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good morning to everyone just a few announcements before we begin worship a number of announcements before we begin worship the first is that just a reminder that these front seats it's okay for you to sit in them you're coming in in the Lord's Day morning if you want to sit up front you can now that the Joneses have left there's some space up there and the in the Hutchings have left there's some space up here so the Lord's Supper will be observed this evening so just a reminder it's almost always the first evening a worship service of a month so we will be observing our Lord's Supper this evening so we look forward to that a reminder as well khloé butler's baptism and bringing her into membership that will happen at Lord's Day in the near future so if you haven't spoken to her met her or encouraged her yet feel free to do so thirdly the Annual General Meeting we have that yearly the Annual General Meeting will be taking place on February 24th that that's a Saturday correct Saturday February 24th 7:00 p.m. it's always up in the fellowship luncheon hall everyone is welcome whether you're a member or not we just review some of the things from the past year talk about some financial things and all that sort of stuff so that's February 24 7 p.m. lastly the youth and young adults meeting will be this Thursday 7:30 p.m. at the slough twig so again youth and young adults Thursday 7:30 at the slough twigs well let's begin our worship then if you'll turn in your Bibles with me to Psalm 16 that will be our call to worship a reading of God's Word at Psalm 16 Psalm 16 beginning in verse 1 a mikta mufe David preserve me O God for in you I put my trust oh my soul you have said to the Lord you are my lord my goodness is nothing apart from as for the Saints who are on the earth they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another God their drink offerings of blood I will not offer nor take up their names on my lips Oh Lord you are the portion of my inheritance and my cup you maintain my law the lines have fallen to me in Pleasant places yes I have a good inheritance I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel my heart also instructs me in the night seasons I have set the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices my flesh also will rest in hope for you will not leave my soul in Sheol nor will you allow your Holy One to see corruption you will show me the path of life in your presence is fullness of joy at your right hand are pleasures forevermore amen well let's stand and sing our first hymn together as a church it's in the larger hymnals 198 will stand and sing that together 198 [Music] [Music] [Music] we'll go to our God in prayer let's pray Heavenly Father we come to you now in prayer rejoicing on this Lord's Day Sabbath morning that we can gather together in the name of Jesus Christ our Savior before the worship of our great God our great triune God Father Son and Holy Spirit and we would ask yet again that you would help us to worship you aright we pray Lord that you would help us to worship you in spirit and in truth and we would ask again for that measure of the Spirit that you would cause us to have our souls stirred we might worship you we might give you honor and praise that we might truly hallow your name that you might help us God to cast off any thoughts that would intrude and to be focused now on your worship before truly you are most worthy of that worship and we pray that you would help us we thank you for the gospel of Jesus Christ we rejoice in everlasting life we rejoice in the forgiveness of sins we rejoice in a righteousness not our own that avails with you even the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone we thank you for all of the benefits all of the blessings of being found in him and we thank you as we reflect each and every Lord's Day on the fact that of the incarnation of his life death resurrection all of those blessed truths we thank you now Lord God Almighty that you did send forth your son born of a woman and born under the law to redeem those who were under the under the law we thank you that by virtue of the Lord Jesus Christ's work we have adoption as sons and we can cry out Abba Father we do pray that you'd help us to reflect with great joy as we as we sing as we engage in worship that we would reflect with great joy upon his doing his dying his rising again that blessed gospel that he came into this world sinners to save and truly we know Lord God that we are not saved by our own deeds of righteousness but rather save solely and alone by the perfect work of Jesus so do help us to return to you honor and praise this morning we pray by virtue of that saving work you would forget of us afresh of all of our transgressions as we stumble still in this lower world we do pray that you would increase our joy that you would increase our sanctification that you would bless us by your spirit that we might daily put to death the deeds of the flesh that we might live unto righteousness and we pray that you would help us Lord God to bring honor to your name knowing that we're saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone give us that strength that grace that endurance to shine as lights in a crooked and perverse generation we might hold forth your word of truth we do pray Lord that you'd be with those who need prayer for many things those who are struggling physically we pray that you'd heal that you would strengthen that you would help them Lord that you would cause them in the midst of suffering to praise you and to be resting upon you we do pray for those struggling spiritually that you would pick them up Lord that caused them to no strength to know your grace to know your help and we do pray Lord God that you'd be with those unable to join us due to travel or whatever else it may be that you'd be near to them and you would cause them to rejoice this day in their God and in our Savior and we would pray Lord God that you'd be with all who are still pregnant we thank you for those gifts that you give to your people watch over mothers watch over those babies in the wombs do just protect them guard them and Lord and do time bring them forth with with good health and with much praising we do pray for those recently born that you'd watch over these young ones Lord we thank you again for these blessings from on high we pray that you would cause parents daily to rejoice in you for these things and Lord that we would all of us at parents with with children would raise them in the fear and in the admonition of the Lord that Lord God in due time by your grace and for your glory you would bring forth these at a young age to know their Creator and to rejoice in our Redeemer we do pray Lord God that you would watch over the Surrey Reformed Baptist Church and we thank you that their gathering together as we speak as we pray we pray that you'd watch over them that you'd bless their gathering that you watch over Mike as he preaches and watch over each and every one as they worship might you fill their hearts with joy that caused them to engage in in earnest worship of our triune God we do pray Lord that you'd be with those who rule over us so we're called in the scriptures to pray for Kings and those who are in authority we do pray for them now Lord that you would cause them to rule in righteousness and equity and justice that they would no longer pervert the nation's Lord but that they would rule rightly we do pray for those who would seek to pervert the nation's we pray that you would cause them to stumble that you would take them out of the way and put in place those who would seek to honor hurt you and to cast down Vice we do pray that you would be with those around the world who suffer for the cause of the gospel the cause of God and truth we just pray Lord that you protect our brothers and sisters in Christ that you would encourage them in the midst of opposition and persecution we pray that they would be able to cast their eyes of faith upon the risen Christ in the midst of affliction and find a much courage in him we do pray Lord that you would deal with those who persecute them that you would that you would judge them that you would bring judgment upon those who would oppose them and the Lord God that by your gospel and by your spirit you would bring forth many opposers to Jesus Christ that they might bless His Holy Name we do pray then that you'd be now with us and worship be with pastor Butler is he that preaches your word we pray that you'd give him much strength as you do week in and week out to come into this pulpit to open his Bible and to preach well the things of your revelation we pray that you would give him confidence and clarity and speech and thought and all of these things Lord we pray that you would be honored in that exercise of worship so do be with us now as we continue forgive us of our sins strengthen us in Christ Jesus the Lord made me return to you honor and praise and might Father Son and Holy Spirit be glorified in this place we pray in the name of the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen let's stand again and sing this time we're gonna sing 2:04 if you'll stand with me 2:04 [Music] this morning is from Luke six Luke chapter 6 beginning in verse 37 Luke 6:37 to the end of the chapter this is the word of God judge not and you shall not be judged condemn not and you shall not be condemned forgive and you will be forgiven give and it will be given to you good measure pressed down shaken together and running over will be put into your bosom for with the same measure that you use it will be measured back to you and he spoke a parable to them can the blind lead the blind will they not both fall into the ditch the disciple is not above his teacher but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher and why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but do not perceive the plank in your own eye or how can you say to your brother brother let me remove the speck that is in your eye when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye hypocrite first remove the plank from your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye for a good tree does not bear bad fruit nor does a bad tree bear good fruit for every tree is known by its own fruit for men do not gather figs from thorns nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush a good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks but why do you call me Lord Lord and do not do the things which I say whoever comes to me and hears my sayings and does them I will show you whom he is like he's like a man building a house who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock and when the flood arose the stream beat vehemently against that house and could not shake it for it was founded on the rock but he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation against which the stream beat vehemently and immediately it fell and the ruin of that house was great amen let us pray God we thank you for the reading of your Holy Word we thank you for your revelation to us we know that it is infallible we know that it is inherent in arrant we know that it is Lord God inspired we thank you Lord for this revelation to us and for these words of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ we pray Lord God that we would be those who rest upon the rock we know that that is the only stable foundation and we pray as we continue in worship that you would by your spirit help us to see that all the more we might know your word that we might know our God that we might rejoice in Jesus Christ our Savior that we might be equipped by the the preaching of the word today to go into another week resting upon Christ alone and seeking to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of your gospel of grace so do be with us now might you be honored might you be glorified and made our Savior Jesus Christ be exalted upon the praises of this gathered church we pray in his precious name Amen let's stand again and sing this time our final hymn is going to be 2:19 that's two 1:9 let's stand and sing as a church [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 28 Matthew chapter 28 Matthew 28 I'll begin reading in verse 1 and then our focus this morning will be verses 1 to 10 but I will read the whole chapter now after the Sabbath as the first day of the week began to dawn Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb and behold there was a great earthquake for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat on it his countenance was like lightning and his clothing was as white as snow the guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men but the angel answered and said to the women do not be afraid for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified he is not here for he has risen as he said come see the place where the Lord lay and go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead and indeed he is going before you into Galilee there you will see him behold I have told you so they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to bring his disciples word and as they went to tell his disciples behold Jesus met them saying rejoice so they came and held him by the feet and worshiped him then jesus said to them do not be afraid go and tell my brethren to go to God to go to Galilee and there they will see me now while they were going behold some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers saying tell them his disciples came at night and stole him away while we slept and if this comes to the governor's ears we will appease him and make you secure so they took the money and did as they were instructed and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them when they saw him they worshiped him but some doubted and Jesus came and spoke to them saying all Authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth go therefore and make disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and lo I am with you always even to the end of the age amen well let us pray our Father in Heaven we thank you for the written word we thank you for the Gospel according to Matthew and for it's subject matter even the life and the death and the resurrection of our beloved Lord how we thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ how we thank you that you made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him we thank you for the fact that you have in grace saved us that you have given us the graces of faith and repentance so that we may close with Christ you have caused us to see that he is altogether lovely and chief among ten thousand and our desire is is that sinners everywhere would see this they would hear the truth and by the grace of God would believe that truth be merciful to those in our myths that do not confess faith in Christ we pray that today would be the day of salvation that as we behold this empty tomb we would see a risen Savior glorious and a triumphant Lord that sinners would be drawn unto Him by the power of the Holy Spirit do forgive us now for our sins and transgressions and help us to receive with thankful hearts the power the Word of God and may you send the Holy Spirit to do this work to illumine our minds and our hearts for apart from Christ we can do nothing so we pray for the Ministry and the power and the aid of the Holy Spirit and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well the various gospel writers are all for gospel contain the narrative of the resurrection there are some differences not contradictions but some differences that can be harmonized my purpose this morning is not to try and harmonize but to deal with Matthew's Gospel as we find it of course referring to a couple of the other Gospels along the way but instead of are not necessarily instead of but perhaps it's a bit misleading to look at this section under the resurrection of Jesus we don't know other than the 3rd day when he actually was raised what we find with these women is a discovery of the empty tomb and then we see the appearance of the risen Lord so we know that he was raised from the dead when the angel rolls away the stone I don't believe it's to let Jesus out but rather it's to let the women in so that they may investigate and see the angel doesn't say now just believe what I have to say don't go in there don't examine no he invites them come and see Christianity has nothing to fear the empty tomb has nothing to fear we invite all commerce to investigate the glorious truth that Christ lived that he died then he was raised the third day and the best proof of that is what we find here in chapter 28 the the sublimity of the statement Jesus met them I mean just think about that for a moment Jesus met that the Jesus they had seen brutally crucified the Jesus they had seen placed into the tomb the Jesus they had seen rejected by their countrymen the Jesus they had seen rejected by the religious leaders Jesus met that as I've often stressed as I as we've gone through the study of this particular section everybody confirmed that Jesus was dead everybody affirmed that Jesus had in fact really died and then we read Jesus met them so we'll look at first the discovery of the empty tomb in verses 1 to 8 and then secondly the appearance of the risen Lord now when I said this doesn't record for us the resurrection of Jesus in most certainly does but I mean we don't know the exact point again.what the stone wasn't rolled away so Jesus could access the stone was rolled away so that the women could investigate but let's look at this discovery of the empty tomb notice the arrival of the women at the tomb on the first day of the week now after the Sabbath as the first day of the week began to dawn when commentator says the literal dawning of a new day signals a new period of history and this is precisely why we observe the Lord's Day this is precisely why from the creation to the death and resurrection of our Lord the Sabbath was on the seventh day but from the resurrection of our Lord until he comes again in glory that Sabbath is on the first day he is a low debt he is sanctified it he has rested on that particular day the theology of Hebrews four indicates the reason for the day change and it's connected to what Christ has accomplished now it doesn't indicate why the women went to the tomb the other authors tell us that they went to anoint the body and with reference to the presence of the women notice who is there according to verse one Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb mark tells us that Salome was also present with them and Luke 24:10 indicates there were most likely other women but the emphasis here I think by Matthew is for this reason this Mary Magdalene and this Mary the mother of Joseph and James these Mary's had been present at the crucifixion according to chapter 27 26 verse 56 they had been present at the burial according to chapter 20 I'm sorry 27 verse 61 and then we see them present here very specifically at the discovery of the tomb now notice the descent of this angel verses 2 to 4 it's a very intriguing section I think the young man of mark 16 and the the two men of Luke 24 is the angel so I'm going to say Luke has to and Matthew has one well if there were two in Luke there was certainly one in Matthew and most likely Matthew records the one who speaks to them specifically concerning the resurrection of Jesus you need to appreciate that some people think that this is a contradiction Luke mentions to Matthew mentions one that's a contradiction it's absolutely not a contradiction a contradiction would be to and not to a contradiction would be to and it wasn't the case that there was two that's contradictory but if there are two people in this room we can certainly affirm there's one person in this room again right the reason is probably theological it's probably with reference to the emphasis the author here Matthew speaks concerning the angel that spoke concerning the resurrection but notice this is attended by an earthquake verse two and behold there was a great earthquake now there was an earthquake that accompanied the crucifixion according to chapter 27 verse 51 and verse 54 and here there is an earthquake that accompanies the resurrection John Gill giving various reasons for this ends by saying and it was a symbol and token of the presence and majesty of Christ at whose rising as at his death the earth shook and trembled it's a good way to consider this and then Spurgeon in his typical spurge ioniq sort of poetic way says when the King awoke from the sleep of death he shook the world the bedchamber in which he rested for a little while trembled as the heavenly hero arose from his couch quite like that that's a beautiful description of this earthquake but notice as we continue in verse 2 matthew indicates for us that this earthquake wasn't due to natural phenomena they weren't on a fault line it wasn't a shift of the cosmic play of the of the seismic plates it wasn't anything to do with the natural order but it's connected to the descent of this angel this is explanatory behold there was a great earthquake why for an angel of the Lord from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat on it again I believe this is the young man of mark 16:5 and this is the to man in luke 24:4 not literally one man is - but they're speaking about these angelic beings who attended the resurrection site of our Lord Jesus Christ and it's intriguing in Matthew's Gospel as well not that there's no other references to angels but there is a reference to an angel speaking with reference to the Incarnation and we see angel speaking with reference to the resurrection so at the beginning of our Lord's ministry at the end or the beginning of the new phase of his ministry we see this angelic presence instructing the people of God concerning the majesty and the glory and the excellence of the Lord Jesus Christ notice it says the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and he came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat on it again I don't think it's to let Jesus out but so that persons can get in they can investigate which the women do again the other Gospel writers narrow evidence that for us Peter and James are Peter and John rather enter into the tomb so is open for investigation it's a scientific method right here though you Christians just believe everything on faith yeah but it's a faith rooted in objective data you understand that we're not believing some made up fairy tale we're not believing in the existence of unicorns because we really wish there were unicorns we're believing in the God who has revealed himself in his inspired infallible and inerrant Word we are believing the data concerning the Lord Jesus Christ who actually did live who was actually crucified and it was actually raised from the dead we are believing objectively our objective truth it isn't some meth or mystery or some cunningly devised fables we're believing the reality as it's revealed to us in the scriptures of both the old and the New Testaments so he rolls back the stone from the door and then she sat on it this is an intriguing picture isn't it he sat on the stone why I think it's somewhat indicative of or expressive of triumph victory remember this angel and it goes on to describe how he's clothed and the way that he's clothed is representative or or or signifies heavenly beings we see this sort of a description in Daniel 7 with reference to the Ancient of Days we see it in Daniel 10 with reference to the one who gave Daniel a particular vision and we see it even of Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration Matthew 17 this blazing white garment this angelic being sits upon the stone as a representative of heaven itself that no one will ever again place a stone over a tomb that contains the Son of God Most High Matthew Henry said there he sat defying all the powers of Hell to roll the stone to the grave again I think that's how we ought to understand it triumph victory glory Majesty excellence and if that of the angel who is the servant to testify concerning Christ than what of the Christ himself what of this one who appears to these women in verses 9 and 10 what of this one who is heavens darling heaven's gem if he this angel is triumphant or expresses heavens triumph the fact that our risen Lord is our risen Lord is expressive of his triumph and his victory and his power and his dominion over the grave this is a man who was raised from the dead this is a man who raised himself now I know it's ascribed to all three persons of the Trinity there are instances where Christ specifically says I will raise it up or I will raise up according to John 10 it's a glorious wonderful situation now note the response of the guards verse 4 the guard shook for fear of him and became like dead man the word earthquake is where we get the word it's a Greek word for we get the word seismic you know what the Greek word for earthquake is seismic sized moss it's interesting because these these guards they quake they have their own seismic sort of episode at this particular juncture or this particular time it certainly gives the the background for the lie that we'll see in verses 11 to 15 when the chief priests bribed the guard with a great guards with a great deal of money they weren't sleeping they were terrified they weren't snoozing they were quaking like dead men that's what the tax specifies concerning this and notice the angel doesn't say anything to the guards the angel other than sitting upon the top of the stone doesn't threaten you know to turn them into chickens or donkeys or anything like that he doesn't do anything like that they're just terrified at this particular spectacle but it is intriguing that these are soldiers these are Roman soldiers that no doubt saw their skirmishes a young man today could conceivably join the military and not ever see any sort of altercation or any sort of action whatsoever not so true in this particular context Roman soldiers were always fighting there were always two molt's there were always trials there were always difficulties Calvin makes this observation concerning the fear these soldiers the soldiers who were accustomed to two bolts were terrified and were so completely overwhelmed by alarm that they fell down like men who were almost dead but no power was exerted to raise them from that condition you see the irony these soldiers are given a task 1 task guard this dead body not only do they not do that but the body that was dead is now alive and they themselves have quaked themselves into a fearful state where they are almost like dead man the irony is is just pleasantly sweet at this particular point but they are fearful concerning this situation now note the Commission the angel gives to the women he first encourages them do not be afraid why would he say that because they were probably afraid they'd come to investigate the tomb or rather to come to anoint the body the stone is rolled away and there is the angel sitting upon the stone I I would probably be a bit scared of that I don't know about you you're all macho it's a Sunday morning everybody's full of vigour and energy and if you saw such a thing you wouldn't be afraid I think most people would at least be to some degree a bit afraid and it's intriguing because both angel and Jesus encouraged the women with do not fear Spurgeon says let the soldiers tremble let them lie as if dead through fright but fear not ye for I know that you seek Jesus which was crucified those who seek Jesus need not fear beautiful those who seek Jesus need not fear now know after he encourages them were comforts them he now instructs them or explains to them he first acknowledges the reason for their presence they're not there to see the tomb of any other man they're there to see the tomb of the Lord Jesus he as well confirms that Jesus had died I've mentioned that that the idea that attack upon the resurrect well it wasn't really dead this the swoon theory he was injured he went into a coma light state and it was then that he was deposited into the to everybody else everybody contemporary with the situation everybody connected into the situation all testified that he was dead the soldiers who murdered him the the Pilate the governor who gave the order he verified it was own Centurion the religious leaders knew that he was dead because they said while he was alive he said this everybody confirms and affirms that Jesus was dead including this angelic being notice he is not I'm sorry for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified now the angel announces the resurrection he is not here for he has risen is that what we hang our souls on that the basis upon which we have everlasting life now in Kent encompassing not only the resurrection itself but everything leading up to it life death resurrection you see if there was no he is risen connected to the Lord Jesus Christ he would have been a martyr a valiant martyr a noble martyr a martyr who fought to the very end but ultimately the grave contained out he is not a martyr he is a savior he is not a martyr he is our Lord he's not simply a martyr that ultimately means testify our witness and he did do that he is the Redeemer of God's elect this he is risen is one of the most glorious things that has ever been said concerning anyone else and we are the blessed recipients of that truth by God's grace he is not here for He is risen and then the angel reminds them of his often repeated assertions the Lord's often repeated assertions notice what he says he is not here for his risen as he said he suit that empty tomb does as well not only affirms and confirms everything Jesus predicted or prophesied concerning his own resurrection she does in Matthew 12 he doesn't Matthew 16 he doesn't Matthew 17 doesn't Matthew 20 and he doesn't again in Matthew chapter 26 on those several occasions Jesus announces that he will be raised from the dead that he will exit the tomb and whether everybody received that and believed it and and affirmed it and lived in light of that that that's not the point that empty tomb not only underscores the reality that all those predictions are prophecies concerning his resurrection were true but it's also validates everything he says it seems to me it's very difficult for persons to try to pick and you choose the Jesus they want you know we like this about Jesus but but we don't like this so much we like that geez you know as always gentle meek and mild but you know this wrath of the Lamb thing that we see over here in revelation 6 that just doesn't fit with our sort of conception of who Jesus is do you realize that your conception of who Jesus is matters not one bit to anybody but you it matters what God's Word says we're not to be subjectivist we're not to be relativists we're not to be those who are shopping at the buffet well I like this but I don't like this I like that but I don't like this if Christ announces by prophetic word that he's going to be raised from the dead and he is raised from the dead on the third day as he said then we have to take everything what he said too harsh no picking and no choosing but it's intriguing because the verb form used here in verses 6 and 7 with reference to him being raised it's what's called a passive verb I don't want to confuse the adults the kids would probably track with all this no problem but it's a passive verb that means that the subject is being acted upon an active an active verb would be as if I I hit the wall a passive verb is the wall hit me Jesus was acted upon again he has power authority to take up his life again according to John 10 the resurrection is ascribed to Jesus as the Son of God but it's ascribed a persons of the triune God and here specifically what we see is the father he was raised from the dead and I think we ought to appreciate there's more going on with this particular use of the verbal form than just the historical affirmation but the theological beauty he was raised by the father why because he did what the father gave him to do he was raised by the father why because Jesus came into this world sinners to save he was raised by the father why because Jesus always did what was pleasing to the father he always obeyed the father he laid down his life in obedience or compliance to the Father's plan and purpose and cause and as a result of that Christ offered up a perfect sacrifice for the glory of the Father and for the good of his people for whom it was made in other words Christ accomplished everything the father had given him so what does the father do the father raises him from the dead the father according to Ephesians chapter one puts him at his right hand therefore he has exalted him Philippians 2 he has given him a name which is above every name brethren I think we ought to take our cue from the father on how we ought to esteem the son we say we are Christians we say we are Christ followers we say we are devoted to the second person of the triune God that's our identity that's our identification if anybody were to ask you how do you identify you say I'm of Christ well brethren how does the father view Christ the father is so pleased with what Christ does he raises him from the dead the father is so pleased with what Christ does he puts him at his right hand the father is so pleased with Christ that he gives him absolute universal dominion over all things both in this age and in the age to come that's what the father views with reference to our Lord Jesus this passive use of the verb in verses six and seven point to the divine purpose for for Christ God the Father raised him from the dead the father raised Jesus Chamblin says from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit thereby honoring his beloved son lauding his obedience unto death and ratifying the New Covenant established by his atoning sacrifice so the angel acknowledges the reason for their presence he confirms that Jesus had died he announces the resurrection with he is risen and he reminds them of the many times that Jesus had said that he would be raised the third day and then he invites them invites them to examine the tomb think about that again I think throughout the gospel narratives throughout the various accounts there's all these sorts of things that are there to shut the mouths of gainsayers you know somebody's going to come along in church history not long after this event and say well you know they stole the body away well Matthew includes that both the plot in chapter 27 and the actual execution of that plot in chapter 28 some will say well you know the angel didn't let them go in and see the tomb you just trust me on this you you don't need to look behind that you don't need to go into he says come and see come and see where he lay again Christianity has nothing to hide you young people need to get this because as we live as we move as we have our be in an increasingly secular culture the object of absolute disdain is objective truth you believe anything you want as long as you don't tell somebody it's actually true you believe anything you want as long as you don't insist that it's the only truth you believe anything you want you can be anything you want in terms of your own identity or whatever but when you say I'm a Christian and I believe that I speak the words of truth and reason I get that from Paul before Festus remember when Paul is testifying and fastest says much learning is driving you mad Paul what does Paul say I'm not mad most noble Festus but speak the words of truth and reason on the one hand we esteem Paul for doing that while he's speaking the truth though the words of truth and reason on the other hand we need to esteem Paul for what he's doing by implication everyone who doesn't speak as I do everyone who doesn't believe as I do everyone who doesn't hold to the Christian faith as I do is not speaking the words of truth and reason you see this positive affirmation that Christianity is true and reasonable is an indictment against the spirit of the age and they don't want that you young people need to gird yourselves up in the truth of holy scripture the sorts of muddled thinking the sorts of confusion the sorts of inability that perhaps you've seen evidence in some of the superiors in the midst I don't mean superior and rank but in age you got a bet you got to step it up we're coming up on times where well you know things that that used to be locked down like male and female that's not locked down anymore if you can't lock down that then everything's up for grabs and it certainly won't do for young people on the modern University campus well I think the Bible says I heard it preached before III think it's you know these authors brethren weren't doing apologetics in the first place but they were doing apologetics they were heading off at the past the cables of men they were heading off at the past the modern universities see they were heading off the past those people that say well it's a cunningly devised fables it's methods it's just just an illusion he angel himself well they say well we don't believe in angels various persons saw these people these these beings the angel says come and investigate come and see where he lay the very details presented to us in the gospel records some suggest well the did the Friends of Jesus stole his body away they were too timid to identify with him where are they up to this point presently they're hiding in a in a room according to John's Gospel without Thomas just because of their afraid of the Jews you don't get the impression that these were you know shot gun wielding Bandolero wearing dudes that had big beards and ate meat all the time and busted bodies out of the tomb you see just the opposite and the gospel record you see just the contrary with reference to disciples some say well his enemy stole his body why why would they want to give any truck to the idea that here a it was raised from the dead oh well well it was grave robbers you know there were laws specifying that there was severe punishment for grave robbers in the in the the Roman Empire what grave-robber is gonna net you know take the clothes off of a body and carry around a dead naked body and and in John 20 at verses 6 and 7 they see the cloth that was wrapped around his head again not the Shroud of Turin but they see that folded and and laid down on the on the bench there in the tomb now I don't know what the ethics of grave grave robbers are but I can't imagine their tidy after they ravaged a grave alright you take that you take that it and fold the garments before we leave see I think that embedded in the narrative is the sort of ammunition that the people of God today need to be armed with so we don't kowtow to an increasingly secular age that says well there's no such things as angels there's no such things as God there's no such thing as a resurrection from the dead the Bible says thus saith the Lord needs to be again recovered by the church in the face of well it's not even science has proven anymore it's my feelings warrant or my commitments or my this or my Zep we're not even in the age anymore where science has proven no it's every man is you know every man does what's right in his own eyes you want identify as a 3 year old girl go ahead so am I to question that you want identify as a 50 year old man go ahead don't mind a question but does it ever dawn on me but but you're not a 3 year old girl that doesn't matter anymore and see the people of God that can't give answers from the scriptures who can't speak the words of truth and reason are gonna be chewed up and spit out the modern climate pay attention to narrative pay attention to detail pay attention to what the authors are doing in the texts that we read come see the place where the Lord lay now notice the specific word of instruction in verses in verse 7 the women become the apostles to the Apostles don't they talking about the dignity of women and in this passage and even that detail if somebody was gonna fake a gospel record if somebody was going to fake a resurrection story the last person they would use as the first witness would be women they just would never do that Josephus and his antiquities indicates the value of women in a courtroom I don't mean to offend you ladies I don't mean to upset you but this is what Josephus wrote in this particular context but let not the testimony of women be admitted on account of the levity and boldness of their sex so if in a context where women testimony was basically null and void if you are gonna fake this wouldn't you have the first ones to discover the tomb men wouldn't you have it be a man and and you know just backing up a bit in the narrative if you're gonna fake this would you have the man that's gonna at least for a time be recognized as the leader of the church after Jesus is risen and exalted back on high deny Jesus you need clean that up too wouldn't you you would tend to clean up the narrative if it didn't advance your particular purpose the fact that there are differences which I announced at the beginning that can be harmonized but some of it is a bit tricky that's another evidence what do you think men would do a Matthew a Mark Luke and a John that were gonna fabricate a resurrection story of the Lord Jesus they would meet in the equivalent of their fellowship hall or of their study they'd open up through the brew some coffee they get out their notepads or their iPads or whatever in a pads they had and they would collude they would clean they would smoothen out they would fix it well if we have these disagreement well let's shore that up the very differences themselves are in evidence to the veracity of it fakes fake it well the truth has nothing to hide you see all of this taken into consideration by the people of God notice the women become the apostles to the apostles to declare the truth of the Resurrection the women aren't to tell the apostles to go to Galilee in order to see Jesus go back to chapter 26 verse 32 another announcement where Jesus would be raised I mentioned this one earlier notice in verse 32 of Matthew 26 but after I have been raised I will go before you to Galilee why Galilee what's so special about Galilee why does Jesus want them to meet him in Galilee why does Matthew's Gospel end in Galilee new jerusalem better in jerusalem the the political and religious capital of the world or the the country at that particular time you know some suppose it's because of how apostate Jerusalem had been this is another sign or indicator that Jesus is leaving their house desolate he's going to go to Galilee others suppose that it has something to do with his beginning of his ministry he starts in Galilee according to Matthew chapter 4 and a prophecy from Isaiah the prophet chapter 9 is applied to that particular beginning of ministry and it's called Galilee of the Gentiles so I think that this Galilee has to do something with what we find in the actual Great Commission he's in Galilee of the Gentiles to send out his people on a world-wide mission in other words the Christian faith is not confined to the physical literal descendants of Abraham the Christian faith goes out to the spiritual descendants of Abraham men from every tribe tongue people and nation or in the verbiage used by our Lord go therefore and make disciples of all the nations Galilee of the Gentiles is a most fitting place to launch a worldwide mission to men from every tribe tongue people and nation but Jesus had already told them after I had raised I will go before you to Galilee the angel rehearses this with the women and France says then now the corollary of his going ahead is spelled out when they get to Galilee they will see him not just an empty tomb but a living Jesus now look at the women what do they do they do what a lot of Christians today don't do they obeyed well you know my time I've got to go fold just go what an angelic being tells you to go find disciples and tell them that their Lord has risen and a medium in Galilee you just do it you don't go full laundry first or you know crap Bru split the atom you just do what you're supposed to do but an intriguing statement here in verse 8 notice so they went out quickly not just compliance but quick compliance from the tomb with fear and great joy fear and great joy you meet people sometimes they say you talk about being a god-fearing Christian that just sounds miserable what good could there be in this fearing God well you know as well as I much of the Old Testament or many references in the Old Testament fear of God is just another description for believer the fear of God is just another description for a Christian and you know obviously the Old Covenant scenario but I think the point that we need to stress or emphasize here is that fear and joy and notice it's not great fear it's fear that's great joy these are not enemies in the Christian life these are not foes in the Christian life one only needs ask themselves when I stand in the presence of the God of heaven and earth or better when I bow in the presence of the God of heaven and earth or vast when I fall on my face before the God of heaven and earth what kind of a disposition ought to characterize my heart jokes levity frivolity fear it's intriguing that when the angels get this view in Isaiah six these six winged Serafim with - they fly with - they cover their feet and with two they cover their face you see no one in the Bible runs into the presence of the Holy One of Israel and puts their arm around him and says how you doing buddy it's a modern conception we have lost the fear of God we have lost reverence in the presence of the Holy One of Israel john murray well described the fear of god as the soul of godly yes I quite like that fear and great joy our friends in the Christian heart fear and great joy are companions in the Christian heart we learned this from King David in the second Psalm he says serve Yahweh with fear and rejoice with trembling I would suggest that if we don't know these twin concepts in our heart we better learn them we better discover them we better seek them because these are things that characterize the blood-bought children of God we come into the presence of the high king of heaven and it's not for joke time it's not for casual time it's not for chat time it's to be in the presence of the God of heaven and earth time the reasons why I just personally probably you'll be offended but I really can't stomach preachers with hands in their pockets the United States Air Force they said if you put your hands in your pockets you're gonna get in trouble most Airmen at least in my day sewed their pockets together so they wouldn't be tempted to put their hands in their pockets you're doing that in the presence of an earthly commander and men who represent the God of heaven and earth ambassadors for heaven are going to stand behind pulpits with hands and pockets giving chats or with God we're in the presence of the Holy One you know what's fitting fear and great joy I would suggest the great joy is facility by the fear we need both in our service to God serve Yahweh with fear and rejoice with trembling now let's look secondly at the appearance of art of the risen Lord verses 9 to 10 they have an extraordinary sight and as they went to tell his disciples behold Jesus met them saying rejoice behold Jesus met them again they had seen him brutally crucified they had seen him execute at the hands of Roman soldiers they had seen him placed in the - I don't think that you and I can fully enter into what that may have been like imagine that you were one of the women that saw this brutality take place and and and of one that you loved why are they at the cross why are they at the tomb and why are they discovering this because they love Jesus they were devoted to Jesus that beautiful relationship Jesus bore with these women there was no impurity there's no wickedness there was no you know wretchedness whatsoever children when he needed one for an illustration not they needed you know what I mean child come climb up into his lap sometimes wish I was more like Jesus in that regard he got along with people very well children weren't afraid oh I don't want to go near him when he needed a child they would come flock to him he's women loved him they were devoted to him they adored him and now they've seen him with their eyes again just try to jump in and imagine the scene Mary Magdalene this one that in many respects is just esteemed above many many others in the gospel narratives she was forgiven much so she certainly loved much that she and the Mary Mother of josie's and Solomon again probably others they saw Christ he'd gone into the tomb and now he was there standing before the sublimity of it Jesus met that the way Matthew records almost just so matter-of-fact we were there we took Matthew don't you want to you know do the equivalent of blowing a horn here or you know underline it or boldface it I mean it just sounds almost so casual but then what Jesus says is just ordinary I know it's translated here rejoice and that's a legit translation of the word but it's the way that people greeted each other in Greek was the common parlance in fact I think they still use this word khayrat a it means akin to our hello hi the sublimity of it one man make some observations here that I'm not sure I agree with all of it but he just points to the earthiness of Jesus what would you and I say tada and you thought I could do it didn't you wouldn't we rub it in wouldn't we seek to dazzle wouldn't we seek to shine Jesus says oh Jesus met them and he says to them coyote hello hi Fran says to say simply that Jesus met them when the last we saw of his the last we saw of him was as a corpse sealed in a tomb is a masterly understatement and is greeting Kyra traoré hello is almost banal in its everyday familiarity it's just so uncommon in the sense then he doesn't seize upon it I remember making this observation one would try to trace through the the Sampson narratives how do most people see Sampson this big bumbling oh you know he's got muscles upon muscles and every woman he sees he just has to be with that that's not the way Sampson was four times in the Sampson narratives the Spirit of the Lord came upon him I don't know how many people in the Bible have that set of them four times but one of the things that I brought out maybe it was obscured maybe it's not accurate but I'm gonna throw it out there again anyway when he kills the lion does he do he doesn't tell anybody that's so contrary to us we would tell everybody it would be facebooked it would be Instagram for the next five days this is me killing the lion from this angle this is me killing the line from that angle this is me coming home and having told my mom I kill wouldn't we same thing no Ted ah no you fools didn't think I could do this No hello what's their response it's beautiful its glorious it's amazing majestic so they came and held him by the feet and worshiped him what does this indicate to us he's not a phantom he's not an apparition he's not a ghost he has feet now Davies and Alison in their commentary they seem to give evidence of having or knowing a lot and they say that according to worldwide folklore concerning ghosts ghosts never have feet now I didn't have the time to verify worldwide folklore I certainly didn't have the time to you know investigate feet on ghosts or not but I don't think they're far off the beaten path with reference to the meaning here cuz Jesus does this very thing in Luke's Gospel he shows them his physicality he shows that that he is flesh that he is bones he cautions them against assuming that he is a phantom or that he is a ghost they've got a hold of his feet he is real after that instance in Luke 24 what do they do they feed him fish and komm beautiful thing our Lord that went into the tomb comes out of the tomb now certainly glorified resurrected you know takes on this glorious dimension but the Jesus that went into the bar into the tomb is the Jesus that came out of the tomb now I really don't want to stretch this but there might be an analogy here I would affirm that that that feet are not essential to humanity in other words if you're cheap or your feet are chopped off you're still a human being but but it is intriguing and I think again just by way of analogy let's think of hypostatic Union they're holding him by the feet and they're affording to him worship he is true humanity he is true deity He is God he is man he's got feet he is worthy to be worship and praised and glorified and honored it's a beautiful thing now note the message of Jesus some have said well he says the same thing that the angel said the angel said to the women go to all the disciples to meet Jesus in Galilee what does Jesus do Jesus says go tell my brethren to meet me in Galilee same message but we do err if we think it's exactly similar the angel refers to the disciples as the disciples Jesus refers to the disciples as my brethren and I think there's a world of encouragement in this sort of statement notice it reiterates an emphasis in Matthew's Gospel Matthew 12 behold your mother your sisters your brothers now those who do the will of my father in heaven are my brothers and mothers and sisters Matthew 23 when he cautions his disciples against calling men rabbi and teacher and the right reverend sir he says you're all brethren Jesus in the Olivet discourse in Matthew 25 as the king of the nation what you did or you didn't do for the least of these my brethren you did or didn't do unto me this underscores the special between Jesus and his people it's a beautiful statement in Hebrews 2 in fact you can turn there for just a moment Hebrews chapter 2 it's a quote from Psalm 22 but let's look at the Hebrews 2 version Hebrews 2:10 actually let's just look right at verse 12 saying I will declare your name to my brethren in the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to you that Psalm 22 22 applied to our Lord Jesus Christ and he says I will declare your name to my brethren in the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to you you actually meditate upon that verse it speaks wonderful things concerning public worship Christ is in the midst of the assembly with his brethren he's the choir leader he's the choir director he is the worship leader when we gather together with one another it's a beautiful thing but the point here is that he calls them my brethren now going back to Matthew 28 verse 10 don't talk my brethren to go to Galilee and there they will see me it reiterates an emphasis in Matthew's Gospel it reflects the glory of the relationship between Christ and His people and I would submit that it rehearses the great grace the goodness the kindness and the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ when's the last time we have collectively seen the disciples in 2656 when they four took him when they abandoned him when they departed from him and then subsequent to that in chapter 26 Peters in the courtyard and denies him three times brethren the ever if you ever compare this section with what we find in mark mark 16 Jesus instruction don't tell my disciples and Peter well that's the angel go tell the disciples and Peter why am Peter most scholars recognize most Christians have known that mark is dependent upon Peter in other words Mark's Gospel is Peters Gospel I would suggest that it was a series of lectures done by Peter in the city of Rome and Mark was the transcriber or the recorder but you don't have to follow that but if it's got Peters fingerprints on it why and Peter to emphasize this very point the one who denied him is still his brother and Peter's not left out in this narrative when we get to 28 16 it's the 11 that gather brethren Jesus is calling brethren those who abandoned him those who forsook him and one who denied him three times to a slave girl do not think for a moment there isn't forgiveness with thee that thou may us be feared do not think for a moment that first John 1:9 is a fake do not think for a moment that the psalmist's argument Psalm 25 11 is crazy where he says pardon my iniquity for it is great are you crazy you're gonna plead for forgiveness because of how great your sin is it's because of the greatness of myself that I do plead for forgiveness there is forgiveness with God it is manifested in this two word difference from the same instruction that the angelic being gave go and tell or go to Galilee and say go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee John Calvin observes he says it is proper to remark the astonishing kindness of Christ in deigning to bestow the name of brethren on deserters on deserters who had basely forsaken him the same instruction go to them and tell them to go to Galilee a little bit different nuance the angel says disciples Jesus says my brethren now I'm not suggesting you go out and sin against Jesus and he'll keep calling you know you know just rest in the fact that he calls you my brethren but when we do sin John continues we have an advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous never forget that we are his brethren when once we enter by the grace of God into that coven ental relationship with our master and Redeemer he doesn't let us go you know offensive the view is is that true Christians can lose their salvation you know what that means that Christ can lose wine that he saves because if it were up to Christians and or up to us if you could lose your salvation you would most certainly lose it no doubt no doubt whatsoever the only reason why you're saved why you continue save is because of the master because he's got us in the grip of his hand and no one can pluck us out we are his brethren and I think this last statement just refer reminds us what the glory of the gospel entails go to go to Galilee and there they will see me isn't that the height of our Christianity certainly we rejoice in the Ordo salutis we have been forgiven of our sins and justification we are growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and sanctification but all that what but and all of that is heading toward glorification you know what the chief boon of glorification is it isn't well I'm gonna have a resurrected body you know these old tired bones aren't gonna weigh me down anymore what could it be with Jesus can't wait to get to heaven cuz I hear it's you know big basketball court let's go Jesus is what heaven is this is everything for us in our Christian life go to Galilee and there they will see me that's the boon in our religion well brethren I think that we see a few things in the passage few things I already dealt with so this shouldn't take long first the glory of the resurrection it's a beautiful thing isn't it and you might have wondered this morning we sang resurrection hymns and it's it's not April every Sunday is Resurrection Sunday every Sunday we are tacitly announcing at our entrance upon this place of worship He is risen that's what we do revolutionary we worship a man who was dead and was raised the third day Royall said this can't preach a sermon on the resurrection and not quote JC rile he says it is the crowning proof that he has paid the debt which he undertook to pay on our behalf won the battle which he fought to deliver us from hell and is accepted as our surety and substitute by our Father in heaven we have dealt briefly or at least in some respect with the apologetics of the reference of the the resurrection everybody confirms his death everybody associated with the event at that time affirms that he was dead man angel we could add to that list Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus certainly as they collect the body of Jesus from pilot or pilots people as they bury Jesus in Joseph's tomb they would be able to determine whether or not he was dead some suggest the women went to the tomb for this very reason that Jewish tradition specified that loved ones would go to the tomb for a period of three days after the fact to make sure they were really dead that it wasn't an accident that it wasn't a mistake that you know beloved aunt Betsy wasn't put in the grave when she wasn't actually dead brethren everybody testifies why isn't the 21st century it's so easy to say I didn't really die it wasn't really dead you know it's intriguing as well Luke the beloved physician how does he announced his gospel you don't suss it in several ways and verses 1 to 4 but one of the things that he says essentially is you know that I went out and talked to people I took my notepad I took my pen I took my you know or water whatever and I talked to people I investigated I asked questions I surveyed witnesses I talked to people that were there I used the scientific method Luke was a beloved physician and a wonderful historian he actually talked to the sources at the time brethren if this was a fake where are the enemy's testimonies to the contrary certainly if it was just so outlandish and it was so faked why don't we have a Luke that was out there verifying and confirming and writing detailed records to show that it was a fake or it was a fraud there's everything here for us to latch our faith on to it's a beautiful thing the confirmation of his resurrection by the angel and Jesus himself and then subsequently just to run through the appearance accounts in the New Testament he appeared first to the women who had left the tomb he appeared Claire piss and the unnamed disciple on the road to Emmaus he then appeared to Peter some time that same afternoon he appeared to the eleven - Thomas on that day of resurrection in the upper room he invited his disciples to touch him and he ate broiled fish and honeycomb among them he appeared a week later to his disciples this time Thomas was present he appeared to the seven of us to seven of his disciples by the sea of Tiberias and prepared an eight breakfast with them John 21 he appeared to the eleven on a mountain of Galilee this occasion could have possibly been the one when he also appeared to more than 500 people according to first Corinthians 15 he appeared to James his half-brother he appeared to again to the eleven on the on the occasion of his ascension into heaven and he appeared to saul of tarsus some time later now he appeared to individuals he appeared to a pair of disciples two small groups two large assemblies two women and a man in public and private at different times of the day and both in Jerusalem and Galilee this is not the testimony of mass hallucination this is not the testimony of a mass hallucination it's too varied it's too broad it's too different too wide they have Luke the beloved physician talking to people and writing these things verifying confirming affirming the things that he had heard and that he had taken on to investigate to compose the Gospel of Luke the recurring emphasis in the narrative on seeing come see the place there you will see him verse seven there they will see me verse 10 the fact that our Lord had feet again not essential to humanity but certainly indicative of the fact that he wasn't a ghost he wasn't a phantom he wasn't an operation he wasn't the idea of Jesus he wasn't the concept of what it might have been had the Savior arisen he was Jesus with feet they grabbed onto those feet and they worshiped the man who owned those feet it's a beautiful wonderful thing tonight we'll consider a bit more concerning the theology of the resurrection but suffice it to say it was the fulfillment of the promises made concerning him as he said not only what he said but everything preceding that in the Psalms in the prophets the means by which glory has given to the Father again I think at times and we are trained in some respects to think this way what does it mean to me what does it mean to God that Jesus does what Jesus does it brings glory to the Father and that ought to cause us to rejoice brings glory to the son he was declared to be the Son of God with power romans chapter 1 and verse 4 it's the crowning proof Ryles terminology that he has accomplished the mission the father gave him and finally it is the truth without which we all die in our sins turn over to first Corinthians 15 first Corinthians 15 we end here on this sober note concerning the reality of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus the larger context in Chapter 15 is on the resurrection of the Dead in other words believers are going to be raised from the dead verse 12 the Apostle indicates for us how important this doctrine of the resurrection is now if Christ is preached that he has been raised from the dead how do some among you say that there no resurrection of the Dead you see the logic if Christ is raised and believers are going to be raised some were denying that or perhaps suggesting that it had already occurred some sort of hyper preterism in this first century context but if there is no resurrection of the dead then Christ is not risen and if Christ is not risen then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty yes and we are found false witnesses of God because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ whom II did not raise up if in fact the dead do not arise for if the dead do not rise then Christ is not risen and if Christ is not risen your faith is futile you are still in your sins you see how important this is there's no resurrection if Jesus tomb is still filled or full then we have a nice martyred um we have a kinder equivalent to the foxes Book of Martyrs the fact is if he is not risen we are still our sins the glory is is that He is risen the glory is is that we have been forgiven and the glory is is that forgiveness of sins is preached to every creature under heaven and all sinners everywhere told hopefully pleaded with to believe the gospel to believe these truths to believe what Paul specifies in the first part of chapter 15 for I delivered to you first of all that which I also received that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures and that he was seen by Cephas then by the twelve after that he was seen by over 500 brethren at once of whom the greater part remain to the present but some had fallen asleep after that he was seen by James than by all the apostles then last of all he was seen by me also as by one born out of due time believe on the Lord Jesus Christ specifically death burial resurrection life death burial resurrection those are the facts of the Christian message so we considered yesterday in our studies in burka sinners are told to believe that gospel and if they believe they will be saved beautiful thing the forgiveness of sins it's a beautiful thing to be able to say my sin oh the Bliss of this glorious thought my sin not in part but the whole is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more praise the Lord praise the Lord that's the best thing that we can say on this side of heaven and it's because of what Christ has done and by God's grace one day it's not Galilee but it's the New Jerusalem where we will see him let's encourage our hearts with that thought because this world can be very discouraging the sorrows and the pains and the troubles and the difficulties that are associated with life in this world can get believers down you know it gets them up is to look up it's to look to the right hand where Jesus Christ is and to realize that one day in that New Jerusalem we will see him as he is let us pray our Father in heaven we thank you for your word we thank you for the hero the champion of all scripture even our Lord Jesus Christ we thank you for your grace and your mercy we thank you for your loving kindness we thank you for the power displayed in the resurrection of our Lord bless and help us to internalize these truths help us to live in light of them and may it be the case that all over the earth today is the gospel is preached sinners would believe and be saved go with us now we pray through Christ our Lord amen let's stand and close by singing the doxology unto our triune God [Music] the Lord bless you and keep you the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace amen please be seated