring Christ down. Or who will descend into the abyss. He then applies it to Christ again. That is to bring Christ up from the dead. But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. And then Paul adds, that is the word of faith that we proclaim. Christian, though the law is made crystal clear, it cannot give what it demands and make you righteous before God. But the Gospel can. And it too has been made crystal clear. This is, as Paul says, the word of faith that is proclaimed by the preacher. That God has made Himself near to His people, tabernacling among them in the person of Christ. Beloved, in His perfect obedience throughout His life, in His bearing the wrath of God on behalf of sinners. Sinners like you, He has provided a righteousness that is near. It must be simply believed in, not worked for. It is, as Paul says, in your mouth and in your heart. And what does he mean by that? Well, as he says in verse 9, if you believe in your heart, which leads to a confession of the mouth, that Jesus Christ is Lord and that God has accomplished all that is required on your behalf as Christ rose from the dead, you will be saved. Paul makes this nearness even more apparent in verse 10, saying, For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. You see, it is with the hand of faith, a faith that is expressed in confession, that you receive the righteousness that is required to be right before God, Not the hand that seeks to take this righteousness through works. No, God's righteousness is near. It must simply be received. As the Catechism says, the promise of the Gospel is received by true faith and your sins are really forgiven you by God. Beloved, this is the word of faith that is proclaimed. Because God has brought salvation near to mankind, every preacher can bring it near to you. Because this gospel has been revealed, the preacher can, as the catechism says, declare and publicly testify of it. Indeed, the gospel could not be declared and brought to the ears of the people in the pew unless it had been first revealed in history. Preaching brings near to everyone a gospel that you do not need to go on some kind of treasure hunt to find. You don't need to earn it. You simply receive it. Preaching communicates the good news that salvation has been accomplished in history, that God has come near in Christ and made salvation near to all peoples, Jew and Gentile alike. And this leads to our second point, the objects of preaching. We discussed the good news of preaching. Now, the objects of preaching. Who is preaching for? Who receives this good news? Well, what does Paul say in verses 12 and 13? For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. For the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. So not only has the Gospel been brought near, it has been brought near to all people. As the Catechism says, the Gospel is testified to all. There is no distinction between Jew and Greek, Italian, French, black, white, because there is one Lord. And He is not only the Lord of some, He is not Lord only to those who make Him Lord of their lives. No, He is Lord. He is Lord over all people. Yet, as we said before, God does not bestow His saving grace on all people. For many, this lordship is a terrifying reality. Though God is gracious and benevolent, He is a provider for all of His creatures, graciously giving food, clothing, and money. to all of His creatures, to those who do not call upon this same God for salvation. He is a God of judgment, a God of retribution, who will call them to account for their sins and pay the penalty that is due them. Yet for those who do call upon this Lord for salvation, Paul says that He bestows His riches upon them. Literally, God is rich unto all those who call upon Him. For those who call upon Jesus Christ for salvation, an inheritance awaits you. You see, in the Jews, demanding that their laws be kept, that their ceremonies be performed, demanding this in order to attain righteousness before God, they were actually confining the blessings only to them. Essentially, you had to become a Jew in order to be saved. But what does Paul say? He says that this righteousness has been brought near to all. For it is not by becoming a Jew, by performing the works of the Mosaic law that one is justified. Rather, it is by faith alone. By faith. This makes it free to all. You can see Paul stress this in his pronouns. Saying in verse 11, Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame. Verse 12, For the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him. Verse 13, For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Because the sole instrument of justification is faith, not the works of the law. This salvation is free for all. On VJ Day, the news that the war was over applied to all Americans. It did not matter your race or what state you were from. This news united all Americans together under the same banner. And it did so because of the kind of news it was. Because all America was involved in the same war, sending their husbands and sons into harm's way, the news that the war was over applied to all. In fact, you might remember that snapshot that was taken of the sailor embracing the young nurse in the middle of Times Square. And the story behind that picture is that those two people didn't even know each other. They were strangers. But it was the news that brought them together. And this is what unites us, isn't it? Because we have all been affected by the same curse, the same condemnation that separates us from a holy God, the news that the war is over, that the enemy has been slain, namely the curse of the law. This news is for all of us. For we are all in need of it. And this is why we can all sit together, isn't it? Under the preaching of the Word. Because we are all desperate sinners in need of news. We are all in need of a Savior. We have the same problem. The same fatal disease. A disease for which the Gospel is the only and universal remedy. Perhaps, friend, you feel as if you're too good for this news. You look around the room and say to yourself, I'm not that evil. So-and-so maybe needs this news. I know what he or she struggles with. He or she really needs this, but not me. Well, let me ask you, how have you been treating your wife or your husband or your co-workers or your parents? Have you been completely selfless or have you been selfish? Are you murmuring behind the backs of others? Have you loved your neighbor as you love yourself? Well, I think we could all say that we have not. And this is why we all need this news. Unbeliever, if you have not kept these things, know that your condemnation awaits you. You need this news. It is not too late. Turn to Jesus Christ that you may be saved, for now is the day of salvation. Believer, if you have not kept these things perfectly, you need this news too. What will you do? Where else will you go? Will you look to the law? No, the law cannot produce good works in you any better than it did for Israel. But the Gospel can, and it does. Indeed, our good works are not a performance, are earning God's favor because we rest secure. We rest secure on the finished work of Christ. Because of that, we are able by the Spirit to love our neighbor in gratitude for the salvation that we have received. This news is for you too. This news is for all. Sinner and saint alike. So, we've established this news has been brought near in the person of Christ that is continually brought near as it is preached. But perhaps you're asking yourself, why preaching? What's so special about preaching? Isn't it just a bunch of sound, a bunch of words beating the wind? Is there anything really unique and special about the preached Word? And this leads to our last point, the effects of preaching. We've talked about the good news of preaching, the objects of preaching, and now the effects of preaching. After saying that everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, who trusts in the Lord Jesus will be saved, Paul then steps back a bit and he asks essentially, where does this faith come from? Where does faith come from? Beginning in verse 14 of chapter 10, he says, How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news, but they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us. So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ. Here, Paul traces Christian belief back to its source. What are the ordinary means that God has elected to create faith? Well, he says that first you have to hear it. It has to be communicated to you. Faith in Christ does not come from looking deep within yourself for some inner truth. No, it has to come from outside of you. You must hear it. And then Paul says that in order for it to be heard, it must be spoken by someone. He says, how are they to hear without someone preaching? So it must be proclaimed by someone into your ear. Now, this is remarkable. This is remarkable. So just as the gospel itself must be received by faith, it cannot be worked for, it cannot be earned, it is freely given. So the vehicle of attaining this good news is also that of reception. The medium perfectly fits the message. But Paul doesn't stop here. He says that this preacher must be sent. The preacher must be sent. The preacher must be sent out to do the Lord's work. He is a messenger conveying a message that he himself has received. And the message he carries is not bad news. No, it's good news. To bring this home, Paul quotes from Isaiah 52. Isaiah 52. In the context there, Israel is in captivity. And here the Lord comforts His people, saying that they will be delivered from their enemies. He says in Isaiah 52, beginning in verse 6, Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak. Here I am. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns. So what is Paul doing with this quote? Well, like the messenger who proclaimed the news of Israel's deliverance from their captivity, the preachers in the New Covenant are sent as messengers bearing good news. Yet this news is not brought by the authority of the messenger. No, as Isaiah says, it is I who speak. Here I am. This is what God says. Although in its immediate context this is referring to Israel's deliverance from Babylon, this text is ultimately prophesying of the day when God will speak through the messengers of His Word and bring salvation, bringing life where there was none before. In fact, you might remember the dramatic scene in Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones. In Ezekiel 37, God calls Ezekiel to prophesy to lifeless bones just lying scattered in a valley. He says, Ezekiel, prophesy and raise them to life. Call them to come to life, to come together and have flesh put upon them. So, Ezekiel does it. In the name of the Lord, he calls these bones to come to life. And what does Ezekiel say? And as I prophesied, there was a sound. And behold, a rattling. And the bones came together, bone to its bone. Beloved, this is what occurs when the Gospel is preached. The Word of Christ comes forth through the mouth of the minister and life is created where there was none before. As Paul says, faith comes by hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ. It is through preaching that the doors of the kingdom are flung open and sinners are brought in. As the catechism says, whenever one receives the gospel by true faith when it is preached, his sins are truly forgiven him. When the word of the gospel comes forth from this pulpit and you say amen to it, your sins are forgiven you. This is not a word that beats the wind. when you are declared pardoned for the sake of Christ's merits by God's own authority, you are pardoned. For the Word does not come by the authority of men. It comes by the Word of Christ. And when this Word is spoken, it does not merely describe your salvation. It does not merely describe what Christ has accomplished for you. No, it creates it. This Word brings about a new creation, a new society as faith attaches onto it. Faith attaches onto its object, who is Christ, and says, yes, I believe. And it goes even further. Not only is salvation brought near to you through the preaching of the Gospel, but the instrument of this salvation as well is brought to you. As Paul says, faith comes through hearing. Now, does that sound familiar? Well, it should. It sounds like Heidelberg Catechism question and answer 65. which asks, where does this faith come from? Answer, the Holy Spirit produces faith in our hearts through the preaching of the Holy Gospel and confirms it through the use of the Holy Sacrament. Beloved, every Christian needs to hear the Gospel because every Christian is a sinner. No Christian has an impenetrable faith apart from a regular diet of the Gospel. Question 65, what I just read, is not referring to one sermon the first time that faith is created in your hearts. But a steady diet of gospel preaching throughout the Christian life whereby God comes to preserve you, to sustain you, to keep you well-fed and well-nourished by His Spirit. A word that comes forth and accomplishes all that for which it is sent. What a good God that we serve. Perhaps you come into these doors this evening with sins on your shoulders. and a burden of guilt on your back. Your conscience perhaps giving you an identity crisis, saying to you, you are no Christian. Look at the way you live. Look at the way you just spoke to your husband or wife. You are no Christian. Perhaps you come here with responsibilities weighing you down, sickness plaguing your body, while the Gospel comes to you and declares, you are a Christian. This is your identity. You are united to Christ in body and soul, in life and in death. And the sting of suffering and the condemnation of your sin has been removed by the great physician, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, we also know that not every person does believe this message. Remember we said that the Gospel preached has a two-pronged effect. After all, Paul says in verse 16 that not all obey the Gospel, meaning they reject this news in disbelief. Well, how is it rejected? Well, what does Paul say? How was it rejected by the Jews here in Romans 9 and 10? Well, Paul gives a nice summary of their rejection here at the end of Romans 9, beginning in verse 30. Romans 9, verse 30. What shall we say then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is a righteousness that is by faith, but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone as it is written, Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. And whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame. Paul is saying that the Jews rejected the Gospel because they stumbled over a stone. Now, kids, when you run around in the backyard, sometimes you don't always watch what's on the ground right in front of you. Sometimes your toys are left out, like at my house, or there's a stone in the grass that you can't see, just waiting to trip you up as you run. And sometimes you do get tripped up. Well, Paul is saying here that the stone of unbelief is a person, Christ Himself. Paul quotes Isaiah 28, as he does later, saying, Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, and whoever believes in Him, in Him, will not be put to shame. Jesus is this stone of stumbling. He is this rock of offense. Jesus is offensive to those who do not confess that Jesus is the only way of salvation, that there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. And beloved, it works both ways. Just as the kingdom of heaven is opened to those who truly believe the gospel when it is preached, it is shut to those who reject. As the catechism says, the kingdom of heaven is closed by proclaiming and publicly declaring to unbelievers and hypocrites that as long as they do not repent, the anger of God and eternal condemnation rest on them. In other words, those who reject the Gospel must suffer the curse of the law. There are only two options. Follow the law perfectly, which is impossible, making you subject to its curse. Or trust in Christ. There are only two options. Well, perhaps you say, well, I don't reject Christ. That's kind of harsh. No, I'm just biding my time on the sideline. I'm just here to observe. I'm just here to watch. I'm not going to reject Christ. Just give me a little bit of time. Friend, there are no observers of the Word of Christ. There are only hearers. There are only receivers. You cannot sit on the sidelines. By the Spirit, this Word either opens or shuts the kingdom to all those who hear it. No one is neutral. Everyone receives it. This word is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword. No one is neutral. And when the word goes forth, it accomplishes that for which it is sent. If you do not believe, you reject further sealing your condemnation. And when this declaratory word of condemnation by God's law goes forth from God's mouthpiece in the pulpit, and you refuse to repent and trust in Christ, the Bible says that what is bound on earth is bound in heaven. What is declared here is declared there because it is God but. It is not too late. Now is the day of salvation. Now is the day of deliverance. As Paul grieved in his heart over the unbelief of his fellow Jews in chapter 10, verse 1, desiring that they would be saved, I plead with you now. Now is the day of salvation. Repent of your sins and trust in the personal work of Christ that He lived a perfect life and died a painful death all for the sake of sinners like you and that He was buried and that He rose from the dead victoriously to provide the forgiveness of sins and the righteousness that is required for eternal life and fellowship with God. Friend, this righteousness has been brought near. It has been made clear. It has been revealed in Christ just as I reveal it to you now. Don't trust in your own righteousness. Believer, receive this same Gospel. This same Gospel that goes out to all peoples, all sinners like you and me. Be blessed and encouraged every Lord's Day when the Word of God is preached to you. Look forward to it. Anticipate it when Saturday night comes around. For by these means, God is feeding your soul, nourishing you, sustaining you in this present evil age. Be encouraged that if you receive Christ by the hand of faith, the Bible says that you have your sins forgiven, that the doors of the kingdom are open wide to you, and you are welcomed. Let's pray. Father, we thank You for the sweetness of the Gospel, that though we were yet sinners, Though we did not deserve your favor, Christ died for us. We thank you, Lord, for condescending to us and speaking to us weak and weary pilgrims. We thank you, Lord, for the nourishment of your word and the refreshment that we have received this Lord's day by sitting beside your still waters. Lord, by your Spirit, may your word continue to marinate in our hearts that we might be more and more conformed to the image of your Son, Jesus Christ. And we ask these things in His name. Amen.