Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 3191
“Be it known unto you, therefore, brethren, that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.” Acts 13:38.
PAUL’S mode of preaching, as illustrated by this chapter, was first of all to appeal to the understanding with a clear exposition of doctrinal Truths of God and then to impress those Truths upon the emotions of his hearers with earnest and forcible exhortations. This is an excellent model for revivalists. They must not give exhortation without Doctrine, for if so, they will be like men who are content with burning powder in their guns, but have omitted the shot! It is the Doctrine we preach, the Truth we deliver which God will make a power to bless men. However earnest and zealous we may be in speaking, if we have not something weighty and solid to say, we shall appear to be earnest about nothing and shall not be at all likely to create a lasting impression. Paul, if you notice through this chapter, first of all gives the history of Redemption, tells the story of the Cross, insists upon the Resurrection of the Savior and then he comes to close and personal dealings with the souls of men and bids them not neglect this great salvation!
The subject to which Paul drew attention—the target at which he was shooting all his arrows—was forgiveness of sins through the Man, Christ Jesus. That is my subject tonight. And when I have spoken upon it briefly, I shall then have a few words to say about his audience and what became of them.
I. PAUL’S SUBJECT was superlative—the Subject of subjects—the great master Doctrine of the Christian ministry—“Be itknown unto you, therefore, brethren, that through this Man ispreached unto you the forgiveness ofsins.”
“The forgiveness of sins” is a topic which will be more or less interesting to every hearer here in proportion as he feels that he has committed sins, the guilt of which appalls his conscience. To those good people among you who fold your arms and say, “We have done no wrong either to God or man,” I have nothing to say. You need no physician, for you are not sick. You, evidently, would not be thankful for the heavenly eye-salve, for you are not blind. The wealth that Christ can bring you will not induce you to bow the knee to Him, for already you think yourselves to be rich and increased in goods. But I shall be quite sure of the ears of the man whose sins have been a burden to him. If there is one here who needs to be reconciled to God, who says with the prodigal, “I will arise and go to my Father,” I shall not need to study how to fit my words—let them come out as they may, the theme, itself, will be sure to enlist the attention of such an one who says—
“How can I get my sins forgiven? How can I find my way to Heaven?”
While we attempt to tell him that, we shall ensure his attention. This is our aim—and this we will do if God permits.
The Christian minister tells men the ground of pardon, the exclusive method, (for there is a monopoly in this matter)—the exclusive method by which God will pardon sin. “Through this Man,” says the text. That is to say, God will pardon, but He will only pardon in one way—through His Son Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus has a monopoly on mercy! If you will depend upon the uncovenanted mercy of God—the mercy of God apart from Christ—you shall find that you have depended upon a reed and built your house upon sand! Into the one silver pipe of the atoning Sacrifice, God has made to flow the full current of pardoning Grace. If you will not go to that—you may be tempted by the mirage, you may think that you can drink there to the fullest, but you shall die disappointed. You must die unless you come for salvation to Christ! What does He say, Himself? “I am the Door: by Me if any man enters in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” He that believes on the Son of God is not condemned! But he that believes not—may he go right, too? No, he is already condemned because he believes not! “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved.” These are Christ’s own words, not mine! He that believes shall be saved, “but he that believes not shall be”—what? Pardoned for his unbelief? No, he—“shall be damned!”There is no other alternative. The expression might seem harsh if I were the inventor of it, but as it came from the lips of Christ who was the gentlest, meekest and most tender of men, God forbid that I should make up a charity of which the Lord, Himself, made no profession! “He that believes not shall be damned.” God presents mercy to the sons of men, but He has chosen to present it in only one channel—through that Man who died for sinners, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring them to God!
Why is it that forgiveness comes to us only through Jesus Christ? The whole economy of Redemption supplies us with an answer. The Man Christ Jesus is a Divine Person. He is the Son of God. You will never doubt that reconciliation is an effect of Infinite Wisdom if you once clearly understand the condition that made it requisite. Though His people were objects of God’s everlasting love, their sins had kindled His fierce anger as if it were an unquenchable fire. Inasmuch as God is just, He must from the necessity of His Nature, punish sin! Yet He willed to have mercy upon the fallen sons of men. Therefore it was that Christ came into this world. Being God, He was made Man for our sakes. He suffered from the wrath of God that which we, the offending sinners, ought to have suffered. God exacted from the Man, Christ Jesus, that which He would otherwise have exacted from us! Upon Christ’s dear devoted head was laid the curse. Upon His bare back fell the scourge that would have tortured our souls throughout eternity! Those hands of His, when nailed to the tree, smarted with our smart. That heart bled with our bleeding. “The chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed; surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” Substitution, then, is the cause of it all! God will forgive sin because the sin which He forgives has been already atoned for by the sufferings of His dear Son!