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[Music] welcome to everyone just a reminder there is no Bible study this Wednesday evening as Steve said I'll send out an email tomorrow or Tuesday just to remind you all for our call to worship now you can turn with me in your Bibles to Psalm 116 Psalm 116 a great blessed statement concerning God's grace his mercy his kindness his love the way the psalmist begins in verse 1 he says I loved the Lord because he has heard my voice in my supplications because he has inclined his ear to me therefore I will call upon him as long as I live the pains of death surrounded me and the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me I found trouble in sorrow then I called upon the name of the Lord O Lord I implore you deliver my soul gracious is the Lord and righteous yes our God is merciful the Lord preserves the simple I was brought low and he saved me return to your rest o my soul for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you for you have delivered my soul from death my eyes from tears and my feet from falling I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living I believed therefore I spoke I am greatly afflicted I set in my haste all men are liars what shall i render to the Lord for all his benefits toward me I will take up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord I will pay my vows to the Lord now in the presence of all his people precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints o Lord truly I am your servant I am your servant the son of your maidservant you have loosed my bonds I will offer to you the sacrifice of Thanksgiving and will call upon the name of the Lord I will pay my vows to the Lord now in the presence of all his people in the courts of the Lord's house in the midst of you Oh Jerusalem praise the Lord amen well please turn with me in your hem books to number 164 number 100 sixty-four we can stand as we sing together [Music] amen well let us pray a great God and our holy father we acknowledge your majesty and your glory we come to you and acknowledge what the psalmist that we love you because you hear the voice of our supplications as a result it encourages us to come back to you in prayer to come to the father through the son in the power of the Holy Spirit and to acknowledge that God is most high most wondrous most worthy to be praised and a God who is worthy for the adoration and worship of his creatures how we praise you that you made this world that you govern it by your power and how we praise you for the fact that you have redeemed us out of the world we know Lord God are our status are positioned before you as righteous men and women is not owing to our own righteousness it's not owing to our own obedience or lawfulness but its owing to the Grace and the work and the power of our Lord Jesus Christ on our behalf how we praise you that you made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him we thank you for this glorious gospel of saving grace we thank you for the life of the death the resurrection of our Lord Jesus and we thank you and praise you for the current session of our of our Savior even now at the right hand of God how we look forward to that day when he comes again in glory to judge the living in the dead and our earnest clean and hopeful desires that each and every one here would be clothed in that righteousness of our Lord Christ that we would be prepared to meet him on that day that we would know that blessedness of being found in him not having our own righteousness which is from the law but that righteousness which is given freely by you graciously to us and it's received by faith alone we give all praise to you for so great a salvation and our desire is is that others would come to know this that they would take kiss the son lest he be angry and they perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little and even tonight Lord God as your word goes forth here and we're in this city we ask that you would bless sinners that you had open ears and hearts to receive the truth of the gospel we pray that today would be the day of salvation for persons from every tribe tongue people and nation we pray Lord God that you would exercise that sovereign power as the psalmist says you make men willing in the day of your power and even tonight Lord God as your word goes forth may it go forth conquering and to conquer we thank you for other churches in our community that are faithfully preaching the word of truth we pray that you would prosper them and bless them we pray throughout this nation Lord God that the true Churches of the Lord Jesus Christ would know the nearness of God as our good that father we would seek by our grace to proclaim the whole counsel of God to be a prayerful people and to seek by grace to shine as lights in this crooked and perverse generation and to hold forth your word of truth and even now father as we enter into your presence we see your holiness so clearly revealed in Scripture we know that you are a God whose eye is too pure to approve of any evil and father we see our own waywardness our own proneness to wander our prone to leave the god that we love so we confess our sins even to you now asking that you would cleanse us in the blood of the Lord Jesus God there are so many promises to that effect in Holy Scripture that it does and encourage the weary heart it does encourage us and aren't remain in corruption to maintain short accounts with you knowing that you are a God who is full of mercy a God who is full of grace and a God who does hear the prayers of his people and who does exercise mercy and forgiveness and that loving kindness that is truly a perfection of Almighty God Father we pray that you would fill us with your Holy Spirit grant us strength and grace from on high that as we move in this world we would do so in a manner that is consistent with your Holy Word that you would fill us and help us and guide us and direct us so that we may be faithful witnesses to you in this world and God when we do sin let us never forget that we do have an advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous and God tonight as we consider his death for us in a particular manner we pray that our hearts would be drawn out and worship and in praise and adoration for God it is a truly amazing story the gospel narrative that the holy son of God took on our humanity with all of the essential properties in the common infirmities thereof and yet without sin that he lived in our place that he died in our place that he rose again so that all who looked to him in faith will have everlasting life what a truly blessed gospel and what a truly great encouragement to each of our hearts and as we see that word tonight as we look at these elements the bread and the wine may we indeed remember in a special way our Lord's work on our behalf and God made you through this ordinance strengthen us and confirm our faith and cause us to grow in the Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior that we would know that blessed contact with the living and true God as it comes to fruition in public worship we ask Lord in heaven that you would be pleased to look with favor upon this church helping each and every one of us to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace we know from the the section concerning the supper in 1st Corinthians 11 this is a great concern for you Lord God that your people show and demonstrate that unity that love for one another and God forgive us that it's not what it ought to be strengthened it in us so that we may display not only love to God but love to one another we ask father that you would bless our church in terms of those who are suffering those who have ongoing illness those who are not well physically and those who are not well spiritually we would commit each one to you into the word of your grace and pray that you would undertake on on behalf of your saints here that you would strengthen each and every one of us in the inner man that you would help us Lord God to have that encouragement that realization that Christ is at the right hand of God Almighty that he ever lives to make intercession for us that he is our advocate with the father and that he is coming again and glory to to collect his bride God may these things indeed cause us to find great comfort in the midst of troubling times and Lord God may you indeed study our hearts and our souls with your Holy Scripture and we ask these things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ amen well please turn with me again in your Trinity hymnal to 460 it's four six zero we'll stand as we sing together [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] amen we could turn with me in your Bibles to first John chapter 3 for our meditation this evening before the supper first John chapter 3 first John chapter 3 I'll begin reading in verse actually I'll begin reading in chapter 2 at verse 28 first John 2:28 and now little children abide in him that when he appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming if you know that he is righteous you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him behold what manner of love the father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God therefore the world does not know us because it did not know him beloved now we are children of God and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be but we know that when he is revealed we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is and everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness and sin is lawlessness and you know that he was manifested to take away our sins and in him there is no sin whoever abides in him does not sin whoever sins has neither seen him nor known em little children let no one deceive you he who practices righteousness is righteous just as he is righteous he who sins is of the devil for the devil has sinned from the beginning for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil whoever has been born of God does not sin for his seed remains in him and he cannot sin because he has been born of God in this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God nor is he who does not love his brother for this is the message that you heard from the beginning that we should love one another not as Cain who is of the wicked one and murdered his brother and why did he murder him because his works were evil and his brothers righteous do not marvel my brethren if the world hates you we know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren he who does not love his brother abides in death whoever hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him by this we know love because he laid down his life for us and we also ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren but whoever has this world's goods and sees his brother in need and shuts up his heart from him how does the love of God abide in him my little children let us not love in Word or in tongue but in deed and in truth and by this we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him for if our heart condemns us God is greater than our heart and knows all things beloved if our heart does not condemn us we have confidence toward God and whatever we ask we receive from him because we keep his Commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight and this is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us commandment now he who keeps his Commandments abides in him and he and him and by this we know that he abides in us by the Spirit whom He has given us amen well let us pray our Father we thank you for this wonderful passage of Holy Scripture we pray now for the Ministry of the Spirit who gave it to us we ask God that you would seal upon our heart the glorious reality that we have been called we are Dean the sons of God we ask father that we would reflect upon this and and give glory and praise and honor to you for that grace of adoption for that blessed inclusion and the promises of God and the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that made this not only possible but actual again Father forgive us for our sins and our transgressions fill us with that spirit and guide us into all truth and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well in this particular section specifically chapter 2 verse 28 our chapter 2 verse 29 to chapter 3 verse 3 John highlights the marks of the children of God if you notice at verse 29 he says if you know that he is right that he is righteous you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him in other words there is this close connection between God's grace and the practice of righteousness it's not that we practice righteousness and as a result he makes us to be born of him no we practice righteousness because we have been born of him there is a parallel thought in chapter 4 that I think we ought to appreciate I'm sorry chapter 5 same sort of idea in verse 1 whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God so it's not the case that we turn on faith we start to believe and as a result now we are born of God no it is simply not the case sovereign grace precedes saving faith sovereign grace precedes the action of righteousness on the part of God's people John could it be more conspicuous John is teaching here what we would call today Calvinism or reformed theology but as we as we look specifically at chapter 3 I want to focus on verse 1 and in this context in verse 1 he calls attention to our present blessedness in verse 2 he highlights our future glory and then in verse 3 he describes our constant pursuit but I just want to focus again on verse 1 when he says behold what manner of love the father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God therefore the world does not know us because it did not know him I think it is good for us as the people of God to reflect upon the perfections of God we tried to do a little bit of that last Sunday night in our study in the first commandment when we consider the knowledge of God we need to know who he is according to his being his power his glory we also need to know something of his perfections and that love of God is certainly a perfection that should fill the hearts of his people with great comfort and encouragement so I want to look at verse one under four considerations first there is the call to consider secondly the object in view thirdly the blessed result and fourthly the attendant conflict but note first he says behold this is a call to consider we need this from time to time we need to stop in the midst of the day perhaps not when our arm is near machinery or something like that but we need to ponder the great love of God Almighty David does this in Psalm 103 he says bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless His Holy Name he says it again bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits and then he rehearses the various things that God has done in his life brethren as believers in Christ it is good for us to meditate upon the perfections of God and I want to suggest tonight with reference to John's call to consider that the love of God is one to ponder it is one to muse upon it is one to meditate over it is one to find great joy from John says behold he calls attention to this reality Jill says see take notice consider look by faith with wonder and astonishment and observe how great a favour what an instance of matchless love what a wonderful blessing of grace another commentator Hebert says behold or see calls upon the readers to take a heart moving look at the amazing love which gave them membership in God's family turn back for just a moment to Ephesians chapter 3 Ephesians chapter 3 just so you can see this is not an isolated case in Scripture Ephesians chapter 3 at verse 14 the Apostle lets us in to his prayer closet the Apostle tells us how he prays for the people of God and in verse 14 he says for this reason I bow my knees to the father of our Lord Jesus Christ from whom the whole family in heaven and earth his name that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might through his spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith that you being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge and then thirdly that you made filled with all the fullness of God each of those are something Paul prays for with reference to these Ephesian believers and in that second instance he wants the people of God to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and lengthen and depth and height to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge brethren to encourage our hearts it is not our love for God that is ultimately going to do that as the hymn writer says we are prone to wander we are prone to leave the god that we love it's God's love for us that ought to encourage us it's God's love for us that ought to fortify us it's God's love for us that we need to ponder and consider and meditate upon that's the emphasis of the Apostle in first John chapter 3 verse 1 behold what manner of love the father has bestowed on us so the call to consider you need to do this conscientiously in your life you need to set aside times for prayer you need to set aside times for Bible reading notice that I'm not prescribing which time if you're not up at 4 a.m. and praying over your Greek New Testament by 4:10 and doing that for three hours before you know that's not the way any Minister can go about this but I can't encourage you in light of 2nd Peter 3:18 to grow in the Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ it doesn't happen by osmosis it doesn't happen magically it doesn't happen just because we want it to happen it happens as a result of the employment of the means of grace when we read our Bibles when we pray excuse me when we meditate upon and contemplate God's glorious Word when we attend the public means and we hear sermons like this we attend the public means with reference to the supper and we consciously rehearse God's love for us in and through the person of our Lord Jesus Christ so behold take a moment to reflect consider contemplate ponder now notice secondly the object in view he says behold what manner of love the father has bestowed on us the first thing John sets forth is the grace of God this is a bestow of love we didn't earn God's love we didn't merit God's love in fact we merit just the opposite what does every sin deserve every sin deserves God's wrath and curse both in this life and that which is to come so I mentioned this morning we don't say we don't praise with amazing fairness how sweet the sound we praise God for Amazing Grace he bestowed this upon us he gave us this freely not owing to anything in us it's not the case that we come to the table with a great deal of goods and then God sets his love and affection upon us that's not what's highlighted it is the free bestow the gracious bestow of God's love upon the sinner notice in first John 4:10 first John 4:10 John says in this is love not that we love God again we do love God and by God's grace that's a wonderful thing do we love God the way we ought to love God no we don't because that would mean every moment of every day consciously loving him with all our heart soul mind and strength and so the but but even in that it's not something that should perplex anyone when the creature loves the Creator that's the way it ought to be we owe him that he made us he feeds us he clothes us he gives us water he gives us beautiful days he gives us the the season changes he gives us daily benefits as the psalmist says but in this first tent he says in this is love not not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins in other words he sent his son who took on our humanity and that son stood in our place and took the wrath of God Almighty that was owing us in other words we are not owed love we are owed wrath but Christ and His goodness and in His graciousness stood in our place and bore that shame bore that penalty and exhausted the wrath of God on behalf of all those whom the father had given him John dill describes this bestow love love he says this blessing comes not by nature nor by merit but by grace the grace of adoption which is of persons onto an inheritance they have no legal right unto the spring of it is the everlasting and unchangeable love of God for there was no need on the adopters side he having an only begotten and beloved son and no worth and loveliness in the adopted they being by nature children of Wrath it is a privilege that exceeds all others and is attended with many so that it is no wonder the Apostle breaks out in this pathetic manner and calls upon the saints to view it with admiration and thankfulness that's a great statement concerning John's words behold what manner of love the father has bestowed on us and then as we consider that specific aspect that very perfection of God that love of God that He bestows on us we need to remember that God is unchanging God is impassable it's not the case that at some particular point in the continuum of time even in eternity past that he made a decision all that is in God is God God is always all that he is there's never been any diminishment of that there's never been any increase so the things that I offer now are according to the manner of men it is to describe for us this great love in a way that we can sort of sink our teeth into in the first place he loved us before the foundation of the world I don't know about you but I find that very encouraging it's not the case that at some certain point in time in our time God said oh there's a nice guy nice girl or there's one that I want to set my affection on no it was before the foundation of the world Romans chapter 8 that wonderful skeletal statement concerning the Ordo salutis for whom he foreknew he also predestined the foreknowledge there in Romans chapter 8 is not God looking down the tunnel of time seeing persons who would believe in repent and then predestinated them on to our Lord Jesus Christ that's not foreknowledge in Romans 8 for knowledge is love foreknowledge is God's knowing us it says specifically for whom he foreknew not for what he foreknew it's not our act of faith it's not our act of repentance that somehow puts us in God's predestinated path it's because God foreknew us and because God predestined us that we do believe and that we do repent you have that statement the Apostle Paul in Ephesians chapter 1 you can turn there the fees charged us to meditate upon to ponder to reflect on this great love of God he loved us before the foundation of the world notice in Ephesians 1:3 blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world and that's a lot of comfort for the beat people of God I think at times we gloss over such statements or we pull Emma sighs excuse me such statements we come to beat up our minions and we use Ephesians 1:4 but let's meditate upon what do you say he loved us he chose us in him before the foundation of the world but he doesn't stop there he goes on to say that we should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to himself sometimes you get this caricature of predestination or election or Sovereign Grace and it almost seems like it's it's this informal this impersonal this sort of Stata machinery that that fade up there just somehow controls it's in love he predestinated us it's in love he purposed our adoption as sons unto himself by Jesus Christ John Diehl makes the Blessed observation here election does not find men in Christ but puts them there think about that election does not find men in Christ but puts them there it gives them a being in him and union to him brethren and he does that in love according to verses 4 and 5 in our passage secondly he demonstrated this love in history you know at times in a marriage relationship hopefully not at times hopefully it's part of the regular sort of ebb and flow of a marriage you tell each other you love each other and then there are those demonstrations that it's not just talk it's not you know just a verbalization well God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son right he doesn't just say I love the world but he actually sends the son the second person of the Trinity into the world to manifest and demonstrate the the glory of that love he shows it it is evidence it is obvious it is manifested in our Bibles notice in Romans chapter 5 Romans chapter 5 so considering the love of God he loved us before the foundation of the world he demonstrates this love in history Romans 5:6 for when we were still without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly for scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die but God demonstrates his own love toward us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us you see a demonstration of God's love is seen in the sending of his son while we were still sinners he goes on in verse 9 much more then having now been justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him 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 and not only that but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ so whom we have now received the reconciliation see if God loved people that were lovely that would be nice right if somebody dies for a righteous man that is a nice and a good thing the glory of the gospel is that he loves on lovely ones the glory of the gospel is he loves bankrupt ones the glory of the gospel is that he loves the likes of you and me God demonstrated his own love toward us and that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us it is magnified it is manifested look at Romans chapter eight Romans chapter eight verse 31 what then shall we say to these things I think or I take this as chapters 5 to 8 what then shall we say to these things it's great declaration concerning justification by faith the sanctification of God's people by the spirit the remaining corruption of Romans chapter 7 the glorious no condemnation of Romans chapter 8 and in verse 31 he's kind of bringing this section 2 to a crescendo he's going to start in chapter 9 and then go till chapter 11 to deal with the place of ethnic Israel the deal with Sovereign Grace to deal with predestination to deal with those sorts of things but at this juncture look at what he says in verse 31 what then shall we say to these things if God is for us who can be against us he who did not spare his own son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things who shall bring a charge against God's elect it is God who justifies who is he who condemns it is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen who's even at the right hand of God who also makes intercession for us who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword as it is written for your sake we are killed all day long we're accounted accounted as sheep for the slaughter now note verse 37 not now note because all that's great but in verse 37 he says yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us for I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord it's a beautiful testimony to the love of God to his people and one that I hope you find encouraging in your pilgrimage a third aspect concerning God's love he will love us throughout eternity it's not the case that he'll discard us it's not the case that he'll finish with us it's not the case that he'll move on from us but rather his love is unchangeable look at John 13 John 13 a wonderful statement in verse 1 now before the Feast of the / when Jesus knew that his hour had come that he should depart from this world to the father having excuse me having loved his own who were in the world he loved them to the end there's no sort of stop with Christ there's no sort of abandonment with Christ there's no discard with Christ some of you some of us have been brought up in what we call broken homes today a parent or perhaps both parents laughed and there was that sort of wreckage that comes as a result of such things and and it really causes children it causes persons affected by such things - to actually think well these people mustn't love me you'll never have that with your relationship with God you will never run into that scenario where God departs from you what's one of those Most Blessed promises that we find in Scripture I will never leave you and I will never forsake you God doesn't enter into covenant with somebody simply to break that covenant or to renege on it the covenant of grace is inviolable not because of us but because of God that speaks great encouragement to the people of God and then first John 3:2 our tax the very next verse highlights that reality that those loved by God will always be loved by God verse 2 beloved now we are children of God and and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be but we know that when he is revealed we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is in other words we will participate in that future blessedness that bliss and glory that has been secured by God for his people and then a final thought isn't exegetical in nature but it's theological last Sunday night when we rehearsed some of the perfections of God I mentioned the doctrine of divine impassibility impassibility means not only that God doesn't change that God can't change but it's not just his sort of external acts toward man but it's God himself it's the the doctrine of divine impassibility teaches this it is that divine attribute of perfection whereby God is said not to experience inner emotional changes whether enacted freely from within or affected by his relationship to and interaction with human beings and the created order now if that sounds a bit perplexing you can talk to Camp Porter afterwards and he'll explain the doctrine of defined impossibility to you but the point is this there's no flux with God there's no change with God there's no increase with God there's no diminishment with God I mentioned last Sunday night persons unfortunately misrepresent this and highlight or they say this means God is inert God is static God is has no emotion God has no affection God has no sort of feeling as it were now I wouldn't use any of those languages to describe God emotion misspeaks change affection bespeaks change we cannot predicate or say that about God because there is no change within God but what the doctrine of divine impossibility does is it secures what our confession of faith highlights concerning God in the section dealing with his goodness in second London confession chapter two paragraph 1 it tells us he's most loving now I want you to ponder that if not tonight under the preaching of the word sometime this week consider those two words most loving that is the case because God is impossible he can't get more loving to you he can't get less loving to you God is impossible he is immutable he does not change there's no flux there's no shift there's no today and then tomorrow it's not the case that God sits up in heaven with a daisy plucking out the petal saying they love me or I love them I love them not I love them I love them not he's always most loving to his people there is no greater expression of the love of God than what God has already expressed as our confession goes on most loving gracious merciful long-suffering abundant and goodness and truth excuse me forgiving iniquity transgression and sin brethren the love of God is a most blessed perfection and one that demands our meditations we've seen the call to consider the object in view let's look thirdly at the blessed result back in 1st John 3:1 he says behold what manner of love the father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God now our former state the we there our sinners were deemed by sovereign grace the we there are those dead in their trespasses and sins the we there are those enemies described in Romans chapter 5 they were completely unable they were at enmity with God they they hated God and God was not favorable to them in that state but with reference to this particular statement what is John saying that we should be called children of God we have been adopted into the very house of God doesn't the scripture encourage us with that sort of language in first Timothy how does Paul described the church he calls it the household of God so I've often thought I'm just going to be honest here persons that don't come to the supper it'd be akin to living in a home and having a meal together and persons not coming you all live together in the same house nobody's at work nobody's got you know any providential hindrance there's no reason why they shouldn't be President mealtime this is mealtime and God is the householder that has convened this hour God is the one calling us together it is his household we have been adopted into the family of God we are sons and daughters of God and as a result we show him that we love him back and in this instance the idea is is that we have been adopted into the family of God BB Warfield makes this observation I shared this in our confession study some weeks ago in the section on adoption but he notices that Paul speaks of adoption where John speaks of begetting for John we are begotten of God we are born of God we are born again for the Apostle Paul we are adopted into the family of God now it Warfield's gonna argue and I think correctly there's no difference between Paul and John there's no difference whatsoever between adopted status in the family of God and those born into the family of God you know anything about adoption at this particular juncture in history adopted sons had the rights and privileges of a natural-born son that's the glory of the Christian doctrine of adoption in Romans chapter 8 what are we called with reference to Christ joint heirs with Christ within the family of God this adoption doesn't mean that they're second-tier family members they're a little lower on the scale but they both come at this particular teaching inclusion into the family of God in different ways and as Warfield says there is a corresponding difference in the use by Paul and John of the conception of child shapour sonship to God in accordance with his juridical point of view his legal point of view his forensic point of view Paul speaks of sonship conferred by adoption and thinks of child ship I'm sorry thinks of our acquisition of the rights and the inheritance of sons in accordance with his essential point of view John speaks of child ship has conveyed through birth and thinks of growing up into the likeness of God accordingly Paul prefers the term sons we're adults received by God's grace into the number of his sons and john prefers the term children or even little children we are born into the family of God as the infants of his household this difference in the use of the conception of child ship is not a difference of doctrine it is only a difference in the illustrative use of the conception of child ship in the setting forth of doctrine all that to say the end game is the same but call a Paul comes at it in this way of adoption John speaks as of us as having been born into the family of God it is a great and a glorious position that we maintain but as well within the rest of the book John highlights the resulting conduct now I don't want to preach Duty tonight because as we gather for the supper it's gospel that should orient our minds it's Christ and is doing and is dying but there is that corollary when we come to the supper there is that means of grace element there is that confirmation of our faith there is that that fresh renewal as it were this is a covenant renewal miel and we ought to leave here purposing and desiring to walk in the newness of life that God has conveyed upon us so it's not law for the sake of law but rather let us look at what John says is is conduct characteristic of the children of God and there are many instances in this book of first John where we see him do that very thing in the first place the child of God obeys the commandments of God not because he wants to be saved but because he by grace has been saved and then the natural reflex is to walk in God's law it is to walk in God's Spirit according to the written word look at chapter 2 verse 3 now by this we know that we know him if we keep his Commandments many persons have rightly seen that first John is a great book to sort of examine ourselves with these are characteristics of the children of God these are characteristics of those who have believed the gospel this is what God's people look like do they look like this perfectly no they don't those passages in verse chapter 3 it is not teaching sinless perfection he's talking about the the difference between reigning and remaining he's talking about practicing a particular pattern of wickedness or sin not saying that true believers never fall into sin David was a true believer who fell into most grievous sin Peter was a true believer who also fell into most grievous sin when he denied his master so John is not teaching or affirming John Wesley's doctrine of perfection is up he is simply indicating what is true the trajectory of God's people is to be practicing righteousness again not spotlessly not perfectly not without blemish because John's already taught first John 1:9 if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness an odd statement if he actually thinks that his audience or his hearers can arrive at sinless perfection first John 2:1 my little children I write these things so that you may not sin but if anyone does sin we have an get with the Father even Jesus Christ the righteous the doctrine of Christian perfectionism is absolutely wrong there is remaining corruption in the hearts of God's people so as we examine those things or as we examine these things don't immediately talk yourself out of the kingdom of God because you sinned last month I don't think you have to go back to last month / personally but you get the point let's not be so quick to talk ourselves out in light of what God's grace looks like in Holy Scripture he is a God of mercy a god of kindness a God of love a God who does pour out forgiveness on his wayward saints notice in - 29 - 29 if you know that he is righteous you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him notice in chapter 3 here's a great commandment verse 23 and this is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us commandment sometimes you'll hear persons suggest that gospel preachers aren't ever ought never to tell people to believe why shouldn't riri hearse what God commands sinners to do why shouldn't we invoke first John 3:23 why shouldn't we tell sinners that God commands you to believe how is that overstepping boundaries how is that reneging on our gospel ministry specific duty with reference to gospel preaching of course we're supposed to tell sinners to believe of course we're supposed to tell sinners to repent of course this message is to go from from sea to sea this is what God has purposed to blast for the saving of sinners does that imply or infer or does John think that dead sinners have the ability in themselves to believe absolutely positively not because in 1st John 5 he says whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God John affirms Sovereign Grace and John affirms the commandment of God is that we should believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another so the resulting conduct for the children of God in the first place the child of God bays the commandments of God notice in first John 5:3 for this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and His commandments are not burdensome we need to appreciate that it's never the case that God's commandments are burdensome it's probably always the case that our obedience to them aren't sluggish but there's no problem with God's commandments I find it very suspect when the professing people of God have a problem with the commandments of God now I realize we all practically have a problem in the fact that we don't obey them as we ought that's not what I'm talking about a doctrinal problem what is called antinomianism this idea that we're not under law or under grace oh but pastor Butler the Bible says that but it doesn't mean what they're telling you it means it just does not mean what they're telling you it means of course the believer blood-bought child of God indwelt by the Holy Spirit has to look at the law of God as something good and something wonderful he's like David I love your law it is the meditation of my heart day and night this idea that commandment keeping is legalistic or commandment-keeping is contrary to the spontaneity of the Christian man is simply not a biblical concept what Jesus say in the upper room in John 14 if you love me what if you love me you'll keep my Commandments again the reflex response of those loved by Christ is that they want to follow Christ again let me qualify it again you're not going to do it perfectly you're not going to do it 100% but there's going to be in your heart this desire to pursue the things that are pleasing to God because you are members of his household he has determined what is good in his household and as a result we seek my grace to pursue those things secondly the child of God loves the children of God the child of God loves the children of God notice in chapter 2 at verse 9 he who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in darkness until now he who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in but he waits his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes notice in chapter 3 verse 13 do not marvel my brethren if the world hates you we know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren we know that we have passed from death to life because we don't want to steal from each other and we don't want to kill each other and we want to actually enjoy one another's company we we know that we've passed from death to life if our perspective on the people of God has changed notice the close connection in verse 15 do not marvel my brethren if the world hates you that's a settled reality the world hates God's people but God's people love God's people well the world despises God's people the the people of God each love each other it's a wonderful thing and that's what he says we know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren he who does not love his brother abides in death whoever hates his brother as a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him just like just like Cain he's a he's a murderer he took that stone or whatever implement will they implement it was and he dispatched his brother Abel he's in the context this is the emphasis it's not the reality that the people of God act like came toward Abel it's the reality that the people have God love one another as God calls us to notice in verse 18 of chapter 3 my little children let us not love in Word or in tongue but in deed and in truth and by this we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him for four hearts condemn us God is greater than our heart and knows all things beloved if our heart does not condemn us we have confidence toward God and then in chapter four verses 7 to 11 chapter 4 verses 7 will 11 beloved let us love one another for love is of God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God he who does not love does not know God for god is love not a beautiful statement God is love can you say that about us God a man is love no we love we have the capacity to love there's a bit of love in us hopefully more than it used to be but God is love God is his attribute all that is in God is God God death initially is love it's a glorious packed statement concerning his being concerning his his majesty and his wisdom and his glory verse 9 and this the love of God was manifested toward us that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him and this is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins beloved if God so loved us notice the next implication we also ought to love one another see the child of God who maintains occupancy in the household of God is one who obeys the commandments secondly loves the children of God thirdly he loves the truth of God he doesn't hate the Bible he doesn't hate gospel preaching he doesn't hate Bible reading but rather he affirms God's truth he welcomes God's truth and he is that one described by Christ in the Beatitudes he he hungers and he thirst after righteousness the truth of God is the balm of Gilead it is the thing that fills our soul and helps us to be stable in this world notice in chapter 2 verses 22 to 25 chapter 2 verses 22 to 25 who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ he's Antichrist who denies the father and the son whoever denies the son does not have the father either he acknowledges the son has the father also you see this idea that is taught popularly in what's called dispensationalism this pre-trib rapture thing that there's this future malevolent Antichrist and you know waiting in the scenes to to sort of make this covenant with the nations and take that's not how john treats antichrist that is not how john presents antichrist the antichrist according to john was a christological heresy the antichrist was pervasive among those who denied that christ had come in the flesh it denied that Christ was the Christ of God and all things consistent with what Scripture teaches us it's not some you know political figure that we're gonna watch eventually evolved into this Antichrist that that is not what John is emphasizing in these passages in 1st and 2nd John the only place where you see Antichrist mention it is not on this future malevolent sort of dictator that the nations of the earth are going to bow down to that's not biblical eschatology that's not biblical anything ology that's just bad theology John says whoever denies the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ that is Antichrist he denies the father and the son whoever denies the son verse 23 does not have the father either he who acknowledged the son as the father also verse 24 therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning if what you heard from the beginning abides in you you also will abide in the Son and in the father and this is the promise that he has promised us eternal life abide in that which you heard from the beginning John says that doctrine delivered by god through the holy apostles what you heard and received hold on to that stand fast in it as these Antichrist come along and start to deny Jesus don't give them a hearing don't give them an ear don't listen to what they have to say don't go to their Bible studies but rather abide in the truth that has been delivered once for all to the Saints of Christ Most High notice in chapter 4 chapter 4 verse 1 beloved do not believe every spirit but test the spirits whether they are of God because many false prophets have gone out into the world by this you know the Spirit of God every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God and this is the spirit of the Antichrist which you have heard was coming and is now already in the world see for John it's not some future malevolent sort of agent of of malice and shame and torture that's not what John says concerning Antichrist it is a departure from the truth concerning Jesus and John's point but the child of God is that he abides in the truth he loves the truth he buys it and he sells it not he says in verse 4 you are of God little children and have overcome them because he who is in you is greater than he was in the world they are of the world therefore they speak as of the world and the world hears that we are of God he who knows God hears us he was not of God does not hear us by this we know the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of error a fourth observation with reference to the child of God is that he has the Spirit of God notice in 413 413 by this we know that we abide in him and he in us because he has given us of his spirit see God so loved the world he not only gave His only begotten Son but us having come to Christ received the Holy Spirit when that spirit fell upon those Gentiles there in John in Acts chapter 10 that was a unique sort of a Gentile Pentecost situation when we see that happen in Samaria in Acts chapter 8 it's unique it's a one time sort of non repeatable thing it's bringing to fruition salvation history redemptive history it it's showing the fulfillment of the prophets same sort of emphasis there in Acts chapter 2 but that is not to suggest that the believing sinner does not receive the Holy Spirit the believing sinner by God's grace receives the Spirit of God look at Ephesians chapter 1 Ephesians chapter 1 the Apostle Paul highlighting the three persons of the Trinity actually praising the father for the action of the triune God in the salvation of sinners he blesses God for what the father has done in terms of predestination and election he blesses the father because it's the father who sends the son and it's in him we have redemption through his blood he blesses the father because of the ministry and the work of the Holy Spirit and that brings us to verse 13 in him you also trusted after you heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation in whom also having believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise excuse me who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory see how you come to Christ when you believe the gospel you received the Holy Spirit that doesn't mean you're gonna speak in tongues that doesn't mean you're gonna go on the charismatic sort of circuit and do your thing it means that he has sealed you he has guaranteed this and he will never let you go and in 1st John 4 when he says greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world there's actually people out there that teach that that Christians blood BOTS can be demon-possessed no that's not gonna happen you can be sinful you got issues you got problems to be sure but the Spirit of God does not allow demons to take up residence in the hearts of his people and then finally the child of God loves God the child of God loves God notice in first John 4:19 sorry I'm ins there first John 4:19 we love Him because He first loved us we don't love him because we're good we don't love him because we respond to the Creator the way the creature should because in Adam all died there's not that that love by nature but because of God's grace because he loved us we love him in return and then that's emphasized again in 1st John 5 notice in verse 1 whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and everyone who loves him who begot also loves him who is begotten of him by this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his Commandments so as we look back at first John 3 verse 1 there is a call to consider behold there is an object in view what manner of love the father has bestowed on us there was a blessed result that we should be called children of God but then he ends with the attendant conflict this will not be received by the world there is this antithesis that God instituted according to genesis 3:15 genesis 3:15 is programmatic for world history not only in terms of the redeeming work of the son of god the skull-crushing seed of the woman but god says i will put enmity between these seeds between the seed of the woman and between the devil himself you see that enmity arise with Cain and Abel you see that enmity all through the early chapters of Genesis you see that enmity persist and continue the world despises the people of God the world despises those who own God the world despises those who serve God and John doesn't want to let us forget this so all the while behold what manner of love the father has bestowed on us that we should be called the sons of God but realize that will evoke from the world a degree of enmity a degree of hostility is john being a downer does John wanna ruin our our great meditation upon the Lord God Most High no I think he's highlighting and he's stressing what differentiates the people of God and the people of the world notice in 1st John 3:13 do not marvel my brethren if the world hates you notice back in John's Gospel at John 15 John 15 where Jesus instructs his disciples in this key and fundamental truth John 15 at verse 18 if the world hates you you know that it hated me before it hated you if you were of the world the world would love its own yet because you are not of the world but I chose you out of the world therefore the world hates you remember the word that I said to you a servant is not greater than his master if they persecuted me they will also persecute you if they kept my word they will keep yours also but all these things they will do to you for my name's sake because they do not know him who sent me if I had not come and spoken to them they would have no sin but now they have no excuse for their sin he who hates me hates my father also if I had not done among them the works which no one else did they would have have no sin but now they have seen and also hated both me and my father but this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law they hated me without a cause so the obvious implication is that if we are children of the Living God if in the midst of the context of the church we express love to one another when we actually imitate the master when we walk or traverse this earth in a manner that is consistent with his law by the power of His Holy Spirit again that not perfectly there will be animosity there will be antipathy there will be enmity because God brought it in genesis 3:15 on until the sons of god are brought home to glory there's going to be those difficulties those trials and those tribulations for the people of God so first John 3:1 hopefully is a great source of encouragement for our hearts as we consider what manner of love the father has bestowed on us now in terms of our observance of the supper tonight it is a blessed ordinance that we participate in it's a blessed time for us to remember these themes to bless it time for us to call to consideration what God in Christ has done for us yes this is a memorial service we remember Jesus we're not recruits of firing him we're not changing these things into the actual body of Jesus and the blood of Jesus it and therefore offering up a newest sacrifice so we remember what he does on our behalf but it's also a time to participate in communion with him union with him joyful expressions of love to him as we sing we need to ponder the Lord Christ as we eat this bread and drink this cup we need to trust that the Lord Christ is with us not physically the way Romanism or Lutheranism may teach but in terms of the Spirit Christ by his Spirit is present in his assemblies in Revelation chapter 1 where do we see Jesus he is walking in the midst of the lampstand and some of those lampstands had some big issues some of those lampstands were not you know firing on all cylinders some of those lampstands would be condemned by the lord christ in chapters 2 and 3 but nevertheless there he is in their midst this isn't just an empty ritual it's not just ritualism it's not just sacramentalism it's not just that there's a benefit by somehow eating bread and drinking wine but it's the mind connecting with who God is with who the person in the work of Christ is considering love considering grace considering mercy considering that we are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked our hearts and yet God has saved us God has redeemed us God has cleansed us we live in those days prophesied by Zechariah when he says behold in those days there will be a fountain open for sin and uncleanness as the hymn writer says we're plunged beneath that flood and we lose all our guilty stains brethren behold what manner of love the father has bestowed on us that we should be called the sons of God so let's not have approached this as just something we do at free grace Baptist on the first Sunday of the month but let's enter into that communion with our Lord to enter into that communion with the father as we come through the son and we trust that the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit is among us as well let us reflect upon the fact that we have this body to be a part of it's an imperfect body brethren we've got issues we've got sins we've got problems there's no such thing as a perfect church on earth but by God's grace we are a church on earth can we improve in the way that we express that love for one another absolutely positively but praise God for those expressions of love that we have received that we have demonstrated that we have manifested to one another we ought to ponder the communion not only with God but that we have for one another I mentioned this morning Paul's problem in 1st Corinthians 11 is not first and foremost gluttony and drunkenness I'm not suggesting Paul is okay with gluttony and drunkenness but what Paul is definitely not okay with is division among the people of God and if we have a modicum of that we ought to praise God Almighty from whom all goodness flows well let's pray and then we'll consider in a bit more detail what the text says concerning the supper father we thank you for that that amazing love that you have shown us that amazing love that you've set upon us that amazing love that that we have not because we're good but because you're good because you're great and glorious and you have purpose to save a multitude that no man can number and God as we reflect tonight on the death of our Lord Jesus may we see in this the manifestation of the righteousness of God to be sure and the Justice of God and the grace and mercy of God but let us hear the preaching of the love of God as it comes loud and clear through the death of the Savior on behalf of all those whom the there had given him we give you praise we give you glory we give you thanks that you have included us in your household that you have provided to us this this covenant renewal meal and God as we eat tonight as we drink tonight may it be for the glory and praise of our good and gracious father and we ask in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen well you can turn to Matthew chapter 26 Matthew chapter 26 the place where Jesus initiates the Supper with his disciples again a few reminders the ordinance of the supper is for believers only we ask that if you're not a believer tonight you don't have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the main issue for you is to believe the gospel it is to believe on Jesus it is to look unto Him and live just as the Son of Man or that just as the serpent was lifted up in the wilderness so must the Son of Man be lifted up all those who by grace look unto Jesus will have everlasting life but until such time as you look and live please do not partake in the supper tonight as well the ordinance of the supper is for believers who are dealing with their sin according to God's Word remember it's for sinners it's for redeemed sinners but not for redeem sinners that are holding on tenaciously to a particular sin a redeemed sinner who wants to neglect the have-nots at the Covenant meal or at the the meal before the Lord's Supper we need to deal with our sin brethren we need to confess it we need to forsake it and we will find mercy from God now I don't suggest that that means you've got to wait you know until the next time the the bread and the wine come around you're free to pray to God in your pew and ask him to forgive you isn't that a beautiful thing none of those passages dealing with forgiveness are conditional upon time location wait wait wait till you get to church on Sunday and then if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us those who are brought up in Roman Catholicism that's essentially what it was yeah you had to schedule an appointment you had to go into the box you had to tell the priest your sins well you know that was contingent upon time location you know all that all those sorts of variables the Blessed truth of the Christian gospel is that if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us you can do that in your Pew you can do that in your bed you can do that on your walk you can do that in your car just keep your eyes open but you can certainly confess your sins and God is faithful and just to forget so do not get it into your head well you know I I send it and I'm seeking to deal with it but I'm not fit and ready for it this time around brethren it's not for fit and ready people it's for sinners redeem sinners but this is a means one of the means by which we continue to see the odious nasaw our set and seek by God's grace to deal with that this is a blessed means of grace for the maturation and sanctification of God's people this may be a key and fundamental means that if you're gypping yourself out of or you're keeping yourself from for some pious motivation you need to take the bread you need to take the cup you need to eat and drink and rejoice in the goodness and in the kindness and in the mercy of our God as well the elements of the supper are not either transubstantiated or con substantiate it and finally the focus of the supper is on Christ certainly there's a glance at our own sinfulness there's an understanding of who we are before a holy God but its Christ that were supposed to be preoccupied with in the supper he doesn't say do this in remembrance of you as you eat this bread and drink this cup we have enough of that we are so occupied with ourselves for the rest of the week it's time to be preoccupied with Jesus do this in remembrance of me is what our blessed Savior says well alas the brothers to pass out the bread and while they do that we'll sing a hymn after we receive the bread we'll read the section where Jesus gives the bread to his disciples and then we'll pray together and then eat the bread but we'll sing number 450 and you can remain seated for 450 [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 a gracious and our glorious God what a wonderful gospel what a wonderful truth that the body of Christ was broken on behalf of his people not for sins or crimes that he had committed for we know he was sinless he was holy harmless undefiled but it was for us it was for our sins it was for the ones that are unholy and full of harm and completely defiled how we thank you for this gracious expression of the love of God how we thank you that it's not only that but it is also a forensic act it is the the means by which God is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus help us God to consider that great love that justice that righteousness all these perfections manifested at the cross and may these things strengthen and encourage our hearts and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord amen we'll take together amen well you can turn in your handbook to number 345 we'll use a familiar tune 345 please remain seated as the brothers pass out the cop [Music] [Music] when verse 27 we continue 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 let us pray blessed God and holy father we thank you for the the inauguration of the new covenant and the blood of Jesus all those promises of God are yes and amen in him that prophesied by Jeremiah and Jeremiah 31 comes to that full discovery that realization of here in this blessed transaction how we thank you for this supper how we thank you for its ability to nourish us to feed our faith and we pray that as we eat this bread as we drink this cup we do proclaim the Lord's death until he comes be glorified we pray in Jesus name Amen we'll take together we can turn in your hem book to Psalm 134 number 134 we'll stand as we sing together [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you complete in every good work to do his will working in you what is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever amen God thank you for the Sabbath day thank you for the rest that we have we get to come out of the world enter into your presence enter into the courts of God and we give you glory for this day we ask that you would watch over us now she would keep us that you would cause us to know your peace cause us to know that love that love that is so wonderful that love that is so glorious and excellent and may this be a great encouragement to us in our daily walk and may we by grace persevere and may we by grace bring glory and honor and praise unto you and we ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation you