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everyone welcome back to free grace baptist church just a couple of announcements reminders if you weren't here this morning the baptism for Abigail stare will be next Lord's Day next Sunday July the third we look forward to that as well on that Lord's Day next lord's day we will be observing the Lord's Supper so just to remind you of that the lord's supper will be observed next lord's day well let's turn in our Bibles then as we begin our worship this evening let's open with our call to worship a reading from Psalm 110 Psalm 110 the Word of God the Lord excuse me a psalm of David the Lord said to my lord sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool the Lord shall send the rod of your strength out of Zion rule in the midst of your enemies your people shall be volunteers in the day of your power in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning you have the dew of your youth the Lord has sworn and will not relent you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek the Lord is at your right hand he shall execute kings in the day of his wrath he shall judge among the nations he shall fill the places with dead bodies he shall execute the heads of many countries he shall drink of the brook by the wayside therefore he shall lift up the head amen well let's stand in sing our first him it'll be him 87 let's stand as a church and sing him 87 together Oh Oh Oh please be seated let's go to our God in prayer we can pray for a number of things again we can remember the NEETs and family is can pray for them we can pray for Jael ditto on the surgery on tuesday we can also remember a pastor Butler as he's got a little bit of a heavy flu and is certainly under the weather so we can remember him in our prayers as well let's go to our God in prayer Heavenly Father we thank you and we can gather together as the Saints of Christ the second time on your lord's day Sabbath we rejoice in this opportunity to so gather and we would pray again that you would help us by your spirit to worship you were right that we long as your children to worship you in spirit and in truth and we do pray that you would help us yet again to do so we pray that you would be the recipient of all honor and praise and glory we know that you are the majestic one the one that is certainly do the praises of gathered assemblies around the world the one who created all things in the space of six days by the word of your power and all very good you are the one who upholds all things by the word of your power the one who providentially guides the course of this earth unto the praise of your Most High name and you're the one who has who has provided redemption through the Lord Jesus Christ our blessed Savior we know that in you and in you alone and in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ alone do we have hope of salvation and we thank you that this has been afforded to us through his perfect life his glorious death and resurrection the fact that the Holy Spirit has applied the benefits of his perfect work to the soles of your elect we rejoice in these truths and we would pray that you would help us Lord to sing the praises of Amazing Grace as we gather this evening we rejoice in the forgiveness of sins and in everlasting life given to us through Christ perfect work we pray that we would be such saints that not only on the Lord's Day in that special way as we gather for corporate worship but as well throughout the week that we would sing your praises and rejoice in the Savior we do pray again for those needs in our church Lord we would pray for a jl ditto this upcoming Lord's Day we do / this upcoming tuesday we pray that she would be watched over by you her god we do pray Lord that you would just protect her and guard her as those in the medical profession deal worth with her and the surgery guide their hands just be over this Lord God it might be it might be an instance of your preserving grace and your kindness to your creation we do pray that you attend to the hearts of the dittos again that they would not be marked by an anxiety but that you would help them to be in peace as they resign holy unto you and the will of their creator and their Redeemer in these things and we do pray Lord God in due time that you would bring forth Jael from darkness to light by the gospel and by the spirit of our God we do pray Lord that you would be with the needs and family we again bring them before you in prayer we pray that you would strengthen them that you attend to them and this hour of loss we would ask that you would just lift them up and cause them in the midst of loss and tragedy to rejoice in you and to find peace to find comfort and to find all good things in the triune God of heaven and earth we do pray Lord that you would be with pastor Butler we pray that you'd strengthen him that you would return him to health that he might be back to feeling well we do just pray that you tend to his body and cause him though unable to join us to rejoice in his God in His Christ on on this year Lord's Day we do pray Lord that you be with many others who are struggling physically we have many that we could name we do just pray that you tend to each and every one as well those with children as well with those newly born we do just pray that you would watch over these that you would strengthen them in body that those who are yours that you would cause them this day to rejoice in the Savior each and every day as well and Lord those who are outside of Christ these young ones who have just been brought forth into this world physically we pray in due time they would be brought forth spiritually by amazing in victorious grace to own the name of our blessed Savior we do pray God again for the persecuted Church that you attend to your saints who suffer persecution for the name Christ protect them and guard them and deal with those who oppose them Lord that you might save many and that those who are in rebellion that you would judge them and cause them to no longer bring harm to our blessed fellow Saints we would ask God that you would be with those who rule over us as we can often see in the media the madness of the political game out there among the nation's we do just pray that you would cause the rulers of the nations to a rule in righteousness equity and justice and that you would cause those to stumble like drunken men who would seek to pervert the land that those who would seek to introduce laws that are an abomination before your site and we do pray that you would vindicate your name in all the earth at the gospel would be victorious you would save sinners to the praise of your grace and that you would do such a work that those who rule over us would be those who call vice vice and virtue virtue we do pray Lord that you would be with us now as we worship as we continue to sing hymns of praise as we continue to pray as we read the scriptures and as we engage in the preaching of the word we would ask that you would be honored and glorified that Father Son and Holy Spirit would be worshiped in this place and that the Lord Jesus Christ would be exalted upon this gathered assembly upon the praises of his gathered Saints we pray all these things that you might be glorified and that you might be honored the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen well let's stand and sing our second him it'll be 599 if you'll stand with me let's stand and sing 599 Oh Oh please be seated our old testament scripture reading is from ezekiel 19 will read the entirety of ezekiel chapter 19 ezekiel 19 beginning in verse 1 the word of god moreover take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel and say what is your mother a lioness she lay down among the Lions among the Young Lions she nourished her cubs she brought up one of her cubs and he became a young lion he learned to catch prey and he devoured men the nations also heard of him he was trapped in their pit and they brought him with chains to the land of Egypt when she saw that she waited that her hope was lost she took another of her cubs and made him a young lion he roved among the Lions and became a young lion he learned to catch prey he devoured men he knew their desolate places and laid waste their cities the land with its fullness was desolated by the noise of his roaring then the nation's said against him from the provinces on every side and spread their net over him he was trapped in their pit they put him in a cage with chains and brought him to the king of Babylon they brought him in nets and his voice that his voice should no longer be heard on the mountains of Israel your mother was like a vine in your bloodline planted by the waters fruitful and full of branches because of many waters she had strong branches for scepters of rulers she towered in stature above the thick branches and was seen in her height amid the dense foliage but she was plucked up in fury she was cast down to the ground and the east wind dried her fruit her strong branches were broken and withered the fire consumed them and now she is planted in the wilderness in a dry and thirsty land fire has come out from a rod of her branches and devoured her fruit so that she so that she has no strong the scepter for ruling this is a lamentation and has become a lamentation amen what's interesting one of the things if we take the language of symbology with respect to the Lord Jesus Christ we find in the Lord Jesus Christ the answer to the Covenant unfaithfulness of Old Covenant Israel they were not faithful to the Covenant they were such a nation that did not follow after the Lord his glory his majesty nor his commandments and they incurred or they brought upon themselves the curses of the Covenant and a lamentation is no doubt given for them and is given by more than just the prophet Ezekiel by others than just the prophet Ezekiel and here we have though in the Lord Jesus Christ as scripture will always point in the midst of coven ental cursings in the midst of sin and depravity in the midst of divine judgment the answer is the Lord Jesus Christ and we see the Lord Jesus Christ in the scriptures described as the Lion of the tribe of Judah though he is described as a lamb he is also described as a lion victorious and he is described as one who is the true vine the Lord Jesus Christ comes upon the heels of lamentation as the one who is the answer for those who are being lamented over the unfaithful the sinner the Covenant breakers have the only hope in the one who is the Covenant keeper the Lord Jesus Christ let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for the word of God we thank you for what it discloses concerning your glory or holiness the sinfulness of man and salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ we pray that again as we continue in worship that you would tend to our minds that we might be focused and attentive that we might take in your word in that by your spirit join to that we might grow in the grace and in the knowledge of Christ that we might leave here as Saints of yours edified and instructed and Lord God again if any came in outside of Christ we pray that by your grace and for your glory they would leave singing with the glories of the Savior we pray in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus amen our last him then before the preaching is him number 21 if you'll stand with me and sing hymn number 21 our last him before the preaching Oh please be seated turn in your Bibles to the book of Matthew chapter 28 Matthew 28 these verses conclude the gospel narrative and set up for us in a way the rest of the New Testament the verses of our focus this evening will be 18 through 20 no doubt you know that address of Holy Writ the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ to the disciples to the Church of Christ will read the entire chapter to set the stage as we look at those three verses Matthew chapter 28 beginning in verse 1 now after the Sabbath as the first day of the week began to dawn Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb and behold there was a great earthquake for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat on it his countenance was like lightning and his clothing is white as snow and the guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men but the angel answered and said to the women do not be afraid for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified he is not here for He is risen as he said come see the place where the Lord lay and go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead and indeed he is going before you into Galilee there you will see him behold I have told you so they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to bring his disciples word and as they went to tell his disciples behold Jesus met them saying rejoice so they came and held him by the feet and worshiped him then jesus said to them do not be afraid go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee and there they will see me now while they were going behold some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together they gave a large sum of money to the soldier saying tell them his disciples came at night and stole him away while we slept and if this comes to the governor's years we will appease him and make you secure so they took the money and did as they were instructed and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them when they saw him they worshiped him but some doubted and Jesus came and spoke to them saying all Authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth go therefore and make disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and lo I am with you always even to the end of the age amen let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you now for this act of worship the preaching of your word we pray that you would bless both preacher and here we pray that you would bless me Lord God with that measure of your Holy Spirit that I might know the strength of God in the act of preaching we do pray Lord God that self-same spirit would be among this gathered assembly strengthening Saints and saving sinners and all to the glory of your Most High name we pray in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen well this is a text of great comfort for Christians for the saints of Christ verses 18 to 22 be sure but as well the entire chapter these wonderful words that we find here by the announcing angel and verse 6 he is not here for He is risen as he said what wonderful words that Matthew reports here that the Angels give to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary here as they come to mourn the death of the Savior to mourn the death of their Lord these wonderful words and the text is arguing Matthew is arguing for the veracity of the resurrection of the Dead that is the resurrection of Christ the certain truthfulness that Christ did rise again as he had promised on many occasions come see the place where the Lord Leahy not here for He is risen as he said the narrative continues and we see the conniving of the unbelieving Jewish leaders to try and squash the growth of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ by the proclamation that he was indeed risen from the dead and then we see as promised this appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ he promised that he would come before them at the mountain in Galilee and he gives the gathered disciples this commission found in verses 18 to 20 this has no doubt served throughout the ages of the church as a text of great comfort and confidence for the people of God we see language here pertaining to the authority the sovereign authority of the Lord Jesus Christ this one that only three days ago was crucified is now announced announcing to his gathered disciples that that he is has been given all authority in heaven and on earth it's an amazing scene the comfort is well with regards to the abiding presence of the Lord with his church the words that will get to at the at the end of the preaching this evening we want to note three things though as we move along in this passage no doubt when a pastor Butler gets to this section in his exposition as he preaches through Matthew he can open it up in greater detail but we will not neglect the text but seek in brief to open it up after three points and those three are these the sovereign lordship of Jesus Christ verse 18 the sovereign command of the Lord Jesus Christ verses 19 and 20 a and then thirdly the sovereign providential presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in verse 20 be so first off let's explore the sovereign lordship of Jesus Christ notice the language in verse 18 and Jesus came and spoke to them saying all Authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth now perhaps because we're two thousand years removed from the crucifixion of the Jesus Christ we can't necessarily enter into the mindset of the disciples who were there at the time of his crucifixion now remember that they scattered it was only John that remain but nevertheless this occasion of Christ speaking these words is only shortly after his crucifixion these are these are amazing words all Authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth fresh in the memory would have been the reality that this their Lord that this their master was a bloody massacre upon that Roman gibbet of execution the cross of Golgotha this one was crucified before watching and blasphemous eyes this one was crucified before enemies of the triune God this one was crucified before enemies of him and nevertheless they see this Christ they cast their eyes upon the risen Christ and he speaks these words all Authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth it's absolutely striking this is the same Christ who had only days ago cried my God my God why hast thou forsaken me and now victorious in his resurrection now being raised by the power of God now being raised in victorious power he speaks these words as he appears to them at the mountain all Authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth the scene is amazing and we are to glory and we are to worship first under the sovereign lordship of Christ we want to notice what this lordship is or what this authority being spoken of is he says all Authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth remember that in his earthly ministry Christ had authority he had authority to cast out demons to heal the sick to heal the blind the Deaf the demon-possessed all of those things he had authority to stop to stop the the wind no doubt an instance of his deity as he raises up the stormy wind which sup the ways of the sea he calms the storm so that its waves are still he had the authority on earth the Son of man did to forgive sins remember that instance with the paralytic so he had authority in his earthly ministry what then is the authority being spoken of here well it is the authority that pertains to the governance of the church the judging of the world and he being given the inheritance by his father as the one who has perfected salvation for the sons of men all of that to wrap it up in this it is the post resurrection exalted governance of Christ over the affairs of the world specifically and peculiar peculiarly in and for the affairs of the church unto the glory of God now what we want to note secondly is that this has special reference to Christ as mediator with emphasis on his humanity perhaps you ask yourself informed by your Christian doctrine that you've learned over the years you ask the question well doesn't Christ have all authority as God anyway what is the reason for him speaking these words all Authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth God stands in need of nothing God stands in need of no blessedness to be added to him he doesn't derive glory from anything he stands not in want or lack of anything so why would God the Son need to say that authority has been given to him our confession wrapping up the doctrine of the Trinity or summarizing the doctrine of the Trinity says or writes in this divine an infinite being there are three subsistence Azure persons the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit of one substance power and authority all having the whole divine essence undivided so if this self same son of God is equal with the father not being diminished in his glory authority or power why does he need to say all Authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth well hopefully your Christian Minds can work to the fact that Christ took to himself man's nature this is speaking in the language of Christ having taken to himself man's nature with all the essential properties in common infirmities thereof yet without sin in order to undertake the messianic task in order to be the servant of God in order to do the work of God for which he was sent this pertains to the fact that Christ is the mediator and the surety of God's elect you can turn to Hebrews 1 actually Philippians 2 for a moment to see something of this in fact in this Philippians 2 passage which by now if you've been in our church for any period of time we have probably referred to at least 1247 times in the life and times of free grace baptist church but what a blessed passage is Philippians 2 verses 5 to 11 because they're in we find this very principle this very doctrinal reality in Philippians 2 verses 5 to 11 remember what the Apostle Paul is doing he's exhorting his audience unto a proper humility and he sets forth the Lord Jesus Christ as the supreme example of humility and in so doing he brings forth rich christology that is doctrine teaching concerning our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Philippians 2 verse 5 and this is at the point of his authority pertaining to his mediator ship or his mediatorial task notice let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men and being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death even the death of the cross now two things to observe their first off we have the reality that Christ as God had all authority in heaven and on earth the language of Paul here is who being in the form of God did not consider that subsequent authority or that reality authority something to be held on to at all costs he did not consider it robbery to be equal with God the Son of God is the exact representation the brightness of his father's glory in the Express image of his person essentially there is no difference between father and son they have father son and spirit have the whole divine essence in the essence undivided but he is distinguished from the father in that the father is eternally unbe gotten and christ is eternally begotten of the father he has equality with God the Father the same in substance power and eternity and yet notice his condescension he's made he makes himself of no reputation taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men and being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death even the death of the cross now notice at our point with regards to Matthew 28 18 and all authority given to him verse 9 therefore God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father you see what the text says here Christ upon the perfect completion of his earthly obedience he comes and he takes to himself man's nature he perfectly executes so obedience to the law of God in the stead of all those who believe he perfectly is obedient in his craw and his curse baring cross death he bears the penalty of God's justice for all those who had violated his law all those who believe in his name so he is obedient unto the cross death and then God highly exalted him he gives him the father does all authority in heaven and on earth and so that authority given comes upon the heels of the perfect execution of his messianic work he perfectly secures the salvation of a multitude that no man can number he rises again from the dead he is given all authority in heaven and on earth another text that speaks to this and that brings together these same two principles the fact that Christ as God always has had and always will have unchangeably Authority and power and all glory just as his father but also the second reality that with respect to his humanity and his messianic work he is exalted and given Authority notice Hebrews 1 those who were with us at the the heritage hospital earlier today will recognize this text because that was only three hours ago but notice what we have here in this text with regards to this very reality Hebrews 11 God who at various times and in various ways spoke in time pass to the fathers by the prophets has in these last days spoken to us by his son whom he has appointed heir of all things through whom also he made the world's who being the brightness of his glory and the Express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power now notice when he had by himself purged our sins sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high having become so much better than the Angels as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they remember Christ as God has always had and always will have a name that is or a reality that is so much higher and better than the Angels he doesn't need to become as God better than the Angels but this is speaking with reference to the completion of his work as the mediator as the Messiah Christ he has by virtue of this become so much higher than the Angels and given an inheritance a more excellent name than they so finding our way back then to Matthew chapter 28 all Authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth this has special reference to Christ as mediator of God's elect secondly under the sovereign lordship of Jesus Christ we want to note this is in fulfillment of Biblical prophecy this is in fulfillment of Biblical prophecy these words of Christ all Authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth remember that our Bible isn't some haphazardly slapped together tome of ancient truths that have no interconnectedness and no consent of the parts it is the complete opposite it is given to us by divine purpose by divine revelation and it bears the marks of the consent of the parts and it bears the mark of the consent of the whole which is to give glory to God through the Lord Jesus Christ and these words of Christ here all Authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth have old testament echoes and new testament echoes that precede this event that pointed forward to this event you turn with me to the Book of Daniel in Daniel chapter 7 we have a prophecy concerning the very thing that Christ speaks here in the Great Commission Daniel chapter 7 notice what we find in Daniel 7 beginning in verse 11 this is Daniel interpreting and giving a recollection of the vision that he received I watched then verse 11 of chapter 7 because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking I watched till the beast was slain and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame as for the rest of the beasts they had their Dominion taken away yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time I was watching in the night visions and behold one like the Son of man coming with the clouds of heaven he came to the Ancient of Days and they brought him near before him then to him was given Dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples nations and languages should serve him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed sin that hopefully hopefully your hearts are warmed by your reading of these words pertaining to our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ and what what strength of faith this would bring to those first century Christians who had who had just witnessed their master crucified but now risen speaking these words which speak to a fulfillment of Daniel 7 13 and 14 no doubt the comfort would continue as they go about their earthly ministries the apostles as pastor Butler preached this morning with regards to Christ they would gain an understanding of the reality that they were included in those lot of sent ones that Christ would send the prophets wise men scribes who will be scourge persecuted crucified put to death you know chased from synagogue to synagogue and city to city for proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ this would come as strength of faith as courage and confidence when they understand the reality that though they are beset by the wickedness of the sons of men nevertheless one like the Son of Man ascended to his father on high ascended to the Ancient of Days and he was given Dominion and glory and a kingdom and Christ speaks to that at his resurrection in virtue of the reality that his resurrection begins that exaltation whereby this is conferred to him his Dominion his glory and his kingdom hopefully you know we're two thousand years removed but there still is persecution in this world there there still is or there still are enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ that would seek to put an end to the Christian Church and yet we have these words then to him was given Dominion and glory in a kingdom that all peoples nations and languages should serve him his Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed this is I think one of the reasons why though we ought to pray for those who rule over us those who govern us we are not to find salvation in them and we are not to we are not to find hope in those who rule over us because kingdoms of the earth rise and fall but there is one Kingdom which has risen and which never will fall and that is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ praise God praise Father Son and Holy Spirit for the fact that this most certain prophecy was most certainly fulfilled in the life and in the times of the Lord Jesus Christ and is an abiding reality unto that great day this is a fulfillment of prophecy it's also not only a fulfillment of Daniel 7 13 and 14 but no doubt the song that we read at the outset of worship Psalm 110 as well though if we move to the New Testament notice what we find in Luke 132 this is a fulfillment of the words of the announcing angel with respect to the birth of the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ in Luke chapter 1 notice what we find beginning at verse 29 this is the birth of the Lord Christ announced to marry by the angel gabriel luke 1 verse 29 but when she saw him that is Gabriel she was troubled at his saying and considered what manner of greeting this was then the angel said to her do not be afraid Mary for you have found favor with God and behold you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus he will be great and will be called the son of the highest and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom there will be no end you see the consistency in the genius of the Scriptures absolutely wonderful the New Testament narrative concerning the assessment of the coming christ is bringing together old testament prophecy concerning that coming christ for example second Samuel 77 Psalm 110 Daniel 7 13 and 14 that we just read the unity the blessedness of the revelation of God in the Holy Scriptures concerning Kruk concerning all things but concerning particularly here the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ and his exaltation it's absolutely glorious the angelic messanger announces the enthronement of jesus christ the son of day but even David's Lord from the lips of the Savior himself come words pertaining to this very reality that he has a kingdom and that he would be exalted notice in John chapter 18 Christ speaking with regards to the very reason he came into the world before Pilate he gives this blessed confession notice in John 18 at verse 35 verse 34 jesus answered him are you speaking for yourself about this or did others tell you this concerning me Pilate answered am I a Jew your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you to me what have you done jesus answered my kingdom is not of this world if my kingdom were of this world My servants would fight so that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now my kingdom is not from here Pilate therefore said to him are you a king then I love Jesus answer here jesus answered you say rightly that I am a king for this cause I was born and for this cause I have come into the world that I should bear witness to the truth everyone who is of the truth hears my voice you see this bold confession by our Savior before Pilate you say rightly that I am a king for this cause I was born and for this cause I have come into the world we see in Matthew 28 verses 18 to 20 well specifically here verse 18 the reality of that kingship and very lastly with regards to this promise by lips of Christ that he would be exalted notice Matthew 26 and verse 64 backing up to verse 62 and this actually brings into view again Daniel 17 13 and 14 and here the Lord Jesus Christ himself from his own lips connects that Danielle at prophecy to his own exaltation notice Matthew 26 and verse 64 jesus said to him it is as you said nevertheless I say to you hereafter you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of the power and coming on the clouds of heaven Jesus Christ at the end of Matthew's Gospel as we are considering speaks and confirms that that promise was most sure lastly under the sovereign lordship of Christ we want to note that this constituted the proclamation of the infant church this constituted the proclamation of the infant church that simply means that the church preached this that Christ Jesus the one crucified was risen was exalted and was given Authority and Dominion and a kingdom and all glory this is the content of apostolic preaching it is the content of apostolic preaching you can turn to acts two and this has been an ought to be the content of preaching throughout the ages the gospel of Christ that he lived that he died that he rose again for the sins of his people and that he has been highly exalted and given a name which is above every name notice Peter on the day of Pentecost includes this most important content in his apostolic preaching notice what he says beginning in acts 2 at verse 29 men and brethren let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David that he is both dead and buried and his tomb is with us to this day therefore being a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body according to the flesh he would raise the Christ to sit on his throne he for seeing this spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ that his soul was not left in Hades nor did his flesh see corruption this Jesus God has raised up of which we are all witnesses therefore being exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the father the promise of the Holy Spirit he poured out this which you now see in here you see the content of apostolic preaching boldly proclaims the kingship of the Lord Jesus Christ Oh for a reclamation of such proclamation in our own day not that this is not proclaim but you scan evangelical Christianity very often you're confronted with a very limp wristed proclamation of an ineffectual Christ and half a gospel a Christ that is knocking very weakly upon the doors of our hearts and hoping that will let him in a Christ that can affect no change in the world we just need to you we just need to acquiesce to the waves of the world the secular governments will overthrow us and we just need to suck our thumbs in a fetal position under our bed covers Christ is king brothers and sisters Christ is the one who has been given rule over the nations he is Lord Most High and we see in apostolic preaching that his kingship and his lordship is being proclaimed before enemies that would ultimately stone many to death behead others and scourge from city to city and even crucify blessed proclamation by the Apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost regarding the fact that Christ has all authority in heaven and on earth notice verse 36 if you're still in acts 2 therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ a beautiful language what beautiful language and boldness of proclamation by the Apostle Peter remember what he had done only 50 days prior he denied his Lord three times he had denied Christ three times why or for what reason out of fear and before the before the patio interrogations of a servant girl he denies in fear his master thrice here though empowered by the Holy Spirit we see him boldly proclaiming not only his identification with this Jesus of Nazareth but the fact that this Jesus of Nazareth whom they had crucified had been risen and had been given authority and a kingdom and all glory it is absolutely glorious we follow the pattern of apostolic preaching throughout the New Testament and there we find the content being among other things the exaltation of the king of kings and of the Lord of lords moving on then to the sovereign command of the Lord Jesus Christ if you can find your way back to Matthew 28 notice what we as well find there now in verse 19 we have already seen the sovereign lordship of Jesus Christ in verse 18 now in verse 19 we have the sovereign command of the Lord Jesus Christ notice in verse 19 go therefore and make disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you this does verse 19 this comes by virtue of the reality of verse 18 in other words the very reason why they are to go and the foundation for the command to do these three things as they are going all of that is built upon all Authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth it's built upon the lordship the sovereign reign of the Lord Jesus Christ and so this sovereign command of the Lord Jesus Christ we should notice three things by it and the first is the universal proclamation of the gospel noticed the language in there going remember that the go is not necessarily a command pastor Butler has preached before it it bears the weight of in you're going or going there for do these things and the first command pertains to the universal proclamation of the gospel and it is this make disciples of all nations that is the first sovereign command given in this Great Commission make disciples of all the nations the kingdom of Christ is advanced by the preaching of the gospel that's something that marks other religions throughout history and in our own day isn't it many religions are one thing that marks them maybe not many one in particular that gains much attention in the media the religion of Islam is not advanced by the proclamation of a saving message it's advanced advanced by c4 vests and swords and beheading it's advanced by ungodly violence Christianity is advanced by the proclamation of the god man the one who came into this world took to himself man's nature lived in obscurity lived in in shame and ignominy rejected by his own people was obedient to the father bore the shame of the cross in order to the secure the salvation of a multitude that no man can number was risen again and was exalted and that message is proclaimed of salvation in him and by that attended by the Spirit of Christ the growth of the crank of the kingdom of Christ is brought to bear the kingdom of Christ is advanced by the preaching of the gospel go therefore and make disciples of all the nations and the kingdom is not just confined to one geographical locale this is not a Jewish this is not a gospel confined to Judea or Samaria or even the uttermost parts of the Roman Empire this is a gospel this is a kingdom message that spreads throughout the nations of the entirety of the earth the beautiful thing this is for every tribe and tongue and people and nation don't you love that scene in Revelation 5 I hope you do as Christians that is a scene that ought to call us to rejoice it is a scene of rejoice meant in Revelation 5 we have the this wonderful scene where Christ is the only one able to take the seal out of the hand of the one who sits upon the throne and we see in verse 9 these singing a new song you are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals for you are slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation and have made us kings and priests to our God and we shall reign on the earth Christianity is not a white man's religion it's for the white man it's for the black man it's for the brown man I don't want to list colors necessarily it's for every man every man and woman boy and girl who breathes breath on God's green earth the gospel is given universally not universalism and that everyone is saved but the Gospel message goes out to Jew and Gentile people from every tribe and tongue and people and nation and from those persons throughout the earth God calls his elect by the power of the gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit the message of Christ is a message for all nations and notice the language of the text here in Revelation 5 pertains quite well to the flow of Matthew 28 18 to 20 you are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals for you see there is a reason why Christ is given authority as given power is given this Dominion and glory it's because of the perfection of his saving sacrifice for you were slain and have redeemed us a blessed reality that the gospel of Jesus Christ goes out throughout the uttermost parts of the earth and that that proclamation of the gospel is the means by which the kingdom of Christ grows if if we think of Matthew 16 remember what's going on in Matthew 16 among other things but there we have the promise that Christ would build his church if Matthew 16 there we find the promise of Christ to build his church in Matthew 28 18 to 20 we find the means whereby that building takes place the means of building his church the means that that promise is brought to bear it is brought to bear by disciples by apostles by the church going out and making disciples of all the nations and then by these other means that follow if we take these three verses we have really a 3 verse outline of the book of Acts what happens in the book of Acts the Apostles in obedience to the Lord's Commission go out and disciple the nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and commanding them to observe the words of Christ we have a wonderful outline here of the entirety of the rest of redemptive history the rest of the advance of the kingdom of Christ throughout the ages notice secondly besides the universal proclamation of the gospel we have baptism in the triune name this brings to the fore the importance of baptism the importance of that ordinances we noticed this morning in our study in the confession the ordinances are not dominical suggestions they are not recommendations by the Lord but baptism and the lord's supper are commanded by virtue of his authority and given to men for the good of the church notice what we have here go therefore and make disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit we obviously don't have time for a defense of credo baptism but it is striking the order here the proclamation of the gospel goes out unto discipleship and then baptizing them in the triune name follows after that we baptized believers because to baptized believers or the baptism of believers comes by the commission of Christ Himself it's why the language in the confession uses or speaks this way baptism and the lord's supper our ordinances of positive and sovereign in institution appointed by Christ to be observed in his churches until the end of the world and that those holy appointments come by the commission of Christ Himself baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit never depart this text without concluding and without remarking with great joy concerning Trinitarian theology that our God is Father Son and Holy Spirit you see and we don't actually even just have it though we have it gloriously so explicitly in baptizing in the name singular of plural Father Son and Holy Spirit but we also have it in the fact that the father gives to the Sun authority and implicitly this exalted Christ by his Spirit empowers the church to proclaim the gospel and to obey everything commanded by by Christ the Bible is Trinitarian through and through but we see baptism in the triune name Christians are to obey their Lord and be baptized if you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ if you're here tonight and you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you have not as a believer been baptized the command comes to you that you may be baptized in obedience to the Lord to the Lord Jesus Christ according to his most blessed appointment and Commission and thirdly under the sovereign command of the Lord Jesus we want to notice the observance of the entirety of Christ's teaching notice what he says here in verse 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you part of the mission of the church part of the mission of these disciples the apostles part of the mission subsequently of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is again to proclaim the gospel to baptize and then to teach them the disciples who are baptized to observe all things that Christ commanded there are two things that we ought to observe here first off positively we are are to observe all things that Christ commanded again one of the two of the things that we noted this morning that we are to obey Christ in our baptism and the lord's supper the Lord's Supper is not a recommendation or a suggestion but a command given by Christ and again is it a is it a command imposed upon us by a tyrannical dictator to do something that is just so laborious and so burdensome no we get to come take eat we get to come take drink and in so doing remember our Lord's death till he come again to neglect the Lord's Supper as a Christian is to reject the sovereign authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and to disobey something that ought to be obeyed cheerfully by those who call themselves the sons of God this no doubt doesn't this doesn't just include the Lord's Supper positively this language teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you but what a blessed what a number of blessed things that are included in in this summary command by the Lord Jesus Christ the moral law of God we have as Christians the regenerate hearts whereby we can cheerfully comply with the law of God not perfectly but we come to that law and we see it not as a burden we see it not as a yoke that weighs us down but in Liberty as the slaves of Christ we come to the law of God and we find in and a blessed pattern for living the Christian life and what a-what blessed hedges and confines we have in the law of God summarily contained in the Ten Commandments because negatively what Christ means here when he says to observe everything that he has commanded us is that we are not to observe the traditions and the commandments of men Christ Jesus in commanding us to do certain things and only those things that come by virtue of sovereign appointment in the Holy Scriptures excludes the litany of things that men can impose upon our consciences and can pour upon us as birth Arden's and weights that God never intended for us to bear we have enough to bear with living with ourselves and you know living with each other living in a sin cursed world living with remaining corruption we need not the burdens and the yokes of men that are too heavy to bear that way down with religious perversion upon us we are not to have book upon book upon book upon book of Canon laws that we must observe in order to be found pure before God God has given us in the Holy Scriptures the rule for faith life and obedience and therein we find the rule of perfect and glorious Liberty lastly then we have the sovereign providential presence of the Lord Jesus Christ noticed the language here in the text notice the language beginning in verse 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and lo I am with you always even to the end of the age again this pours upon the already given courage and confidence that verse 18 would afford Christians not only has christ been given all authority in heaven and on earth but as they go about their earthly ministry as they go about their earthly work beset on all sides by the enemies of Christ they can know this for a surety lo I am with you always even to the end of the age brethren that's a promise by Christ given to his church that reality of the sovereign providential presence of the Lord Jesus Christ what does it pertain to perhaps most particularly it is within the context of the church Christ guides and assists and supports and helps and builds us up in our most holy faith by the Spirit whom he sends remember the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ in John chapter 16 remember what was going on there if you recall what's going on in John 16 that disciples are no doubt in a bit of despair because their Lord and Master is departing from them they don't want him to leave in fact what precipitates Christ's indictment of Peter when he says get thee behind me Satan is Peter in disobedience to what Christ is already purposed and promised says let it never be that you go to Jerusalem to be crucified and rise again the third day they were in they did not want to see their master go away they did not want to see their master leave in Christ bringing courage and confidence and peace to their souls speaks these words in John 15 and verse 5 but now I go away to him who sent me and none of you asks me where are you going but because I have said these things to you sorrow has filled your heart nevertheless I tell you the truth it is to your advantage that I go away for if I do not go away the helper will not come to you but if I depart I will send him to you and when he has come he will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment of sin because they do not believe in me of righteousness because I go to my father and you see me no more of judgment because of the ruler of this world is judged he goes on in in that in those words to speak continually about the spirit and the blessing of he giving his spirit for their benefit but back to the text here lo I am with you always even to the end of the age that is Christ by the Spirit of Christ bringing aid and assistance to the Church of Christ for their goings on in this lower world as the gospel is being proclaimed as those who are made disciples by the proclamation of the gospel are being baptized as those disciples who have been baptized are being commanded to observe all things that Christ has given to the church he is with the church always even to the end of the age this comes it would have come as a blessed measure of confidence and courage to these disciples it comes as well to us as a bomb of courage in the face of a world that really is opposed to all things God in Christ so we close just a couple things of application the first on that particular point for the believer confidence and courage in Christ while living in a world plagued by the enemies of Christ is brought to us by texts such as these confidence and courage in Christ while living in a world plagued by the enemies of Christ as we go about our earthly sojourn we're going to bump up against to varying degrees opposition to our blessed Savior and to our believing in the blessed Savior we can know with a certainty a certainty though these things that pertain to the building of his church the growth of his kingdom that Kingdom which Neville which will never end that he has all authority given to him and heaven and on earth and that he is with us always even unto the end of the age as we go about our doings in this lower world Christ is with us he has not left us he is with us and this should bring us a bomb of confidence and courage one of these think one of the things this text ought to do as well for any unbelievers here this evening is that it ought to bring you to acknowledge that Christ has Authority the Christian the proper Christian Proclamation sets before you not a week Christ but a strong Christ not a Christ who is ineffectual and unable to affect anything now but the one to whom has been given all authority in heaven and on earth Daniel 7 as Daniel rehearses in Daniel 7 he's been given all Dominion and glory in a kingdom he's come before the Ancient of Days at his resurrection and his ascension and he has been given power authority glory he rules and reigns he is the as our confession says the head and Savior of the church the heir of all things the judge of the world and so if you do not believe in this Christ you rate now at least do not have any confidence encouraging these things but you should have terror because at the end of days this Christ will say to you depart from me you workers of iniquity I never knew you you stand as his enemy now in his enemies stand before him as he is judge of the world and it is the case however that if you believe on his most precious name you will not find him as judge but you will find him as head and Savior that heir of all things with whom you will be co-heirs entering into the bliss of everlasting life by virtue of his perfect life death and his glorious resurrection if you're here tonight and you don't believe in this Christ you need to know that he stands before you as judge and yet by grace through faith in him you can stand before him as cleansed and clothed in his righteous robes believe on him and you will have everlasting life and lastly Christian rejoice in the gospel and obey Christ see those two things very often aren't and perhaps in Christianity Christianity generally brought together but you see we have two things rejoicing in the gospel and obeying the Savior we rejoice in the proclamation that we have our sins forgiven and everlasting life by virtue of the finished work of Christ and we see in the commands of obedience not the impositions of a tyrant but the Blessed and sovereign giftings of law that we might cheerfully comply bringing glory to God and honor to our Christ so brethren rejoice in the gospel of Jesus Christ isn't it a wonderful thing to rehearse this very fact these words were given two thousand years ago two disciples who had just observed or at least knew that their Savior had just been put to death though he was raised again these words were given two thousand years ago and we brethren two thousand years removed from this event are the beneficiaries of this commission given by Christ to the disciples he commanded them go therefore and make disciples of the nation's etc and we 2,000 years removed are the recipients of the ongoing reality of the command the ongoing reality of the risen Christ who has been given all authority and the ongoing reality of Christ is the one who is with his church always even to the end of the age let us glory in our Christ let us glory in the god of our gospel let us rejoice in the gospel of God and let's have fuel in those things each and every day to sing the praises of our triune God Father Son and Holy Spirit let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for your word we rejoice in these words of the Lord Jesus Christ and what they contain with regards to his authority his glory his Dominion we thank you for what they contain regarding the proclamation of the gospel and obedience unto those joyful things that he has given us in the way of his commands and ordinances and we do pray that you would help us daily to have the grace whereby we rejoice in the gospel whereby we seek for your glory and to give a good testimony before men to obey the things that Christ has commanded and we do just pray Lord God that you would go with each and every one of these that you would tend unto them physically that you attend to them spiritually that you would stir up their souls to rejoicing in Christ and Lord that you would return us in a week's time that we might gather together gather together again on this year lord's day sabbath to sing the praise as a father son and holy spirit and we pray in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen well if I can make a request if we can stand and sing the doxology Lucas if that is okay let's close with the singing of the doxology Romans 16 if you Roman numeral 16 and the hymn books if you need it Oh the Lord bless you and keep you the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace amen we'll have a brief time of prayer and then your you