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good evening to everyone welcome back all of you to free grace baptist church it's good to be back in the house of the Lord for the worship of our great God just a reminder we said this morning with regards to well with regards to pastor Butler he returns on Wednesday he and Rebecca return on wednesday we can pray for safe travels for them a reminder that to this Wednesday's Bible study where there isn't one but next week there the week following that Wednesday the first wednesday in august there will be a bible study as well just a reminder for anyone who works in the nursery to please check the schedule and if you're going to be a way to please find somebody to trade with well let's move on to those sacred things then of the worship of our great triune God by turning in our Bibles to psalm 24 calling us to worship will be a reading of that blessed Psalm Psalm 24 Psalm 24 the Word of God a psalm of David the earth is the Lord's and all its fullness the world and those who dwell therein for he has founded it upon the Seas and established it upon the waters who may ascend into the hill of the Lord or who may stand in his holy place he who has clean hands and a pure heart who has not lifted up his soul to an idol nor sworn deceitfully he shall receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the god of his salvation this is jacob the generation of those who seek Him who seek your face c'est la lift up your heads o you gates and be lifted up you everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in who is this King of glory the Lord mighty at strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battle lift up your heads o you gates lift up you everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in who is this King of glory the Lord of hosts he is the king of glory c'est la amen well let's stand and sing our first Hammett's in your Trinity hymnals it's number two that's him number two and your Trinity hymnals let's stand and sing as a church Oh please be seated let us pray Heavenly Father we come to you now again in prayer rejoicing that a second time on this year Lord's Day we can come into this place to worship Father Son and Holy Spirit and truly we would ask that you would help us to rejoice in you we would be marked tonight by by those by being those worshippers Lord God who worship you in spirit and in truth it is the Christians heart to worship a right to worship biblically and reverentially the triune God of heaven and earth and we do pray that we would have those hearts this evening that you would help us to have our souls lifted up too high in glorious thoughts so father son and spirit and of that perfect and glorious work of our Lord Jesus Christ in a in effecting most powerfully the salvation of a multitude that no man can number we do pray that you would be again with those unable to join us tonight those travelling those who are unwell we do pray that you would watch over them that you would strengthen them that you would cause them to know your daily provisions and to give you praise we pray that you would watch over pastor Butler and Rebecca as they spend a couple more days with mica and return home we do just pray that you'd watch over them that you would bless their time together that you would just cause them to still enjoy some days of refreshing but before returning and we do just pray that you would bring them home safely we do pray Lord for all struggling physically with disease and sickness and injury we pray that you would lift them up and strengthen them and we pray for those looking forward to surgeries and and medical procedures and births Lord we do just pray that you would strengthen them as well that you would remove anxiety from their minds that they might be resigned unto your will that you would attend unto those little ones in our midst to a struggle with sickness and injury and disease as well we pray that you attend to their little bodies and heal them we do pray that in due time and add a young age they would own our Creator and rejoice in our Redeemer we do pray Lord God that you would be with the nations of the world that throughout the nation's the gospel would be proclaimed victoriously that you would by your grace and for your glory bring forth dead sinners to life from around the globe by the preaching of the word the Ministry of the Holy Spirit that sinners would be brought forth from deadness to life through the proclamation of our glorious Christ we do just pray that you would vindicate your name and all the earth that you would judge and conquer your enemies that you would even of course by the gospel bring forth those enemies of yours unto a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ we do pray that you would so work in the minds of the rulers of this earth they would be brought to a place where they bend a knee to the king of kings and Lord of lords unless they perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little we do just pray that you would cause those rulers who would remain and in obstinance that remain in rejection of the living and true God that you would even take them out of the way that they may no longer pervert true and proper justice in the lands we do pray that you would keep your people prayerful and we do pray that you would watch over them and Lord God that you would cause us to daily come to the throne of grace and not only pleading things for ourselves that are good and proper but also for the nations of the earth that your people would be protected that sinners would be saved and that your name would be proclaimed victoriously we do pray for those who are missionaries in various lands Lord they know that they need your protection as they very often go into in the midst of dangerous circumstances we do just pray that you'd watch over all of those who are your missionaries who proclaim in dangerous places the riches of Christ those who are are able to bring a preachers of the gospel to places to carry Bibles in to those who to those who have none and we do just pray that you would watch over this work worldwide and that those who are not yours now would be brought the gospel and that they would be brought forth unto saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we do just pray Lord God that you'd be with us now and we know again that we require aid from on high to worship a right and we do pray that you bring your spirit that we might return to you the honors the praises that are due your Most High name we do pray Lord God that you would help the preacher to preach well the things of your word we do pray Lord God that you would help those here in the congregation tonight to remain attentive in worship to rejoice in worship that they would Lord God be strengthened by spirit and word to go into this upcoming week rejoicing in you and Lord God we pray yet again that any outside of Christ here tonight would buy your grace and for your glory be made known the riches of Christ that they might leave this place singing the praises of his name and it is in that name that we pray in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen let's stand again and sing then as a church at this time in its him number 50 60 splendor of God's glory bright 56 Oh you can turn in your Bibles with me to Ezekiel chapter 21 Ezekiel 21 we finished chapter 20 of course last Lord's Day evening so this night will tonight will read from Ezekiel 21 verse 12 verse 14 this is Ezekiel 21 beginning in verse 1 the word of god and the word of the Lord came to me saying son of man set your face toward Jerusalem preach against the holy places and prophesy against the Land of Israel and say to the Land of Israel thus says the Lord behold i am against you and i will draw my sword out of its sheath and cut off both righteous and wicked from you because i will cut off both righteous and wicked from you therefore my sword shall go out of its sheath against all flesh from south to north that all flesh may know that I the LORD have drawn my sword out of its sheath it shall not return any more sigh therefore son of man with a breaking heart and sigh with bitterness before their eyes and it shall be when they say to you why are you sighing that you shall answer because of the news when it comes every heart will melt all hands will be feeble every spirit will faint and all knees will be weak as water behold it is coming and shall be brought to pass says the Lord God again the word of the Lord came to me saying son of man prophesying say thus says the Lord say a sword a sword is sharpened and also polished sharpened to make a dreadful slaughter polished to flash like lightning should we then make mirth it despises the scepter of my son as it does all wood and he has given it to be polished that it may be handled this sword is sharpened and it is polished to be given into the hand of the Slayer cry and wail son of man for it will be against my people against all the princes of Israel terrors including the sword will be against my people there for strike your thigh because it is a testing and what if the sword despises even the sceptre the scepter shall be no more says the Lord God amen well we'll stop reading there in verse 13 and you can pick up next time next Lord's Day obviously what we have in view is we have in view the judgment of God's people it is a startling thing to think that it is God's people who are being judged cry and wail son of man Ezekiel says or God says to the Prophet to speak to the people cry and wail son of man for it will be against my people we noted this morning that the very reason that Christ is going about that wilderness battle against the father of lies is in order that he might execute perfectly that which Israel failed to do and here we see that the justice being brought upon them by God for failing to do as they ought God had brought them from out of bondage and Egypt he had cleaned them he had washed them he had set them in the wilderness in that period of testing and time and again they fail in fact rate at the outset of being brought into the wilderness they cry oh that we had died in Egypt with full bowls of meat to eat and they time and again create unto themselves molded images to follow after them instead of the living and true God they fail and so they are judged and it is not a judgment brought down by a God who is cupric capricious a wicked was somehow arbitrary in the meeting out of whole severe things but rather it comes after the manner of a wholesome severity they had defied God they had disobeyed God they had time and again gone a whoring after other gods and here rightly God in according in accordance to his immutable character in the promise that if they did disobey he would judge them here he is promising he is saying that most assuredly you can expect this but always in the Book of Ezekiel though we did not get to it here in this particular passage as always there comes the bomb of gospel we read on in Ezekiel we find time and again the promise of a new covenant the promise where one would come to save his people from their sins and to bring sinners unto everlasting life the one who would be the Covenant keeper in contra distinction to these Covenant breakers who would perfectly do the will of God and die for sinners and rise again and that is of course our Christ let's in his name now go to our Lord in prayer Heavenly Father we thank you for your revelation to men again we rejoice and what it discloses to us even concerning the terror of the Lord in the right and just judgment of of those who have broken his law even the Covenant people and we thank you for what it also sets forth before us that blessed remedy of the Lord Jesus Christ that one in whom alone is salvation that one in whom alone is the forgiveness of sins and we do pray that we would leave this place rejoicing in you are God and rejoicing in the gospel of so great a salvation and we pray in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen well once more let's stand together and sing be thou my vision it's an insert at the back of your hymnal be thou my vision you can turn your Bibles again to Matthew chapter 4 Matthew 4 I will again begin reading in Matthew 3 at verse 13 so I guess I could have said turn in your Bibles to Matthew 3 Matthew 4 12 Levin of course as the focus has been our focus this morning it will again be after a little different manner this evening but we'll pick up reading in Matthew 3 at verse 13 once again the word of the triune God then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him and John tried to prevent him saying I need to be baptized by you and are you coming to me but jesus answered and said to him permit it to be so now for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness then he allowed him when he had been baptized Jesus came up immediately from the water and behold the heavens were open to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon him and suddenly a voice came from heaven saying this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased then Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil and when he had fasted forty days and forty nights afterward he was hungry now when the tempter came to him he said if you are the son of God command that these stones become bread but he answered and said it is written man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God then the devil took him up into the holy city set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him if you are the son of God throw yourself down for it is written he shall give his angels charge over you and in their hands they shall bear you up lest you dash your foot against a stone jesus said to him it is written again you shall not tempt the Lord your God again the devil took him up on an exceedingly high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory and he said to them all these things i will give you if you will fall down and worship Me then jesus said to him away with you Satan for it is written you shall worship the Lord your God and him only you shall serve then the devil left him and behold angels came and ministered to him amen well let's ask the Lord for His blessing Heavenly Father we thank you now that we can engage in this act of worship the preaching of your word it might you help us Lord Lord God to do this or right and might the preacher be well strengthened by you aided from on high to proclaim your word we do pray as well again for those here this evening Lord that you might strengthen your people that you might feed them by spirit and word Lord God that they might leave this place well equipped to live in light of such a glorious gospel to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of your calling to rejoice in the Savior and we do pray Lord yet again that sinners having come in tonight outside of Christ would leave by your grace and for your glory singing of the riches and the excellencies of Christ and we do pray in his name amen well this morning we considered the wilderness testing of the Son of God again when the Lion of the tribe of Judah came up against that lion of the pit the father of lies and vanquished him taking these three blows casting back these punches if you will back at the devil the devil having tempted having tested him in the wilderness Christ answers perfectly time and again and the devil leaves him and behold angels came and ministered to him as we went about we were not able to because there is so much here and it is so rich we couldn't necessarily mine all the gems of theology that we find in this in these 11 verses and so we come back to it now round about coming back to it and we want to make some observations on the the Blessed theology that is woven throughout the tapestry of this wilderness battle we want to look at seven things and we will just name them as we move along not forcing them onto the text but pulling them wholesomely from the text of Scripture we want to notice first and some of these may some of these will be repetitious but only because this morning we noted them in passing and the first is this divine sovereignty in the biblical narrative now let's pause for a moment when we go about the preaching exercise of noting the divine sovereignty of God in a particular passage let's ensure we know what we're doing we're not as in this case reformed Christians going about an exercise in just beating the drum of divine sovereignty for divine sovereignty there for the sake of of repetition or for the sake of if you will defending our reformed theology there is no doubt a place for that but we do the exercise of opening up divine sovereignty why because it jumps off of the text of Scripture everywhere everywhere divine sovereignty and we find it rate at the outset of the narrative then Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil we noted this morning that this doesn't come upon the lord jesus christ by haphazard chance this doesn't befall the son of god having taken to himself man's nature this doesn't befall the mediator by chance but rather and clearly then Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness for the express purpose of being tempted by the devil we want to pause to remark this with regards to the the decree in the providence of god this is our confession although in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of god the first cause God and the decree all things come to pass immutably end infallibly so that there is not anything befalls any by chance or without his providence yet by the same providence he ordered them to fall out according to the nature of second cause is either necessarily freely or contingently what does that mean with regards to our passage well the first cause God and the decree that Christ would come into the world sinners to save is seen here and then Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil the first cause comes and it is God decreeing and ordering all things for his own glory and man's good and in this case the good of the god/man the mediator the Lord Jesus Christ and the the execution of his task notices well though we have the second cause what the confession refers to here as yet by the same Providence he ordered them to fall out according to the nature of second causes the second cause in view is the devil himself the temp tour he is the second cause that brings about the glory and the plan of God the first cause in all things who decrees all things after the wise counsel of his own will why is this important while it's important first because we're defending the clear declaration of Holy Scripture but in the case of the passage before us we need to appreciate that this is a glorious divine plan from before the foundation of the world where the father and the son purposed to redeem a people and here in Matthew 4 we have Christ being tested as we noted this morning being tested in order to make known his messianic fortitude that he truly is the one who comes as the perfect Israel as the perfect Adam saving his sinner saving his people saving sinners from their sins and perfecting the plan of God when we come to the life in the times of the Lord Jesus Christ this is a principle that comes up time and again not only the life and times of Christ but throughout the scriptures divine sovereignty that principle but in the life of Christ we find this in many places and in fact we find it in a type of Christ back in the Old Testament you can turn with me to a passage that hopefully is well known by you Genesis 50 and 20 you see one of the other reasons besides the clarity of the scriptures at this point besides the fact that the sovereignty of God jumps off the pages of Holy Scripture besides that reason it is the preachers responsibility in an age where the sovereignty of God is a topic that is lost in the in the dust of preaching of olden days the modern God being proclaimed as a God who is not sovereign you scan the landscape of modern evangelicalism modern Christianity and there are relatively few who are propagating the true and proper doctrine of sovereignty of god and the salvation of sinners in fact that that quote from pink I don't know the whole quote but it was years ago of course our pink said something along these lines that the the God being proclaimed by the pulpits in Christian churches of our own day is as as as much resembles the god of Holy Scripture as the dim flickering of a candle resembles the glory of the noonday Sun we come to the scriptures and we don't find things befallen by chance God biting his fingers in the heavens looking down at the earth coursing through the haphazard spinning of time wondering hoping wishing how we have God ordering all things for his own glory and the good of his people notice in Genesis 50 the language and beginning in verse 19 Joseph said to them do not be afraid for I am in the place for mi in the place of God but as for you you meant evil against me but God meant it for good in order to bring it about as it is this day to save many people live the wickedness of his brothers the the the wicked buffoonery and betrayal by Joseph's brothers the wrongdoings that they poured out upon Joseph did not happen didn't fall upon Joseph by chance it was God's divine decree ordering and structuring in order to do what in order to save many people alive now on the part of those second causes the Brothers of Joseph it was a wicked intention that's what the text says you meant evil against me but according to the first cause God and his glorious and wholesome decree it was God meant it for good in order to bring it about as it is this day many people alive that is typical of the sovereignty of god in the salvation of sinners at the point of the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ we may use the language the most horrible event in the history of mankind why because from the vantage point of second causes the wickedness of men and putting to death the Lord of glory son of the Father's love you notice the language in Peter at Acts chapter 2 with the echo of Genesis 50 20 in the back of our minds speaking of Christ the bold Peter proclaims him being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God you have taken by lawless hands have crucified and put to death we don't need to turn very far in the narrative actually there's other instances between these two the Lord building his church adding to the church daily those who are being saved but in Acts chapter 4 notice the language of the unmitigated and pure and holy sovereignty of God in all things and in the salvation of sinners notice the language of the the gathered apostles here as they with one Accord pray we see in verse 24 so when they heard that they raised their voice that is the freeing of of the John Peter and John the freeing of Peter and John and the fact that they testified the good word of Christ to enemies of the gospel so when they heard that they raised their voice to God with one Accord and said Lord you are God who made heaven and earth and all the sea and all that is in them who by the mouth of your servant David have said why did the nation's rage and the people plot vain things the kings of the earth took their stand in the room were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ for truly against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together now note to do whatever your hand and your purpose determined before to be done so finding our way back to the narrative concerning that desert that wilderness battle when we read then Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil we are to remark with our Christian minds that this is our sovereign God orchestrating this event in order to ultimately bring about the salvation of his people immediately in view and to confirm the veracity of the mediator in order to test him to show forth his messianic metal if you will divine sovereignty in the biblical narrative we move secondly then to the Ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of Christ the Ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of Christ notice again in this same verse then Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil here we see just prior to the wilderness battle when Christ is being baptized by John the Baptist we see the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon him immediately following that we have the then in verse 1 Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness this has caused some to assume that the spirit was first given to Christ at this time and not prior I mean there is there is a sort of a you know an infantile logic or I'm not sure how you would describe it but okay yeah the spirit is now at the baptism is it the narrative says it the Spirit of God is descending and alighting upon him and then that same spirit drives Christ leads Christ up into the high wilderness and then following this narrative he goes about his his mission of proclaiming the gospel mission of spreading the good news of the kingdom and calling on men to repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand it makes a certain sort of sense but it is not biblical to suppose that it is only here that now Christ receives the spirit we're going to circle back to the spirits ministry here to Christ but we want to note that the Spirit of Christ is from cradle to grave or from womb to grave Sinclair Ferguson makes this note each step of his way it was through the word of the Father and scripture illuminated by his constant companion the Spirit that Jesus grew in the knowledge of the Lord from womb to tomb the devotion of the Eternal Spirit to the eternal son in the flesh was abundantly evident you see what's going on here in the text is not that the spirit by some sort of external leading as in perhaps the Star of Bethlehem or something like that is leading Christ up into the high wilderness but rather the spirit that is given to him without measure is is guiding him is leading him is pressing him to this place where he would go toe-to-toe with the lion of the pit how do we know though from the Bible that from womb to tomb the devotion of the Eternal Spirit to the eternal son in the flesh was abundantly evident how do we know that from the scriptures notice in Luke chapter 2 in Luke chapter 2 and when you get there notice in verse 51 actually well back up to verse 49 this is where Mary and Joseph realized Christ was gone they go back and they find him speaking with the doctors of theology in the temple speaking with the teachers in the temple notice in verse 49 of Luke two and he said to them why did you seek me did you not know that I must be about my father's business but they did not understand the statement which he spoke to them then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was subject to them but but his mother kept all these things in her heart now notice this this sort of summary report in verse 52 and Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men we asked the question how how is it that Christ in Christ increased in wisdom and stature while we know from the scriptures that the spirit is the spirit of wisdom but turning again in our Bibles let's go to Isaiah 11 just to draw this connection and stress this very important doctrine that Christ had the spirit from womb to tomb Isaiah 11 notice in Isaiah 11 beginning in verse 1 there shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord his delight is in the fear of the Lord and he shall not judge by the sight of his eyes nor decide by the hearing of his ears but with righteousness he shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked righteousness shall be the belt of his loins and faithfulness the belt of his waist a prophecy concerning the Lord Jesus Christ the rod of Jesse that shall come forth from the vantage point of Isaiah the prophet and what does it say it says the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the spirit of wisdom and understanding we say the Spirit of the Lord was with him from the womb we want to make note first that it was the spirit of god it was the Holy Spirit that formed the human nature that christ would himself assume we talked about the work of the triune God we don't say that the work of the Incarnation alone was Christ's he is alone in car he is alone the one that becomes incarnate but the father sends Christ to assume human nature the Holy Spirit forms in the womb of the Virgin Mary the human nature that would be assumed and God the Son assumes that human nature all of that to come back to this that from womb to tomb Christ had the Spirit of God and after the infancy narratives we see that the Spirit of God is with Christ increasing him and wisdom he learns the scriptures as he studies the Bible and learns of himself in them the holy spirit is with him as he comes up to the as he comes to up to his baptism so arriving back at our original destination there is in the narrative concerning the spirit descending and alighting on Christ and then driving him into the wilderness there is a punctuated instance if you will of the Ministry of the Spirit in the life of Christ this is where the spirit that Christ has had from the womb amplifies or inaugurates is a better word the mission of preaching the kingdom of God his earthly ministry officially starts here his messianic ministry his mediatorial task begins that's why we read in verse 15 permit it to be so now for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness he then goes through this test that is our concern on this lord's day and then following that he begins his preaching ministry so from this narrative with regards to the Ministry of the Holy Spirit we want to note first that the spirit is active in directing Christ to the arena of battle the Holy Spirit here leads up Christ into the wilderness for the express purpose to be tempted by the devil it is the spirit that leads him there as secondly it is the holy spirit that is active in sustaining him throughout the 40 days and 40 nights and when he had fasted forty days and forty nights afterward he was hungry we'll make a note in a moment here divinity doesn't fast Christ is not a here in his divine nature fasting why because first off the divine nature needs nothing nor can the divine nature diminish itself of anything Christ is hungry and Christ has fasted after his humanity and it is as the old boys would say by a miraculous sussed entation a provision of upholding that the holy spirit keeps Christ those forty days and forty nights after which he was hungry and thirdly we would want to note that the Holy Spirit is active in the provision of wisdom and strength and combating the father of lies the devil himself Holy Spirit upholding strengthening ministering to Christ and was the one who grew him as the spirit of wisdom in the knowledge of the fact that he is this one this mediator this Messiah this one who would come to give his life for guilty sinners and affect the plan of God and throughout his wilderness battling 'he's the spirit is there with the christ strengthening privat providing and giving him much wisdom to combat the devil himself so thirdly then that's the divine sovereignty in the biblical narrative and secondly the ministry of the holy spirit in the life of Christ now notice the fact that Christ is truly God and truly man yet one Christ the mediator of the New Covenant we don't need to go far in the Bible before landing upon the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ make no mistake that yes his humanity is in view when he fasts but his deity is clearly in view and we first noticed that in the recognized in the recognition that he is the son of God notice the language of the devil himself not that we are to give any credence or any applause to the devil but fresh in the ears of the devil are the words of the Father this is my beloved Son in I am well pleased the devil recognizing and picking up on that uses that in his testing when he says if you are or since you are the son of God throw yourself down before that when he says if you are the son of God command that these stones become bread in the Declaration and the recognition that Christ is the son of God we have his perfect deity he is God from God light from light true God from True God begotten not made one in being with the father through whom all things were made the one who upholds all things by the word of his power this is truly the Son of God we know as well or we can appreciate from this text that we see his true deity in the fact that his power is displayed over creation now it isn't display we should correct that and say we see the fact that he does have power over creation in order to affect it we see here the devil himself saying if you are the son of God command that these stones become Brett Christ doesn't engage in an argument against his deity knowing that he is god he simply argues in accordance with obedience to the Father but nevertheless from this narrative we know that Christ is the creator of rocks the creator of bread he is the one who is Lord of creation he is the one through whom all things were made there is not a thing that was made that was not made by Christ John the Evangelist rights this is this narrative while not primarily about Christ's deity nevertheless because of the certain Verity that Christ is God we land here and we find his true deity notice secondly his true humanity and this is more in focus in this particular narrative with regards to the fasting with regards to the hunger and with regards to the ministering angels that come and attend unto him we see his true humanity in the fact that he was led somewhere God doesn't need to be led anywhere God fills the heaven and earth always a never Christ are the Lord God our triune God is unconstrained by creation he is not confined by it nevertheless he fills the heaven and earth just as he has done from the beginning it is of course Christ as man that is led by the Spirit Christ as the god man who was led by the spirit to be tested we see the humanity of Christ in the fact of his fasting unto n hungering and when he had fasted forty days and forty nights afterward he was hungry you see when we land upon that text of brothers and sisters we are to marvel at the condescension of Christ Christ took on man's nature he fasted and hungered for us we'll get to this point later but this whole narrative as chrysostom remarks christ did this for us the Son of God takes to himself man's nature save for sin and he is tested and he fasts 40 days and 40 nights and becomes hungry to the point of to the point of weariness to the point where as we said this morning he is stripped if you will of his armor in this probationary period that God is testing him through in order that the devil might come and engage in these testings but of course in order to prove that Christ is victorious that Christ is the loyal mediator between God and man the true Israel the second Adam we ought to marvel when we read in verse 2 when he had fasted forty days and forty nights afterward he was hungry because now we have this advocate to go to this intercessor to go to who did who was not deity that feigned humanity and faked a fasting but truly took on humanity so that he might relate to us that in being tempted in all points as we are yet without sin he might be a faithful high priest and through him we can boldly come to the throne of grace and receive peace and from on high stop when reading this text at when he had fasted forty days and forty nights afterward he was hungry and Marvel in the condescension of the Son of God we see his humanity as well in the fact of his being tempted by the devil and in the fact of his need in his being in the need of ministering angels he's tempted by the devil of course God cannot be tempted it is Christ as man who is put through this testing and it is christ in his humanity here in verse 11 then the devil left him and behold angels came and ministered to him we made a note this morning that what does that answer that answers the verse to the fasting unto being hungered the angels come and like Elijah like Elijah I said this morning I think Ezekiel twice instead of Elijah I had Elijah in my notes and I wanted to say Elijah but Ezekiel came out they both start with e so so there you go but just like Elijah was fed by the angel just as the ministering angel came to Elisha and brought bread here Christ is ministered to he has brought bread that he might have that natural sustenance brought back to him as he goes into and about his earthly ministry lastly under this the fact that Christ is truly God and truly man yet one Christ a mediator of the New Covenant we want to remark after the mediatorial task of Christ explain that in a moment at the mediatorial task of Christ in taking to himself humanity the devil seeking to solicit an ungodly expedition of reward remember we noted this morning that there might be something to that in this narrative what do we have woven throughout redemptive history is the promise of the seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent that hero born of woman who would crush the serpent with his heel and throughout redemptive history we have the unfolding of that being brought to bear throughout the revelation of Holy Scripture and here the seed of the woman cups comes up against the serpent and he is victorious but not without the devil not without the serpent of old seeking to derail the mediatorial task of the Lord Jesus Christ think of this for example Philippians 2 6 and 7 what do we read there let it well five to seven 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 you see wrapped up in that did not consider it a robbery to be equal with God is also the notion that Christ didn't press his divine prerogatives but condescended to take to himself humanity the devil here trying to rail against if you will that Philippians 2 6 and 7 reality says if you are the son of God command that these stones become bread in other words don't go through the obedience unto the cross death that that Philippians passage brings out but rather gain the reward now that's brought into greater clarity in the next punch that the devil throws where he calls the where he calls him to throw himself down to tempt the Lord and then perhaps even more to the point the third challenge bow down to me worship me and I will give you the kingdoms of the world know Christ is resolute in his mediatorial task and he will not bow to the devil he will not kowtow to the devil's plans to skirt the messianic task but rather he is valiant to the very end let's move on then to consideration fourthly of the the probative nature of the wilderness episode and the obedience of Christ there's another one of those words probative what does that mean it simply goes back to what we talked about this morning testing testing this is a probationary episode on the part of Christ not that he was a criminal and now must go into a period of probation but he being holy harmless and undefiled the one who is taking upon this messianic task God is by the devil testing him in order that he might come out of the furnace that furnace of testing that furnace of fire pure as the one who is vindicated in his messianic task he obeys the father he perfectly goes through this testing in order that he might prove his mettle again France for the whole emphasis of the story is on the testing of Jesus reaction to his messianic vocations as the Son of God you know we while we marvel at the victory of the Son of God in the wilderness battle this is not simply given to dazzle us while we might find in this example or finding this narrative an example of loyalty the Son of God to the father this passage is not given to us to excite us unto an obedient moralism unto the father what is this text given to us for it is to Marvel in the Son of God in taking upon the messianic task to be the substitute for guilty sinners when we come to this passage we are not to go away with the primary application and lesson that here I must not only live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God I need to be more diligent in morning devotions with my morning toast that's not the primary lesson primary lesson isn't I okay you know I really need to get out there and not tempt the Lord my God by I can't call on him to prove his presence in my life I need to just be faithful you do need to do that it is good to do morning devotions it is good to not test the Lord it is good to put before the Lord any gods but to serve and worship the Lord our God alone but why is this given to us why is Matthew 4 12 11 given to us not to not solely to Marvel not to twist it unto moralistic ends it's given to us that we might understand that Christ is the true Israel that Christ is the second Adam that in contra distinction to sinful Adam and sinful Israel Christ is the perfect covenant keeper who came and kept covenant in order that he might bring many sons to glory he bears even the Covenant curses the sinless holy harmless and undefiled one bears the Covenant curses takes upon himself the wrath of God in the stead of all who believe he brings many sons to glory were to stop and yes we are to marvel but not on to the end of marveling unto the end of appreciating the weight of this passage that Christ is doing this for us rendering obedience for us this is probative that is it is a testing it is not simply a temptation where the devil is trying to solicit wrongdoing on the part of Christ it is that in the second cause reality but ultimately in that first cause plan in that first cause unfolding it is that Christ would be the perfect mediator between God and men and that he would prove himself tested as the Messiah as the second Adam and the true Israel fifthly then we want to notice the fact of Christ's culminating fulfillment of Old Testament types remember when we talked about types it simply consider the book of Hebrews in the Old Testament we have many things the Bible calls them shadows they are not the substance of the promise they are shadows they are types that point forward to the Lord Jesus Christ so when we come to this passage the fact of Christ's culminating fulfillment of Old Testament types is no doubt in view we don't want to take too many liberties by forcing these upon the text there are some that are more impaired another's but notice firstly with respect to David David if you pick up reading in First Samuel 16 i'm only bringing forth these examples not exhausting in First Samuel 16 and 17 but consider David in First Samuel 16 in First Samuel 17 in First Samuel 16 we have the anointing Samuel anoints him with oil and the Spirit descends upon him what do we have in the narrative that we read tonight John the Baptist the Samuel if you will anointing Christ in the waters of the Jordan the Spirit descends upon Christ immediately after that Davidic episode of the anointing by Samuel we have the giving of the Spirit again and then we have the sending of the father to his brethren what do we have in Christ here in Christ in the narrative of the Bible concerning Christ but the sending of Christ to his brethren in the instance of Matthew 4 it's the sending of Christ by the father into the wilderness to do single combat with a mighty foe that's what David did he walks out for Israel as the substitute for Israel David walks in and goes toe-to-toe against Goliath and he defeats him valiantly our merliss stripped of power just like Christ armor lists in that he fasted forty days and forty nights and was brought unto that hungered State Christ goes toe to toe to toe against a a greater than Goliath mighty enemy and is victorious we have in David the rejection of him by his brethren even prior to going against Goliath Christ is rejected by those to whom he is sent and this is followed of course by troubles in Israel for David Christ has the same Davidic spirit upon him if you will the spirit of those to whom he is sent who seek to give him trouble and bring him trouble day upon day we have in this narrative Matthew 4 secondly Moses and Elijah not Moses in Ezekiel Moses Elijah notice the language again going back to verse 2 and when he had fasted forty days and forty nights afterward he was hungry we noted this morning that that just isn't a you know a happy coincidence in the life and times of Christ well isn't that great that you know that happened to Christ and oh wow that you know that happened to Moses and Elijah there should be a WOW factor wow that's the same as Moses and Elijah but you see it's deliberate it's deliberate the motif of wilderness fasting hunger and testing and preparation for ministry throughout the Old Testament Moses and Elijah are clear examples that are in view Moses before the the giving of the law Elijah as well before the restitution of the law this is haul on this idea this truth that Christ is here the better than Moses and the better than Elijah the fulfillment of them both and why did it please thee o Savior to fast 40 days and 40 nights unless as Moses fasted forty days at the delivery of the law and Elijah at the restitution of the law so thou thought us fit at the accomplishment of the law and the promulgation of the gospel to fulfill the time of both these types of thine see what he's saying there Christ is fulfilling the fulfilling Moses if you will filling up the Old Testament and two examples are the Moses and the Elijah episodes Christ comes as the greater than Moses and the greater than Elijah let's see this in Matthew 17 and you can turn their I'm conscious of the time and the heat so I'm going to try not to keep you too long but this is this is rich stuff not from the preacher but from the Bible this is rich stuff notice in Matthew 17 Moses and Elijah and their fulfillment in Christ what do we have here well let's go to verse 1 in Matthew 17 now after six days Jesus took Peter James and John his brother led them up on a high mountain recognize that language by themselves and he was transfigured before them his face his face Shawn like the Sun and his clothes became as white as the light and behold Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him then Peter answered and said to Jesus Lord it is good for us to be here if you wish let us make here three Tabernacles one for you one for Moses and one for Elijah while he was still speaking behold a bright cloud overshadowed them and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud saying this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him that should ring bells from Matthew 3 the end of that Matthew 3 narrative that we have read and have considered in parts and when the disciples heard it verse 6 they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid but Jesus came and touched them and said arise and do not be afraid when they had lifted up their eyes they saw no one but Jesus only see something of the significance here in this language and it's something that pink pink brings out in his commentary on the book of Hebrews from Hebrews from Hebrews 11 and 2 when they had lifted up their eyes they saw no one but Jesus only there is weight in this that the reason that is included by Matthew is in order for us to understand that Moses and Elijah give way to Christ Christ is the fulfillment of Moses and Elijah Christ comes as the mediator of the New Covenant Moses the mediator of the old Christ the mediator of the New the surety of a better covenant the one who brings the hope of better things the law came through Moses grace and truth came through the Lord Jesus Christ that's not a text that speaks about the cessation of the moral law and sort of the inauguration of a new Christ law that simply has to do with Moses being the mediator of the Old Covenant and Christ ushering in the fulfillment of the gospel promised to Adam and Eve in the Garden concerning the seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent this text in Matthew 17 argues for what we're saying from Matthew for that Christ is the fulfillment of Mosiah he's the fulfillment of Elijah he comes as the better mediator and the greater profit in things pertaining to God and kingdom glory as well we have Adam so we have David Moses and Elijah and we ought not to depart a consideration of Matthew 4 without remarking after theology concerting Adam that is the first Adam and Christ the second Adam the parallels to the garden temptation are unmistakable see it's not again a happy coincidence that Christ here is tempted by the devil in a place the first Adam is tempted by the devil through the the deceit and the subtlety of the serpent through Eve Adam thrusts all mankind into sin and depravity by the temptations of the devil that took place the first Adam the second Adam comes to do that which Adam failed to do he comes as the one executing and perfecting and ratifying the New Covenant and he does so by undergoing the same thing that the first Adam underwent the temptations of the devil there are similarities but there are contrasts aren't there Adam is in a beautiful garden created by God to be ministered unto and attended unto a temple of sorts that Adam was to minister in as priests Adam fails Christ is set into a place but not a garden rather he is set into this wilderness where he fasts 40 days and 40 nights and becomes hungry and yet he doesn't fall like Adam he doesn't fall to the wiles of the devil like Adam but rather in great victory the Son of God is valiant returning blow after blow back at the devil and the devil fleas it's beautiful beautiful biblical theology wrapped up in this that we obviously can't explore but for hour upon hour but notice what chrysostom stet says if we were to ask chrysostom that early church father what was the reason for Christ's wilderness battle with the devil chrysostom popped down and you know where you know hey in that sermon chrysostom on Matthew for what was the reason for Christ's doing battle with the the devil in the wilderness chrysostom answers because the first man did here by both offend God and transgress the law so Christ perfects the law in his victorious against that same devil glorious don't depart a reading of Matthew 4 without hopefully reflecting upon the gems of theology that jump out from that blessed passage lastly under this head the fact of Christ culminating fulfillment of Old Testament types we had Israel as we noted this morning this is the central focus of the narrative Christ as true and faithful Israel that is the central focus of the package the package while the package the passage remember when Christ is answering the devil in verse 4 and then in verse 7 and then in verse 10 he's not just polling Deuteronomy randomly from the Old Testament and throwing them back the devil remember it is the Christ that it is the devil that randomly pulls scriptures and throws them back at Christ it randomly chooses Psalm 91 here and Miss applies it throwing at Krait throwing it back at Christ as if he can win a battle against the one who breathed out stretcher himself but again this isn't random quoting of text he does this deliberately he does it for a reason in fact we would be safe to suppose that the undergirding the undergirding passage in this occasion is Deuteronomy 6 to Deuteronomy 8 and one thing that we want to note is this in Christ as true and faithful Israel notice in Deuteronomy 6 we will finish very soon 611 so very soon is up to your interpretation but I do i do feel for you in this heat and in the lateness of the day notice in Deuteronomy 6 verses 1 2 3 now this is the commandment and these are the statutes and judgments which the Lord your God is commanded to teach you that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess that you may fear the Lord your God to keep all his statutes and His commandments which I command you you and your son and your grandson all the days of your life and that your days may be prolonged therefore hear o Israel and be careful to observe it that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly as the Lord God of your father's has promised you a land flowing with milk and honey God gives Israel this commandment of obedience he inaugurates in this case that Rhea you know rii inaugurates prior to this in Deuteronomy 5 the Covenant covenant terms he reminds them of coven ental obedience and the necessity of that according to the terms of the Covenant and what happens to summarize the case with Israel they fail they disobey they break the Covenant is it haphazard that Christ comes to Deuteronomy 6 13 and Deuteronomy 6 16 in his second and third blows back at the devil of course not why it's because he's demonstrating that I am true and faithful Israel I am the one who came into this world to keep covenant for my people Israel broke it Adam broke it Christ keeps it and he saves his people from their sins for your own research and interest it's very interesting that in Matthew two and the narratives concerning the childhood of Christ the language of Hosea 11 is applied to the Lord Jesus out of Egypt I called my son it's applied to the Lord Jesus Christ where they flee to Egypt to avoid Herodian murderous persecution and then they come back from Egypt out of Egypt I called my son in Hosea 11 12 for it isn't simply prophetic concerning Christ it bears that character make no mistake but it is a reflection upon Israel bring being brought out of bondage in Egypt and put into wilderness testing what happens in the life of Christ out of Egypt I called my son just like Israel whom God calls his son he puts that Israel God does by the spirit into the wilderness testing and he perfectly execute OPD instudio tirana me six command brethren when we come to it when you come to your Bible understand the genius of divine revelation the genius of our God who can who can knit and weave this together man can't God does and the story of our Christ the 66 books of the Old and New Testament the story of our Christ saving guilty sinners from their sins is absolutely marvelous by way of summary we can move through these in the span of a minute the ongoing and Unger de motif sixthly of the seed of the woman and the serpent is there in Matthew 4 we already noted that Christ is the second Adam but isn't this enmity that is spoken of in Genesis 3 clearly in view with Matthew 4 there will be enmity or I will put enmity between you your seed and her seed he shall crush your head and you shall bruise his heel that is woven throughout redemptive history and the narrative of Scripture and we find it coming to a culmination in the life and times of Christ and he comes against that serpent of old and he deals as it were a bit of a death blow there is in that wilderness battle for the devil a portent of his defeat at Calvary and there is in that wilderness battle for the Saviour a prelude to Calvary's victory how do we know that well because in that Matthew for wilderness battle we read in verse 11 then the devil left him and behold angels came and ministered to him you see it's a portent of doom for the devil he isn't done yet he comes back the other Gospel accounts say he returns or he departs until an opportune time but nevertheless it is a portent of the defeat at Calvary for the devil and it is it is a prelude for Christ's of his victory at Calvary and lastly we want to note in closing the successful this is seventh Lee the successful and substitution Airy nature of the obedience of Christ in the wilderness battle brethren this is not a story to invoke a diligent Bible central Bible centered moralism this passage Matthew 4 wow you know we need to be like Christ yeah we need to be like Christ you know we need we really just we need to imitate Christ and his obedience to God we do need to do that we absolutely do but this text brings forth something else that we are to glory in this text simply sets before us Christ the substitute for sinners chrysostom again all these things have been done for you hear those words speaking of Matthew 4 12 11 and Christ's victory over the devil the victory of the Lion of the tribe of juba Judah over the Lion of the pit all these things were done for you we come to Matthew 4 and we adore the Son of God we adore him because he came into this world and I went through this wilderness battle endured the heat and the dust of day upon day the tempting zuv the devil and finally this culminated testing at the end of these times where he answers thrice in perfect victory the the blasphemies of the devil we are to adorn our Christ why because in all these things he did them for us yes there is a father word trajectory in the exercise of this messianic perfection he did this in obedience to the Father in order to glorify Him but remember from womb to tomb the whole life of Christ is one large and valiant exercise of obedience in the stead of all those who believe he did this for us so rich so excellent worship the Lord that's what we are to do by an examination of this passage worship the Lord read the Bible with great joy and profit you know it is a Christian that comes to the bible with joy at least that ought to be the case shouldn't it read the Bible with joy and profit and don't just if you if you can manage this don't just come to a superficial reading of these texts oh wow Christ great just answers man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God now let's go about you know reading sports virgins morning and evening with our morning bread now marvel at well yes but marvel after first and primarily the substitution airy work of christ and him citing this so that he might bear witness to the fact that he is true and faithful Israel who gives the perfection of his obedience and his life for the salvation of his people and lastly if you are Christ's be assured of your salvation praying in all things with confidence in Christ remember the comparison that we made this morning let not their hearts fail because of him david says with regards to israel in the philistine for i go to fight this Philistine christ would speak to you by virtue of that glorious narrative in matthew foreign he would say let not your heart fail because of the devil why because I was victorious if you are Christ's be assured of your salvation and if you are not Christ's look to this perfect and true Israel do not be a child of the devil doing the desires of our father the devil always following after a life of sin and the pleasures of this lower world the sinful pleasures of this lower world but seek the other lion in this narrative the Lion of the tribe of Judah the champion of God's elect the one who did all those things not in order to elicit moralism but did all those things in order that we might have a righteousness that avails with God imputed to us by faith laid hold of by faith that he might give his obedient life unto death unto that cross death as the means by which sinners might be saved if you're here tonight and you don't know Christ believe on him and you shall have everlasting life and you will open up your Bibles and glory in this King of King and Lord of lords the champion of that wilderness battle let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for your revelation is we have examined it in Matthew 4 we sing the praises of our Christ and truly we come to this passage and we find our champion the captain of our salvation I might you cause us daily to rejoice in our Savior might you cause us to have such minds that seek after a growing knowledge of him after the scriptures that we might often find ourselves deep in the scriptures learning more and more of our Christ we know that we cannot plumb the depths of your word we cannot plumb the depths of your revelation in the the glory of the truths that you disclose their in so we pray that you would help us to have a hunger after the things of God that we might time and again arrive back at this solemn contemplation and a joyful contemplation of that champion the Lion of the tribe of Judah and it's in his name in the name of Christ Jesus the Lord that we pray amen well let's stand and sing are as a doxology we're going to sing him 35 stanza one that's him 35 stands up one 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 well please be seated we'll have a brief time of prayer and then when the piano is finished you're free to go