← Back to sermon library

good morning to everyone welcome to visitors who are with us this morning it's always a joy to have you join us for worship the great worship of our triune God a couple announcements before we begin worship this morning first off there's no children's Sunday school next Sunday we'll resume the following week and I think that's April the first if I remember how my calendar looks but not not next Sunday no Sunday school but the following Sunday is when we'll resume the Sunday school in the hour prior to worship we are having our fellowship luncheon this morning after the worship so everyone is welcome visitors and everyone who's here right now you can join us in the fellowship luncheon hall after worship for for the luncheon even if you didn't bring food you can join us the lineup for those who didn't bring food is in the boiler room downstairs just junky you're all everyone's welcome to join us if you brought food if you didn't bring food you're all welcome to join us in the luncheon hall after the after the morning service just a reminder to line up against the far wall not by the door closest at the entrance there well let's turn in our Bibles then as we move now to sacred things the worship of our great God let's turn in our Bibles together to Psalm 22 Psalm 22 beginning at verse 21 Psalm 22 beginning at verse 21 this is the word of the living and true God save me from the lion's mouth and from the horns of the wild oxen you have answered me I will declare your name to my brethren in the midst of the assembly I will praise you you who fear the Lord praise him all you descendants of Jacob glorify him and fear him all you offspring of Israel for he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted nor has he hidden his face from him but when he cried to him he heard my praise shall be of you in the great assembly I will pay my vows before those who fear Him the poor shall eat and be satisfied those who seek him will praise the Lord let your heart live forever all the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord and all the families of the nations shall worship before you for the kingdom is the Lord's and he rules over the nation's all the prosperous of the earth shall eat in worship all those who go down to the dust shall bow before him even he who cannot keep himself alive apostasy shall serve him it will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation they will come and declare his righteousness to a people who will be born that he has done this amen let's stand and sing together as a church we're going to sing from the Red Trinity Psalter the thinner Psalter that's in front of you let's stand and sing Psalm 103 who's 1 - 13 - a familiar tune that Psalm 103 1 - 13 [Music] we're gonna go to our God in prayer now as we pray as a church just a reminder that we have we have prayer meeting every second Sunday in the hour prior to worship and there we have a longer time to pray of course an hour to to hear letters from other churches that that we know and to pray for many things our own church and other things all of those in our church struggling with you know issues sicknesses those sorts of things so if you're able to attend that we do have a longer time of Prayer there and then every other Sunday we we work through our confession of faith the second London Baptist confession of faith so just a reminder of that as we go to the Lord in prayer now though we bring our hearts to the triune God we approach our God with boldness let's pray Heavenly Father we thank you that we can come now in prayer by virtue of our Lord Jesus Christ bringing our prayers and our supplications and our Thanksgivings and our petitions and all those things to you we rejoice and this opportunity as a gathered assembly so we have the audience of the triune God of heaven and earth we do pray Lord God in worship this morning that your name would be hallowed and we pray that we would give you honor that we would give you praise and we pray Lord God that you would give us your Holy Spirit that our hearts might be stirred to a proper and a reverent worship we do pray that you would help us much in this as we come often as weary saints into this place after a a week of work on this year Lord's Day Sabbath we would pray for that strength to approach you joyfully and earnestly as we reflect upon your blessings as we reflect upon the many benefits that you pour out upon your people and we rejoice above all in Jesus Christ the gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ the Lord and we reflect upon that mighty act of Amazing Grace we reflect upon the fact that you did send him in the fullness of the times born of a woman and born under the law to redeem those who were under the law we rejoice in that precious biblical truth that Christ Jesus came into this world sinners to save and we would pray Lord God that you would help us to rejoice in the gospel of Jesus Christ this morning we know as those who have been called from out of darkness into your marvelous light by amazing and victorious grace we know that we are not saved by deeds of righteousness which we have done but much rather according to your mercy you saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit we thank you that we're say that our our salvation is founded upon and rests upon and is certain in Christ Jesus alone we know that you did send him in the fullness of the times that he lived a life of obedience to your law in every at every point in the stead of all those who believe in his name we rejoice in his cross work with that precious substitutionary sacrificial death upon Calvary's cross where he rendered not an atonement of maybe or perhaps but where he secured the salvation of a multitude that no man can number and we thank you for that victorious resurrection on the third day and we rejoice that he came forth from that tomb in power and in great victory that he has ascended to your right hand where he lives to intercede for his people the rules and he reigns there over his enemies and that from there he does subdue the hearts of his elect and we rejoice in Jesus Christ our Savior and we thank you that you have caused us by your grace and for your glory to rest upon him to believe in his name and to find our confidence in the king of kings and in the Lord of lords we do pray that you'd help us to worship you for all of your benefits for all of your blessings and for the gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ the Lord we do pray that you would be with those who aren't able to join us whether traveling or whether a sick we pray that you'd be with them that you would watch over them we pray for all of the sick as we prayed this morning at length Lord we do pray for all those who are afflicted with illness and with disease and injury and those who are affected physically Lord we pray that you attend to your saints that you would heal them that you would strengthen them and that in the midst of difficulty Lord they would be looking to you resting upon you and finding much confidence in the midst of affliction in the living and true God we do pray God that you'd be with those who are in persecuted nations or nations where there is much persecution we pray that you'd watch over our brothers and sisters in these nations where the governments where their own countrymen persecute them even unto death we pray that you comfort them in the midst of that trouble we pray God that you'd be near to them we pray that you would strengthen them as they're opposed by on so many sides by so many people we pray that they would be able to look with eyes of faith and with confidence upon there isn't an exalted Christ that they would find confidence and courage in Jesus Christ we do pray that you would deal with those who persecute them that you would save many as we read in the biblical account of those such as Paul who was persecuting the Church of God beyond measure prior to his conversion he was dragging men and women from out of their houses to bring them to to persecution we do pray that you would save like you did save back then bringing him from the darkness of sin to life and light in Christ and we pray that for these persecuting today that you bring them forth from the madness of their idolatry and their sin to light in Christ Jesus the Lord do save mightily and we do pray that your gospel would go forth throughout the world that you would watch over your ministers of the gospel those missionaries of yours who bring the gospel to those in need we do pray that you'd watch over them and that your gospel would go out victoriously that many newly redeemed tongues this day and each and every day would sing the praises a father son and holy spirit and rejoice in their Christ we do pray for those who govern over us not only in this nation of Canada but throughout the world you would cause them to rule and to reign in righteousness and injustice and inequity we pray that you would cause those to stumble like drunken men who would seek to continue to perpetrate wickedness in the ranks of government sanctioning sins sanctioning abominations throughout the lands we do pray God that you would cast them down and raise up those who would rule in righteousness we pray that you would even save Lord God for your honor and glory sake those in positions of power and influence and that they might remain there and be instruments of change we know that the hearts of men don't change by legislation but solely and alone by the amazing grace of the living and true God and by the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ so we do pray unto that end we do pray God that you'd be with Pastor Butler as he proclaims your word this morning we pray as we look forward to that central act of worship the preaching of the word of God we pray that you'd help him in this pulpit that you'd give him much grace to stand up here and proclaim richly the things of your revelation to the sons of men we do pray that we would avail of it that your Saints would be strengthened and nourished we pray Lord God that sinners would be saved this morning and we do pray Lord that the exercise of worship would be unto the praise a Father Son and Holy Spirit we do pray all these things in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord amen let's stand and sing again this time we're going to sing 484 if you'll stand with me 484 [Music] please be seated in turn in your Bibles to Luke 8 for our New Testament scripture reading Luke chapter 8 we're now in we're now at verse 16 in Luke 8 as we read through the New Testament here in the Gospel of Luke Luke 8 beginning in verse 16 we'll read to verse 39 once again the word of God Luke 816 no 1 when he has lit a lamp covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed but sets it on a lamp stand that those who answer may see the light for nothing is secret that will not be revealed nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light therefore take heed how you hear for whoever has to him more will be given and whoever does not have even what he seems to have will be taken from him then his mother and brothers came to him and could not approach him because of the crowd and it was told him by some who said your mother and your brothers are standing outside desiring to see you but he answered and said to them my mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it now it happened on a certain day that he got into a boat with his disciples and he said to them let us cross over to the other side of the lake and they launched out but as they sailed he fell asleep and a windstorm came down on the lake and they were filled they were filling with water and were in jeopardy and they came to him and awoke him saying master master we are perishing then he arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water and they ceased and there was a calm but he said to them where is your faith and they were afraid and marvelled saying to one another who can this be for he commands even the winds and water and they obey Him then they sailed to the country of the gadarenes which is opposite Galilee and when he had stepped out on the land there met him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time and he wore no clothes nor did he live in a house but in the tombs when he saw geez as he cried out fell down before him and with a loud voice said what have I to do with you Jesus son of the Most High God I beg you do not torment me for he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man for it had often seized him and he was kept under guard bound with chains and shackles and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness Jesus asked him saying where is your what is your name and he said Legion because many demons had entered him and they begged him that he would not command them to go out into the abyss now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain so they begged him that he would permit them to enter them and he permitted them then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned when those who fed them saw what had happened they fled and told it in the city and in the country then they went out to see what had happened and came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had departed sitting at the feet of Jesus clothed and in his right mind and they were afraid they also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the gadarenes asked him to depart from them for they were seized with great fear and he got into the boat and returned now the man from whom the demons had departed begged him that he might be with him but Jesus sent him away saying return to your own house and tell what great things God had done for you and he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city with great what great things Jesus had done for him amen well it's interesting we see we see two calming x' of the Lord Jesus Christ exercised here by by great power and in great victory we see him calming the calming the stormy sea and we see him bringing to calm the chaos that was this demon-possessed man and we see what sort of Christ we have as our Savior what sort of Christ we come here together to to rally around to sing his praises to rejoice in him to believe in him and to find in him are our greatest comfort in all spiritual blessings we we see this wonderful scene where he calms the winds in the water it's an interesting movement that we have in the one Christ from his humanity to his deity we see our Savior had fallen asleep and he's brought to arise from his slumber by the faithlessness of his disciples a legitimate if you will posture that they have in the chaos of a storm but nevertheless a measure of unbelief because Christ rebukes them before or asks this question before rebuking the winds in the water where is your faith but we see this movement from the sleeping Christ according to his humanity to the powerful calming of a storm according to his deity it's a wonderful thing here we read the Psalms and we we read things like concerning God the psalmist reflect reflecting on the power of Yahweh that our Lord raises up the stormy winds which lift up the waves of the sea that self-same Yahweh calms the storm so that it's waves are still and we see Christ doing what only God Himself can do because he is very god of very God and we see that from that calming from that sovereign and powerful calming we see an even greater calming take place he casts out the demons from this man and we see this summary report in verse 35 then they went out to see what had happened and came to Jesus and found a man from whom the demons had departed sitting at the feet of Jesus clothed and in his right mind we find anyone if perhaps if we're reflecting on our own Christianity and you know which biblical character am i most like in the Bible and you know maybe our our thoughts want to run immediately to David you know that you know mighty David I feel like I'm kind of like a David or maybe a and that sort of thing I think we need to look no further to cast ourselves to humility and see that we are most like this demoniac this former demoniac who was mad who was marked by chaos but now by virtue of amazing and victorious grace and the perfect work of Jesus Christ were clothed in in our right mind associate yourselves with no one greater than this demon-possessed man because we're now in our right minds having been brought forth from the glory and the power and the victory the grace of our triune God will let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for your word we thank you for our Christ as we see him calming the storm and casting out these demons from this demon-possessed man as we see this one formerly demon-possessed sitting clothed and in his right mind we see ourselves having been brought forth from the deadness and the darkness of sin to life and light in Christ Jesus the Lord we pray as we continue in worship that we would give you our praises Father Son and Holy Spirit that we would give you our praises the one only living and true God we do pray that we would rest with great confidence upon our perfect Christ knowing that in him we have all those spiritual blessings in the heavenly places be with us now and might you receive all honor we pray in Christ's name Amen let's stand and sing our final him before the preaching will be 229 to a familiar tune if you'll stand with me 229 [Music] [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 28 so we come to our last sermon in the Gospel of Matthew Matthew chapter 28 I basically want to just summarize the Great Commission this morning draw out some practical lessons there are a couple of observations before we do that on verse 20 so I want to read beginning in Matthew 28 at verse 16 we'll pray and then we'll look at this particular section 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 father in heaven we thank you for the written word of God we thank you for Matthew's testimony his his declarations his continual emphasis upon the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ we thank you for the gospel of our salvation we thank you for what this this book teaches us and instructs us concerning Christ we know it is he who will save his people from their sins it is he who did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many he is the one that grants rest to all those who are weary and heavy-laden those who come unto him will find blessing and salvation and eternal life thank you for our Lord Jesus Christ thank you for his current session where he sits enthroned at the right hand of the majesty of God on I and he bids his church to conduct this mission we ask that you would help us to be obedient help us to be faithful help us to be marked by this passage of Scripture in our local church we pray now for the ministry and the aid of the Holy Spirit we pray that he would guide us and lead us and instruct us in the truth we pray for the forgiveness of all of our sins and our transgressions whenever we look at your your holy law we see our waywardness and our proness to wander we confess those sins against the first table those things that we have done against our holy God forgive us as well for our transgressions against one another and help us Lord to repent and to forsake such things to find mercy from on eye and mercy from one another and cause us to be a faithful people following the Lord Jesus Christ and it's in his most blessed name that we pray amen well for those of us who have been under the Gospel of Matthew for quite some time hopefully it has been a blessing to us we see specifically here in Matthew 28 verses 18 to 20 what's called the Great Commission our Lord Jesus is going to ascend back in to heaven and so he tells his eleven the disciples the apostles and thus the church as a whole what is to mark them until he comes again in glory to judge the living and the dead we have seen the authority behind the Great Commission is that of absolute authority it is in the person of our Lord Jesus notice in verse 18 he says all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth based on that reality he then delegates authority to the church and gives them a specific focus a specific mandate or great commission that is found in verses 19 and 20 the disciples must go they're not supposed to sit around but rather they are supposed to go when they go they are to make disciples they do that through the preaching of the gospel the setting forth of Christ and him crucified under the power of the Holy Spirit sinners are saved and brought into the fold when that occurs these newly formed disciples are to be baptized they are to be baptized in the name of the triune God the name singular of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit one God in essence substance three persons that have that divine essence yet not one or not three gods but one so after they are baptized then they are to be taught essentially this is what happens in the church teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you so that's the focus of the church until Jesus returns again in glory we are to be about this disciple making baptizing those who were made disciples and then teaching those who aren't made disciples to obey all the things that Jesus has commanded and then we saw at the end of verse 20 this assurance provided for the Commission so in verse 18 Jesus highlights his omnipotence he has all power he has all authority he has universal and comprehensive sovereignty and here in verse 20 he highlights his omnipresence he says in lo I am with you always even to the end of the age so this is the assurance provided for the Great Commission in other words we do what Christ has called us to do assured that he is with us that he is present that we know his nearness as our good so why not look specifically at the end of that clause or the end of verse 20 with reference to this I am with you always even at the end of the age before we proceed and make some summarizing comments or observations on the whole notice the promise I am with you always I showed you hopefully last week that this is very very blessed in light of the rest of the gospel Matthew 1:23 Christ is identified as Emanuel which is translated God with us so at the beginning of the gospel we learn of God with us at the end of the gospel narrative we learn of God with us Christ is with us even to the end of the age and in that we ought to be encouraged in good times it's easy to see Christ's presence in the church in bad times not as easy to see but we walk by faith and even in the midst of bad times we trust that Christ is with his people when they are obedient and when they are carrying out the Commission as he has entrusted it to us this is true in times of peace again it's easy to see Christ with the church when we are not being threatened or or carted off into prison or having our property confiscated by a by a godless government but in times of persecution as well Christ is with his suffering Saints in other parts of the world just as he is with us in times of peace and this is a great encouragement the church walks by faith in the reality that Christ is always with her when she's engaged in the activities that she had that he has entrusted to her it's a most blessed way to end this commission now in terms of this statement I am with you always even to the end of the age I think that this ought to promote in the people of God the presence of Christ to the end of the age ought to promote in the people of God an appreciation for the church now why do I say that because I'm not convinced that every professing Christian in North America appreciates the church and I think that we all ought to examine our own hearts and ask the question do I appreciate the church just think of how the Lord God most high describes or defines or explains Christ's relationship to the church Christ is the head in the church is his body Christ is the bridegroom and the church is his bride we see this most intimate connection between Christ and his people in the church today and I would suggest that this reality that Christ present with his church ought to have promoted all of us a greater appreciation for the church in other words if Christ sees the church as his body as his head as his are as his body and as his bride ought to value it so we ought to prize it as well we ought to delight and it not mistreated we ought to cherish her the way that Christ cherishes the church this is something that ought to be indicative in the people of God a love for Jesus but a love for his bride as well and not only the church in the present but we also ought to appreciate the church of the past realize that the Church of Jesus Christ is made up of all of God's elect from every tribe every tongue every people in every nation not just in the 21st century we ought to appreciate the fact that the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ presently is that place wherein he dwells in a particular way but we ought to appreciate the fact that Christ has been with his church in the past I think the presence of Christ with his church should promote a concern for the church in the present and for the church in the future si si we ought to look backwards in appreciation for the fact that Christ has been with his people from day one we ought to look to the present and appreciate the fact that Christ is with his people as he promises here in Matthew 28:20 we also ought to have a concern we ought to be concerned for the church in the present that this is indeed a place where Christ wants to dwell a place where Christ is happy to be low I am with you always even to the end of the age predicated on the fact that you are making disciples baptizing disciples and teaching disciples not having loved ends not having therapy sessions not having entertainment not being the best band in in in the city but insofar as you are obedient to this Commission Christ promises his presence among us brethren we ought to be concerned that we have an environment or a context that is conducive for the presence and the abiding dwelling of Jesus we ought to be concerned about the future we ought to be concerned about what we will leave our children we ought to be concerned about our grandchildren our great-grandchildren we ought not to be the sorts of people that are fine and content with all things happening for us now but we give no regard to training young men to seeing young men fit and ready for gospel ministry for praying for the I RBS and supporting it so that man can be equipped to engage in what the Commission has for them we cannot simply be myopic and focus upon the church today we've got to lift up our eyes and behold the fields white unto harvest we've got to be concerned with all nations as Christ bids us here go therefore and make disciples of what of all nations we ought to encourage men to pursue gospel ministry on foreign shores we ought to pursue our encouragement that the pursuit of Jesus Christ or the service of Jesus Christ is worth leaving everything it's worth abandoning family in the righteous sense it is worth abandoning Costco and Walmart and superstore and the comforts that we enjoy here in Chilliwack BC it's worth going to the uttermost parts of the earth because Christ is glorious brethren we must be concerned for the church now and for the church to come as well in terms of this reality we ought to realize that the presence of Christ with his church implies his active participation in inquit in equipping her for ongoing ministry I mentioned a text I think it was last week that we ought to investigate a little more fully turn to the book of Ephesians chapter 4 Ephesians chapter 4 this particular implication drawn out of the end of verse 20 is simply this the presence of Christ with his church implies his active participation in equipping her for ongoing ministry in other words if Christ makes this command Christ promises his presence then Christ will supply what is necessary for the church to fulfill it the Lord's Brethren Christ knows what's best in terms of the accomplishment of the Great Commission we're not smarter we're not wiser we're not more effective we can never conclude or argue well you know flannel graphs are the best way to reach the nation's for Jesus movies are the best way to reach the nation's for Jesus poetry is the best way to reach the nation's for Jesus yeah the poems in the Book of Psalms maybe the brethren Christ knows what the nation's needs and Christ has institute of instituted a very simple ministry to carry out a very simple commission I think at times we over complicate this whole spiel we make it a whole lot more difficult than it needs to be what's the bottom line get men trained send them out to preach the gospel when sinners believe the gospel by the power of the Spirit then you baptize those newly made disciples you tell them to go to church and then you instruct them until they drop dead that's the desta job that's the mission that's the focus and the active or the presence of Christ in the midst of the congregation indicates or argues for the reality they will equip the churches for what they need notice in Ephesians chapter 4 specifically at verse 7 but to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift therefore he says when he ascended on high he led captivity captive and he gave gifts to men now this he ascended what does it mean but then he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth he who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens that he might fill all things now that is a parenthetical statement that does need to be dealt with just not right now the point I want to focus is on verse 11 and following so Christ descends on I leads captivity captive and he gives gifts to man this is typical conquering Kings would give gifts to their subjects conquering Kings would be beneficent and would be benevolent and and would pour out blessings upon those who were their loyal subjects now note the gifts that Christ gives in the context verse 11 he himself gave some to be apostles some prophets some evangelists and some pastors and teachers notice that in this tax the gifts are men the gifts are man occupying particular offices in the church that have as their primary emphasis teaching and preaching now other texts and scripture highlight gifts in terms of you know at least a first century practice the gift of tongues the gift of prophesy those sort of ongoing gifts that that one of giving that one of hospitality the various gifts that God gives to equip his people for service in the context of the church all those are certainly operational today not tongs and not prophesy for a different reason but those other ones are operational for the church today but in this context the specific gifts are men now if that offends you you need to understand God says man are to be preachers and teachers men are to be elders in the church not women not because God is anti woman not because God has an axe to grind against women but because God's God and he's ordained that fish swim birds fly and men lead in the home and in the church if we have a problem with that tough we don't kowtow to the modern society and say well Reverend pastor Lisa whoever no no absolutely positively not the gifts in view our men he gave some to be apostles some prophets some evangelists and some pastors and teachers now know why Christ gives these gifts to the church it's three fold I'm gonna commend here the King James Version the old King James is right when it comes to punctuating verse twelve because most versions read this way for the equipping of the Saints for the work of ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ let me just repeat that most modern versions King J New King James included have two things in view here the gifts given to the church are for the equipped of the Saints the Saints within the church so that they can edify the body or so that they can do the work of ministry and that will then edify the body of Christ I want you to follow the argument here for just a moment there's not two things in view here one that the gifts equip the people so that the people can then edify one another there are three coordinate statements here that the gifts themselves are supposed to do the gifts these apostles prophets evangelists pastors teachers for first of all the equipping of the Saints second for the work of ministry and third for the edifying of the body of Christ in other words those three coordinate statements are what the gifts themselves do now I'm not denying that a faithful ministry equips the people of God so that they can function toward one another but that's not what this text is teaching this text is teaching that Christ gives gifts to the church with a particular function to bring the church to maturity to educate the people of God to fulfill that last leg or final leg of the Great Commission 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 in other words what Christ does is provide for the church a qualified and trained ministry so that they can in turn feed the Sheep again I'm not against the people of God edifying and encouraging one another please don't leave from here and say well he just doesn't have you know he wants just as professional ministry to do these things and everybody else know by all means but this ought not to be your go to text it's very conspicuous what's in view here now brethren a trained ministry he said well CH Spurgeon wasn't trained you know in a formal sense yeah there are exceptions to be sure you know what else eh Spurgeon did in his ministry he started a pastors college to train men for the ministry he didn't say well I didn't need any seminary I didn't need any college I didn't need book-learnin no he started a pastors college to train men for ministry and if for the one untrained Spurgeon that was able to do it think of all the untrained hacks that have done it poorly brethren we need trained ministers of the gospel again we want trained mechanics don't we well I read a book on how to take apart your car so I'm ready to go I'm not gonna do that I'd rather to know that you went to a school and they taught you how to take care take apart a car well why do we have such low expectations for the teaching ministry in the church why is that you know you you visit or patronize a lawyer who says yeah I read a pamphlet on doing the law and I got it off the internet and now I'm ready to roll you would never hire that man never in a million years or the surgeon he's gonna fix your hip and you know he he took he just hooked up the the hour-long sort of course the modular course that equipped him on how to you know saw into your leg and remove the old bad hip and and put in the new titanium you would never patronize such a person and yet in our churches we have men actually taking paychecks that can't preach the truth of justification by faith and persons patronizing them we're not following Matthew 28:20 brethren a trained qualified ministry is absolutely crucial and we trust that Christ provides it that's why there's qualifications for elders in first Timothy chapter 3 and Titus 1 so that we can scrutinize men so that we can examine man so that we can ensure orthodoxy so that when they stand behind pulpits and they engage in that second leg of the commission and they are instructing the people of God they are doing it properly we cannot allow for persons to engage in this activity any more than we would allow for some hack to start fishing around in our car engine and note the purpose is tune and ear verse 12 here's the three-fold coordinate reason that he gave these guests for the equipping of the Saints for the work of ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ notice verse 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine president you cannot be protected from that particular place if man in pulpits are carried about by every wind of doctrine I remember meeting biblical studies made several years ago none of you probably would know him if you bumped him to I wouldn't recognize him if I bumped into him today we had a luncheon the fellow was here he's a Trinity biblical studies major I don't want to pick on Trinity it's just not necessary for the illustration here you know this is day and age we have to qualify everything cuz he's gonna end up on a blog he offended me anyways I asked this particular biblical studies major training to be a pastor there's a Calvinist er in Armenian well I'm not sure about that yet you should have worked that out in the sunday-school before you ever signed up for biblical studies in a in a university setting brethren the gospel ministry requires that the worst men not the hacks not the equivalent to a mechanic who reads a pamphlet and tries to fix you know a Rolls Royce but men that are trained provided by Christ examined and vetted by the church installed into gospel ministry for the execution not of their own personal whims but of the Great Commission making disciples baptizing disciples and teaching those disciples to observe all things that Christ has commanded but notice again verse 14 that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting so those guys actually occupy Christian pulpits today and we need to be on guard we need to watch out for that verse 15 but speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things and to him who is the Christ from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies according to the effective working by which every part does it share causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love it's a beautiful thing it's a beautiful thing Christ provides for the church those sorts of things that can do this and I just want to look back for just a moment there at verse 13 and we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ now it's necessary to define perfect there's that Paul wasn't Wesley and Paul didn't you know drank the waters of perfectionism and somehow thought that we could achieve sinless perfection the language there suggests wholeness completion that Shalom nested that we find that that concept in the Old Covenant or Old Testament but notice what's in view verse 13 so we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God you know why you've been saved mr. eunuch and O Christ you can know not just that he is but who he is not just who he is but how he functions relative to father son doesn't Christ to find for us the essence of eternal life in these terms this is eternal life that they may know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent Lord you're here this morning to learn of God you're here this morning to learn of the Son of God you're here this morning to learn of the Spirit of God yet not three gods one God in three glorious persons in other words brethren the church exists primarily not for your entertainment not for the catering or pandering to all of your perceived needs the church functions to make you disciples to baptize you in the name of the triune God and then to teach you about who God is you see why I suggest that at times we over complicate this you know ministry teams and staffs and pastors functioning as CEOs that's not the pastor job to be the chief executive officer his job is to devote himself to preaching and praying Acts chapter six the Apostles our paradigmatic for the ongoing pastoral ministry this is what we ought to observe the Apostle said it's not good for us to feed these Hellenistic widows not because they were anti Hellenistic widows but because it kept them from the hard work of studying to preach and to pray that's pretty delimited isn't it it's pretty narrow focus going to ministerial meetings before and I feel either they're absolutely right and I'm dead wrong or I'm right and they're dead wrong I've been to ministerial me I have gone forever now but you know how do we use Facebook and how do we use Twitter why don't we how do we exegete Ephesians 4 and focus on what Christ focus is on and try and make our people not make coercively but make them mature isn't that what Paul says here notice to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ perfection is not sinless but I would certainly argue that it entails maturity you see the people of God shouldn't always be lisping baby talk at their God they should learn the doctrine of justification they should memorize catechism they should understand arguments in Berkoff they should be familiar with not only Scripture but with theological discourse and it's the ministries opera sponsibility to teach the people this way this is the point in Ephesians 4 so going back to Matthew chapter 28 those three implications from that last statement in verse 20 I think are legit and I think we need to focus on that the presence of Christ with his church should promote an appreciation for the church in the present and in the past the presence of Christ with his church should promote concern for the church in the present and in the future and then the presence of Christ with his church implies his active participation in equipping her for ongoing ministry I think those naturally conclude or derive from verse 20 now just by way of some real practical inferences I think first this ought to promote an appreciation for the biblical and Theological insights of those of old including books brethren we are not the first century to do theology and we ought to praise God that were not having done some studies and theology proper I'm sure pastor Porter would it you know Amen this a hundred percent on the person of our Lord Jesus Christ I know for me I've said praise God that was all worked out then because I'm not certain we could do it today I'm not convinced that we could you know replicate tell sit on or Nicaea or Constantinople praise God all mighty for the enthroned Christ who gives gifts to the church brethren good books are basically time capsules of solid biblical and theological studies that that Christ has given I've never understood this sort of this antipathy to old books or to Puritans or or dare we say to the medieval Zoar or the patristic s-- why in the world would we ever we're so much sharper and smarter today we know so much more scientific exegesis has come such a long way and were able to do things with computers and with it you know concordance is that they never did before and yet they were still theologically sharper shame on us shame on us Spurgeon made this observation it seems odd that certain man who talks so much of what the Holy Spirit reveals to themselves should think so little of what he has revealed to others I've met this kind of hundred all I need is my Bible that's what the jehovah's witnesses say brethren all I need is my Bible me and the Spirit is a neglect of the current session of Jesus wherein he's ascended on high led captivity captive and given gifts to men and those gifts happen to have named Spurgeon's one of them Calvin's another Agustin I mean these men have names should we neglect them should we reject them should we say absolutely not me and my Bible and that's it I'm not saying don't read your Bible I'm not saying don't study scriptures but brethren don't resist or reject the very gifts that Jesus Christ is given to the church he says as well the man who never reads will never be read he who never quotes will never be quoted he who will not use the thoughts of other men's brains proves that he has no brains of his own versions absolutely positively correct here Lewis says it is a good rule after reading a new book never to allow yourself another new one until you have read an old one in between if that is too much for you you should at least read one old one two three new ones he says every age has its own outlook it is especially good at seeing certain truths and especially liable to make certain mistakes we all therefore need the books that will correct the characteristic mistakes excuse me of our own period and that means the old books none of us can fully escape this blindness of being so inundated with modern thought modern ideas that we aren't able to see where they're wrong he says none of us can fully escape this blindness but we shall certainly increase it and we can our guard against it if we read only modern books the only palliative is to keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds and this can only be done by reading old books now I should say old good books you see the point the fact that Christ has promised to be with his church even to the end of the age doesn't the 21st century were to have a concern for 22nd century and beyond but we're also supposed to appreciate Christ's active involvement with the Church of yesterday and when that ascended Christ has given gifts to the church we're not to resist that or neglect that or to say well we don't need that Lord Jesus it's me and my Bible again that kind of thinking more often than not has led to rank heresy denials of the Trinity denials of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and a whole host of other evils brethren we need the Bible first and foremost we also need the gifts that Jesus has given to the church in a helpful way to understand the Bible appreciation or rather an appreciation as well for and the use of the gifts that Christ has given to the church and it's always one of my arguments with reference to a pro Sabbath position the Sabbath is a gift given to man the Sabbath is a gift given to man man wasn't made to observe Sabbath Sabbath was made as a gift to man and we in the church often say we don't want the gift we don't want it get it away terrible take your gift back to Walmart and exchange it for a new pair of socks because we don't like that gift brethren if you get the drift of Ephesians 4 and you do cultivate an appreciation for the Church of Jesus Christ you will also have an appreciation for the gifts that Christ is given to the church that teach and preach and educate you so that you grow in maturity and you're not knocked about by every wind of doctrine I'm not saying you know do accolades to Pastor Porter and to me but appreciate the rich Christian heritage that we have in terms of Christ's gift of the church faithful teaching ministers today you got a favorite online pastor send them an email once in a while and say I thank the Lord God Most High that he's using you to educate me so I'm not fool when it comes to the Bible brethren we need to appreciate what Christ has given and be thankful that he has given it to us and then I think as well a recognition of the place of Prayer in Riga and requesting similar gifts for the church in the present in the future Lourdes if Christ ascended on high if he's led captivity captive if he's given gifts to man we can trust that he will do so again we can trust that he will provide for the church and brethren we ought to take those requests to the throne of grace we need holders in the church we ought to pray to Christ we need young men to be raised up so they can go get trained and go out to the ends of the earth we need to pray to Christ what happens when there's a deficiency in the apostolic ministry in terms of numbers what do we find the the Apostles doing in the book of Acts they're praying to Christ to replace Judas who had gone his own way in transgression you see Christ is present with the church not a distant spectator not a deistic sort of a God but an active agent in her ministry and in her life and in the education of her people by His Word by his Spirit through the gifts that God has given to the church we ought to look for maturation we ought to look for growth we ought to look for that full stature of a man who's mature and he thinks God's thoughts after him isn't this his point in Matthew 28 teaching them to observe not some of the things I've commanded you but all of the things I've commanded you from Genesis to Revelation a faithful ministry is going to expound that word so the people of God think his thoughts after him that's the goal brethren that's what it's about that's the name of the game according to our Lord Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul so that's a completion or conclusion of the exegesis in Matthew 28 just want to conclude not only the Great Commission but I think this speaks as well to the entirety of Matthew's Gospel in the first place the Great Commission emphasizes four all that word all comes up four times the Commission is backed by all authority the Commission is directed to all the nations remember in accordance with the promise to Abraham it's through the Church of Jesus Christ that the promise of Abraham is coming to fruition when Abraham was told to look North look South look east look west when Abraham was told to look at the Stars look at the sand of the seashore and God said to him those or your descendants will outnumber those stars and that sea a sand on the seashore it is Christ who is the seed of Abraham in whom all the promises of God are yin and then Christ tells his bride to go about the work of preaching the gospel and extending my kingdom on earth as well the Commission is tasked in preaching or pray by presenting all the things that Jesus commanded you know I think if we get a proper appreciation of this commission this whole idea of disciple making and teaching it ought to keep us balanced churches that only ever preach the gospel and don't educate the people of God in political theory or economic thought or how to be good husbands and wives they're not fulfilling the commission but churches that continually emphasize teaching to the neglect of preaching the gospel I have heard that with my own ears people have governed well at my last church they never preached the gospel what do you mean they never preached the gospel man how could you go to a church that never preached the gospel that's the function and calling of the church god forbid it that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ what's Paul say to the Corinthians I determined to know nothing among you save Christ and him crucified if you as a habit attend a church where you are not here in Christ and him crucified that's terrible absolutely positively terrible you need to hear the cross it's the cross that then serves as the impetus for us as men to be faithful it's the cross that serves as the impetus for us as women to be faithful for us to spare to do our jobs and bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord we need the that the desaturation of the cross and all things so you see if we understand this commission it ought to keep us from that imbalance and it's also executed in dependence upon the ever-present Christ all the days so those four alls of the Great Commission would be a great way to sort of to outline this particular section secondly we ought to appreciate that the Great Commission directs the mission of the church the Great Commission directs the mission of the church now the mission of the church I think is rightly summarized in what the reform have identified as the marks of the church sometimes people say wow you know reformed theology it's just a system imposed upon the scripture no it's not sexual exegetically derive from the scripture and Belgic confession specifically question 29 asks what are the marks of the church the true marks or rather the true church can be recognized if it has the following marks the church engages in the pure preaching of the gospel it's a great Commission emphasis isn't it go therefore and make disciples of all the nations how do we make disciples we preach the gospel it makes you secondly of the pure administration of the sacraments as Christ instituted them we see that there as well baptizing them in the name of the triune God and then third it practices church discipline for correcting faults that certainly inferred because if the people of God are to obey all the commands of Christ there ought to be negative sanctions for those who don't and Matthew 18 treats that so you see these are the marks of the church this is what church should be not cleanest nursery care not best pianist not best preacher not best coffee not best band these three things must be true of the church that you and I are of the true preaching of the gospel the right administration of the sacraments and the practice of church discipline as I've said before everything else is gravy we're free to have you know confession study at 9:30 we're free to have a Bible study on Wednesday night we're free certainly to have a children's Sunday school but this much is commanded this much must be we may have other stuff but we can never neglect this stuff these three things are definitional for church in other words if a church isn't preaching the gospel if a church isn't administering the sacraments if a church is not doing discipline and their discipline doesn't mean excommunicate everybody because they looked at you you know weird no there's a process for discipline and this is discipline being under the word as a form of discipline so you know don't think that it's only you know your uncle chewy who got thrown out of the church because he did something bad that's not discipline strictly defined we need to understand that but churches that are not engaged in these things and I'm not saying this so that we can have a membership drive hey free Grace Baptist we're posturing ourselves here I would say this no matter where I was no matter who was listening to me because this is what Scripture teaches do you hear that well we're looking for a church that has this we're looking for it how many of us go to Matthew 28 look for a church like that how many of us pattern our lives around the reality that the Ascended Christ has established churches for a particular reason and that particular reason is so that I might become a chore in my Christian faith so that I might become conformed to the image of Jesus so that I might know not only what it is to believe the gospel but how to live in light of that gospel and be a decent human in my family and be a decent human in my workplace and be a decent human in society at large do any of us ever take this so seriously and literally that its definition in terms of what we're looking for in a church I I just think it's sad that in the last 100 100 years it's more so in America but certainly Canada follows at a at a near you know near step this this consumer craze mentality where the church actually panders to that come visit us and we'll do this for you come visit us and we'll do that for you come visit us and we'll give you that come visit us and learn what it is to be God's people and be faithful what happened to that never is it what a why so what am I supposed to do what is my responsibility but it's always what are you gonna do for me today what do you got for me we're so me-centered we are so narcissistic and it wasn't bad enough so we had to create facebook to showcase that we now have Twitter to make sure everybody sees how narcissistic we are it's the me generation brethren and for some reason the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ started marketing to it that's shameful that is bad brethren the marks of the church it's not a reformed construct imposed on the tax it's right here now before we leave that point we ought to realize what Belgic confession goes on to say as for those who can belong to the church we can recognize them by the distinguishing marks of Christian of Christians namely by faith and by their fleeing from sin and pursuing righteousness once they have received the one and only Savior Jesus Christ isn't that incredible of Belgic confession calls for believers membership it's a beautiful thing secondly the mission of the church is limited now I've said this many times I'm not going to keep saying it it's limited Church isn't supposed to do everything she's supposed to a few things and do it well I don't want my mechanic making me tacos his job is mechanics I shouldn't want the church making me tacos or fixing my car I should want them expounding the scriptures properly and making legitimate application having a context conducive to the worship of the High King of heaven seeking to promote reverence and fear and the presence of our great God seeking to sing hymns and and songs and spiritual songs that are there doctrinally sound that that not only praise God but inform one another it's not all about the feel-good I mentioned on Wednesday night when we're looking at the purge under Josiah reforms under Josiah he was just taken by the grace of God activated for the glory of God having received the Word of God he goes to work tearing down idols purging the land of demonism and ultimately instituting Passover there's carbonate renewal there's a destruction of idols and then there's the observance of the sacraments Josiah did those things and brethren that's what the church is supposed to be about we are to do those things that God has commanded and were to seek to do them well well effectively again something you know pet peeves this is pet peeve day we would not tolerate a doctor that doesn't do his job well and there are pastors presently preaching right now that don't do it well and it's okay he's a nice guy I am NOT the nicest guy on the face of the earth I think you'll probably also yeah we know that you know what I do try and do brethren is expound the text so that you will grow in the Grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ because that's the job not to make tacos not to fix your car it's to preach the word that is descriptive that's part and parcel pastors who can't you know define justification by faith I can't say that that's mean and vicious no it's mean and vicious to let a hack in a Christian pulpit that's mean and vicious see the auto mechanic only ruins your car the bad surgeon only gives you a limp for the rest of your life a faithless godless unwise Minister can be the means of sending you to an eternal hell see I think it's a whole lot worse to have hacks in pulpits than hacks under hoods brethren the mission of the church is limited it's broader for individual Christians see the the idea is is that Christians get instructed about the Bible in their churches and then they go on go wherever they go and do whatever they do you see Christians whatever we need this ministry to this group do it you don't need the official sanction on everything there's no F GBC stamp actually there is we mark books with it but you don't need your specific you know niche sanction the idea is get educated in truth and go out and be faithful in places that the church are I certainly will never go it's a it's a beautiful thing really it's the division of labor we all love the division of labor in our workplaces don't we you work in a particular job your job isn't everything unless you know you're your own business owner then it is everything and that's what you signed up for but for most people there's this department this department this department this department the church has a department when she stops doing her department to try and do everybody else's department that's bad she needs to be doing this as well the mission of the church must be properly balanced evangelism and thorough going instruction the mission of the church should drive the prayers of the church remember back in Matthew 9 way back in Matthew 9 Jesus saw the multitudes and he felt compassion for that because they were like sheep having no Shepherd what does he tell his disciples on the heels of that recognition he says pray the harvest is truly plentiful but pray the Lord of the harvest to raise up laborers and then Matthew 10 guess what happens he appoints the Apostles and sends them on the mission to Israel you know brethren these things ought to fuel the prayers of the Christian Church certainly we ought to pray for everything that is brought to our attention but we ought not to neglect prayers for the advance of the Church of Jesus Christ in terms of disciple making baptizing and teaching and then the mission of the church is advanced by Christ who has promised always to be with the church I don't want to develop all these things in detail because we do need to go here soon but it is intriguing in a couple key places in the book of Acts Jesus shows himself to Paul in Corinth Paul is afraid Paul is afraid he's fearful I know like pastor Porter says what person do you want to be well I I feel like I'm a David I feel like I'm a Paul you know we identify with people we want to be like Oh Paul had his issues too you know and in Corinth there was some fear and Jesus says I have many people much people in this city Paul got a blessed sort of encouragement to our dear brother Paul in a time when he needed it it's the reality of Matthew 28:20 I'm with you always even to the end of the age even if he doesn't put in a physical appearance or some sort of visionary experience a vision a visionary experience we can have Matthew 28:20 and we as the church walk by faith and trust the reality that Christ is with us always even to the end of the age brethren the Great Commission emphasizes the need for a faithful teaching ministry qualifications for elders in 1st Timothy 3 Titus chapter 1 the description of the church in 1st timothy 3:15 as the pillar and the ground of what the truth why is that gone by the wayside i mean you hear that sort of thing oh you guys everybody was talking about doctrine exactly what else is there greater the works of Yahweh they're studied by all that pleasure in them that's what the psalmist said you know pleasure and John you don't understand the cross you want to think through the doctrine of the triune God you don't to think about the incarnation of the son the resurrection of the son the glory of the son you don't to think about the person and work of the Spirit is procession from the father and the son why is it that we don't want doctrine what is it that we want feelings emotions validation that's all you know weird stuff from our culture we want to be taught trained and and and mobilized for service to Christ one man recently said you know we we need to mobilize the troops of Christ in the church and yet more often than not we're just changing diapers all the time like start thinking take things respond be responsible agents under Jesus and do what God's called you to do not everybody's going to go out and make disciples and baptize those disciples and teach those disciples but you can certainly pray for those engaged you can certainly see the value and the importance of this in the context of the church if you're not a goer or sender or a doer then please be a prayer pray that the Lord God most I will bless the work in South Surrey feebly as it was we tried to identify a man vet a man see him installed in gospel ministry lay hands on them and send into another community to duplicate the effort that's what it's about duplicate the effort train more men send more men out pray for this work in Vernon / Armstrong a group of believers that want to start a Reformed Baptist Church brethren it's going to require prayer it's going to require money it's going to require manpower you know we don't live in a world filled with love and fresh air well I guess we do but we don't live on it dudes don't just end up in Vernon they got to fly or Drive or whatever that's how we get behind the Commission practically or the the missionaries that we support in other parts of the world put them on your fridge pray for them dot them is your missionary and pray to God Most High that they'll make disciples baptize disciples and teach those disciples he said really shouldn't be super complicated God knows we're not the brightest bulbs in the chandelier so he kept it very simple for us he made it such that not even we can mess it up and yet we still mess it up and then the continual emphasis on Paul's last corporate command and second Timothy four one two five preach the word be ready in season and out of season convinced rebuke exhort with all longsuffering and teaching CH Spurgeon said the young ministers in his College your pulpit preparations are your first business and if you neglect these you will bring no credit upon yourself or your office bees are making honey from morning till night and we should be always gathering stores for our people I have no belief in that ministry which ignores laborious preparation praise God Spurgeon told a generation of ministers that very important truth the primary calling a gospel ministry isn't how many people follow me on Facebook it's laborious preparation in the word and in doctrine I love bees I mean I love the whole system I love the structure the order the discipline it's a beautiful thing and I love that Spurgeon appealed to bees brethren we need bees in gospel ministry that are dedicated to doing what God has called them to do and then finally and this sort of encapsulates more of Matthew's Gospel and is a good place for us to end this morning though as I said I wish Matthew would have written 48 chapters and we could have just kept going until Jesus returned or we went our way into his presence first those who come to Christ by grace alone or the the Great Commission rather emphasizes the need for a faithful church you see you could have a Spurgeon in the pulpit but if people don't come and do what they're supposed to do there's another thing we often emphasize there's no you know list of qualifications for members and first Timothy chapter 3 no cuz it's everywhere in the New Testament I don't know why but Jesus has this idea that if there's people to preach that are gonna feed your soul it's imperative that you're there to receive that it's imperative that you fulfill certain obligations also because if Spurgeon made an appearance you'd come you'd listen you'd hear when the word of God is preached even if it's from Balaam's ass you ought to avail yourself of that truth so those who come to Christ by grace alone through faith alone in him alone this is what it means to be a faithful church Belgic confession of faith number 29 says that very thing who belongs to the church those who believe the gospel now if you're not a believer here this morning there are three texts in Matthew that I'd like for you to take away from here and think through today later on actually take through them now I think sometimes at the end of a gospel message or at the end of a preaching sermon or what oh you know wait I got to get this right I got to think through this got to pray through this boy we let time get in there and we forget all about it so maybe at the end of the service sometimes we have that we're at the end of a service we have that meditation time the idea is that you really meditate think through the implications of certain things that you heard well there are three texts that I think every unbeliever should have with reference to Matthew's Gospel the purpose of the Lord Jesus Christ's coming he will save his people from their sins Matthew 1:21 it's a beautiful purpose isn't it he doesn't come to set forth some sort of a new utopian society on earth he comes to save his people from their sins that's good news to you if you're an unbeliever this morning because he does this your problem this morning is sin your problem this morning is rebellion against God your problem is a lack of conformity unto his law and a transgression of it and the only way of vation the only way of forgiveness the only way of hope and mercy is through him who saves his people from their sins there's a text in Matthew 20:28 wherein Jesus says how he does that in other words if we get that in 1:21 we know his purpose he will save his people from their sins but but how does he do it well Matthew 20:28 sort of encapsulates that just as the son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many in other words the way that he saves his people from their sins is by giving his life a ransom for many you get to Matthew 26 and you find what's called the passion narrative it gives a detailed description of his giving his life for many so 1:21 is the purpose 20:28 is the means by which he affects it and then 11 28 to 30 demonstrates his graciousness and his kindness in receiving sinners thought you can turn there this will be the last text we look at I'm not going to keep going this is a great place to end Matthew 11:28 remember if you're an unbeliever here be encouraged at the thought of Christ's purpose in Matthew 1:21 he will save his people from their sins be encouraged at the means by which he affects this in Matthew 20:28 by giving his life a ransom for many Oh it's like one of those Old Testament sacrifices one of those lambs that took away the sin of those who brought a head that's what Jesus does through his death he bears the wrath and the curse and the penalty of his father but see in Matthew 11:28 is his willingness is his kindness his goodness is mercy his loving character notice in 11:28 come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest beautiful statement there isn't it and you know don't make it something it's not when Jesus says come to me all you who labor and are heavy-laden he is talking about though perhaps laboring to try to find some sort of peace with God he's talking about those who are heavy-laden not because they had a hard week they did a you know 60 70 80 hours at work this past week that's not it it's the burden of sin it's what you have right now if you're not a believer life isn't pleasant life isn't good I mean you may have momentary times where it is pleasant where it is pleasurable but if you attend a church or you have parents or you have spouses you have friends that are believers you must know something of this heavy laden s you must know something of being like Christian in pilgrims progress as he slept around that big burden on his back he's weighed down he is he is toiling under it that's your condition this morning your problem isn't economic your problem isn't educational your problem isn't that you're a liberal your problem isn't that you're a conservative your problem is that you're a sinner now notice what Jesus says to sinners come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest I will rest you I will take that heavy burden from you I will soften the labor that you have I will take you in my arms and I will hold you that's kind of the conception you get there in rest intriguingly the very next section or the next part of the the gospel narrative focuses upon the Sabbath why would we want to get rid of the Sabbath it shows us Jesus it shows us the rest that we get nem that's offered to sinners in the gospel his purpose is to save the means by which he saves us through his death and his willingness to save is conveyed to you this morning in this most blessed text come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest don't resist this don't reject this don't neglect this but rather confess Jesus as Lord and Savior believe on him and you will be saved well let us close in a word of Prayer our Father we thank you for your word and we thank you for our Lord Jesus Christ what a blessed and wonderful Savior he is and what a blessed and glorious salvation he has wrought for us I would ask now that you would encourage our hearts that you would strengthen us with might and the inner man so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith as well for any and all who have come here this morning in this state of being weary and and and heavy laden and burdened under sin may they find freedom blessed freedom and liberty today in the person and in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ now your spirit common may you draw effectually unto Jesus sinners out of darkness into marvelous light we thank you that you've done this for us we thank you that there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared and may we continue to walk and a desire to glorify and honor you and please bless protect and keep this church help us to be a faithful people and raise up from among our midst young men called to gospel ministry that we can send to the nations to make disciples to baptize and to teach and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation that I'll come back up and give thanks to God for the food and then we can go upstairs and enjoy some time together you