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good evening everyone you can turn in your Bibles with me for our call to worship to the book of hebrews hebrews chapter 1 our call to worship will be a reading of Hebrews 1:1 to 6 this is the Word of God God who had various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the father's by the prophets has in these last days spoken to us by his son whom he has appointed heir of all things through whom also he made the world's who being the brightness of his glory and the Express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high having become so much better than the Angels as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they for to which of the Angels did he ever say you are my son today I have begotten you and again I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son and when he again brings the firstborn into the world he says let all the angels of God worship Him amen well let's stand together and sing our first hymn will be him number three in your large Trinity hymnal at stand and sing hymn number three the second tune [Music] [Applause] [Music] let us pray Heavenly Father we come to you now second time on your Lord's Day to gather together in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ and engage in the worship of Father Son and Holy Spirit and we do rejoice in this high honor this freedom this Liberty this privilege that we do have to gather together in this place and we do pray again that your name would be hallowed here we pray that your name would be hallowed throughout all the earth and that your will would be done on earth as it is in heaven we do pray that you would forgive us afresh of our trespasses we thank you that we do have forgiveness the remission of sins in the shed blood of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ as will observe later in the Lord's Supper reflecting upon that shed blood we thank you that we have that fountain open for sin and for uncleanness and we do pray that you would wash us afresh that we would find a renewed joy now as we contemplate the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ our Savior we thank you as well that in him we have a righteousness not our own that avails with you and we do pray that you would cause your Saints gathered in this place to rejoice in the glorious gospel of you are blessed of God we thank you that you did send Christ in the fullness of the times to come into this lower world sinners to save we thank you for that blessed truth and we rejoice in his perfect life his perfect death his glorious resurrection the fact that he ascended to your right hand that he now ever lives to intercede for his Saints that he rules and that he reigns over his enemies that he as head and king over his church subdues the hearts of his elect and that he does according to his own promise bro his church the gates of Hades might not prevail against it we thank you for our blessed king and savior and we do pray that you would cause us as his Saints to rejoice in his Most High name to sing the praise as a Father Son and Holy Spirit we would ask God that you be with those who presently and continually struggle with physical problems disease and injury and these things that affect the the outer man we do just pray that you'd strengthen our dear brothers and sisters in Christ that you would be near to them that you would continue to bring them the the healings that only the great physician can provide we pray that you grant seasons of reprieves from pains discomforts and and all of those things associated with disease and with the the corruption of the flesh and we just pray Lord God that you'd be with them strengthen them and help them and once again in the midst of their sufferings and the physical man that you would cause them in the inner man to rejoice in Christ Jesus the Lord to be resigned unto their God and to realize the the bless of reality that the one who is above all things the one who is judge of the judge of all the earth does right according to his own glory his own will and plan and for the good of his Saints we do pray Lord God once again that you be with those who rule over us we pray that you be with kings and those who are in authority we pray that you would cause them to rule and righteousness and justice and inequity that you would take away those who would seek to pervert the nation's we do pray that you would cause your saints to cry out for justice throughout the world that you would Lord God Father Son and Holy Spirit that you would vindicate your name throughout all the earth that you would subdue the nations that by the proclamation of the gospel attended by the power and the assurance wrought by the Holy Spirit that you would bring many forth from the darkness of sin to life and light in Christ Jesus our Savior and Lord God that you would bring temporal judgment upon those who would seek to bring persecution upon your dear Saints we do even pray Lord God that you would convert many unto up unto the Savior that by amazing in victorious grace those who are presently caught up in the madness of idolatry and false religion would be brought unto life and light in Christ Jesus the Lord by grace that they might be saved Lord God and we do long for the proclamation of the gospel throughout all the earth and to hear reports of a multitude of sinners bowing the knee bending the knee to the king of kings and the Lord of lords we do pray that you would be with us in worship now we pray that you would help us Lord to be focused to be attentive to have our souls tuned to the worship of the triune God and we do pray Lord God that as we sing and as we engage in prayer as we engage in the reading of the scriptures and the preaching of the word and later the Lord's Supper we do pray that you would receive all honor and praise and that our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ would be exalted upon the praises of this gathered church we do pray that you'd be with pastor Butler as he preaches your word on a second time a second time this year Lord's Day we do pray that you'd watch over him help him guide him we know that preachers of the gospel rest upon the strength that only the triune God can afford and we do pray that you would give him that posture in this pulpit and that he would preach well the things of your revelation to the sons of men we do pray that you then would be with us now as we continue in worship be honored God be glorified might you be the recipient of honor and praise in this place and we do pray in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen let's stand and sing again this time hymn number 580 if you'll stand with me five eight zero let's stand and sing that hymn together [Music] Romans chapter 4 I'll begin reading in verse 1 what then shall we say that Abraham our Father has found according to the flesh where of Abraham was justified by works he has something to boast about but not before God for what does the scripture say abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness that a Himmel works the wages are not counted his grace but his debt but to him who does not work but believes on him who justifies the ungodly his faith is a counted for righteousness just as david also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin amen let us pray our Father we thank you for the word of God and for this epistle to the Romans thank you for the theology of justification by faith alone thank you for the work of the Lord Jesus Christ on behalf of his people for his perfect life of obedience to the Father his substitutionary curse bearing wrath on Calvary's cross and his resurrection the third day we thank you as well for his current session and the promise that he will return again in glory to judge the living in the dead and may it be the case that on that day we would all be found clothed in his righteousness that we would be accepted by God through the beloved that we would enter into that consummate glory where we would sing your praises and honor you world without end we thank you so very much for the gospel of free and sovereign grace we thank you so very much that you've not dealt with us according to our sin you've not rewarded us according to our transgression you have removed our iniquity you've cast it into the depths of the sea and in this Lord God we we we greatly rejoice as we come to the supper tonight as we eat this bread as we drink this Cup may we be mindful to the death of Christ may we be mindful of that atonement wherein he has satisfied divine justice for the sake of his people we ask now that you would guide our thoughts as we study Scripture we pray that it would encourage our hearts that again we would be brought to worship and to praise and to honor Father Son and Holy Spirit so send it forth your spirit now wash us afresh in the blood of the Lamb sanctify us by your truth and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well as we look at this particular section the Apostle Paul is dealing with justification by faith alone and he is showing that this isn't some new thing this is not something that was invented by Paul it's not something that was invented by the Gospel writers it was not something invented by any new covenant Christian but it's always been God's Way of salvation if any man is ever to enter into the presence of God it'll be by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone we know that to be the case because Paul appeals to two particular individuals both in the Old Testament Abraham and then David we're going to spend our time tonight on considering the righteousness of David but by way of some preliminary observations notice what Paul says in verse 5 he says but to him who does not work but believes on him who justifies the ungodly his faith is a counted for righteousness if you go back for just a moment in your scriptures to the book of Joshua Joshua chapter 24 it's not typically the case that when we think of Abraham and David when we as God's people in God's church think of Abraham and David we don't typically think of them as ungodly men as the ones whom God has justified freely by his grace but both were ungodly men both were wretches both were sinners both could never be accepted based on their words both were indeed foul and polluted when you look specifically at Joshua 24 this is a covenant ratification ceremony at Shechem and Joshua traces redemptive history up to this point if you notice at verse 1 he says then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and called for the elders of Israel for their heads for their judges and for their officers and they presented themselves before God and Joshua said to all the people thus says the Lord God of Israel or fathers including Tara the father of Abraham and the father of nahor dwelt on the other side of the river in old times and they served other gods now I would argue that Abraham was taught by his father to serve those very gods so Abraham was an idolaters to his having been called out of ur of the Chaldeans onto a saving relationship by God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ so God justifies the ungodly will consider David in a few min a few moments but back to Romans chapter 4 when we looked at his appeal to Abraham he speaks of his righteousness he puts it negatively and he puts it positively in chapter 4 of Romans he says in verse 1 for if Abraham was justified by works he has something to boast about but not before God see the logic of the Apostle is obvious it is it is clear if we are accepted by God based on our works then with Abraham we have something to boast about before God in other words there's this a self congratulate a gradual Ettore element we were able to say I've done this I've accomplished this and therefore God has accepted me but notice how Paul rips that foundation away when he says but not before God in other words no man can ever boast before God for there having been accepted by God and then he asserts it positively in verse 3 he says for what does the scripture say abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness so the larger contact beginning in chapter 3 all the way through chapter 4 highlighting the necessity of the death of Christ in chapter 5 and then showing more of this doctrine of imputation wherein God credits or reckons or accounts to our account the righteousness of Jesus Christ Paul appeals to Abraham and to David and he ends this section this appeal to Abraham actually the chapter as a whole is dedicated to Abraham five to five to eight with reference to David is a bit of an aside to buttress the case but the bulk of the emphasis in chapter 4 is on Abraham but notice in verse 4 he says now to him who works the wages are not counted His grace but his dead Lords it is amazing grace if it is the case that we had indeed worked into God's favor then it wouldn't be a grace transaction it would be a debt transaction it would be God paying us what we are do as a result of what we have accomplished so by way of introduction realize that Paul is dealing with justification by faith alone he appeals to Abraham and now let's look at this case of David in verses 5 to 8 I want us to turn to 2nd Samuel chapter 22 2nd Samuel chapter 22 just to consider the righteousness of David as the Apostle Paul appeals to him in Romans chapter 4 2nd Samuel chapter 22 is very similar to Psalm 18 the psalm of David or this psalm of David is included in the Book of Psalms and though there are differences in the wording they are in fact the same the psalm was no doubt sung by David throughout his life it it is punctuated here at the end of his life and it was prepared for the chief musician for inclusion into the Psalter so that the church at large throughout the ages could sing of God's great grace of his great power and of his great glory as we look at this particular Psalm we see in the first place the deliverance of David in verses 1 to 20 David is simply rehearsing God's faithfulness to M in the fact that he has delivered him from all of his enemies including salt she read through the the books of first and second Samuel you will know that David was no stranger to difficulties two trials two afflictions two hardships and sorrows and so he praises God for His goodness in delivering em and then notice secondly the righteousness of David in verses 21 to 25 David writes the Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness according to the cleanness of my hands he has recompense me for I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my god for all his judgments were before me and as for his statutes I did not depart from them I was also blameless before him and I kept myself from my iniquity therefore the Lord has recommenced me according to my righteousness according to my cleanness in his eyes so we're gonna focus in on this righteousness of David now in the first place there's a bit of a problem when we consider this passage in light of the rest of 1st and 2nd Samuel in other words if you were Uriah the Hittite you might argue with David as he rehearses here his righteousness if you were Bathsheba you might argue here with David concerning his righteousness if you were Absalom you might argue with David here concerning his righteousness remember Absalom was incensed when his brother and in a rather eminent raped Tamar David didn't do anything about this he got upset he got angry he was infuriated by it but he didn't intervene he didn't wield his kingly power he didn't wield his fatherly power and that ultimately works out terribly in the life of David because Absalom then rises up against a man kills him and then ultimately Absalom tries to usurp David and take over the very kingdom himself so if you were on the other side of one of these transactions and you were reading Psalm 18 or David's rehearsal here in 2nd Samuel 22 you might ask him how can you possibly maintain this kind of righteousness he says the Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness according to the cleanness of my hands he has recompense me now there were those certainly sympathetic to David on the other side that would affirm his righteousness his good friend Jonathan for instance Jonathan maintained David's innocence Jonathan maintained integrity Jonathan maintained the reality that there was no reason whatsoever that Saul should have animosity against Jonathan's good friend David remember Abigail the godly wife of the foolish man named Baal she confesses and testifies concerning the righteousness of David but most of all we have the testimony of Yahweh we have the testimony of God because as Jeroboam the son of Nebat is the benchmark for wickedness in the kingdom David king of Israel is the benchmark for righteousness in other words Kings are measured against whether or not they are like David in terms of their pursuit so you see the bit of a difficulty when one approaches such a chapter or passage like this on the one hand if you're those who have suffered under the hands of David you would argue that he's not righteous on the other hand there's a great sort of team on the other side testifying that he is indeed righteous so let's look at the theology of David and let's see how this all squares in the first place we need to understand that David recognized his sin David certainly understood his sin we see it in 2nd samuel chapter 12 after the prophet Nathan comes to him after the Prophet rebukes him David says in 2nd Samuel 2 12 13 I have sinned against the Lord so whatever David means in terms of an assertion of his righteousness he knows he's not a sinless being he knows that he is not the holy harmless and undefiled one he knows that he has pollution and he knows that that pollution goes deep turned to Psalm 51 to see this as well Psalm 51 just looking at the theology of David so we can see how he maintains his own righteousness and how Paul can appeal to him as an example of righteousness notice in Psalm 51 the occasion is indicated in the subscript says to the chief musician a psalm of David when Nathan the went to him after he had gone into Bathsheba he says have mercy upon me O God according to your loving-kindness according to the multitude of your tender mercies blot out my transgressions wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin for I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is always before me against you all you only have I sinned and done this evil in your sight that you may be found just when you speak and blameless when you judge behold I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin my mother conceived me behold you desire truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part you will make me to know wisdom so David understood the doctrine of depravity David understood the doctrine of sin David understood not only the doctrine of sin as it's theoretically treated and applied to man but he knew it experientially he knew it in his own heart he knew it in his own life he knew it and he confessed it Psalm 130 out of the depths I have cried to you O Lord Lord hear my voice if you Lord should mark iniquities O Lord who could stand but David cast himself by God's grace on the mercy of God through our Lord Jesus Christ but it's imperative to understand that he had an understanding of his own iniquity secondly David understood atonement David understood atonement you'll see where I'm going obviously in terms of building the case that the righteousness that he speaks of is in the first place the imputed righteousness of our Lord Jesus but he understood a tone men go back to 2nd Samuel chapter 12 second Samuel Chapter 12 if we continue reading in verse 13 after David says I have sinned against the Lord Nathan said to David the Lord also has put away your sin you shall not die now the word atonement isn't used here specifically I don't think but with the the concept is present the idea that Yahweh will put away your sin but turn over to after 21 this atonement ritual at Gibeah David was involved with this it was as a result of Saul sin that these men met their end and it was indeed an atonement we see that in chapter 21 notice as well in chapter 24 as a result of David's numbering the armies of Israel God brings judgment to bear upon him and the chapter ends by highlighting the necessity of atonement in 2nd Samuel chapter 24 verses 18 to 25 in the Psalter if you look at Psalm 65 what David says concerning atonement in Psalm 65 verse 1 praise is awaiting you O God in Zion and to you the vows shall be performed o you who hear prayer to you all flesh will come iniquities prevail against me as for our transgressions you will provide atonement for them now remember David was in fact a king David was in fact a warrior but David was as well a theologian David rejoiced he was glad when they said unto him let us go to the house of the Lord he learned atonement as a boy he learned atonement in the cult and by Colt I don't mean jovis witness I mean the religious operation of Israel he learned atonement at the tabernacle he knew what it was to come nigh unto God through bloody sacrifice the necessity of atonement underscores the presence of sin and guilt David understood that the necessity of atonement underscores the holiness and justice of God and the necessity of atonement highlights the reality that this holy God's justice is satisfied in the act of atonement so David understood sin David understood atonement thirdly David understood the doctrine of imputation turn over to Psalm 32 psalm 32 we need to remember that the imputation of righteousness did not become a reality when Paul wrote Romans 4 and 4 you all understand that right Paul tells us that Adam was a type of him who was to come Paul tells us that Romans chapter 5 at verse 14 well Adam didn't become a type of Christ at Romans 5:14 Adam had always been a type of Christ the same is true with the doctrine of imputation imputation is that sort of thing I mentioned this morning and that that vision that that Joshua the high priest is standing before Yahweh and the devil is there to accuse a man and God orders that the garments be stripped off him and then these new glorious robes be placed upon app that's imputation the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us it is reckoned to us it is accounted to us it is given to us it is it is a constituted ours that's what imputation is and David understood that fact Paul appeals to this tax in at Romans 4 notice in psalm 32 verse 1 a psalm of david a contemplation blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit Paul uses this particular passage to show to demonstrate to illustrate the doctrine of justification by faith alone John Murray says what David spoke of in terms of the non imputation and forgiveness of sin Paul interprets more positively as the imputation of righteousness in other words there are two sides of the same coin Nate David negatively blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit Paul says blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin you see they're saying the same thing Paul is quoting David David understood not only his own sin not only the necessity of atonement but he understood that doctrine of imputation we see this doctrine of imputation not only in the Apostle Paul here in Romans 4 and in Romans 5 you see it also in 2nd Corinthians 5:21 I appealed to that this morning God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him the doctrine of imputation is simple Adam's sin is imputed to us our sin is imputed to Christ and Christ's righteousness is imputed to us it's a beautiful thing isn't it you see what happens when you deny the historicity of Adam you see what happens when you deny the covenantal headship of Adam it runs towards denying those same truths with reference to Jesus I had a man once say didn't think it was fair that we should be blamed for Adam's sin oh I don't know that we're blamed for Adam's sin the idea is original sin the one stood for the many and in him all died so that we are now constituted or reckoned as sinners but if we have trouble with that then we must have trouble with the reality that the righteousness of the one is constituted to the many received by faith alone you see David understood Pauline theology David was to read a later concept back into redemptive history reformed David understood it wasn't a transformative thing in his life I've done many good things and now the Lord will reward me with forgiveness mercy and righteousness as well he understood sin he understood tone men he understood imputation he also understood his appropriation of Christ by faith now some would hear this old-school dispensationalists we talked about them a bit yesterday at our theology class and they'd say well that's just simply untrue I mean Christ didn't come till Matthew's Gospel how in the world could somebody prior to Matthew's Gospel believe on Jesus as well as our confession teaches and as the the Bible itself teaches there's one way of salvation it's always been by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone what's Paul say concerning the Old Testament Scriptures to Timothy in 2nd Timothy chapter 3 these scriptures are able to make you wise for salvation through faith and who in Christ Jesus Christ Jesus was promised in Genesis chapter 3 Christ Jesus was prefigured in Genesis chapter 4 Genesis chapter 22 Christ Jesus was what was talked about all throughout those Old Testament Scriptures prophecy after prophecy after prophecy and faithful men like David understood that and they laid hold of Christ by faith so if you're here tonight you've committed adultery say like David had done there is hope forgiveness and mercy in and through the Lord Jesus Christ dare I say if you've committed murder to cover up that adultery I really hope nobody here has if you have I highly encourage you to call the RCMP and confess those sins or crimes but if you have then follow David to the cross you see brethren I think that we get into this place where we forget the concept of Romans 4:5 he justifies the ungodly at some point in our Christian life we begin to think that we were never ungodly we've always been pretty decent we've always been a step above others we've always been worthy of God's grace do you understand what an oxymoron worthy of God's grace actually is there is no one worthy of God's grace it's grace isn't this Paul's point now to the one who works the wages are counted his debt not as grace you see brethren Romans 4:5 is a reality Abraham was a wretch he was an idolatry was a sinful man just highlighting a few of the major events in David's life he was a wretch he was a terrible man but he found forgiveness in and through the Lord Jesus Christ and if we tonight will eat this bread and drink this cop we are looking to the self-same Christ of David this King let's just see in many instances where he is believing on the Lord Jesus Christ turn to Psalm 2 Psalm 2 why do the nation's rage and the people plot a vain thing the kings of the earth set then set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed his Christ is Messiah saying let us break their bonds and pieces and cast away their cords from us this is the rage of the nation's notice secondly the response of Yahweh in verses 4 to 6 he who sits in the heavens shall laugh the Lord shall hold them in derision then he shall speak to them in his wrath and distress them in his deep displeasure yet I have set my king on my holy hill of Zion notice thirdly the revelation of the decree verses 7 and 9 I will declare the decree the Lord has said to me you are my son today I have begotten you you see this theme familiar new covenant themes the Messiah the Christ the ever the eternally begotten son of the father this is a psalm concerning the lord jesus who is it that david believed in some nebulous concept now a specific dar a specific person the eternally begotten son of the father identified in the Hebrew as Messiah in the Greek as Christ the Anointed One ask of me Jesus says in verse 8 and I will give you the nation's for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession there's your backdrop for Matthew chapter 28 Jesus says all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me go therefore and make disciples of all the nations well how could Jesus say that because the father gave it to him gifted it to him awarded it to him based on his glorious redemptive work as the mediator of the New Covenant notice in verse 9 you shall break them with a rod of iron you shall dash them to pieces like a Potter's vessel now note finally in verses 10 to 12 the response of the wise in other words the nation's rage against Yahweh Yahweh holds them in derision the decree concerning the son is revealed and now David calls upon those around Israel and he says be wise o Kings be instructed you judges of the earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling kiss the son lest he be angry and you perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little our confession uses the language of receive and and rest upon the Lord Jesus Christ that's metaphorical talk for faith for belief for looking and living and the same is true here what does it mean to kiss the son lest he be angry and you perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little note the benediction he pronounces blessed are all those who do what they put their trust in him we are not going to heaven because of our performance we are not going to heaven because of our good works we're not going to heaven because of our law keeping we're not even even eating this bread and drinking this cup because we've had a banner week we're going we are eating we are drinking because Christ died and was raised the third day and by the grace of God our Lord has enabled us to look and to live blessed are all those who put their trust in him notice in psalm 32 we've already appealed the verses 1 and 2 but notice Psalm 3 two verses 10 and 11 many sorrows shall be to the wicked but he who trusts in the Lord mercy shall surround him how did old school dispensationalism ever get around these things you were not saved by your obedience to the law in the Old Testament you were saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus he who trusts in the Lord mercy shall surround him be glad in the Lord and rejoice you righteous and shout for joy all you upright in heart do we ever take David seriously there do we ever shout for joy because of what God has done in our hearts and in our lives we just reflect upon it and you know leap up as the as you know that man who was healed by through the instrumentality of Peter and John or Peter and John went that when to pray they met a lame man on the way he asked for alms and held out his palms and this is what Peter did say silver and gold have I not but such as I have give ID in the name of Jesus Christ rise up and walk how do you think that guy did that when the spring in his step brethren with a spring in his step for those of us who have been conquered by Amazing Grace we're called upon to shout for joy all you upright and hard one final text in this under this heading psalm 110 Psalm 110 resolving the tension presented by David's claim to righteousness on the one hand there were those who would certainly affirm that David was not righteous on the other hand there were those who affirm that David was in fact righteous David who is called a man after God's own heart tells us he is righteous and so we are resolving this we're looking at the resolution we've seen the recognition of his iniquity as understanding of atonement his understanding of imputation his appropriation of Christ by faith notice in psalm 110:1 a psalm of david the lord said to my lord how did he become David's Lord certainly in terms of the the second person of the Trinity certainly proleptic Li in terms of being the mediator of the New Covenant but he became my Lord according to David's faith blessed are all those who trust in him this David is speaking of this Christ the one to be stationed at Yahweh's right hand he calls him my lord this is a Galatians 2:20 moment in the Old Testament remember what Paul says in the righteousness I I have I or when he says he speaks of Christ he says who love me and who gave himself for me Christianity is a blessed religion of personal pronouns notice Yahweh said to my lord sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool the Lord shall send the rod of your strength out of Zion rule in the midst of your enemies your people will be vol Shelby volunteers in the day of your power in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning you have to do if your youth now notice the Lord is sworn and will not relent you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek you see David's theology was ripe David's theology was full David's theology was rich in Christology he knew this Christ he knew him by faith he knew him not only to be a king that would shatter his enemies but he knew him as a priest he knew him as the one that would in fact affect redemption for his elect so that's the theology of David in a nutshell so in conclusion to explain his righteousness it is in the first place as a result of the atonement wrought by Christ Hebrews 9:15 makes a glorious statement concerning the atoning work of Jesus it tells us that there is a retrospective effect of the cross of Christ in other words it looks back or it effects back Hebrews 9 15 says and for this reason he is the mediator of the New Covenant by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant that those who called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance isn't that a beautiful statement he is the mediator of the New Covenant by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant not two ways of salvation one way and David experienced it we have seen the imputation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ here John Gill commenting on Psalm 1820 that statement we saw in 2nd Samuel 22 he says though it is best of all to apply it to Christ and understanding of his righteousness which he as mediator has wrought out for his people this is perfect pure and spotless and entirely agreeable to the law of God what will bear the sight of God is satisfying to his justice is well pleasing to him and is what he accepts off and imputes to them that believe in Christ and by which they are justified from all things I think Gill nails it when he identifies David's righteousness as revealed in Psalm 18 / 2nd Samuel 22 as the imputed righteousness of our Lord Jesus this goes along with the reality of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone as I started off with Paul's not arguing a new thing in Romans 4 Paul is not suggesting you know I'm the innovator of the Christian religion I'm the developer of it I'm the founder and the originator some pit Paul and Jesus against each other Jesus and Paul thought different ways of salvation Jesus was about good words and pleasing God and engaging in your own personal righteousness and then you will be accepted giving cold water to to somebody that's hot and and visiting the downtrodden and poor Jesus taught justification by faith alone every bit as much as the Apostle Paul every bit as much as did David every bit as much as did Moses it has been the one way of approach to God throughout all the ages our confession is right to say in chapter 11 paragraph six the justification of believers under the old testament was in all these respects one in the same with the justification of believers under the new testament so david has the imputed righteousness of jesus but brethren we have never taught the reformed have never taught the justification does not always lead to sanctification in other words when God saves a sinner they will then pursue those things that are pleasing in God's sight not as a condition of salvation but as a consequence of salvation work out your own salvation in fear and trembling you can only work out what God has put in there you can only do those good works in Ephesians chapter 2 because God in His grace has made you alive God and His grace has justified you freely God in His grace is forgiving you it is as a result of that that we then engage in this pursuit of good works David saw the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit in Psalm 51 verse 12 Psalm 51 verse 12 some suggest that the old or the Holy Spirit wasn't in the Old Testament the Holy Spirit was in the Old Testament notice specifically David Psalm of repentance in verse 10 he says created me a clean heart O God renew a steadfast spirit within me do not cast me away from your presence and do not take your Holy Spirit from me so this is his repentance this is his confession on the occasion having of having been rebuked by Nathan for the sin against Uriah and Bathsheba verse 12 he says restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me by your generous spirit so the justification that he had received by grace alone through faith alone based on the atonement wrought by Christ and that righteousness what which was received by faith alone nevertheless and always will produce good works not unto salvation but as a result of having been saved and then we see the faithfulness that was opposite to the apostasy of Saul I mean David and Saul are a complete contrast in terms of persons wasn't the case that one was a wretch and the other was perfect no David was a sinner but David was a forgiven center David was a redeemed sinner one man says the distinction between Saul and David between a rejected King and an accepted one is not that one is a sinner and the other is not for both are sinners rather the distinction lies in the very different attitudes to faith and repentance displayed by the two and at a deeper level level still in the sovereign election of the one the man of God's own choosing over the other and I've always appreciated what Matthew Henry says in this connection though David had sometimes weakly departed from his duty not weekly Monday through Friday but weekly like not strong though he had sometimes weakly departed from his duty he had never wickedly departed from his God so David was a righteous man David received the righteousness of Christ it was imputed to him it was received by faith alone he looked forward to the coming Christ based on the promises of genesis 3:15 carried along all the way in and through the life of david and even beyond David until the fullness of the time would come when God would send forth his son born of a woman born under the law to redeem those like David who was under the law well in David's doctrine of soteriology we have seen the recognition of sin and I know it's customary at the supper for us to feel bad about our sin and I'm not suggesting that you should ever feel good about your sin the brethren we ought to not only feel bad about our sin but we ought to feel absolutely joyful about our Savior it becomes this time of introspection and depression becomes this time when we make sure we wear the black suit on Sunday it becomes this time when we assume these pious airs about how wretched we are you're gonna be as wretched tomorrow morning be happy tonight that your savior went through what he went through on our behalf so that we can eat this bread and drink this cop and proclaim his blessed death and resurrection we see the understanding of atonement and the understanding of imputation I just want to read this quote by Martin Luther he says we read at length with your own righteousness rejoice and confide in the righteousness of Christ learn my dear brother to know Christ and Christ crucified and learned to despair of thyself and to sing to the Lord this song Lord Jesus thou art my righteousness but I am thy sin thou has taken what belonged to me thou hast given me what was thine thou became as what thou were not in order that I might become what I was not myself I think that's a good way to approach the supper tonight in conclusion David was saved by faith in David's greater son well let us pray our Father in Heaven we thank you for the gospel the consistency through old and new testaments not of a myriad of ways of approach to God but one way that seed promised in Genesis 3 and by farther steps revealed and culminating in the the blessed promise of new covenant religion how we thank you that you have made us partakers how we thank you for the atonement wrought by Christ how we thank you for the doctrine of justification by faith alone and for the imputation of Christ's righteousness wonder of wonders that we will ever stand in the presence of God but clothed in the righteousness of another how we thank you for this and how we pray that others would believe that others would heed King David's counsel in Psalm 2 that they would indeed trust in the Lord Jesus Christ that they would call Jesus my lord that they would see him as that one who is altogether lovely in chief among 10,000 thank you for the supper that you provide to us thank you that as the householder you refresh us as weary pilgrims may we tonight as we eat this bread and drink this cup yes indeed think of our own sin but think about what a great Savior we have as Newton said I am a great center but Christ is a great Savior and how we thank you for this and we pray in Jesus name Amen turn your Bibles with me to first Corinthians 11 as we now observe the Lord's Supper first Corinthians 11 you know well we have there Paul's rehearsal of the institution of the Lord's Supper by our Lord Jesus Christ on the night in which he was betrayed you this body for this reason many are weak and sick among you and many sleep for if we would judge ourselves we would not be judged but when we are judged we are chastened by the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world therefore my brethren when you come together to eat wait for one another but if anyone is hungry let him eat at home lest you come together for judgment and the rest I will set in order when I come amen well no doubt as as we've noticed before when we observe the Lord's Supper there is a gravity of severity and importance of significance to the observance of the Lord's Supper it's something that is not to be treated as a dinner where you know blood knee can be partaking of or where drunkenness can be the order of the night but rather it is something where in Christ's death upon Calvary's crosses remember that substitutionary sacrificial work of Christ Jesus is remembered on the Lord's Day or India as excuse me in the observance of the Lord's Supper not only that it is a supper it is an ordinance it is a sacrament where the benefits of Christ's sacrificial work are communicated by faith unto those who lawfully observe those who are his people and so rightly Paul condemns rightly Paul rebukes rightly Paul corrects and rightly Paul gives instructions so that this ordinance this sacrament would be observed in a proper and in a godly way and as a pastor Butler ended his sermon there what a blessed thing to reflect with great joy upon this one who gave himself for guilty sinners we are not only to be marked by a solemnity when we gather together for the Lord's Supper that is an attendant seriousness because of what we're remembering but also a high joy because we're reflecting upon that blessed work the only work that saves the perfect work of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ remember what's going on here when we take this bread and when we drink this cup there is no real sacrifice made for the remission of the sins of the quick and the dead but only a remembrance of that one sacrifice for all given by priced upon Calvary's cross we are remembering the death of Christ it is also a manner whereby we receive spiritual nourishment just as sure as these elements are present to our outward senses so too are the benefits of Christ's redemptive work present to us by faith all those who are partaking a lawfully of the Lord's Supper it's a wonderful thing too to take this supper and hopefully you don't see it Christian as just a road exercise where we're you know just going through the motions of a religious Christianity it is something that is to be observed with yes solemnity but great joy I love the words of Spurgeon it's just a paraphrase I can't remember the exact quote but he's reflecting in a Lord's Supper sermon upon the shed blood of the Savior and he says something like oh if I had eloquence I would bestow a tongue upon every drop of blood that was there the blood of the cross so that we might be risen up to a burning remembrance of Jesus Christ and that our coldness in our languor to not reflect and remember Christ might give way to a burning remembrance the demons of a base ingratitude being cast away by reflection upon such a great sacrifice we partake of this brethren it is a great joy and it is marked no doubt as well by a solemnity this is a remembrance this is a an ordinance whereby we are spiritually nourished the bread remains bread the wine remains wine well if I could have the the brothers come up as they're coming up to pass out the bread remember that this is an observance for Christians only if you're here tonight and you're not a Christian you are not to partake lest you bring judgment upon yourself we are as well observing this as Christians as those who not harboring unrepentant sin but remember repents we say this every time you see that the restoration unto the observance of the Lord's Supper after repenting of Unforgiven sin is not a three-month exercise it's not an extended season of self-loathing and the wearing of black but rather we recognize our sin we repent and we find immediate forgiveness in the just one Jesus Christ the advocate with the father and so repent and find forgiveness immediately and so take of the bread and so take of the wine well if I could have the brothers come up when the wine comes around the breads coming around first of course but when the wine does come around the juice is in the outer ring and we will read these words of institution as we partake of the bread and as we partake of the wine but please remain seated and turn in your in books to him number 195 and we'll sing together 195 [Music] Paul writes in verse 23 of first Corinthians 11 rehearsing the words of Christ for I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he broke it and said take eat this is my body which is broken for you do this in remembrance of me amen let us pray God we thank you that we can observe this ordinance we rejoice in this element this symbol we hold in our hands the bread that we're about to eat we thank you that this represents Christ's body broken for us and we pray as we now partake of it we do pray Lord God that you would help us to reflect upon the body of our Lord Jesus Christ the the fact that those blessed truths that Peter rehearses when he says that Christ took in his own body our sins upon the tree and that we having died to sin might live for righteousness by whose stripes we are healed we pray that we would reflect upon so great a sacrifice that we breach upon breach broke the law of our high and holy God but Christ in his own body took breach upon breach that he might bear the wrath due us that he might bear the curse we thank you that he so did perfectly we do pray that we would reflect with that solemnity and joy now upon the doing and the dying and the rising again of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ we pray in his precious name Amen let's tape together but I could have the brothers passed out the wine remember the juice is in the outer ring you can remain seated and sing along to him 193 as we sing to our God and to each other remain seated and sing one 93 [Music] back in first corinthians 11 at verse 25 we continued to read in the same manner he also took the cup after supper saying this cup is the new covenant in my blood this do as often as you drink it in remembrance of me for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the Lord's death till he comes amen let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you now that we can a drink of this cup we thank you for what it represents the shed blood of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ we know that without the shedding of blood there can be no remission no forgiveness of sins and so we rejoice that there is that fountain opened up for sin and for uncleanness we thank you that upon Calvary's cross Jesus Christ so shed his blood that his people might have the forgiveness of sins we pray that you would help us to reflect now again with solemnity and with great joy upon this blessed truth that he did shed his blood for us we pray that you would cause us even daily Lord to not be marked by a coldness and a languor and that we would not have a base in gratitude but that we would be marked by a burning remembrance of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ and we do pray that we would reflect daily upon so great a sacrifice and so great a work of salvation we pray in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ the Lord amen let's take together let's all stand together this time and sing that hymn in our hymn books 175 Man of Sorrows what a name for the Son of God who came 175 let's stand together [Music] now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you complete in every good work to do his will working in you what is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever amen the Heavenly Father we pray that you would go with us now into this upcoming week we rejoice having gathered for worship and we rejoice having heard your word preached we rejoice Lord God in having observed this supper of the Lord and we do pray that you'd help us to rejoice in Jesus Christ we pray that you would help us to rejoice in the imputation of the righteousness of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ that we would rejoice in atonement and that we would rejoice in faith in Christ Jesus the Lord and we do pray that in this upcoming week you would help us in virtue of having been saved by grace through faith in Christ alone to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ we pray God that you would go with us and that you would receive all honor and praise throughout the week and in a special way again as we looked forward to coming together in this place on the next Lord's Day might we look with great anticipation to that time and might we daily rejoice in so great a savior and we pray in his precious name Amen please be seated we'll have a brief time of Prayer and then you're dismissed you