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with me to the book of Revelation the book of Revelation and chapter five are called to worship a reading from Revelation chapter five wonderful scene gathered assembly throne room of God singing the praises of God and of his Christ revelation 5 beginning in verse 1 the word of the living and true God and I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back sealed with seven seals then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose it seals and no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look at it so I wept much because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll or to look at it but one of the elders said to me do not weep behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah the root of david has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose at seven seals and I looked and behold in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as though it had been slain having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth then he came and took the scroll out of the hand of him who sat on the throne now when he had taken the scroll the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the lamb each having a harp and golden bowls full of incense which are the prayers of the Saints and they sang a new song saying you are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals for you were 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 then I looked and I hurdle excuse me then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne the living creatures and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice worthy is the lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them I heard saying blessing and honor and glory and power be to him who sits on the throne and to the lamb for ever and ever then the four living creatures said amen and the 24 elders fell down and worshiped him who lives forever and ever amen well let's stand and sing our first hymn is going to be 2 95 in the larger Trinity hymnal the ends of all the earth shall hear that's 295 let's stand and sing you please be seated well let's go to the Lord in prayer again we'll pray for pastor Butler preaching down south for pastor Martin of course many other things that we can take to the Lord in prayer let us pray Heavenly Father we rejoice a second time now on this year lord's day that we can gather together in the house of God for the worship of our triune God and we would pray yet again that you would help us to worship you or right we pray that you would deal with our hearts that we might be wholly abandoned now to the worship of our God that no thoughts would intrude that nothing would hinder the worship of our God we pray that you would help us give us your spirit might he be ministering among us stirring us up too high in heavy thoughts of our Savior glorious thoughts of redemption by such a christ and that he would arouse us unto proper praise of our great God we do pray Lord that you would help us again to glory in to rejoice in the forgiveness of sins we know again that we have not been saved by deeds of holiness a rot in the holiness of our own hearts but rather we have been saved solely and alone by your amazing grace through the perfect work of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ and we do pray that you would help us to rejoice in this truth not only on your lord's day Sabbath but each and every day that we draw a breath that we would behold our Christ and rejoice in so great a salvation we pray Lord God that you would help those who are in our congregations suffering with physical illness again that you would strengthen and heal there are many Lord God that are either suffering now injury or sickness temporarily and many who endure with ongoing disease and we do pray that you would help our brothers and sisters in Christ that you would strengthen them in body that you would Lord God heal them and help them to to grow and strengthen we do pray again in the midst of such suffering sickness illness and injury that you would Lord God strengthen them in the inner man just causing them in the midst of these things to worship our God to rejoice in our Christ and to be resigned unto your will we do pray father that you would be with those again in the persecuted Church uplift our brothers and sisters in Christ strengthening those who are the recipients of hatred and anger by the opponents of the church we do pray God that you would just strengthen each and every one of those brothers and sisters whether in prison wherever they may find themselves in churches that are oft persecuted in house churches Lord God where things are taken away from them those places where churches are burned villages are attacked we do just pray that you would strengthen your people that you would cause them to be steadfast in the faith in the midst of this opposition and Lord God that you would deal with those who persecute them we think of pastor Butler Lord down in seatac we would pray as they gather together for worship again down there at 6pm that you would help him to preach well you would give him eight in the pulpit that he might proclaim well the things of Christ the things of your word we do pray that that worship service would be blessed and owned by you on to the edification of your people there our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and unto the salvation of sinners we do pray that you would bless that congregation that you would continue to strengthen them day by day and Lord's Day in and lord's day out we pray that you would add more to their congregation that you would bring sinners in that they might hear the gospel believe be saved rejoice in our Christ and in our God we do pray that you'd be with pastor Martin down there that you would strengthen him and body with his dealing with cancer we would ask that you would strengthen him you would tend to his body and heal him that you would just bring to him growth in the strength and vigor of his body we do pray that he would be not downcast and his soul in the midst of these physical afflictions but he would be daily lifted god daily uplifted by you as he goes about these sufferings and we do pray that you'd be with his wife with his children you would strengthen that family Lord God and again strengthen that conquer congregation that they might daily rejoice in our God and in his Christ and we think of many other churches down in our area we think of the Lindblad Xin kirkland we think of Tom lyin down south we think of pastor Barcelos in Palmdale and the grace grace reformed baptist church of the Antelope Valley many other churches Lord God not only those in our own Association but many all your churches around the world Lord God that you would strengthen each and every one that you would even purify your churches Lord God that you would close the doors of those who are heretical propagating those things which are not brought out in your word and we do pray Lord God that you would with that strengthen those that are your churches that you would bring more within the doors of those churches of yours who proclaim rightly the things of truth we do pray God that you would be with us now help us yet again to worship you or right by your spirit and for your glory we do pray that you would again aid the preacher in the pulpit that you would tend to those in the pews this evening strengthening your Saints and saving sinners and that again Lord God this exercise of worship would be done unto the praise of your glorious name and it's in Christ's name that we pray amen well stand again with me if you will we can turn in our red Trinity Salters this time to Psalm 107 we're going to sing this to the tune of a little town of Bethlehem you can stand and sing 107 verses 1 to 9 with me you please be seated you can turn in your Bibles to the book of jeremiah our Old Testament scripture reading continues in the Book of Jeremiah yeah we're going to read because of the size of Jeremiah 45 it's a small chapter we're going to read Jeremiah 45 and then Jeremiah 46 12 12 so that's Jeremiah 45 and then 46 12 12 once again the word of the living and true God the word that Jeremiah the Prophet spoke to baruch the son of Neriah when he had written these words in a book at the instruction of Jeremiah in the fourth year of Joey the son of josiah king of judah saying thus says the Lord the God of Israel to you O Baruch you said woe is me now for the Lord has added grief to my sorrow I fainted in my sighing and I find no rest thus you shall say to him thus says the Lord behold what I have built I will break down and what I have planted I will pluck up that is this whole land and do you see great things for yourself do not seek them for behold I will bring adversity on all flesh says the Lord but I will give your life to you as a prize in all places wherever you go the word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah the Prophet against the nations against Egypt concerning the army of Pharaoh Nico king of Egypt which was by the river Euphrates in car commish and which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehovah keen the son of josiah king of judah order the buckler and shield and draw near to battle harness the horses and mount up you horsemen stand forth with your helmets polished the spears put on the armor why have I seen them dismayed and turned back their mighty ones are beaten down they have speedily fled and did not look back for fear for fear was all around says the Lord do not let the Swift flee away nor the mighty man escape they will stumble and fall toward the north by the river Euphrates who is this coming up like a flood whose waters move like the rivers Egypt rises up like a flood and its waters move like the rivers and he says I will go up and cover the earth I will destroy the city and its inhabitants come up Oh horses in rage Oh chariots and let the mighty men come forth the Ethiopians and the Libyans who handle the shield and the lydians who handle and bend the bow for this is the day of the Lord God of hosts a day of vengeance that he may avenge himself on his adversaries the sword shall devour it shall be satiated with n made drunk with their blood for the Lord God of hosts has a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates go up to Gilead and make bomb Oh virgin the daughter of Egypt in vain you will use many medicines you shall not be cured the nations have heard of your shame and your cry has filled the land for the mighty man has stumbled against the mighty they both have fallen together amen well let us pray Heavenly Father we rejoice in this the reading of your Holy Word we thank you for your revelation through the Prophet Jeremiah concerning judgment against your adversaries we know as Jeremiah's previously speaks with regards to the fact that the the wealthy the mighty and the whys are not to glory in those things that are theirs but rather are to glory in the fact that they know you that they know that God who is righteous and who is josten we do pray Lord God for such things in our own land certainly in the churches of of this earth that they would glory not in things physical not in wealth and might and wisdom but rather that they would glory in you and Lord God that more and more in this lower world would by your grace be turned unto our Christ that you would cause many more tongues to sing the praises of our Savior you would come by grace and that today and each and every day even by your grace and for your glory would be of salvation you would make many more those who are sinners those who are outside of Christ worshipers of you and we pray this in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen well let's stand and sing then our final hymn will be him 218 now again in the larger Trinity hymnal that's the first tune 218 all hail the power of Jesus name Oh Oh you all Oh you Oh please be seated can turn back in your Bibles to first John to reminder that we're continuing our look at half only half of verse 1 of chapter 3 of first John behold what manner of love we want to read again the context because we will on our last point tonight be focusing on the purpose or the intent behind the call to marvel we see that set forth in the context let's read then first John 224 to 1st John 33 once again the word of the living and true God therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning if what you heard from the beginning abides in you you also will abide in the Sun and in the father and this is the promise that he has promised us eternal life these things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you but the anointing which you have received from him abides in you and you do not need that anyone teach you but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things and is true and is not a lie and just at it as it has taught you you will abide in him and now little children abide in him that when he appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming if you know that he is righteous you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him behold what manner of love the father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God therefore the world does not know us because it did not know him beloved now we are children of God and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be but we know that when he is revealed we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is and everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure amen well let's again go to God in prayer for the preaching of the word Heavenly Father we rejoice now in this worship again the preaching of your word we would ask yet again father that you would help us in this act of worship that you would be glorified in it that you would give us supplies of the spirit that preacher might have that aid that he requires not resting upon his own strength but upon yours to preach your word and Lord God that you would be here with the Ministry of the Holy Spirit strengthening edifying and lifting up your people gathered here and for the end Lord God of the salvation of sinners we pray that anyone outside of Christ here would be by you born again that you would cause them to come from deadness to life and to own our Savior and to rejoice in your name yet again father might everything that this church does tonight be done unto the praise of your most glorious name and it is in Christ's name that we again pray amen well a reminder just a brief reminder of what we were looking at this morning we're focusing in on verse 1 of first John 3 behold what manner of love the father has bestowed on us that we should be called the children of God we noted this morning that we want to look at and we have been looking at and we will look at the call to Marvel which is simply seed in the word behold that is the call the Apostolic entreaty to behold to look at to see to understand to arouse ourselves unto an astonishing exhilaration of what he would then write which is simply the love of God manifested to Christians in making them sons of God through Christ Jesus the Lord so we noted the call to Marvel and the the weight and the packaged meaning that we have in that word behold we started to look secondly then at the content of the marveling so in this be holding in this marveling in this arousing ourselves or prayerfully calling upon God by supplies of the Spirit to help us to be aroused unto and astonishing gaze at the love of God through in making us children of god through christ what is the content of that mar all of that marveling we noted first off that it is divine love what manner of love the father has bestowed on us remember what we are saying or what that means there you know many understandings to the word manner but hopefully you see here that it carries the the meaning of sort of or type of so what sort or what type of love the father has bestowed on us we noted this morning that we can in our in our human minds understand certain you know aggradation of of love you know we can say perhaps sometimes perhaps sometimes foolishly that we love certain things we can legitimately and wholesomely say though that we love particular things and we might even put them on a scale of the degree of love that we have towards these things but you see when the Apostle is setting before us the love of God when he is saying behold what manner of love he wants us to understand that this love and view while knowable is incomprehensible because it is God's love because it is the love that flows from the fountain of one who is who is infinite eternal and unchangeable in his love whose love is is not something that needs to be conjured up as he casts his eyes upon the goings on of the world but rather his love is it is always perfect as always absolute it is unchangeable it is eternal it is sovereign it is holy all of those things that pink brings out the love of God is uninfluenced eternal sovereign infinity mutable holy gracious and so what manner that is what sort of what type of love is this that we are to behold while it is the love of God we know the love of men and women to us and our love to others but we know the love of God while incomprehensible we can know it because he has given us the spirit of god in our hearts by which we cry out of a father and we can know it because by his Spirit we have been made to know and to glory in the truths revealed in the Holy Scriptures many of those truths containing those things of God's divine love towards fallen creatures towards his people towards sinners so divine love is that first content at one of the first constituent elements of the marveling that we are to undertake as Christians and that the Apostle calls upon his recipients to engage in so what is the second we just introduced it this morning very briefly before we closed the second aspect of the content of marveling is divine grace we noted remember we see that in this in this phrase what manner of love the father has bestowed on us you see our sonship and our daughter hood the fact that we can be children of God that is a divine gift hopefully that that truth comes to welcome years because this is a this is a this is a non-negotiable of Christianity that the salvific benefits of God come to us as gifts we do not earn them we do not merit them not of works lest anyone should boast right our sonship in our daughter hood is not a result of what we have done to earn God's favor but rather a God who is infinity turnable and unchangeable in his love in his loving kindness and graciousness towards men towards inners towards his elect according to that and according to his good pleasure God gifted at us gifted us with this blessed reality that we can be called the children of God it's a gift he bestowed it upon us at language brethren ought to come to the hearts ought to come to your souls and it ought to warm them it ought to cause them to to rise up in a mutiny against that cold langer and unthankful pneus that can so often arise up in our hearts to to jettison thankless pneus into oblivion and we ought to be stirred up unto high thoughts of such a God who would gift us with sonship and daughter ship in the household of god what a blessing truth this is something that we find all throughout the scriptures as isn't it whatever what and particularly in view is the doctrine of adoption here remember what we noted this morning the doctrine of adoption is connected to the cross work of Christ isn't every doctrine of salvation connected to the cross work of Christ we have that text in Galatians 44 in that when the fullness of the times had come God sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law that he might redeem those who were under the law that Paul follows that up with that we might receive the adoption as sons because we are not by nature the sons of God are we we are not by nature the sons and the daughters of God we are not by our own nature the children of God we are as the Bible sets forth children of Wrath when we're outside of Christ you are of your father the devil Christ says and the desires of your father you want to do ah but you see amazing grace comes and by God's grace were brought into his household and were made children of God this verse cries out to us and it says rejoice in praise god for his condescending grace rejoice in this God who yet where else do we see this in the scriptures turn with me because these passages are vital for our understanding of the gift nature of of here of sonship but also elsewhere of faith repentance in all of these blessings of salvation turn with me to Philippians chapter one Philippi Philippians chapter one to understand the gift nature of salvation in view in John in first John a 3 the doctrine of adoption here in Philippians 1 faith that aspect of our Christianity the faith we have our believing it's a gift from God notice Philippians 1 verse seven only let your conduct you worthy of the gospel of Christ so that whether I come and see you are an absent I may hear of your affairs that you stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel and not in any way terrified by your adversaries which is to them a proof of perdition but to you of salvation and that from God for to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him but also to suffer for his sake having the same conflict which you saw in me and now here is in me we noted this in our confession study in the morning at the point of repentance as a gift from God equating it here with this text belief or faith as a gift from God notice here the primary point of the Apostle Paul is to stress that to the Philippian Christians God has granted the reality of suffering for Christ Jesus the Lord and as a parallel as another gift to sort of emphasize that reality he says or he writes for to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him so you see believing our faith is not something caught conjured up in the the native and natural oven of our own free will but rather it is something that God from on high gifts to guilty sinners his elect his chosen ones his people he gives us he grants us is the word we ought to see in this word grant and in the word bestowed we ought to see gracious gifting in in those two words God has graciously gifted us with childhood with sonship and daughter ship what a blessed thing what a blessed thing knowing that we were once disobedient that we were once children of Wrath just as the others that we were once sons of our father the devil doing his desires that now we can be those who are the children of God you see John is absolutely right that not that the true lose any weight not that the truth would lose any power if he didn't throw behold in there but he puts behold in there God superintending John's writing an insertion of the word behold there puts it there so that we might with that faith filled gaze look with astonishment and exhilaration at such a glorious truth that we can be made the children of God it is a gift from on high it's a gift notice Ephesians 2 you turn to Ephesians 2 now this is an address of Scripture brothers and sisters that ought to be very well known to you if not memorized there is no doctrine of demanding the congregation memorized texts but if there was this would be one of those texts that you should you just you need to memorize because what does it encapsulate it encapsulates the amazing condescending and victorious grace of God and the gift nature of our salvation which includes adoption being made the children of God notice in Ephesians 2 at verse 8 having already talked about the grace of God in salvation we read these blessed words for by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works lest anyone should boast for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them it's at the same time a glorious verse that comes to the heart of the Christian it causes him to sing Amazing Grace how sweet the sound and it's also a nail in the coffin of any theology that would seek to exalt man in an economy of salvation for by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is what the gift of God he has bestowed on us he has graciously gifted us graciously given us the reality to be called the children of God Ephesians 2 8 to 10 brethren memorize that verse if you can you see turn with me to John chapter 3 actually first off John chapter 1 notice what we find in John one with regards to now honing in on or narrowing foot narrowing our focus to childhood in God's household being made the children of God remember of course this is John the author of first John the passage that we're focusing on this this evening but notice in John 1 beginning in verse 10 speaking of Christ he was in the world and the world was made through him and the world did not know him he came to his own and his own did not receive him but as many as received him to them he gave the right to become children of God to those who believe in his name who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God you see this blessed reality first off God gives us the right to become children of God wrapped up in that brethren is the language of of a legal be stole those who previously could not and did not avail of the benefits of the householder now do by virtue of a right granted to them the doctrine of adoption is in view those who once were not sons and daughters are now sons and daughters and they have all rights and all titles to the the the Blessed inheritances of the household of the household owner we have been made to become children of God we have been given the right to become children of God and notice wherein lies the power wherein lies the efficacy who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God you see it's amazing grace brethren it's amazing race you're preaching to the choir preacher I know what we need to hear this constantly it's amazing grace by grace are we saved through faith and that not of ourselves you see we are we are to constantly rehearse these truths so that we might behold what manner of love the father has bestowed on us that we can be called the children of God bless in reality and in John 3 and this connects this connects to our verse because it has the language of love and it has the language of giving as well now this verse certainly ought to be memorized shouldn't at john three sixteen john three sixteen for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life you know we ought not to just skip past he gave there because what do we have in view there again we have a gracious gifting we have a granting we have a bestow God gifted the son of his love God gave His only begotten Son so that all those who believe might not perish but have everlasting life there are some who would come to this passage and see see something in verse 16 that touches upon the manner of love that we have in first John 31 notice for God so loved the world we know that that isn't because the world was so lovable you know God looks down upon the children of men and he sees that they are only disobedient continually wickedness is in their hearts hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it see God God didn't give his son because we were so lovable but after this manner in this manner God loved the world it's demonstrated at the giving of his son some woods read this text in what manner did God so loved the world he gave His Son so that all the believing ones might not perish but have everlasting life we see that same thrust in John in first John 31 behold what manner of love God so loved the world how what manner of love the father has bestowed on us that we can be child called the children of God again it's connected to this it's connected to the giving of the Sun it's connected to his dying is doing it is dying and is rising again by the efficacy the power and perfection of the saving work of Christ we can be called the children of God and it is a blessed divine and gracious bestow remember this I'm going to remind you of this long verse from Spurgeon you've heard it before but it touches upon this because we are to behold not the magnificence of our own doing and making ourselves children of God but we are to behold the love the grace of our God in making us children of god this is Spurgeon you'll remember this one or hopefully you do Spurgeon preaching on Luke 214 remember what's going on there the the Angels common they announced the the birth of the Savior there is born to you this day in the City of David a savior who is Christ the Lord and they start to sing what Spurgeon calls the first Christmas Carol the first hymn of the Incarnation glory to God in the highest peace on earth goodwill toward men at the birth of the Savior singing praises to God for this Redeemer who was born Spurgeon writing and commenting on this says the angels were know our minions they sang glory to God in the highest you see they believe in no doctrine which uncrowned Christ and puts the crown upon the heads of mortals they believe in no system of faith which makes salvation dependent upon the creature and which really gives the creature the phrase for what is it less than for a man to save himself if the whole dependence of salvation rests upon his own free will my brethren they may be some preachers that delight to preach a doctrine that magnifies man but in their gospel angels have no delight the only glad tidings that made the angels sing are those that put God first God last god midst and God without end in the salvation of his creatures and put the crown holy and alone upon the head of him that saves without a helper glory to God in the highest was the Angels song you see how that touches upon our verse this evening what manner of love the father has bestowed on us that we should be called the children of God he's bestowed it upon us any religion that can come to that verse and and envision some sort of strange reality where the scepter of sovereignty is not in the hand of the Redeemer but it's in the hand of man that man wields the scepter of his own destiny that man wields the scepter of his own salvation such notions need to be cast into oblivion replaced with the reality that it is Christ who holds the scepter it is Christ who has the diadem upon his head the crown is Christ who is king and in the matter of salvation it is our God who makes us our Christ who makes us sons and daughters glorious it is divine grace what is the content of marveling divine love first divine grace second then thirdly divine fatherhood moving back to first John 3 we have the content of marveling seen in divine love divine grace and of course divine fatherhood because what do we read there we read behold what manner of love the father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God we have God as our Father God is our Father as jim has so often said when touching upon the Fatherhood of God you know some of us may not have good earthly fathers that tends to happen I have a wonderful father the best man that I know you see some don't have a good father and yet as a Christian we have our Heavenly Father never fails us never leaves us he's immutable he's unchangeable he's infinite eternal and unchangeable and all those glorious perfections we have a father brothers and sisters in heaven who has made us his children those who were heirs of sin and death those who were errors of the guilt and the condemnation of sin and yet he pulled us from out of the hole of the pit and he thrusted us from out of that stone made us his children a glorious thing brethren you're a Christian here tonight you were dead in your trespasses and in your sins holy abandoned to iniquity holy abandoned to sinful lifestyle holy abandoned to everything contrary to God had no interest in this glorious one and yet that glorious one came upon the wings of Amazing Grace made you his child what a glorious thing brethren behold what manner of love the father has bestowed on us we can be called the children of God the astonishment comes the amazement comes the marveling comes in at two points first because we are not children by nature you see it behold what manner of love the father has bestowed on us yet bestowed on us that we should be called the children of God that is to astonish and exhilarate us because of the fact that we are not by nature his children you know there is a text there is a text in i believe acts 17 that is you know can be misunderstood with regards to the Fatherhood of God I bear with me one moment it's where it speaks of quoting quoting a quoting a heathen actually it speaks that we are all here offspring verse 28 for in him we live and move and have our being as also some of your own poets have said for we are also his offspring some you know some seeing that some sort of you know idea that every every man and woman boy and girl by nature are the children of God well this text is to be seen in its context where Paul is trying to exhort them that they have a knowledge of God by virtue of general revelation therefore the one whom you worship without knowing him I proclaim to you they were worshipping in vain yet there was there there is this idea among them with regards to one the unknown God who has master iya who has ownership of creation of whom we are all his offspring but you see not in that redemptive sense there is this sense where we can speak of the Fatherhood of God the Bible though rarely does where he is the father of all his creation he is the originator of all of all those who are his image bearers in that sense we are his offspring but you see when it comes to the Fatherhood of God and the sonship and the daughter hood of his people it's always an only at the point of that very thing his people it is only those who have been saved by Amazing Grace who are the children of God because and again we are by nature children of Wrath children of our Father the devil yet God in His grace God in His mercy and God in his love has condescended to pull us from out of the madness of our sin I was out of the madness of our childhood to raf in the devil has made us house household members made us members of the household of god turn to the book of Ephesians with me if you will again Raymond had said that Ephesians as Paul's tree it's us on the doctrine of adoption and what we have here is a wonderful wonderful reality a wonderful package of versus speaking to the fact that we are members of the household of God notice Ephesians 2 verse 19 now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the Saints and members of the household of God what does this follow on the heels of but that which we had already read for by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works lest anyone should boast he talks about jew and gentile being way made one new man in christ jesus and then he says you were no you are no longer strangers and foreigners but citizens you see where citizens of heaven we were once strangers and foreigners but we've now been brought in by the grace of God and then he gets to adoption to fatherhood and our sonship and daughter hood to our father when he writes that we are members of the household of God the glorious reality and brethren you see we need to see a blessed contrast here the benefits that we have is the children of God versus the inheritance that those who are the children of Wrath and the children of the devil will gain in that great and final day what is the law what is the law of those who are not members of the household of God but rather are the children of Wrath there their law their inheritance is to be cast into the lake of fire reserved for the devil and his angels there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth there will be nothing but loss in darkness and torment what a horrible thing to be a child of wrath why would you want to pursue after that household that has that inheritance by grace brothers and sisters were members of the household of God and the inheritances that we have the spiritual blessings that we have in Christ Jesus we only need visit Ephesians 1 to see what we have the elect redeeming power of the Sun and the ceiling and the guaranteeing efficacy of the Holy Spirit and all of those blessed benefits romans 8 28 to 30 those whom he called these he also justified those whom he justified these he also glorified all of those blessings of salvation what an inheritance we have in Christ Jesus in being members of the household of God a great list of those benefits a--'s is given in 1st Peter in 1st Peter in something of a a text that is very close to the Apostle Paul's doxology in Ephesians 1 we read and first Peter 13 blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a Living Hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time glorious reality that we have as members of the household of God a wonderful thing you see how mad and how false is the notion that we need to be about the inheritances of physical things you know we like to keep up to ourselves corruptible things and things which are defiled gold and silver are corruptible things but the precious blood of Jesus Christ takes away the sins of his people is Blessid notice what we have later in first Peter 117 and if you call on the father who without partiality judges according to each one's work conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here and fear knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your father's but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot he indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for you a blessed thing you see if you're here today and you're not a Christian there is nothing in earthly inheritance that isn't that doesn't mean to you know turn your nose into Shawn if your father and your mother rightly and wholesomely leave you some dough some loot some property doesn't mean you know throw it away and give it away and go living on the streets but you see if we're all about gaining physical pleasures if we're all about following after earthly pleasures if our pursuit of earthly things chokes away again the only thing that is worthy of infinite and eternal value the precious blood of christ and the inheritance given us by God given to his people by God what up what a colossal folly of a pursuit is seeking after earthly things when we can have those blessed things of eternal value the inheritance given to us by our Father divine love divine grace divine fatherhood we are brought into the household of God lastly and finally then we've noted the call to Marvel seen and behold we've noted the content of the marveling seen in what manner of love the father has bestowed on us that we should be called the children of God and lastly the intent behind the call to marble what is it what is the intent behind this call to Marvel well let's turn back to 1st John 32 notice what it is the what we want to look at two things in the intent behind the call to Marvel first the intent behind the call to Marvel is for the simple purposes of a general call to Marvel right the Apostle calls upon his audience to be whole so that they might do what so that they might behold generally enlarged Leigh brothers and sisters the Apostles set before us such verses so that we will take our minds off of other things and again be holy and alone focused solely and alone focused upon the blessings of God delivered to us graciously through Christ Jesus our Lord the intent behind the call to Marvel is first so that Christians would marvel brethren brothers and sisters so that we would be aroused unto and astonishment and astonishing a wandering after the things of God so graciously given to us you see that the stuff of the Bible if you're you know when you read the newspaper and you're sitting in a chair and you know you got your leg cross there you got your green tea or your you know chamomile tea or whatever you have next to you and you're you know you're just kind of your chillin air and you're casually sipping your coffee and your reading some stuff in the news you come to a reading of your Bibles when you come to a consideration of our glorious triune God our blessed Savior the riches in the excellencies of his saving and redeeming work these are not the things of newspaper reading we should never really Marvel and be astonished in the same way ever even remotely after the things of this lower world current events aren't to arouse in us this Christian astonishment but rather the revelation of such a god of such a Christ and of such a salvation is to cause us to uncross the legs to put down the tea and to fall on our faces as dead men before such a glorious God in such a glorious truth we are to be astonished behold what manner of love the father has bestowed on us that we should be called the children of God comes as a simple and general call to Marvel after your God to behold your God hopefully hopefully the preacher helps with that on Sunday and in a small and infallible and in a cracked pot way facilitates your Christian marveling after such a God in such a Christ but pick up your Bible as well right throughout the week page after page chapter after Chapter sets forth of Christ crucified upon Calvary's tree for the salvation of his people open up your Bibles in Marvel after behold your God behold his Christ and behold his salvation rejoice and turn that frown into a present him smile rejoice in your God sing the praises of amazing and victorious grace second however the intent behind the call to Marvel is to arouse steadfastness in our Christian walk it is to arouse a steadfastness in earnest marching in our Christian walk notice what precedes behold what manner of love we already read it in first John to 24 therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning if what you heard from the beginning abides in you you also will abide in the Sun and in the father and this is the promise that he has promised us eternal life these things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you but the anointing which you have received from him abides in you and you do not need that anyone teach you but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things and is true and is not a lie and just as it has taught you you will abide in him now notice it comes to more of a focal point with regards to the intent behind this call to Marvel and now little children abide in him that when he appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming if you know that he is righteous you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him now this this verse it this verse is actually quite helpful to dispel any notions and bad interpretations of another in first John notice in verse 1 of first John 5 whoever believes that jesus is the christ is born of God now there are opponents of Calvinism opponents of reformed theology opponents of the doctrines of grace who will say aha whoever believes that jesus is the christ is born of God you see one must believe the gospel before God can bring them forth from above before God can birth them from above one must believe to be made by God a a child of God well we come and we have the same language in 1st John 3 22 29 if you know that he is righteous you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him so if you want to say that our believing merits you God's gracious bestow love childhood of sonship then you have to say that good works merit salvation because it says right here everyone who practices righteousness is born of him what's the idea then because that's nonsense what's the idea then the everyone who is born of God believes that Jesus is the Christ so when we read whoever believes that jesus is the christ is born of God that's simply to say those who are born of God demonstrate that reality in that they believe that Jesus is the Christ that he really did come in the flesh if there are those who are Antichrist who deny that Jesus has come in the flesh and they're not born of him and so we get back to 1st John 229 and we read if you know that he is righteous you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him what does this mean that it means brethren as children of God we are to practice righteousness doesn't it the board of the born-again of God don't continue in sin the born-again of God do not abide in iniquity the born-again of God though they will have remaining corruption that we need to put to death living unto righteousness but nevertheless those who are born of God will practice righteousness we will no longer abide in the committing of sin and in the in iniquity we will stumble we will fall we will sin but it is not our common course now because we have been made anew by the power and the grace of God to walk after newness of life to endeavor after obedience we are to endeavor after obedience brethren the doctrine of justification by faith alone the doctrine that we are not saved by works but solely and alone by the grace and the faith of God does not militate against the doing of good works notice what we have after verse 1 of first John 310 first John 3 therefore the world does not know us because it did not know him beloved now we are children of God and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be but we know that when he is revealed we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is and everyone who has this hope in himself purifies him or excuse me and everyone who has this hope not in himself and everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure so you see this call to Marvel comes as an exhortation unto practical godliness the children of God are to act as members of the household of God we have this brought forth again in Ephesians that book that is if we believe Raymond and it's okay to do so at this point a treatise on the doctrine of adoption we have this language in in Ephesians 5 therefore be imitators of God as dear children and walk in love as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us and offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma were to be imitators of god we can't be God we can never be and we never will be infinite eternal and unchangeable and all of his perfections but we are to be imitators of him after his righteousness after his his and after his justice we are to be doers of good we are to be as Paul writes to Titus zealous for good works brethren zealous for good works you see the Protestant Christian is not what Rome says we are the deniers of the necessity of good works heaven forbid we maintain most certainly against those Romish errors of justification that justification is solely and alone the is solely and alone by the grace of God wherein he makes us are in it he wherein he imputes us imputes the righteousness of Christ to us we receive it by faith alone we're justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone our righteousness is not our own it is Christ's given to us imputed to us received by faith but what do we do we endeavour after in newness of life obedience and good work so that we might adorn the gospel so that we might decorate the gospel or Ana meant it so that we might not have heathens pagans unbelievers blaspheme the word of God and speak ill of the gospel when we do all manner of sin in this lower world Christians we are to love the gospel and love the law of God that's the report in the book of Revelation John repeats who are Christians or how are Christians identified those who love the gospel of Christ and who do the commandments of God we do not do the commandments of God in order to merit salvation we've already noted that for by grace you have been seen through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works lest anyone should boast but brethren conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel is what Paul says in 1st in Philippians 127 we are to be cheerfully obedient unto the law of God in the doing of our good works the law of God comes to us and it no longer comes to us with the thunderings of cyanide but it comes to us with the grace the myrrh love of Calvary it comes to us with this blessed reality that we do it in a cheerful compliance because we love our god we love is Christ and we have beheld what manner of love the father has bestowed on us that we should be called the children of God we are to this call to Marvel is to arouse steadfastness in our Christian walk Calvin on this for it was not common honor he says that the Heavenly Father bestowed on us when he adopted us as his children this being so great a favor the desire for purity ought to be kindled in us so as to be conformed to his image nor indeed can it be otherwise but that he who acknowledges himself to be one of God's children should purify himself and to make this exhortation more forcible he amplifies the favor of God for when he says that love has been bestowed he means that it is from near bounty and benevolence that God makes us his children so you see this behold comes brethren and it's to arouse us unto the doing of good works for the honor of God for the glory of the gospel and to adorn that saving work of Christ which such things as are acceptable in the sight of God so brethren when we when we pray in our time of prayer god give us your spirit that we might conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel we mean that you are to to be nodding and affirming when we pray that you don't have to do it physically but hopefully you're with us when we pray that conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel Paul says whether I am with you or am absent that I may hear of your your affairs that you stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving for the faith of the gospel when we have this given to us this behold what manner of love the father has bestowed on us when it is seen as as in its intent to arouse steadfastness in the Christian walk we might even say that that is twofold not we might even say we need to say that that is twofold that we are to have for doctrine and that we are to have proper practice because in view are these who are Antichrist who are denying that Christ had come in the flesh we are to abide in him after the doctrine of Christ that he truly has come and taken to himself man's nature with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof yet without sin he's not a specter he's not a phantom 4 if he was so is his salvation no he came in the flesh he truly did come we are to have proper doctrine we are to know our God we are to know his Christ we are know what the Bible says with regards to those bless it and gripping doctrines that we must not let go but we must hold with apologetic vigor joyful and Christian strength you see we are to as well walk after at walk in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ we are to know and we are to do neither of these in order to be saved but because we have been saved we are to endeavor after a full and unabridged knowledge of our God and of his Christ and we are to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel we are to follow after his Commandments and cheerful compliance knowing again brethren that that brings honor and glory to God and it adorns the gospel well finally brethren we already noted these things this morning it's the first time I've gone through a glass of water I don't need another one that's okay we're we're almost finished noted this morning Christian behold your God won't need to spend as much time saying that again but hopefully that's clear behold marvel after your God brothers and sisters because what a God we have what a God we have we don't have the god of the pagans who have to be lifted up and nailed down with nails so that they won't topple over we have a God who is spirit infinite eternal and unchangeable all of his Excellency's imperfections who is uninfluenced eternal sovereign infinite immutable holy and gracious in his love we have a God who sent such a Christ into this lower world sinners to save we have such a gospel behold your God brethren marvel be astonished be exhilarated so one man has said with regards to the doctrine of God we're not to embrace or endeavor after a theology proper and some cold and detached way doctrine of God's to exhilarate US open up our bio Bibles and we learn of this God and her to be exhilarated what a god what a Christ and what a gospel and brethren we are to be such who seek after steadfastness in the Christian walk prayerfully how do we do this how do we do this how do we be steadfast in the Christian walk we do what God has ordained for our own good for our growth as Christians it's a good a good couple of good places in our confession that summarized the biblical data chapter 14 a paragraph 1 for example doctrine of worship a doctrine of the sacraments there those means that God has ordained for our good and our growth is Christian so that we might facilitate buy supplies of the Spirit a steadfastness in our Christian walk the worship of God in His gathered church we come to church so that we might behold our God and so that we might grow after the manner of endeavoring in obedience in our Christian walk we are to pray we are to read the scriptures we are to be baptized we are to take the Lord's Supper and other means ordained by God for our growth in faith you know it's not as we've noted before it really isn't brain science well how do I do this whole christian thing how do i how do i grow it's been said before if someone was to come to their personal trainer you know a trainer it's been you know training someone to lose weight exercise gain strength be healthy that sort of thing and the person that he's been training comes to them and says you know what man I'm just it's just not working I just you know I'm not seeing any changes I'm not seeing any I'm still unhealthy and the trainer said well you have you been eating good no really I have you been have you been exercising have you been picking up those weights and doing what I don't know I'm really struggling have you been doing it no have you been doing it no brethren come to church read your Bibles pray if you've been baptized take the Lord's Supper if you haven't been baptized in you're a believer come talk to us and get baptized the Brethren avail of those means that God has ordained to grow in your Christian walk and prayerfully seek to conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel kids what does it look like to be a Christian brothers and sisters what does it look like to be a Christian you believe in priced and you have the doctrine of Christ you seek with newness of life to endeavor after obedience growing in the grace and in the knowledge of Christ Jesus the Lord you conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of that gospel that you have and do believe that you have believed and that you do believe if you don't know Christ tonight if you're an unbeliever if you haven't come to know our blessed Savior remember you might not have been here this morning but remember those words behold today is the acceptable time behold today is the day of salvation no lot don't Terry don't wait don't dangle don't put off believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved we said earlier the inheritance the law to those who do not believe in the Savior is an eternity of torment it's not unconscious it's a conscious eternity of torment the lake of fire reserved for the devil and his angels and that is just and that is holy because our God is just eternally so and holy eternally so you see you need to come to grips by the grace of God with the reality of what's in deserves and that by that same grace you would flee to the cross and to our Christ and find in him salvation and an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that does not fade away reserved in heaven for you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for your word we rejoice in this simple half of a verse that we focused on this morning and this evening first John 31 we pray that you would help us to behold you we pray that you would help us to Marvel in our Christ we pray that you would help us to be astonished after the spirit applying the benefits of Christ's cross work that we would rejoice in the gospel Lord God and that you would help us to avail of those means that you have ordained for our good and for your glory that you would instill in us and maintain in us a church attending ethic we would seek to come in here with joyful hearts to worship with our fellow brothers and sisters bring you honor bring you praise that we would come to you in prayer that we would read your word and a veil of it that we would avail of those other means baptism and the lord's supper and all those other means ordained by you that we might grow in our faith help us in this and we do pray that you would help us to walk in obedience in this lower world we know that we are not saved by our obedience but having been saved by grace through faith in Christ we do pray that you would help us by your spirit to walk in newness of life that we would walk after obedience that we would be in cheerful compliance after your law we would seek to do those things that are wholly in your sight go with us now lord help us help all those who are unable to join us be with them be with those traveling we pray that you would watch over your Saints not only from our church but around the world strengthening them daily and that you would add new Saints by Amazing Race to your earthly fold and we pray in Christ's precious name amen well let's stand and sing if you'll stand with me and a doxology this time we're going to sing him 35 stanza one that's him 35 in your Trinity hymnals stanza one only for our doxology let's stand and sing together you you now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to God our Savior who alone his wives be glory and Majesty Dominion and power both now and forever amen please be seated and we'll have a brief time of Prayer when the piano is finished you're free to go