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[Music] good evening everyone and welcome back to free grace Baptist Church in it welcome to any visitors with us this evening just a reminder that we're observing the Lord's Supper this evening you can turn in your Bibles to that end as we begin worship then for a reading of Isaiah 53 beginning in Isaiah 52 at verse 13 is for social extremely Indonesia's Kings shall shut their mountain told them additional speed and what they had not heard they should consider and to whom has the arm and as a group of drowned he has another part of our pockets and when we seen him there is no beauty that we should desire he is despised and rejected by men a man of sorrows and acquainted industry and he hid as it were our faces from he was a spy surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we esteemed him stricken smitten by God and afflicted but he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement for our peace was upon him and by His stripes we are healed all we like sheep turned everyone to his own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all he was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth he was led as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before it's Shearer's is silent so he opened not his mouth he was taken for prison and from every and where this generation where he was for the transgressions of because they've done no violence nor was any deceit in his mouth get at least the Lord's elusive he has plenty of degree when you make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his head [Music] there [Music] please be seated well let's go to our God in prayer let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you now for a second time on this year Lord's Day we can gather together as the people of Christ in this place to sing the praises of Father Son and Holy Spirit to worship our great God and we do pray that you'd help us again now to worship you are right as we prayed this morning we long to worship you in spirit and in truth so we do pray that you'd help us by your spirit to do so tonight and we pray that your name would be hallowed in this place that you would be worship that you would be the recipient of all honor and praise we rejoice again in the gospel of Jesus Christ our Savior we rehearse and we rejoice in those words that this is a faithful saying worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came into this world sinners to say we rejoice in that truth knowing that we are not saved by deeds of righteousness which we have done but much rather according to your mercy you saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit by virtue of the perfect work of Jesus Christ the Savior we thank you for this work we thank you that we can worship tonight in light of and reflecting upon that work and we thank you that we have the Lord's Supper as that ordinance as that sacrament given whereby we can remember the Lord Jesus Christ and we can grow in our faith and in our service to you we do pray that you'd help us tonight not only to worship you are right but also to engage in the Lord's Supper with great solemnity and reverence and that we do pray as well that it would be marked by joy knowing that Jesus Christ has conquered death and the grave has conquered sin that he's risen again that he has ascended to your right hand where he now ever lives to intercede for his people where he now ever lives to rule and to reign over his enemies and where he subdues the hearts of his elect bringing them drawing them to himself and we rejoice in this truth and we do pray that you'd help us again as we've already prayed to worship you now Father Son and Holy Spirit and to give you praise we pray Lord that you'd be with those unable to join us those traveling those who are unwell we do pray that you'd watch over our dear brothers and sisters in Christ those who are with us who are struggling with sickness and disease and an illness and all of those things we do just pray that you tend to them that you attend to their bodies that you would and knit them back together and just give them daily strength to endure in the face of affliction we do pray Lord God as we know that there are many other churches around the world gathering together for worship we pray for each and every one of your churches and we pray that you'd strengthen your Saints around the world you give them grace daily to endure to give you praise to endure the various things the afflictions of this lower world we do pray that as they gather you would cause the minister of the gospel to preach the true and saving Christ we pray Lord God for the the purification the strengthening the Reformation of your churches around the world we do pray God that you would close down those churches that would seek to propagate heresy and to propagate error the Sunday in and Sunday out and we do pray Lord that you would strengthen and raise up those churches that are your true churches you would cause them Lord God to preach that full and saving Jesus Christ the full and saving gospel they would preach the truth and that those worshipers of yours around the world would be fed Sunday in and Sunday out by your gospel and by your word and by your spirit we do pray Lord that you keep us ever prayerful for these things we pray as well Lord that you would bring an end to those religions that would seek to propagate error and idolatry throughout the world we pray that this would be done by those ministers of yours and those missionaries of yours going forth by the power of the Spirit bringing the proclamation of the word bringing the gospel to those in need and we pray for this work around the world Lord that you would watch over your missionaries that you would give them daily the strength to minister to those to whom they are ministering that many Lord God around the world would hear of Jesus Christ and that they would by your spirit believe in his name we do pray O God that you would be with those again who rule over us we are called to pray for them we pray for those who do rule in the ranks of government around the world that you cause them to do so in righteousness and that you would cause those who would seek to pervert the nation's to to stop to see so by your power they would no longer do so and that you would raise up those who would seek to rule properly and those who would uphold virtue in the land we do pray then that you'd continue with us again we would pray that you'd help us to worship you in spirit and in truth we would pray that you take away anything that would interfere with our proper focus and a proper attention and worship we pray that you would receive all honor and praise and we pray Lord that you'd strengthen pastor Butler as he preaches again this evening now we just pray that you'd help him in this pulpit they give him the strength needed for a minister of the gospel to proclaim richly the things of the triune God so just give him much help in this place and we do pray that your Saints this evening would be edified that all of us would be strengthened by your word we'd leave this place equipped and edified and encouraged to go into a week rejoicing in the gospel of free grace and seeking to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of that gospel we do pray Lord for any and all who entered in these two doors outside of Christ and in unbelief that they would leave these two doors by your grace and for your glory of following the worship having been brought forth from darkness to light in Christ that they would leave with us singing hallelujah what a savior we pray in Christ's precious name Amen let's stand and sing again this time we're going to sing one twenty eight to a familiar tune that's 128 let's stand together and sing [Music] well please turn with me excuse me please turn it with me in your Bibles to Romans chapter 4 Romans chapter 4 I mentioned this morning we look a little more at the theology connected to the resurrection we looked at the resurrection in Matthew 28:1 to 10:00 this morning or this evening rather will focus on Romans 4:25 hopefully a familiar text to all of us attacks that I know I've preached on before but in light of the message this morning concerning the resurrection I thought that it might be fitting to sort of cap off this Lord's Day on this continued note of resurrection but I do want to begin reading in Romans 4 beginning at verse 1 what then shall we say that Abraham our Father has found according to the flesh for if Abraham was justified by works he has something to boast about but not before God for what does the scripture say abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness now to him who works the wages are not counted his grace but his debt but to him who does not work but believes on him who justifies the ungodly his faith is accounted for righteousness just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin does this blessedness then come upon the circumsized only or upon the uncircumcised also for we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness how then was it accounted while he was circumcised or uncircumcised not while circumcised but while uncircumcised and he received the sign of circumcision a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised that he might be the father of all those who believed though they are uncircumcised that righteousness might be imputed to them also and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised for the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law but through the righteousness of faith for if those who are of the law are heirs faith is made void and the promise made of no effect because the law brings about wrath for where there is no law there is no transgression therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace so that the promise might be sure to all the seed not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham who is the father of us all as it is written I have made you an a a father of many nations in the presence of him whom he believed God who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did who contrary to hope in hope believed so that he became the father of many nations according to what was spoken so shall your descendants be and not being weak in faith he did not consider his own body already dead since he was about a hundred years old and the deadness of Sarah's womb he did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief but was strengthened in faith giving glory to God and being fully convinced that he that what he had promised he was also able to perform and therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but also for us it shall be imputed to us who believed in him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead who was delivered up because of our offences and was raised because of our justification amen will let us pray our Father in Heaven we thank you for the written word we thank you for the doctrine of justification by faith alone we acknowledge Lord God that this is the only means whereby guilty sinners will ever enter in to the presence of a holy God we thank you for the life and death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus thank you for the glory gospel of free grace as we eat this bread tonight as we drink this cup as we proclaim the Lord's death may it be a time to strengthen a time to edify time to nourish us as we are once again refreshed on the glorious truths connected to Christ and him crucified how we praise you that there is forgiveness with you and how we praise you that we have been forgiven cleansed in that precious blood we ask now that you would wash us afresh from all sin and transgression and iniquity we ask Lord God that wherever this gospel is preached sinners by grace would be called out of darkness in the marvelous light to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior fill us now with your Holy Spirit and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well we'll focus as I said tonight on verse 25 under two considerations first we'll note the redemptive purpose of the death of Christ and then secondly the redemptive purpose of the resurrection of Christ but prior to that we need to understand something about the context of Romans four we know that Paul is dealing with the doctrine of justification by faith alone he begins this in Romans three verse 21 and there continues to the end of chapter four and if we've read Romans right up until that particular point we'll know that it must be justification by faith alone because Paul outlines the problem of mankind in Romans 1:18 to Romans 3:20 the precursor to is the discussion of justification by faith Paul's argument there is that all men everywhere are under sin all men everywhere have violated the holy law of God all men everywhere have transgressed that law they have lacked conformity to that law and there is none righteous no not one he summarizes his whole argument there at the end of Romans chapter 3 and then in 3:20 he says therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight in other words flash man woman boy girl because of sin because of this in Adam Ness we only do which is evil and wicked before only God and so therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight and then he goes on to say for by the law is the knowledge of sin so the law brings about of the law makes known the sin that we have and hopefully it points us to the Redeemer that one in whom there is forgiveness so that's the broader context justification by faith and then when he gets to verse or chapter four he deals specifically with the case of Abraham now Abraham is called the father of the faithful abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness Genesis 15 says that was a decisive time in biblical history demonstrating to us the way of approach to a holy God excuse me is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone Abraham was looking forward to the coming of the of the Lord Jesus he had promises sufficient to feed his faith and direct him to that particular Messiah so Abraham and that discussion is summarized in verse 23 in chapter 4 notice now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but also for us it shall be imputed to us who believed in him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead so the reference to God's raising up Christ from the death a dead in verse 24 leads to his summary statement in verse 25 and its application to all believers we have in verse 25 the sum and substance of the Christian gospel in fact the commentator Matthew Paul said this one verse is an abridgment of the whole gospel Charles Hodge and his commentary said this verse is a comprehensive statement of the gospel the denial of the propitiatory death of Christ or of his resurrection from the dead is a denial of the gospel and we see how Paul does link these two events the death of Christ and the resurrection of Christ typically we don't associate justification with the resurrection we are according to Roman's 5 just a by his blood we are according to other places in the book of Romans we are justified Romans 3 freely by His grace and so when Paul says that he is raised because of our justification it is important to examine and to investigate this and to see what the Apostle is dealing with so as I said we'll take up the two parts of the verses under two considerations note first the redemptive purpose of the death of Christ and we see first of all the reason for his death so the statement verse 24 he raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead tells us the fact tells us the reality tells us the indicative and now verse 25 a tells us why Jesus died in other words why did this wonderful son of God come into this world to die why did the one who was altogether lovely in chief among 10,000 died well verse 25 a answers that question he was delivered up because of our offenses we need to notice first that this means he wasn't simply an example some persons tried to take Jesus and they tried to take the gospel and they tried to make it one big example of how we ought to live our lives brethren there is no way under God that we can ever live our lives the way that Jesus Christ did certainly we are to pursue him as an example we are to see him as the embodiment of virtue we are to see him as the one who is excellent and morally upright and certainly seek to pattern our example after him or our lives after him but we'll never be Christ we will never be that one fit according to Psalm 15 to ascend the the mountain of the Lord to stand in the presence of God Almighty he was not delivered up in the first place simply as an example however turn to 1st Peter 2 for just a moment there this the example of Christ is set forth and as I said we ought to follow Christ as an example but that does not exhaust the meaning for which Jesus came 1st Peter 2 18 to 25 we are told to follow his example first Peter chapter 2 we are told to be submissive we are told to deal with the various troubles trials difficulties that we face and then in verse 21 he says for to this you would call because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that you should follow his steps he has an example that's not all he is fact 25 a in Romans 4 tells us in the first place he's not an example I think Paul brings us out in 1st Corinthians chapter 1 you can turn there 1st Corinthians chapter 1 and whenever you consider the Bible you need to consider specific context what's called the analogy of faith what the entirety of scripture says and while some want to reduce Christ and His gospel simply to the level of example we can never allow such a thing the emphasis in the gospel is on blood atonement the emphasis and the gospel is on without the shedding of blood there is no remission the emphasis is that Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world notice in 1st Corinthians 1:21 for since in the wisdom of God the world through wisdom did not know God it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe for Jews request a sign and Greeks seek after wisdom but we preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling block into the Greeks foolishness but to those who are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God so going back to Romans 4:25 he was delivered up because of our offenses in other words if it wasn't in the first place - exemplary or as an example we need to emphasize what it was for it was for our sin it was for our transgression the New King James translates it properly he was delivered up because of our offenses little words Christ died because of our sins Christ died because of our transgression Christ died because the father heaped upon him the sins of his people and there he bore the punishment on Calvary's tree for his people the emphasis is clear it was not for offenses in general but for the sins of the elect in particular and if we go back to Romans chapter 1 beginning in verse 18 and we follow out the train of thought wrote to Romans chapter 3 verse 20 we'll see the sorts of sins that Paul says Jesus was delivered up for the kinds of sins that you and I commit the breach of the ten commandments the idolatry the blasphemy the Sabbath breaking the insubordination the murder the adultery the theft the lies the covetousness those were the concrete sense that Jesus was delivered up because of our sins committed against a holy God God says do this and we do the opposite God commands us to engage and love to him and love to others and we engage in hatred to him and hatred of others and it's not just those blatant breaches of the Decalogue but as Jesus teaches us in the Sermon on the Mount it's not just the external act that the Father looks at but it's the internal disposition so I would submit that all of us at least at some time or other have probably been guilty of the sixth commandment you say well I've never shot anyone in the head I have never strangled anyone I have never engaged in that sort of cessation of another human beings life but in our hearts we have called people names we have had unrighteous anger toward others we have resented we have been bitter we have had that sort of animosity toward our fellows and that is condemned or prohibited by the six commandment so when we read here he was delivered up because of our offenses we need to understand what that entails we need to understand that the cross is not simply an expression of God's just mercy Grace and kindness but of his justice in fact that's one of the things that is being emphasized in this particular context how does God maintain his justice his holiness and his righteousness in light of the fact that wretches like those members of the free grace Baptist Church are going to enter in the presence of God well notice in Romans 3:25 it says whom God set forth as a propitiation by his blood through faith to demonstrate his righteousness you see I don't think we focus on this clause or this emphasis enough we look at the cross and therein we see mercy there and we see grace there and we see forgiveness and kindness and love and we ought to see that I am NOT suggesting otherwise John 3:16 God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son when you're led to the cross or to the consideration of the Cross certainly think love think kindness think mercy think a grace and and forgiveness but never forget righteousness the glory of the Cross is that God is able to maintain his God Nets righteous just and holy while accepting miserable sinners because of this wonderful doctrine of justification by faith alone founded upon the reality of what's called imputation that the Apostle will deal with in Romans chapter 5 in other words the gospel is foolproof the gospel doesn't just deliver men from their sins but the gospel maintains the righteousness and the integrity and the Justice of God Most High he doesn't relax those righteous requirements he doesn't wink at our wickedness he doesn't pretend that our sins aren't there but rather because of him making him or God making him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him so Paul says he sets him forth as a propitiation by his blood through faith to demonstrate his righteousness because in his forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed now notice Romans 326 to demonstrate at the present time his righteousness visa vie that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus so God maintains his integrity god maintains his righteousness and his justice through this wonderful gospel he is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus notice in Romans 4:5 but to him who does not work but believes on him who justifies notice the ungodly that's not in the business of justifying the godly as if there were any or the righteous or the the the law-abiding he justifies the ungodly whenever you are proud or whenever you are arrogant or whenever you sit back in your easy chair say well there were good reasons why God elected me unto salvation look at the description of you prior to the cross ungodly so the gospel maintains not only the salvation of sinners but the Justice of God so he was delivered up because of our offenses and then notice that particular language that is used there he was delivered up it points to divine initiative I mentioned this this morning in Matthew chapter 28 6 and 7 when the angel says that he has risen err or he was raised that was a passive verb I took some time to explain an active verb as if I hit the wall a passive verb as if the wall hits me well Jesus was raised up this points to divine initiative this points specifically to the father again all three persons of the Trinity are involved in this act of the resurrection but here specifically we ought to focus on the deliverer we know that the Jews were culpable we know that the Jews were guilty and responsible they were the ones that barter to trade with Judas we see his complicity in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ we see of course Pilate Pilate ultimately gave the execution order Pilate ultimately said yay to the crucifixion so we see all these human agents involved we see their instrumentality but behind the scenes is the divine agenda behind the scenes is the plan of the most I behind-the-scenes is what God is doing in order to save his people from their sins so he was delivered up because of our offenses notice in Isaiah 53 verse 11 Pastor Porter redness at the outset of worship and it points to this divine initiative it points to this delivery of the Lord Jesus up to crucifixion by the Father notice I'm sorry isaiah 53:10 yet it pleased yahweh to bruise him in the context the hymn the one of whom Isaiah is writing is the servant of the Lord he is the suffering servant he is the Messiah he is the one announced to come to Israel to save his people from their sins but it pleased Yahweh to bruise him or to crush him if you've got the Naas he has put him to grief when you make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed he shall prolong his days and the pleasure of Yahweh shall prosper in his hand turn over to Acts chapter 2 just to get this fleshed out in your own minds and hearts who was behind the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ Jesus wasn't passive at the hands of men Jesus was delivered up ultimately according to the plan of God most high and he was willing and he highlights as much in John's gospel I lay my life down each of the persons are involved in these particular acts but it's often ascribed to God the triune God but notice in acts 2:22 men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a man attested by God to you by miracles wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst as you yourselves also know him being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God you see there is this narrative at times that sort of seeps in the gospel preaching that's very dispensational in nature which almost posits a New Testament God and an Old Testament God Old Testament God is full of Wrath he's full of anger full of fury and vengeance just read those Old Testament to read those Old Testament former prophets specifically read judges read Joshua read first and second Samuel in first and second Kings all you ever see is God's wrath and fury and now this go to the New Testament our Lord Jesus he's so full of love and compassion and mercy the father gave the son the atonement does not procure or purchase love but rather the atonement is the expression of God's love we mustn't ever forget that reality back in Romans chapter 3 he says whom God set forth why does God the Father do this with reference to his son it is in order to save his people from their sins it's not the cross that perches with purchases the love of God the cross is a manifestation of the love of God I know several years ago I think it was Ian Murray writing for the banner of truth that a series of articles on the cross as the pulpit of God's love I think that's a very good way to sort of express that there's no New Testament God the God of love that's appeasing the Old Testament god of wrath the one triune God Father Son and Holy Spirit work in perfect answer and in unity expressing love mercy kindness goodness and all those things that we are benefactors off so it is the Father's plan who was delivered up passive verb because of our offenses God's justice demands that we be delivered up to hell because of our sins God's grace provided satisfaction for our sins through the substitutionary sacrifice of his son we are guilty vile helpless the Lord Christ is the spotless Lamb of God who has come to take our place to bear God's wrath and he was delivered up because of our offenses so I said Jesus was willing Jesus was active Jesus says I lay my life down John Flavel has some beautiful words to sort of illustrate the the beauty behind the scene he says he God the Father delivered and delivered him as a judge by sentence of law delivers up the present prisoner to be executed I'm sorry he delivered him as a judge by sentence of law delivers up the prisoner to be executed it is true Pilate delivered him up to be crucified and he also gave himself for us but betwixt God's delivering pilots delivering in his own there is this difference to be observed God or in God it was an act of highest justice in Pilate and act of greatest wickedness in himself an act of wonderful obedience it's beautiful I love that leave it to Flavel to illustrate these things in such a profound sort of a way so he was delivered up because of our offences I think before we proceed with reference to the latter half of the verse in terms of resurrection how should this affect us we should appreciate the fact that the cross is a display of God's love but we also ought to appreciate the fact that the cross is a display of God's wrath God's vengeance God's fury God's judgment against sin and sinners Trinity hymnal number 192 Thomas Kelly has taught us to sing ye who think of sin but lightly nor suppose the evil great here may view its nature rightly here it's guilt may estimate mark the sacrifice appointed see who bears the awful load tis the word the Lord's anointed son of man and son of God so we ought to appreciate he was delivered up because of our offenses let that underscore to us what our offenses appear to God as they are something vile there's something wretched there something evil to be sure and Paul is going to enter into a discussion after Romans 5 specifically in 67 and to a degree 8 on how the believer who is justified freely by His grace are to pursue holiness and righteousness towards those who are justified the romans three and four are certainly going to enter into the life of sanctification in Romans chapter six we're now going to allow you know a sin reign in our mortal members but rather we're going to present our instruments as Minh to righteousness unto God as instruments of righteousness unto God you see brethren we ought to see what God thinks of sin as well we ought to appreciate the triune God in the work of redemption the father delivered up the son the son willingly undertakes on our behalf in order to save us from our sins well let's look now secondly at the redemptive purpose of the resurrection of Christ so verse 25 a tells us why he died he was delivered up because of our offences and then verse 25 B tells us why he was raised up I mean it's one one you know sort of reason of many and was raised because of our justification the one delivered up because of our offenses was raised for our justification that language this morning in Matthew's Gospel when the angel says he is risen redeemed ears ought to be very encouraged redeemed ears ought to delight in that empty tomb redeemed ears ought to see there in so great a salvation we see again the passive verb indicates that the father raised Jesus from the dead we notice that Jesus has the ability and he says as much in John to destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up now John chapter 10 he has the ability and power to raise himself up but specifically here I think in view is God the Father but commenting on that the act of the persons involved in the resurrection Turton says although the resurrection of Christ is often ascribed to the father it does not follow that it cannot be ascribed to the son because whatever the father does the son in like manner does and as the resurrection is an outward work it ought to be undivided to the whole Trinity we see the fact here stated he was raised because of our justification I read that section in first Corinthians 15 this morning the Apostle Paul says this is a truth he cannot compromise there are those who want to do that they see the the the gospel records and struggle with the reality of a dead body going into - into the tomb and then being raised again some have been content to say well it really doesn't matter if he physically rose it's the story it's what it does it's it's the existential effect that it promotes and the people of God doesn't matter if there's a body in that tomb or not it absolutely positively 100% does matter whether there's a body in that tomb or not the Lord Jesus Christ had prophesied in Matthew 12 Matthew 16 Matthew 17 Matthew 20 and Matthew 26 that he would die and on the third day he would be raised again if we accept that idea where it really doesn't matter if there's a body there or not it's the feeling it's the moment it's the movement it's the it's the ethos that is promoted among the people of God by the idea of resurrection if we imbibe that we are denying the words of the Lord Jesus and hence denying him I love the way he says that Mark's Gospel he says whoever is ashamed of me and of my words of him the Son of Man will be ashamed you don't deny Christ's words without denying Christ it is a factual it is a real event that occurred in history we had all of the testimony of those who saw him dead we had all of the testimony of those who saw him alive we have the written record of God's revelation given to us by inspiration of the Holy Spirit it is a fact it is settled it is true it is something that we hang our souls on and happily so Paul says if Christ is not raised then you're still in your sins brethren this is indeed good news now notice the result of resurrection he says he was raised because of our justification justification as it's being used in this particular context is a specific act it's a forensic declaration by God that the sinner is righteous not because of the sinner but because of what Christ has done for the center justification to use a familiar definition is an act of God's free grace wherein he pardons all of our sins and he accepts us as righteous in his sight only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone so Paul tells us were justified freely by His grace Paul tells us that were justified by his blood Paul tells us that were justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone and here he tells us he was raised because of our justification so whence or how or where in the connection because of the historical link between the crucifixion and the resurrection you don't have one without the other you don't have one void of the other if you have the crucified Saver Savior you have the resurrected Savior the two things are inseparable the resurrection is the necessary follow-up to the crucifixion such that when Paul says he was raised because of our justification we say yay and amen and thank God Most High that though he was dead he was raised up for our justification BT Warfield describes it explains it this way he says that he died manifests his love and his willingness to save doesn't listen to this because I think no more Phil you know just really nails it here he says that Christ died manifests his love and his willingness to save now I might die for you to manifest my love and my willingness to save you but if I'm not raised from the dead all that love and all that desire doesn't avail you anything he could say what a what a noble sword he was too bad he couldn't deliver Warfield continues he rose again manifests his power and his ability to save we are not saved by a dead Christ who undertook but could not perform and who lies there still another martyr of impotent love if we are to be saved at all it must be by one who did not merely pass to death in our behalf but who passed through death in one word the resurrection of Christ is fundamental to the Christian Hope and to the Christian confidence all our assurance of salvation is suspended on this fact Hajj adds the resurrection of Christ as an historical fact established by the most satisfactory evidence authenticates the whole gospel as surely as Christ has risen so surely shall believers be saved that's the emphasis in chapter 4 verse 25 he was delivered up because of our sins because of our offenses because of our transgression because of our lack of conformity unto that law because of our idolatry because of our blasphemy because of our Sabbath breaking because of our hatred toward our fellows he was delivered up because of that but he was raised up for our justification now what's the theological connection between resurrection and justification there's probably a lot more to say just a couple of thoughts and then we'll conclude our message tonight first the resurrection testifies that Jesus Christ is the son of God with power look back at Romans 1 specifically at verse 4 but wolf start in verse 1 Paul a bondservant of Jesus Christ called to be an apostle separated to the gospel of God which he promised before through his prophets in the holy scriptures concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead the resurrection testifies that Christ is the son of God with power note the beauty of the hypostatic Union we have the seed of David according to verse 3 we have the Son of God according to verse 4 not to Christ's not two persons but one person two natures that one who was held by the feet according to matthew 28:9 was worshipped as God the Lord this is our Christ secondly the resurrection testifies that Christ's sacrifice was accepted the resurrection testifies that Christ's sacrifice was accepted John Gill explains he says Christ's resurrection did not procure the justification of his people that was done by his obedience and death but was for the testa fication of it that it might fully appear that sin was atoned for and an everlasting righteousness was brought in and for the application of it or that Christ might live and see his righteousness imputed and applied to all those for whom he had brought it out so we see this resurrection affirms confirms demonstrates completely that the sacrifice yielded up by the Son of God on the cross was accepted by the father thirdly the resurrection testifies that satisfaction was indeed rendered the fact that the sacrifice was accepted means that satisfaction was rendered meaning that God can be both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus Christ you see that is sort of the underlying principle or at least one of them with reference to atonement the idea of satisfaction God's justice must be satisfied it doesn't just get averted it doesn't just get cast away but rather it is satisfied through the doing in the dying of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that's why this rich Gospel vocabulary that the Bible presents to us ought to be learned it ought to be known we ought to ponder the word propitiation we ought to ponder satisfaction we ought to ponder substitution we ought to ponder reconciliation and all these things that show us the glorious work of salvation from these various facets so that it may thrill the hearts of God's people so that we'll sing with happiness hallelujah what a savior forth the resurrection testifies that Redemption was indeed accomplished it stands to reason if the sacrifice was accepted satisfaction is rendered then that means that redemption was in fact accomplished when our Lord stood before those women in Matthew 28 when our Lord stood before others and as he stands before us by faith as we read the written word we know that he has accomplished the redemption of his people and in this brethren I hope we are encouraged I hope that we are blessed I hope that we will with the apostles celebrate this reality that Christ was delivered up because of our offenses and he was raised for our justification praise God Almighty for his glorious work on behalf of sinners we see the Blessed effect or the result and we'll end here in Romans 5:1 notice that therefore it just follows beautifully after this discussion of justification by faith therefore having been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ now remember who he's talking about he's talking about those who were filled with offenses he's talking about those who were ungodly he is talking about those who are unrighteous lawless ones vile offenders of a holy God vile offenders against those who are their fellows and yet because of God's grace when he opens our eyes he opens our hearts he shows us our sins and he shows us the loveliness of Jesus by His grace when we believe that gospel those who are lawless those who are enemies those who are in opposition to God now have peace through our Lord Jesus Christ well let us pray our Father we thank you for your word we thank you for this truth or these truths taught us in Romans 4:25 concerning the crucifixion and the resurrection of our Lord certainly it is a great encapsulation of all that the gospel teaches I pray that you would encourage our hearts now I pray that as we take the supper together you would help us to know communion with one another to be sure but to know communion with you our great and our holy God how we thank you for the forgiveness of sins how we thank you for the righteousness that you have given to us and how we pray that in all of this in our worship service tonight God would be all in all as we come to the Father through Jesus Christ the Lord and the power of the Holy Spirit God would be magnified glorified exalted praised and worshiped in this place and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord amen as we observe the Lord's Supper you can turn with me in your Bibles to first Corinthians 11 I'm gonna read some of Paul's words there to the church at Corinth as they obviously pertain to the observance of the Lord's Supper he deals with an improper approach to the Lord's Supper and conduct improper conduct at the Lord's Supper it's good for us to rehearse these things and to rehearse the institution of the Lord's Supper as we ourselves observe two thousand years later this ordinance ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ to be continued in his churches until the end of the world I'm gonna read first Corinthians 11 17 to 22 and then 27 to 33 34 this is 1st Corinthians 11 beginning in verse 17 now in giving these instructions I do not praise you since you come together not for the better but for the worse for first of all when you come together as a church I hear that there are divisions among you and in part I believe it for there must also be factions among you that those who are approved may be recognized among you therefore when you come together in one place it is not to eat the Lord's Supper for in eating each one takes his own supper ahead of others and one is hungry and another is drunk what do you not have houses to eat and drink in or do you despise the Church of God and shame those who have nothing what shall I say to you shall I praise you in this I do not praise you therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord but let a man examine himself and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup for he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself not discerning the Lord's body for this reason many are weak and sick among you and many sleep for if we would judge ourselves we would not be judged but when we are judged we are chastened by the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world therefore my brethren when you come together to eat wait for one another but if any one is hungry let him eat at home lest you come together for judge and the rest I will set in order when I come amen well the Lord's Supper is a very important thing it's a serious thing it's a joyful thing but it's also marked by a necessary solemnity because it remembers the death of Jesus Christ our Savior and so Paul rightly is dealing with this improper conduct at the Lord's Supper now it may in our own context it might be similar to this what's going on in 17 to 22 is the the bread comes around we're not to were not to take our hands and dive into the plate of bread and and eat you know 10 pieces of the bread when the wine comes around we're not to you know to scoop up 1111 little glasses and just drink drink the wine without consideration of our other brothers and sisters in Christ and the answer that Paul gives the advice that Paul gives to prevent something like this well we of course would pray and prepare our hearts before the Lord's Supper it's a simple and practical instruction or exhortation given if anyone is hungry let them eat at home lest you come together a for judgment all of that to say the Lord's Supper is an important thing that is to be observed with a reverence with a respect because of the one that we are remembering and because of what occurs with respect to the Lord's Supper it is an ordinance given for that remembrance and for our growth in faith which brings us to some important reminders as we observe the Lord's Supper here it's good for us to remember what's going on at the Lord's Supper there is nothing that changes with respect to the bread and with respect to the wine we of course as Protestants do not subscribe to that abominable notion that by the consecration of the one administering the elements the bread is changed into the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ or the body soul and divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ and we would abominate of course the notion that the wine has changed into the actual blood of the Lord Jesus Christ these things are repugnant to the scriptures and to common sense and are the foundation of manifold blasphemies and superstitions you won't find any history of the Protestant churches where Protestants you know cut open a bees hive to find the bees worshipping hosts we don't have any nonsense like that in the history of Protestantism why because we hold to the biblical notion of the Lord's Supper supper the biblical approach to the Lord's Supper which sees the bread remaining bread the wine remaining wine and it is yet these things are yes consecrated in that they are taken from a common use for this holy use the observation of the Lord's Supper but they remain simple emblems symbols signals that point us that point our minds that point our hearts to reflect upon and remember that that Jesus Christ died for the sins of his people so it is a blessed remembrance of that once for all death rendered by Christ upon Calvary's cross and it is an ordinance whereby Christ there is in Christ by his Spirit nourishes and strengthens us in our faith one of the things we are to remember as we observe this ordinance is that it is for Christians only just as the ordinance of baptism is for believers only so to the ordinance of the Lord's Supper and so if you're here tonight and you're not a Christian you are not to take of the bread and you are not to take of the wine it is also an ordinance as we see in the context that is not for those Christians who are not dealing with their sin if you're here tonight and you have unrepented sin there is a warning issued here by the Apostle Paul let a man examine himself and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup and it is such the case that with biblical forgiveness with the Christian gospel that when you repent of your sins Christ our our our glorious God is faithful to forgive you those sins to wash you of all unrighteousness and to wash your sins away Christ has died for you if you're a Christian here tonight the blood of Jesus Christ provides that remission that forgiveness of your sins so if you're unrepentant at a particular point of in repent we find immediate forgiveness by that God who forgives and by that blood of the Lord Jesus Christ who died to give his people that forgiveness and everlasting life when the elements when the bread and when the wine come around a reminder actually specifically when the wine comes around and I'll remind you when it does the juice is in the outer ring so if you would like to drink the juice that's in there it is in the outer ring well we'll read this center portion 23 to 26 as we take the bread and as we take the wine if I could have the brothers come up to pass out the bread you can remain seated and sing hymn number 186 in your hymn book so you can turn to 186 remaining seated and we'll sing that together [Music] [Music] Oh the first Corinthians 11 verse 23 Paul rehearsing the institution of the Lord's Supper for I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he broke it and said take eat this is my body which is broken for you do this in remembrance of me amen let us pray God we thank you that we can now partake of this bread seeing as it signifies our saviors body broken for us upon Calvary's cross we know as we reflect with solemnity upon that act of his cross death we know that he took in his own body a breach upon breach because his people a breach upon breach broke your holy law we thank you that he died upon Calvary's cross so as to secure the salvation of a multitude that no man can number we thank you for those words of Peter that he bore in his own body the sins of his people upon the tree that we having died to sin might live unto righteousness by His stripes we are healed we reflect with great joy upon this truth and we pray now as we partake of this bread that symbolizes his body broke and that you would help us to rejoice that you would help us to be marked by a high esteem for our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ and we pray in his precious name Amen let's take together the brothers can come up and pass the wine a reminder that the juices in the outer ring will sing again remaining seated this time him 188 let's [Music] [Music] Paul continues recounting the words of the Savior in the same manner he also took the cup after supper saying this cup is the New Covenant in my blood this do as often as you drink it in remembrance of me for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the Lord's death till he comes amen let us pray God we thank you now that we can take of this wine as it points us to remember the shedding of the blood of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ we know as the Bible that tells us that without the shedding of blood there can be no remission we rejoice that the Savior our Lord Jesus Christ shed his precious blood for the forgiveness of sins we thank you for what this points us to and we pray that you'd help us now to remember to reflect with great joy and with again that solemnity upon so glorious of death upon so powerful and so the victorious a conquering upon Calvary's tree and we rejoice in your love and in your mercy and in your grace we rejoice in your wrath and in your righteousness and in the satisfaction rendered by Jesus Christ and we pray now Lord God that you would help us by your spirit to grow in our faith as we remember our Savior as we partake of this wine pointing to the shedding of the blood of the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ might you nourish us in our faith and might we leave this place all the more strengthened in it and ready to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of so glorious a gospel we pray in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord amen let's take together you can stand with me now and turn in your hymn books as we sing a final hymn that's him number 175 we'll stand and sing that together 175 [Music] [Applause] [Music] that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you complete and every good work to do his will working in you what is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever amen the heavenly father go with us now we thank you that we had had this Lord's day Sabbath to worship You Father Son and Holy Spirit we thank you for this your Lord's Supper we pray that you'd be with us as we leave this church now may we still be rejoicing and reflecting upon so great a God so great a Christ and so glorious a gospel we pray that you didn't power us this week to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of our calling by grace might we shine as lights Lord God throughout this week and Lord might you bring us all back together again the next Lord's Day Sabbath to do this again we might gather together to worship Father Son and spirit and might you cheer our hearts and that caused us throughout this week as we look forward to the next Sabbath it caused us to reflect with great joy upon your benefits upon all of your blessings and upon the doing dying and rising again at the Son of God we pray in Christ's precious name Amen we'll have a brief time of Prayer and then you're dismissed [Music] you