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welcome to everyone just announcement in terms of something that was said this morning there is a vote for the eldership from Mike Kirkpatrick some have asked why the exam after the actual vote it's more of a public affirmation that lends itself well to the following day where we actually install the brother no one would get to this point in terms of being voted on in our church for eldership if we didn't already know that they affirmed the scriptural doctrines that our church holds fast to so we know that Mike is adherent of the 1689 London Baptist confession of faith my interaction with him his preaching here among us has given evidence to the fact that he's apt to teach and as well that he holds that form of sound words that we hold to as well so that examination is a public affirmation it's a it's a way to as I said parent with or couple it with the actual installation on the Lord's Day so that's why we do it in that way it's not to assess for the first time whether or not he has the theological grit to enable him to engage in pastoral ministry we already have observed that we already affirm that but the Saturday thing is just an affirmation of his giftedness and ability so that as we enter into the installation it's all done in a manner hopefully that is glorifying to the Lord and edifying to the church so that's just a bit of explanation if you have not received your ballot please see one of the Deacons after you vote there's a white box in the back that you can place your ballot in well as we begin our worship this evening you can turn with me to Psalm 130 under the Psalm 130 I'll begin reading in verse 1 a song of a sense out of the depths I have cried to you O Lord Lord hear my voice let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications if you Lord should mark iniquities O Lord who could stand but there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared I wait for the Lord my soul waits and in his word I do hope my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning yes more than those who watch for the morning o Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him is abundant Redemption and he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities amen will please turn with me in your Trinity Psalter to Psalm 47 Psalm 47 will stand as we sing together [Music] it's at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs Texas if you have not heard there was a church shooting there twenty seven persons dead several more injured at this point they don't have a motive for the particular individual that did such a thing certainly a calamity and a tragedy we'll pray God's comfort for his people there so let us look to the Lord in prayer Most High God we gather together tonight to worship you to bow before you to confess your majesty your holiness your excellence your power glory God we know that you are the one who made this world and all things in it you are the God who governs all those creatures and all their actions you are indeed the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ you have not dealt with us according to our sins nor rewarded US according to our transgression you have shown yourself a kind God a merciful God a God who abounds in love and Merton and kindness and and and goodness and grace to his people we acknowledge Lord God Almighty you are indeed one true and living God who is Father Son and Holy Spirit how we praise you for the fact that you have blessed us so immensely so richly and we pray that as we gather together tonight our hearts our minds our our affections would be drawn out in worship to the true and the Living God we ask that you would forgive us for our sins and our transgressions she would cleanse us in the blood of the Lamb and as we direct our attention back to the cross as we consider our Lord in his death on behalf of sinners may it be the case that we would stand in awe that we would appreciate this great work that we would respond with praise and adoration that we would respond by giving glory and honor to you that you would increase our love for you she would help us Lord God to pursue those things that are indeed pleasing in your sight and we would pray to that end that the Holy Spirit would be here in our midst she would enable us to worship you in spirit and truth that we would approach you recognizing that you are infinite eternal and unchangeable and may it be the case that we come before you with reverence and with trembling and with fear as well may it be coupled with great joy knowing that our sins are forgiven knowing that we have an inheritance laid up ahead of us and the very presence of God Most High Lord our hearts are heavy tonight as we reflect upon the situation in Texas we would ask Almighty God and father that you would comfort those in that local church that you would bless them and help them in the midst of such calamity to persevere looking unto you and seeking your aid and seeking your presence in the midst of this we know it is at times like these where people ask where was God or people say it's futile to pray to this God Lord may you calm the saints and may you comfort them and Almighty God we pray that you would just bless and and encourage and help those who are who are surviving there we just would ask that they would know your your nearness and your kindness and your goodness in God this is just another testimony and other evidence that the heavens do declare the the glory and the righteousness of God but these streets declare the wickedness and the unrighteousness of men we would ask for the preaching of the gospel to go forth throughout the earth we would pray Most High that men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation would be turned from their idols to the true and the Living God that we would see men women boys and girls bowing the knee to the king of kings and Lord of lords seeking to walk as you would have men to walk in obedience to your holy law we see such a disregard for that law we see such a transgression against it and a lack of conformity unto it scripture is so clear that you shall not murder and yet this is disregarded in mass we would pray Most High that you would be gracious and merciful in preaching of the gospel in these these parts of the world all parts of the world that your word would run swiftly and be glorified and that you would indeed bring peace to bear upon men not through political means not through other means but through the means of grace that you've ordained for the salvation of sinners yet father we do pray for those in politics those who do govern we pray that it would not be based on emotion or fear that it would be based on the righteousness of law justice those things that that are to be the bedrock of a civil society we know God in heaven that you are displeased with those who engage in lawlessness and we would pray that those in high places would uphold things that are that are cording to your law according to the moral law of God written in the hearts of men we would ask Lord that you would be merciful and gracious to those in particularly lost loved ones we pray for the pastor as he lost his own daughter though these are tragedies to be sure and may they find their peace and their comfort and their hope in the Lord God Most High we ask that you would look with favor upon our congregation that you would protect us not only spiritually but physically as well she would keep us and watch over us and help us to be able to go about the Blessed task or privilege of Christian worship we pray for those who are unable to be with us tonight those who are not well physically we just commit them to you into the word of your grace and pray that they would be encouraged in the inner man even though the outer man is suffering decay we pray father for your grace and mercy to be upon the children and the young people in this congregation we would ask that they by grace would remember their Creator in their youth and they would believe the gospel as it is proclaimed at home and in this local church we pray that you would surround them and hedge them in and keep them from so many of the sins that the parents have engaged in we would ask father that you raise up a generation that fears the Lord a generation that seeks to honor the Lord a generation that does indeed proclaim the truth of justification faith alone a generation that sees church worship is something regulated by the Holy Scriptures in some God a generation that sees the authoritative Word of God as the very foundation for everything individuals and families and churches engage in be merciful to them watch over them and bless them and tonight father may you indeed refresh art weary Souls may you indeed cause us to reflect upon the cross work of our Lord Jesus Christ that one who is altogether lovely in chief among 10,000 then we pray to you in Jesus Holy Name Amen well please turn with me again in your Trinity hymnal to 173 number 173 we'll stand as we sing together [Music] well please turn with me in your Bibles to John chapter 19 John chapter 19 coincides with our studies in Matthew's Gospel this morning I mentioned that on the cross the sixth saying of the Savior is recorded for us in John 19 at verse 30 the Savior says it is finished and I thought it would be a helpful meditation for us tonight in preparation for the supper to consider those blessed words but I do want to begin reading in John 19 at verse 17 and he bearing his cross went out to a place called the place of a skull which is called in Hebrew Golgotha where they crucified him and two others with him one on either side and Jesus in the center now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross and the writing was Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews and many of the Jews read this title for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city and it was written in Hebrew Greek and Latin therefore the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate do not write the king of the Jews but he said I am The King of the Jews Pilate answered what I have written I have written then the soldiers when they had crucified Jesus took his garments and made four parts to each soldier apart and also the tunic now the tunic was without seam woven from the top and one piece they said therefore among themselves let us not tear it but cast lots for it whose it shall be that the scripture might be fulfilled which says they divided my garments among them and for my clothing they cast lots therefore the soldiers did these things by the cross of Jesus his mother and his mother's sister Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene when Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing by he said to his mother woman behold your son then he said to the disciple behold your mother and from that hour that disciple took her to his own home excuse me after this Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished that the scripture might be fulfilled said I thirst now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there and they filled a sponge with sour wine put it on hyssop and put it and put it to his mouth so when Jesus had received the sour wine he said it is finished and bowing his head he gave up his spirit amen well let us pray father we thank you for your word we thank you for the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ we thank you for the life and the death and the resurrection and we do thank you for the current session at the right hand of the Father on I we look forward to that day when he comes again in glory to judge the living and the dead we look forward to that day when he consummates the age when he brings his beloved bride into the presence of Almighty God where in righteousness will dwell in peace and communion and joy and eternal bless God may you encourage our hearts at the prospect of heaven may you encourage our hearts at the prospect of the of the age to come and may this indeed cause us to pursue those things that are pleasing in your sight as John says everyone who has this hope in him purifies in self even as he is pure continued with us now we pray and we ask in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen well as I've said there are seven sayings of the Savior on the cross they're not all recorded in one gospel we compare all four Gospels and we see those particular sayings the first is found in Luke's Gospel Luke 23 verse 34 when Jesus says Father forgive them for they know not what they do the second is also found in Luke's Gospel when he says to the two the robber today you will be with me in paradise the third is found here in John 19 woman behold your son and he says to the disciple behold your mother the fourth say is my God my God why hast thou forsaken me we have seen that in Matthew chapter 27 the 5th is found here in John as well verse 28 where Jesus says I thirst the sixth is it is finished here in John 19:30 and then the final one is in Luke 23 verse 46 father into your hands I commit my spirit so the seven sayings of the Savior from the cross and our focus tonight is on that sixth one if you notice there in verse 30 so when Jesus had received the sour wine he said it is finished and bowing his head he gave up his spirit now the text does not sort of amplify that it does not explain it it doesn't draw out a whole host of implications it doesn't give us a whole host of applications in terms of what Jesus meant by this saying it is finished so I want to investigate two particulars tonight first the explanation of the text and then secondly we'll look to the application of the text notice in the first place with reference to the saying the timing is appropriate the Lord Jesus has received the sour wine he says it's finished and then he bows his head and at that point most likely is when he says father into your hands I commit my spirit so he has finished the task that has been given unto him matthew henry said he had said when he entered upon his sufferings father thy will be done and now he saith with pleasure it is done now the particular word that christ uses here it is finished is defined this way it is to complete an activity or process to bring to an end to finish or to complete the same verb is used in verse 28 there it is translated as accomplished and as well da Carson highlights that in religious contacts this particular term bares the overtone of fulfilling one's religious obligation and I think that's the way we ought to appreciate this particular task Christ has fulfilled his particular religious obligation and I think there are several particulars involved in this petition in the first place he has fulfilled the scripture he has fulfilled all that was written of him in the Old Testament concerning the particular task that was given unto him genesis 3:15 starts a long line of messianic promises that would indeed point to the Lord Jesus Christ genesis 3:15 the Lord God Most High says that he will put enmity between the woman and between the serpent the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent as we move through redemptive history we see many other promises built upon that foundation we see for instance Genesis chapter 22 where Abraham is told to take Isaac to Mount Moriah and to offer his son his only son the son whom he loves and so Isaac asks the particular question we have the would we have the fire but where is the sacrifice Abraham probably called him father and then Abraham says the Lord will provide as Abraham is about to take that knife and bury it into his son his only son the son whom he loves the text is conspicuous with that language in Genesis 22 you need to hear that with a John 3:16 mindset God sent His only begotten son his one and only son the son whom he loved he sent him into this world sinners to say well Abraham is told to take Isaac up and as he's going to bring that knife to bear upon him the angel of Yahweh stops here and just after that they look and they see a ram caught in a thicket and that becomes the sacrifice we have the sacrificial system in the Old Testament all of those bulls all of that blood all of those lands all of those offerings all of those sacrifices pointed forward to the Lamb of God it would take away the sin of the world we have the prophecy of Isaiah concerning the suffering servant where Isaiah 53 in particular points out and highlights the nature of this one who was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief we have the prophet Daniel speaks concerning the seventy weeks and he speaks about what Messiah would do in Daniel chapter 9 verses 24 and following we have of course the Psalms where David so often points beyond David and he points to his greater son even the Lord Jesus Christ so when Christ says it is finished the Old Testament prophecies concerning the mission of the Messiah are here fulfill ritter vos says this whole scene what we find in John 19 typifies his death as a final act of self offering done after he had finished the work that God had given him to do it is also to this act that the all of verse 28 refers so when it says that all things were now accomplished that's not only with reference to the I thirst and the fulfillment of those particular scriptures in Psalm 22 and Psalm 69 but it's all the work that has been given unto him it's all the particulars that he undertook as our surety as our covenant had a second observation is the fulfillment of the Old Testament types and shadows in other words I mentioned that sacrificial system all the Bulls all the blood all the lamb all the all of the various animals utilized in that sacrificial system they were typical there were types and shadows they prefigured Messiah they pointed forward so when Christ says it is finished as we continue in the study in them in the Gospel of Matthew we will see that the veil in the temple is rent in two from the top to the bottom what is indicated by this is the end of the Old Covenant ceremonial law not the moral law the moral law binds all men in all ages but that ceremonial law that was peculiar to Old Covenant Israel these types these shadows these prefigure ments that point it to the Lord Jesus Christ it is finished you might have noticed there's a great deal of difference between Old Covenant worship and New Covenant worship and this is the hinge upon which that turns we are not told to engage in the sorts of things that old covenant Saints engaged in much of which pointed forward to the Lord Jesus Christ the sacrifices the incense the instrumentation the various means by which Israel approached God in the Old Covenant that form of worship ended Jesus Christ did abrogate that ceremonial law by his doing in his dying those laws were for a time they were positive they pointed forward to our Blessed Lord our confession of faith says besides this law commonly called moral now when our confession refers to the moral law it's the Ten Commandments delivered at Sinai by the hand of Moses but that's not the first giving of the law the law was given in toto by God at creation Adam received it what we find at Sinai is a codification or a summary it's the same law that was given to Adam in the garden as Lightfoot says Adam had the same law that Israel had at Sinai yet without the thunderings and the Lightning's and the and as many words so our confession says besides this law commonly called moral God was pleased to give to the people of Israel ceremonial laws containing several typical ordinances partly of worship prefiguring Christ his Grace's action sufferings and benefits and partly holding forth diverse instructions of moral duties all which ceremonial laws being appointed only to the time of reformation are by Jesus Christ the true Messiah and only lawgiver who was furnished with power from the Father for that and abrogated and taken away turned back to John chapter one just to see that the New Testament authors the New Testament participants understood this reality that those types and shadows of the Old Covenant are now being realized in the arrival of the Lord Jesus notice in John 1:20 the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world John knew precisely what he was saying and no doubt his hearers heard recited precisely what he was saying he is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world those bulls those bullocks those lambs those Rams those birds in the Old Covenant could never atone for sin but rather they pointed forward to the one who could atone for sin so when Christ says it is finished he not only fulfills Scripture but he fulfills the Old Testament types and shadows you can turn to Hebrews chapter 9 hebrews chapter 9 the actual place that our confession gets much of what I just read notice in Hebrews 9 6 now when these things had been thus prepared the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle performing the services but into the second part the high priest went alone once a year not without blood which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed at ignorance the Holy Spirit indicating this that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing it was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who perform the service perfect in regard to the conscience concerned only with foods and drinks various washings and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation so that Old Covenant approach to God via types via shadows in the tabernacle in the holy place and in the holy of always was temporary and when Christ calms that temporary passes away and that's the emphasis of the Apostle herein notice in verse 11 but Christ came as high priest of the good things to come with the greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands that is not of this creation not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood he entered the most holy place once for all having obtained eternal Redemption for if the blood of bulls and goats in the of a heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God 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 are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance you see the typical element of the law the Old Covenant ceremonies the ceremonial aspects are done away with they are finished because they're realize they are fulfilled in the person in the work of the Lord Jesus now by way of an aside there's a theological system called dispensationalism that sees in our future a rebuilt temple and a reinstituted system of animal sacrifice if you read the book of Hebrews correctly you will see that that is a backward movement in redemptive history why in light of the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ where he cries it is finished with the people of God ever conceived of rebuilding a temple in order to reinstitute animal sacrifice to reinstitute Jewish worship it makes absolutely positively no sense whatever the tabernacle and the temple existed to point us to Christ when Christ comes he doesn't point us back to Tabernacle in temple Christ is the temple he is the reason for the temples existence and now that he is here he is that blessed dwelling place between God and men we are not to go backwards in redemptive history the idea that we want a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem to reinstitute animal sacrifices has no foundation in the Word of God it is a theological misstep of gargantuan proportions and the people of God have been duped and we need to guard our hearts against that and we need to be faithful Christ is what the temple pointed to now that we have Christ we don't go backwards to the types and to the shadows I've used this illustration before I think this is what Paul is doing in Colossians chapter 2 now that you have the sum and substance of redemptive history now that you have Christ don't be led astray to go to the types of the shadows I'll notice these occasions where my kids will come over and they'll bring the grand gets and the grandkids and all their beauty and glory and majesty and excellence and Wonder are right there at my feet my kids say look at this video of the grandkid why would I want to look at the video of the grandkid I've got the grandkid right here I get to pinch his or her cheeks I get to hug them I get to kiss him on the top of the hat I get to try to make little Molly smile now I want videos of little Molly smiling to be sure but not when little Molly's in my lap you see that's what the church is doing we have this song and the substance we have Christ but we want the types and the shadows and the animal sacrifices in the reconstituted temple instead it makes absolutely positively no sense it is finished man the scriptures are fulfilled the types are fulfilled in our Lord Jesus thirdly I believe that it is finished meant the fulfillment of the Father's plan the fulfillment of the Father's plan you see when Christ says it is finished on the cross remember we noticed this morning that he crowd cried with a loud voice my brother who is witnessed several people died says that that's not how they died they don't typically have a loud voice they don't typically have a great deal of energy to express their parting thoughts but Christ Christ with a loud voice it is finished this is triumph this is victory this is crown coming this is glory it's not a feeble and a weak it is finished but rather it is a triumphant cry from the Savior he has indeed fulfilled the Father's plan and it's been his desire all specifically in John's Gospel to do the Father's plan go back to John for John chapter four specifically at verse 34 well just go back to verse 31 in the meantime his disciples urged in saying rabbi II this is Christ dealing with the Samaritan woman the Samaritan woman goes and his disciples come along and they say eat but he said to them I have food to eat of which you do not no wonder how often that's true of us how often is that true of us I have food to eat of which you do not know they should have known they should have been about proclaiming the kingdom of God they should have been out been out proclaiming that the Messianic office of the Lord Jesus the identity of this one Jesus says I have food to eat that you don't know anything about in other words my mission is to do the will of him who sent me that's how he describes it in verse 34 my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work notice in John 6 at verse 38 John 6 verse 38 for I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me again in John 8 28 and 29 john 8 at verse 28 when you lift up the Son of Man then you will know that I am and that I do nothing of myself but as my father taught me I speak these things and he who sent me is with me the father has not left me alone for I always do those things that please him this was his meat this was his pleasure this was his delight you see how unlike Christ we are can you say even as a redeemed believer my meat is to do the will of him who sent me the father is always pleased with me because I obey Him I want to do what he calls me to do my pleasure is to please the father there is a great contrast between the Savior and the sinner even the redeemed sinner but notice Christ's purpose throughout his earthly ministry notice John 12:27 now my soul is troubled what shall I say father save me from this hour but for this purpose I came to this hour father glorify your name and then in John 17 verse 1 Jesus spoke these words lifted up his eyes to heaven and said father the hour has come glorify your son that your son also may glorify you verse 4 I have glorified you on the earth I have finished the same verb that is used in John 19:30 I have finished the work which you have given me to do now this is a proleptic statement proleptic means to look forward to something for Christ at this high priestly prayer the mission given him by the father is as good as done he is not going to shrink back he is not going to turn away he is going to indeed execute the task that the father has given him so back at John 19:30 when the Lord Jesus Christ says it is finished the plan the purpose the the covenant with his father all those things that had been the marching orders of the Son of God it is finished here at the cross the entirety of the work of mediation entrusted to the Lord by the Father is now complete it is finished now when we moved just a little bit further along I'm going to encourage all of us that this is a word of comfort for the church what what do you think is more comforting I have tried or it is finished I have done the best that I can or Christ saying it is finished I have labored my fingers to the bone I've worn out my knees crawling up the steps at some Roman Cathedral or the the cry of the son of man it is finished what is more encouraging to you to look at your miserable performance under God or to hear the sound of the Savior saying it is finished I submit that ought to be music to the ears of every redeemed sinner this idea that it is finished is great and glorious and wonderful news for the people of God and ought to provide a great deal of comfort for us so the fulfillment of Scripture the fulfillment of the Old Testament types and shadows the fulfillment of the Father's plan fourthly in terms of the explanation of the words it is finished the accomplishment of redemption the accomplishment of redemption it is finished God word Li that means all that the father had given him - duly fulfilled man word Li all that the father had given him to do he fulfilled and he redeems his people from their sins this includes but it is not limited to the fulfilling of the righteousness of God remember one of the unique aspects of our Lord Jesus is that he always did what was pleasing to the Father his meat was to do the will of him who sent it remember that in terms of our justification before God we not only require the forgiveness of sins but we need a righteousness that avails with God that is what the 33 years of Christ's life was about the 33 years of Christ's life was absolute perfect compliance with the law of God at every step every jot every tittle of his law was fulfilled he does that for us he secures a righteousness for us he does this so that we will be clothed with this acceptable garment as we enter into the wedding feast Christ fulfills righteousness John Gill says hence a perfect righteousness was finished agreeably to the law which was magnified and made honorable by it you see that whole prospect of that whole transaction as Jesus fulfills the law as Jesus secures this righteousness for his people that magnifies God's law you see the book of Romans tells us that the manner in which God saves sinners is to maintain God's just Ness and the fact that he justifies the ungodly or it's he doesn't suspend the law he doesn't send the law away he doesn't relax the law he decide to grade on a curve he doesn't wink over our sin but rather through Christ's obedience to it through Christ's fulfillment of it the law is magnified the law is seen as something glorious and beautiful and wondrous so that God is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus with reference to the accomplishment of redemption we see here it is finished the satisfaction of the Justice of God the satisfaction of the Justice of God as I've been saying in our studies in Matthew 27 Christ prize Elias all forsaken me largely in part due to the doctrine of substitution Christ took our place our sins are heaped upon the Savior the Savior is being punished in our stead and he exhausts the wrath and fury of God that blessed word propitiation ought to be recalled here propitiation has to do with God's wrath Christ takes the wrath of God he doesn't deflect it he doesn't point it elsewhere he doesn't send it into some village in North Africa but rather he exhausts it he drinks the cup of God's wrath to the full Robert Raymond makes this observation when we look at Calvary and behold the Savior dying for us we should see in his death not first our salvation but our damnation being born and carried away by him I quite like that now persons might say well of course we look at our salvation listen to what Raymond says we should see in his death not first our salvation but our damnation being born and carried away by him again it goes back to this whole idea of law God is a holy God God is a just God God is a righteous God and God has said the wages of sin is death the soul who sins shall die but God sent his son as our representative as our surety as our mediator as our priest he's a public person he acts on our behalf and so Christ exhausts the wrath of God he says it is finished Marie says propitiation contemplates our liability to the wrath of God and is the provision of grace whereby we may be freed from that wrath I wonder if we ever ponder that reality no not indicted or accusing but you ever wake up on a Tuesday morning and say praise God I'm not under the wrath of God and we often times phrase it positively praise God I'm a believer praise God I'm heaven bound you like to sing that song this train is Bound for Glory you know the children's Sunday school song they ought to have a commensurate song this train is not bound for damnation this train is not going to suffer under the wrath and fury and just judgment of a righteous and holy God that is a positive application of this statement it is finished again with reference to the accomplishment of redemption we see Christ's triumph over the devil Christ's triumph over the devil Colossians 2:15 Hebrews chapter 2 verses 14 and 15 first John 3:8 fact you can turn to the first John 3:8 as one specimen among those other three are among those other two first John chapter 3 he who sins is of the devil for the devil has sinned from the beginning for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil and that beautiful Christ's triumph over the devil it is finished I think the backdrop for this entire section as he moves into Cain and Abel must be genesis 3:15 the promise of the skull-crushing seed of the woman that would render invalid the claims of the devil this is what our Christ does when we read first John 3:8 we ought to hear in the background genesis 3:15 for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil that in the bruising of his heel he crushes the head of the serpent himself we have the fulfilling in terms of the accomplishment of redemption the fulfilling of the righteousness of God the satisfaction of the Justice of God the triumph over the devil and then in a peculiar thing for us in particular the finishing of transgression and making an end of sin not good news it is finished your sin not that we don't ever practice sin not that we never engage in sin but the concept of sin behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world this was prophesied as I mentioned earlier in Daniel chapter 9 Daniel chapter 9 verse 20 for seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city the Lord's these are things Messiah will do when he comes these are things Messiah will do in these in the seventy weeks one to finish the transgression two to make an end of sins three to make reconciliation for iniquity four to bring in everlasting righteousness you see it is finished the specific language of Daniel to finish the transgression to make an end of to make reconciliation for iniquity to bring in everlasting righteousness this is what persons don't always understand there is one means by which scene is dealt with there's one place to take a guilty conscience there is one place to bring a blackened soul it's not to the therapy clinic it's not to the psychiatrist I'm not saying all those things are necessarily evil but to deal with the problem of sin there is a fountain open for sin and uncleanness and it's drawn from Emmanuel's veins and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains if you are guilty tonight if your soul is blackened if you are in a desperate condition there is one place to take yourself there's one place rather to go and that is to the cross it is there that transgression is finished that sin is made and and an end of is made of sin that reconciliation for iniquity comes to pass and wherein jesus brings in ever lasting righteousness and then a fifth that flows obviously and necessarily from this it is finished I would submit the purchase of every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus Ephesians 1 Paul says blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ he then gives an exhaustive but a very comprehensive list of those blessings the father chose us in him the father-in-law predestined they predestinated us unto adoption as sons the father sent the son the one in whom we are accepted the beloved it is through his blood we have redemption and then the Holy Spirit is sent by the father to seal and to guarantee that transaction so the Lord God most high secured all these privileges for us and Christ is the agent and he cries it is finished and then one other thing in terms of the accomplishment of redemption is the triumph over death itself turn over to first Corinthians 15 sure that when you heard that story today out of Texas you're we're sick it's a terrible thing terrible thing whether somebody's gone down it's a terrible thing whether somebody's an older person and they pass from this life into the next I mean one of the chief difficulties of sojourning in this world is losing people that we love isn't it it's terrible that great separation comes and we know ultimately the wages of sin is death if there was no sin there would be no death if there was no sin there'd be no separation there was no sin madmen wouldn't take guns and go into churches and shoot people or sit in hotels and shoot concert goers it just wouldn't happen sin it's not guns that are the problem it's not cars that are the problem it's the human heart that's the problem and until such time as the federal government can regulate that they ought to leave it to the Lord Jesus Christ want to blame everything else it is man whose heart is deceitful above all things that is desperately wicked that's the problem brethren and death isn't an inevitable result of this whole idea of sin but Christ at the cross cries it is finished the third day he is raised from the dead Romans 6 Paul says death has no dominion over em you know what else it doesn't have dominion over those in him look at 1st Corinthians 15 verse 20 but now Christ has risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep I picked on dispensationalism a little bit earlier and I say that that is not a healthy view of biblical interpretation it's certainly not a healthier biblical or correct view of eschatology the study of the last things in order to get your eschatology yes revelation twonny I'm not suggesting otherwise but first Corinthians 15:22 28 look at how Paul spells out the end it's pretty pretty cut-and-dry there's no Jesus in Jerusalem on an earthly throne there no geopolitical you know sort of exaltation of Israel as a geopolitical state that has dominance in the Middle East and over the world there's no temple no rebuilt temple there's no reconstituted sacrificial system Rheda text along with me but now Christ is risen from the dead in us now and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep for since by man came death by man also came the resurrection of the Dead for as you know Adam all die even so in Christ all shall be made alive but each one in his own order Christ the firstfruits afterward those who are Christ's at his coming then comes the end so what happens when Christ comes again then comes the end that's biblical eschatology and it's very very simple you see you can't have four-day prophecy conferences with that because it's just too simple you can't sell DVDs if they even sell DVDs anymore send people to a link to stream amazing how many things no more videos no more cassettes no more DVDs I know we're gonna be in another ten years we might think the thought and it'll start playing in our head I certainly hope not but you see this is not a sensationalized form of eschatology but it's biblical it's true it is a particular prosaic order of events that are going to transpire when the Son of Man returns then comes the end those who are Christ's at his coming then comes the end notice what he does when the end comes when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father that indicate the kingdom is present the kingdom is now we're not waiting for the king to take his throne we're not waiting for the king to rule over his throne rule over his Dominion the kingdom is present the kingdom is current the kingdom is here not some Dominion weird sense but Christ rules and reigns from the right hand of the Father and he must do so till all of his enemies are made his footstool so at that point when he calms he delivers the kingdom to God the Father when or we might even read that after he puts an end to all rule and all authority and power for he must reign till he has put all enemies under his feet now note this beautiful statement in verse 26 the last enemy that will be destroyed is death for he has put all things under his feet but when he says all things are put under him it is evident that he who put all things under him is accepted now when all things are made subject to him then the son himself will also be subject to him who put all things under him that God may be all in all isn't that good news he destroys death the last enemy plaguing man is death and Christ will ultimately destroy it so that's the significance or that is at least some of the meaning of the words it is finished now let's come to apply it to particulars and then we'll close first the comfort of the church John Calvin said now this word this it is finished which Christ employees well deserves our attention for it shows that the whole accomplishment of our salvation and all the parts of it are contained in his death I mean that one simple statement destroys Romanism that one simple statement destroys new perspective on Paul ism it destroys federal vision is you see in each of those particular approaches to god there's a christ plus it really isn't finished and i must make up sort of the balance christ did 90 percent he did the heavy lifting on the cross but there is this remainder for me well if that's the case then christ wasn't correct when he said it is finished the beauty of protestant theology the beauty of Pauline theology the beauty of Isaiah neck theology the beauty of mosaic theology Chris Christ theology is that we are justified by grace through faith alone when he says it is finished he means it the whole accomplishment of our salvation and all the parts of it according to Kelvin are are contained in his death matthew henry calls this word it's three in english but one in greek he calls this it is finished a comprehensive word and i love this and a comfortable one a comfortable one i have a sweatshirt that i like to put on when i go home it's just cozy it's just comfortable i don't think we're supposed to see it quite like that but that whole idea of comfort peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ matthew henry is absolutely spot-on a love the way Spurgeon speaks concerning this statement it is finished he says I am persuaded that it was so intended to be used as a word of comfort for the church for none of the words of our Lord on the cross are addressed to his church but this one I cannot believe that when he was dying he left his people for whom he died without a word Father forgive forgive them for they know not what they do is for sinners not for Saints I thirst is for himself and so is that bitter cry my God my God why hast thou forsaken me woman behold thy son is for Mary today shalt thou be with me in paradise is for the penitent thief into thy hands I commend my spirit is for the father Jesus must have had something to say in the hour of death for his church and surely this is his dying word for her that's beautiful this in particular is directed to the church it is finished the application of redemption occurs because of the accomplishment of redemption john murray has that wonderful little book on the Ordo salutis or the order of salvation it's called redemption accomplished and applied Christ by his statement it is finished by all of the work that has gone into him being there has accomplished redemption on the heels of that accomplishment of redemption that redemption is applied to the people of God we receive every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ we are justified we are sanctified we will be glorified this is our comfort this is our encouragement this is our hope this is our joy when we by God's grace know the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit and we receive these redemptive benefits that have been applied because of the accomplishment of redemption by the Lord Jesus then from that flows that peace Romans 5:1 therefore having been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ that's comfort isn't it now it far exceeds a nice old ratty sweatshirt but its comfort its joy its blessing its peace with God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ matthew henry again says a full satisfaction is made to the justice of god a fatal blow given to the power of satan a fountain of grace open that shall ever flow a foundation of peace and happiness laid that shall never fail that's the significance of it is finished so it is the comfort of the church and as mentioned before it is the security for the church our security is not wrapped up in our performance it is not wrapped up in our works now i know the devil's logic will suggest well if that's the case then it doesn't matter how you live Paul's already countered that in Romans 6:1 what shall we say then shall we continue in sin that grace may abound may it never be why do you think Paul had to counter that because when he preached justification by faith alone in Christ alone in synagogues they made a beeline up to him afterward he'd be standing in the foyer greeting people as they laugh and they'd say you know what Paul if what you say is true if men are justified by faith alone then it doesn't matter how they live they're going to have license to go out and sin fact they're going to wreck this way God loves to forgive sin I love to sin it's a beautiful situation Paul says man never be you see the truth of justification by faith alone is the foundation for godly living antinomianism and legalism and a confounding of the biblical gospel leads to licence leads to rebellion leads to sin leads to unlawfulness when we rightly appreciate justification by faith alone and we respond with that gratitude toward God and that desire to indeed glorify Him that's how it's supposed to proceed we are not to think for a moment that my good deeds worked out in my life somehow add to what our Lord Jesus accomplished and taken as a conglomerate will now bring me to God that's the belay Shin heresy that's why Paul says I am amazed I marvel that you are so quickly turning from him who called you in the grace of God to another gospel which is not another Paul says if we or anyone even if an angel out of heaven were to come to preach to you another gospel something contrary to justification by faith alone let him be damned to hell this is the problem in Galatia this is the problem in Rome and unfortunately this has become a problem in some sectors of Protestant theology brethren the truth of the gospel never promotes licence the truth of the gospel is the security for holiness it's just an amazingly beautiful thing so the forgiveness or rather the believers security is not in our own righteousness it's not in our own works it's not in our own performance now again don't take that and say well it doesn't matter how I live of course it matters how you live you've been bought with a price therefore glorify God in your body but our focus or rather our security is grounded in the Fen work of the Lord Jesus Christ we have comfort we have security and I'll close here with a quote from JC rile to that end he says we rest our souls on a finished work if we rest them on the work of Jesus Christ the Lord we need not fear that either sin or Satan or law shall condemn us at the last day we may lean back on the thought that we have a savior who has done all paid all accomplished all performed what is necessary for our salvation when we look at our own works we may well be ashamed of their imperfections but when we look at the finished work of Christ we may feel peace amen and amen let us pray our Father we thank you for the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ we thank you that he cried this on the cross having accomplished the father's will having wrought out a perfect salvation for all those the father had given him we thank you for the fact that the the seed of the woman crushed the the skull of the serpent we thank you for the fact that he will indeed defeat death itself we thank you that he is procured for us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ may these three words be indeed a comfort to our hearts and may they be security for us and may we proceed on the basis of a justification that is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone pursuing holiness and seeking to honor the Lord God Most High who has saved us and for any and all here this evening that have not believed the gospel we pray that you would have dealings with them should open their hearts cause them to reflect upon these words and cause them to come to the Lord Jesus Christ that finisher that accomplisher of redemption and we praise you in his most blessed name amen well please turn with me in to the guy rather to the Gospel of Matthew a few thoughts before we in the actual supper itself remember that the supper is an ordinance sacrament given by the Lord Jesus Christ the mediator of the New Covenant it has given to the church it is to be observed by the church until he comes again in glory to judge the living and the dead it is an ordinance designed for the people of God it is for believers some have taught in the history of the church that it was a converting ordinance in other words we give the ordinance with a view to see sinners save no it's an it's an ordinance for saved sinners so if you're not a believer tonight we would just kindly ask that you do not participate in terms of the bread and the wine remember that the bread and the wine remained bread and wine they don't become something other there is no magic involved in the actual composition of the materials used it doesn't actually transform into the body and blood of the Lord Jesus for those familiar at all with Roman Catholicism this is a you know the abomination of the mass for them this is a nun bloody sacrifice for them it is an actual change of properties the body or the the bread becomes the body of Jesus the the wine becomes the blood of Jesus and they're not engaged in a in a memorial time they're not engaged in a in a confirming time they are engaged in a sacrificial time they are engaged in what they call an unbloody sacrifice of atonement well that is to run roughshod over the the emphasis in the book of Hebrews on once for all it is to run roughshod over the reality that it is finished I mean in John 19:30 we don't have a word that seems to indicate that we ought to continue in some sort of sacrifice so the bread and the wine remain bread and wine they don't become something other they are symbols they are elements they are physical things because we are physical people designed to provoke us to engage in spiritual thought concerning our Lord God is earthy in the best way when it comes time to be initiated into the life of faith obviously it's by faith but that visible token is water that visible token is something that does indeed represent cleansing and vacation and the whole process of us dying with Christ and being raised with Christ God is earthy in the best sense he uses water in that respect and he uses bread and wine in this respect and it ought to be viewed as the householder god himself encouraging and cheering and aiding and assisting weary pilgrims on their way that's what this is about we look at service our service to God the Supper is God service to us it is God laying out a banquet for us and saying come eat be refreshed be confirmed be strengthened and go back out into that world and do battle that's how we ought to view the supper so certainly we ought to remember the Lord Jesus Christ we ought to remember what we've seen here in John 19 what we see in Matthew 27 riddled throughout the gospel throughout the gospel narratives and then throughout the the the epistles the exposition or the theological interpretation of this great act of redemption by our Lord so the supper is a time for us to reflect a time for us to remember Jesus broken body and shed blood for us men and our salvation well I would like to invite the brothers to come up and pass out the bread while they do that we will sing for him hymn number 178 you may remain seated and when you receive the bread don't take just yet we'll read the portion of Scripture here in Matthew 26 pray and then we'll eat together so hymn number 178 [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] in Matthew 26 beginning in verse 26 we read and as they were eating Jesus took bread blessed and broke it and gave it to the disciples and said take eat this is my body well let us pray Our Blessed God and our holy father we thank you for this Lord's Supper service we thank you for the benefit and the blessing that you've given to us we thank you that you have given us this sign this emblem the symbol to remember in a particular way our Lord's death how we praise you for the cross work of Jesus Christ how we praise you that he always did what the father purposed how we praise you that he set his face like a flint to go to Jerusalem where he would ultimately die for the sins of all those whom the father had given him thank you for including us in these covenant promises thank you for blessing us so richly and may you be glorified now as we eat this bread and we pray through Christ our Lord amen we'll take together well you remain may remain seated and we'll sing number 188 remember that excuse me one quick second remember that the juice is in the outer ring the wine is in the middle so juice in the outer ring [Music] when verse 27 we read then he took the cup and gave that thanks and gave it to them saying drink from it all of you for this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins but I say to you I do not drink of this vine or fruit of this vine from now on I will not drink of the fruit of this vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my father's Kingdom and when they had sung a hymn they went out to the Mount of Olives amen will let us pray God thank you for the New Covenant thank you that it's ratified in the blood of the Lord Jesus how we praise you for the remission of sins what a blessed benefit of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that our sins are forgiven we give praise to You Lord God we give praise to Father Son and Holy Spirit for so great a salvation as we eat this bread as we drink this cup not only now but in subsequent meetings together may we always proclaim the Lord's death until he comes and we pray in Jesus name Amen we'll take together well you can turn in your Trinity hymnal to 175 as we sing hallelujah to our great Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ number 175 will stand as we sing together [Music] the Lord bless you and keep you the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace father go with us now may this benediction be our experienced in the week to come may you grant us Grace and conformity unto the Lord Jesus Christ may we shine as lights in a crooked and perverse generation and may you grant us boldness to hold forth that word of truth may we find our comfort may we find our security may we find our peace in our Lord Jesus Christ go with us now we pray in his most blessed name Amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation you