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[0:00] Romans 8, 31 and 32. What then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

[0:13] He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

[0:26] Let's rejoice as we hear this word preached. Amen. Please open there as we'll be coming back to this verse.

[0:40] This great chapter of Romans 8 is coming to an end, and Paul uses seven questions to drive home the main point of the chapter, the absolute certainty of the believer's final salvation.

[0:55] And the first question sets up the last six questions. What then shall we say in response to this? In light of all that's been said, is there a summary response to it all?

[1:11] And Paul's answer to his question is another question. Here is our response. If God is for us, who can be against us? It begs an answer.

[1:25] And the clearly implied answer is it doesn't matter who or what is against us, just so long as God is for us. Now there is a piece to pillow your head on each night.

[1:40] There is a joy to wake up to every morning. And there is a foundation for hope when it appears that everything is against you. And so, dear saints, let this fact, let this treasure, this unchangeable fact that God is for you all day, every day, be the treasure of your heart.

[2:04] We saw that our joy and peace that flows from this fact to our heart is proportional to how well we know this God who is for us. Well, just how for us is God then?

[2:19] How is God for us? And Paul answers with another question in verse 32. And that is our study for today. He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

[2:44] It's a question meant for us to stop and consider, to think about. That's the purpose of questions like this.

[2:54] And here Paul is arguing from the greater to the lesser. If God gave his own son to save us, would he not give us everything else that we need to get us safely home to heaven?

[3:07] If in order to save us, he did not spare or hold back the greatest possible gift of all, his own son, is it even conceivable that he would withhold anything less that we need?

[3:25] And so his question confronts us with the cost of our salvation. Not to us, for it comes to us freely, without cost.

[3:38] But the cost of our salvation to God. And when we think about the cost of our salvation to God, the apostle John, the apostle of love, is torn.

[3:52] And so we find him sometimes taking us to the love of the son. And other times to the love of the father. What do you think of when you think of the cost of your salvation?

[4:04] Well, we think of how much it cost our savior Jesus. It cost him everything. For the good shepherd laid down his own life for us. He became sin for us and then suffered the infinite wrath that our sins deserved.

[4:20] He purchased our salvation at the cost of his own life's blood. There was nothing more he could give. He gave himself in our place.

[4:31] And we say, what a cost. But as I said, that's not the only cost of our salvation. It also costs God the father something.

[4:42] And it is that cost to the father that is that through the Holy Spirit or that by the Holy Spirit through Paul. Is the object of this verse.

[4:57] For God the father did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all. You see the cost to the father. So let's look more closely today at the cost of our salvation to God the father.

[5:15] This is why we read from Genesis 22. The account of father Abraham being called to sacrifice his own beloved son on Mount Moriah.

[5:25] It stands on the pages of sacred scripture as a type, as a picture of our salvation. And I've read this account dozens of times and I'm still moved by it each time I read it.

[5:40] And I wonder if you like me, if you're like me in that when you read it, what moves you most. First, is not so much the cost to Isaac, but the cost to his father Abraham.

[5:56] Now to be sure, there's a huge cost to Isaac. It was his life on the altar. But the whole story is told, isn't it?

[6:06] From the standpoint of the cost to the father Abraham. God's command came to father Abraham telling him to go kill his son.

[6:18] Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering. Now nothing qualifies as a sacrifice unless it's costly.

[6:34] Hence the meaning of sacrifice. You are giving up something of value. Sacrificing it. And here, the costly sacrifice is Abraham's son.

[6:47] And the cost is magnified by the preciousness of this son to Abraham. Notice how this is emphasized in God's word to Abraham.

[7:00] Take your son. Not your lamb. Not your ox. But your son. Your son. Flesh of your flesh.

[7:11] Bone of your bones. Take your sons. Take your son. Your only son. Now some think he says that because Ishmael was already sent away with Hagar.

[7:24] But he was also your only son from Sarah. Your only son of promise. Through whom blessing would come to all peoples.

[7:34] The son you waited 25 years for. Your son supernaturally born to you and barren Sarah in your own age. Take your son.

[7:45] Your only son. And then he calls him out by name. Isaac. Isaac. Not Ishmael. But Isaac.

[7:57] Isaac. Whom you named laughter. Laughter. Isaac. Take your son. Your only son.

[8:08] Isaac. Whom you love. Whom you love. With whom you have this special bond of love. Isaac brought laughter to Abraham in his old age.

[8:20] The joy and delight of his life. I doubt you could find a father anywhere in that world that day. That loved the son and delighted in him more than Abraham in his son Isaac.

[8:33] And now he's being called to sacrifice him. Now Abraham was a man of great wealth we're told. He would have gladly given it all up to keep his beloved son.

[8:46] But no. That was the cost. Demanded. Of the father. Sacrifice your son. Your only son. Isaac. Whom you love.

[8:59] And our hearts hurt for Abraham. All the way through the story. Up early the next morning. Gathering wood. What's he thinking? On his way.

[9:10] Three days journey. What's he thinking? And then Isaac says. Father. Here's the fire. Here's the wood.

[9:21] Where's the lamb for burnt offering? Question that must have cut his heart out.

[9:32] As he answered. God himself will supply. Will provide. The lamb. My son. We can barely imagine his pain as they reach the place. He builds the altar.

[9:44] He arranges the wood on it. Binds his son Isaac. Lays him on the altar. On top of the wood. Reaches his hand. To take the knife. To slay his son.

[9:58] And only then. At the very last moment. Does the angel of the Lord stop him. And reveal the ram caught in the thicket. To sacrifice instead of his son.

[10:09] You see it's the cost. To father Abraham. That's highlighted. And that points us. To the cost of God the father.

[10:19] In the sacrifice that he made. At Calvary. For Abraham called that place. There on Mount Moriah. He called that place. The Lord.

[10:31] Will. Provide. And Moses writes then. To this day. It is said. On the mountain of the Lord. It will be.

[10:42] Provided. You see the forward reference. The pointing. Of what's coming. And that brings us. All the way up to Romans 8. 32. He who did not spare his own son.

[10:55] But gave him up. For us all. Here's another father. Making another costly sacrifice. On this very same mountain. Only now it's God the father.

[11:06] And what made his sacrifice. So costly. Is that. It was also. His. Only son. Jesus too.

[11:17] Was an only son. The absolute. Unique son. Of his heavenly father. His one. And only son. His. His only. Begotten son.

[11:29] His eternal son. Who became flesh. In the incarnation. But before that. In the beginning. Was with God. Face to face. With God. In the bosom.

[11:39] Of the father. For all eternity. And now. We think. How you and I. At conversion. Become. Sons of God.

[11:50] Not at all. Like that son. We're adopted sons. We're. We're. We're. Born yesterday. And now. Brought into this. Relationship.

[12:00] Of sonship. With God. The father. But Jesus. Is his eternal. His one. And only son. Do you hear. Something.

[12:10] Of the echoes. Of Genesis. 22. We're. We're. We're. We're. We're. We're. We're. And this. Was. No less. The son. Whom. He.

[12:21] Loved. And love. Like no one. Else. Could love. Infinite. Love. Perfect. Love. Remember.

[12:31] How God. Testified. To the. His love. For his son. At his. Baptism. And again. At the mount. Of transfiguration. His voice.

[12:41] Was heard. From heaven. That didn't happen. Every day. Did it? We read of it. Happening at Mount Sinai. We read of it here.

[12:53] This is my son. Whom. I. Love. With him. I am well pleased. Isaiah 42.

[13:04] One. The father calls him. The one in whom. I delight. For endless eternity. He's been the father's pleasure.

[13:15] And pure delight. Was Isaac Abraham's laughter. Always at his side. Where you find the one. You always find the other.

[13:27] Filling his day with joy. The son of God. Was not less. But more so. The joy and delight. Of his heavenly father. Together. Together. Always together.

[13:39] Think of the joy. Of God the father. And God the son. Planning. And. Purposing together. Everything. That was to ever be created.

[13:51] And to happen. In this universe. And then. Working. Together. Working out. Those plans. Together. Beginning. With the creation. Of the universe. And then. Upholding it.

[14:02] And bringing to pass. All that happens. By his. His mysterious. And mighty. Providence. Their shared joys. In the work of their hands. Think of it. Fathers and sons.

[14:14] Working together. Enjoying each other. And enjoying the works. Of your hands. And him enjoying. Creating. And then redeeming.

[14:25] Many sons. To glory. Did the morning stars. Sing together. At creation. And the angels. Shout for joy. Then it's not a stretch. To think. That there was joy. And laughter. Between the father.

[14:36] And the son. As together. They created a universe. And put monkeys in it. And everything else. That is for the pleasure. Joy.

[14:47] And laughter. Of man. And woman. Made in his image. Never did a father. Love and delight. And find pleasure. In his son. As God the father.

[14:57] With God the son. The greatest love. Of the best human father. Dwarfed. This perfect love. Robert Trail.

[15:09] The Puritan said. Where God the father. Is the lover. And God the son. Is the beloved. Who can tell. What love is.

[15:20] Here faith. Must believe. And adore. And cry. Oh the death. Oh the death. God. Now. It is about.

[15:31] This love filled father. For his infinitely. Lovable son. That we read about. Here in our text. Verse 32. He spared not. His own son. What does it mean.

[15:41] He spared not. His own son. Well parents. You know. That desire. To spare. Your own children. That parental. Sympathy. With them.

[15:53] You hate. To see them. You hate. To see them. Suffer. Don't you. It hurts you. As much. As it hurts them. And through that sympathy. Your hearts. With them. And so you seek.

[16:03] To spare them. Whatever you might. Of suffering. When they were young. You even had to force yourself. To discipline them. Because so much of you. Wanted to spare them.

[16:14] The pain. But you love them. And part of love. Is to discipline them. And so you told them. Before you spank them. This will hurt me.

[16:25] More than it will hurt you. There's that sympathy. Of heart. With child. Father. With child. Mother. With child. And now Abraham.

[16:38] He's no different. He has no heart. Of rock. He's a man. Of like passions. As we are. And he knew.

[16:49] This fatherly impulse. Of sympathy. To spare. His own son. That he loved. And that's what he wrestled with. For the three days. And all the way up.

[16:59] Mount Moriah. He'd give the world. To be able to spare. His own son. Isaac. But he didn't. He didn't.

[17:11] That's the. That's the point. Of the story. As God's word. Confirms it. In Genesis. 22. 16. Because. You have not. Spared your son. Your only son.

[17:22] I will bless you. Surely. You have not. Spared. It's the same word. In the Greek. Translation. Of the Old Testament.

[17:32] Here. That's found. In our text. In Romans 8. He didn't. Spare his son. Neither did God. Spare his son. You say. But I thought. He was.

[17:42] Spare. Yes. The Lord. Spare him. But Abraham. Did not. He is good. As sacrificed. Him. Hebrews 11.

[17:53] Tells us. That was his intent. Believing God. Would raise him again. And fulfill his promises. In a resurrected Isaac. But he did not. Spare his own son.

[18:04] Even though. Everything in his heart. Yearned. For. His son. Let's remember. That God. The father. Loved his son. Infinitely. More than Abraham. Loved his son.

[18:17] And in Gethsemane. The father's son. Saw clearly. It appears more clearly. Than ever before. In his 33 years. The suffering. That was just now. Hours away. On the cross.

[18:27] When he would be condemned. And cursed. And forsaken. By his father. As he. Stood in the place. Of sinners. The Bible says.

[18:39] That. The son of God. Fell on his face. And oh. How he cried. To his father. My father. If. It is possible.

[18:51] Take this cup. Away from me. Yet. Not my will. But yours. Be done. If there's any other way. To save our people. Father. Please. Spare me. This cup.

[19:03] So fervent. Was his pleading. That the Bible. Dr. Luke says. He sweat. As it were. Great drops. Of blood. And agony. Of soul. Three times.

[19:15] Pleading. For father. If there's any way. Take it away from him. But there was no other way. You can be sure.

[19:27] If there was another way. The father would have spared him. He was no heartless father. Unmoved by the cries. Of his beloved son. But to spare him.

[19:39] Would mean damning us all. There was no other way. To save us from eternal torment. There was no animal sacrifice. That could take away sin. And so God the father.

[19:51] All heaven went silent. As his son's cry. Went unanswered. He spared not. His own son.

[20:04] But the clearest explanation. Of what. These words mean. Is found in the next phrase. He spared not his son. But. Gave him up. For us all.

[20:16] That's what it meant. Not to spare him. Was what he gave him up to. What he didn't hold him back from. Was he gave him up. For us all. Now.

[20:26] First. Let's be clear. On who the us all is. For whom God the father. Gave him up. Whenever we're trying to understand. Something in God's word. Context is king. We should look before the verse.

[20:38] And after the verse. Does it say anything about this. For us all. Who are the for us all. So. So. Let's look. And we go back one verse.

[20:49] Verse 31. If God is for us. Who can be against us. Oh. This for us. Is. Is for us.

[20:59] Whom God is for. And no longer against. Let's go back two more verses. Verses 29 and 30. The us all. Are those. Whom the father foreknew.

[21:11] And set his love on. They are those who. He predestined to be conformed. To the image of his son. They're those whom he called. According to his purpose. They're those whom he justified. And one day will glorify.

[21:23] That's the for us all. Go back another verse. Verse 28. Who are the for us. That he gave his son for. It's for us who love God.

[21:34] And for whom God is working. All things together. For our good. And so you can walk it back. All the way to verse one. It's for us who are in Christ.

[21:47] Of whom it can be said. There is therefore now. No condemnation. For those who are in Christ. Christ. He didn't spare him.

[21:57] But gave him up. For us all. But we can not only look backwards. For the context of the us all. Let's look forward. Here we are in verse 32.

[22:08] Let's go to verse 33. What does verse 33 say? That the us all. About the us all. For us. Whom God has chosen. Us whom God has justified.

[22:20] Died. Verse 33. Let's go to verse 34. It's for us. Whom the son died. For whom the son died. Rose. And even now. Is interceding for us. On that throne.

[22:31] Of which we sang. It's for us all. Go to verse 37. For us who are more than conquerors. Through him. Who loved us so. Go to verse 39. It's for us who are in Christ.

[22:43] And being in Christ. Can never be separated. From God's love. Which is in Christ Jesus. Our Lord. The father did not spare his own son. But gave him up for us all.

[22:56] Drink it in child of God. For your joy. And your peace. It was for you. That the father did not spare. His own son. But gave him up.

[23:08] For us all. Octavius Winslow asked. Who was it that. Delivered up Jesus. To die. Not Judas for money.

[23:18] Not Pilate for fear. Not the Jews for envy. But the father. For love. That would be love for us all.

[23:31] And the father's love for us. Is put on bold display. And is measured by the preciousness.

[23:42] Of the son he gave up for us. Oh the death. Of this love. Now to what did he give him up then? We've looked at who.

[23:54] He gave him up for. To what did he give him up? He didn't spare him from what. But gave him up for what? Well he gave him over.

[24:05] To wicked men. Who hated him. And put him to death. By nailing him to the cross. He gave him up. To the death of the cross.

[24:17] That's what he gave him up to. Can you imagine. Can you imagine. The sympathetic heart. Of God the father. Watching what sinful. Man did.

[24:28] To his own. Beloved son. George Yeager. Took three. Of his son. His three sons. And an elderly grandfather. On a fishing trip.

[24:39] In the Atlantic Ocean. But in the late afternoon. The engine in their boat. Stalled. And the wind and waves. Kicked up. And pounded the boat. Until it began to sink. At which time.

[24:49] All five. Put on their life jackets. And tied themselves. With a rope. To each other. And slipped into. The water. At 6.30pm. And began to make for shore.

[25:03] With the pounding waves. And the current. Was against them. And first one boy. Then another. And another. And another. Took in too much water.

[25:18] There was nothing for. Yeager to do. But helplessly watch. His son struggle. And drown. It would be eight hours later.

[25:31] That he staggered onto the shore. Still pulling the rope. That bound the bodies. Of the four others to him. The three boys. And his father. And we can barely imagine.

[25:43] The father's. Whore. To watch his son. Suffer and die like that. But the cost. To God the father. Was infinitely.

[25:55] Infinitely. More. You see. God the father. Is not like. George Yeager. Helplessly. Watching. His own son. Die.

[26:05] At the hands of wicked men. No. This heavenly father. Could have spared his son. But he didn't. Instead.

[26:16] He gave him up. For us all. Furthermore. There was much more. Going on at Calvary. That day. Than what's seen. By the human eye. For the father.

[26:28] Was not like Yeager. A mere spectator. Watching. All that happened. There. He was one of the main. Two actors. A chief participant. In the unseen.

[26:39] Transaction. Of Calvary. Between God the father. And God the son. For it was the father. Who laid on him. The iniquities.

[26:50] Of us all. Isaiah 53. Says. It was the father. Who made. Him. His son. To be sin. For us. First Corinthians. Five.

[27:00] Two. Second Corinthians. Five. Twenty. One. It was he. The father. Who then. Condemned. Sin. In the flesh. Of his own son. Romans. Eight. Three. And it was the Lord.

[27:11] Almighty. Who said. I will strike. The shepherd. And the sheep. Of the flock. Will be scattered. I will strike him. It was the father.

[27:22] Who put the cup. Of infinite wrath. Into the hands. Of his son. To drink. And he didn't. Go easy on. He didn't. Spare him. Anything. Not one drop.

[27:33] Of wrath. That was needed. To satisfy. Perfect justice. All that was due us. Was exacted. From him. As hell. Came to have.

[27:44] To Calvary. That day. And the deepest. Stroke that pierced him. Was the stroke. That justice. Gave. The justice. Of his own father.

[27:56] Genesis 22. The Lord himself. Will provide the lamb. And on this mountain. And on this mountain. It will be. Provided. Jesus.

[28:07] The lamb. Of God. Is the only sacrifice. That could ever save us. From endless torments. God required. The sacrifice. To be made.

[28:18] Because of his. Offended justice. But God himself. Provided. The sacrifice. Because of his. Amazing love. For us.

[28:28] And then. On that mountain. Cross. Called Calvary. The father. Sacrificed. His son. For us.

[28:44] For it pleased. The Lord. To crush him. And to cause him. To suffer. Isaiah 53. 10. It was the Lord.

[28:55] Who put him to grief. And never was grief. Like his. It was the father. Wounding him. For our transgressions. Crushing him. For our iniquities. Punishing him.

[29:06] For our peace. It was the father. Wounding him. To heal us. And the son. Knew it was him.

[29:19] And that's what. Wrenched the cry. From his lips. In outer darkness. He cries. My God. My God. Why have you.

[29:30] Abandoned me. He is feeling nothing. Of the love. Of a father. For his son. He. He no longer calls him. Father. As he always did before.

[29:42] Even Abba father. Now it's my God. My God. Why have you. Abandoned me. He feels nothing. Of the love. Of a father. For the son. Only the wrath. Of God.

[29:52] Against sin. It was the first time. That the father. Had ever turned his face. Away from his son.

[30:04] Now does that. Not add much. To the cost. Of the father. At Calvary. The fact. The fact. That he was not. Just a spectator. Standing by. And watching. What sinful men. Did to his son.

[30:15] But that he was. The one. Who took up the knife. And pierced his son. And gave him. The cup of wrath. To drink. Punishing him.

[30:27] Wounding. Striking. Piercing. Crushing him. We stagger. Before the sight. And cry. Behold. What manner of love. Is this. That the father.

[30:38] Has lavished on us. Us. God hating enemies. Us. Rebellious. Rejecters. Of God. Us.

[30:49] Hell deserving. Sinners. Whom he set his love upon. And sent his son for. It was to spare us. That he spared. Not his own son. But gave him up for us all.

[31:01] And in giving him up for us. We learn just how for us. The father is. He's for us just that much. How great and costly. Is his redeeming love.

[31:12] For us. Now I believe it's a serious error. To deny. That there was cost to the father. At Calvary. Sometimes God is portrayed.

[31:25] As the unmoved mover. Of Greek philosophy. As if his heart is incapable. Of. Of feeling. For his son. Incapable of being moved.

[31:37] By anything below. In his commentary. On this verse. Octavius Winslow says. That having just come through. Verses 29 and 30. That spoke of the foreknowledge.

[31:48] And the predestination. Of God. One might come away. With a cold. Impassive view of God. God. As if he remains distant. Untouched.

[31:59] Emotionally unmoved. With our weakness. Afflictions. And needs. But Winslow says. The truth of 30. Verse 32. At once. Dispels. Such a false conception.

[32:10] Of God. There can be nothing. Narrow. Or frigid. And cold. In the heart of him. Who gave so costly. A proof of his love. As his son. In the.

[32:22] God the father. Is a heart. Of tender pity. Responsive. To misery. And need. And though God. Is not like us.

[32:33] And the creator. Creature. Distinction. Is never absent. Yet. He's not. Altogether. Different. From fathers like. Yeager. And Abraham.

[32:44] And you. And me. Whom he made. In his own image. In his own. Likeness. And so. Psalm 103.

[32:54] 13. Says. For as a father. Has pity. Compassion. On his children. So the Lord. Has pity. Compassion.

[33:05] On those who fear him. He's the ultimate. Father. And. In a way. Suitable. To deity. His bowels.

[33:15] Of mercy. And compassion. Are stirred. And run out. In pity. To his children. Isaiah 63. 9. Speaks of the Lord's. Compassion. And longing.

[33:26] Sympathy. For his people. It says. In all their afflictions. He too. Was afflicted. Whatever touched them. Touched him.

[33:39] Stephen. Sharna. The Puritan. Replies. If the afflictions. Of his people. Reach his heart. How much more. The afflictions.

[33:51] Of. His beloved son. How much more. Is he moved. By the affliction. Of his son.

[34:01] At Calvary. As his son cries out. My God. My God. Why have you forsaken me. Are we to think. That. The father. Felt nothing. And was unmoved.

[34:13] By the suffering. Of his son. Can he be unaffected. To see his own son. Crying for help. And receiving none.

[34:24] And giving none. As the loving father. That he was. But now. Holding it back. Why? Because he's punishing his son. For our sins. The apostle of love.

[34:38] John. Says this is the grand demonstration. Of God's love. Yes. We can go to the son. What. What a love. What a cost. He laid down his life.

[34:50] But John also says. In 1 John 4. 9 and 10. This is how God. Showed his love among us. He sent his one and only son. Who would that refer to? God the father.

[35:01] Sent his one and only son. Into the world. That we might live through him. This is love. Not that we love God. But that he loved us. And sent his son.

[35:12] As a propitiating sacrifice. For our sins. He sent his son. To propitiate his own wrath. And turn it away from us. By pouring it out on his son.

[35:24] This is the demonstration. Of God's love for us. But how can the giving of his own son.

[35:37] Be the demonstration. Of the depths of his love for us. If it cost him nothing. If he's as unmoved. At the sufferings of his son.

[35:47] As he would be with the sacrifice. Of a pigeon. Or a goat. Or a ram. That's not the picture. That's drawn. In scriptures. Of our heavenly father. It's not the revelation.

[35:57] Of the son. That comes. Of the father. That comes through the son. Rather we meet here. In scriptures. The best of fathers. Who's full of the most.

[36:09] Compassion. And pity. For misery. And suffering. And need. And not only for his one and only son.

[36:21] On Calvary. But also for his adopted sons and daughters. Who've been brought into the family. Through this sacrifice of his son. Well.

[36:34] This amazing love of the father for us. Is to do something. To us. But we're not to be the same. Because of it. I'm coming to see that.

[36:45] That is. The chief motivation. Of. Everything that the Christian does. That this God. Has loved me.

[36:57] Somebody said it. I don't know who. I can't find it right now. Maybe some of you have read it. And can tell me who said it. But it's true. You have nothing more important to do today. Than to delight yourself.

[37:08] In God's love for you. Every day you wake up. Nothing more important. Why? Because. That. Turns everything. You see.

[37:18] There's the motivation. There's the heartbeat. The warm heartbeat. The father's love for us. The son's love for us. The spirit's love for us. And so.

[37:29] I say. All of this. This. This is meant to do something to us. That's why it's in the Bible. That's why Paul puts it in Romans chapter 8. And the application follows in the last part of the verse.

[37:41] In the form of another question. If God did not spare his own son. But gave him up for us. How will he not also. Along with his son.

[37:54] Freely. Graciously. Give us all things. You see the question. You see how it follows. Does it make you think? This question's meant to make you think.

[38:07] It's an argument from the greater to the lesser. If the father did that. Will he not only do this? Will he not also do this? Having given us his indescribable gift.

[38:19] Of his own son. Will he not. Along with him. Freely give us. All the other gifts we need. To bring us safely to heaven. If when I needed a savior.

[38:30] He didn't withhold his own son. Do you think for a moment. That he'll withhold the gifts of faith. And repentance. And persevering grace. To make it to the end. That he'll withhold.

[38:41] My daily bread. The forgiveness of sins. Help and deliverance. From the evil one. And his temptations. Wisdom and sustaining grace. In my trials. Strength to obey and honor him.

[38:54] In all I do. Would he empty heaven. Of his greatest treasure. To purchase my salvation. And then hold back something. That I needed to get to heaven. It's ludicrous.

[39:10] Would God give up his own son. To the hellish cross for us. Put him through that. And leave us. And then leave us to perish. Forever under his wrath.

[39:22] For lack of something else we needed. It's unthinkable. No. That would make the cross a failure. It would make Calvary.

[39:35] A waste of his one and only son. He loved his son too much for that. No. Having given. Us. Him. His own son.

[39:46] Is the guarantee. That he will freely give us. Everything else we need. To get us home. To heaven. So again. It spells assurance.

[39:57] Doesn't it? It spells confidence. Security. For the believer. Calvary says. If. Your heavenly father is for you that much. You can trust him.

[40:10] You can. Trust him. You see. That's what his costly love is to do to us. It's to make us. Rely on him. Lean on him. Trust him. Is it not true that we can safely trust those.

[40:23] That we are sure. Absolutely sure. Love us. We'll trust them with information. We would trust no one else. If they really love us.

[40:35] We'll trust them. And take their word. At face value. If we trust them. Then will not your father's costly love at Calvary.

[40:47] Drive out all doubts and fears dear believer. What will he not do. For those that he has loved like that on Calvary. In giving up his son. If he sacrificed his own son for me.

[41:01] Then I can safely follow him. Anywhere. His word and providence would lead me. Oh but this command. Might cost me some. I can trust God. He didn't withhold his son for me.

[41:15] Oh but this providence looks so dark. Oh but I can follow. Anywhere. The God who. Did not spare his own son. But gave him up for me.

[41:27] Think if. Think if you were. Traveling across the country. Back before it was developed. In the pioneering days. And you. You had a guide going with you.

[41:37] And he brought along his son. And it's just the three of you. And you're going along. And. And suddenly. Two mountain lions. Attack. One goes for the guide son.

[41:49] And the other goes for you. He's got one bullet in his. Muzzle loader. And he takes out the lion. That was coming for you. And he didn't spare his own son.

[42:04] Now. Are you. Are you going to be. Afraid of. To follow him the rest of the way. Or are you going to say. I can go anywhere with this man. He's proven.

[42:16] His commitment to me. His love for me. He didn't spare his son for me. I'll follow him blindly. Anywhere he leads me. That's the answer. That's what God's love.

[42:27] In giving his son. And not sparing him for us. Is to do. To us. May he. Make it so. In our lives. Oh the deep.

[42:38] Deep. Love of Jesus. Oh the deep. Deep. Love of the father. How great. How deep. The father's love for us. Let's. Stand and sing together. As our response.

[42:49] How deep. The father's love for us. How kind. Beyond. All measure. If you can't say.

[43:12] That you know that for sure. The Lord Jesus is inviting you to him. Even now. And none who come to him. Will ever be turned away. As every one of us here.

[43:23] Who know him are proof. And you too will find in him. A love. That will motivate you to live. A whole new life. And the father has given this testimony.

[43:35] About his son. That eternal life. Life in fellowship with the son. Is found in Christ. So that he who has the son. Has life. And he who has not the son.

[43:46] Of God. Has not life. Seek him. And he will be found of you. Let's pray. Oh father. We need your holy spirit.

[43:57] To shed abroad. This love in our hearts. It's. It's so. Vast. And deep. And wide. And long. And high. That. Nothing short of that. Power of the spirit. Bringing it home to our hearts.

[44:09] Will. Will change us. And make us walk away. Ready to. To follow. This God. In whom we can put. All of our trust. So. Do that work for us.

[44:19] We find ourselves helpless. At every step of the Christian life. But we thank you. That you are for us. And so draw others. Into your family today. By this wonderful love. We pray in Jesus name.

[44:31] Amen. Amen. Amen.

[44:47] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[44:59] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[45:10]  Amen. Familia. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.