← Back to sermon library

good morning everyone welcome to the house of the Lord for our worship service this morning a couple of quick announcements before we get started we will have Lord willing our evening service at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday night bible study still this week at 7:30 but the following three weeks there will be no Wednesday night bible study just so you know we're taking a break on December 20th 27th and January 3rd so after this week bible study will resume then on the 10th of January uh we do have this month's newsletter printed if anyone hasn't seen it yet if we usually get electronic copy but if you want a paper copy they're available at the back quite a few interesting articles in there there's always an article on what's happening in the church around the world especially in the area of persecution the pro-life update uh some history from the church the child sponsorship program Etc uh very interesting things to keep us up to date on what's happening in our church as well and along that line there is a family event coming up in uh January on the Saturday the 13th that will take place at the Rosedale Traditional School I believe an email's already gone out uh but if you haven't got that email or you want more details please speak to Nathan or Carla Neils they will need a a head count to sign up ahead of time so we know how many people are going to be attending that event to turn now to our call to worship please open your Bibles to Psalm 47 Psalm 47 to the chief musician a Psalm of the sons of Kora oh clap your hands all you peoples shout to God with the voice of Triumph for the Lord most high is awesome he is a great king over all the Earth he will subdue the peoples under us and the Nations under our feet he will choose our inheritance for us the Excellence of Jacob whom he loves SAA God has gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a trumpet sing praises to God sing praises sing praises to our king sing praises for God is the king of all the Earth sing praises with understanding god reigns over the Nations God sits on his holy Throne the princes of the people have gathered together the people of the god of Abraham for the shields of the earth belong to God he is greatly exalted amen for our first hymn will'll turn in our Trinity Suter Himel to Psalm 145 c as in Charlie 145 c as in Charlie and please stand with me As we sing God and praise you oh my king every day and ever more your Praises I will sing great is the Lord our Mighty God and to be praised his great is UN above all glory to the next shall test and to your of all your glorious magesty and H I will and all your grand and glorious work and all your PR your Mighty and awesome we shall with all confess of your great goodness shall sing and perous most gracious and compassion is who re hisra is ever may be seated let's turn to our Lord in prayer and ask his blessing upon our meeting this morning our gracious Heavenly Father it is with Thanksgiving that we come before you this morning we are thankful that we have this opportunity to gather as your people in your name in this house of worship and we pray oh God that you would be present in our midst we pray that the Holy Spirit would be at work as we sing and as we pray and as we as the preaching Goes Forth and as the preaching is heard by the hearers we pray that the spirit of God would be active in applying that word to our hearts we thank you that he is in that business of drawing people to himself and we thank you that we can gather as your people knowing that your blessing is resting upon us we thank you that we do not Gather in vain we are not as the Heathen to be here with uh much repetition thinking that the gods will hear us we have a God on high who loves his children and he is the only true and living God and when we pray we know that he hear ear is attentive to our hearts to our cry Lord we pray that you would cleanse us from all sin and unrighteousness we know there are times when we turn our backs against the god that we love and we put a a block between us and and you and we pray oh God that you would cleanse us this day and forgive us for all of our sins we know that we have that Advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous we thank you for his work on our behalf Lord we pray that you would be present in our midst bless Pastor Butler as he comes to the pulpit later to preach and Lord we pray that this would be the day of salvation we thank you for the work that you've been doing in this church and in our congregation thank you for the the baptism that's coming up in a couple of weeks time uh Rebecca we pray oh God it would be a tremendous blessing to her and to our congregation Lord we pray that you would continue to draw people to yourself in this congregation especially our young people and our children as they see sit under the preaching of the word from week to week we pray oh God that it would take effect that they would not Harden their hearts against the truth but that your spirit would Enlighten them and give them a love for the word of God and for that truth Lord we pray the same for other churches in the city of chilak where the gospel is being preached this morning we pray that it would go forth with power and with anointing and that you would bless those congregations as well we pray for this nation of ours that all across this country churches would be preaching the gospel this day we thank you for those churches with whom we are in close Association the church plants we pray oh God that you would bless our Brethren out in dren Ontario this day encourage them as they gather as they continue to meet Faithfully we pray that you would give them unity and purpose and continue to cause them to grow and to mature we pray the same for the Brethren who are meeting this morning in the north Okanogan we pray Lord that you'd bless Pastor malar as he preaches there in arm strong today encourage that congregation continue to build them up continue to do them good and likewise the the church in Ser we pray that you'd bless them this day bless Pastor Kirk Patrick as he ministers the word there cause that church to thrive and be a light in that part of our Province we pray and Lord we pray for those churches that we have association with around the world for missionaries that we know of and that we support we pray oh God that they would be faithful and that they would continue to preach the gospel in their respective fields we pray for the church in Elder Kenya that you would bless that work bless Pastor ogallo as he leads it and as he preaches he and his fellow Elders we pray that you would grant them much freedom to preach the gospel and much good uh effect through the power of the holy spirit in that country of Kenya Lord we pray for our Brethren down in the Honduras that you would encourage them this day we pray for the curries that you would be gracious to them as they assist their there and as they uh pray and and help out we pray that you would bless them and cause them to be a blessing Lord we pray that in this country of ours we would continue to have freedom to preach the gospel and continue to have freedom to meet and to that end we pray that you would be gracious to the magistrates of our country we pray oh God that we would be able to live Peaceable and quiet lives we thank you that you have sustained this country we know as the Church of Jesus Christ that you Reign from from see to see that you hold dominion over this country whether the leaders of this country recognize or acknowledge that or not and Lord for those who are in staunch opposition to the gospel and to the Church of Jesus Christ who would like to see the church annihilated we pray oh God that you would continue to restrain their hands and we pray that you would even save those who are your enemies the way you did Saul of Tarsus many years ago we know that all things are possible and that you are a God who does wondrous things on behalf of your church the Bride of Jesus Christ thank you again for this opportunity to gather and we pray that your blessing would rest upon us even as we worship in Jesus name amen for our next hymn we'll turn to Psalm 122 a as an alpha 122 in our sulter himno please stand with me again as we sing with one let us our to the house of God the Lord oh jerusem jerusem we are stand we are standing in your C together there all asending the Lord prise [Applause] ofce [Music] roice for the of you your walls forever sa in your to and andal for the my compion for my brothers I will you for the temp I pr for the Lord's for the Lord house I will your will ever [Music] your please turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 14 for our morning scripture reading Matthew chapter 14 at that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants this is John the Baptist he has risen from the dead and therefore these powers are at work in him for Herod had laid hold of John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of herodias his brother Philip's wife because John had had said to him it is not lawful for you to have her and although he wanted to put him to death he feared the multitude because they counted him as a prophet but when herod's birthday was celebrated the daughter of herodias danced before them and pleased Herod therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask so she having been prompted by her mother said give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter and the King was sorry nevertheless because of the Oaths and because of those who sat with him he commanded it to be given to her so he sent and had John beheaded in prison and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl and she brought it to her mother then his disciples came and took away the body and buried it and went and told Jesus when Jesus heard it he departed from there by boat to a deserted place by himself but when the multitudes heard it they followed him on foot from the cities and when Jesus went out he saw a great multitude and he was moved with compassion for them and healed their sick when it was evening his disciples came to him saying this is a deserted place and the hour is already late send the multitudes away that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food but Jesus said to them they do not need to go away you give them something to eat and they said to him we have here only Five Loaves and two fish he said bring them here to me then he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass and he took the Five Loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven he blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples and the disciples gave to the multitudes so they all ate and were filled and they took up 12 baskets full of the fragments that remain now those who had eaten were about 5,000 men besides women and children immediately Jesus made his his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side while he sent the multitudes away and when he had sent the multitudes away he went up on the mountain by himself to pray now when evening came he was alone there but the boat was now in the middle of the sea tossed by the waves for the wind was contrary now in the Fourth Watch of the night Jesus went to them walking on the sea and when the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were troubled saying it is a ghost and they cried out for fear but immediately Jesus spoke to them saying be of good cheer it is I do not be afraid and Peter answered him and said Lord if it is you command me to come to you on the water so he said come and when Peter had come down out of the boat he walked on the water to go to Jesus but when he saw that the wind was boisterous he was afraid and beginning to sink he cried out saying Lord save me and immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him and said to him oh you of little faith why did you doubt and when they got into the boat the wind ceased then those who were in The Boat came and worshiped him saying truly you are the Son of God when they had crossed over they came to the land of ganzar and when the men of that place recognized him they sent out into all that surrounding region brought to him all who were sick and begged him that they might only touch the h of His Garment and as many as touched it were made perfectly well amen let us pray gracious Father in heaven we thank you that when Christ was on the earth he walked in flesh as a man walks but he was both God and man and by his the Miracles that he performed he demonstrated the fact that he was God and not only that he demonstrated that he is a God full of compassion and we thank you that we serve this living and true God who is a God who is rich in Mercy who loves to forgive Sinners and Lord if it were not for that none of us could stand before you thank you for your kindness this day in Jesus name amen for our last hymn will turn to number 293 in the Himel 293 and let us stand again as we sing [Music] and is the until the Son of [Music] God re re shall come to the is mesty and re shall come to the I hope from s from of and give them Victory all the gra re re shall come to the ising on high and Che us the and [Applause] [Music] to [Music] re shall come to me and open by our heav the way [Music] that and re re shall come to the [Music] is will you can turn with me in your Bibles to the Gospel of John we find ourselves in John 12 at the end of jesus' public Ministry there's certainly more in the Gospel of John but it's the bulk of it is the passion week he spends time with his disciples equipping and preparing them and then he goes to that death of the Cross so as we come to the end of his public Ministry we'll look specifically at verses 40 uh 44 to 50 but I just want to read begin beginning in John 12 at verse 27 John 12 beginning in verse 27 now my soul is troubled and what shall I say father save me from this hour but for this purpose I came to this hour father glorify your name then a voice Came From Heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorify it again therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered others said an angel has spoken to him Jesus answered and said this voice did not come because of me but for your sake now is the judgement of this world now the ruler of this world will be cast out and I if I am lifted up from the earth will draw All Peoples to myself this he said signifying by what death he would die the people answered him we've heard from the law that the Christ remains forever and how can you say the son of man must be lifted up who is this son of man then Jesus said to them a little while longer the light is with you walk while you have the light lest Darkness overtake you he walks in darkness does not know where he is going while you have the light believe in the light that you may become sons of Light these things Jesus spoke and departed and was hidden from them but although he had done so many signs before them they did not believe in him that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled which he spoke Lord who has believed our report and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed there therefore they could not believe because Isaiah said again he has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts lest they should see with their eyes lest they should understand with their hearts and turn so that I should heal them these things Isaiah said when he saw his glory and spoke of him nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in him but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the synagogue for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God then Jesus cried out and said he who believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me and he who sees me sees him who sent me I have come as a light into the world that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness and if anyone hears my words and does not believe I do not judge him for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world he who rejects me and does not receive my words has that which judges him the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last last day for I have not spoken on my own authority but the father who sent me gave me a command what I should say and what I should speak and I know that his command is everlasting life therefore whatever I speak just as the father has told me so I speak amen well let us pray our gracious God we thank you for the Gospel according to John we thank you for the way that he sets forth the Lord Jesus Christ as that word became flesh who dwelt among us we pray that you would guide us now in our thoughts and our minds as we consider again the Lord Jesus his identity his mission his authority all these things that we have seen reviewed or repeated in John's gospel we know that John has an agenda to set forth the the Divine word who became flesh and we rejoice in that because we know it was for us men and for our Salvation we know it was for our our life eternal because we are sinners and we have rejected you we have rebelled against you we have transgressed your most holy law but you sent your son to live for us in perfect obedience to that law to die as a sacrifice and a substitute on that cross and to be raised again the third day so that all who look to him in faith may not abide in darkness but may know that light of the world they may may know that Joy of being found in Jesus Christ God bless the word today here and elsewhere may it run swiftly and be glorified may it go forth conquering and coner and may men and women and boys and girls from every tribe tongue people and Nation come to the father through the son in the spirit may they by Grace believe on him for forgiveness and for a righteousness that avails with you forgive us now from all of our sin and and and and rebellion and cleanse Us in that precious blood and we pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen well as we come here to the conclusion of Jesus public ministry as I said the gospel doesn't end we we go from chapters 13 to chapter uh 21 but the public Ministry of Our Lord is concluded here as I said he will spend time with his disciples in the upper room and then the events of the passion will take place he will be arrested he will be brought before the Sanhedrin he will be brought before the Pontius Pilate he will be condemned to die and as we consider the word of God we know that he was not condemned to die because of his sin or because of his transgression or because of his criminal activity he was condemned to die for us for our sin because we have rebelled against God well as we come to verses uh 44 to 50 in John's gospel we see common themes Jesus ends his public Ministry the way the Gospel of John starts John 1 1-18 we refer to that as the prologue that's where John gives us theology he shows us the relation between the Son and the father he tells us unequivocally that the son is God he says in John 1 1 in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God and that selfsame word of John 1:1 is the word of John 1:14 who became flesh and dwelt Among Us so the identity of Jesus is crucial in John's gospel but as well we understand or we need to understand his mission what did he come to do well the prologue tells us that he came in order to save his people from their sins but also John wants to underscore his author so after we leave that prologue in John 1 1-18 we then come to what theologians and commentators call the book of signs so John 1: 19 to here John 12:50 and what do we see Jesus doing he reasserts on several occasions his identity his mission and his authority and that is precisely how he ends his public Ministry so that's what we will look at this morning first the identity of the son in verses 44 and 45 second the mission of the son in verses 46 to 48 and then thirdly the authority of the son in verses 49 and 50 but remember the context John has told us that not everybody who heard Jesus believed in fact he tells us that specifically in verse 37 in John 12 we read but although he had done so many signs before them they did not believe in him that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled which he spoke this wasn't a surprise this didn't catch God off guard this wasn't something that Jesus would stew and bro about he knew according to the prophet Isaiah both in chapters 53 and chapter 6 that there would be this General unbelief that obtained he came to his own and his own did not receive him but then tracing down specifically in verse 42 we read nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in him but this is not a saving Faith it's probably a temporary Faith or perhaps a historical Faith because what John continues to report notice in verse 42 nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in him but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the synagogue for they love the praise of man more than the praise of God that is not saving Faith saving Faith does not concern itself with what men think in other words if we side but by Grace with the Lord God most high we invoke that promise of the Apostle if God is for us what can man do I mean there might be some remaining fear and some REM remaining trepidation in us but for the large part when we come to the Lord Jesus Christ we now have boldness we want to confess him we want to own him we want to go into the Baptist uh uh uh the baptistry we want to identify with him publicly so these men at least on the surface had some understanding understand in that perhaps he might have been the fellow that the Old Testament prophesied but they feared man they loved the praise of man they didn't want to side with the Savior so it's in that context that again he reiterates his identity he reiterates his mission he reiterates his authority in other words you say you believe in other words you say you have faith but it's not biblical saving Faith because you reject his identity you reject his mission and you reject his authority so that's the particular context so let's look at the identity of the son in verses 44 and 45 notice what he says then Jesus cried out and said he who believes in me again Brethren this is not halfhazard or accidental we just read that many believed but their faith isn't legit so what does Jesus do in to in terms of concluding his public Ministry he speaks to what genuine saving Faith looks like and again when we come to this it's probably repetition is you've been here for however long we've been in John's gospel uh this is the 76th sermon on John's gospel I have that in my notes I didn't just sort of come up with that but you've heard this his identity his mission his authority why is that because John keeps telling us about his identity his mission and his authority and if you think about it in terms of the construction of the book the unbelieving Jews in the first century they didn't have the prolog they didn't have verses 1 to 18 the unbelieving Jews in the first century didn't have the Holy Spirit the unbelieving Jews in the first century didn't have this vision of Christ that he commends here and as a result he continues to bang that hammer against that nail to instruct them that the only way you move from Death unto life is by faith in the son in fact look back for just a moment to John chapter 8 where we see this again repetitive emphasis on this issue of his identity his mission and his authority notice in John 8 at: 23 and he said to them you are from beneath I am from above you are of this world I am not of this world 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 that's a statement concerning his identity if you don't believe that I am and the I am there speaks concerning Exodus 3:14 when God reveals himself and all of his glory to Moses when he comes to commission him and so Jesus says it's absolutely crucial that you understand this you can miss some stuff in the Bible you can know that or or or not know certain Contours of eschatology for instance you may be a bit perplexed or puzzled by some of the food laws perhaps in The Book of Leviticus or Deuteronomy but you can't miss the ident identity of Christ you cannot miss who Jesus is and pass from Death to life he is the object of our faith he is the allog together lovely he is the one that brings forgiveness of sin and the one that brings that righteousness that we need that avails with God so notice on the heels of this declaration of his identity 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 then they said to him who are you that was always the issue again they didn't have the prologue they didn't have the Holy Spirit they didn't have the eyes of Faith to lay hold of Jesus as the Savior and so they ask again who are you and Jesus said to them just what I have been saying to you from the beginning so from the beginning and at the end he reiterates who he is what he came to do and the authority by which he does what he does so back to John 12:44 he says he who believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me now belief is emphasized all throughout John's gospel we've seen it up to this point we'll see it throughout the rest or remainder and it all comes to fruition in John 20: 30 and 31 John the Apostle says many other things Jesus did he did many other signs many other wonders many other Miracles but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God and that believing in his name you may have everlasting life so there's no question as to why John wrote the Gospel John wrote the Gospel so that you get saved John wrote the Gospel so that you'll learn who Jesus is John wrote the Gospel so that you'll believe on Jesus and come to him for everlasting life there's no mystery there's no esoteric thing going on there's no mysticism it's not about experience and feeling it's about Understanding God's provision in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ and coming to him in faith and gr uh gaining everlasting life and so what we have here is Jesus repetition it sounds almost contradictory but it's not he's stressing what we've seen up to this point he who believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me again it is not a contradiction faith is an overarching concern in this gospel and specifically in light of verse 36 while you have the light believe in the light that you may become sons of light in light of verse 37 but although he had done so many signs before them they did not believe in him and then in verse 42 nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in him it's no accident that Christ is responding now to this particular situation of faith in fact some of you young people and children and probably older people adults you've wondered that as well well what what does it mean to believe you guys talk about that a lot in your church you emphasize it a lot in your church your particular tradition the reformed tradition in terms of theology emphasizes justification by faith alone what does it mean to believe please listen to Jesus please listen to the word of God please listen to his instruction here faith is the empty hand that receives the blessings that God promised is to Sinners and that object of faith is our Lord so he's not saying that I want you to believe some sort of a contradiction rather he is underscoring his identity with the father remember that statement in the beginning was the word the word was with God and the Word was God that teaches us three things about Jesus his co- eternality with the father his his distinctiveness or distinction from the father and then it teach teaches what we call in theology the consubstantiality of the son with the father now please don't shut down when we Define these words they make perfect sense an older confession or Creed says of one substance that's what consubstantiality means of one substance having the Divine Essence just like the father does so does the son that's why when Jesus says he who believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me he's not saying faith in him is bad he's not saying faith in him makes makes it such that you're not actually believing in God he's saying when you believe in me you have the father when you believe in me you have the blessings of the father in somewhat of a clunky way seral of Alexandria explained it this way when you believe in me I who am a human being like you for your sake it's important we don't miss that remember for you and I living in the 21st century having Bibles on our phones having some degree of theology because we live in a in a in a blessed era in a blessed generation we we come to this especially as the Blood Bought children of God who have the Holy Spirit and understand something about the prologue and everything previously written we we see it it's obvious right it's as clear as clear could be but these are unbelieving Jews standing in the presence of a man who is claiming to be God most high you you can understand not justify but you can understand their incredulity you can sort of understand why they've got a bit of an ax to grind why they're a bit on edge why they're a bit defensive why in previous chapters and again I'm not condoning it I'm not justifying it you can kind of understand why in John 8 and why in John 10 when Jesus makes himself equal with God these Jews pick up stones to throw at him you can kind of understand as we'll move through the gospel narrative when on that day they cry out away with him away with him crucify him again not condoning not justifying but entering in as it were to the life of an unbelieving Jew who doesn't have the Holy Spirit who's standing before one who's claiming to be Yahweh of Israel it seems a bit strange it seems a bit of a stretch it seems a bit odd they didn't understand in the beginning was the word the word was with God and the Word was God and so Jesus is clarifying for them now so back to sirel when you believe in me I who am a human being like you for your sake but also God on my own and because of the father from whom I am do not imagine that you are placing your faith in a human being I am no less than God by Nature even if I look like you and I have Within Myself the one who begat me since I am of the substance as my begetter your faith will certainly transfer also to the father himself so back to the text he says he who believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me notice that this isn't ultimately just informational but it's condemnation as well because you see these guys thought that God was their father these guys in fact turn back for just a moment to John 8 John chapter 8 Jesus had to go around with these guys back then and you'll notice something something there in John 8 at: 39 they answered and said to him Abraham is our father Jesus said to them if you were Abraham's children you would not 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 de you do the Deeds of your father then they said to him we were not born of fornication we have one father God so when we go back to John 12 at verse 44 Jesus is condemning their unbelief Jesus is condemning their rejection Jesus is condemning their resistance because he says if you had believed in me you would have the father also but what's the converse if you reject Jesus you don't have the father it's that simple brothers and sisters that's what he's emphasizing here at the conclusion of his public Ministry he wants to leave them with that resounding thought that he is is in fact the embodiment of God most high in him all the fullness of deity dwells bodily and so when you reject him you reject the father and then notice he UPS the atie to assert that he is one substance with the father notice in verse 55 and he who sees me sees him who sent me now the vision is not physical because there are a lot of people in Jesus 33 years on Earth who laid eyes on him but they didn't believe on him they didn't receive him they were not born again they had not passed from Death to life the vision that he is espousing here is spiritual in other words when you look into the face of the Lord Jesus Christ you see God he says this later in the upper room when when Philip says show us the father and what do Peter say or or Jesus say have I been so long with you if you have seen me you have seen the father so he is telling these Jews by way of com condemnation a reject a rejection of the son is necessarily rejection of the father listen to Gil here he says not with bodily eyes for there were many that saw Christ who never saw the father they saw Christ as a mere man and were offended at the meanness of his outward appearance they saw nothing Divine in him nor the glory of the father through him but with the eyes of the understanding whoever saw or perceived the glory of of Christ in his miracles saw the glory of God in them also for the father that dwelt in him did The Works John 2:1 and whoever truly sees Christ with an eye of Faith sees his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the father as the brightness of his father's Glory as having the fullness of the godhead dwelling in him the same Perfections as in the father so that he that hath seen the one hath seen the other also that's his point he's condemning them and not in some shaking his finger in their face sort of way but he's doing it in order to bring conviction he wants them to move from this place of a temporary or a historical faith into a receiving all the benefits of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ it's the end of his public Ministry what does he do in his public Ministry he ministers the word concerning himself and he according to his humanity is like any other man who's ever preached the gospel except maybe Jonah they want to see people saved they want to see people convicted for their sin thus he gives them this sort of a rebuke but he wants them to get that conviction such that they'll receive by grace through faith the benefits of Christ so the conclusion of his public Ministry underscores once again his identity and M says and the reason why one sees the son also sees the father is that the father is in the son by a Unity of essence in the beginning was the word the word was with God and the Word was God that is an overarching controlling statement for the rest of John's gospel that we mustn't jettison we must keep that in mind all the way through so that when we come to passages like that we go oh yeah we've already learned this we've already seen this this is is in fact his identity and thus he is the worthy object of our faith let's not uh temporarily believe let's not just historically believe but let's by God's grace lay hold of him let us know him let us pass from Death to life let us enjoy that every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ now for those here that are not converted those here that are not Christians those here that are not Believers all of this may seem a bit confus us it but this much should be absolutely crystal clear God is a holy God he made Man In His Image to do what he called us to do we didn't do what he called us to do we fell in Adam our federal head our representative if you will and as a result we are justly liable to God's Wrath and curse both in this life and that which is to come that's what the Bible calls bad news it is bad news right under the the punishment or under the judgment and wrath of God Almighty you know it's only a fo that would say well you know that's not so bad yes it is it's very bad it is very bad whoever does not believe the sun shall not see Life John 3:36 but the wrath of God abides on him presently that's hard for us to appropriate that because we eat good food we enjoy the weather we enjoy the benefits that God gives us on this side of Eternity so it's hard to tell a sinner you're you're under the wrath of God well no I'm not had a good steak I had steak and eggs this morning I got a good wife I've got I've got nice kids I've got I've got a good job all these things it's hard to sort of convince somebody no you're under God's Wrath so so that's the bad news the good news is is that the father sends the son the father sends the son into this world to do a particular task not simply to set forth an example oh we we should just follow Jesus right on into heaven we don't have the ability to follow Jesus right into heaven we need rescue from Jesus we need Redemption from Jesus we need salvation from Jesus and the good news is is that's precisely what Jesus came to do to save his people from their sins so it's crucial that you understand that he is in fact the Son of God and that those who by Grace believe on him have the Son and the father they receive the Holy Spirit they're bought and paid for property of God most high now that brings us to his mission I'm getting ahead of myself but notice the mission of the son in verses 46 to 48 what he is or rather who he is and and what he does and verses 46 to 48 he underscores that notice I have come as a light into the world we see that in John's gospel John 8 specifically at at uh verse 12 John 9 at verse 5 when Jesus announces I am the light of the world we see that in the prologue as well he manifests the light he is the light that gives light and Life to men so this is actually his test this is why it's so offensive when men forget the Redemptive component of Christianity and just treat it as a series of Ethics or or morality right you've heard that well just try harder and be like Jesus really try harder and be like Jesus the natural mind is enmity against God it's not subject to the law of God nor indeed can it be that that the carnal mind hates Jesus the carnal mind hates God that that the carnal mind despises es him so this admonition to to just try harder and and modify your behavior and work on your morals and and just get better be a better you you see that sometimes in social media it's kind of the the ultimate you know diss at somebody you need to be better well that's okay in social media but from a Christian Pulpit that is Criminal there's no emphasis on be better the emphasis is on believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved that's what his emphasis is when he concerns or rather considers his mission verse 46 I have come as a light into the world that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness you see he corroborates everything I've just said well I'm corroborating everything he just said what he does as the sun the word became flesh is to free us it is to liberate us it is to redeem us it is to buy us out of the the the the market of sin and again it's not liberation theology youve got a bad economic status politically or the down trout that's not the point the point is spiritual he will save his people from their sins he comes as a light shining in the darkness and he speaks specifically concerning this that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness that's a tough place place to live isn't it Darkness for those of us who are saved ask us after the service what was it like when you were in darkness you know what you won't get from a Believer oh man it was great I loved it I sure wish I could go back that's not what you get from a Believer the believer says it was Darkness it was horrible it was miserable was depraved I loved my lusts I served My Flesh I celebrated my my wickedness I I ran as it were from from the god who's altogether lovely and chief among 10,000 it it's it's Madness remember that demoniac who dwelt among the tombs no man would go near him no man would venture into that area why because he was a mess and he was a violent raging mess he couldn't be bound he would be out there naked he he would be out there crying and and Howling and and weeping and wailing he would be cutting himself with stones and bleeding all over his body so guess what there was one that went into that region there was one who ventured into that area and it's the champion of our salvation and the text is very beautifully conspicuous after Christ saves the man it says that the man was sitting at the feet of Jesus clothed and in his right mind yeah so prior to that Encounter With Jesus he was naked and out of his mind so if you ask a Believer here this morning what was it like living in darkness they don't say oh I you know I wish I had just a bit more of that I wish I no that's not it at all I was I I I I was in the the the far country I was I was a a child of Wrath I I deserve God's Wrath and curse both in this life and and that which is to come so now that you've come to Jesus and you're then in your right mind does does everything always work out for you well no I I've got challenges in my life my bank account didn't increase my my wardrobe didn't get better my hair didn't grow back I I didn't gain another six inches in my stature you you the the the the short guys around here feel it keenly when we're looking up to these Giants I baptized two young Giants last week I I look like a and the picture I take with them afterwards so so the physical benefit isn't more money in your account more hair on your head a few more inches a few less that's not it the darkness is sin the darkness is depravity the darkness is wickedness the darkness is rebellion the darkness is wretched and so what do Christ come to do as the son of the father he comes to free us he comes to liberate us he comes to redeem us he comes to save us that's the emphasis on the mission so in the face of unbelief what do Jesus do well I'm going to just talk about morals now I'm going to just rehearse politics with these fellow no he presses the point I am the son I am the son of the father you you believe in me you have the father you reject me you reject the father and the the the the the purpose for which I've come is for this very task I have come as a light into the world that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness but then notice it doesn't stop there he does speak of judgment in verses 47 to 48 in other words this is a passage of condemnation it'd be great if we lived in a world with you know unicorns flying around and pixie dust and fairies and you know just happiness and joy well there are consequences for sin I realize that's hard on us because we don't see it in this present evil age we see criminals get away with all kinds of criminality we see abortionists not punished but celebrate it we see youth in Asia increasing and expanding to to to Encompass more you know Hess Souls out there we see all manner of evil and very little consequences I still just want one person to suffer some degree of consequence for the decisions made in covid management Ju Just one but we don't see it so we start to kind of conclude well maybe the world just works that way no it doesn't it does not work work that way I mean it does in Rebellion against God but God does not work that way God will judge the unbeliever The unbeliever Who dwells and abides in darkness who hears the the the the ministry of the Gospel who hears about the Lord Jesus Christ and doesn't believe and continues to resist and who continues to abide in darkness there is Judgment coming let's look at Jesus words there specifically in verses 47 and 48 and if anyone hears my words and does not believe note the standard of judgment it's the word of Christ no bell curve there's no well I'm not as bad as my neighbor I'm not as bad as you know your neighbor I'm not as bad as you so so therefore no it's the standard of jesus' words Jesus says in Mark 8:38 whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this sinful and adulterous generation of him the son of man will be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his father so the word of Christ is the standard here it's not just the you know the prevailing opinions of men but then notice when he says I do not judge him Brethren you need to understand that that is connected to his first coming the word became flesh and dwelt among us we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth in fact turn back for just a moment to John 3 John chapter 3 in jesus' discourse with Nicodemus we see him teach a very similar me message to that man notice what he says in John 3: 16 the most popular verse probably in all of the Bible for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life now note verse 17 for God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved why did Jesus come in that first coming to take on our Humanity to live for us to die for us and to be raised again for us so in the first coming of Jesus and this is why he says there in John 12 I I do not judge him but there's something else that we need to continue on here in John 3 because we're reading John 12 in light of John 3 here notice in verse 18 He Who believes in Him is not condemned but he who does not believe notice is condemned already it is first coming Jesus didn't need to judge the world because the world was already under judgment the world was already a mess the world was already a sess poool the world was already a sewage pit in fact read on verse 19 and this is the condemnation that the light has come into the world and Men love Darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil for everyone who uh practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light lest his deeds should be exposed but he who does the truth comes to the light that his deeds may be clearly seen that they have been done in God the world was condemned already that's what he means when he says in John 12 specifically at verse 44 I do not judge him and then he ends verse 44 by saying for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world so in other words his first coming when he assumes our Humanity when he lives for us when he dies for us when he's raised again for us it's to save us we're already judged or else he wouldn't have had to come to live for us to die for us and be raised again for us but something to notice before we go on is that the first coming wasn't associated with his judgment and condemnation the second coming most certainly will be do not make the mistake of think well you know Jesus gentle meek and Mild in Revelation chap 6 we have an expr ex of judgment in history an expression of judgment on the part of the son of man through historical means I would say the Roman armies and when the targets of that judgment are seeing the chaos all around them they understand that this is in fact a judgment from on high and it's intriguing because they call upon the mountains to fall on that they call upon the rocks to cover that they say hide us from what they say hide us from the Wrath of the Lamb the gentle Jesus Meek and Mild is a Biblical truth but it's not cancelled by the reality of the Wrath of the Lamb so in the first coming the primary emphasis was on salvation Redemption uh uh life eternal wasn't on judgment because we're already judged but don't make the mistake that in the second coming there's not going to be Judgment of course there is Matthew chapter 25 when the son of man comes in the glory of his father with all of his holy Ang angs he makes this distinction he puts the Sheep on the right he puts the goats on the left the Sheep go into everlasting life and the goats go into Everlasting death they go into Everlasting punishment they go into Everlasting hell and so because the first was not associated primarily with judgment don't conclude that the second isn't oh yeah the second most surely is there is a judgment to come for those who abide in darkness remember he's condemning their unbelief he is trying to to promote conviction in their wretched Hearts so that they by Grace will receive his benefits with the empty hand of faith and then notice what he goes on to say in verse 48 he he amplifies this he who rejects me and does not receive my words has that which judges him other words you're already judged you're already condemned you abide in darkness in God's good Providence you've heard gospel preaching in God's good Providence you've had parents in God's good Providence you've had a wife or a husband in God's good Providence you've come into a church that's not telling you to be a better you but is calling upon you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ you've already got that word and it's that word that's going to come back around to bite you and Jesus mentions this he affirms this and he stipulates this notice in verse 48 he who rejects me and does not receive my words has that which judge judges him the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day it'd be speechless see we think that it's going to be like some courtroom you know everybody likes a good drama whether in print or on the screen we like a good courtroom drama we like the you know the defense giving whatever side we happen to fall out on I happen to like the prosecution but you know oh that defense attorney gave a great you know great testimony and then the prosecution comes there comes in there and owns it well what is it all contingent upon contingent upon well cross-examination testimony you know were you there on the night of the crime well no I was with my wife I have a perfectly good Alibi we we think there's dialogue right we we we think that we're going to stand before the most high and dialogue that we're not guilty try to pin it on somebody else so well that wasn't me I wasn't there every single time I sin so going to be like that the word that Jesus has spoken judges you it's that prosecuting attorney from when you can't escape so if you abide in darkness you hear the the the ministry of the gospel and you resist and reject that gospel that's on you that is yours to own and it will come back to you on the day of judgment remember that time remember that time I doubt God's going to do that but just say for an instance he did remember that time and that time and that time and that time there's that incident in Luke 16 I don't think it teaches what people say it teaches but there is something there that is intriguing about the rich man and Lazarus the rich man goes off into hell and he basically wants to you know barter and you know make his case to try to send somebody so that his brothers can be warn it's intriguing because Jesus says that that Abraham says go uh uh son remember son remember whatever that little bit of scripture means I think there's continuity between this life and the age to come and the continuity again is not that I'm going to grow six more inches and be you know six4 and strapping beautiful I I don't think that's the continuity the self-same body with which Jesus went into the grave is the self-same body that came out again the self-same bodies that go into the grave are the selfs same bodies that are going to come out now glorified and prepared and fit for work ship of God most high but I think the memory the memory son remember remember I don't think hell would be as hellish if there was no memory I don't think hell would be as hellish if we didn't remember the various times we sat in churches like this and heard the gospel and resisted it and rejected it I think if we were in hell and we had no consciousness of that that would be at least in my thinking here would be better than you mean I could have and should have believed you ever think about that the worst words in the English language are could have and should have well they're especially worst when you come to the matter of Salvation I would have or I could have and I should have my encouragement to you this morning is to believe on him he came for this purpose he is the Son of God sent from the father on this particular mission in order to save his people from their sins those who abide Ed in darkness they have the hope of everlasting life now notice that Jesus ends on the high note of his authority the high note of his authority specifically in verses 49 and 50 for I have not spoken on my own authority but the father who sent me gave a command what I should say and what I should speak it's bad reading comprehension and even worse exog Jesus to find In this passage some sort of a separateness from the father and the son the Lord can say this because he's one in substance with the Father the Lord can say this because he's consubstantial with the father he's not suggesting he has no Authority he is declaring that he has absolute Authority so when it comes to the teaching of who he is and what he does his authority is absolute that's the emphasis 49 and 50 I have not spoken on my own but the father who sent me gave me a command that I should say uh what I should say and what I should speak remember introducing one of the sermons in John's gospel saying at times it looks like it's proceeding according to a script it is the script given by the father penned for us in the Old Testament by the power of the Holy Spirit there's nothing shocking there's nothing surprising I mean some of the The Contours and the theological Dimension is all inspiring but we had it announced in the Old Testament that the the the Son of God would come as the champion of God to redeem the people of God that's the constant refrain in John's gospel so when the son takes on our Humanity when he comes and speaks to us and uh uh to men and for their salvation he speaks with the very authority of God most high remember that bit in John 1:18 no one has seen seen the father at any time but the only begotten son who is in the bosom of the father he has declared him well guess what the vehicle of Declaration is in John's gospel it is the Assumption of our humanity and it is his public Ministry and his of repated emphasis on his identity and on his mission the word that he speaks is authoritative the word that he says is absolutely true the word that he says will not return on un to him void but it will accomplish the purpose for which he sent it so notice verse 50 and I know that his command is everlasting life therefore whatever I speak just as the father has told me so I speak the Lord's public Ministry ends where the prologue begins and where we see his ministry conducted it begins and ends with his identity his mission and his authority and that brings Us in conclusion to make three quick observations and then we go first the challenge of unbelief the challenge of unbelief I'll hit the Christians the Believers first we're not supposed to be like these men described in verse 42 oh I I believed in Jesus but you know for the life of me I'm never going to confess it for for the life of me I will never testify I I will never share that because you know I want to be one of those secret disciples are there you know less uh more obscure disciples in the Bible yeah I mentioned the case of Obadiah in First Kings chapter 18 he's not the Elijah that stands out on Mount Carmel and challenges the prophets of Baal and ashra to a contest obad is behind the scene saving the true prophets of God from the murderous Massacre of Jezebel Woman of the Year by the way so there is those unsung heroes in the history of the church that aren't the Elijah types they don't you know walk around with hair shirts and eating locusts and honey and you know that sort of thing and standing in the midst of false prophets and wagging their fingers at them not every preacher is a John the Baptist we we heard it this morning but what does John do in the face of Herod well I don't want to I don't want to encroach upon you it's unlawful for you to have your brother's wife it's unlawful for all the things that you do John didn't shrink back I'm not saying everybody's a John the Baptist I'm not saying saying everybody's an Elijah the prophet I'm saying everybody's a CH Spurgeon but everybody Blood Bought spirit filled is going to confess faith in Jesus Christ they're going to do it publicly in the waters of baptism and they're going to do it at Tim Horton's remembering I'm not again stand up on the table in Tim Horton's Brethren I got a three-point sermon for you all no why are we afraid to Bow our heads and thank God for food why is that trepidation there wh why the the god haters the Heathen are going to be upset with us they they don't like that they don't want us to do that after all this a pluralistic society this is brethren we are Gods Believers we need buckets of Courage increased faith and the wisdom to know when to stand up and when to speak up and when to shut up that is our duty in this present evil age for unbelievers May I just try and encourage you that this idea that yeah Jesus is a pretty special fellow Jesus was a a wonderful man it's true but it's only a little bit true I mean it's true but there's so much more true he's the son of God who for us men and for our Salvation came down from heaven to be made like us in all points and yet without sin so he could do what we could never do obedience and death and Resurrection such that we can have everlasting life Don't Fear the face of men don't fear what relationships in your life may become don't fear what others might think because you're now one of those nuts Who side with Jesus and you go to that Bible thumping Church Brethren Jesus is altogether lovely he's Chief among 10,000 notice the emphasis in his ministry notice what he says in verse 46 I have come as a light into the world that whoever believes in me should not abide in darkness see it's not like I have a great life but I could have a better life that's sometimes how the gospel is is preached or talk well you going to come to Jesus and you'll get more you will get the hair you will get the three more three or four more inches you'll get you'll get the big bank account no the difference is abiding in darkness rebellion and transgression and iniquity and sin against God most high or having everlasting life passing into the very presence of God most high when we breathe our last ask those same Christians what do you think about death they might say something like this I'm not sure that I want to be there when it happens but I'm okay with it happening right it's like somebody falling off a building it's not the fall so much it's that Sudden Impact at the end that's the bit of the bummer the believer doesn't fear death I mean there is probably within us the same way when we go to Tim Orton we don't want to we don't want to Bow our heads there there's always that there always that remaining corruption that we need to kill and destroy and mortify and put out of us but the believer looks at death not with some sick morbid Fascination oh have to qualify everything because there's people out there that look at death with sick sick fast you know morbid Fascination the believer looks at death as passing from this life into the presence of God Almighty every birthday you're a step closer every new day you're a step closer every moment you're a step closer we're going to be where he is we're going to see the lamb we're going to adore the lamb we're going to give praise to the lamb we're going to be in his land where there's no more sorrow there's no more pain there's no more hunger there's no more thirst there's no more Death Christ has defanged the very tomb Christ has taken away the victory from Death Christ has conveyed light and life upon those who formerly abided in darkness so when it comes to this issue of Faith come to the Lord Jesus believe all that the Bible says concerning him and you will have everlasting life secondly if we haven't made this point we need to bask in the glory of the sun we're going to come back to John's gospel in the new year we'll come back to the upper room John chap 13 verse one and following after the new year but for now just by way of summary the prologue declares his glory the life and Ministry the signs the Wonders the doctrine all of that de clares his glory the book of The Passion 13:1 to CH 20:31 declares how it demonstrates what John the Baptist says in John 1:29 Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world up to this point we know who he is up to this point we know his mission up to this point we know his authority but there's that one one nagging question how does he do it how does he affect it how does he execute the plan how does he bring us from a state of Darkness into Marvelous Light he does it because he is arrested he does it because he is crucified he does it because he is dead he does it because he is buried and he does it because he is raised again from the dead the Apostle Paul summarizes it beautifully in Romans 4 25 he was delivered up because of our offenses and he was raised for our justification that's what the book of The Passion will explain in great and Vivid and glorious detail to us and finally where we began is where we end come to him believe on him abiding in darkness is no good abiding in darkness is not the The Liberation and the joy and the expression of life that the Liars have sold you on the way of blessing the way of Joy the way of peace is through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ well let us pray Our Father we thank you for your word we thank you that the gospel resounds with these three themes concerning the identity of the Savior the mission of the Savior and the authority of the Savior and we pray that this message would go forth today we pray that many who are in darkness abiding in darkness even loing their own sin and wretchedness and evil would see the glory of Jesus Christ and would reach out even if it's a weak Faith even if it's a simple Faith may they lay hold of that Redeemer and may they know the joy of being found in him God do this for your glory do this for your honor do this to populate the the the New Jerusalem that blessed Emmanuel's land we know there will be a great multitude assembled there and we will always live to bring praise and glory to Father Son and Holy Spirit thank you again for this time together and we pray now through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well you can turn in your hym books and we'll close our service by singing number 564 564 a bit from Psalm 72 we'll stand as we sing together bless God of Isel who only do [Music] glor in [Music] glor bless be his glorious name to all et Earth his glory will so [Applause] the Earth his glory the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all amen father thank you for the word who became flesh for for us we thank you for so great a Salvation we pray father that you would go with us now that we would know your nearness as our good and be glorified we pray through Jesus Christ your beloved Son amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation