Blessed Are Our Eyes

Good morning to everyone. Certainly good to be here and able to worship together on God's Sabbath Day. I'd like to begin the sermon this morning by having us turn over to Matthew chapter 13.

Matthew chapter 13 is some very important things that Jesus told his disciples here that applies very much to us today. Let's turn then to Matthew chapter 13 and begin reading in verse 10. The disciples came to Jesus and said, Why are you speaking to people in parables? Why do you do that? Verse 11, Jesus said, Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not being given. And skipping on down, verse 13, I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

This prophecy in Isaiah that is quoted in verses 14 and 15 could be fulfilled.

But verse 16, Notice, Blast are your eyes, for they see, and your ears for they hear.

Assuredly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

I want us to focus on this today. It's a wonderful thing, just physical eyesight. Isn't that marvelous that the eyes are a mechanism that God made? How could this ever have evolved?

A creator God in His great wisdom was able to make the eye that is able to see. Just think, you're able to instantly focus way out in a distance. You can focus instantly right back up close. Isn't eyesight a wonderful thing? I think about that as I take usually a two mile walk every day. And we have an older established neighborhood. They have a lot of azaleas in the spring of the year, cherry blossoms, cherry trees lined the streets with their beautiful white blossoms and dogwoods, other flowers, and blossoms come in later on. And sometimes as I'm taking that walk, I close my eyes and I think, what would it be like to not be able to see all this beauty?

And then I close my ears and the birds are chirping from the trees and making their beautiful musical sounds. Isn't God a musical God? He has put music even into birds. They make such beautiful sounds. They all are singing a different tune and yet it's harmonious. How can that be? It's like many different choirs. But it's a wonderful... Isn't being able to see the beauty? I mean, just close your own eyes a few minutes, or not a few minutes, a few seconds.

What would it be like to go through life with you're not able to see all the beauty? And what would it be like to walk along those streets with the azaleas there and the beauty? But you couldn't see it because you don't have the eyesight. It's not there to see. It got me to thinking spiritually. You know, this is like the world is going along in total darkness and they don't see all the beauty of the purpose of human life. They don't understand about the kingdom of God.

They don't see the beauty of God's law. They're just totally in the dark.

But you know, we should not blame them. The great God has a purpose that He is working out. And notice in verse 11, once again, Jesus said, because it has been given. Notice the word given. It has been given to you to know the mysteries. Do notice that word as well.

God's kingdom is a mystery to the world. And it goes on to say, verse 11, to them it has not been given. It just hasn't been given. We really can't blame, you know, the people in the world for walking in darkness. When God has in His great wisdom and plan that He's working out, He's just not given it to them yet. And so it's a mystery. What God is doing, His kingdom, His purpose for human life remains a mystery to the world. Notice in Romans chapter 16 and verse 25, let's notice a few verses that yes, what God is doing today is a mystery. The world just doesn't know. It's not been given to people in the world at this time. In Romans chapter 16 and verse 25, to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began, but now has been made manifest and by the prophetic scriptures has been made known to all nations according to the commandment of the everlasting God. God is making it known through the message that His Church is preaching, and yet at the same time He's not really giving it to everyone to understand that it's still a mystery. In Ephesians 6 and verse 19, we won't turn to that, it's called the mystery of the gospel. And so the Kingdom of God, which is the gospel, is a mystery to the world. People just don't know. They don't know who the true God is. They don't know what the true God is doing. It's a big mystery. Just what has God been doing these 6,000 years? What is He doing today right now? What God has been doing has been a mystery. So let's consider what God has not been doing. He's not been saving the world. If He were trying to save the world, then He would be failing, wouldn't He? Most of the world is just utterly deceived, and it's getting worse all the time. And so if God were trying to save the world, He would be a failure. No, He's not really trying. Let's go back to Matthew once again, Matthew 11 this time. Matthew 11 and verse 25.

Matthew 11 and verse 25. At that time, Jesus answered and said, and I ask you, have you ever prayed this way? I ask myself that. I normally have not thought to pray this way. So Jesus said, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth.

And why did Jesus thank the Father? It relates to what we're talking about this morning. Because you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes, even so, Father, for so it seemed good in your sight. God's purpose and plan is good. It's just not the way that we would probably, if we were in control of everything, would we do it this way?

Let the world walk in darkness. Let people go through life and just ignorant in darkness about the purpose of life and about God's kingdom and what God is doing. Well, you know, the deeper we think about it, I think the deeper we will want to say thank you, Father, because you know what is best. You know we need to write lessons that are going to last, not just during the millennium.

These lessons that we are writing during these 6,000 years are going to, we can refer back to them if we need to, but they will last for eternity. And those that do enter God's kingdom will never ever want to go back to any of these things that we have done. We've done just about everything, it seems. We'll never want to go back to it. So God is letting some things be written that are going to benefit His family for all eternity. So what God has not been doing, He has not been saving the world now. He's allowed Satan to be loosed and free during this 6,000 years, able to deceive the whole world. Revelation 12 and verse 9. So what has God been doing?

We kept a holy date a couple of weeks ago, Pentecost, that reveals what God has been doing.

Very busy, in fact. Very busy right now. We can picture in our minds what God has been doing if we think about the meaning of Pentecost. Pentecost is the Feast of First Fruits.

And there is a first fruits of salvation, a people that God has been revealing things to, babes. But even there, if we are among those babes who have had things revealed to us, we can't take the credit for being a babe. It is God who has given us a heart of flesh and taken away the stony heart. It is He who has made us a babe. Who is a babe? A babe is one that is teachable. A babe is one that you can lead. A babe is one that doesn't have his mind made up about things, but is willing for God to show him and to teach him. James chapter 1 verse 18 says that we are a first fruits of God's creation. The Phillips translation says a first specimen of his new creation. The Amplified says first children in his new family. So what God has been doing, and this is of His choosing, not ours. It is important that we emphasize that. Our being able to have spiritual eyesight and ears that are able to hear spiritual things is not to our credit.

It's to God's credit. God's the one that has chosen us, not we ourselves. So God has revealed this to certain ones who are called first fruits of the Spirit in Romans 8.23. First fruits of the Spirit.

First ones to receive the Spirit is God's purpose to give His Spirit to everyone. In due time, Joel chapter 2 brings that out. God will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh.

Joel chapter 2. And so the first fruits of the Spirit are those that God is calling at this time.

One's being called out of the world now. They're ones who have been given spiritual eyesight. Blessed are your eyes for they see. You know, I hope that we think about that fairly often, I think we should. Blessed are our eyes for they see. And that's because God has done something. He has given us spiritual eyesight. Those who are our first fruits are called elect.

And let's go to 1 Peter. Read a couple of verses here. 1 Peter chapter 1.

Elect. Those who are first fruits, who are babes, who have had this given to them.

That God has chosen to give spiritual eyesight. They're called elect. 1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 1. Peter to the pilgrims of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.

Notice verse 2. Elect. Elect. According to the foreign knowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, God's Spirit is what sanctifies us. It makes something we become God's holy people, actually, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.

So Peter addresses the elect. The word for elect is eclectos, and it simply means chosen ones.

Some translations might even use the word chosen ones. And in one of the passages, not this one, for elect, my Bible has a marginal reference that has chosen ones. Elect or chosen ones.

This word, electos, means chosen ones. It means that God has selected or picked out or chosen those who are among the elect. He has hand-picked them. I want you to think about how blessed we are. Blessed are our eyes for they see. Did you ever, when you were coming up on a playground, have choosing of teams? And you'd have captains, two people. One would be a captain over here, one over here, and here were all the ones who wanted to play. And so the first captain would choose someone, then the second captain would choose someone, and went right on down the line. How did you feel if you were among the top ones to be chosen? Oh, and you felt real good. But what if you were at the end? You were the last one, or maybe what if after the team, you know, had sufficient players they just didn't choose anymore, you were left out? You know, God has looked it down in the masses of humanity. And we can't deny, can we, that we do understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God. It's been given to us. We can't deny what God has done.

What it means is God has looked it down among the big masses. Of course, this is not like two captains choosing teams for playing a game, but this is for choosing ones who will reign with Christ in the millennium, and are being prepared for that at this time. So what is it like to be chosen among the masses of people? I don't know exactly how many people are members of the Church of God today. I don't have a wild guess. I don't know if Mr. Martin has any idea there, but we have a different Church of God groups all around the world. Are there 10,000 true converted members?

God knows every single one of them. Are there 25,000? Are there 50,000? We feel the number is relatively small. It's not huge, huge numbers. We have no idea, but it's still compared to over 7 billion people, the ratio is pretty high as far as those that are chosen to be in the Church at this time. Those are, you might say, who are elected. God looks down and says, I elect you.

And so God is hand-picked, and no one just chooses to come on his own. Let's go back to a couple...

Well, let's get one other verse while we are here in 1 Peter. 1 Peter 2 and verse 9.

1 Peter 2 and verse 9. But you... Here's a description of the Church of God. You are a chosen... And that word goes back to the electos. You are a chosen, you are a selected then, you are an elected generation, a royal priesthood, a holy people, his own special... a holy nation, pardon me, his own special people. So we are selected out. I mean, that's what's happened. Let's go back to those verses in John. John chapter 6 and verse 44. John chapter 6 and verse 44. And you know, it's us being elected at this time to understand and have been given spiritual eyes to see nothing of our own doing. It's not our own doing at all. John chapter 6 and verse 44. We've referred to this verse often down through the years. No one, Jesus said, no one can come to me unless the Father who has sent me draws him. And I'll raise him up at the last day. And verse 65. Therefore I said to you that no one can come to me unless it has been granted to him by my Father. So we're not in the church of God because somehow we chose it. Nope. That's not why we have spiritual eyesight.

John 15 and verse 16. Let's read that scripture as well. John 15 and verse 16. On the night before he died, Jesus said to his disciples, you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit. So God does the selecting. He does the choosing. And that's true in the Old Testament. God selected certain ones in the Old Testament who selected Noah. Did Noah choose that? Noah was a good man, a good right man trying to do it right. It's God that did the choosing. Who chose Abraham? It was God. Isaac and Jacob, Moses, Joshua, judges, certain kings.

It was all God. And it's interesting that some were chosen even before they were born. Jeremiah was.

I chose him before he was born. Amazing. And God, when did he choose us? Did he choose us before we were born? I don't know that any of us have, I don't have any idea when God may have chosen me, but I don't have any reason to believe it was before I was born. In the New Testament, God continued to choose in larger numbers a church. Jesus said he would build a church. Larger, began to work with larger numbers of people. So the elect, the one that God selected, are very special to God. We read that in 1 Peter chapter 2. They're very special to God.

Chosen generation and very special, special people, chosen ones. Let's go to Matthew 24. In our time, are we special to God? We are. We've responded to that call. We're sincere about it. We have our shortcomings and we fall far short. We feel bad about not being able to do it better. We have our law of sin like the apostle Paul that we fight daily and we wish we could do better. But still, we're very special in God's sight. In Matthew 24, we know that verse 21, the great tribulation will come. Worst time since the beginning of the world or ever shall be. Verse 22, unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved. But for the elect's sake, those days will be shortened. Now, this is where my marginal reference says, chosen ones. This is the New King James translation.

For the elect's sake, for the chosen one's sake, God is going to spare mankind being destroyed completely. And of course, it is to the elect that Jesus will be gathered to meet Jesus as he returns. Verse 31, he will send his angels with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from all over the earth, the chosen ones of God. Again, there's a marginal reference for chosen ones. So, the elect of God are special to him.

And if we continue to sincerely strive to serve God and obey him, and we let God know we're sorry we can't do it better than we are, we're doing the best we can to help us strengthen us, you know, God is pleased, and we are special to him, as it says there in 1 Peter 2.

Let's go to Ephesians chapter 1, other scriptures here that relate to the first fruits to these elect or selected ones of God at this time. Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 3, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing, verse 4, just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.

Well, God has chosen every human being he wants to be in his family, but this does seem to have a special application to those that God is choosing at this time. He chose us before the foundation of the world. Did God look ahead and have Pentecost in mind then that there would be a first fruit, there would be an elect? In verse 5, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will.

So it does seem here that there is a time order that God already had in mind before the foundation of the world. In verse 9, going on forward, having made known to us the mystery of his will. God has made known to us the mystery of his will. His will is in the Bible. We've been given the understanding of it. Isn't that nice? We have a mystery revealed to us something that has not been revealed to the masses of people yet. The mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself.

Verse 10, I believe, is a verse that we should consider more highly when we think about its implications. Verse 10, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, in other words, that eventually he might gather together in one all things in Christ.

God's purpose is to gather together in one in unity all things in Christ both in heaven and on the earth in him. So God, he's going to work it out. It's marvelous to think about that God is going to be able to bring it all together in one. All the murdered with all the victims are going to be brought together. God's going to work it out. We've got a lot of work to do in the second resurrection. A lot of work in the millennium. So God's going to bring it all together in one.

That's something to really ponder and think about. But today he's bringing us together in one through Christ. In verse 12, that we who first emphasize that word, first, we who first, who have been chosen or elected now to trust in Christ should be to the praise of his glory. That's what we're striving to do at this time. Let's go to Romans chapter 11. Also, verse 25. Romans chapter 11. Tell you what God is doing, the way he's working it out.

It is something to marvel, to just marvel at how God is doing it. Would you ever have made it a mystery like this? Have people walking in darkness all these 6,000 years, destroying one another? Look, and it gets worse and worse. Here we have a another mass shooting out in California. What was it? I think nine people and plus the shooter shot himself. I think that was the last number I heard. But these are becoming so common in the United States right now, these mass shootings, but they just make news very briefly. And then the news goes on to other atrocities that are happening.

It's really sad what we're becoming kind of conditioned to mass shootings like this. But it's a sad thing. The families of those who have lost loved ones, it continues for them. You can be sure the rest of their life. They're very sad. God's going to bring that together in one, though. The shooter and those who the victims will be brought together in one.

They're living in this darkened world. Satan is at work. God's allowing it. He's going to set it all straight, all eventually, as we read. Romans 9, 10, and 11 are very important chapters. They're a segment of Scripture that, if we want to understand that God has allowed deception of Israel, He's actually allowed it for the whole world.

Ultimately, He's going to set it all straight when Christ returns. Let's read about that in chapter 11 and verse 25. I did not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery. So here that word, mystery, keeps reappearing. Lest or lest you should be wise in your own opinion. We don't want to ever be wise in our own opinion or view that hardening in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so, all Israel, here's the beginning of that eventually, Christ is going to return. All Israel will be saved. As it is written, the deliverer will come out of Zion and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob. God's going to begin to set things straight. This is my covenant with them when I take away their sins. I'm skipping on down just a little bit. In verse 29, the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. So that the covenant God has made concerning and the promises concerning Israel and concerning all nations, they're irrevocable. God's going to set it straight. He's going to bring it all together in one. As you were once disobedient in God, he's speaking especially to the Gentiles, you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, the Israelites, that is disobedience. Even so, these also have now been disobedient that through your mercy, shown you they may also obtain mercy. In verse 32, as the one I wanted us to come down to, for God has committed them all to disobedience. Who? God.

This is just the way God is working out his program. I thank you, Father, that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent. I think about that and look at it from God's viewpoint, what he's trying to accomplish, and have come to agree with the way God is doing it. Even though it's a very painful way, it's a very necessary way to do it. God has committed. The margin says here in the New King James translation, God has shut them all up in disobedience. God has shut them all up. And the last part of verse 32, why? That he might have mercy on all.

And then Paul did something that we should do. You know, when we think about, bless our eyes for they see. By the way, that's the title of giving this sermon. Bless our eyes for they see. When I think about that more deeply, I think when we all think about it more deeply, we can, like the Apostle Paul, feel the same way as he wrote in verse 33.

When we think about all this, oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.

How unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out. Who has known the mind of the Lord? Who has become his counselor? Could we have done it some better way? Not really. Who is first given to him? And it shall be repaid to him, of him, through him, and to him all things to whom be glory forever. Paul ended just praising and lauding God's wisdom and God's greatness.

Well, I think I concur totally with the Apostle Paul the more I think about it.

The first fruits God is choosing today, selecting today, or being prepared to reign with Christ during the millennium and afterward. They are at the present time, Paul wrote 2 Corinthians 11 and verse 2, we are as spoused as a chaste virgin and then it's like a marriage, and there's going to be a marriage and marriage supper and revelation after Christ returns, and then Jesus Christ and his bride will reign over all nations. So, brethren, what an honor and privilege it is to be here in the Church of God. Let's never take it for granted. What an honor and privilege it is.

It's like, you know, again, being on that ball field and having captains choosing teams and they select.

The thing is on that ball field, what if you were a captain and you knew the players, you knew all these people out here, and somebody else is the opposing captain over here. Would you choose the best players or would you choose the worst players?

You know, I think I would choose the best, don't you? Let's say you're going to play a baseball game or maybe a basketball game. I look out there and somebody's basketball, somebody's real tall. I think they can get rebounds. They can dunk them, so they can score points. But, you know, God has not chosen that way. Let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 1. God has not chosen that way. He's not called the best players at all. In 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and, let's see, verse 29, I believe that is verse 26, rather. 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 26, you see your calling, brethren. And I think we do that. Not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, but God has chosen, and the word chosen goes back to that selecting, the eklektos. God has chosen the foolish things of the world.

He's, you know, I don't consider you as foolish. I hope I'm not in, you know, a wrong way, but we're not the mighty, are we? We're not the mighty, the great of the world.

God's people are certainly very capable. We're just ordinary people. I'd rather use the word ordinary. We're just ordinary people, most of us. There may be a few great, you know, but not, Paul does, you say, not many, not many. There might be just a few, but most of us are just ordinary people. That's what God looked out and he didn't hear all these great people, mighty, noble, smart, leaders, recognized, but he's just chosen ordinary people.

God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise.

God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things that are mighty, and the base things of the world, and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, and why? Verse 29, that no flesh should glory in his presence. And we're just ordinary people. We're not going to be able to glory in God's presence. None of us can glory about ourselves. If we do, then we don't have quite the right viewpoint on that.

So, bottom line on all of this, beginning to put it together, do we really honor and appreciate the privilege of being here? Truly, our eyes are blessed to see.

Blessed are our eyes for they see. That's the title again.

Brethren, let's treasure our high calling. Let's cherish it. Let's protect it.

We should realize daily why we have been selected. We're being trained and prepared to teach and govern with Christ. We should be learning God's holy righteous laws and God's character and his godly nature. We should be using our spiritual gifts to serve others. We should be preparing to lead and to govern. It's an amazing thing, isn't it?

I didn't, I mean, I've not thought of myself, you know, for government.

In fact, even now, after many years in the Church, it's hard to think about that, being being in government under Christ and being a teacher, teaching people God's way.

So the first fruits of being prepared, though, to lead. They're going to be placed in a position of leadership out front, governing, teaching, leading. First fruits, then certainly ordinary people not running for an office. Were you running for an office? I didn't go to Ambassador College to be a minister today. I certainly did not go to learn to govern under Christ.

Didn't have been, didn't understand a lot of things like that. So we are not, we are not running for an office, but we are being prepared for an office. God is preparing us to be a king and priest with Christ and be a true public servant. That's what we need. True public servants. God is busy. That's what He's doing today. He's working with, I believe, tens of, we can say tens of thousands of members in the church. Only God knows who and where and how many, but God is preparing tens of thousands. If each of them has just one city to lead and guide and govern, that's a lot of cities, and some may have five or ten. So God is busy. That's what He's busy doing. He'll be busy doing it tomorrow and the next day, the scanning week. God is busy preparing you and me. I believe that we want Him to prepare us. We understand God's purpose in our calling today. But it's a mystery to the world. But it's not a mystery to the first fruits because blessed are our eyes for they see.

Do you know it's a mystery, but before too long it's not even going to be a mystery anymore. Let's turn to Revelation 10. What God is doing is not going to be a mystery anymore.

Revelation chapter 10 and verse 5.

The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it and the sea, things in it, there should be no or delay no longer for seven. But in the days of the sounding of the seventh trumpet, that last trumpet sound, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God should be finished as he's declared to his servants the prophets. So it's not going to be a mystery anymore. It will be revealed to everyone. It won't be given to just the ones that God chooses and selects because it will be revealed to all. So that's going to be a wonderful time. The mystery ends at the seventh trumpet and the return of Jesus Christ. So as we go on forward, let's be inspired and rejuvenated.

Stay close to God. Stay focused on this great calling that God has given. Be led by his spirit.

I want to conclude with Acts 9, verse 31.

Acts 9, verse 31. Here's a beautiful verse that shows us that as we go on forward, you know, we're just two weeks after Pentecost, as we go on forward then this summer and after that, here's what we should be doing. And it's very positive. Acts 9, verse 31.

Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. You know, God's church in many ways is growing and doing its work, and we do have a good measure of peace in which we work. And we are being edified and walking in the fear of the Lord, which we should always do, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, the power and the comfort of God guiding us, they were multiplied. So let us have peace as we go forward and as we walk in the fear of God and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.