Tomorrow I'll continue with the final essay in the 3-part series I'm doing on the vessels of wrath, but for the Lord's Day, which is a day of rest, prayer, and exaltation of His glorious name, here is something encouraging Dr Lloyd-Jones said in both the above linked sermons.
God is so loving and concerned with His people that he declares in both the Old Testament and in the New, His faithful and eternal love for us. He restates His covenant of Grace over and over, to reassure us. he is our God, and we are His people! The Jews are His chosen ones, and grafted into that family of Abraham, are the church age saints, the Gentiles.
Because God is in heaven and we were not, we would otherwise never, ever know of His plan since before the foundation of the world to bring a people to Himself. But He condescended to tell us, and more than once. Here, see:
"At that time, declares the Lord, I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they shall be my people." (Jeremiah 31:1)
And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. (Jeremiah 32:38)
And they shall know that I am the Lord their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, declares the Lord God. And you are my sheep, human sheep of my pasture, and I am your God, declares the Lord God.” (Ezekiel 34:30-31).
You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. (Ezekiel 36:28)
What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (2 Corinthians 6:16)
and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:18)
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (Hebrews 8:10).
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. (Revelation 21:3)
Doesn't that just make your heart swell with love and also crush your pride? Why, why does God want us? We're awful, sinful, dirty, and depraved. It's to show the riches of His mercy, His faithfulness, His righteousness, His love.
God Himself is such a blessing. Praise Jesus, and may His spotless name be revered throughout all eternity by His people.