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good morning to everyone and welcome to Free Grace Baptist Church a warm welcome to visitors here with us this morning it's a joy to have you with us just two announcements before we begin worship this morning the first is that the wedding for John Curry and Malena will be on Saturday November 19th so everyone is invited it's at 2p a.m on Saturday November 19th and if you're going to RSVP for that please do so to Leslie Lawson by tomorrow again that's John and Molina November 19th that's next Saturday or this upcoming Saturday 2 p.m and please RSVP to Leslie Lawson by tomorrow the next announcement and the last announcement is that we do have Bible study on Wednesday so that's 7 30 p.m in the fellowship luncheon Hall there well let's begin our worship then if you'll turn in your Bibles with me to Psalm 98 Psalm 98 that is our call to worship this Lord's Day morning Psalm 98 the entirety of the psalm this is the word of the living and true God a psalm o sing to the Lord a new song for he has done marvelous things his right hand and His holy arm have gained him the victory the Lord has made known his salvation his righteousness he has revealed in the sight of the Nations he has remembered his mercy and his faithfulness to the house of Israel all the ends of the Earth have seen the salvation of our God shout joyfully to the Lord all the Earth Break Forth in song rejoice and sing praises sing to the Lord with the harp with the harp and the sound of a Psalm with trumpets and the sound of a horn shout joyfully before the Lord the king Let the Sea Roar and all its fullness the world and those who dwell in it let the rivers clap their hands let the hills be joyful together before the Lord for he is coming to judge the Earth with righteousness he shall judge the world and the peoples with Equity amen well let's stand and sing our first hymn this morning it's 1 45 d That's 145 D let's stand and sing together [Music] is our holy Grace [Music] foreign [Music] The Sinner always [Music] your voice is our Lord gives a breeze oh God let's go to our great God In Prayer let us pray our righteous and Holy Father we come to you now in prayer on this Lord's Day morning rejoicing in Father's Son and Holy Spirit we thank you that you have once again caused us to arise on another Lord's day with breath in our lungs with the ability to to cast our eyes upon the glory of your creation that truly speaks that there is a God in high heaven and we do pray that you'd help us as we now gather and worship to hallow your name we pray that you would help us to approach you with that reverence and Christian fear that Christian awe we do pray that you would help us Lord God truly to worship you in spirit and in truth we acknowledge your greatness Your Glory Your Majesty we recognize Lord God Almighty that your infinite Eternal and unchangeable and all of your glorious Perfections and we do pray that we would have our hearts tuned to right to the worship of Father Son and Holy Spirit we thank you for the saving work of our redeem mean King the Lord Jesus Christ we thank you that in the fullness of the times you did send forth your son born of a woman born under the law to redeem those under the law we thank you that he perfected salvation through his perfect life of obedience to your law in every jot and Tittle and that he rendered that Perfection of life in the stead of all who believe in his name we thank you for his perfect work upon calvary's cross that substitutionary sacrificial death wherein he perfectly shed his blood for the Salvation of a multitude which no man can number and we Rejoice Lord God in the Resurrection on the third day where he arose with great power and in great victory that he now has ascended to your right hand where he does ever live to make intercession for his people and we thank you Lord God that we can sing his Praises we do thank you for the Forgiveness of sins we thank you for the righteousness of our savior the Lord Jesus Christ imputed to us received by faith alone we do pray that you would forgive us afresh in the blood of our precious Savior and that you would cause us to have hearts that joyfully and cheerfully live for righteousness we thank you for your amazing and your Victorious Grace and we know that we have not been saved then by Deeds of righteousness which we have done but much rather according to your mercy through the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit we do pray Lord God that you would help us now in worship again help us to worship you a right we do pray for pastor Butler when he comes up here to Proclaim your word to open up his Bible and to preach the Blessed things of your Revelation to the sons of men we pray that he would know your help that he would know your Aid in this Pulpit as we often acknowledge we know that Ministers of the Gospel rest not upon their own strength but upon that which the Triune God affords and we do pray that this morning for pastor Butler give him courage in the pulpit and give him confidence as he opens up your word we do pray As we sing as we read the scriptures as we engage in that act of worship the preaching of the word that Christ Jesus the Lord would be exalted upon the Praises of this gathered assembly we do pray God for those who are unwell that those who are with injury sickness those in poor health Lord that you would strengthen them in body that you would heal them we pray in the midst of physical suffering that you would cause them to rejoice in and rest upon their God and find great joy in Jesus Christ their savior we do pray for those who are struggling spiritually Lord as we all can have those Seasons where the the the rain clouds come as it were and the floods rise we do pray that you'd be with your people that you would return to them the joy of their salvation and that you would cause them to walk with great joy in their savior we do think Lord God of those throughout the world who are persecuted for the cause of God and Truth we pray that you would be with your persecuted saints that you would strengthen them do help them and be near to them and cause them even in the midst of much opposition to sing the Praises of their God and to have the boldness to preach the riches and the excellencies of Jesus Christ so do be with your people abroad be with those missionaries of yours who bring the word of Christ to many nations be near to them protect them and give them much Aid as they go about the preaching of Christ we do pray for your churches here near to us those that we have a close affiliation with Lord we think of our brothers and sisters in Surrey we think of those in Armstrong those in Dryden as well those down in Honduras we do pray that you'd be with each and every church that you'd be with those in the Pulpit proclaiming your word we do just pray that you would cause them to know the presence of Christ who walks amongst the lampstands and Lord cause them to be the recipients of the proclaimed word and that you would buy that by your word and by your spirit Lord God bring bring many Sinners dead in trespasses to life and light in Jesus Christ Our Savior we do pray Lord for the the upcoming wedding of John and Milena we do pray that you would be with these two as they come together in Union cause them to rejoice and to be committed under God and before men to uh to this Union and we do just pray that it would be a blessed day for them we do pray Lord God for those who govern over us we think of those uh uh our gov the people who govern over us here in Canada and those down in the United States Lord God and truly throughout the world we pray that you would cause those who rule over people to do so in righteousness and inequity to do so with uh with proper upholding of of good things Lord God we're so we're so grieved at the way that governments are currently governing the Nations how they how they rejoice in the abomination of abortion how they rejoice in euthanasia how they truly just simply rejoice in the and perversely in death Lord God and we do just pray that you would deal with them and that you would raise up those to rule over us who would do so with righteousness and in truth God we pray that you would cause those who would seek to to propagate Madness in the land and legislate inflation that that truly brings violence upon the innocent we pray that you would cause them to stumble like drunken men that they might not bring these things upon the people of the Nations and once again Lord God for your glory and for the good of your people that you would raise up rulers to rule to truly Serve the People in righteousness and in true Equity we do pray then Lord God finally that you would be with us again as we worship as we move through these blessed elements of worship we do pray that they would not be wrote that they would not simply be routine but as we pray As we sing as we read the scriptures and as we engage in the preaching of the word do lift our hearts up and cause our minds to be solely tuned to the worship of Father Son and Holy Spirit and we pray in the name of Jesus Christ Our Savior amen let's stand and sing again this time it's 4 59 if you'll stand with me and sing 4 59 in your hymn books [Music] foreign [Music] all together [Music] is all ah [Music] says [Music] foreign [Music] foreign in your Bibles with me to First John chapter 2. first John chapter 2 that's our New Testament scripture reading this morning and we'll read all of all of First John 2. first John 2 beginning at verse 1 the word of God my little children these things I write to you so that you may not sin and if anyone sins we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous and he himself is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the whole world Now by this we know that we know him if we keep his Commandments he who says I know him and does not keep his Commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him but whoever keeps his word truly the love of God is perfected in him by this we know that we are in him he who says he abides in him ought himself also to walk just as he walked Brethren I write no new commandment to you but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning the old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning again a new commandment I write to you which thing is true in him and in you because the darkness is passing away and the True Light is already shining he who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in darkness until now he who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him but he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness is blinded his eyes I write to you little children because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake I write to you fathers because you have known him who is from the beginning I write to you young men because you have overcome the wicked one I write to you little children because you have known the father I have written to you fathers because you know you have known him who is from the beginning I have written to you young men because you are strong and the word of God abides in you and you have overcome the wicked one do not love the world or the things in the world if anyone loves the world the love of the father is not in him for all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the father but is of the world and the world is passing away and the lust of it but he who does the will of God abides forever little children it is the last hour and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming even now many antichrists have come by which we know that it is the last hour they went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that none of them were of us but you haven't you have an anointing from the Holy One and you know all things I have not written to you because you do not know the truth but because you know it and that no lie is of the truth who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ he is Antichrist who denies the father and the son whoever denies whoever denies the son does not have the father either he who acknowledges the son has the father also therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning if what you heard from the beginning abides in you you also will abide in the son and in the father and this is the promise that he has promised us eternal life 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 and now little children abide in him that when he appears he may have of 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 amen well let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for your word of God to us we thank you for the New Testament as we've read it here we rejoice in Jesus Christ Our Savior we pray Lord God that you would help us to glory in the truth as we read here that we have when we sin we have an advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous and we thank you for that righteousness of our savior we thank you for the Perfection of his saving work we thank you that he is at your right hand where he does ever live to intercede for his people we do pray that you would help us to when we sin not grovel in it not wait in it not be carried off by by deep contemplations and seasons of Sorrow but that we might immediately fly to that Advocate that we have Jesus Christ the righteous we thank you Lord God that we have forgiveness of sins in him we do pray Lord God that you would help us to examine ourselves that you would help us Lord God to see to see and rejoice in the fact that we do that we have salvation by the Triune God that we have been saved by Jesus Christ and we pray that in light of that you would cause us to do those things that manifest that truth that we would seek to joyfully and and cheerfully obey the law of God as you've said it before us not as a covenant of works but as a pattern for Christian Living we pray Lord God that we would be such who from a true and Lively Faith do those things which are pleasing in your sight having been saved by such a glorious gospel we do pray Lord God that you would cause us to know our Christ as we read of these antichrists who are preaching that Jesus Christ had not come In the Flesh we pray that we would rejoice in the truth of Jesus Christ Our Savior as John wrote so many centuries ago that they had handled that they had seen that they had touched the king of kings and Lord of lords and this was certainly a true evidence of the fact that Jesus Christ the son of God the second of the Blessed Triune did truly take upon himself humanity and that Lord God he did appear truly In the Flesh and we thank you for the Incarnation we thank you for the Blessed truth of Jesus Christ Our Savior that he is very God and very man yet one Christ and the only mediator between God and man might we know our God might we know our Christ and might we rejoice in the truth and we pray in the name of Jesus Christ Our Savior amen well let's stand and sing our final hymn before the preaching it's 4 29 that's 4 29 in our hymnals let's stand together as a church [Music] foreign [Music] Jesus [Music] Christ [Music] where is [Music] foreign [Music] with me in your Bibles to John's gospel where in John chapter 8. our Focus this morning will be verses 33 to 36 but I want to read from 31 to 47. remember this is the day after the Feast of Tabernacles the Lord Jesus comes that next day early in the morning all the peoples come to hear him and then he engages in teaching and obviously he butts heads with the religious leaders at his time at this particular time and that is pretty much the focus for the remainder of the chapter remember at the end of verse 30 or in verse 30 we see that there were many who believed in him so he addresses them in verses 31 to 32 but then in verse 33 again the religious leaders those who oppose him those other antichrists they rise up in opposition against him so he condemns them he rebukes them so I want to read beginning in verse 31. then Jesus said to those who believed him believed him if you abide in my word word you are my disciples indeed and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free they answered him we are Abraham's descendants and have never been in bondage to anyone how can you say you will be made free Jesus answered them most assuredly I say to you whoever commits sin is a slave of sin and a slave does not abide in the house forever but a son abides forever therefore if the son makes you free you shall be free indeed I know that you are Abraham's descendants but you seek to kill me because my word has no place in you I speak what I have seen with my father and you do what you have seen with your father they answered and said to him Abraham is our father Jesus said to them if you were Abraham's children you would do the works of Abraham but now you seek to kill me a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God Abraham did not do this you do the Deeds of your father they said to him we were not born a fornication we have one father God Jesus said to them if God were your father you would love me for I proceeded forth and came from God nor have I come of myself but he sent me why do you not understand my speech because you are not able to listen to my word you are of your father the devil and the desires of your father you want to do he was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him when he speaks a lie he speaks from his own resources for he is a liar and the father of it because I tell you the truth because I tell the truth you do not believe me which of you convict me of sin and if I tell the truth why do you not believe me he who is of God hears God's words therefore you do not hear because you are not of God Amen well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you for your word we thank you for the beauty of this Lord's day and for the privilege to gather as the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ we pray that you would be glorified that you'd be honored and praised As We Gather we ask God that we would make much of Christ Our blessed savior as we consider his words in this particular passage of scripture may it be unto edification and encouragement to the saints of God and may it be used by the Holy Spirit to bring conviction for sin to any who is still a slave to sin and may you free them by the power of your grace may you free them by the power of the son of man who is able to save to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto God through him forgive us and cleanse us from all sin and unrighteousness and again father give us ears to hear and hearts to receive your wonderful truth and may the spirit guide us and teach us and and bring these things to Bear Upon Our Hearts and minds and we ask through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well we saw as I said last time we were in John's gospel that the people some or many believed in him and then we looked at the blessedness of spiritual Liberty in verses 30 to 32 so in verse 31 Jesus said to those Jews who believed him if you abide in my word you are my disciples indeed and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free it's a wonderful and a blessed statement we have Liberty in Jesus Christ from deadness to Sin from the tyranny of Sin from that bondage to Satan bondage to Satan that the Bible speaks to now in this particular section we see the freedom in receiving the son and this is in stark contrast to what he said in verse 24 I said to you that you will die in your sins for if you do not believe that I am you will die in your sins so there's two places two options two positions that man finds himself in or one of two that man finds himself he is either in bondage he is under tyranny he is a slave of sin or he has been freed by the grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ there's no third place there's no neutrality there's no sort of in between well I think I'm kind of there I'm almost there I I want to be there no you're either dead in your trespasses and sins or you're alive together with Christ Jesus our lord and it is the Hope and prayer of all of us that those who are dead in their trespasses and sins will hear the Blessed word of Truth and will move by God's grace from that state of depravity and lawlessness into that state of being a kingdom citizen on under the the control of our blessed savior so this morning we've seen the blessedness of spiritual Liberty in verses 30 to 32 we'll look at the wretchedness of spiritual slavery in verses 33 to 36 and basically two concerns here first the objection of the Jews in verse 33 and then the response of our Lord Jesus Christ in verses 34 to 36. again much of the teaching here in the temple is a back and forth that is based on the dialogue it is based on the questions of the objections offered up by the Jews it is one long discourse it's not that it was broken up over days it is one session in terms of Jesus teaching in the temple at that time but there are these points within the narrative where there is objection where there is question and where there is this sort of an attempt to clarify what Jesus is saying and in this particular section of course we would expect them to make the objection that they do in light of this statement in verse 32 you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free he connects that to abiding in his word so his underscoring again his authority his identity is the one sent by God that one is clothed with authority to speak for God and so he connects spiritual Freedom he connects that Liberty that that the blessed have under god with his word with his power with his person now they hate him the religious leaders they're opposed to him they're at odds with them there's growing enmity between him uh them and him and so when they make this objection in verse 33 it's not surprising so notice what they say in verse 33 they answered him we are Abraham's descendants now this again is the opposition this is the unbelieving Jews this isn't the many who believed in him according to verse 30. this isn't the many who believed in him that now have that blessed Liberty in verses 31 to 32 these are the ones that he has gone head to head with in the past and he will continue to go head-to-head with In this passage and so they are the physical Seed of Abraham that means they are of his physical descent Abraham was the father of many nations not only in terms of spiritual benefit because of the seed which is Christ but because there were those descendants of Abraham and Jesus never denies that physicality notice in verse 37 he says I know that you are Abraham's descendants you are Abraham's seed but you're not like Abraham in the sense that you want to kill me so with reference to Abraham it's not just physical descent but it's that spiritual connection that is evidenced by faith in the Messiah and so that's how Jesus responds to them later in the narrative but here specifically they make this objection we are Abraham's descendants and then notice what they go on to say they say and have never been in bondage to anyone now the temporal or political significance of this is powerful they had been in bondage they had been slaves they had been under Egyptian rule they had been under Assyrian rule they had been under Babylonian rule they are presently and currently while they stand in the temple in John chapter 8 under Roman rule so the they had been in bondage now that would be ignorance on their part to exclaim such a thing but perhaps they're not simply being ignorant but they're showing something of their pride as Abraham's descendants even when they were in Egypt even when they were in Assyria and even when they were in Babylon and now in Rome they nevertheless were faithful to Yahweh of Israel so we've never been in bondage yes temporally and politically they certainly had bet but it's probably not the case that they're operating at that level they are speaking in terms of spiritual things we're not in bondage what are you talking about if we abide in your word if we abide in what you say if we believe on you then we will not be in bondage spiritually in other words what do they see Jesus doing they see Jesus doing what we've seen Jesus doing all throughout the Gospel of John he's asserting his identity as as the Messiah and his authority as the means by which Sinners are saved by grace through faith they are probably wondering again who does he think he is why is it the case or how is it the case that he can irrigate to himself the authority to Free Man from their spiritual bondage and from those things that affect them negatively in other words their concept of Yahweh of Israel did not allow for this tri-unity relative to the god of Heaven and Earth now that's not on God that's on them because the Old Testament if not as clearly as the New Testament nevertheless does set forth that there is but one only the living and the true God but there are three persons in the godhead the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit these three are one God the same and substance equal and power and Glory Genesis 1 1-2 in the beginning God created the Heaven heavens and the Earth how does he create the heavens and the Earth he does so by the word of his mouth we see the spirit of God brooding over the Waters of Creation in Genesis 1 2. judge Psalm 33 6 comments concerning the Triune God again it's not athanasius it's not Augustine it's not Cyril of Alexandria in terms of trinitarianism but those elements are present in the Old Testament so as far as they're concerned this Jesus this man that they're opposing that they have a rising enmity against is actually declaring that he has such a connection with God most high that it's up to Jesus to Grant spiritual Liberty I think that clink Edward Clank makes this observation well he says the counterclaim by the Jews then suggests the Jews understand Jesus statement to be violating or transgressing the boundaries of biblical monotheism so back to the text we are Abraham's descendants that have never been in bondage to anyone again I don't think they're so foolish as to declaim or disclaim uh Egypt and Assyria and Babylon and and Rome but what they are saying is that even when those things obtain even when we had these foreign oppressors even when they wanted us to relinquish our faith in Yahweh we nevertheless remain faithful we've never been in bondage to anyone and yet now Christ is saying they are in bondage and as far as they're concerned that is a startling thing on behalf of his uh uh uh with reference to his claim there now notice the question that they offer up in light of that they say we are Abraham's descendants and have never been in bondage to anyone how can you say you will be made free the previous questions concerned is identity and his authority now the question concerns this it's not a legitimate sort of a search for knowledge when they say how can you say you will be made free they're not sitting at the edge of the their seat they're not the man in you know Acts chapter 2 repent and they're uh be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for their mission of sins to those Jerusalem Sinners that have been convicted and they cry out sirs and and Brethren what must we do to be saved they're saying this with disdain they're saying this in a reproachful way how in the world or who do you think you are to actually suggest that we are in bondage in terms of spiritual things we're the Jews we're Abraham's descendants we have the badge of circumcision we have that covenantal Affinity with the with the god of Heaven and Earth Yahweh himself who do you think you are to suggest that we're not operating in that seer of Liberty and of Freedom they're not searching for answers they are reproaching the Lord Of Glory and I think from this by way of an application man in sin doesn't believe it when you tell him that he's in sin does it I'm sure you've evangelized I'm sure you've tried to talk to people about the Savior you've tried to lead them to or cause them to see the glory of Christ as the one in whom alone there is forgiveness and and righteousness and every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ you'll meet those persons that you try to tell them you're a sinner they said what do you mean I'm a sinner I mean they might admit yeah you know I'm not perfect I've never killed anybody I've never committed adultery I've never engaged in those sort of Benchmark sins but but to suggest that I'm somehow off or that I'm not going to heaven or that I don't have an entitlement to to the glory to come people find that offensive Brethren people find that a a challenge to them people suggest or people think that that you're mad or you're nuts to even proffer to them that they have a need for the Savior but of course brethren we can't present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them unless they know their sin and that's part of the job of evangelism is to try to convince people or tell them that they're sinful wouldn't it be wonderful if we had a way or a means to try to convince them or show that oh yeah we do it's called The Law of God we press the law upon their consciences we tell them that God's claims upon them is that they have no other gods beforehand that they don't engage and blasphemy they don't break the Sabbath that they're not insubordinate to lawful Authority that they don't murder commit adultery uh engage in theft or or lies or covetousness we need to show men their sin so that they'll see their need for the Savior we need to pray that the Holy Spirit comes and brings that conviction for sin so that Sinners will cry out for salvation Jesus said I did not come to call the righteous but Sinners to repentance the pulpit that is silent about the law of God the pulpit is silent about the sinfulness of man is the pulpit who will never preach fully the gospel of G Jesus Christ Our Lord Bunyan rightly said low views of sin are low views of the law produce low views of sin and low views of sin will always produce a low view of the Savior the savior is not there just to make your life a little better he's not a beverage he's not a Coke he's not a new car you need the savior in a way that you don't need a new car the way that you don't need a Coke you need the Savior for that specific reason to save you from your sins it's not that you've just been a little off in terms of your religious life it's not that you're just a little bit shy of that standard of righteousness the Bible is very clear and we're going to investigate that as we move through the passage that man's problem is severe man's problem is grave man's problem is horrific and if you're here this morning and you're not a believer in Jesus Christ then I implore you to listen because not only do we see the problem but we see the remedy specified you see the entirety of the Bible sort of functions in that way God tells us what's wrong God shows us what the particular remedy is and God provides to us the gift and the grace necessary so that we may appropriate that blessed remedy now notice what Jesus says in terms of his response to these people there's three things he makes a declaration concerning spiritual slavery in verse 34. he then gives an illustration of spiritual slavery in verse 35 and then finally he gives the Blessed Redemption from spiritual slavery in verse 36 but notice the Declaration in verse 34. so they ask the question or they make the assertion we are Abraham's descendants we've never been in bondage to anyone how can you say or how then can you say you will be made free who do you think you are now notice what he says in verse 34 most assuredly this is an amen amen this is a a statement that demands a hearing most assuredly I say to you whoever commits sin is a slave of sin whoever commits sin is a slave of sin so again the issue isn't well I'm not as good as I ought to be I I miss the mark a few times from here to there or here and there but but you know overall I'm a great guy overall I'm a great girl overall there's no way God would cast me off there's no way that God would you know say to me or Christ would say to me depart from me for I never knew you into hell that was prepared for the devil and his angels men have this concept women have this concept boys and girls have this concept that they're far better off than what they really are it's kind of like somebody who's riddled with cancer being given that diagnosis and then walking out of the examination in room and saying oh yeah it's something like a cold or it's something like a sniffle it's something like just a little bit of a a a a of an illness that I'll be able to get over soon you've got to grapefruit size tumor on your on your brain and it's malignant the problem is far more severe than you even begin to know and again brethren we understand and we need to understand that this knowledge of sin is directly connected to the law of God how does Paul end his summary in Romans chapter 1 to 3 when he declares that all men everywhere are under set he says in chapters 3 verse 20 for or therefore by the Deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified in his sight for by the law is the knowledge of sin this necessitates the preaching of God's law yes gospel yes the bomb of Gilead yes the blessedness of coming to Christ in faith and repentance the joy of being found in him not having a righteousness that that is our own but that righteousness which is from God received through faith but we don't come to that place until we know the problem so we know the the malady so we we know just how invasive the situation is so when Jesus says whoever commits sin is a slave of sin in the first place he's not dealing with the believer who's dealing with remaining corruption we sang that just before worship the hymn writer says prone to wander prone to leave the God that I love that's in all of us who confess faith in Christ it's sad to admit it you're probably like me saying oh I wish it wasn't that way because we serve the altogether lovely and the chief among ten thousand and the fact that the good that I wish to do I don't do and the evil that I don't want to do I find myself doing it vexes my soul as we heard in the last hour from JC Riles something about a man who who uh an African man who who was praying to God for protection against the the enemies that he faces and he says and the chief Enemy enemy being myself Brethren we've always got ourselves the world may forget about us for a few moments the devil may forget about us for a few moments but we've always got ourselves when we're swimming that River Jordan going to the celestial City we still got ourselves we've still got that proneness to wander and that prone is to leave the god that we love but that's not who Jesus is talking about here Jesus is not talking in terms of Romans 7 or Galatians 5 and the ongoing battle for the believer Jesus is describing the person who is outside of Jesus that person that is dead in his trespasses and sins so the one who commits sin is the one who is dead in Adam you can turn to First Corinthians 15. we're going to look at all these passages because I hope we get a nice Heart full of them and so that those who are dead in their trespasses and sins the spirit of God opens their eyes to show them their maladay and to show them that Christ is in fact the remedy First Corinthians 15 at verse 20. but now Christ has risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep for Since By Man Came Death by man also came the resurrection of the Dead for as in Adam all die even so in Christ all shall be made alive so when Jesus says whoever commits sin is a slave of sin the Bible elsewhere identifies that person that slave is somebody who is dead now you're not dead physically you might be sitting here you're not dead physically you might leave from here you're not dead physically you might eat a sandwich today or a bowl of soup he's talking about spiritual death in Adam all die talking about spiritual now we're obviously liable to physical death it's not the case that we're going to continue on in this Frame but the fact is is that you are dead spiritually in terms of your place before a holy God Romans 5 the Apostle underscores this very thing Romans chapter 5 specifically at Verse 18 therefore as through one man's offense judgment came to all men resulting in condemnation even so through one man's righteous act the free gift came to all men resulting in justification of life for as by one man's Disobedience many were made Sinners so also by one man's obedience many will be made righteous so for those outside of Christ who are connected at least in one form or other to Adam and did Adam all die so that's the one who commits sin as well the one who commits sin is the one who is under the power of reigning said we sing that earlier he breaks the power of reigning sin he sets the captives free there's a difference between remaining corruption Romans 7 in the life of the believer Galatians 5 17 in the life of the believer and reigning sin you all I hope appreciate that if something remains it's a it's a pesky influence it's something we would rather not remained there's a Time coming when it won't remain but it's remaining but that's a far cry different than reigning sin reigning corruption the Mastery of sin the bondage that you find yourself in the tyranny of sin you see that in John 6 at verse 44 when Jesus is speaking or teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum he makes the statement in verse 44 no one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him and I will raise him up at the last day you're still in Romans you can look at chapter 8 at verses 7 and 8. this person who commits sin is under the power of reigning sin Romans 8 7 the Apostle Paul says because the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God nor indeed can be so then those who are in the flesh cannot please God as well the one who commits sin is the one who is under the power of the devil you can turn to Ephesians chapter 2 a passage that we've seen not too long ago in our studies in the evening Ephesians chapter 2 the Apostle gives a before picture in verses one to three and then an after picture in Verses 4 to 10. this is what you look like before Christ this is what you look like now in Christ and that before picture is Bleak again this is the examination room this is The Shining of the light of scripture upon your malignancy upon your reality upon your issue upon your problem this isn't a head cold this isn't a sniffle this isn't even covet this is absolutely horrific this is bad news the Bible doesn't play games when it tells us why Jesus Christ came to live to die and to rise again it wasn't simply again so we'd have a little bit better life he came to save us from our sins and in Ephesians 2 verse 1 and you uh he it says it's supplied you he made a life who were dead in trespasses and sins that deadness and Adam that's the state of man that's the condition of man now notice what's true of that man in that state that condition verse 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air the spirit who now works in the sons of Disobedience among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the Flesh and of the mind and uh and as were and were by Nature children of Wrath just as the others lifeless helpless hopeless that's the condition that's the issue that's the the diagnosis here our own passage in John 8 Jesus underscores this connection or solidarity with the devil verse 44 you are of your father the devil Brethren again when the chapter ends with them taking up stones to throw at him you want understand that if you understand the mind of the the truly diabolical they have been insulted as far as they're concerned they have been challenged they're the the descendants of Abraham they're the Covenant people of Yahweh and now Jesus this man who claims to be Messiah is telling us that we're the the sons of the devil absolutely positively he's right on this isn't a head goal it's a tumor on the brain that is malignant it is wretched it is horrific you can't explain it away you can't just take some vitamin C and hope that everything's gonna be okay Christ says whoever commits sin is a slave of sin it is tyranny it is bondage it is wretchedness the one who commits sin is the one who is liable to God's Wrath and curse both in this life and that which is to come listen to Augustine the early church father describe this slavery he says miserable slavery now when I read from an Augusta you've probably heard that name before he was an early Church Father as I said he was a a hero of the faith a champion of the faith he he wrote you know I mean he was a brilliant intellect if you look at the history of the church you know there's a handful of guys that were Head and Shoulders Above the Rest and Augustine was one of them and I think it's typical for us in the church today to hear of an Augustine and think you know he he popped out of the womb and he had a copy of burkhov's you know Systematic Theology he popped out of the womb and his mother started to catechize him he popped out of the womb and he was only this perfect upright as as perfect as a as a human can be he was a wretch he was a wretch saved by grace the Apostle Paul was a wretch saved by grace when Newton writes was Grace that taught My Heart To Fear he understood what it was to have been a a wretch saved by grace no one in this room some exclaims that you know I fixed this brain tumor on my own I I performed some surgery and I I ejected it and I'm I'm healthy and strong now no once they were diagnosed with the problem by the grace of God they were liberated through the blood and power of our Lord Jesus Christ so when you hear these words of Augusta he's not a theology machine just cranking out commentaries he's a man who is intimately aware of the saving grace of God most high he was intimately aware of what it was to have been a slave in sin and now a free man in Jesus Christ he says miserable slavery men frequently when they suffer under Wicked Masters demand to get themselves sold not seeking to be without a master but at all events to change him what can the servant of sin do to whom can he make this demand to whom can he apply for redress of whom require himself to be sold and then at times a man's slave worn out by the commands of an unfeeling Master finds Rest In Flight with or can the servant of sin flee himself he carries with him wherever he flees that's the problem Brethren the world might leave you alone the devil might leave you alone guess what never leaves you alone prone to wander prone to leave the God I love that's remaining corruption for the redeemed sinner what about reigning corruption for The unredeemed Sinner does he ever get led up on is there ever a freedom from his tyranny he says an evil conscience flees not from itself it has no place to go it follows itself yea he cannot withdraw from himself for the sin he commits is within he has committed sin to obtain some bodily pleasure the pleasure passes away the sin Remains What delighted is gone the sting has remained behind evil bondage so Jesus words in John 8 34 is an accurate indictment of man and sin whoever commits sin is a slave of sin again you're not a little off it's not that you just need to be checked so that you're back to true the problem is astronomical the malignant brain tumor the size of the the the the the the the grapefruit is a walk in the park Brethren that's metaphor that's illustration that's analogy the problem of sin far exceeds that I think any redeem sin Center would rather have a malignant brain tumor and Liberty in Jesus than having tyranny in sin and no malignant brain tumor so so the the analogy or the parallel or the illustration doesn't go as far as it is calculated too this problem of sin isn't some small thing it ain't chump change so he indicts them he upgrades them and he tells them most assuredly amen amen I say to you whoever commits sin is a slave of sin now notice the illustration of this spiritual slavery that he gives in verse 35. remember his target audience he's speaking generally for all men everywhere he's speaking generally for you if you're not in Christ today he's speaking generally in terms of everybody from Ottawa down to to wherever in terms of Canadian Society he is making a general statement that obtains and holds true for all the sons of Adam whoever commits sin is a slave of sin but but now notice specifically how he's going to hone in on these particular unbelieving Jews verse 35 he says and a slave does not abide in the house forever the unbelieving Jews had had a place in God's Redemptive plan he's just made that announcement to that notice most assuredly this is in response to their question you will be made free most assuredly I say to you whoever commits sin is a slave of sin he's not just suggesting that generically he's answering their specific objection he's telling them your slaves your undone you're in bondage you're in tyranny and to illustrate that in verse 35 a slave does not abide in the house forever house there should be taken the way we take Church the way we take Covenant people the way we take the body faith that is in allegiance to or in Affinity with our blessed God so the unbelieving Jews had a place in God's Redemptive plan in the old Covenant read Genesis to Malachi who's the spotlight on it's on the Jews it's on the nation of Israel they had abided in the house they had a tabernacle they had a temple they had a worship system they had a sacrificial system they had legislation they had laws they had regulations they were Gods set apart people when Solomon ascends the throne it says that he sat on yahweh's Throne they were directly ruled by God we call that a theocracy God ruled through a monarchy but it was a direct rule of God upon the people he gave them oracles he gave them laws he gave them covenants he gave them all the things that that distinguished them from the Nations around them even gave them a menu you know you read the Old Testament you say what's the matter with shrimp what's the matter with lobster what's the matter with these things there's nothing intrinsically I'm matter with them but what it did was it separated the nation of Israel from all the other pagans around that they had sanctity a separate Nest they were a holy nation they were a royal priesthood there were people that were to function in God's house but notice what Jesus is saying the slave abides in the house but not permanently the slave abides in the house but he's going to be removed the slave abides in the house but he's going to be ejected he's going to be a victim he's going to be thrown out now turn back to Matthew's gospel in chapter 21 to see this theme there Matthew chapter 21. specifically at verse 43 after the parable of the wicked Vine dressers the parable of the wicked Vine dressers is the history of Israel The Vineyard is Gods he's given the people of Israel that that stewardship of that particular Vineyard He Sent His prophets to call them to faithful and repentant living he did all these things overtures of Grace and they refused they rejected the prophets and so the vineyard owner says I know what I'll do I'll send my son certainly they'll receive my son certainly they will accept my son but they don't they beat him they kill him and they eject him so what's the point of this particular story verse 40 therefore when the owner of the Vineyard comes what will he do to those Vine dressers they said to him he will destroy those wicked men miserably and Lisa's Vineyard to other Vine dressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons they were bright enough bulbs in the chandelier to understand that point they just weren't bright enough to see that it was them that it was about that's why Jesus said to them in verse 42 have you never read in the scriptures the stone which the builders rejected has become the Chief Cornerstone this was the Lord's doing and it was and it is marvelous in our eyes now notice the implication he draws from that verse 43 therefore I say to you the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it we know that Nation its identity in the New Covenant it's not Iran now Canada not the United States of America much to the Chagrin of my brothers according to the flesh it's the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ First Peter chapter 2. so therefore I say to you the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it and whoever falls on this Stone will be broken but on whomever it falls it will grind him to powder now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his Parables they perceived that he was speaking of them oh yes he was absolutely I'm going to take the Kingdom from you and I'm going to give it to a nation that bears fruits consistently with it and notice what that does to them in verse 46 but when they sought to lay hands on him they feared the multitudes because they took him for a prophet you see Brethren this is obvious as to why they despised him as to why they hated him I'm not it's justifying it I'm not saying well you know they were just in doing this but you can understand as children of the devil who are being challenged directly by God most high they don't just take this happily they don't take this in a welcoming way they take this with absolute enmity in their hearts that is targeted against them Matthew chapter 23 look at what Jesus does at the end of the chapter after upgrading the religious leaders with several woes woe to you scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites he doesn't ever shy away from telling hard truth he tells them specifically what their issues and their problems are he then makes this statement in verse 30 verse 34 therefore indeed I send you prophets wise men and scribes some of them you will kill and crucify and some of them you will Scourge in your synagogues and persecute from City to city that on you you the Jewish people this generation in A.D First Century A.D that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah now that's a to z it's obvious there in English able to Zechariah but it's a to z in the Hebrew Canon the first book in the Hebrew Canon is Genesis the last book in the Hebrew Canon is second chronicles and Zechariah dies in second chronicles so that on you may come all the righteous blood shut on the earth from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of barakaya whom you murdered between the temple and the altar assuredly I say to you all these things will come upon notice the language this generation in light of that he then laments verse 37 oh Jerusalem Jerusalem the one who kills the prophets and Stones those who are sent to her how often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings but you were not willing see your house is Left To You desolate the very Temple that they they boasted of the temple that gave them their identity the temple that they found their joy in he says I say your house has left you desolate for I say to you you shall see me no more till you say blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord now what happens in Matthew 24 or he gives a prophecy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple so in John chapter 8 to illustrate the point whoever commits sin is a slave of sin he says in verse 35 a slave does not abide in the house forever you're going to be cut off this isn't going to continue indefinitely it's going to culminate in the crucifixion of the Son of God but then it's going to result in ultimately their City being destroyed by the Roman armies why because they rejected the Messiah of God most high but then notice how he continues the illustration verse 35 a slave does not abide in the house forever but a son abides forever what son do you think he's talking about he's talking about the only begotten son he's talking about himself he abides in the house forever as the second person of the Blessed Trinity as the one who according to verse 29 that always does those things that please the father there's no ejection of the son from the house there's no eviction of the son from the house the sun is the constant the sun is The Rock Solid the slave gets evicted but the son abides forever Christ is preaching Christ to these people Christ is preaching the way of access to the father it is through the son the only begotten son of the father that language is celebratory in John's gospel we've seen it about 20 times up to this point the one sent by the father Jesus is the one sent by the father he is the only begotten son of the father and so when he says that the unbelieving Jews are going to be evicted from the house of God that old Covenant system is going to come to a close he's announcing maybe not as decisively as Paul will in the book of Hebrews but he is announcing New Covenant blessing New Covenant reality but a son abides forever the son here refers to the only begotten son of the father it is singular a son just like in Galatians 3 16 the Seed of Abraham is singular it points to the Lord Jesus Christ this son we learn of in Hebrews 3 6 Christ as a son over his own house whose house we are If We Hold Fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the Hope firm to the end the son is not a slave but he abides forever and it's by virtue of the son that he brings many sons to Glory Cyril of Alexandria says the power to set free will be appropriately ascribed and belonged only to him is who is God from God by Nature so verse 35 illustrates what we see in verse 34. whoever commits sin is a slave of sin and be assured slaves of sin that's what he's saying to these people you're going to be evicted you're going to be cut out you will no longer have part and parcel in the house of God but the son abides forever the New Covenant is upon us the blessedness and joy of inclusion in God's promises you see that in Hebrews chapter 2 for it was fitting for him for whom all whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons to glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings the son abides in the house forever so who better fit to bring additional Sons to abide in that house but the son you see that covenantal parallel in in Paul's language in Galatians 4 30 and 31 nevertheless what does the scripture say cast out the blonde woman and her son for the son of the Bond woman shall not be Heir with the son of the free woman so then brethren we are not children of the Bond woman but of the free we are children of the free woman the Jerusalem that is above the New Covenant in contrast to the old Covenant that one ushered in by the Blessed Son of God who came to save his people from their sins so yes there's a sense where the sons of God those of us who by Grace have believed the gospel are not going to be evicted from his house there's no salvation today and then damnation tomorrow for the true child of God I've always loved what Spurgeon says a a gospel that that promises salvation to a man and then that man can finally be lost is a gospel that I abhor the gospel of our Salvation is to the uttermost our blessed Christ saves to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto him that uh draw an eye unto him to the father now with reference to this illustration though I think shining the light upon his position as the mediator as the Messiah as the one who brings many sons to glory and then the passage or this section ends at verse 36 notice the Redemption from spiritual slavery he says therefore here's the implication from this brief section so if or whoever commits sin is a slave of sin slaves slave does not abide in the house forever but a son abides forever therefore if the son who abides forever in the house of God who always does what pleases the father if that son makes you free you will be free indeed so he's answering their objection who do you think you are to suggest that we're in bondage who do you think you are to suggest that we're not free men in Abraham well I'm the son that abides in the house forever and I'm the son who has the power to enable you to abide in the house forever as I said Christ is preaching Christ to these unbelieving Jews and I think it demonstrates the mercy of Christ he's going to cut them off he is going to be thrown enthroned at the right hand of the father it is Christ at the right hand of the father who dispatches the Roman armies to ultimately sack them in accordance with the book of the law they're not supposed to be surprised by this eventuality none of us should look back in history and say well I can't believe the Romans beat the Jews in in 80 70 why can't we believe that Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 tells us crystal clear that that's going to happen it happened in the 8th Century BC under Assyria it happened in the 6th Century BC under Babylon it happened in the first Century A.D under Rome who's the one that Sovereign though it's Christ at the right hand of the father it's Christ who is Sovereign it's Christ who is evicting these Jews from the house of God why because they're slaves that didn't apply to the remedy that the god of Heaven and Earth himself had sent the son comes into their midst the son identifies who he is the son is clothed with glory and majesty and power and what do they do they reject him they resist him they attack him and they eventually crucify him and so Christ makes this blessed promise think back to the to the to the grapefruit-sized tumor in your brain you need help now I would suspect they would recommend chemotherapy I suspect they'd recommend a regiment of drugs I suspect they'd hopefully recommend you know lots of chains and change in terms of of diet and exercise and rest patterns and all that sort of thing so what's the remedy for that other malignancy what's the remedy for that slavery what's the remedy for the problem of sin the bondage of sin the tyranny of sin you know the answer believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved that's what the Son of God says to these people in verse 36 he says therefore if the son makes you free you shall be free indeed they wouldn't have to ask the question well how do we appropriate the bad of benefits that you offer he's already told them in verse 24 I said to you that you will die in your sins for if you do not what believe that I am you will die in your sins verse 30 as he spoke these words many believed in him then Jesus said to those Jews who believed him so verse 36 is the implication it's sort of the crowning seal on this part of the dialogue therefore if the son the son who abides in the house forever that only begotten son sent by the father who would live and who would die and who would be raised again so that he could bring many sons to Glory if the son makes you free notice it's not just you may possibly be free Brethren I think there's a world of comfort in the last part of verse 36. you shall be free indeed the gospel of our Salvation isn't hopeful it isn't possible it isn't potential it is indeed you come to the Savior and you're saved you come to the Redeemer and you're redeemed you come filthy guilty vile helpless and he washes he cleanses he confers a new robe upon you a robe of righteousness by which you may enter in to the presence of God most high therefore if the son makes you free you shall be free indeed whatever may happen tomorrow whatever misery they may have for us coming up in the next few months or years never forget this reality I'm indeed in Christ I am free in Christ I have everything in Christ what Paul says in Ephesians 1 3 is true blessed be the god and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ such that no one can ever strip them from us such that no one can ever take them from us internal problems were free indeed external threat we're free indeed whatever our condition our lot in this life we're free indeed it's not a potential it's not a possible it's not a hopeful but if the son makes you free then you're free indeed we are free men free women in Jesus Christ and of course that means in terms of the spiritual realm so whatever external problems may come our way God be blessed God be thanked God be glorified that Jesus is in the business of bringing many sons to glory and he does so by conquering them with the gospel of free and Sovereign Grace the way to get around the malignancy of sin is not to get around it it's to bring it to our blessed savior he is not chemotherapy he's not a regiment of drugs he is the savior for Sinners that's your problem that's your issue that's the malady that you suffer under today and the offer of Salvation is clear believe on him and you will be saved and not just you will be but you will be indeed all that the father gives me he says in that synagogue in Capernaum will come to me and the one who comes to me I will certainly not cast out why do we flip passages over why do we make it so difficult why do we say well you know it's just for this small handful just these few Frozen chosen Justice Just this little group of people all that the father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me I will certainly not cast out when you preach the gospel Brethren don't do so with any tethers don't do so with any restraint don't do so with any inhibition but preach the gospel of free and solve different Grace God most high is in Christ Jesus reconciling the world to himself you turn to Revelation 7. oh there's just this this small group this small remnant of the faithful no there is a great multitude that no man can number from every tribe every tongue every people every nation why is the world look like the way it does right now well I think that answer comes at the level of two things first man is moronic and tyrannical but secondly God has his purposes God is in the business of saving Sinners all throughout the Earth more often than not he uses extreme hardships in the lives of those Sinners to bring them to himself so let's just say for a moment that extreme hardships are the means by which he's ordained to bring many sons to Glory we praise him we extol him and we glorify him for that but at the same time in light of the rest of scripture we pray that he gives some brains to the morons and takes away their Craven power or desire for power so that we will be unmolested and live in this world the way that Paul tells us in first Timothy 2 pray for kings and all who are in Authority why so that the church can lead Peaceable and quiet lives right it's in that environment or framework we get to preach the gospel but if we don't have Peaceable and quiet lives we still get the privilege to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ Our Lord in conclusion we see in this passage the problem of sin the problem of sin The Sinner is a slave to sin theologically we call this total depravity and total inability when you hear that word total you think Charles Manson you think Paul Pott you think Joseph Stalin you think you know these various characters in the history of the world you think uh just how ratchet total depravity doesn't mean we're as bad as we could possibly be if it was that this would be hell on Earth but total depravity means that we're affected holistically in terms of sin every faculty of our being our hearts our minds our soul our strength our physicality is affected by sin total depravity The Sinner is blinded to the power of sin how do we know that how can you say you will be made free he's blinded to his condition even when you tell him convincingly even when you can illustrate it even when you can show him he still has that within him he said well I'm not as bad as you're suggesting no you're probably a thousand times worse than I'll ever know we just don't know the degree and depths of depravity praise God that the the physicality of the human body isn't you know like an aquarium you know you see all the fish and the aquarium if everybody saw you know the wicked and barbaric vicious little fish swimming around in our hearts none of us could stand each other we'd avoid each other like the plague we'd say no I don't anything to do with you I see what you got going on that's how the Bible tells us sin is it's a bad thing The Sinner is an opposition to the remedy for sin see I think that might be the distinction between grace and mercy Grace is God's unmerited favor Mercy is God's unmerited favored given to People Like Us right imagine if you went down today and you had a whole bag of goods for somebody that was homeless and you tried to give it to them and they spit in your face they said I don't want your food I want your money you give them money well I want more money and they keep spitting at you and they keep hurling insults at you and they keep abusing you and you kept doing it that would be Mercy see it's not like God's mercy comes to people that are happily recipient of it it comes to people who at times are kicking and screaming until such time as God conquers them and makes them willing in the day of his power The Sinner is absolutely dependent on the Triune God for deliverance of sin or from sin rile makes the observation there is no slavery like this sin is the hardest of all task Masters that's another aspect of this that I think Augustine touches on and that uh he he speaks to here there's a sense where the slave to sin kinda likes it he kind of likes it there's things about it you know he'd change if he could he'd go to heaven that part he'd really want but giving up those things that I love giving up those Pleasures giving up those Delights he says misery and disappointment in the way Despair and Hell In the End these are the only wages that sin pays to its servants to deliver men from this bondage is the grand object of the Gospel to awaken people to a sense of their degradation to show them their chains to make them arise and struggle to be free this is the great end for which Christ sent forth his ministers happy is he who has opened his eyes and found out his danger to know that we are being led captive is the very first step toward Deliverance right if the doctor gives you the diagnosis you've got the tumor well at least now you know what you're dealing with would it be kind for that doctor to say you look great your brain scan is great churches do that you look great you just need a little help it's a little positive attitude a little bit better you Brethren the task of the church is to tell the sinner their problem and that the only remedy for their problem is the son who sets men free indeed so may God indeed bless our church plans the Brethren that we have fraternal relationship with may God bless the churches throughout Canada and to the uttermost parts of the world that they preach the gospel to be sure but preach it in the context of the broken law of God the reality that man is undone himself the reality that he is a slave the reality that he is in bondage and the reality that the only one that can free him the only one that can save him is the Lord Christ who is the son who makes men free indeed well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you for your word we thank you for the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ we suspect that it was received or it's received today with as much enmity and Malice as it was in this first century context so we rejoice in your grace that softens our hearts that changes our hearts that gives us The Graces of faith and repentance to believe these things and to turn from our wretched sin we thank you for that freedom that we have that freedom that is freedom indeed and may it be the case that this gospel would be preached throughout the Earth that your word would run swiftly and be glorified and the son would be in the business today of making men and women and boys and girls free and we ask this through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen we'll close our service by singing the doxology and praise to our Triune God that's on page 568. 568 will stand as we sing [Music] foreign [Music] the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all amen father go with us now and cause your face to shine upon us and keep us by your grace and power and cause us to rejoice in the communion that we have with Father Son and Holy Spirit we bless you for the sending of the son of your love into this world Sinners to save and we thank you for including us in that blessed lot we ask that you would be glorified that you would be praised that you would be honored and worshiped in our local church and we pray this through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well you may be seated for a brief time of meditation