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good morning everyone welcome back to free Grace Baptist Church for morning worship uh announcements just the regular Wednesday Bible study and then don't forget that at the end of the month last Sunday we're going to have a joint service with Surry reform Baptist Church in the evening that will start one hour earlier at four o'clock so that we can have a time of food and fellowship together after the evening service for our call to worship this morning please turn to Psalm 16. psalm 16. a victim of David preserve Me O God for in you I put my trust O my soul you have said to the Lord you are my Lord my goodness is nothing apart from you as for the Saints who are in the earth they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight their sorrow shall be multiplied who hasten after another God their drink offerings of blood I will not offer nor take up their names on my lips O Lord you are the portion of my inheritance and my cup you maintain my lot the lines have fallen to me in Pleasant places yes I have a good inheritance I Will Bless The Lord who has given me counsel my heart also instructs me in the night Seasons I have set the lord always before me because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices My Flesh also will rest in Hope for you will not leave my soul in sheol nor will you allow your Holy One to see corruption you will show me the path of life in your presence is fullness of joy at your right hand are Pleasures forevermore amen take your Hymnal and turn with me this morning to 363 M363 we'll be singing it to a different tune than it's written to the one that we're all familiar with 363 please stand with me as we sing good morning [Music] [Applause] foreign [Music] amazing Grace [Music] praise God [Music] Holy Ghost [Music] s let's go to our great God In Prayer gracious Heavenly Father we thank you for the privilege we have of coming together on this Lord's Day the first day of the week to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and all that he has done on our behalf we thank you that you are in the process of building your church and of purifying your church all over the face of the world thank you that you have preserved your bride these two thousand years and indeed since the beginning of time and thank you that you will one day call us all home to be with you in glory and to celebrate forever the victory of of the Lamb of God who has taken away the sin of the world Lord I pray that you'd be gracious to your church this day as the gospel Goes Forth in Many Lands I pray o God that you would continue to draw souls to yourself through the blood of Christ Lord we pray that you would purify your bride we pray for those churches and those saints that are undergoing persecution in various countries for the sake of the gospel and for their hold on the faith I pray God that you'd be merciful to them and continue to give them Grace to persevere strength and Lord I pray that you would also bring down Wicked regimes and wicked religions that persecute your Saints we see this persecution throughout the entire Book of Revelation as we have been reading and we also see that Christ is Victorious and though some suffer even martyrdom yet the church marches forward and is gathered together to worship at the feet of the Lamb we thank you for the the great scene in heaven that we anticipate when we get there as well Lord we pray that you'd be blessed and encouraged you encourage us this day and we pray that you would accept our worship not because we are pure but we pray that you would even this day purify us and forgive us our sins and we pray Lord that our worship would be acceptable in your sight Lord we pray that you would bless this congregation thank you for every person that is here this day that you have brought here for your purposes the regulars and those who are visiting we pray o God that you would encourage your people we pray that you would draw Sinners to yourself this day we pray that we would receive exactly what is necessary from your hand whether that be chastisement or Comfort Lord be gracious to us to say bless Pastor Butler as he comes later to preach the word to us give him fluency and anointing from the Holy Spirit and may you be here present in our midst walking amongst this lampstand and doing your people good we know that you are a gracious and a merciful god who would who did not even sacrifice his own son to redeem us and how much more shall he you not also perform that work until the day of Christ Lord we pray for the other churches here in our Province and throughout this nation thank you that there are churches here in Chilliwack where the gospel is being preached this day we pray your blessing would rest upon all of them we pray for our sister churches and certain the church plants bless the brethren in Surrey and in Armstrong and in Dryden Ontario Lord we pray that you would encourage those congregations this day that you would build them up in their Most Holy Faith that you would continue to purify them and unite them together and continue to cause the gospel to go forth and new souls to be added to the church such as should be saved but we pray for our Brethren down in Honduras as well bless them this day as they have gathered and and heard the word preach I pray that that word would bring forth fruit in their lives as well Lord we pray for the magistrates in this country and we pray oh God that you would be merciful to your church that you would restrain wicked men and that you would put righteous men in government Lord we pray that you would even make any your own enemies your children and your your servants in places of of power in this nation thank you for your kindness to us and thank you for the Privileges that we enjoy we pray Lord that you would bless the children in our midst even the babes in the wombs we pray Lord that you would bless our young people and draw them at an early age to yourself to embrace the gospel and to serve you diligently Lord we pray that there would be a light in future Generations long after all of us here have gone home to Glory should you Tarry Lord we pray again that you would bless our worship and that we would joy in your Resurrection this day we ask this in Jesus name amen for our next hymn let's turn to 364. in your hymnal and please stand with me again as we sing 364. [Music] oh yes [Music] my flowers thank you [Music] [Applause] foreign [Music] together foreign [Music] [Music] turn with me to Revelation chapter 13 for our morning scripture reading in the New Testament revelation 13. then I stood on the sand of the sea and I saw a beast rising up out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns and on his horns ten crowns and on his heads a Blasphemous name now the Beast which I saw was like a leopard his feet were like the feet of a bear and his mouth like the mouth of a lion the dragon gave him his power his throne and great Authority and I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded and his deadly wound was healed and all the world marveled and followed the Beast so they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the Beast and they worshiped the Beast saying who is like the Beast who is able to make war with him and he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and he was given authority to continue for 42 months then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name his Tabernacle and those who dwell in heaven it was granted to him to make war with the Saints and to overcome them and Authority was given him over every tribe tongue and Nation all who dwell on the earth will worship Him whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of a lamb slain from the foundation of the world if anyone has an ear let him hear he who leads into captivity shall go into captivity who he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword here is the patience and the faith of the Saints then I saw another Beast coming up out of the earth and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon and he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence and causes the Earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first Beast whose deadly wound was healed he performs Great Signs so that he even makes Fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men and he deceives those who dwell on the Earth by those signs which he is granted to do in the sight of the Beast telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the Beast who was wounded By The Sword and lived he was granted power to give breath to the image of the Beast that the image of the Beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the Beast to be killed he causes all both small and great rich and poor free and slave to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the Mark or the name of the Beast or the number of his name here is wisdom let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beasts for it is the number of a man his number is six six amen let us pray thank you Father in heaven that even the most wicked of creatures are granted their Authority they do not have authority that is beyond your control and thank you O Father that even though you allow your Saints to be persecuted and sometimes to be put to death you are still Victorious we see this when we see the martyrdom of Stephen in the book of Acts that Christ stands to welcome him into heaven and thank you for that great and Victoria State when all of these trials on this Earth will be put behind us please go with us again as we worship and as we listen to the word bless it to our hearts I pray in Jesus name amen for our last hymn we'll sing number 378 378 please stand again with me As we sing [Applause] [Music] all right [Music] places inside Jesus station s [Music] well you can turn with men your Bibles to the Book of Romans Romans chapter 4. Romans 4 are focused this morning will be on verse 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised because of our justification but I want to begin reading in chapter 1 to the end of the chapter so beginning in Romans 4 1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh for If Abraham was justified by works he has something to boast about but not before God for what does the scripture say Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness now to him who works the wages are not counted as Grace but is debt but to him who does not work but believes on him who justifies the ungodly his faith is accounted for righteousness just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works blessed are those whose Lawless Deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only or upon the uncircumcised also for we say that Faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness how then was it accounted while he was circumcised or uncircumcised not while circumcised but while uncircumcised and he received the sign of circumcision a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised that he might be the father of all those who believe though they are uncircumcised that righteousness might be imputed to them also and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision but who also walk in the steps of the faith which Our Father Abraham had while still uncircumcised for the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law but through the righteousness of faith for if those who are of the law are heirs faith is made void and the promise made of no effect because the law brings about wrath for where there is no law there is no transgression therefore it is of faith that it might be according to Grace so that the promise might be sure to all the seed not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham who is the father of us all as it is written I have made you a father of many nations in the presence of him whom he believed God who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did who contrary to Hope in Hope believed so that he became the father of many nations according to what was spoken so shall your descendants be and not being weak in faith he did not consider his own body already dead since he was about a hundred years old and the deadness of Sarah's womb he did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief but was strengthened in faith giving glory to God and being fully convinced that what he had promised he was also able to perform and therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but also for us it shall be imputed to us who believe in him who raised up Jesus our lord from the dead who was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised because of our justification amen well let us pray Our God and our father we thank you for this wonderful passage of Holy scripture for the doctrine of justification by faith alone in our blessed savior as we celebrate today that empty tomb the fact that he has risen we come to you now and pray that you would be glorified as we consider Holy scripture we pray that your spirit would guide us and lead us as we consider our blessed savior and his work on our behalf may you draw out our hearts in love and worship and praise and adoration and may further conform us unto his wonderful image we ask that you would forgive us now for all sin and transgression cleanse Us in that precious blood of the lamb and again we Rejoice at what we find here summarized concerning the entirety of your gospel the life the death the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ that second person of the Trinity who came down from heaven for us men and for our Salvation we rejoice in this and we pray now for your blessing upon us and we ask through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well as I said our Focus will be on verse 25 we see the Redemptive purpose behind the death of our Lord Jesus but also the Redemptive purpose behind his resurrection but chapter 4 verse 25 does not appear all on its own there is a context and if you go back with me for just a moment by way of inner dark chat you'll notice what Paul's point is in the Book of Romans as a whole in chapter 1 at verse 16. he says I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to Salvation for everyone who believes for the Jew first and also for the Greek for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith as it is written the just shall live by faith now this revelation of righteousness is not necessarily the Perfection or the attribute of righteousness though that is revealed in the gospel but I think the Apostle is speaking specifically concerning the righteousness that God demands and the righteousness that God supplies the Apostle speaks of this and Philippians chapter 3 and verse 9 it was that which ultimately set the Reformation into into play Martin Luther was convinced that it was the righteousness of God in terms of attribute or Perfection and this kept him away but he says when he comes to appreciate verses 16 and 17 in the first chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans it was as it were Heaven opened up Paradise opened up when he realized that it was God who provides four needy Sinners the righteousness that avails with God so after that thesis statement about what Romans is going to be he goes on then to set forth the bad news so in Chapter 1 Verse 18 to chapter 3 and verse 20 he sets forth the reality that all men everywhere are sinful all men everywhere are liable liable to God's just judgment and punishment for their having sinned against the holy God and then in chapter 3 at verse 21 to chapter 4 4 at verse 25 he speaks of justification by faith alone so you'll notice a contrast in 118 the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and righteousness of men who suppress the truth and unrighteousness and then in 321 the contrast comes but now the righteousness of God is revealed and so he declares how it is that sinful man can be accredited with righteousness so that they may stand before and be accepted by a holy God so he introduces that theme in chapter 3 verses 21 to 26 by first considering the righteousness of God in the gospel in other words what he says is that the cross does not compromise God's righteousness in fact the cross publishes sets forth and declares the righteousness of God and as he says in verse 26 so that God might be just and the justifier of the one one who has faith in Jesus he then emphasizes in chapter 3 verses 27 to 31 that it's faith alone it is grace alone through faith alone it's not a combination of Faith plus works it is not a combination of what Christ has done and what we contribute but rather it is faith alone notice what he says in verse 28 therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the Deeds of the law there's no introduction of human Merit in God's acceptance of needy Sinners it's all about the Merit of our Lord Jesus Christ continuing in this theme of justification by faith alone he says or he confirms or he corroborates that this has always been God's plan this isn't some new thing in the New Covenant but every sinner that's ever been accepted by God has come through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and he invokes two particular Old Testament examples he points out Abraham Abraham believed God and it was credited to him or accounted unto him for righteousness and then he points to David notice what David says in the 32nd Psalm according to verses 7 and 8. blessed are those whose Lawless Deeds are forgiven and those who uh whose sins are covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin and then he carries or goes back to Abraham and sets forth several concerns concerning old Covenant and New Covenant promise Faith law all those particulars and then he comes to summarize how not only what Abraham has received and what David has received is what we in the New Covenant receive notice in verse 23. now in chapter four now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but also for us it shall be imputed to us who believe in him who raised up Jesus our lord from the dead so he's saying that what God has done what God has purposed what God has planned has come to pass not just in this new covenant era it was there in the old Covenant era but they were looking forward to the Messiah we now have this sort of backward look at least in history to the one who came who lived who died and was raised again and then in verse 25 he says in verse 24 that we believe in him who raised up Jesus our lord from the dead verse 25 explains why he was dead in other words why did Christ die well verse 25 explains that and it does so encapsulating the entirety of the good news Matthew Poole says this one verse is an abridgement of the whole gospel I don't think he's wrong we have a bridgements throughout scripture five eight in Romans God commends his own love toward us and that while we were at sinners Christ died for us if you had one tax to present to a sinner in a crucial particular time 5 8 would be wonderful 425 would be as well Hodge says the this verse is a comprehensive statement of the Gospel the denial of the propitio propitiatory death of Christ or of his resurrection from the dead is a denial of the Gospel So today we're not just marveling at the the empty tomb as a sign of the power of God we Marvel at it as a sign of the power of God but as the basis upon which we are accepted with God most high in fact when Christ cried it is finished he wasn't kidding he wasn't joking he had secured the salvation of All Those whom the father had given at so let's look first at the Redemptive purpose of the death of Christ in verse 25 a and then secondly we'll notice the Redemptive purpose of the resurrection of Christ in verse 25 being but notice verse 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses now if you turn with me quickly to First Peter chapter 2 and I say quickly so we don't extend our sermon to three o'clock First Peter chapter 2. this is glorious stuff Brethren This Is The Stuff upon which our souls hang the gospel of our Salvation the reality of a crucified and resurrected savior if you notice in First Peter chapter 2 specifically at verse uh uh verse 18. I'm sorry verse 24 who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree that we having died to sins might live for righteousness by whose Stripes you were healed now he says this in the context of Christ as an example if you look back at verse 21 for to this you were called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that you should follow his steps now I think it's customary and commonplace for people to emphasize the exemplary mission of our blessed savior look at the love that he demonstrated on the cross we should go out and demonstrate that self-same love look at the sacrificial love that Christ demonstrated on the cross husbands love your wives in that particular manner there is an exemplary function in terms of what Christ has accomplished but that's not the primary emphasis that's not the primary focus in terms of his Redemptive death it's about substitutionary atonement it's about substitutionary curse bearing it's about the Divine Son of God satisfying the Wrath of the Father by his sufferings on our behalf so it's not example that is first and foremost or where the accent falls in the death of the Redeemer Paul puts it this way in First Corinthians he says but but we preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling block or a scandal as far as the Jews were concerned a crucified Messiah that was like saying jumbo shrimp or Military Intelligence or old news it was simply untenable to think about about a crucified Messiah and yet Paul says we preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling block or a scandal and to the Greek's foolishness but to those who are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God not exemplary but in terms of blood atonement not exemplary but in terms of acceptance with God again I'm not denigrating the example of Jesus be more like him do what he does that's a great thing but with reference to the coming of the son of man the primary emphasis is upon his blood atonement for the sins of his people so the death of Christ was in fact substitutionary atonement look back at verse 25 in chapter 4 who was delivered up because of our offenses now when we talk about offense says it's not we've been rude a little better we've had some issues or some challenges no Paul already explains to us what these offenses are as I mentioned beginning the gospel presentation he starts with the bad news in Romans 1 18 the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of man now that's not an abstract statement on the part of the Apostle that's not left for us to try to fill in the blanks what does he mean there by unrighteousness what does he mean here in Romans 4 25 by offenses we'll turn back to Romans chapter 1 for just a moment notice what he says specifically at verse 28 and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge God gave them over to a debased mind to do those things which are not fitting being filled with all unrighteousness sexual immorality wickedness covetousness maliciousness full of Envy murder Strife deceit evil mindedness they are Whisperers backbiters haters of God violent proud boasters inventors of evil things disobedient to parents uh to parents undiscerning untrustworthy unloving unforgiving unmerciful who knowing the righteous Judgment of God that those who practice such things are deserving of death not only do the same but also approve of them who practice that when we go back to Romans chapter 4 at verse 25 and we read the language that Paul gives us he was delivered up because of what our offenses our sins our transgressions our iniquity our violation of the Holy law of God so when we consider the Lord Jesus he's not a hypothetical Savior for hypothetical Sinners he is a real Savior for real Sinners I've often pondered that we see these narratives in the in the in the gospel records then all the Sinners and the tax collectors draw near to him to hear him do we think these were polished Sinners do we think they were good Sinners do we think that you know the the extent of their sin was that they you know they coveted another piece of bread at dinner time they sinned then like we sin now we just happen to get better at it each and every success a succeeding generation and we know more about it but Christ came to save his people from what from their sins their offenses their depravity in Exodus chapter 33 Moses says to the Lord Show Me Your Glory so God says I will put you in the cleft of The Rock and it will cause all my goodness to pass by you what summarizes the goodness of God most high or rather how does goodness or goodness is a summary statement of what particular Perfections well God reveals that in chapter 34 6-7 he reveals to him that he's gracious he reveals to him that he's merciful he reveals to him that he's long-suffering he reveals to him that he will in fact forgive sin transgression and iniquity he uses all three of those terms and then he goes on to say that he will by no means clear the guilty see it's not just the positive aspect of his grace and his Mercy but the very stability of the moral order depends on the fact that he is Justice and punishing sin and so when it comes to this demonstration of our offenses of our transgression of our wickedness our lawlessness it's real Sin in fact turn to First Corinthians chapter 6 for just a moment in terms of seeing a real Savior for real Sinners First Corinthians chapter 6 specifically at verse 9. do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God do not be deceived well who's the unrighteous what kind of offenses have they committed what are their transgressions what is their lawlessness what is their iniquity what is it that they have lacked in terms of Conformity unto the law of god notice he goes on to give it in the concrete not just an abstract statement neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor homosexuals nor sodomites nor thieves nor Covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God and such were saw you so within the context of the church and Corinth they had had sodomites in the context of the church at Corinth they had had thieves in the context of the church at Corinth they had had adulterers in fact Corinth became a verb in that particular time to mean something wicked and Lawless to corinthianize meant to engage in Lawless Behavior but to notice he says in such were some of you but you were washed but you were Sanctified but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God so going back to Romans 4 25 the description of our offenses is simply a violation of the law of God and when we look at the cross we see love we see Mercy we seek Grace we see forgiveness but according to Paul in Romans 3 21-26 we see righteousness and when we see the son of man hung upon that cross we see the exceeding wickedness of sin what necessitated us going to heaven or what was necessary in terms of us going to heaven the Son of God the beginning the word who was with God takes on our Humanity comes into this world lives for us dies for us and is raised again for us so that we might have everlasting life Thomas Kelly in a particular hymn said ye who think of sin but lightly nor suppose the evil grave here may view its nature rightly here its guilt May estimate Mark the sacrifice appointed see who Bears the awful load Tis the word the Lord's anointed son of man and Son of God so when you Ponder the cross Ponder Mercy Ponder Grace Ponder love but Ponder righteousness as well and the exceeding wickedness of sin so he was delivered up because of our offenses well why is that again that simply as an example well now you've got to go to a cross yourself you've got to be nailed to it and in doing so dying that death you will then enter into everlasting life no Jesus was a public figure Jesus was a federal hat Jesus was our representative in the New Covenant he was Surety in the language of the book of Hebrews so he takes our place he lives our life of obedience he dies death so that we may be forgiven and then he's raised again to secure the deal and that's specifically what the Apostle is alluding to so when we see this language he was delivered up because of our offenses God's justice demands the penalty and Punishment of all transgressors if you're not a Christian here today you need to ponder this you need to consider this that God's justice demands that you must be punished for your sin and transgression against God now it's at this point that people say well that's not fair why isn't it fair a righteous God established a moral order and all you've ever done is raised your fist in his face and transgressed His holy law and by the way that law is good for us that law is blessed that law is wonderful it calls us to devote our attention to him and it calls us to love one another it's only sin in the heart that would cause us to see this as a burden or to see this as something Grievous so God most high must punish sin and that's how Romans ends are not Romans but the first section in Romans 3 notice what he says in verses 19 and 20. now we know that whatever the law says it says to those who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God liable to his punishment liable to his just judgment and then in verse 20 therefore by the Deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified in his sight why is that because your Deeds of the law your doing of them are not are not perfect it's not exact it's not entire it's not Perpetual it's hit and miss at best and most of the times it's Miss he says therefore by the Deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight for by the law is the knowledge of sin so God's justice demands that we be delivered to hell because of our sins God's Grace has provided for our sins the Son of God who dies for us and who's risen again in the language of second Corinthians 5 21 another passage that ought to speak great comfort to the people of God God the Father made him Christ the son who knew no sin to be sin for us that doesn't mean that he had personally engaged in Acts of transgression it doesn't mean that he had lustful looks it didn't mean that he had a thievery or had conducted anything these things he was made sin by what's called imputation God takes our sin and heaps it upon his son and punishes son in our place so God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him so he's see that blessed imputation takes our sin puts it on the Savior punishes the savior in our stead and then takes his righteousness and imputes it unto us this is why it's gospel this is why it's good news This Is Why We Sing hymns and praise this is why we look happy on Sunday this is why our our hearts are are busting out of our our chest cavities because we rejoice in what the son of man has done on our behalf he was delivered up because of our offenses God's son is the perfect spotless Lamb of God who died in the place of guilty vile Sinners it pleased Yahweh to bruise him the prophet says in Isaiah 53 as well we see the reality that in this section notice in in specifically in verse 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by his blood so the Son of God was shot forth by the father in order to function as a propitiatory sacrifice now that word is very important that word assumes something that word assumes a breach between God and us but not only a breach it assumes God's Wrath toward us remember Romans 1 18 for the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth and unrighteousness so we need propitiation we need somebody to take the Wrath on our behalf we need somebody to stand in our place we need a substitute to provide its own men we need a substitute to bring satisfaction we need someone not to deflect the Wrath that's not what Jesus does jesus takes the wrath for us he stands in our place on that cross as our federal head and he receives in his own person the very wrath and fury of God most high it is blessed and as we consider this statement in Romans 3 4 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses now when you consider the gospel narratives you see the instrumentality of the Jewish leaders they're certainly culpable they're certainly involved in you know leading the the crowd the hoi polloi to stay away with him away with him crucify him certainly pilate is culpable pilate knows that Jesus is innocent pilate confesses Thrice that Jesus or he says I find no guilt in this man and yet nevertheless he gives the execution order but Brethren as we consider the reality here we we also notice our own sin right he was delivered up why because of our offenses not just the unbelieving Jews not just those deplorable romance but he was delivered up because of our offenses right what we had done necessitated the coming of the son of man in order to save his people from their sins but notice where the emphasis lay here he's delivered up this is called a theological passive the deliverer up of him is the father I've already cited Isaiah 53 it pleased Yahweh to bruise him or to crush him as the nas B takes in it was the father's plan Winslow says who delivered up Jesus to die not Judas for money not pilate for fear not the Jews for Envy but the father for love God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son God commendeth his own love toward us and that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us and here the emphasis falls upon the delivering up of the son by the father now that doesn't mean that the son is not willing it does not mean that the son goes without you know oh he's kicking and screaming in a demonstration of his Humanity in the Garden of Gethsemane he says he says father if it is possible let this cup pass nevertheless father not my my will but thine be done so Christ goes where the father bids him Christ is the obedient spotless Lamb of God Christ satisfies all the requirements for the sacrifice that would be in a a veil for all of the people that the father gave him so Christ goes willingly we've seen that in John 10 I I lay down my life and I I take it up again Christ is a willing participant in the Covenant of redemption Christ is a willing participant and this means by which God Saves his people from their sins the emphasis In this passage is on the delivering Up To The Cross by the father he always does what pleases the father my meat is to do the will of him who sent me nevertheless not my will but thine be done now Brethren according to his Humanity that's exactly what we'd expect he knew that he was going to drink the cup of God's Wrath he knew what he was facing not in terms of the brutality of the Roman soldiers not in terms of the blasphemies of the unbelieving Jews but in terms of the wrath of God most high poured out upon him so that we might have everlasting life he was delivered up because of our offenses now notice secondly the Redemptive purpose of the resurrection of Christ doesn't stop there yet he doesn't die a martyr's death he dies the savior's death who was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised because of our justification now in this instance we need to consider the fact of the Resurrection The One delivered up because of our offenses the tax tells us was raised because of our justification turn back to the gospel of Matthew Matthew chapter 28. Matthew chapter 28 where you see the emphasis on the empty tomb Matthew chapter 28 when the women come to the tomb notice in verse 5 but the angel answered and said to the women do not be afraid for I know that you seek Jesus who is crucified he is not here for He Is Risen as he said come see the place where the Lord lay he is risen see brethren in the history of the world in the history of religion the history of philosophy leaders and rulers and those uh religions and philosophies weren't the Son of God the Son of God came down from heaven took on our Humanity the word became flesh and dwelt Among Us and the word who became flesh lived again a perfect life of obedience who died a death as a malefactor not for his own sins but for ours but he was raised again the third day death had no dominion over him and this is precisely what the Apostle is emphasizing here he was delivered up for our offenses or because of our offenses but he was raised for our justification turn to John's gospel John chapter 20. we have that wonderful encounter when Jesus appears to the disciples and then the disciples go back to Thomas who had been absent and in John 20 at verse 24 now Thomas called the twin one of the twelve was not with them when Jesus came okay the other disciples therefore said to him we have seen the Lord imagine that what do you mean you've seen the Lord you visited his tomb you laid some flowers out there you took some additional spices what do you mean we we have seen the Lord I imagine that what's this is what would creep into to Thomas's mindset especially as we follow the narrative they come and they say we we have seen the Lord so he said to them unless unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails and put my hand into his side I will not believe on the one hand we can kind of sympathize with Judas he's hurting he's pained the the Messiah the the rabbi that had been with them for those several years is is now gone he's probably got a bit of an eight he's probably got that that sense of loss and deprivation that somebody good in his life is is no longer present but he really is arrogant he really is not just you know doubtful Thomas he's arrogant on us he is you know solidified Thomas notice the conditions he lays down unless I see unless I touch I will not I will not believe it's not going to happen you've got Apostolic witness testifying right now to you that they've seen the Lord you get the Old Testament our brother Mark Brad uh not Mark but uh uh Psalm 16. it's a song of the Resurrection Peter applies that to Jesus in Acts chapter two yeah the Old Testament testimony you have the the New Testament witness you have the reality the empty tomb and what does Thomas do I will not believe that's not going to happen it's not just a skeptic there's an arrogance there's a hardness a heart there notice in verse 26 and after eight days his disciples were again inside and Thomas with that Jesus came the doors being shut and stood in the midst and said peace to you then he said to Thomas reach your finger here and look at my hands and reach your hand here and put it into my side do not be unbelieving but believing if you ever doubt the grace kindness mercy and patience of our blessed God read passages like these read passages like these I I gotta be honest Brethren if I knew that Thomas's attitude was like that I'm not sure I'd be so conciliatory I'm not sure I'd speak specifically to his demands speak specifically to his ask and say go ahead I want I invite you Thomas to verify I invite you Thomas to confirm I invite I probably wouldn't be that gracious I apologize but I'm just being honest here but then notice what happens on the heels of this verse 28 Thomas answered and said to him my Lord and my God please don't miss John's purpose here how does he begin his gospel presentation in the beginning was the word the word was with God and the Word was God the word became flesh and dwelt Among Us he never ceased being God while flesh he never got rid of deity or Divinity he didn't lay it aside it wasn't that he wasn't exercising it wasn't that he didn't have that prerogative the very beginning of John's gospel the very end of John's gospel is a confession of the Divinity of our blessed savior now Jesus does child him Jesus does rebuke him Jesus does pronounce beatitude upon those who hear and by Grace believe they don't have to see they don't have to have their senses involved they don't have to see for themselves and engage the scientific method not that there's no scientific method you've got witnesses all over the place confirming that empty tomb but back to our text he's delivered up because of our offenses and he's raised for our justification and again it's the same sort of a thing that the father raised him not that the son does not have power Jesus the Lord says that I have the power to take it and to uh take uh lay it down and take it up yeah something called the doctrine of inseparable operations we can predicate any outward Act of God to all three persons because they each have the Divine Essence but in terms of appropriation the emphasis again Falls here on the father who not only delivered up the son to be crucified but he raised up the sun again to validate and to confirm and to bring to fruition the justification that we enjoy this doctrine of the Resurrection is essential it's not something that we just visit one time out of the year in fact the whole idea of an Easter Sunday in some sense is kind of I want to say odd but every Sunday is Easter Sunday isn't it every Sunday is the Lord's day every Sunday there is that at least implicit confession on the part of all God's people that he is risen we're here because of what Romans 4 25 says he was delivered up because of our offenses and he was raised for our justification and has Justified men and women we are in his presence to worship father Son and Holy Spirit so it is an absolutely essential Doctrine the Apostle says in First Corinthians 15 if it didn't happen if Christ stayed in that tomb then your faith is vain we're pitiable among men the apostles preached the resurrection much to the Chagrin of Jews and much to the Chagrin of the Romans you see that competing narrative at the end of Matthew chapter 28 the final statement is the Great Commission go therefore Make Disciples of all the nations prior to that you have an auntie Great Commission you have the plotting and the deception of the Jews who cook up and concoct a story I thought no no he he didn't really raise from the dead that's that's not what happened that didn't take place Muslim theology is the same Christ Christ didn't die on the cross he was just severely wounded he was just severely battered they called it the Swoon theory he he went into the tomb as a as a broken battered man but he wasn't dead and yet he comes out again and so they ascribe to him this Resurrection Paul says if we deny the resurrection there's no Christian faith there's no Christianity again we have a martyr who's done a good thing but a martyr cannot save his people from their sins only the Savior can save his people from their sins now notice not only the fact of his resurrection but Paul gives us the theology behind the resurrection you need to understand that the Bible records historical fact and then the apostles interpret those historical facts in terms of theology he was delivered up we all agreed Jesus of Nazareth was was put to death why is that because of our offenses substitutionary curse bearing substitutionary atonement you've got the fact of the delivering up and then you have the theological interpretation the significance of that fact you see in First Corinthians chapter 15 the first several verses Christ died he was buried he was raised again why for our sins well the Apostle does the self-same thing here he was delivered up because of our offenses and he was raised notice for our justification what a wonderful Capstone on the doctrine that he has been describing beginning in chapters three at verse 21 up until this point not that he won't say anything else about it again in the Book of Romans or elsewhere in his writings but here as I said it ends this particular stock shed in terms of justification by faith alone so notice the doctrine of justification by faith alone is connected to the resurrection now what is justification by faith alone outside the Bible I think no better definition has been given than Westminster Shorter Catechism number 33. and it basically asks the question what is justification the answer is justification is an act of God's free Grace notice at the outset it's not an act of something we do oh I went out and tried harder I went out and obeyed more I went to church you know three times on the Sunday and not just once I'm not suggesting that if you don't come three times you're not saved I'm sorry stuff like that falls out of the mouth from time to time but it's an act of God's free Grace and then there's two components vital elements involved in the doctrine of justification it says wherein he pardons all our transgressions isn't that beautiful the you know my sin oh the thought of a glorious Lord my sin not in part but the whole is nailed to the cross and I I bear it no more praise the Lord praise the Lord Jesus forgives us the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanses us from from what from all sin not some sin if it was some sin we should be miserable people but since it's all sin we should be a lot happier I should be a lot happier we should think more often in terms of our blessed savior's word be of good cheer I've overcome the world there's a lot going on in the world that is depressing there is a lot going on in the world that is tedious but there is a lot going on in the heart of the believer that is most glorious most wondrous and most excellent he pardons all our transgressions but it goes on to say and accepts us as righteous in his sight so you see there's two components not only the Forgiveness of sins but think about it with me for a moment if we're forgiven of our sins we're back at the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil God demands perfect righteousness never forget that God demands perfect obedience God demands spotlessness the psalmist asks who can dwell on the hill of God who can dwell in the mountain of the Lord he gives this description you know what he's describing he ain't describing us in Psalm 15. he's describing the Son of God he's describing the Lord Jesus Christ so he accepts us as righteous in his sight only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone were forgiven and were counted as righteous again Abraham believed God and it was accounted unto him for righteousness it is a Most Blessed thing this is what it why we call it good news or gospel so with reference to the doctrine of justification connected here specifically to the resurrection we need to understand the length the historical link between the crucifixion and the resurrection they're Inseparable they're inextricable you don't have a crucified Savior and a non-risen savior you don't have a risen savior without a crucified savior so that Paul can predicate concerning resurrection that our justification is attached to it listen to Bibi Warfield he says that he died manifests his love and his willingness to save that he rose again manifests his power and his ability to save again Brethren we're not dealing with the martyr's death martyrdom is great precious in the sight of God is the death of his holy ones a brother indicated from Reading Revelation chapter 13. God's not disattached or detached when the beasts are running amok on the Earth where do you think they ultimately get their Authority it's from God the death of his holy ones are pleasing to God so with reference to this reality what we have in terms of Jesus not simply martyrdom but it's savior Hood so back to Warfield he says we're not saved by a dead Christ who undertook but could not perform and who lies there still under the Syrian Sky another martyr of impotent love if we are to be saved at all it must be by one who did not merely pass to death on our behalf but who passed through death big difference there not only past to death on our behalf but past through death on our behalf he really died he really was raised again so thus he passed through death he says in one word the resurrection of Christ is fundamental to the Christian hope and to the Christian confidence all our Assurance of Salvation is suspended on this fact in other words if he went into that tomb and he stayed there or it retained him whatever the gospel story was it wouldn't be powerful to save us from our sins it would be nice we could tell the tale of the Martyr that that did these things but to enjoy the Blessed benefits of his blood and righteousness to be able to sing of his glory and his praise and his honor to be able to look forward to his coming again and glory to judge the living and the dead we couldn't do that without the empty tomb Hodge makes a similar statement he says the resurrection of Christ as in historical fact established by the most satisfactory evidence authenticates the whole gospel as surely as Christ has risen so surely shall Believers be saved verse 25. Now by way of some not application we'll get to that in a moment but the connection between resurrection and justification because if you're sort of in tune with the doctrine of justification by faith alone we typically see it relative to his life right we need a righteousness that avails with god well where do we get that righteousness from the 33 years that Jesus always did what pleases his father he didn't just do that as an example he didn't just say you know I'm gonna I'm gonna do this to sort of show all man how how they ought to behave I mean there's that to be sure but when you survey the animals of the world and you ask wherein lies righteousness you get 33 years worth and it's in one person and it's the Lord Jesus Christ so the Lord Jesus Christ live for us justification by faith alone wherein he imputes the righteousness of Jesus to us but then we think about justification and his death we need blood we need the bloodshedding of our blessed savior that sacrifice that Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world it's Unique in the New Testament to connect justification with Resurrection it's not outlandish it's not unsymptomatic but you see it's not always all over the place as it is in Romans 4 25. so I just want to offer up several things to think about in terms of the connection between Resurrection and justification I'd suggests first that the resurrection testifies that Christ is the Son of God with power Christ is the Son of God with power in Romans 4 24 notice what we are told but we also uh but also for us it shall be imputed to us who believe in him who raised up Jesus our lord from the dead so the resurrection testifies that Christ is the Son of God with power he's not some you know fellow that lived and moved and had his being and stayed in the grave he is the word made flesh for us men and for our Salvation the Apostle in Romans 1 connects it to a demonstration of the fact that he is the Son of God with power look at Romans 1 verse 1. Paul a bond servant of Jesus Christ called to be an apostle separated to the gospel of God which he promised before through His prophets in the Holy scriptures concerning his son Jesus Christ Our Lord who was born of the seed of David according to the Flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of Holiness notice by the resurrection from the dead yeah not that there was no hint of that not that there was no knowledge of that but that empty tomb declares him to be the the Son of God with power Calvin said the Cross of Christ only try triumphs and the breast of Believers over the devil in the flesh sin and sinners when their eyes are directed to the power of his resurrection we see it in in glowing detail we see it and it's manifold Beauty and blessedness secondly the resurrection testifies that Christ's sacrifice was accepted the fact that Jesus was raised from the dead by the father indicates that the father was well pleased with the life with the death and thus raised him from the dead Dutch reformed Theologian made this observation the resurrection is a Divine endorsement of Christ's mediatorial work a declaration of the power and value of his death the amen of the father upon the it is finished of the Sun amen praise God most high thirdly the resurrection testifies that satisfaction was rendered So Not only was the sacrifice accepted but all of the benefits associated with that sacrifice are tender so we've got satisfaction we've got the Divine wrath Satisfied by the penal sufferings of the Son of God this is why Paul can say what Paul says in Romans 3 26 that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus his law was not compromised his law was not bent his law was not suspended but his law was satisfied and then his law was held up it was held in high esteem and glorious and yet God most high is able on the basis of what Christ has done accepting this as a sacrifice getting satisfaction in terms of this sacrifice he is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus and then the resurrection testifies that Redemption was accomplished Redemption was accomplished the sixth saying of the Savior on the cross there are seven when Jesus is hung upon that cross there are seven sayings seven things that he says and the sixth is most glorious he says well they're almost glorious I shouldn't say that what do you mean they're they're all glorious okay but he says it is finished it's a Greek word to tell us die and it's in a particular tense it's in what's called a perfect tense that means it's a past completed action with abiding results guess where they found that word a lot when they went around digging and doing archeology they found it on receipts they found it on business contracts probably the best thing that I would imagine as you get older and you you know you finalize all of your debts and everything is paid in full and they they stamp that on there it's a completed action with abiding results when Christ is on the cross he says it is finished not I am finished not they are finished but it is finished the work of redemption that the father gave him to do the work of salvation for his people Matthew 1 21 says he will save his people from their sins and this is precisely what he accomplishes upon the cross listen to Spurgeon he says I am persuaded that it was so intended to be used this sick saying this it is finished for none of the words of Our Lord on the cross are addressed to his church but this what the Spurgeon says that it's that sixth saying that speaks specific Comfort to his church it speaks specific Comfort to his people he says I cannot believe that when he was dying he left his people for whom he died without a word father forgive them for they know not what they do is for Sinners not for Saints I thirst is for himself and so is that bitter cry my God my God why hast Thou forsaken me woman Behold thy son is for Mary today shalt thou be with me in Paradise is for the penitent Thief into thy hands I commend my spirit is for the father Jesus must have had something to say in the hour of death for his church and surely this is his dying word for her it is finished Brethren our sins are forgiven a righteousness has been imputed we're fit and ready to go to heaven should the Savior descend now with the shout of the the Archangel the the the the the Thundering uh uh sound of the trumpet if he should come right now we're ready to go our sins are forgiven we're righteousness we're uh we have righteousness we're clothed in his righteousness if we die the normal death that everybody dies of old age guess what we're ready and fit to go we get hit by a car on the way home from church we're fit and ready to go why because it's finished there's nothing else that we have to make up there's nothing else that we have to supplement there's no additions there's no sort of well I gotta try a bit harder and then maybe I'll I'll really get finalized no it is finished we've been accepted in the Beloved we have that statement uh Ephesians chapter 1 verse 7 about the the rich of God's grace in him we have Redemption through his blood the Forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace it is finished is what the Savior says to the church and I would suggest fifthly and finally in terms of the Resurrection it testifies that the session was initiated when we speak of the session of the current session we refer to after the resurrection Christ appears for a period of time and then he ascends on high and he sits at the right hand of God most high and scripture doesn't tell us or scripture tells us what he's doing he ever lives to make intercession for us from the right hand of the father if we do sin we we have an advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous so the resurrection testifies that the session has been initiated and not only is he doing those things presently but he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead to take his church into that New Jerusalem and to be with us World Without End well in conclusion I would suggest first the necessity of the death of Christ the necessity of the death of Christ theologians throughout the history of the church have have have wondered about this the necessity was it necessary was there another way God could have saved his people from their sins I've always cited on the side of it's absolutely necessary to suggest there's some other way calls into question in my mind the wisdom of God wouldn't it infinitely wise God pick the only way would not the only uh the The God Who is absolutely righteous and holy and pure uh uh put together a plan that upholds his holy law that brings forgiveness to his sinful people that brings them a righteousness and extols His glory and and magnifies the riches of his grace there is a necessity the must-ness of our Lord Jesus Christ when he announces three times in the gospel of Matthew at 16 17 and 20. I must go to Jerusalem I must be tried at the hands of Godless men I must be crucified that is divine necessity and so when we see our sin and when we see the pros and when we see our blessed savior there for us we see its necessity now the remedy for sin involves forgiveness and the amputation of Christ's righteousness and that remedy is secured by Christ in his life in his death and in his resurrection now as I was pondering this particular Passage I thought about atonement and satisfaction and and blood I mean we've just finished the book of Exodus on our Wednesday night study the Shekinah Glory of God comes down in the Tabernacle it's a dwelling place for God but Moses can't go in why because in order to come in in order for it to be a meeting place there has to be blood there has to be Bloodshed and that's when The Book of Leviticus comes Leviticus 1-7 the emphasis is upon the sacrifice eight and nine the emphasis is upon the priesthood the end of chapter nine they offer up a legitimate sacrifice and God sends fire down from heaven to consume the sacrifice and Moses and Aaron then walked into the Tabernacle what is the Old Testament teach us the same thing that the New Testament teaches us something that I think Paul encapsulates well in in Hebrews 9 22 without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood there is no remission now when we Ponder this we do it from a distance and we do it in a culture where we're not sort of into sacrificing animals on a regular basis I was musing on a quote by Dale Ralph Davis he preached or rather he wrote a commentary on second Samuel and in second Samuel chapter 21 you have an instance of atonement and essentially what happens it's the reign of David there's famine in the land and David inquires of the Lord he says why these men understood when there's problems in the land you ask God because God's Sovereign God's powerful God's omnipotent God's over all this why and God says to him because you guys are guilty of the sin of killing gibeonites remember that treaty that was made in Joshua chapter 9 those gibeonites they lied they pretended so that they could find favor with the Israelites what does Joshua and the leaders do they they they enter into a covenant they'll preserve the gibeonites I mean you're not going to be royalty in Israel but you're not going to be destitute either well what happens in second Samuel 21 is that the gibeonites had been wronged so in order to alleviate the Judgment of God in terms of famine David sends for the gibeonites and he says what is it that you want and they said we want seven descendants of Saul to die because it was Saul that had orchestrated this sort of extermination of the gibeonites so David does it and it's a it's a horrifying scene Brethren I mean seven people are hung to death and there's one mother there that wants to take her sons down and and provide some care for their bodies it is a growth scene well here's what Davis says concerning it I think it's appropriate to our study of the resurrection and the death of Christ on what we typically call today as Easter he says the text says atonement is horrible it is Gory atonement is never nice but always gruesome we need to see this for we easily fall into the Trap of regarding atonement as merely a Doctrine a concept an abstraction to be explained a bit of theology to be analyzed and I know Davis is not saying we shouldn't do that we should do that but it shouldn't stop there or little better to view it as a moving story to be replayed during passion week but we should know better surely the Israelite worshiper realized this when he towed a young bull to the Tabernacle and had to Slit its throat skin it cut it in pieces and wash the insides and legs it was all mess and Gore from slicing the Bull's throat and Leviticus one all the way to Calvary God has always said atonement is nasty and repulsive Christians must be aware of becoming too refined longing for a kinder gentler faith if we've grown too used to Golgotha perhaps gibia can shock us back into the truth atonement is a drippy bloody smelly business the stench of death hangs heavy wherever the wrath of God has been quenched Brethren it's not some day to get all polished and and you know just put on the you know the new clothes and all that sort of I'm not saying don't do that but our savior was delivered up because of our offenses and he was raised for our justification certainly that demands our attention that demands our Focus that demands our love and our praise and our adoration the necessity of Christ's death is all over the Bible the glory of his resurrection is such that God confirms his son to be his son according to power it is that testification that Divine testimony that the savior's work on our behalf has been accepted the savior's work on our behalf has accomplished the purpose for which the father sent him the blessedness of God's people is seen in Romans 4 25 and in passages like it to be sure he was delivered up because of our offenses and he was raised for our justification the people of God ought to live in light of these things not just once a year but each and every day May the shadow of the cross over over Arch US in terms of our life and our orientation and if you're not a Believer here this morning look at what the text says look at what God went to in order to save his people from their sins the son of his love the darling of Heaven the gem as it were in that cabinet of God's Jewels he sends him to take on our Humanity to come into this miserable wretched disgusting world not because it's built that way but because we're in it and we're filled with sin and vileness and guilt a guilt and and shame and all that sort of thing Christ comes into this place and he lives and he dies and he's raised again why so that people aren't saved so that there aren't men from every tribe telling people a nation no he does that specifically to save people from their sins so don't Terry don't wait don't say well I got to get the Divine zap before I look unto Jesus in faith look unto Jesus in faith he who believes in him will have everlasting life in fact see it for yourself in Romans chapter 10 Romans chapter 10 specifically at verse 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead you will be saved from with the heart One Believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confesses a confession is made unto salvation for the scripture says whoever believes on him will not be put to shame see there's this idea or this attitude that oh you know these Christians you've had to give up so much I just don't think I could be a Christian uh just the thought of it have you as a Believer ever thought you've given anything up have you as a Believer ever thought you've been shortchanged in this grand scheme have you as a Believer ever said you know I don't really want to be forgiven of my sins I really don't want this righteousness by which I'm going to enter into Eternal Bliss with God most high world without it no of course not even when the believer befalls uh difficulties and hardships and afflictions you know Jesus says it's better to enter into life maimed it's better to enter into life with only one eye and only one hand then then enter into hell hole and this is Paul's Point whoever believes in him will not be put to shame for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek for the same Lord over all is Rich to all who calls upon him who call upon him now notice How It Ends for whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved in other words believe on him and you will have everlasting life you will know the joy of the one who is the delivered up because of our offenses and was raised for our justification well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you for your word we thank you for the life the death the resurrection of our blessed savior we thank you for his session now at the right hand of God Almighty and we look forward to his return again in glory to judge the living and the dead and may it be the case that we would all be ready that we would have received that forgiveness of sin and that that Clem that that cloak of of righteousness by which we can enter into the presence of a holy God we thank you that you are both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in our Lord Jesus Christ may you cause us to worship may you cause us to glorify may you cause us to adore you father Son and Holy Spirit for so great a Salvation and send this gospel throughout the world conquering and to conquer and may there be a multitude today that are saved by your grace and For Your Glory and we ask in the name of Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well you can turn in your hymn books to 568 as we close by singing the doxology of praise to our Triune God 568 you may stand and will sing together foreign praise God you that same of doxology instead of benediction with the reading from the last part of the book of Romans now to him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest and by the prophetic scriptures made known to All Nations according to the Commandment of the Everlasting God for obedience to the faith to God Alone wise be glory through Jesus Christ forever amen thank you for this great truth lord God almighty thank you not only for the works of creation and Providence in which you demonstrate your wisdom and your power and your goodness that work of Redemption where you show us that Grace and that mercy and that forgiveness and that long-suffering that the scriptures testify consistently to we ask you would go with us now cause us to reflect upon these things and may it bring great joy to our hearts and we pray through Christ the Lord amen may be seated for a brief time of meditation