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Psalm 132 I'll begin reading in verse 1 a song of a sense Lord remember David and all his afflictions how he swore to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob surely I will not go into the chamber of my house or go up to the comfort of my bed I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids until I find a place for the Lord a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob behold we heard of it an effort though we found it in the fields of the woods let us go into his tabernacle let us worship at his footstool arise O Lord to your resting place you and the Ark of your strength let your priests be clothed with righteousness and let your saints shout for joy for your servant David's sake do not turn away the face of your anointed the Lord has sworn in truth to David he will not turn from it I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body if your songs will keep my covenant and my testimony which I shall teach then their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore for the Lord has chosen Zion he has desired it for his dwelling place this is my resting place forever here I will dwell for I have desired it I will abundantly bless her provision I will satisfy her pour with bread I'll also clothe her priests with salvation and her Saints shall shout aloud for joy there I will make the Horn of David grow I will prepare a lamp from my anointed his enemies I will clothed with shame but upon himself his crown shall flourish amen well please turn with me in your Trinity Psalter to Psalm 65 Psalm 65 we'll sing the first five verses to a familiar tune [Music] [Music] well let us pray or bless it God and the Holy Father we gather together on the Sabbath evening and we come to praise your Most High name you are the great God who has made this world and all things in it you're the God who is sovereign and Providence you govern all your creatures and all their actions and you are the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation wrought by him we praise you for so great a salvation we praise you for your Sovereign Grace but what the Apostle describes to you in Ephesians 1 we're in the father chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world and in time Christ came to live and to die and to be raised again and how we thank you that through him we have a blessed life everlasting life and we praise you for the Ministry of the Holy Spirit who takes that accomplished work by our Lord Jesus and applies it to your elect may God be glorified in this glad hour as we sing and as we pray and as we look to Holy Scripture may it be the case that God would be all in all she would be foremost in our thoughts she would encourage our hearts and strengthen us with might and the inner man and that we would approach you with reverence and with fear and with great joy and Thanksgiving the God certainly we have so much to be thankful for in light of the many mercies that you have demonstrated to us we have so many so many blessings as Paul says every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus so we extol the Oh God and pray that you would be enthroned upon the praises of your people here we would ask our Lord in heaven that you would be pleased to fill each one of us with the Holy Spirit that we would worship you in spirit and in truth that we'd come to the Father through the son by the power of the Holy Spirit that we would see that glorious triune God that Scripture sets forth so beautifully so wondrously you are a God of infinite perfections and majesty the god of glory and Wonder and our Father we pray that we would be humble as we consider these things that we would be lowly that we would acknowledge that you are the the Most High God we would ask even now that you would forgive us for our sins but certainly as we consider the book or the Word of God and the book of the law we see our own waywardness and our own sinfulness we have transgressed your law we have lacked conformity unto it so we confess our sins now and praise you and thank you for the the promises that we have in 1st John 1 the promise that we have in Psalm 130 but if you Lord should mark iniquities O Lord who could stand but there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared we praise you for the forgiveness of sins and even now Lord God we pray that you would cleanse us in the blood wash us and purify us and and fit us so that we may indeed worship you aright for any and all who do not know you Lord God we pray that today would be the day of salvation to open eyes and hearts to receive the truth of the gospel the Holy Spirit would be at work bringing conviction for sin and an appreciation for just who Jesus Christ is as the one who is altogether lovely the one who is chief among 10,000 the one alone who is able to save to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto the father through him God be merciful we pray in this church and other churches here in Chilliwack we thank you that we're not alone in this community we do pray for those churches that are preaching the true gospel we ask that you would prosper them she would bless them that you would cause them to flourish and thrive and Lord God in heaven may your name be praised in this community and God we pray that you would be pleased to bless churches throughout Canada we would ask for the Spirit of the Living God to come we know that we live in dark days and we know that we live in a day when men call evil good and good evil we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit to revive the churches to awaken those who are dead in their trespasses and sins we also pray for the persecuted Church God we know many brothers and sisters suffer for the cause of I stand we commit them to you and to the word of your grace and we pray Lord Lord God Almighty that you would send forth your blessing upon those in prison those who are suffering those who have been dispossessed from businesses and and homes and may it be the case that in these lands you would turn a multitude away from their idols to the true and living God we also pray for the governing authorities we know that they are to kiss the Sun they are to bow before the Lord Jesus Christ taking the admonition of King David of Israel we know they will not do this unaided by Sovereign Grace so be merciful to those in high places humble them under your mighty hand and cause them to rule or to govern in righteousness and in justice and for those God who continue in rebellion against you we pray that you would restrain them and keep them from further acts of evil and wickedness and our father we just pray your blessing upon us now give grace to our brother Mike as he preaches the Word of God may the Holy Spirit be upon him and us and may we learn much of our Lord Jesus Christ tonight and we pray in his most blessed name amen all right please take your Trinity hymnal and turn to number 704 704 will stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] you can turn in your Bibles to the Prophet Hosea for our scripture reading this evening hosea chapter 4 hosea 4 to 12 is actually an indictment of the nation for their covenant breach their unfaithfulness against Yahweh the chapter 4 begins that sort of prosecution on behalf of God via the Prophet Hosea so begin reading in verse 1 of chapter 4 here the word of the Lord the children of Israel but the Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land there is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land by swearing and lying killing and stealing and committing adultery they break all restraint with blood shed upon bloodshed therefore the land will mourn and everyone who dwells there will waste away with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air even the fish of the sea will be taken away now let no man contend or rebuke another for your people are like those who contend with the priest therefore you shall stumble in the day the Prophet also shall stumble with you in the night and I will destroy your mother my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge because you have rejected knowledge I also will reject you from being priest for me because you have forgotten the law of your God I also will forget your children the more they increased the more they sinned against me I will change their glory into shame they eat up the sin of my people they set their heart on their iniquity and it shall be like people like fries so I will punish them for their ways and reward them for their deeds but they shall eat but not have enough they shall commit harlotry but not increase because they have ceased obeying the Lord harlotry wine and new wine enslave the heart my people ask counsel from their wooden idols and their staff forms them for the spirit of harlotry has caused them to stray and they have played the harlot against their God they offer sacrifices on the mountaintops and burn incense on the hills under Oaks poplars and Terra Benz because their shade is good therefore your daughter's commit harlotry and your brides commit adultery I will not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry nor your brides when they commit adultery for the men themselves go apart with harlots and offer sacrifices with a ritual harlot therefore people who do not understand will be trampled though you Israel play the harlot let not Judah offend do not come up to Gilgo nor go to go up to Bath Aven nor swear an oath saying as the Lord lives for Israel is stubborn like a stubborn calf now the Lord will let them forage like a lamb in open country 'iframe is joined idols let him alone there's drink his rebellion they commit harlotry continually her rulers dearly love dishonor the wind has wrapped her up in its wings and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices amen let us pray our Father in heaven let us take heed to such a passage as this help us to see the importance to not only know God but to fear God to walk according to your word according to your will to that end we pray for the Ministry and the aid of the holy spirit but we even as redeemed brethren are a weak people apart from Jesus we can do nothing the good that we often want to do we don't do and the evil that we don't want to do we find ourselves doing we would cry out with the Apostle a wretched man that I am Who Shall deliver me from this body of death may you supply what is lacking in our hearts and in our minds may you strengthen us and help us to learn from these prophets help us as the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ to heed the instructions of both old and new testaments and to do those things that you call us to you've saved us by grace through faith in Jesus Christ you've saved us so that we will be holy and blameless so that we will pursue those things that are good in your sight to grant us help and aid and strengthen this and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well for our final him before the preaching you can turn again in your Trinity hymnals to number 223 him number 223 will stand as we sing together [Music] you can turn with me in your Bibles to the book of first John we're gonna look at chapter 2 verses 1 & 2 this evening but we're gonna read verse chapter 1 verses 5 all the way to 2 - so you can turn with me to 1st John chapter 1 verse 5 it's a difficult book to divide up and I think 1 in 2 of chapter 2 do go with what's said in 5 through 10 but I think it's good to slow down and see what he's doing in 1 & 2 of chapter 2 so first john chapter chapter 1 begin reading at verse 5 this is the message which we have heard from him and declare to you that god is light and in him is no darkness at all and if we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not practice the truth but if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin now if we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us and if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness but if we say that we have not sinned we make him a liar and his word is not in us my little children these things I write to you so that you may not sin and if anyone sins we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous and he himself is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the whole world amen well let us pray well Heavenly Father we do thank you that we can pray to you that we can call upon you through our great high priest Jesus Christ we thank you for our high priest who died as that perfect sacrifice even now lives to make intercession for his people he leads for his people he loves his people he protects his people and we thank you that right now he is seated at your right hand interceding now for his people may this give us comfort may this give us hope Oh God and as we think about the sacrifice that he underwent as we pondered it a bit this morning Oh God we thank you for his great sacrificial work Oh God how you are a holy God a God who is light who is absolute majesty whose absolute moral purity who is absolutely holy who is man that one can stand with you who is man that can that that can worship before you O God we need our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to plead for us we need that perfect sacrifice the one who turned away your wrath that one who expelled sin who removed sin that we might have everlasting life O God that we might have peace with you we thank you for this great work we thank you for the great work of salvation although the the facets and all the things that encompass it O God all all summarized in the gospel of free and sovereign grace we thank you that Jesus lived died and rose again on behalf of sinners we thank you for this truth may this give us comfort and hope O God for those that know Christ may we and have believed on Christ may we ever be comforted knowing that we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous who points to his great act of redemption his great cross work and father God for those that do not know Christ this day we pray that they would come - to everlasting knowledge in him they would come and have everlasting life that they would have their sins forgiven they would have the wrath that is upon them even now turned away through faith in Jesus Christ we thank you for his work we thank you for what he has done we thank you for your word and how you revealed these things to us the great depth and riches of knowledge are found in your word and your word alone as it is about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ so God we pray that you would help us now by your spirit to understand these things illumine our hearts and minds concerning the truth we pray for those that know Christ that they would be comforted and edified for those that do not know Christ we pray that they would come to saving knowledge in him and we pray ultimately O God that you would be glorified and we pray these things in the name of Christ amen well as I've said many times throughout our series in first John the primary theme of first John is that his believers might know that they have eternal life and he goes on to explain in two broad categories or perhaps as I described John's letter as a sermon he has two points in this sermon the first point is living in the light and secondly is living as children and right now we're looking at what it means to live in the light or perhaps point one of John's sermon so what is the light that's something we looked at last time first John 1 verses 5 through 10 God is light and as we saw in 5 through 10 we saw many contrasts we saw light and darkness we saw lying and truth and we saw sin and righteousness and even some there were proclaiming that they had no sin and that they never sinned but the problem is brothers and sisters even believers still sin even believers have remaining corruption which is contrary to the claims of these false teachers so perhaps we can ask ourselves this question as we go through the text what happens when believers sin where do we go what is our hope when we sin against our holy God even now even after we've been saved where do we turn to I think as we move through the text the text will answer that question very brilliantly for us and as we and as we look at this the focus is mainly on sin not so much the effects of sin namely transgressing the law of God where do we go when we break God's law and so we will look at this theme under two headings this evening we will look first at Christ our advocate in verse 1 of chapter 2 and secondly we will look at Christ our propitiation in chapter 2 verse 2 so our advocate and propitiation notice with me point 1 Christ our advocate notice what he says in verse 1 my little children we see who it is he's writing to it's a term of endearment to those that he is speaking to might even think in the context he's highlighting something concerning their spiritual state they may have saving knowledge in Jesus Christ but they are still weak when it comes to the faith I think Gil is right when he says this language is is right in light of the context it puts them in the mind of their weakness in faith in knowledge and spiritual strength that they might not entertain high notions of themselves as if they were perfect and without infirmities you see what he's doing here Conte rated the claims of these false men who taught that they had secret special knowledge with God who taught that they had some sort of special connection with God that other people might not have which brings with it an air of pride he's speaking to them bringing them down to what they are my little children it's kind of offensive today isn't it calling people little children but that's exactly what he's doing because a lot of ways you and I are little children we are weak in the faith we need to grow in grace and knowledge we need to grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior we sin quite often so he says he's highlighting here my little children and even here this my little children as we go on to describe as Christ as an advocate it highlights the reality of who Christ advocates for it's not every single person it is his people it is my little children Christ is the high priest for his people not every single person without exception but namely those who've been called out of darkness into marvelous light and even here in the context John is distinguishing between those who are his those who are Christ's and those who do not have saving knowledge in him namely these false men teaching false things concerning the gospel corrupting it and so he says he highlights here my little children notice what he says my little children these things I write to you so that you may not sin now these things probably ties in with what's already been said perhaps all all of chapter 1 but primarily verses five through ten this is why I think chapter 2 verses 1 & 2 goes with 5 through 10 and we see a lot of the similar themes of sin spoken of as we saw in chapter 7 but if we walk in the light as he and Allah is in the light we have fellowship chapter 1 7 but if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship with one another and then verses 8 & 9 & 10 I'll talk about sin if we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us verse 10 if we say that we have not sinned we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us so then he goes on to say my little children these things that I just wrote to you concerning light and concerning darkness concerning truth and concerning what's false concerning righteousness and concerning sin I write these things to you that you might not sin and perhaps John is giving us a preemptive strike because he's gonna go on to talk about the blessedness of the gospel he's giving a he's heading these false teachers at the past when they might argue and say well does that then give us license to sin perhaps it's a Romans 6 kind of situation when he describes perhaps the reality that we do sin some might say well it's just who I am or when he goes on to talk of the gospel people might say well then why can't I just keep sinning if I can keep going to Christ my advocate you see the blessedness is if we sin we can go to Christ our advocate but that doesn't mean it gives us license to sin it's perhaps akin to what Paul has said in row in the book of Romans Romans 6 shall we keep on sitting that grace may abound may it never be so John is pre-emptive primitively striking my little children these things I write to you that you might not engage in sin BC if we do sin there's a blessed provision for us and that's what he goes on to say notice in chapter 2 verse 1 if anyone sins you see the assumption is we are going to and the way the construction is working here it's probably the future reality that you Wilson perhaps a good way to describe it is when you sin the reality is we are going to send the reality is that we are going to transgress God's law we strive and we fight and we watch and pray but nonetheless there is still remaining in corruption according to Galatians 5 and Romans chapter 7 in a lot of ways John is a realist and as my professor pointed out he says God is a realist as well God and hosts were going to sin and thus he provides for us a provision we shouldn't be surprised when brothers and sisters sin sometimes we do that don't we how could so and so do this how could this happen I think if we read the scriptures and have a robust understanding of total depravity a robust understanding of tonal total inability a robust understanding of remaining corruption we should be surprised when we sin brothers and sisters even when we think about the law in its totality how quickly we are found out in all of it it's not just what you shouldn't do but what you should do as well briea again I've said this a few times I think pastor Butler said this many times read the Westminster larger catechism you will be found out when it comes to sin if you sin and the reality is you will sit where do we go and this is that blessed truth and if anyone sins we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous I love even here that the very wedding when he says we have John doesn't assume that he's sinless John is not making a claim like these other false men that they have no sin John is like you and I he sins and just like when he sins and when he goes to his advocate you and I have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous if anyone sins we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous now both in chapter chapter 2 verse 1 and verse 2 there are some difficult words to deal with in chapter 2 verse 1 we see this word we have an advocate now what does it mean to be an advocate it's a very rare word both in the Old Testament and the New Testament but nonetheless I think as some writers highlight it it's usually a legal term used in the sense of one who appears on behalf of another the one who perhaps pleads on behalf of another perhaps it's one who brings aid and help on behalf behalf of someone else it's very much legal language someone coming to your defense if you will so that's the idea of an advocate one who is is pleading and we see this language of advocate also in John but in John chapter 14 15 and 16 you can see in chapter 14 15 and 16 that the Paraclete the the the advocate the comforter in many ways to translate it is the Holy Spirit in verse in chapter 14 15 and 16 chapter 14 verse 16 notice and I will pray the I will pray to the and I will pray the father and he will give you another helper that he may abide with you forever the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him but if you know him for he dwells with you and will be in you and I will not leave you orphans but I will come to you but notice even there when it says I will give you another helper it implies that Christ is a helper as well you see there's two helpers for us it's the spirit and Jesus Christ there are no other mediators there are no other helpers there are no other comforters but namely Christ and the Holy Spirit we also see in 14:26 but the helper the Holy Spirit whom the father will send in my name he will teach you all things and bring you to your remembrance of all things that I said to you and then also in 1526 but when the helper comes whom I shall send to you from the father the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the father he will testify of me and then also sixteen verse seven nevertheless I will tell you the truth I tell you the truth it is to your advantage that I go away forever I do not go away the helper will not come to you but if I depart I will send him to you I think one commentator was very helpful in understanding how we how we think through that the advocate of both the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ he says the Holy Spirit is the one who pleads on earth to us and isn't that kind of what's going on in fourteen fifteen and sixteen they're pleading concerning Jesus Christ teaching them concerning Jesus Christ so the Holy Spirit pleads on earth while Christ pleads in heaven for us we see this perhaps in Hebrews 9 24 lot of Hebrews a lot of high priestly language in fact first John 2 1 and 2 is a great high priest a great priestly priestly text it highlights both Christ's sacrifice but also his intercession as well chapter verse 1 deals with his intercession verse 2 deals with his sacrifice but notice in Hebrews 9 24 for Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands which are copies of the true but into heaven itself now to appear in the presence of God for us not that he should offer himself often as the high priest enter the most holy place every year with blood of another he then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world but now once at the end of the ages he has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of ins of himself both John and Hebrews talk about both Christ's sacrifice and his intercession tied together so we see here even its highlighting the futility the Old Testament sacrifices Christ is the one who is that perfect sacrifice and now is that the right hand of God the Father making intercession for you and I I think we also see this in chapter 10 19 of Hebrews 10 verse 19 therefore brethren having boldness to enter the holy be holy asti's 'as by a new and living way which he consecrated for us through the veil that is his flesh and having a high priest over the house of God let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil man evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water we have boldness to enter the holy places because Christ makes intercession for his people even now and perhaps when we pray in the name of Jesus Christ are we not being reminded of that of Christ's intercession for us we pray to the Father through the son by the Holy Spirit as Christ makes intercession and again there are only two advocates Christ's and the Spirit and again in first John in Hebrews it highlights Christ's one aspect of Christ's priestly office namely his current session at the right hand of God another text that deals with that is Hebrews 7:25 and perhaps if you noticed in him 223 Hebrews 7:25 is the basis or that the the verse that the hymn is based on therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him since he always lives to make intercession for them he is our great high priest he is the one now who makes intercession for his people and I think there's a connection up and there should be there is a connection between Christ's intercession and his sacrifice because he points to his sacrifice as a way to plead for us as some writers highlight he points to his sacrificial work when he prays that the elect come to saving grace how can you and I come to saving grace but based on Christ's sacrificial work that's one way Christ intercedes another way is Christ intercedes and praise that we would we would receive pardon for our daily sin Christ again points to his work points to his wounds and they plead for us forgive him Oh forgive they cry that is one aspect and perhaps that gives us perhaps give gives gives first John 1 verses 7 and 9 a little bit more significance doesn't it if we walk in the light as he in the light we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin or perhaps 9 if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness why because he took that sacrifice upon himself that's one aspect but Christ also prays for our sanctification he prays that we would be sanctified by the truth but also Christ also is again is praised and intercedes for us when the accuser brings accusations against us because he says and points to his work and shuts the mouth of that accuser because that accuser has got nothing on us because of the blood of Jesus Christ isn't this what Paul says in Romans 8 verse 34 who can bring any charge against God's elect or perhaps we see this blessed reality in Zechariah chapter 3 when it comes to the the intercession of our Lord Zechariah Malachi Zechariah chapter 3 as Joshua the high priest is standing before the angel of the Lord notice Satan standing in his that right hand to oppose him but notice before the the Satan even speaks and the Lord said to Satan the Lord rebuke you Satan the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you is this not a brand plucked from the fire now notice three now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and was standing before the angel but then he answered and spoke to those who stood before him saying take away the filthy garments from him and to him he said see I have removed your iniquity from you and I will clothe thee with rich robes and I said let them put a clean turban on his head and so they put a clean turban on his head and they put the clothes on him and the angel of the Lord stood by Christ intercedes for his people perhaps the prime example of this is in John 17 Christ's great high priestly prayer in John chapter 17 he prays for himself in verses one through five but then he prays for his disciples and for all believers in the remaining verses notice in verse six I have manifested your name to men whom you have given me out of the world they were yours you gave them to me and they have kept your word now they have known that all things which you have given to me are from you for I have given to them the words which you have given me and they have received them and I have known surely that I kit and they have known surely that I came forth from you and they have believed that you sent me but notice a night I pray for them I do not pray for the world even again who does Christ pray for he prays for his people those whom you have given me but for they are yours and all mine are yours and yours are mine and I am glorified in them now I'm no longer in the world but these are in the world and I come to you holy father come to you Holy Father keep through your name those whom you have given to me that they may be one as we are and while I was with them in the world I kept them in your name those whom you have you gave me I have kept and none of them is lost except the son of perdition that the scripture might be fulfilled now I come to you and the things I speak in the world that they may have my joy fulfilled but even skipping down to verse 20 I do not pray for these alone but also for those who will believe in me through their word that they all may be one as you Father are in me and I in you that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that you sent me Christ intercedes now for his people Christ prays for his people and we see a good example of what perhaps that looks like in John 17 but back to first John chapter 2 verse 1 notice the description we have an advocate with the father notice his description Jesus Christ the righteous what makes him such a great advocate what makes it possible for us to even ask for forgiveness in 1st John 1:9 is because Jesus Christ is the righteous one and the way it's placed in the text John puts it there for emphasis Jesus Christ the righteous one he is that one that we can come to he is the one who is as Hebrews 9 says holy harmless and undefiled and he is the only one brothers and sisters he is Jesus Christ the righteous he is our advocate so brothers and sisters don't sin but if we - we have an advocate Jesus Christ the righteous I think this makes again first John 1:9 a lot more significant doesn't it we should never we pray and speak and remember first John 1:9 alot we should never separate first John 1:9 from first John 2 verses 1 and 2 what makes it possible that we can confess our sins it's because Jesus Christ the righteous and perhaps as Lewis Birkhoff says it's for our comfort he says it is a consoling thought that Christ is praying for us even when we are negligent in our prayer that he is presenting to the father those spiritual needs which were not present to our minds and which we often neglect to include in our prayers and then he prays for our protection against the dangers of which we are not even conscious and against the enemies which threaten us though we do not notice it Christ is our provision Christ is an advocate do not sin brothers and sisters if you do we have an advocate Jesus Christ the righteous so that's Christ our advocate that's Christ intercessory work let us look secondly at Christ our propitiation Christ sacrificial work in verse two notice in what he says and he himself that is Christ is the propitiation for our sins again this is highlighting the priestly office of Christ highlighting his sacrifice that which he accomplished in the gospel this is why we can go to him as an advocate because he made sacrifice for sins and sits down at the right hand of God but it's described here as propitiation that's a difficult word to understand isn't it brothers and sisters sometimes we have a difficult time understanding it we I think we have a good pity helpful definition it means to turn away the wrath of God and that's helpful but let I'm gonna be honest with you this word is a beast word brothers and sisters this is a difficult word to understand because it's only found in several places in the New Testament actually this form of it is only found in two places and other related forms are found not very often either you know why it's so difficult to understand because the entire sacrificial system is behind it even when you read the the dictionaries is it to expiate that is to remove sin is it to propitiate to turn away the wrath of God what is going on in the text it's so difficult to understand but nonetheless I think if we go back to the Old Testament I think we'll see exactly what it means and it's full and rich and bless it and I think as its used in the Old Testament for a word that we perhaps somewhat familiar the word Kippur perhaps you've heard the name yarmulke / or the the title of the Day of Atonement Kippur refers to atonement and that's exactly what this word in first John 2:2 is translated in the Greek Old Testament and so when we think of this word to keep her it's highlights the idea to cover but it highlights so much more than that it does highlight the idea to propitiate and when we think of propitiation of turning away the wrath of God the offending party must do that that is you and I must turn away the wrath of God we must propitiate it we must appease it so that is involved in the sacrifice I think we see this in exodus 32 verse 30 we were we were reminded of that this morning in our Sunday school this is right after the Golden Calf incident 32 verse 30 it says now it came to pass on the next day that Moses said to the people you have committed a great sin soon I will go up to the Lord perhaps I can make atonement for your sin what's been kindled in the Golden Calf incident the wrath of God has been kindled and it must be turned away but there's other places it's found in in the in the Old Testament as well numbers 16 46 these people are whining and grumbling and complaining and notice numbers 16 even referring to the wrath of God here numbers 16 verse 46 so Moses said to Aaron take a sensor and put a fire in it from the altar put incense on it and take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them why for the wrath has gone out from the Lord so the wrath of God must be turned away I think we see that in numbers 25 as well when Israel commits harlotry with Moab this is when phineas pops on the scene and kills that man and that woman engaging in wicked things but in 25 verse 13 after he kills them it says and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood why because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the children of Israel it's highlighting again a turning away that wrath of God but I think also this word highlights the idea of the offended party must forgive that is God our God in an in it God forgives sin I think this is what we see in Leviticus chapter 4 verse 26 I know we're going back to a lot of Old Testament text but as I said it's difficult to understand propitiation without understanding at least in some sense the sacrificial system chapter 4 of Leviticus verse 26 talking about the laws concerning the city chapter 4 verse 26 concerning the sin offering and he shall burn all its fat on the altar like the fat of the sacrifice of the peace offering so the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sins and it shall be forgiven him you see these are just sample texts that highlight the richness of this very word that John is using here in 1st John chapter 2 verse 2 Christ is the one in it and the blessedness is Christ is the one who makes it possible that we might have forgiveness of sins God in His plan set forth the Savior that we might be forgiven but God also on his plan set forth Christ that he might be the one to turn away the wrath of God fully God and fully man Christ is the one who turns away the wrath of God by his cross word by his sacrifice so it's a theologically rich word that carries with it not only propitiation but expiation as well when Christ dies as that perfect sacrifice we have our guilt and sin removed but we also have the wrath of God turned away we have our sins forgiven and have peace with God it is a beast word I know people describe that one we're talking about things that are difficult it is a difficult word but that's what's going on it's a rich word that highlights exactly what Christ has done for us he expels sin and turns away the wrath of God now perhaps this is where someone might go and give raise an objection and go or raise an objection and go how can a loving God offer his son as a sacrifice well this is them where we take him to first John 4:10 because that's the other place this word is used in the New Testament when it describes love first John 4:10 in this is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins you see love is the motivation for God sending his son love is the motivation for Christ's sacrifice you see propitiation doesn't turn God's wrath into love but God's love drives the propitiation God is not some tyrant God does it out of love and mercy for his people that they might find forgiveness and they might be got coke go from children of Wrath to children of God you see it's founded and based on his love God provides the expiation the propitiation in Christ our Lord and even their 4:10 propitiation is connected with God's love so we have he himself is the propitiation for our sins but notice what he goes on to say not for ours only but also for the whole world now this is that head-scratcher text isn't it this is the one when we're thinking about the doctrines of grace and we come to that el and it's limited atonement what do we do with first John 2 verse 2 it's the one people have a difficult time reckon styling together it seems like he's saying face value that the whole world Christ died for the whole world is that what he say I don't think so I think there are two ways to describe what he's doing I think first of all we have to understand how John is using the word world it's referring to Jews and Gentiles it's highlighting the reality that God saves every single person without distinction not every single person without exception perhaps it's the reality that there's neither Jew nor Greek slave nor free male nor female when it comes to being in Jesus Christ that's one aspect to deal with that I think another way to deal with that as well is what is said in verse 2 it says not for ours only you see we're gonna get Greek II a little bit it says not for ours only is an intensified form of the word our and there's only several places it's used in the New Testament and there's only two places it's used in first John it's found here in 2 verse 2 but also in Chapter 1 verse 3 and truly our fellowship so he says in verse 3 we looked at that but I didn't draw it out because I knew we'd get to that which we have seen and heard we declare to you that you also may have fellowship with us and then he goes on to say truly our Fellowship is with the father and with his son Jesus Christ that intensified form is found in these two places so I think what he's saying in light of the context in light of the men who are coming in teaching some sort of spiritual lead ISM teaching that they had to have a PhD in theology to be saved John is saying Christ not only died for the apostles those connected with Jesus Christ those tied with Jesus Christ those closest to Jesus Christ but though for all else as well what he's saying is you do not have to have a PhD in theology to be saved that's essentially what's going on here there's weak faith and and and and there's weak faith but it's still saving faith in Jesus Christ we can still learn and grow in grace and knowledge but we don't have to have some sort of secret knowledge to be saved Christ didn't just die for some spiritual elite people just special people he did not come to save the righteous but sinners that's probably what's going on in light of the context in light of what John's dealing with certainly it's the idea that he's dealing with that what we can highly show that it's what world means Jew and Gentile but I think when we look at the way our is being used there he's highlighting it's not just for the Apostles but for the whole world as well that's exactly what he's saying you don't have to be a PhD to be saved and so then perhaps all these things as we think about propitiation and advocate and what this all looks like perhaps we should stop and think and ask the question how can man dwell with God how can man dwell with God who is light and even when we think about that sacrificial system even the the purity rituals are connected to that how can it be that man dwells with the holy God perhaps we would even read the Old Testament go that seems like a little much God is a holy God God is absolute moral purity God is light and accessible how can man dwell with him Jesus Christ the righteous how can man dwell with him through Jesus Christ our propitiation how can man dwell with him through Jesus Christ our advocate a lot of ways how can we dwell with him it is through the gospel we can approach the holiest of holies through Christ our Lord only the high priest went in there once a year and perhaps they would even perhaps tie a training tradition says they tie a rope around his ankle because perhaps he's in the holiest presence of God that he might die and be struck if he does anything wrong is that if he dies they would drag him out that's how serious this is but nonetheless we go to the Father through the Sun we go to that holy place as Hebrews highlights through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ so if you sin brothers and sisters you go to the holy place asking for forgiveness that you might find cleansing and knowing that he is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you of all unrighteousness so what happens when believers sin we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous brothers and sisters don't sin but if you do confess your sins and go to our Lord no unbeliever you need to believe on Jesus Christ when we think about the wrath of God when we think about your sin the reality is if you are not in Christ this day you are under the wrath of God your sins are not forgiven but if you come to Christ if you come to the Savior if you believe on him your sins will be forgiven and the wrath of God will be turned away and you too will have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ as you fight as you watch as you pray as you battle as our Lord prays for you and guides you home should that be the case that you come to saving knowledge you will have find everlasting life in him believe on him your sins will be forgiven and the wrath of God will be turned away and you have peace with the God of heaven and earth how can we dwell with our God it is through Jesus Christ the righteous well let us pray Oh father God how blessed it is that we can come to the holy place that we can come through our Lord by your spirit we thank you that your spirit pleads concerning the things of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ here on earth for us we thank you that he teaches the the things concerning Christ points us to our Lord father God and we also thank you for Christ our advocate are our propitiation Oh God you are a holy God how is man that you are mindful of him Oh God and we thank you that through Christ who died as that perfect sacrifice that we have your wrath turned away that we have our sins forgiven and we thank you for your word O God that you revealed these things to us you've revealed these things concerning our great high priest Jesus Christ may these things give us comfort and hope may these things be in awe of our Lord may you help us ponder the holiness of you O God for you our God who is light and we can walk in light through our Lord and Savior Lord art Jesus Christ help us not to sin again help us to turn from sin help us to watch and pray and fight o God knowing that you sanctify us we trust and believe that you do sanctify us O God but thank you that when we sin and we do often oh god we've sinned so frequently we can come and confess our sins to you and we confess that we have sinned against you O God we pray that you would cleanse us O God you would wash us afresh in the blood of the Lamb we thank you for these things we thank you for this truth and we pray for those that do not know Christ who are under your wrath they pray that we pray that they would come to saving knowledge in Christ that they might find forgiveness and your wrath turned away through our Lord and Savior we thank you for this O God we prayed that you weep you would be glorified in the name of Christ amen well we will close with the brief time of meditation then you're dismissed [Music] you