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foreign everyone welcome to True Grace Baptist church for our morning worship a couple of announcements before we start Wednesday night bible study will be at 7 30 PM in the fellowship hall again then on the 23rd of February there's going to be a pro-life presentation here at the church also at 7 30 p.m that's February 23rd Marion Niels from chilwak pro-life will be doing a presentation 20 seconds sorry 20 seconds so that's in place of uh Bible study.net 22nd that's also on Wednesday and then our annual General general meeting is on February 25th at at 7 pm um just also come out a text or email from The Rovers Finn is doing better so we can praise the Lord for that expect it to be released from the hospital soon we're going to start by our call to Worship in Psalm 22. turn to Psalm 22 and we'll begin at verse 22 and we'll read to the end of the chapter psalm 22. I will declare your name to my brethren in the midst of the assembly I will praise you you who fear the Lord Praise Him all you descendants of Jacob glorify him and fear Him all you offspring of Israel for he has not despised nor abhorred the Affliction of The Afflicted nor has he hidden his face from him but when he cried to him he heard my praise shall be of you in the great assembly I will pay my vows before those who fear Him the poor shall eat and be satisfied those who seek Him will praise the Lord let your heart live forever all the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord and all the families of the nation shall worship before you for the kingdom is the Lord's and he rules over the Nations all the prosperous of the Earth shall eat and worship all those who go down to the dust shall bow before him even he who cannot keep himself alive a posterity Shall Serve him it will it will be recounted of the Lord to the Next Generation they will come and declare his righteousness to a people who will be born that he has done this amen for our first hymn let's turn to number 223 the we adore Eternal Lord 223 and please stand with me as we sing [Music] my goodness [Music] foreign [Music] my life [Music] lyrics [Music] forever [Music] you may be seated let's turn to our God In Prayer gracious Father in heaven we thank you for this opportunity we have this morning to gather before you as your people in this place we do not want to take this privilege lightly we thank you that you have caused the spread of the Gospel over the face of the globe and that it has reached our ears and you've opened our hearts to hear and believe and even those who have not yet believed have been drawn in by your spirit this day and I pray o God that you would work in our midst and that you would edify your people and draw to yourself those who are yet to be called thank you for the work that you were doing all over the face of the Earth thank you for our Brethren down in Honduras I pray that you would bless them this day encourage them as they sit under the teaching of the word of God I pray Lord that that congregation though no doubt has its difficulties and its poverties I pray Lord that you would bless them encourage them and cause them to be a light in that community and throughout that Nation Lord we pray for our Brethren here in Canada that we have close connection with especially the the congregations in Dryden in the north Okanagan in Surrey we pray you'd bless those Brethren as they gather as they meet this day encourage them encourage Pastor naljarz as he preaches your word Pastor Kirkpatrick the Brethren out east Lord I pray that you would do them good that you would keep them unified and encouraged in the work of the Lord I pray Lord that you were there as well add to their numbers and cause them to glorify you in their local communities Lord we pray for the magistrates in our own country we thank you that we have this freedom to meet we we pray oh God that this would continue and we pray Lord that you would restrain the hands of those who would try to hinder the work of the Gospel try to hinder your church Lord we pray that you would save a multitude even amongst the leadership in our nation and Lord For Those Who Remain obstinate and and desire to put a stumbling block in the way of your people we pray that you would remove them and Lord above all we pray that you would cause a Revival an Awakening to take place within your church across this nation and on the streets of our nation where so many people have turned to false ideologies false spirituality and essentially idolatry or we pray that you would cause an Awakening to take place and the thirst and a hunger for the gospel Lord we pray that you would be with us here today in this congregation encourage us as we worship we pray Lord that you would bless our hearts and minister to us and may our worship be presentable before you do your good work oh God I pray that you sustain Pastor Butler sustain his voice encourage him and cause him to be a blessing in this Pulpit we pray in Jesus name amen now we're going to sing from the psalter psalm 126. be as in bravo 126 selection B please stand with me as we sing [Music] it is [Music] safe inside foreign [Music] foreign [Music] thank you for our morning scripture reading in their new testament we're turning to Revelation chapter six Revelation 6 we will read the entire chapter now I saw when the lamb opened one of the seals and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a loud voice well if a voice like thunder come and see and I looked and behold a white horse he who sat on it had a bow and a crown was given to him and he went out conquering and to conquer when he opened the second seal I heard the second living creature saying come and see another horse fiery red went out and it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth and that people should kill one another and there was given to him a great sword when he opened the third seal I heard the third living creature say come and see so I looked and behold a black horse and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand and I Heard a Voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying a quart of wheat for a Denarius and three quarts of barley for a Denarius and do not harm the oil and the wine when he opened the fourth seal I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying come and see so I looked and behold a Pale Horse and the name of him who sat on it was death and Hades followed with him and power was given over them to over a fourth of the earth to kill with sword with Hunger with death and by the beasts of the Earth when he opened the fifth seal I saw under the altar The Souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held and they cried with a loud voice saying how long O Lord holy and true until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell in the Earth then a white robe was given to each of them and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer until both the number of their fellow servants and their Brethren who would be killed as they were was completed I looked when he opened the Sixth Seal and behold there was a great earthquake and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair and the moon became like blood and the stars of Heaven fell to the Earth as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by A Mighty Wind then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up and every mountain and Island was moved out of its place and the kings of the Earth the Great Men the rich men the commanders the Mighty Men every slave and every free man hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the Wrath of the lamb for the great day of his wrath has come and who is able to stand amen let us pray Father in Heaven I thank you for your mercy thank you for what you have done for us for what Christ has done on the cross in securing salvation thank you we have that that comfort and that knowledge that Christ has borne our penalty that his righteousness has been given to us and that we can stand before you as blameless thank you Father that we do not have to call upon the rocks and the hills and the caves to cave in and cover us from the Wrath of the Lamb we know that day that final day is Yet to Come and we are so thankful that because of what Christ has done we can stand before you fully secure and fully accepted in your presence please continue with us now as we worship and as we listen to the word of God may it be a bomb to our souls I pray in Jesus name amen for our last team we're going to sing number 227 227 How Great Thou Art please stand with me as we sing well you can turn with me in your Bibles to the Gospel of John John chapter 8. so we finish up this wonderful chapter of Holy Scripture I stopped singing that last song to try to preserve my voice and I must say it was glorious to listen I don't recommend that to everybody on the same day because there'd be nothing to listen to but it was in fact edifying and wonderful to hear the people of God singing how great our God is well as we come to John chapter 8 we remember it's the day after the Feast of Tabernacles the Lord returns to the temple according to John 8 2 early in the morning and there he teaches and obviously in his teaching he calls Sinners to himself but also arouses the enmity of the unbelieving religious leaders and so that culminates or comes to uh fruition in this latter section of John 8 so I'll begin reading in verse 37 to the end and then our Focus will be verses 54 to 59. so beginning in John 8 at verse 37 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 in 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 but 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 then the Jews answered and said to him do we not say rightly that you are a Samaritan and have a demon Jesus answered I do not have a demon but I honor my father and you dishonor me and I do not seek my own Glory there is one who seeks and judges most assuredly I say to you if anyone keeps my word he shall never see death than the Jews said to him now we know that you have a demon Abraham is dead and the prophets and you say if anyone keeps my word he shall never taste death are you greater than our Father Abraham who is dead and the prophets are dead who do you make yourself out to be Jesus answered if I honor myself my honor is nothing it is my father who honors me of whom you say that he is your god yet you have not known him but I know him and if I say I do not know him I shall be a liar like you but I do know him and keep his word your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad then the Jews said to him you are not yet 50 years old and have you seen Abraham Jesus said to them most assuredly I say to you before Abraham was I am then they took up stones to throw at him but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple going through the midst of them and so passed by amen well let us pray a gracious God and Holy Father we thank you for the word we thank you for the gospel of our Salvation the words of eternal life that our blessed savior speaks we ask that you would give us ears to hear and hearts to receive these things now we pray for the edification the sanctification growth of your people the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ and for any and all who've come here this morning dead in their trespasses and sins may they hear that those life-giving words of the Savior himself and may by Grace they believe on him as the son of the living and true God that they confess him as Lord and Savior and may you be glorified in this as Sinners pass from Darkness into death and darkness into life as well God we pray for the ministry of the Holy Spirit to that end we know that this is a spiritual book it is spiritually discerned without the aid of the Holy Spirit who gave us this word we will read it as if it's a dead letter it's a guide and illumine our minds and hearts even now forgive us for all of our sin and everything that does darken our understanding and be glorified in this glad hour if we confess that you are God most high from Everlasting to Everlasting Father Son and Holy Spirit The God Who made the world the God who governs the world and the God who has redeemed his elect out of the world to you be glory and honor and praise and adoration and we ask through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well as we come to this final section we've seen again the uh enmity of the unbelieving Jews directed at our Lord Jesus Christ and it's all come down to basically their claim of paternity they have made two claims concerning their father first they have claimed that Abraham is their father and then they've claimed that God the father is their father of course Jesus rejects both their claims obviously and then he tells them who their father really is verse 44 one of those pointed statements in the gospel narrative where our lord Jesus does not hold back we saw this in Matthew 23 where he condemns them as as Hypocrites as brood of vipers well here he does the same thing in verse 44. 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 now intriguingly he makes that claim he makes that assertion and then they validate it they corroborate it by their own activity so in this latter section from 48 to 59 we saw the accusation of the Jews in verses 48 to 51 then we saw the questions posed by the Jews in verses 52 and 53 now this morning we're going to look at the revelation of the savior's glory in verses 54 and 50 56 and then the attempted murder by the Jews so again the enmity the animosity the hatred that they have for him is on Full display as they take up stones to throw at him and again confirming that they are of their father the devil their liars and their murderers just like their father now notice in terms of the revelation of the savior's glory in verses 54 to 56 this hinges on two things first his relation to the father in verses 54 and 55 and then his relation to Abraham so it all kind of comes back here they had asserted that Abraham was their father and that God was their father he rejects that claim he tells them who their real father is and now in a manifestation a revelation of his glory he wants to underscore his relation to the father and his relation to Abraham notice in terms of his relation to the father specifically in verses 54 and 55 it has to do with the unity he has and with the knowledge that he has of the father so notice in verse 54 Jesus answered if I honor myself and this is to their doubling down go back to verse 48 the Jews answered and said to him do we not say rightly that you were a Samaritan and have a demon you're a heretic you're outside the True Religion and not only are you a heretic and outside the True Religion but you also have a demon Jesus refutes that claim in verses 49 to 51. of course they're still not answer listening they're still not tracking they still don't don't pay attention so they double down in verse 52 and they said to him now we know that you have a demon Abraham is dead and the prophets and you say if anyone keeps my word he shall never taste death are you greater than our Father Abraham who is dead and the prophets are dead who do you make yourself out to be so it comes down to his identity again his relation to the father is seen in this Unity that he has with the father verse 54 if I honor myself my honor is nothing in verse 50 he said essentially the same thing I do not seek my own Glory there is one who seeks and judges so he duplicates that here he says it is my father who honors me of whom you say that he is your god so again the relation that he bears with the father is that it's the father who honors him it isn't these unbelieving Jews it isn't the rabble in Israel at this particular time it is God most high who honors him and there's not two honors the godhead possesses is one honor the athenation Creed says for there is one person of the father another of the son and another of the Holy Spirit but the godhead of the father of the son of the holy spirit is all one the glory equal the Majesty co-eternal so again the answer may seem a bit odd to us when he gets to this point and says if I honor myself my honor is nothing to the question who are you he is again ascribing to himself Unity with the father go back to John chapter 5. he's already mentioned this very important point and he's not only defending who he is here but he's also condemning that because in their rejection of the son they're rejecting the father whom they claim is their God so in 523 that all should honor the son just as they honor the father he who does not honor the son does not honor the father who sent him so back to 8 54 Lord Jesus is not shaken Jesus is not off kilter Jesus is not put on a in a position of disadvantage though these men claim and though these men double down that he is a Samaritan and that he has a demon he knows what is true he knows what is correct he knows what is accurate and he knows that he has a Unity with the father that they know nothing of so when it comes to the identification of the Son of God we only really know him as we know the father we only really know the father as we know the Son of God and this is what Jesus is giving to that the unbelieving Jews dishonor the son which puts them at odds with both the Son and the father and the unbelieving Jews continue to incest that God is their God that he is their father so notice again his language in verse 54 if I honor myself my honor is nothing it is my father who honors me that statement concerning the intimacy that he Bears to the father my father and then he goes on to say of whom you say that he is your god so Jesus is still defending himself against the claim that he's got a demon but he's also showing that their paternity is not Abraham and their paternity is not God the Father their father is the devil the liar the accuser the one who makes statements and claims like this that are absolutely un or incorrect Christ is not a Samaritan Christ does not have a demon Christ rather is one with the father and then notice what he goes on to say he underscores his knowledge of the father and by so doing once again he indicts them so in verse 55 he says yet you have not known him but I know him this is a truism this is because of the relation that he bears with the father go back to the prologue in John 1 specifically at verse 18. we read that no one has seen God at any time the only begotten son who is in the bosom of the father he has declared him there is an intimate relation between the father and the son and the spirit we see that Trinity of persons in the one God had and so Christ appeals to this now as he's being asked about his identification he is one with the father and he has a knowledge of the father that transcends anything that these men may ever think in terms of their knowledge of God so he says yet you have not known him but I know him and if I say I do not know him look at what he says I shall be a liar like you so this is not an inaccurate statement when he says you're of your father the devil the devil is a liar the devil says things of Godly men that you're a Samaritan and you have a demon you do not know the one that you are claiming to know you do not know the one that you are rejecting his only begotten son you do not know the one that you say is the very God of Israel that gives you your meaning and gives you your ba you don't know him and if I say that I don't know him then I will be a liar like you now again as we read through this passage it's tough to discern tone but I can't imagine they're doing this with big grins on their faces this is come to a place of a fever pitch the Lord Jesus does not back down the Lord Jesus does not reneg on his claims the Lord Jesus is not going to say well I'll tell you whatever it is that you want to hear so we can just make this easy on all of us and we can go our own ways we'll just agree to disagree on this very important point of Christian of the Christian religion though as far as who God is as far as who the son is as far as what he speaks is true is concerned then Christ now is doubling down so they go from 48 to 52 to that place where they know that he has a that he is a Samaritan and has a demon but Christ himself is doubling down he doesn't do it with Lawless ignorance he doesn't do it with the Lawless arrogance of these men but he is not shrinking back from declaring to them the truth as it is in Jesus we learn something from this just because men don't receive the truth doesn't mean we don't preach the truth just because men might block their ears to a reception concerning the Christian doctrine of the Trinity that doesn't mean we renag it doesn't mean we leave off it means rather we press even harder the because the truth as it is in Jesus is everything and Christ speaks the words of eternal life and if you resist or reject those words of eternal life then you can sign yourself to that place where the devil and his angels ultimately land and so the Lord Jesus not only is answering the question the Lord Jesus is doing so in a way that is very offensive to these people they don't like this they don't want to hear this they are probably gnashing their teeth at him and they're getting hot and bothered under the collar as he continues to Double Down relative to his relationship to the father so in verse 54 if I honor myself my honor is nothing it is my father who honors me the father who you say is your father is the father who honors me so when you reject me and dishonor me you're rejecting and dishonoring the father who honors me and then in verse 55 yet you have uh yet you have not known him but I know him and if I say I do not know him I shall be a liar like you but I do know him and keep his word turn back to Matthew's gospel for just a second to see that intimate knowledge the son has of the father Matthew chapter 11. Matthew chapter 11. specifically at verse 27 gives us a bit of a window into John 1 18. no one has seen God at any time but the only begotten son who is in the bosom of the father he has declared him what's that language of having or being in the bosom of the Father the language of intimacy the only begotten son is in the bosom of the father we're adopted Sons by grace for sure and we praise God for that but our relation to the father isn't being in the bosom of the father that's the intimate relation that obtains between the between the persons of the Trinity father Son and Holy Spirit so notice in 1125 in Matthew's gospel at that time Jesus answered and said I thank you Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes in the context The Hiding of things the things hot head and are the things that lead to everlasting life think about what Jesus is saying there I thank you Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes you know what Godless men say when they hear that they say well that's not fair that's simply not fair how is it the case that the Lord Jesus Christ can praise the father for hiding gospel truth from the wise and Prudence so they don't see it and end up in hell that's not fair it's not fair it's Justice it's righteousness God is not obliged to any man ever to give him everlasting life in the particular context Jesus upgrades the cities of his day because he does mighty Miracles and yet they don't repent he says it's going to be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for those cities that did not repent and so of course he Praises his father that he hides these things from the wise and prudent it's not saying there's a class of wise and prudent men out there that deem themselves that do not need that that revelation of God now they're wise in their own eyes they're proud in their own eyes they're the kinds of people that walk around and parade themselves they're not like other men they're not like this public and they're not like adulterers they're not like extortionists they are self-righteous in their eyes but he doesn't stop there he praises the father for revealing them unto babes forgiving babes the sight to see the Glorious Gospel of free and Sovereign Grace notice what he says in verse 26 even so father for so it seemed good in your sight it's the good pleasure of God most high that is primary salvation is of the Lord Jonah the prophet confess from the belly of the whale in 2 9. this is the reality of Holy Scripture it does not depend upon him who Wills or upon him who runs but on God who shows Mercy should any sinner ever come out of Darkness into Marvelous Light the praise doesn't go to The Sinner the praise goes to God most high the praise goes to the one who is able to give that eternal life and Jesus says it's according to the good pleasure of God almight lady that this obtains notice what he says in verse 27 all things have been delivered to me by my father and no one knows the son except the father Lord does anyone know the father except the Son and the one to whom the son Wills to reveal him so there's this intimate knowledge between the father and the son and in that intimate knowledge the Lord Jesus brings Sinners again not to the bosom of the father because that's unique to the only begotten of the father but relative to our knowledge of God it comes as a result of this one who stands against these unbelieving Jews in the temple compound in this day after the Feast of Tabernacles and doubles down on his relation between the father his relation to the father it's the father who honors him it's the father that he knows it's the father that has sent him into this world Sinners to save and then it's on this basis there is this this openness if you will to access to the father it is through the the Sun so that shouldn't surprise us that in verse 28 he makes this beautiful statement come to me what if you are those dead in your trespasses and sins apart from the father what's the response or what's the answer what's the remedy it's to come to Jesus if you want the father you must come through the sod and that's the emphasis by the savior he says come to me all you who labor and are heavy laid it and I will give you rest now it's just at this point that some that might fit this particular uh uh bill of goods they're saying well wait a minute didn't you just say that God is Sovereign didn't you just say that Jesus praises the father hiding this information from Solomon revealing it to others you don't need to be thinking about that it's true it's biblical you can think about that in a bit but right now you need to think about the words of the savior in Matthew 11 28 come to me all you who weary and are heavy laden all those who are bound down by sin in this context the the heaviness the burden isn't physical activity it isn't you've had a 70 or an 80 or a 90 hour work week it isn't the reality that there's a bunch of problems going on in the civil government there's a bunch of problems in our families there's a bunch of problems here and there and they're everywhere the problem is is that we have sinned against a holy God the problem is is that he is at odds with us because we are dead in our trespasses and sins the reality is is that we will side with those men in Revelation 6 and call for the mountains to fall on us to hide us from the Wrath of the Lamb not because of problems with the government or problems in our family but the problems in our own heart are rebellion and transgression against God most high what's the way of access what's the way of approach it's through the one who knows the father intimately it's through the one who's in the bosom of the father who has declared that and what has he declared about him he is declared heard that he's large-hearted he has declared that he runs to prodigals he has declared that he comes and falls upon returning Sinners and kisses them and clothes them with robes and puts rings on their fingers and kills the fatted calf for that this Lord Jesus is the means of access to the father he says come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden I will give you rest take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in art and you will find rest for your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light in the very context we're in John 8 51 he says in the midst of his opponents most assuredly I say to you if anyone keeps my word he shall never see death what an a what a an amazing statement yes he's defending himself against the charges that he's a Samaritan and that he has a demon yes he wants to underscore his special relation to the father and yes in a moment he's going to underscore his relation to Abraham but in the midst of all that he says to these Jerusalem Sinners these men that are going to pick up stones to cast at him he says to them if you believe my word if you keep my word you will never see death this is the promise from the son of man this is the promise that is Abiding and true for us today this is the Promise by God's grace many of us have believed this is the promise of life eternal salvation World Without End Amen a life contrary to what you see there in Revelation 6. if you ever pondered those words hide us from what the Wrath of the Lamb we don't typically associate the wrath of God with the Lamb of God but we should when the Lamb of God goes to the Cross he is there not simply as an example to us about love and kindness he is there bearing the wrath of God most high for us men and for our salvation and so the Sinners that oppose the Sinners that resist the sinners that reject would rather have Mount Sheen fall on them to protect them from the Wrath of the Lamb most high do not get to that point you're in a church right now you have Bibles in your you know immediate access they're they're all over our phones they're all over our lives you need to come to the savior he says come to me all you who are weary and heavy laid and I will what I'll throw you out I'll kick you to the curb I'll castigate you no I'll I'll give you rest and in that context back in Matthew 11 these people were operating under the heavy burden of Pharisee is up under the heavy latent uh the the the burden of of this self-righteous pharisaic sack that that loaded things upon these people and he says in the midst of that come to me and I I will give you rest and so back in our context the Lord Jesus maintains his relation to the father is one of unity and and it's one of knowledge now notice his relation to Abraham this has been a significant part of The Interchange because they've claimed that Abraham is their father he doesn't deny that in the physical sense he knows that they're Abraham's physical descendants he knows that they're of that lineage but the particular emphasis is upon the spirituality the New Testament tells us that all those who believe in Jesus Christ are sons of Abraham Galatians 3 26-29 doesn't matter if you're Jew doesn't matter if you're Gentile doesn't matter if you're a scythian doesn't matter if you're a man doesn't matter if you're a woman doesn't matter if you're from Canada doesn't matter if you're in Honduras it doesn't matter if you believe by Grace the Gospel of Jesus Christ Our Lord then you are sons of Abraham in other words when Abraham was given the promise of God that in you all the nations of the earth will be blessed he didn't just mean at the physical level he meant spiritually when Abraham was told to look up into that sky and see those stars and and was unable to count count that what's the point so shall your descendants be when Abraham's told to look at the sand on the seashore well obviously you can't count all those grains of sand well obviously you can't count that great multitude that no man can number Revelation chapter seven when Abraham was told to look North and to look South and to look East and to look West it wasn't just Palestine it wasn't just the geographical boundaries that would be secured by Solomon it was the world is what Paul tells us in Romans chapter 4 at verse 13. he received the promise to inherit the world as a result of God's grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and so Abraham is very important in this particular context so notice what Jesus says in verse 56 he's dealt with his relation to the father 54 and 55 and now his relation to Abraham why because they've asked him verse 53 are you greater than our Father Abraham who is dead and the prophets are dead who do you make yourself out to be so look at his response in verse 56 your father Abraham again your being physical you descended from him not your spiritual father these are not people that have that pedigree these are not people that have believed the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ they're rather physically descended from Abraham he's already had mentioned that verse 37 I know that you are Abraham's descendants but you seek to kill me so he says the same thing here in verse 56 your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad now before we proceed and see their response can you kind of imagine how their response might be I mean we've read it over and over and over again if we've spent several weeks in John's gospel but how do you think they're going to respond to this what what do you mean your father Rejoice to see your day are are you nuts well the response that they engage tells us that that's precisely what they're thinking but but what does Jesus mean when he says your father Abraham Rejoice to see my day he saw it and he was glad what's Christ talking about in that particular statement it is a bit enigmatic it is a bit of a conundrum let's seek to unfold that well in terms of connection they've claimed Abraham is their father so he says that now your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day the language your father according to the flesh but no spiritual connection and then the specific declaration that your father Abraham rejoice nice to see my day I take my day there as a reference to the first Advent of the Lord Jesus I don't think he means this particular day the day after the Feast of Tabernacles when he returns early in uh to the temple to teach to them during that day I don't think that's the day he's referring to I think he's talking about the Messianic era the Messianic Reign that promised time anticipated in the Old Testament when the Messiah would come to Israel so I think that's what he's talking about Abraham rejoiced to see my day well how did Abraham know about this day well let's just go back to something that Abraham would have known go back to the Book of Genesis Genesis chapter 3 Genesis chapter 3. now you might say well Abraham didn't have a Cambridge wide margin you know binded Bible that would have given him Genesis chapter 3 no he would have had oral tradition they would have probably had written records the people of God were maintained painting these things Adam's Sons knew to come to worship at the end of the days of the week how would Adam's Sons know to do that unless Adam instructed them so Moses wrote the pentateuch to be sure but it does not mean or does not follow there weren't some written records that were already precursors to that and as we look at the Old Testament I think James Hamilton is absolutely right the Old Testament is Messianic to the core it is a book intended to feed the hope of God's people with the coming of Jesus Christ and Genesis 3 15 is that first promise concerning Jesus and is coming into the world God says I will put enmity between you and the woman he's talking to the serpent and between your seed and her seed he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel the first promise concerning Messiah the deliverer would be a man born of a woman the deliverer would accomplish Redemption through suffering and death death and the deliverer would accomplish Victory Triumph absolute with reference to the crushing of the Devil Himself Abraham had that promise and then turn over to Genesis chapter 15. Genesis chapter 15. well before that Genesis chapter 13 Genesis 13 at verse 14 and the Lord said to Abram after lot had separated from him lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are northward Southward Eastward and Westward for all the land which you give or see I give to you and your seed forever seed is a much better translation there than descendants seed refers to the seed which is Jesus Christ Our Lord according to Galatians 3 16. so Abraham was given this promise that in his seed the nations of the Earth would be blessed you have to understand the abrahamic promise was about Jesus Christ Our Lord in your seed singular all the nations of the Earth shall be blessed so Galatians 3 16 tells us it's the seed singular it's the Lord Christ this is the passage I referenced earlier that according to Paul in Romans 4 13 is fulfilled in terms of the entirety of the earth it's not just geographical Israel it's the entirety of the world under Messiah under Christ This is why he says Go Make Disciples of all the nations baptize them in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit he's been given all this stuff and then verse 16 and I will make your seed as the dust of the earth so that if a man could number the dust of the earth then your seed also could be numbered arise walk in the land through its length and its width for I give it to you and then notice in Genesis 15. Genesis 15 God again tells Abraham there's going to be an abundance of seed that flows from you of course Abraham's a bit you know interested or curious about this and he asks for a sign he asks for sort of a rationale how do I know this is going to happen God and God answers God says get animals cut them in two pieces put them on either side and will March between them in Covenant that's an ancient near Eastern ratification ceremony for Covenant you take the animals and you cut them that means you kill them they don't do this willingly they don't just separate in the Torso and get on either side of the aisle there you kill them and then you pile up their body parts on either side and then the parties to the Covenant walk through those animals the significance is simple if I renege on this Covenant they then may what happens to these animals happen to me intriguingly in terms of Genesis 15 Abraham doesn't March between the animals it's God Alone it is God alone that marches through those animals to promise that in Abraham all the nations of the earth will be blessed Abraham was rejoicing to see my day Genesis chapter 22 we saw this working our way up to the in the Christmas season one of the passages that were concerning the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ when Abraham is told to take Isaac his son his only son the son that he loves take him up to Mount Moriah and there offer him up as a sacrifice remember Isaac comes to that realization we've got the wood we've got the fire but we don't have the sacrifice what does Abraham say he says that the Lord will provide for us the Lord will provide a sacrifice when he goes to kill his son the angel of the Lord stops him they turn and they see around caught in the thicket Abraham rejoiced to see the day of Jesus Christ Brethren Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah he's the Genesis 3 15 seed he's the Genesis 12 13 15 17 22 seed he is the promise of God concerning the healing of the Nations and Abraham looked forward to that in faith look at Genesis 15 specifically in verse 6. I bypass that it says he believed in the Lord and He counted it to him for righteousness well what does he believe in some vague notion of a possible savior to come no he's believing in the seed of the woman that would crush the head of the serpent how do we know that because when Paul comes to deal with justification by faith alone in Romans 3 and 4 guests to whom he appeals he appeals to Abraham he appeals to David these old Covenant saints were Redeemed by the Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ what's James do when he wants to teach what true and saving Faith looks like he looks at a patriarch and a prostitute and he says it was the patriarch and The Prostitute who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ that had life eternal as a result turn to the book of Hebrews where you see the Redemptive work of Jesus Christ with its retrospective aim uh Hebrews chapter 11 specifically I'm sorry Hebrews chapter 9 specifically at verse 15. Hebrews 9 verse 15 and for this reason he is the mediator of the New Covenant by means of death for the Redemption of the transgressions under the first Covenant how does Abraham Go to Heaven by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone how did Adam go to Heaven by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone how did Abel Go to Heaven by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone how did Isaiah and Jeremiah and Daniel Go to Heaven by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone and for this reason he is the mediator of the New Covenant by means of death for the Redemption of the transgressions under the first Covenant that those who are called may receive the promise of the Eternal inheritance so going back to our particular passage when our blessed savior says your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day he saw it and was glad again what an affront to these Jews Abraham rejoiced at the prospect of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and it filled his heart with gladness these Jews have animosity Abraham looked down prospectively and at the thought of the coming savior the champion of Genesis 3 15 and it made him rejoice it made these Jews filled with animosity Abraham rejoiced over this they want to kill him over this so this is a a sort of a crescendo in terms of his showing the difference between their claim to Abraham excuse me as being their spiritual father and to the reality that they are Godless wretches that are connected paternally to the Devil Himself now let's look at the attempted murder by the Jews in 57-59 . so verse 57 the Jews said to him you're not yet 50 years old and have you seen Abraham the question concerning his age you are not yet 50 years old he's closer to 30 here probably 32 33 I mean being a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grave probably does Aid you uh Isaiah tells us that's how he would look he had no form no Communists there was nothing about him physically that Drew our eyes to him it wasn't like he had a Halo he didn't have you know 21-inch guns he wasn't walking around the city streets doing those amazing superhuman Herculean things now there was no formal cleanliness there was nothing about him attractive to us in fact he was a Man of Sorrows and he was acquainted with grief so were they just off by 20 years yeah they were just off by 20 years probably he looked older than what he was physically in terms of age or they're just making a statement you're not even 50 years old and have you seen Abraham well technically he doesn't say he saw Abraham he says that Abraham saw my day and he rejoiced in it and he was glad but nevertheless he doubles down once again to to to to to answer their particular objection so notice what he says in verse 50 58 so verse 57 the Jews said to him are you uh you are not yet 50 years old and have you seen Abraham Jesus said to them most assuredly I say to you before Abraham was I am so he affirms the veracity of his statement by using those two words amen amen we got it translated here as most assuredly again all of the Bible is important Leviticus 18 20 is important Lamentations 320 is important you know Psalms 117 is important but in the life and Ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ there are those amen amen moments where he underscores as it will you need to pay attention you need to listen most assuredly I say to you most assuredly I underscore this most assuredly I draw importance to this before Abraham was I am now I've tried to explain this use of I am as we've moved our way through John's gospel you'll see several instances of this I am with what's called a predicate and a predicate is simply something sad about the object or the subject the predicate tells us something about the subject I throw the ball I'm the subject throw the ball is The Prodigy at I am Jesus says the bread of life I am Jesus says the way the truth and the life uh Jesus says I am the Good Shepherd Jesus says I am the door there are several instances in John's gospel where Jesus says I am and then there's a predicate to sort of round it out there's seven of them Bread of Life Light of the World door the Sheep Good Shepherd resurrection and the life the way the truth and the life and then the True Vine now there are several times when Jesus uses that phrase I am and there's no predicate he just kind of leaves it dangling there like he does in this one most assuredly I say to you before Abraham was I am we've already seen that in this particular discourse go back to John 8 specifically at verse 23. he said to them you are from beneath and I am from above you are of this world I am not of this world he says therefore 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 now the translators Supply he there because it makes more sense in English we don't typically leave and I am sort of dangling out there and so the translators here in the new King James Supply the he it would be better to not supply it it would be better to capitalize it the way that they do so in verse 58 because what he's saying there in verse 24 is if you don't believe that I am then you will die in your sins so what does he mean by I am what does he mean by this use of this particular convention well the background is Exodus chapter 3. you can turn there Exodus chapter 3. Moses is called to the service of God almighty and Moses sees a revelation of the glory of God the Revelation the self-revelation of the glory of God so notice specifically we'll pick up at verse 10. come now therefore and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people the children of Israel out of Egypt but Moses said to God who am I that I should go to pharaoh and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt so he said I will certainly be with you and this shall be assigned to you that I have sent you when you have brought the people out of Egypt You Shall Serve God on this mountain then Moses said to God indeed when I come to the children of Israel and say to them the god of your fathers has sent me to you and they say to me what is his name what shall I say to them and God said to Moses I am who I am and he said thus you shall say to the children of Israel I am has sent me to you so the self-revelation of the most high God is given us there in Exodus 3 14. I am so now as Jesus stands before these men and he says most assuredly I say to you before Abraham was I am he is asserting he is underscoring he is showing and demonstrating once again his Unity with the Father the fact that he is the only begotten son of the father who came into this world Sinners to save John Gill defines the I am in Exodus 3 14 this way this signifies the real being of God his self-existence and that he is the being of beings as also it denotes his eternity and immutability and his constancy and faithfulness in fulfilling his promises for it includes all time past present and to come and the sense is not only I am what I am at present but I am what I have been and I am what I shall be and shall be what I am it's a good way to describe that charnock says it signifies his immutability as well as his eternity and then Francis turriton writes but since Eternal existence omnipotent power and immutable truth belongs to God Alone the name Jehovah which Embraces these three ought to be peculiar to him alone it's essentially what Jesus is doing in John 8 58 is saying I am Yahweh I am the god of the burning bush I am one with the father I am the Eternal one he is asserting his eternality with the father and when he emphasizes this notice in verse 58 most assuredly I say to you before Abraham was I am Cyril of Alexandria makes the observation there is no way we should think that the only begotten is insisting that he is before Abraham alone no he is before all time and his generation is the most ancient of all since he he is without beginning in the father again the athenation Creed says the father Eternal the son Eternal the Holy Spirit Eternal yet are they not three eternals but one eternal the fact that they respond the way they do in verse 59 validates this interpretation they know what he's claiming they know what he's declaring they know what he's asserting he is making a claim that he is one with the father that he is God most high that he is the Ancient of Days that he is from Everlasting to Everlasting that he is the one that has come Sinners to save and it's on that basis on the heels of that that they do then what they do according to verse 59 notice he makes this glorious statement and it says then they took up stones to throw at him they took up stones to throw at him turn back to John 5 we see the same sort of animus there John 5 verse 16 for this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill him because he had done these things on the Sabbath but Jesus answered them my father has been working until now and I have been working therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him and because he not only broke the Sabbath but also said that God was his father making himself equal with God Leviticus 24 demanded the death penalty capital punishment for anybody that would assert equality with God blasphemy was a capital offense in the old Covenant so that they pick up stones to throw at him indicates what they understood him to have said notice in John 10 same sort of an emphasis John chapter 10 same sort of a situation verse 31 then the Jews took up stones again to Stone him Jesus answered them many good works I have shown you from my father for which of those Works do you Stone me the Jews answered him saying for a good work we do not Stone you but for blasphemy and because you being a man make yourself God that is precisely the issue in John 8. this is the Pinnacle this is the Apex facts this is the the crescendo the Lord Christ has maintained his unique relation to the Father the father is the one who sent the son is the one who is sent by him the father is the one who is uh uh uh the begetter and Jesus is the only begotten son of the Father the Lord Jesus Took on our Humanity identified with us took on all of our our Humanity with all the essential properties and the common infirmities thereof and yet without sin so that he might redeem us from sin he's standing in the midst of that he's declaring these truths he does not reneg he does not shrink back he continues to double down and meets every opposition and meets every Lawless response by them and he holds his ground he is The Great I Am he is the one in whom there is salvation for all those who have ears to hear verse 51 remains true the ones who keep his word shall never see death they shall never undergo the pain of spiritual death you'll die physically we'll all die physically to be sure unless we happen to be living when Jesus Christ again returns in glory to judge the living and the dead but probably most of us here are going to enter into the Earth but we don't pass into spiritual death that's our portal into spiritual life to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord Paul says and then to await that final judgment when God raises the body and when Body and Soul enter into the presence of God most high to worship and to glorify and adore him of whom Abraham rejoiced to see his day this is a wonderful interchange a wonderful declaration in John 8 of our Lord's teaching concerning his authority and concerning his identity he is God from God light from light true God from true God begotten not made one in being with the Father the Creed didn't stumble onto that the Creed rather explains what God through the Apostle John tells us throughout this narrative in the beginning was the word the word was with God and the Word was God no one has seen God at any time but the only begotten son who is in the bosom of the father has declared him and as we move now through John's gospel we see Jesus uphold that we see Jesus continue to press that and we see Jesus continue to teach that even though it causes this kind of rage and this kind of animosity from unbelievers for the believer for the one who has eyes to see who has a heart to receive who has ears to hear he is in fact the altogether lovely and the chief among ten thousand he is the one of whom we read this morning in the prayer meeting a friend for Sinners wasn't this what the the the scribes and the Pharisees got upset about about Luke 15 this man receives Sinners and and eats with them how disgusting how vile how wretched how derelict how destitute how devoid of any saving religion this man receives Sinners and eats with them that's the essence of the Christian Gospel that's the very message our beloved savior brings that's why he comes into this world it's Sinners to save it is the case that if by Grace You Look to Him in faith you will have everlasting life do not make the mistake of these Jews do not double down in your Rebellion do not double down in your resistance and in your rejection do not assume that you have everything all figured it out now we know that you are a Samaritan and that you have a demon they knew nothing of the kind they were arrogant Lawless Godless men that were simply opposing the true God Of Heaven and Earth don't follow their tact don't don't follow their trajectory they evidenced that they were liars and that they were murderers and they were going to do precisely what the devil would have them to do now look unto the Lord Jesus Christ in faith and listen to his blessed words in in in in verse 51 most assuredly I say to you if anyone keeps my word he shall never see death well may God indeed underscore in our minds and our hearts how glorious and how wondrous this Christ is and if Abraham looking forward Rejoice to see his day certainly us looking back and present and forward can rejoice in that blessed day as well and as we sing Our hymns and our Psalms As We Gather in the public place for the worship of God we get the great privilege secured for us by this one to come to the father through the son in the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit Well let us pray Lord God and our father we thank you for your word we thank you for the the identity of our blessed savior that surety of a better Covenant that Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth I pray God that all over the Earth today as this gospel Goes Forth it would run swiftly that it would go forth conquering and to conquer that you would be pleased to save from every tribe and tongue and people in nation and God reached down in this place amongst the elderly amongst the the the young people amongst the children God be merciful and show that great salvation of our blessed Christ and we pray in his wonderful name amen well you can turn in your hymn books to saw uh to page 568 and we'll close by singing the doxology and praise to our Triune God 5 68 will stand as we sing together [Music] foreign [Music] Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all amen father thank you for this day thank you for this time to gather for worship I pray for your blessing upon each of us now may your face shine upon us may you keep us by your grace and power and may you be glorified in each of our lives and we ask this through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen please be seated for a brief time of meditation