Men and brethren let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us today. Peter spoke these words on Pentecost to those out of every nation under heaven gathered in Jerusalem. This congregation was described as devout men. They were amazed, marveling and confounded by the fact that they heard their own language being spoken by Galileans. Today seminaries teach foreign languages to men believing that by so doing that Christ can be brought to every nation under heaven. The languages of man can be learned and spoken; but no teacher but God can teach a man to embrace the gospel. Only after one is born again and God blesses His people with hearing ears will the gospel ever be received as marvelous and amazing!

Peter, by the grace of God, preached the truth as it is in Christ. Peter preached Jesus Christ, the hope of King David. The sweet Psalmist of Israel David, as blessed as he was in this world, like all born of Adam is now added to the list found in Genesis chapter 5. David too died.  David's body waits for the resurrection morning.  Peter didn't preach the superiority of David but Him whom David foresaw. The Lord Jesus was always before David's face. David said, the Lord is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. Therefore David's heart rejoiced, and his tongue was glad. David declared that his flesh shall rest in hope (see Psalm 16:9)! God made David to know the ways of life. Furthermore David confessed that God would make him full of joy with His countenance. David spoke of Christ, the resurrection.

David was taught the ways of life. There is more than one way that the living can take in this world. Those elect before the world began and given Jesus shall all be born again sometime between conception and death. That way is as sure as their election and has nothing whatsoever to do with the works of man.  Jesus said, "Ye must be born again". I saw a cartoon on television where a little girl was shown trying to teach her friends that the trees caused the wind to blow. She pointed to the trees and said; See how they bend as they push the wind. She bent her body emulating the trees bending. One of her friends protested saying, that isn't true. The little cartoon character girl said, Prove it!

 When I took classes in geography I was taught that winds result from the movement of high and low pressure zones. Where did these high and low-pressure zones originate? Our Lord said, "The wind bloweth where it listeth". We hear it rustling through the trees. Our Lord said, Thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth". Prognosticators forecast by making educated guesses, which are often wrong. As the wind bloweth where it listeth, so is every man that is born of the Spirit. Those that were pricked in their hearts that day of Pentecost in Jerusalem were witnesses to that fact. These were they that were born of God. But there were others that mocked and said that the disciples were full of new wine. They were more apt to believe the cartoon character's explanation of the origin of the mighty rushing wind.  

Those born again heard that Jesus God had raised, being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this which they did see and hear. The Apostle Peter said that God hath made that same Jesus…both Lord and Christ. Not once did Peter ask any man to make Jesus their Lord and receive Christ as their Saviour!  With many words did Peter testify and exhort saying, save yourselves from this untoward generation! Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them three thousand souls.

Man cannot make Jesus Lord and Christ. That is God's doings. God's people can receive the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation and save themselves from this untoward generation and be baptized. How many shall do that which they can do? Many prefer to pretend that they can do that which they cannot do. They pretend that they are as powerful as the tree, which causes the wind to blow! If ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious you ought to deny yourself and take up your cross and follow Him daily. These will save themselves from this untoward generation.

Yet sadly there are many whom God has made known the ways of life that continue to forsake the assembling together of God's people. If salvation was of works and not grace, then not one who forsakes God's Church in this world   would rise to the resurrection of life the last day. I cannot comprehend what comfort these enjoy being unequally yoked with this untoward generation.  I hope to never be found in that number. I pray that all God's people would become like little obedience children and come home to their friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for them, and hath had compassion on them. There they can freely speak of God's free grace. 7/21/2005 Elder M. Hoogasian