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welcome to everyone we have two brief announcements before we begin first there is a fellowship time after the service this evening we're thankful that the street I want to call them the Surrey people the Surrey i'ts the Brethren from Surrey are with us this evening so directly following the service there'll be a time of coffee and there's some treats treats upstairs and then secondly there's a movie called unplanned that's going to show in Canada for one week the date that we hope to go as the free grace Baptist Church is July 17th the movie begins at 7 p.m. we hope to meet outside the building there at about a quarter till I want to make sure that the Surrey people know about that as well there's an there's an email I sent it to Pastor Mike hopefully he'll send it out when he gets back but there is an email back there on the table that gives some information there's also a link on there to click on just to register that you will be attending so that way we know I think they're 40 seats that we've that we have secured and so we just need to keep track of that so again unplanned it's a movie that persons are very much opposed to it's an amazing thing that it's caused such controversy just to point out the practices of Planned Parenthood should be uncontroversial to condemn what it is that they do having said that we can turn in our Bibles to Psalms I'm sorry Isaiah the prophet chapter 61 for our call to worship Isaiah chapter 61 Isaiah 61 I'll begin reading in verse 1 the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted to proclaim Liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all who mourn to console those who mourn in Zion to give them beauty for Ashes the oil of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that they may be called trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that he may be glorified and they shall rebuild the old ruins they shall the former desolations and they shall repair the ruined cities the desolations of many generations strangers shall stand and feed your flocks and the sons of the foreigner shall be your Plowman and your vine dressers but you shall be named the priests of the Lord they shall call you the servants of our God you shall eat the riches of the Gentiles and in their glory you shall boast instead of your shame you shall have double honour and instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion therefore in their land they shall possess double everlasting joy shall be theirs for I the Lord love justice I hate robbery for burnt offering I will direct their work in truth and will make with them an everlasting covenant their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles and their offspring among the people all who see them shall acknowledge them that they are the posterity whom the Lord has blessed I will greatly rejoice in the Lord in the Lord my soul shall be joyful in my god for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation he has covered me with the robe of righteousness as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels for as the earth brings forth its bud as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations amen certainly an appropriate passage to read at the outset of our worship service specifically verse 11 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord my soul shall be joyful in my god for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation he has covered me with the robe of righteousness it is the imputed righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ received by faith alone along with the forgiveness of sins that that that show us and demonstrate to us God's great grace in justifying freely sinners by that grace well please turn with me in your Trinity Trinity Psalter to Psalm 134 Psalm 134 when you find that you can stand and we'll sing together [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] well let us pray God Most High it's a great joy to gather on the Sabbath day to call upon you to come before you and to worship you we acknowledge that you are from everlasting to everlasting that you are God a God of glory and majesty a God who is righteous and just and pure a God who is full of mercy and grace the God who has created this world the God who oversees it in his providence and the God who has redeemed his people from it we give praise to You Father Son and Holy Spirit for your excellence and your power and your glory and we would pray to you this very night that you would be exalted that you would be enthroned upon the praises of your people in this place we thank you for the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ we thank you that you have saved us by your grace and for your glory that you have called us out of darkness and a marvelous light that you have put it in us to worship you in spirit and in truth and we praise you that you have ordained the church as that place in the New Covenant where you will in a special way dwell with your people it does encourage our hearts to read the New Testament epistles and to see the book of Revelation and to know that Jesus is in the is in the midst of the lampstand it is an encouragement that as we gather together here we walk by faith and we know that Christ is here amongst his people and we would pray tonight that you would encourage and strengthen each and every one of our hearts that you would draw us out into the worship and adoration of the true and living God and that father you would be praised as we come through your Blessed son in the power of the Holy Spirit that God the Lord may be all in all in this place we confess our sins to you father as we are mindful of your holiness and what scripture says concerning your moral purity that your eye is too pure to look upon any evil yet father we know ourselves to be those who have sinned against a holy God we have transgressed against your law we have lacked conformity unto it so we confess that iniquity now trusting in that shot and precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ knowing that it is efficacious to wash us and to purify us and to fit us for service to our great God we pray for those who've come here this evening that do not know you those who have not been washed in that precious blood we pray that tonight they would hear the gospel they would hear of Christ and the the peace wrought through the blood of his cross and that by grace they would come to you they would confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and they would know the joy of being found in him not having their own righteousness which is from the law but that righteousness which is from you through faith God we know it is impossible for men to save us all but we know it is possible with you to do all things and so we commit to you any here that are lost we pray that they would be found by the power of the Holy Spirit and through the glorious gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ we ask our Father that you would look with favor upon this congregation in terms of our temporal needs who thank you that our brother dawn is with us tonight we thank you that the proctors have returned safely we do continue to pray for our dear sister Bev and we would ask Lord in heaven that you would be pleased to look with favor upon the saints of Christ in this local body we pray that you would encourage and strengthen all of our hearts that you would build us often our most holy faith that you would grant us aid to resist temptations that face us on a daily basis and cause us to pursue those things that are pleasing in the sight of a holy God we ask that you would bless this community with gospel preaching that would be blessed of God for the salvation of sinners we look around our community and we we have compassion for sinners in this city and we would pray that the Churches of Jesus Christ that do preach the truth would be attended by those who have great need and we pray that you would be merciful to save in this community be merciful to save throughout this nation and to the uttermost parts of the earth the gospel the Bible tells us that Christ will have dominion from sea to sea we are told that there's a great multitude in heaven that no man can number and this encourages us Lord God to pray to you this encourages us to proclaim the truth to others and we that you are able to save to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord we pray that gospel would run swiftly and be glorified we pray that you had caused your face to shine upon the nations that you would let the nation's be glad and that sinners all over this earth would know the way the salvation of our great and living and true God be gracious to those in the persecuted Church those who suffer for the cause of God and truth we would ask Lord in heaven that you had encouraged their hearts and help them with steadfastness to persevere in their faith knowing that glorious hope of the Christian gospel we also pray our Father that you would be gracious and merciful to the civil authority in this land we know that this is a wicked and a lawless age we pray that you would give us grace to shine as lights in this age to hold forth your word of truth but we pray that you would humble those political leaders in high places that you had caused them to kiss the son lest he be angry and they perish in his way when his wrath is kindled but a little we know that blessed are all those who put their trust in him so God be merciful to those in high places in the political realm and father if they are not converted we pray they would be restrained by your mighty mighty arm as we read in Solomon's proverbs that the king's heart is in the hand of Yahweh and you turn it like you do the waters and we pray that you would restrain the madness of godless men and father with reference to abortion and euthanasia and those sorts of things that that we see openly openly encouraged and subsidised even with public monies we just pray God in heaven that you and your wrath would remember mercy and we pray ultimately for the collapse of such vile practices that instead of being authorized or legalized they would be criminalized the way they should be as violations of the sixth word God be merciful to this land we pray and continue to be merciful to us and encourage us now as we sing as we pray as we look to the holy scripture and as we look again to our Blessed Lord as we remember him in the sacrament as we met remember him in a special way with reference to his broken body and his shed blood on our be half thank you that our brothers and sisters from Surrey can be with us we thank you for your work in their midst we pray for the work in Vernon that they would be given a man to labor in the word and doctrine there and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well you can turn with me again in your Trinity hymnal to to number 245 245 will stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] we can turn with me in your Bibles to Colossians chapter 1 for our meditation this evening Colossians chapter 1 our focus will be verses 21 to 23 Colossians 1 21 to 23 but I'll begin reading in verse 1 Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God and Timothy our brother to the Saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colossae grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ we give thanks to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ praying always for you since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel which has come to you as it has also in the world and is bringing forth fruit as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth as you also learn from a paffrath our dear fellow servant who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf who also declared to us your love in the spirit for this reason we also since the day we heard it do not cease to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding that you may walk worthy of the Lord fully pleasing him being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God strengthened with all might according to his glorious power for all patience and long-suffering with joy giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints and the light he has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the son of his love in whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins he is the image of the invisible God the firstborn over all creation for by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth visible and invisible whether Thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created through him and for him and he is before all things and in him all things consist and he is the head of the body the church who is the beginning the firstborn from the dead that in all things he may have the preeminence for it pleased the father that in him all the fullness should dwell and by him to reconcile all things to himself by him whether things on earth or things in heaven having made peace through the blood of his cross and you who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and blameless and above reproach in his sight if indeed you continue in the faith grounded and steadfast and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard which was preached to every creature under heaven of which I Paul became a minister I now rejoice in my sufferings for you and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ for the sake of his body which is the Church of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you to fulfill the Word of God the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations but now has been revealed to his Saints to them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the gentiles which is christ in you the hope of glory him we preach warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus to this end I also labor striving according to his working which works in me mightily amen well let us pray father this is a glorious passage of Holy Scripture and again we pray for the Ministry of the Spirit who gave us this Living Word we ask that you would fill our hearts with encouragement as we ponder afresh the glory of Jesus Christ and the redemption of our souls how we praise you for the blest doctrine of reconciliation two warring parties now become have become friends by your grace in your mercy we pray that this would indeed elicit from us worship and love and adoration and great thankfulness for such a great God who has engaged in such a wonderful way to save his people from their sins forgive us now for sin and for all unrighteousness and uncleanness and give us help now as we receive with thanksgiving your holy word and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well there's a lot of similarities between Paul's letters to the Colossians and to the Ephesians and Paul essentially in verses 21 to 23 is doing what he does in Ephesians two what they were and what by God's grace they had become I do want to give you a bit of the structure in Colossians chapter 1 Paul begins with prayer for those believers in verses 9 to 12 he then transitions to theological instruction in verses 12 to 20 and then he calls them to this historical reflection in verses 21 to 23 he mentions in verse 20 God's cosmic plan God's cosmic purpose the reconciliation of the cosmos or the entirety of the created order by our Lord Jesus Christ so that's the greater and then he focuses on the particular with reference to these Kalash and believers what they had been prior to their salvation in Christ and what by God's grace they had now become and the emphasis falls upon that blessed word reconciliation there's a lot of words that the Bible uses to sort of demonstrate what the relationship with God is that sinners have obtained we have propitiation where God pours out the wrath of God upon the son of God we have Redemption which speaks of the purchase of sinners out of the slave market of sin by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ we have of course salvation and justification all this terminology associated with our great Redemption we'll hear specifically reconciliation again the concept of the underlying assumption is that there were two warring parties God was at enmity toward us and we were at enmity toward God and yet through the blood of Jesus cross we now have reconciliation we've been brought nigh we have been brought together who was once considered an enemy by us is now our great God worthy of our praise and adoration and worship and we at one time were considered as enemies to God we are now his beloved we are his children so I want to look first at their former state of alienation in verse 21 and then secondly their blessed state of reconciliation in verses 21 B to 183 but notice with reference to their former state Paul tells us the problem with man and the problem with man isn't a lack of education the problem with man isn't a lack of money the problem with with man isn't the lack of any sort of social economic status the problem with man is sin and that's what Paul declares and that's what Paul highlights in three ways first he indicates that they were alienated from God notice in verse 21 and you who once were alienated that means we were far removed we were far off we were not in union with God we were not walking with God we were not close to God but we were alienated from God again there's a parallel thought in Ephesians chapter 2 when Paul identifies those Gentiles as having been alienated or aliens rather from the Commonwealth of Israel strangers from the covenants of promise well that obtains with reference to individual sinners we were alienated from our Lord God Most High now if we ask the question why is Paul doing this in this particular place why in verses 21 to 23 is Paul sort of reminding them of what they were and what they have become by the grace of God well I think there are two reasons why he does this again it's in the context of verse 20 God reconciles the cosmos to himself through the blood of Jesus cross he gives the specific application with reference to the Colossians in the first place to promote thankfulness on their part in other words this whole idea of God's grace ought to promote gratitude on the parts on the part of the recipients of that grace and Paul wants the the believers in Colossae to express thankfulness to God he's already said that in Colossians 1 at first wealth and that's something we always need to be reminded of so that we will respond in thankfulness to our God do we wake up in the morning thanking God for his great grace do we wake up in the morning thanking God for and through the blood of Jesus Christ whoever consider this reality as we move through our daily lives perhaps one of the reasons we might be sorrowful or depressed or we might be melancholic and perhaps I'm preaching to myself here is that we don't remind ourselves of the great redemptive truths concerning our salvation because when we ponder that we are at peace through the blood of his cross it ought to elicit praise and worship and adoration and glory given to God Most High so Paul reminds them of their past to provoke from them a thankfulness to God in the present but as well Paul is coming to warn them about certain persons heretics that have plagued the churches chapter 2 verses 8 to 23 is a warning from Paul given to the Colossians believers that they be on guard that they withstand the attacks of these heretical men that they maintain fidelity to the true and living God so he wants to rehearse for them the way of salvation so that when they come to these false teachers they will not be brought in they will not be led astray they will not be carried about by every wind of doctrine much of Colossians 2 is a warning and an exhortation by the Apostle Paul to guard their hearts against the false teachers in the deceptive theology that has come to Colossae bro Brian one commentator says the gravity of their previous condition the fact that they were wretched and undone serves to magnify the wonder of God's mercy the past is recalled not because the emphasis falls upon it but to draw attention to God's mighty action here in the reconciling death of his son on the readers behalf so the reminder is given to that but as that reminder cons he wants to tell them what they were and when we consider our salvation it's never a bad thing to remember what we were saying from to consider that rock from whence we were human to consider that former state because again we magnified the grace of God when we consider our loss to state before him he says that you were alienated which means estranged it means to be afar off and then with to this alienation with reference to what he'll go on to say in a moment this enemies in your mind does that mean that that we looked at God as our enemy or does this mean that God looks at us as his enemy I think that Calvin is right when he sees both senses present in this particular context but that God does treat sinners as enemies the Bible certainly speaks to that you can turn to Romans chapter 5 for just a moment don't think we often ponder that we go out or some go out and they say God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life well if we were candid and honest we would say that God counts you as one of his enemies and if you don't repent and believe the gospel you will perish under his judgment under his wrath under his curse and under everlasting fire that is a more appropriate way to declare the Gospel message or at least the context for the Gospel message notice in Romans 5 at verse 10 he says for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his son much more having been reconciled we shall be saved by his life most likely in that context what we see is that we are God's enemies prior to our salvation john murray said when we examine the scripture closely we shall find that it is not our enmity against God that comes to the forefront in the reconciliation but God's alienation from us the alienation on the part of God arises indeed from our sin it is our sin that evokes this reaction of his holiness now this according to the manner of men God doesn't react or God doesn't have passions and all that sort of thing but it's written for us in the manner of man to see our state before God but I think Calvin in context is more on track he says while the term enemies has a passive as well as active significant it is well suited to us in both respects so long as we are apart from Christ so as he comes to deal with them in terms of their former state it's not only that we looked at God is our enemy when we are God hating rebels not maybe not actively we didn't probably wake up in the morning and say you know what bad things can I do today to reject God what horrible things can I do today to transgress against God but in our minds and the way that we conducted ourselves that is precisely what happened as well God looks upon sinners undone apart from the Lord Jesus Christ as his enemy now notice what he goes on to say you who once were alienated and enemies in your mind enemies in your mind you know to think of an aspect of salvation and aspect of evangelism that oftentimes goes unaddressed we deal with the wicked works that are definitely coming but something comes before wicked works and it's this mind that's bent it's this mind that's dark it's this mind that's distorted it's this mind that has this orientation that is far from God and Paul emphasizes that you who once were alienated and enemies in your mind you see there are persons in the world that may engage in some moral deeds there are persons in the world that at times outdo Christians in terms of morality and in terms of good works but it's that mind orientation why are they doing it if you announce on Facebook that you've done a good deed you've already tipped your hand you're not supposed to announce on Facebook that you've done a good deed a genuinely good bead according to the Bible is for the glory of God and for the good of others it isn't for the approbation of your fellows so they can like your status that you did a good deed see the mind precedes the wicked works it's the seat of the enmity the works are going to follow to be sure and Paul will address that but we need to understand with reference to sinners the first emphasis is the mind it's the intellect it's the noetic effect of sin upon the mind of a man Paul doesn't just treat that here he deals with it in Romans chapter 1 he deals with this in Ephesians chapter 4 the mind is alienated the mind is in enmity with God and it's from that vantage point that these wicked works then proceed so again the fact that somebody engaged morality the fact that somebody does a good deed if their minds are far from God Most High it invalidates that good deed in terms of God it doesn't hurt the body politic it doesn't hurt the person that receives the good deed but if we ask the question what is a good work a good work is first and foremost for the glory of God and then for the good of the person that we do the work toward it isn't so that we can get likes it isn't so that we can pat ourselves on the back it isn't so that others can Pat us on the back and tell us what great guys and girls we are know paul locates the primary emphasis with reference to synth sinful men's problem who once were alienated and enemies in your mind in Ecclesiastes 9 3 Solomon says this is an evil that is done under the Sun that one thing happens to all truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil madness is in their hearts while they live now the Greek translation of the Old Testament Scriptures uses the word here for mine so when it says heart think mind in Ecclesiastes 9 3 remember that demoniac that lived among the tombs that poor wretched man he was a man that was naked he was a man that lived among the tombs that was strictly prohibited in Israel right you weren't supposed to have truck with dead bodies certainly not make your habitation among that and so this man lived among the tombs he was naked he would gash himself he would cut himself he would bleed he would how persons in that region were afraid to go near him because he was strong and he would overtake them well the Lord Christ comes to him and the Lord Christ casts out the demons from him and in luke's gospel or luke's record of this particular miracle we read in luke 8:35 then they went out to see what had happened and came to jesus and found the man from whom the demons had departed sitting at the feet of jesus clothed and i love this next statement and in his right mind does that mean sinners apart from the Lord Jesus Christ those alienated from God are out of their minds how else do you describe Planned Parenthood how else do you describe going after the most vulnerable in society we have to be collectively out of our mind to ever engage in that sort of thing so when Jesus casts out the demons from this demoniac he's sitting at the feet of Jesus now he's clothed and now he's in his right mind something has been restored through God's powerful grace something has been restored by the power of the Holy Spirit and it is intriguing because the persons in that community Luke goes on to say and they were afraid isn't that intriguing I mean they were afraid of this demoniac when he was able to break sort of handcuffs they were afraid of this demoniac when he was cutting himself and bleeding all over himself they were afraid of this demoniac while he lived among the tombs and he and he cried out day and night but they're even more afraid that there is one it was conquered the demoniac it's like when Jesus is able to calm the sea it's like when Jesus is able to stop the winds what does it say the disciples response was they were afraid greatly afraid why because no man has the authority or power to stop the wind in the waves no man has the authority and the power to cast out demons from this possessed man well the god man the Lord Christ obviously and certainly does so Paul says they were alienated from God they were enemies in their minds and then notice thirdly in terms of their former state of alienation they engaged in wicked works and you who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works now again I think that's something we can all sort of relate to prior to our conversion to the Lord Jesus Christ that's what identified us that's what characterized us and unfortunately even with remaining corruption there are those wicked works that come from the hearts of God's people from time to time Paul speaks to that in Romans seven in Galatians 5 we see illustrations in the life of David as we considered this morning in Surrey as we consider Peter in the gospel narratives denying as Lord but this idea of wicked works is something that characterizes the unbeliever it is something that is indicative of his orientation and we see the logical procession here the mind at enmity with God inevitably leads to wicked works again there are those moralistic persons that do some good things from time to time but if you were to put that deed under the microscope of God and ask is it for his glory and is it for the good of the target audience the answer would be no but the logical procession is what we think concerning God affects how we live with reference to God the mind produces practice consistent with that notice in chapter one at verse nine for this reason we also since the day we heard it do not cease to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding we want your minds to be renewed we want your minds to be transformed we want those wicked works in that enmity gone and then notice in verse 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord that you may be fully pleasing to him that being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God that you may be strengthened with all might according to his glorious power for all patience and long-suffering with joy see the emphasis in our church and hopefully in your own lives is that you learn scripture because that is a means by which it's an out with the old and in with the new we are not to be conformed to this world but we're rather to be transformed by the renewing of what by the mind brethren Christian growth comes by receiving the Word of God internalizing the Word of God and then putting into practice that Word of God all by the power and the grace and the aid of the Holy Spirit to be sure but it certainly takes the effort of God's people to renew their minds and so Paul says this is the lot of these Kalash and believers prior to their salvation Johnny D said the Apostle charges them not merely with spiritual and latent hostility to God but with the manifestation of that hostility in open acts of an unnatural rebellion it is not a neutral alienation but one characterized by positive enmity you had this mindset and with that mindset you pursued wicked works with this mind say you did everything that was contrary to God with this mindset you lived as if there was no dot that is the former State of the Colossians that is the former state of everyone in this room that has now been translated into the kingdom of the son of his love it's a pretty dark and bleak and disgusting picture isn't it and this is why Paul does that so that when we get to the not bleak and not disgusting and glorious picture of gospel grace we can say praise God Almighty so there's been a bit of a heavy sort of trudge through our past let's look at our present because of the grace of God notice their blessed state of reconciliation the first thing we ought to appreciate his divine initiative again we looked at that theme this morning in second Samuel Chapter 12 God sent Nathan to David God didn't leave David to do what David wanted God didn't leave David in that state of rebellion God sent Nathan to go fetch him and we see that that divine initiative in this area as well notice and you who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now he has reconciled it's God who sought us it's God who found us it's God who has reconciled us it's God who gets the glory for our salvation we didn't move from this place of alienation we didn't move from this enmity of mine this place of of wicked works in and of our own strength to come into the saving grace and favor of God brethren we are reformed for a reason because salvation is of the Lord 18 of us it is not dependent upon him who wills or upon him who runs but upon God who shows mercy and God has shown mercy in His grace in his kindness in saving us from our sins divine initiative is behind this purpose of God in saving sinners notice it is God who is the subject of the reconciliation he says yet now he has reconciled he God not you when we come tonight to eat the bread and drink the cup it's not sort of as a an assistant or we praise Jesus for helping us find reconciliation there's no helping us in finding reconciliation it's either Jesus Saves or he doesn't it's not that he needs assistance it's not that he needs a contributor it's not that we do our part and he does the rest if Christ doesn't save we are not saved there's no sort of a 60/40 or 70/30 there's no contribution on the part of the center except for the sin in which we need to be saved from that's our contribution the vileness the Pew Trinity the wickedness and the wretchedness and then notice before we move to the means of accomplishment the efficacy of reconciliation notice yet now he has reconciled you he doesn't make men reconcilable it's not a real word word didn't acknowledge it it put the red line under it but I'm making it a word tonight God didn't make us reconcilable he didn't make us save a ball he didn't make us redeem a ball he actually reconciled he actually saves he actually redeems that's the emphasis of the law of the scriptures you shall call his name Jesus for as he who will save his people from their sin brethren that's another thing that ought to encourage our hearts God hasn't put us in this limbo position of safe ability but the Lord Most High has saved us if by grace you are trusting in the Lord Christ if by grace you have looked and lived at the Son of man as he's been lifted up on the cross you are saved you are blessed you are reconciled you are redeemed you understand the glory of God most high and the purpose of his son the lord price in terms of the salvation of our souls will there be stumbling will there be you know times of doubt will there be difficulties yes to be sure that's why you come back to Scripture that's why you come back to the gospel so you come back to the word so that you get a great big dose of what Christ says there in John chapter 3 just as Moses lifted the serpent in the wilderness so must the Son of Man be lifted up and when you read that passage you go back into numbers and you see the means by which those persons were de vente mised they looked at that brazen serpent they looked and they live they didn't drag themselves over there they didn't kiss the brazen serpent that it sucked the poison out of their womb rather they looked at that serpent than they lived why do you think Jesus tells us that so that we'll look to him and live so that we'll see him as all together lovely and chief among ten thousand when difficulties or trials or doubts or a lack of assurance comes what do you do be wallow in pity or do you go to the scriptures do you go to Romans chapter eight who is it that will bring a charge against God's elect it is Christ who died Paul said that's what we go to if you have struggles if you have doubts if you have difficulties you above all persons ought to be in Scripture not to say if you don't have doubts and you don't have problems with assurance that you aren't supposed to read scripture your life depends upon it feed your souls with the word of the Living God that's what it's for why do you think John 3 is there to point sinners to Christ are you a sinner needing pointing to Christ absolutely so look to Christ that's the remedy that's the blessing the reality is is that he didn't come to make men savable he didn't come to make men redeemable he didn't come to make men reconcilable but he came to do those things and he does it efficiently now notice the means of accomplishment notice he says yet now he has reconciled and then he emphasizes two things in theology we call this the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ notice verse 22 in the body of his flesh through death that's the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ in the body of his flesh his person and then through death highlights his work it doesn't stipulate everything about the work it doesn't highlight the life of obedience and then the sacrificial death at Calvary but it's sort of theological shorthand to encompass the doing and the dying of our Lord Jesus on our behalf Paul will detail those other facets in other places in Colossians and then in the rest of Paul's writings elsewhere but notice what he says concerning the person of our Lord Jesus he says in the body of his flesh now this language underscores the Incarnation it underscores the true humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ the fathers were absolutely right whatever is not assumed is not redeemed if Christ does not assume our humanity then we are not redeemed we need a fellow we need a champion to be sure but we need a fellow to save us from our sins the language distinguishes the physical body of our Lord Jesus from say the mystical body of our Lord in Colossians 1:18 Paul speaks of the church as being the body of the Lord well here in verse 22 that's not the emphasis it's not the church it's not the body of the Lord in that mystical sense but it is rather the body of his flesh his incarnation as well the language distinguishes Orthodox Christianity from the pseudo Christian cults who denigrate the physical the Lord's if you read through first John John emphasizes over and over again Christ's bodily coming into the world John emphasizes the reality the true humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ why does he do that because there are antagonists there are n many enemies of the church that see the physical is bad it's only the spiritual that's really good no brethren the physical isn't bad our physical happens to be tainted with sin that's what's bad God isn't at war with nature he's at war with our sin and our rebellion and so this emphasis here that in the body of his flesh is ultimately summarized I think beautifully in the Nicene Creed it's one of those things that you can never get that into a sermon enough you know this is one of those places that that it really belongs now now listen what the night Nicene Creed says I believe in this is the section on Jesus I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God begotten of the father before all world's god of God light of light very god of very God begotten not made being of one substance with the father by whom all things were made who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary and was made man and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate he suffered and was buried and the third day he rose again according to the scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits on the right hand of the Father and he shall come again with glory to judge the quick and the dead whose Kingdom shall have no end you see this second person of the Trinity came into this world and he assumed our humanity with all the essential properties and the common infirmities thereof yet without sin yet listen to what the father said whatever is not assumed is not redeemed if he does not assume our humanity he does not redeem our humanity and that is the emphasis that the scripture upholds with reference to the incarnation of our beloved Lord Jesus Christ he does this for us but not only the Incarnation Paul highlights the death notice in verse 22 in the body of his flesh through death go back to chapter 1 at verse 20 and by him to reconcile all things to himself by him whether things on earth or things in heaven having made peace through the blood of his cross doesn't that sound as paradoxical as anything ever we don't think of blood being the means by which peace comes we think of blood as murder we think of blood as warfare we think of blood as savagery but here the Apostle tells us that peace comes through the blood of his cross now there was murder there was savagery there was butchery on the part of wicked man again our Lord Jesus Christ this was the means by which he secures the peace of God and that reconciliation between God and men now the death of Christ was absolutely positively necessary that he would be a sacrifice for sin remember that that Old Testament system you remember when they built the tabernacle the end of Exodus ends with the tabernacle having been built and the glory of God that Shekinah came and dwelt in that tabernacle in that holy place but Moses himself couldn't enter in what's the emphasis there Moses the godliest and holiest man in that Commonwealth couldn't enter in because of God's burning glory and Majesty that's when the Book of Leviticus starts God teaches Israel how they dwell in his presence and the way that they dwell in his presence is through a bloody knife and a burning altar and that's what Leviticus is about offer the sacrifice atone for the sin and God and sinners will be reconciled and can dwell together all of that was typical all of that was shadowed all of that was signposts pointing forward to the great redemptive truth that the Lamb of God has come to take away the sin of the world remember our studies in Genesis when we're in Genesis chapter 22 Abraham is with Isaac he's taking up up to Mount Moriah to sacrifice him and Isaac says to Abraham we have the wood we have the fire but we don't have the sacrifice in Abraham the theologian tells him God will provide for himself a sacrifice after Abraham's hand his stayed and he doesn't bury the knife and into Isaac's chest they look and they see this ram caught in a thicket that Ram is typical this is why Jesus could say Abraham rejoiced to see my day he saw it he was black he didn't think the the RAM was Jesus but the RAM typify the RAM pointed forward he offered it up in the stead of his son Isaac we need sacrifice brethren God is a holy God and we don't just wander into his presence we don't just treat them as an equal for us to get into the presence of God there must be the shedding of blood and that's what Christ does and not only is he a sacrifice but he's a substitute I think the doctrine of substitution always points to reformed theology I don't know how in an Arminian scheme they could actually have substitution the moment you admit substitution is the moment you admit particularities the moment you admit efficacy the moment you admit that it's not general it's not I pathetical but it is specific in particular and Christ echoes that when he says this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins john calvin says with reference to the sacrifice of Christ it was necessary that the son of God should become man and be a partaker of our flesh that he might be our brother it was necessary that he should by dying become a sacrifice that he might make his father propitious to us Matthew Poole says Christ's death was not only for our good but in our stead thereby offering himself to God he satisfied divine justice and his sacrifice giving himself for us was a sacrifice of a sweet smell to God so you see the Apostle Paul links our reconciliation not with moral reform on our part not with moralism on our part not with Duke good ism on our part not with a little bit of help from on high but he links that reconciliation to the Incarnation and to the substitutionary sacrificial death of our Lord Jesus that's why we eat this bread and we drink this God that's why we proclaim the Lord's death we're not proclaiming tonight our goodness we're not proclaiming tonight our reward for the week because we've done good we are proclaiming the Lord's death because that is the basis upon which you and I stand in terms of the remainder just want to quickly move through that notice the blessed result in verse 22 be to present you holy and blameless and above reproach in his sight I think this refers to our present sanctification this is the the goal this is you know justification always yields to goes forward in sanctification in other words those justified freely by God's grace will seek by God's grace to live in a manner that is consistent with God's work not in some sort of meritorious way if we do this we get that we've already been given that we've already been saved now we live like saved men and women that's the emphasis that we find in the Bible but it also points to that future glory glorification it is in Christ Jesus that we will be holy and blameless and above reproach in his sight and please do not mistake the order of the text look at what Paul says yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and blameless and above reproach in his sight it's not because you were holy and blameless and above reproach in his sight that he reconciled you that's not what the takt says it's he reconciled you so that he can present you this way the same thrust as in Ephesians 1 for the Apostle there says just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in law it doesn't say he chose us in him before the foundation of the world because we were holy and without blame see there's no merit on our part there's no dessert on our part there is nothing in us that God says wow I'm gonna reconcile them because they're holy and blameless and and above without reproach in my sight that's not the emphasis and then in verse 23 he gives a call to perseverance again because this is the supper and our focus is primarily on the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ we could spend a whole other sermon perhaps we will next week looking at verse 23 but notice what he says if indeed you continue in the faith now that sounds a lot more sort of hypothetical and it almost sounds a lot less sure in the English than it does in the Greek I don't think Paul is saying that you know as long as this than this know you've been reconciled you have been reconciled but the truth is that somebody who has been reconciled will in fact continue in the faith they will continue in the faith grounded and steadfast they will not be moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard which was preached to every creature under heaven of which I Paul became a minister there is an exhortation based on the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ that the people of God persevere the people of God go forward again the means by which you do this is in Scripture prayer corporate means come to church take the supper eat the bread drink the cop all these things are calculated by God to spur on and encourage weary pilgrims in the world it's a blessing to see the blessing to see you know a lot of people here tonight I mean this is almost megachurch status for us so we've got you know just come in everywhere I look there's people that's encouraging brethren because the Supper is God's gift to us see we are weary pilgrims and a in a distant land we are weary pilgrims in a sin cursed world and we come in from that world and it's not our service to God it's how we look at the service tonight it's God's service to us he gives us this bounty he gives us this bread he gives us this wine he gives us this symbol this tangible element to recall the great redemptive truth of Calvary's cross why to encourage us to cause us to persevere to cause us to fight to cause us to go forward to resist the temptations of this world to resist the devil to resist our own our own remaining corruption to put to death the deeds of the body by the power of the Holy Spirit all of this is is enjoined here so we've come by the grace of God into the state of reconciliation and then the Apostle Paul says if you continue or if indeed you continue in faith grounded in steadfast and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard why do you think he says that because there's a lot of persons out there trying to move you away from the hope of the gospel which you heard you've got peer group you've got devil you've got you trying to move you away from the hope of the gospel got the devil whispering into your how in the world could you ever think you're a believer you got friends whispering well not even whispering in your how in the world could you ever think you're a believer you ever owned remaining flash sake how in the world could you ever think you're a believer Paul's antidote Romans chapter 8 its Christ who died it's Christ who's risen it is Christ who has ascended at the right hand of the Father our hope our life our everything is tied up in the person and in the work of our Lord Jesus well brethren with reference to this particular text I hope it promotes or provokes from us thankfulness to God as we eat this bread and we drink this cup let's not wander in our minds - next next week let's stop wandering our minds - tonight let's not wander to the marl or Tuesday let's think about the broken body in the shed blood of our Lord Jesus and let's respond with worship with adoration with glory given to our God as well with reference to the context hopefully this promotes watchfulness there are great and alarming things happening great not in a good way but great in an alarming way happening within the context of the church today we need to be on guard we need to be watchful we need to understand the reconciliation that God brought out we need to watch against the same sorts of things that that Paul tells the Colossians that to combat in Chapter two asceticism the very end of chapter two don't teach don't touch don't don't handle so now that's holy no that's not holy holy is belief on the Lord Jesus Christ and walking according to his will as well this sort of mystical legalism that obtained in verses 16 to 19 in Chapter two there's these sorts of things on our horizon and if we're not careful if we don't know the great reckon silly reconciliation of God we will be led astray and we will be prone to wander and leave the God that we love as well we ought to be amazed with reference to this scheme the reality of what we were prior to salvation we were alienated from God we were enemies of God we were intellectually rebellious against God and we were sewers of wicked works against God that's a pretty bad resume isn't it this is my religious life before I became a Christian you know often times and testimony people say well how did you become a Christian they kind of think that it was the next step in a good life you say well I was an enemy enemy of God I I had wicked works I engaged in lawlessness and rebellion just abject wickedness this symbol what the what what are you talking about you mean you'd have to sort of earn this you'd have to work your way up the morality ladder they don't understand that Christianity is a redemptive religion they don't understand that God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself and as well the reality that a reconciliation to God was wrought out by God and it was through the blood of the cross of our Lord Jesus Johnny D says it beautifully he says man does not win his way back to the divine favor by either costly offering or profound penitence God reunites him to himself he is not only provided for such an alliance but actually forms and cements it and in this we rejoice and if you are not a believer here this evening I would encourage you to come to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to look to him who alone can save to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto God through him it is a great joy and a privilege and a blessing above all other privileges and blessings that a man can have to tell sinners that there is a place to go to tell sinners that there is remedy to tell sinners that there is hope to tell sinners that there is everlasting life to tell sinners that there is embrace with God and it comes through the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord believe on him and you shall be saved let us pray our Father we thank you for this gospel it's such a blessing it's such a glorious system it's such a wonderful expression of divine mercy and grace and loving kindness and God we pray that you would encourage our hearts as we eat this bread as we drink this cup that you would encourage our hearts as we reflect upon the goodness of our blessed Savior on our behalf we pray for others to come to know this Christ as Lord and Savior not only here but elsewhere we pray this word would go forth throughout the world that it would not return unto you void but it would accomplish the purpose for which you send it and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen chapter 26 as we transition into the supper Matthew chapter 26 just a couple of preliminary thoughts and then I'll read the passage in Matthew chapter 26 in the first place the ordinance of the Lord's Supper is for believers only it's not for unbelievers that may sound unkind it may sound a bit discriminatory but I apologize that's what the Bible says actually I don't apologize that's what the Bible says we are not to think that this is for unbelievers that it is a means by which sinners are converted or convicted or anything like that no the way that you're converted is by looking by God's grace to the Lord in faith so it's not for unbelievers if you're not a believer we ask that you do not take it as well the ordinance is for believers that are dealing with their sin I think we're familiar with the passage in 1st Corinthians chapter 11 Paul comes to deal with the church there in Corinth I mean there were many problems in that particular church you read 1st Corinthians you say wow I can't imagine that sort of thing went on in the early church why it's always puzzling when people today say well we need to get back to the early church back to Corinth because Corinth had some huge issues that I don't think we would want in our local church I'm convinced that we wouldn't want that in our local church but in 1st Corinthians chapter 11 one of the problems was is that there were sort of division among the people of God and so with the Apostle Paul tells us that we need to examine ourselves we need to look inward not to this to the point where you know it's so introspective we lose all sight of Jesus Christ that's not what his point is but it's look inward examine yourselves to make sure that you're not living at odds with God or men other words repent of your sin forsake your sin deal with your sin with God and with men it doesn't take a week it doesn't take a month it doesn't take five years you can confess your sins to God you can confess your sins to one another and there is mercy to be had so it's for believers and it's for believers who are seeking by the grace of God to live in a manner consistent with the gospel as well with reference to the elements the bread remains bread and the wine and grape juice remain wine grape juice they don't become something other the doctrine of transubstantiation is an abomination this is not an atoning sacrifice this is an unbloody sacrifice in this aspect these things point us to the reality of Christ his broken body his shed blood they don't become something other that then give us some sort of a mystical experience no this aspect of the supper is in fact Memorial these symbols these elements these tangible things are given as concrete representations for our physicality to help us connect with the truth as it's revealed in the gospel narrative so the bread remains bread the wine remains wine the grape juice remains grape juice and just by way of announcement the juice is in the outer ring if you are inclined to take juice versus wine the juice is in the outer ring the wine is in the inner ring and then the final observation by way of a preliminary one is the focus of the supper is on Christ certainly a man needs to examine himself that is obvious from first Corinthians chapter 11 but the supper shouldn't be consumed with the man examining himself you examine yourself and then you go to Christ right one look at yourself three looks at Christ isn't that all goes 10 looks 15 looks 100,000 million billion zillion looks at Christ one look at you zillions at Christ that's a good rule of thumb for each and every one of us not just at suppertime but every time be looking unto our Lord Jesus John Murray made this observation he says it is the Lord we are remembering so frequently believers become so introspective that preoccupation with themselves excludes preoccupation with Christ so examine but go to Jesus be preoccupied with Jesus as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup you don't proclaim you you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes well those are some things to remember in a moment the brothers will come out well the brothers can come to pass out the bread presently and then we'll read in matthew 26:26 after they distribute the bread so while they do that we can sing number 336 hymn number 336 please remain seated as we sing three three six [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] in matthew 26:26 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 God thank you for this glorious work of redemption on behalf of sinners we know that Christ Jesus came into this world sinners to save and this is a blessed truth the glorious thing that you have shown us by your grace that you have revealed to us by the power of the Holy Spirit and God we know that the life of Christ the death of Christ the resurrection all are absolutely crucial for our salvation and as we remember in a particular way his death on our behalf god again draw out from our hearts love and worship and adoration to you the true and the Living God and we pray this through Jesus Christ our Lord amen we'll take together well you can turn to number 276 again the juice is in the outer ring two seven six please remain seated [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] in verse 27 Matthew continues then he took the cup and gave 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 will not drink of this fruit of the 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 well let us pray blessed God we thank you for the ratification of the new covenant in the blood of the Lord Jesus as that Old Covenant was ratified through blood in Exodus 24 we see that same thing here but in an excellent and and more sure way how we praise you that though the blood of bulls and goats could never take away the sin the Lamb of God came to take away the sin of the world thank you for including us in this great redemptive plan thank you for that shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and may we always see our need and may we always see your provision that when we do sin we have an advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous blessed and strengthen us now we pray through Christ our Lord amen we'll take together well you can stand and we'll close our service by singing 352 352 [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you complete 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 for ever and ever amen God thank you for this Sabbath day thank you for the rest that you give us thank you for this down payment of what the eschaton what the heavenly state will be like we look forward to that day when we shall see Christ as he is when we will see him come in the glory of the Father with all of his holy angels and when he brings his bride into that New Jerusalem but until that day God encouraged and strengthened our hearts caused us to persevere cause us to be grounded and to be steadfast and cause us Lord God to find great joy and comfort in your Living Word bless our time of fellowship in the coming moments thank you for food thank you for the blessing of Christian Fellowship the friendships that we have forged and the unity of the saints the union of the people of God we pray that this would be fostered and increased and would grow and that we would all endeavour to keep that unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace thank you and we praise you and we bless you through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation then we can go upstairs for a refreshment if you do not have long to stay please come any way just grab something for the road you