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e e e e e e e e e e e e e e morning everyone welcome back to free Grace Baptist Church a couple of announcements just the regulars we have the evening service tonight at our regular time 5:00 and Wednesday night bible study will be at 7:30 um nothing else except a big thank you to everyone that was able to come out yesterday and help with the church work day went very well good to have the time of Fellowship together as well uh for our call to worship this morning as we turn to worship please turn to Psalm 69 Psalm 69 and we'll begin reading in verse 29 29 to the end of the psalm Psalm 69 verse 29 but I am poor and sorrowful let your salvation oh God set me up on high I will praise the name of God with a song and will Magnify Him with Thanksgiving this also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull which has horns and Hooves The Humble shall see this and be glad and you who seek God your hearts shall live for the Lord hears the poor and does not despise his prisoners let Heaven and Earth Praise Him the seed and everything that moves in them for God Will Save Zion and build the cities of Judah that they may dwell there and possess it also the descendants of his servants shall inherit it and those who love his name shall dwell in it amen for our first hymn we're going to sing Psalm 150 from the alter Psalm 150 c as in Charlie and let us Stand Together As we sing [Music] PR the Lord hallelu [Music] hallelu his heav prise prise for is all praise all prise hallelu hallelu hallelu [Music] hallelu hallelu god with and with and and Glory all PR all PR hallelu [Music] hallelu hallelu praise theing praise hallelu hallelu oh that prise now praise the Lord oh praise the forever all PR all PR hallelu hallelu hallelu you may be seated let us turn to the Lord in prayer our gracious Heavenly Father we thank you for this opportunity we have to gather again this day as your people in your house on your Lord's day we thank you for the blessings of this local congregation the fact that you have placed us in a body for Mutual edification for um to to assist us in our growth in Grace thank you Lord that you have placed men over us in leadership that can teach us the word of God and that can direct things here I thank you for pastor Butler and I pray Lord that you would bless us as he ministers to us this day through the word I pray that the Holy Spirit would use his lips to speak the truth into our hearts and I pray oh God that you would continue the good work that you've begun thank you for the growth in Grace and maturity in this congregation thank you that you continue to bring new people amongst us to hear the gospel and we pray oh Lord that you would give more and more people a hunger and a thirst for the truth Lord we pray that you would continue to bless the families of this congregation thank you for all of the young people that we have here little children and babies thank you Father that you have brought together a vibrant and growing community in this church and we pray oh God that that we would continue to walk in your ways and continue to bring up our children and youth in the fear and admonition of the Lord and we pray oh God that by your Holy Spirit you would in due time save each one of these children that are in our midst as they hear the preaching of the Gospel week after week I pray oh God that your spirit would apply it to their hearts and bring them into the fold Lord we we can teach them the ways of God but we cannot change their heart that is entire entirely up to you and we pray oh God that you would do that that good work and we thank you that you have done that over and over again in our midst Lord we pray that you would be present in our sister churches the church plants we thank you for the work that's taking place out in Dryden Ontario bless that little congregation Lord we pray that you would bring more people amongst them give Josh and Dan wisdom as they lead that congregation we pray oh God that they would grow in Grace and in the knowledge of the truth and that you would uh be see fit to cause many unsaved to join them and to be saved as well Lord do a good work this day in the north Okanagan we thank you for what Pastor melgars is doing there and the the work in Armstrong we pray that you'd bless that congregation this day encourage them bless the work out in sui we pray you'd bless cam this day as he preaches there encourage that congregation and and do them good continue to cause them to grow in great we pray Lord we pray for the work in Kenya that you would be gracious to the Brethren there and the work in the H Honduras Lord we pray that you would continue to bless those churches and Lord we do pray for your church in the nation of China we know that your people undergo tremendous difficulties and persecution in that Nation as as in many other uh countries in the Far East and in the Middle East but we pray Lord that you would cause the church in China to be purified to grow and Lord we pray that even the magistrates would come to Bow their knee as we know all Kings of the earth will bow before Christ and Proclaim him to be king of kings and Lord of lords Lord we do pray that your blessing would rest upon other churches in our community this day wherever the gospel is preached may it be preached with fervency with conviction and may your Holy Spirit attend and draw many Souls into the kingdom of God this day not only here in chillak but across this land of Canada we thank you for the freedoms that we have we pray oh God that you would purify your church and Lord we pray that we would continue to enjoy these freedoms work in the magistrates of our country oh God those who are bent on evil and destruction we pray that you would restrain them and even remove them from power and Lord we pray that you would set up righteous rulers but we know that this doesn't take place in a vacuum we need to see The Awakening on the streets by the by the Holy Spirit we need to see the church revived and we pray oh God that you would do that in our generation be gracious to us oh God as we continue in worship I pray oh father that you would cleanse our hearts and that our worship would be acceptable in your sight because of Jesus Christ Our Lord and his work on our behalf we ask this in his name amen amen for our next hymn we'll turn to number 325 in your Himel 325 all glory Lord and honor please stand again as we sing together glor to his our children sweet us the lord of the the king and bless of Angel for great and and all of [Music] the our prise and pray and for my they s their of praise to the now I exalted our their praises the pr all good and gra you may be seated for our New Testament scripture reading this morning we're in Matthew chapter 26 it is a long chapter 75 verses so we're breaking it up into several sections it's also something we don't want to rush through Holy Ground as we see the Lord in his passion we're going to we're in uh verse 17 today starting in 17 we'll just read to the end of verse 35 Matthew 26:1 17 now on the first day of the Feast of the unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus saying to him where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover and he said go into the city to a certain man and say to him the teacher says my time is at hand I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples so the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and they prepared the Passover when evening had come he sat down with the 12 now as they were eating he said assuredly I say to you one of you will betray me and they were exceedingly sorrowful and each of them began to say to him Lord is it I he answered and said he who dipped his hand with me in the dish will betray me the son of man indeed goes just as it is written of him but woe to that man by whom the son of man is betrayed it would have been good for that man if he had not been born then Judas who was betraying him answered and said Rabbi is it I he said to him you have said it and as they were eating Jesus Took bread blessed and broke it and gave it to the disciples and said take eat this is my body then he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying drink from it all of you for this is my blood of the New Covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins but I say to you I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my father's Kingdom and when they had sung A Hymn they went out to the Mount of Olives then Jesus said to them all of you will be made to stumble because of me this night for it is written I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered but after I have been raised I will go before you to Galilee Peter answered and said to him even if all are made to stumble because of you I will never be made to stumble Jesus said to him assuredly I say to you that this night before the rooster crows you will deny me three times Peter said to him even if I have to die with you I will not deny you and so said all the disciples amen let us pray gracious Father in heaven we thank you that Christ became our Passover Lamb thank you that his blood was shed on our behalf we know that the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin but they pointed forward to that Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world thank you for what Christ did Lord I pray that you'd be gracious to us help us to be humble it's easy to be critical of Peter when he speaks so boldly that he will he would die uh for Christ and yet very shortly thereafter denied him Lord help us to be humble before you and keep us on the straight and narrow and Lord when we sin help us to come back quickly and to repent and to be restored even as Peter was restored thank you for his testimony in scripture of the restoring power of Christ we pray these things in Jesus name amen amen for our final him we'll turn to Psalm 73 d as in delta 73d and stand with me as we sing this to a familiar tune for with me I go [Music] me my to my son so on Earthly way shall be and control to Glory th will my soul to my heart Earth [Music] and heart should andil will the Str and of my heart by God Eternal to is his to sing you is the Living God his PR I [Music] to will you can turn with me in your Bibles to the Book of John as we return back to our study IES in the fourth gospel we find ourselves in John 14 John 14 our Focus this morning will be verses 29 I'm sorry 19 to 24 but I want to read beginning in verse 12 so John 14 beginning in verse 12 most assuredly I say to you he who believes in me the works that I do he will do also and Greater Works than these he will do because I go to my father and whatever you ask in my name that I will do that the father may be glorified in the son if you ask anything in my name I will do it if you love me keep my Commandments and I will pray the father and he will give you another helper that he may abide with you forever the spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him but you know him for he dwells with you and will be in you I will not leave you orphans I will come to you a little while longer in the world world will see me no more but you will see me because I live you will live also at that day you will know that I am in my father and you in me and I in you he who has my Commandments and keeps them it is he who loves me and he who loves me Will Be Loved by my father and I will love him and manifest myself to him Judas not es scariot said to himl how is it that you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world Jesus answered and said to him if anyone loves me he will keep my word and my father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him he who does not love me does not keep my words and the word which you hear is not mine but the father's who sent me these things I have spoken to you while being present with you but the helper the Holy Spirit whom the father will send in my name he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you peace I leave with you my peace I give to you not as the world gives do I give to you let not your heart be troubled neither Let It Be Afraid you have heard me say to you I am going away and coming back to you if you love me you would Rejoice because I said I am going to the father for my father is greater than I and now I have told you before it comes that when it does come to pass you may believe I will no longer talk much with you for the ruler of this world is coming and he has nothing in me but that the world may know that I love the father and as the father gave me commandment so I do arise let us go from here amen well let us pray our gracious God and Holy Father we thank you very much for the Lord's Day the privilege that we have to gather in the house of God with the people of God and to sing your praises and to call upon you as well we thank you for the word the written word of the living and true God we know it's given by inspiration of God that it's profitable for Doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousness and as we in investigate this passage of scripture may you fill our hearts with the spirit may you cause us to rejoice in what we find written here concerning communion with our blessed God even father Son and Holy Spirit do forgive us for all sin and all unrighteousness cleanse Us in the Precious Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and for any and all who've come here this morning that are dead in their trespasses and sins we pray that this would be the day of salvation that your spirit would bring that conviction for sin and set forth Christ and all of his offices to save as a prophet as a priest as a king as the one in whom there is forgiveness and a righteousness that avails with you thank you for your word thank you for the revelation of your uh gospel and thank you that you have made us partakers of it by your grace and For Your Glory bless this time now we pray in jesus' name amen well when we consider the Christian religion and compare it with other religions we notice some significant differences in Christianity there are many to be sure but I just want to highlight two in the first place Christianity is a Redemptive religion in other words the message of Christianity isn't just do better or try harder and then you'll get to go to heaven no man cannot do better man does not try harder man is desperately sinful he is dead in his trespasses and sins If Heaven is to be achieved it is by the grace of God alone so it is a Redemptive religion God Saves Us by grace through faith in Jesus Christ another significant difference between Christianity and the world religions is the true and living God there is but one only the true and living God but this true and living God exists eternally in three persons the father the Son and the Holy Spirit our confession of Faith captures it in the language of in this Divine and infinite being there are three subsisten or three persons the Father the word or Son and the Holy Spirit each having the whole Divine Essence yet the essence undivided so it's not that they're sharing Divinity it's not that the father is 33 and a 3% and the son is 33 and 13% and the spirit is 33 and A3 per. each has the entirety of the Divine Essence so one true and living God who exists eternally as Father Son and Holy Spirit now that in many ways is a very heady subject or heady topic when it comes to the investigation of Christianity but it's the thing that Jesus emphasizes here in the upper room discourse what he is doing is he's preparing his 12 disciples to go into the world to evangelize Sinners to call them to Faith and repentance to plant churches and to see the spread of the Christian religion throughout the Earth and instead of just giving some self-help techniques or some do goody for them to implement he gives them this further understanding of who the Triune God is Father Son and Holy Spirit and he does that precisely in our particular section that we're looking at this morning so notice in chapter 14 at verses 19 to 24 we've already seen the announcement that Jesus is going to depart from them he mentions that in Chapter 13 in chapter 14 beginning in verse one he calls upon the disciples not to let their hearts be troubled he says that he's going to prepare a place for them he's going to prepare a a mansion or a house or an abode for them in heaven he promises that he will come back and in his second coming and His glory to to bring them where he is and then he goes on again to close something about his relation to the father notice in 14:7 if you had known me you would have known my father also and from now on you know him and have seen him Philip said to him Lord show us the father and it is sufficient for us Jesus said to him have I been with you so long and yet you have not seen me Phillip he who has seen me has seen the father so how do you say show us the father do you not believe that I am in the father and the father in me the words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own authority but the father who dwells in me does the work so Jesus cons uh consistently is revealing to these men his relation to the father in verse 12 he underscores the fact that they are saved by grace through faith notice in verse 12 most assuredly I say to you he who believes in me that means for salvation for justification the one who believes in me the works that I do he will do also and Greater Works than these he will do because I go to my father it's not a competition between the disciples and the Lord Jesus but it is the extension of the Lord jesus' power from the right hand of the father through the disciples in the making of disciples and in the planting of churches they're going to do Greater Works they're going to take this Christian religion and they're going to turn the world upside down and so Jesus is equipping them for that mission and again the way that he does it is by introducing them to the reality that he is in the Father the father is in him there is a Holy Spirit the spirit of Truth and that Triune God is their blessing and their benefit and their comfort so as we approach verses 19- 24 I want to look first at the believer's communion with Christ in verses 19 to 21 and then secondly the Triune God's communion with the believer in verses 22 to 24 it's essentially the same thing it's essentially the same emphasis but what Jesus does is that he further explains the significance behind the believer's communion with him other words when you commune with Jesus you commune with the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit the one true and living God so let's look first at verses 19 to 21 and under this head we have two particulars first the blessing of eternal life verses 19 and 20 and then secondly the blessing of communion with Christ in verse 21 just's give that announcement because if we don't make it all all the way through you've got a completed sermon but listen to what Jesus says here specifically in verse 19 again Upper Room discourse he's with his disciples he's preparing them for Mission he's preparing them for Ministry he's preparing them for the Greater Works that he's already specified they're going to engage it so verse 19 he says a little while longer and the world will see me no more but you will see me because I live you will live also now there's an obvious connection between verse 19 and verse 7 after saying that he would provide or give or ask the father to give them a Helper and the father will give you another helper according to verse 16 that he may abide with you forever the spirit of truth then notice what he says whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him but you know him for he dwells with you and will be in you so in verse 19 a little while longer in the world will see me no more the world is dead to the spiritual realities about our Lord Jesus Christ CHR the world had seen Jesus and in this context I think he's using world as unbelievers that system of opposition to our great God Jesus came to his own and his own received him not but rather they delivered him up to crucifixion on a Roman cross so he says that in a little while the world is not going to see me anymore again according to his Humanity they physically laid eyes on him but they had no concept whatsoever of the spiritual nature of his work they had no understanding of his life no understanding of his death no understanding of his resurrection the little while longer refers to his death and resurrection that was imminent at the time that he's speaking to them on in the upper room discourse but the contrast is blessed a little while longer and the world will see me no more but you will see me again not just with the physical eye would be one thing just to set Eyes Upon A man that lived in Israel in the first century when he says you will see me I think he means you will understand the significance behind the life that I've lived before you a life of absolute positive righteousness that you could never do so that I could pass this on to you by way of imputation but as well the significance of his death when the unbelieving Jew saw the Lord Jesus on that cross die it was something that was very common men die especially when they're crucified they didn't understand the significance behind the death they didn't understand what John the Baptist says when he first lays eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ and says Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world well if we go back to the Old Testament and we ask the question what atoned for the sins of the nation of Israel it was blood it was Bulls it was goats it was it was doves it was a whole manner of things because without the shedding of blood there is no remission so when Christ goes to that cross the world simply looks at it and mocks it the world looks at it and simply says well there's a another man who's been put to death by the Romans but when the believer sees it what do we see we see life eternal we see the blessedness of forgiveness we see that precious Fountain open for sin and uncleanness we understand that we have transgressed God's law we understand that we have lacked Conformity to God's law God tells us to worship him alone what do we do we seek out a whole multitude of gods God tells us not to blaspheme his name what do we do we use his name as if it's filler or as a curse word God tells us to sanctify his day what do we do then well anything but sanctify his day God tells us to be subordinate to Authority in our lives what do we do with that well we don't want to be subordinate to that Authority we're going to do whatever it is we want God tells us not to murder well we may not physically stop somebody's heart from beating but we certainly murder in our hearts God tells us not to commit adultery and though we perhaps have not engaged in the actual act Jesus says if you look upon a woman and you lust after her in your heart you have broken the law God tells us not to steal God tells us not to lie God tells us not to covet we do all those things how are we going to get cleansed what is the the the simple remedy for man and sin it's the blood of Jesus Christ his son which cleanses us from all sin the prophet Zechariah prophesied of a day in Jerusalem where there'd be a fountain open for sin and uncleanness that wasn't a literal fountain in the way that there's a fountain over there at that park by the library but rather it is metaphorical it is speaking in a blessed reality with background uh Old Testament background that Fountain is filled with the blood of a U's veins and sinners plunge beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains so when the world looks at the cross they just think well another man who fell prey to Roman cruelty or they Mock and they say well he had it coming to him for being a revolutionary in first century Israel serves him right but then is well his resurrection from the dead what does the world do with that they typically deny it they typically argue against it they typically say things well it's just not the case that men raise from the dead but when the believer sees that which the believer does by God's grace what do we see in that empty tomb we see it is finished we see Redemption accomplished we see it applied by the power of the Holy Spirit we see what the Apostle Paul says in Romans 4:25 when he summarizes the gospel narrative he says who Christ was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised because of our justification in other words the world can't see what's going to happen relative to jesus' death and Resurrection but you will see me again not just with the physical eye but with the eye of faith and the significance behind that life that death and that Resurrection such that when the Holy Spirit does work in our heart and convict us of our having broken his law and gives us The Graces of faith and repentance we look now at his life as that life of obedience the righteousness of which is imputed to us and received by faith alone what do we do with that we Rejoice Brethren when we see that blood that is drawn from emanuel's veins what do we do with that we we praise God because without the shedding of blood there is no remission and God sent his only begotten son who assumed our humanity and live for us and who died for us we deserve to be on that cross we preach substitutionary atonement that means that Christ stood in our place and satisfied Divine wrath through his own sufferings and death that is cause for rejoicing for the people of God and when we see that empty tomb we rejoice in the Triumph and in the Victory and in the subsequent ex exaltation of the Son of God to the right hand of the father where he ever lives to make intercession for the likes of us where he ever serves as an advocate with the father when we sin and he's always there for Sinners who come to him in faith this blessed reality encourages us so we will see the significance behind this seal of Alexandria says but he says they will be visible to the Saints since the Holy Spirit implants a certain Divine and spiritual Sparkle in the eyes of their heart and SWS in them all good knowledge I love that language that old brother uses implants a certain Divine and spiritual Sparkle in the eyes of their heart and SWS in them all good all we didn't arrive on this because of our wisdom we didn't arrive at this place because of our betterness than others we've arrived here by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ that's why we see that's why we view that's why we get that sparkle it's because of the goodness of our blessed God in the salvation of our needy Souls Paul says in 2 Corinthians 57 for we walk by faith not by sight if you walked by sight in that first century and you saw the son a man die again you'd have thought another victim of Roman cruelty another victim of being his own revolutionary but as you walk by faith you see the significance behind it and then notice in verse 20 or at the end of verse 19 look at what he says because I live you will live also because I live you will live also again I think the live there points to his resurrection he's already announced that it's imminent that he's going to die he makes that known in Chapter 13 on the way to Jerusalem in Matthew uh 1617 and 20 he tells the disciples those several times that he must go to Jerusalem he must be tried at the hands of Godless men he must be crucified he must be raised again so the the the hour had come the hour looms large in John's gospel what is that hour it's the hour of his death and resurrection and so as a result of his death and Resurrection as a result that he died died but he lived again we live in light of that reality we don't live because we're smarter we don't live because we're better we don't live because we're W wiser we live because he lived because God the Father most high chose us in him before the foundation of the world God the Father most high sent the son of his love into this world Sinners to save we're the Sinners that were saved by God's grace and as a result we live because he lived lived again he was delivered up because of our offenses and he was raised because of our justification and the live here refers to eternal life doesn't mean they're going to live incessantly physically doesn't mean they're going to never die physically in fact turn back to the go uh John John chap 11 the grave site of Lazarus Jesus gives this particular emphasis John 11 specifically at verse 23 Jesus said to her your brother will rise again Martha said to him I I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day Jesus said to her I am the resurrection and the life he who believes in me though he may die he shall live so he who believes in me though he may die physically he shall live and whoever lives and Believes In Me shall never die spiritually right once you believe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ you'll die physically but it's as if you've never died because you have spiritual life and if you do die physically which you will have that on good authority you will most certainly you will live forever spiritually and so the Lord Jesus as he's encouraging his disciples in John 14:19 in the upper room says a little while longer and the world will see me no more but you will see me because I live you will live also and then he highlights the benefits of eternal life there in verse 20 again I I I think we should appreciate the tactics of Our Lord here how do you prepare a group of men to go out and do World missions well they need to know about the local Customs to the target audience they're going to yeah they need to learn how to eat food they don't normally eat yeah you don't want to gag in front of people you're trying to share the gospel with they they need to know about currency and Banking and they they need to know all that stuff they need to know their Triune God they need to know father Son and Holy Spirit they need to understand communion with that God they need to understand the joy of our salvation and that's what Jesus is conveying to these brothers that's what Jesus is getting up get getting to uh getting through to these men with bask in the reality that you are mine that I am yours and when you have me you have father and spirit as well you don't get one person of the Triune god without the other two persons you don't get just Jesus and no father in spirit you get the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit and that's what he's telling these brothers notice the knowledge of go of the father and the son verse 20 at that day you will know that I am in my father and you in me and I in you at that day which day well there's three days actually that convey this information that he's in the father and the fathers in him the day of his resurrection when they see him raised from the dead that will bring confirmation to everything he has said it will bring confirmation and fulfillment to everything written in the Old Testament scripture the day of Pentecost acts chap 2 33-36 the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was to demonstrate the fact that Jesus was at the right hand of the father who gave the promise of the holy spirit so that all the house of Israel would know assuredly that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ but then the day of judgment right it's going to happen that you know some fine tuning to our theology is going to occur on that day of judgment we're going to know of a truth everything that we've read in scripture and everything we've seen in terms of that empty tomb everything we've benefited from in terms of the day of Pentecost but on Judgment Day when we see him as he is it's going to be a new Vista for us a new a new level as it were we're going to have arrived into the presence of our blessed God where we will ever live with him without sin see even the best Theologian right now has sin there's always this darkening influence in our minds and hearts but on that day of judgment as we're ushered into the Eternal State our minds are going to be clear they're going to be pure we're not going to be reading our Bibles dozing off we're not going to be at church when we're supposed to be listening to a sermon on the Triune God thinking about what I'm going to have when I go home for for lunch or how am I going to deal with this business dealing on Tuesday you may not make it to Tuesday so so give me your attention right now I'm not speaking that authoritatively you see Brethren on that day of judgment things are going to be clear on that day of Pentecost things were clear I think the context overall in terms of balance in our context the the emphasis is on the resurrection again not negating the knowledge that Pentecost brings not negating the knowledge that the day of judgment brings but the knowledge that comes on the day of Resurrection John's gospel starts with the Declaration of the Divinity of Jesus Christ in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God John's gospel ends on that same declaration there's an epilogue in chapter 21 to be sure but I think the gospel proper ends in chapter 20 with the words of doubting Thomas when he says my Lord and my God Jesus pronounces a beatitude upon all those who believe even though they hadn't seen and then John summarizes why he wrote I I wrote these things so that you may know so that you may believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and that believing in him you may have everlasting life so that Divinity of Christ was exemplified or demonstrated with the empty tomb John 2028 you can turn there Thomas answered and said well just back up for just a moment Thomas was absent from the people of God to his detriment there's a bit of guilt manipulation not too passive aggressively either but show up at church Brethren where is Jesus uniquely in this new covenant era he's in the church he walks in the midst of the lampstands according to Revelation 1 in public worship Ephesians 2:8 and22 we come to the father through the son in the spirit and so what happens according to verse 24 now Thomas called the twin one of the 12 was not with them when Jesus came the other disciples therefore said to him we we have seen the Lord if you've been here any time and heard me preach on this I I usually liken this to the to the poor Nursery worker that's watching your kid on the day that the the the power of God comes upon the preacher and then the people of God go fetch their kids and tell the nursery worker we have seen the Lord and the nursery worker with all the grace and composure and de dedication they can muster says praise God I'm very glad and happy for you and at some level they're probably thinking I wish I could have seen the Lord in like manner this is what happens the disciples are gathered and the Lord comes to them I don't think that's accidental I don't think it's halfhazard I don't think the emphasis in this new covenant era is on a Maverick individualistic Christianity God loves the gates of Zion more than all the Dwelling Places of Jacob Psalm 872 God loves it when you pray in secret God loves it when you do family worship God loves it when the people of God gather together on the day of God in the house of God so Jesus comes to the disciples gathered but but Thomas isn't there so they say to him we have we have seen the Lord notice what he says so he said to them 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 I will not believe Brethren what is Thomas doing here Thomas is putting himself up as judge and jury unless Jesus submits to what I desire unless Jesus Su comes to what I demand he doesn't just say I will not believe he says I will certain not believe it's a double negative and a double negative in English is a positive a double negative in Greek is a double negative I will certainly not believe so he's got this standard now he's got this sort of Benchmark that Jesus has to satisfy so verse 26 and after 8 days and interestingly guess when they meeting on the first day of the week the Lord's Day the Christian Sabbath that is to continue until the second coming of Our Lord when we enter into that Eternal Sabbath so in verse 26 and after 8 Days his disciples were again inside and Thomas with them 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 in into my side do not be unbelieving but believing and Thomas answered and said to him my Lord and my God Brethren again that's where the gospel begins in the beginning was the word the word was with God and the Word was God so you've got the chief doubter the chief denier the chief skeptic of the lot now looking at Jesus saying my Lord and my God so when Jesus says in 14 at that day you will know that I am in my father and you in me and I in you he is telling us something he's already indicated previously in John 14 the resur resurrection of the Son of God declared him to be the Son of God with power Romans 1:4 and declared to be the son well well verse three 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 by the resurrection from the dead he doesn't become the Son of God with power at the resurrection from the dead it is rather declared it's rather emphasized is rather demonstrated that all that he said was in fact true that all that the prophets announced was in fact true that all that was written concerning him was in fact true so when he says what he says here in verse 20 he's highlighting the blessedness of communion or the benefits rather of eternal life when he says at that day Resurrection you will know that I am in my father notice back in John 14 specifically at verses 10 and 11 I already read that section Philip says to him in verse 8 Lord show us the father and it is sufficient for us have I been with you so long and yet you have not known me Phillip he has seen me is seen the father so how can you say show us the father do you not believe that I am in the father and the father in me the words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own authority but the father who dwells in me does the works believe me that I'm in the father and the father in me what was that word that I used back then peric Caris it's a theological term no you know check marks on you or against you if you don't remember that but it's a theological word meaning the mutual indwelling of the persons since each has the entirety of the Divine Essence it necessarily follows that the father is in the Son and the son is in the father and the spirit is in the father and the son and so on and so forth by virtue of that Divine Essence that that same substance consubstantiality another uh uh word that is associated with trinitarian theology so Jesus says at that day you will know that I am and my father it will confirm everything that you've heard it will confirm everything that you've read those Old Testament prophecies concerning Messiah that predicates of Messiah Divinity see we just accept that and we assume that the Lord said to my Lord sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your foot stol Psalm 1101 that's telling us that this Psalm 1101 Lord that is going to function as Messiah and savior is on par with Yahweh or in the prophecy concerning the birth or incarnation of our savior in Micah 5 it tells us that his goings forth are from Everlasting well who Could That Be True of except God remember in the prophet Isaiah we give a lot of mileage to this around December 25th when it describes the Messiah there in Isaiah 96 and it calls him Everlasting father not that he is the father in terms of the Trinity but he's the Everlasting father relative to his church and their Redemption he's the Eternal all Mighty God so when Jesus says to them here in verse 20 again we're the benefactors of a lot of a rich Heritage of good theology this is powerful at that day when that tomb is empty when you lay eyes on me once again I will be declared to be the Son of God with power through the spirit of Holiness by the resurrection from the tomb the fact that our blessed savior assumed to himself humanity and he lived for us and he died for us and he was raised again for us all of that will come to be crystal clear so at that day you will know that I am in the father but then he goes on to say and you in me and I in you now that Union that we have with Jesus is not exactly the same peric Caris is not true of the Union that we have with Jesus why because we don't have the same nature we're not Divinity we're not consubstantial with God the the the union that we have with Christ is by his grace It Is by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ the way that the father is in the Son and the son is in the father is by virtue of their nature the same Essence as God the way that Christ is in us and the way that we are in Christ is that we get to participate in this because God is gracious remember what Paul says in in Ephesians 1:7 and just so you know we're probably not going to get through everything today in Ephesians 1:7 as Paul's rehearsing the Triune God in the salvation of Sinners he speaks of the father electing and of the son in him we have Redemption through his blood the Forgiveness of sins according to what according to the riches of his grace verse 20 Christ's abiding in us and we in him by this participation is by Grace Riches of Grace adoption unto eternal life Paul uses that language in Romans chapter 8 he uses the language in Galatians chter 4 the spirit of God in us enables us to cry Abba Father so when Jesus says what he says the empty tomb is going to convey to you lots of good Theology and on that day you will know that I am in my father and that you are in me and I in you and then that brings us to verse 21 notice what he says in terms of blessing he he it's like he keeps drawing out the good significant parts of this he says in verse 21 he who has my Commandments and keeps them it is he who loves me and he who loves me Will Be Loved by my father and I will love him and manifest myself to him now he re reiterates his words from verse 15 you can turn there verse 15 if you love me keep my Commandments remember he's calling the disciples to Mission he's not calling them to salvation Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus Jesus alone but what's the chief effect of justification by faith love to Christ obedience to Christ such that if you don't have the one you most likely don't have the other if you don't have the one then most likely you don't have the other they're they're inextricably connected when somebody comes to the Lord Jesus Christ in faith they don't become Paul they're not transformed overnight into the image of the Blessed Paul they're s sins are dealt with they receive a righteousness by which now they they can go into the presence of God we call that justification but in terms of their sanctification they have a different mindset now they want Jesus they want to understand the significance of his life his death his resurrection they they want to obey what scripture says when God tells us to have no other gods before him now we welcome that say yeah I want to serve the living and true God When God says don't murder people yeah I don't only not want to murder people I want to actually promote life When God says uh you know don't commit adultery yeah I don't I I not only not want to do that but I want to I want to provoke uh uh promote Chastity and and righteousness in in my relationship so so there's a new disposition put into the heart of God's people and so Jesus reiterates that here notice again it summarizes the whole scheme of Salvation so he who has my Commandments and keeps them it is he who loves me the only ones that do that are those who are justified by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ the lord so in the language of the doctrine of salvation we would just simply say that sanctification always follows justification in other words when we believe the gospel when we're forgiven of our sins when we receive that righteousness of Jesus there'll always be sanctification we'll seek to be holy again that's going to differ it's going to vary there's degrees there's challenges there's you know heartaches and hardship sh and Es and flows and all that sort of a thing there is in the in The Believer a new disposition a new Desire 2 Corinthians 5:17 he's become a new creature the things that that once endeared him he no longer wants them at least to the degree that he wanted them and the things that he once stood opposed to he now wants he wants to come to church on Sunday he wants to sing Old Psalms and hymns he he wants to commune with the people of God he wants to pray well why do you think he wants that because God in His Grace has saved him Justified him freely by his grace in terms of nomological study the the doctrine of the law we would just simply say this is the normative use of the law so verse 21 he who keeps my or he who has my Commandments and keeps them it is he who loves me he's not teaching this for salvation he's teaching this to save men that's the normative use of God's law we take the law of God as a as a revelation of the the nature of God and we see that God doesn't want us to be idolators and blasphemers and Sabbath Breakers and and murderers and all all those sorts of things so we take that law by the power of the Holy Spirit we seek to embibe it not perfectly we fall we falter we have that struggle we have that remaining corruption we know we have an advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous we can say with David if thou Lord shoulds Mark iniquities oh Lord who could stand there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared you probably caught that if you were paying attention when our brother Mark read the passage concerning Peter what does Peter do if I have to die with you Lord I'm not going to deny you that's pretty bold isn't it pretty Brazen pretty courageous if that's all we had of the record of Peter we'd go wow he was a a different stripe this guy was 8 foot tall and bulletproof I mean he was an amazing man we just read in the prayer meeting hour of guy a guy in uh China that apparently just keeps witnessing boldly for for Jesus Christ he's a a faithful warrior in terms of evangelism they put him in prison guess what he's doing he's preaching Christ to everybody there in prison what a wonderful testimony what a wonderful declaration if all we had of Peter was I I I'm willing to die before I deny you we'd say what a hero we know within that very same chapter he denies his master he does exactly what Jesus told him he was going to do and he he denied it and he didn't deny him to the to the emperor he didn't deny deny him to the FBI or to the Massad or to the CIA he denied him to a servant girl what do we learn from that well go ahead and sin because there's always Mercy to be had no we do learn however that when we do sin there is an advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous my little children John says I write these things so that you may not sin but if anyone does sin we have an advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous we have in this particular statement the reality that the people of God Justified freely by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ are those who have the Commandments who seek by the spirit to keep them those are the ones and those alone are the ones who love him so notice how delimited that is there's that movement today well I'm not religious I'm spiritual sure I believe in God if you're not believing in confessing faith in the true and living God your religion is in vain your spirituality is in vain there is one way one truth one life that no one comes to the father except through him according to 146 so the Lord Jesus says to his disciples he who has my Commandments and keeps them it is he who loves me and he who loves me Will Be Loved by my father and I will love him and manifest myself to him now we need to make sure we're clear here on cause and effect as I've said before I think many problems in theology could be avoided if we understood the difference between a cause and a consequence or a cause and an fact Jesus is not teaching that as long as you obey as long as you love as long as you do what I say then I will love you and only then when I love you based on those reasons will my father love you that's not what he's saying what he is saying is that you will you will have more Discovery to use an old Puritan sort of a word more discovery of the glory of Christ in your own life and when he goes on to to give an answer or a response to Judas not a scar it he amplifies that with the a plural pronoun notice in verse 21 one he who has my Commandments and keeps them it is he who loves me and he who loves me Will Be Loved by my father and I will love him and manifest myself to him notice in verse 23 if anyone loves me he will keep my word and my father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him that plural pronoun underscores the reality of a trinity of persons in the godhead and the spirit isn't out of the scene Jesus is already promised is to pray the father and he will give you another Spirit the spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive but you do receive as I said you get the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit it is most glorious we'll we'll investigate that in a bit more detail God willing next Sunday but let's close out this message on this high note he who loves me Will Be Loved by my father and I will love him and manifest myself to him I'm going to do what a a smart preacher typically does leans on somebody a lot more smarter than him actually I'm not that that sound like I'm saying I'm smart what a dumb preacher should do more often than than not listen to what Gil says concerning the lover of Christ is loved by the father he says not that love to Christ is the cause condition or motive of the Father's Love To His People you have to get this Brethren there's a lot of errors in theology at this point well if I just try harder I just love him more then he'll love me Jesus isn't your date he's not your boyfriend he's not your girlfriend he's not your fiance he's not even your spouse very often our love for one another is predicated on our performance toward one another oh no Pastor I just love my wife all the time she's just great okay you probably love her more when she's pulling a nice roast out of the oven and she looks you know really good our love often times is predicated upon our performance and we we impose that on God's love for us that's not what Jesus is saying here okay try harder be better and do more and then I'll really love you again listen to Gil not that love to Christ is the cause condition or motive of the Father's Love To His People it couldn't be remember we were dead in our trespasses and sins we love him because because he first loved us it's not the case that Jesus is teaching a performance-based love structure do what I say jump through my hoops and and you'll know more of my love praise God for the doctrine of divine impassibility that he's most loving Gil says nor does his love to them begin when they begin to love Christ but this expression denotes some further and greater manifestation of the Father's Love to such persons and shows how grateful to the father are love and obedience to the son that's all it shows us that that intimate communion that the believer now has with with God and it shows us that that love to Christ that God has given us is pleasing to God the father and that when we engage in that which we will instinctively because we've been justified by faith in Christ that God makes himself manifest to us in Fuller ways again he's not your boyfriend he's not your fiance he's not your wife or your husband but by way of analogy Isn't it nice to know more about the person you love well God does that in his relationship with his people when he takes him into the upper room instead of saying go out there and learn the culture go out there and learn an additional trade go out there and learn how to get good books to the people on the ground he is letting them in on more disclosure of who he is who the father is and who the spirit is yet not three Gods one God and then the lover of Christ gets more of Christ so notice verse 21 he who has my Commandments and keeps them it is he who loves me and he who loves me Will Be Loved by my father and I will love him and manifest myself to him again John Gil Christ does not begin to love his people when they begin to love and obey him their love and obedience to him spring from his love to them which love of his towards them was from Everlasting wasn't just guess what fellas I love you now the whole motive behind the sending of the son of God's love into this world was love God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son he goes on to say this phrase signs a clearer discovery of his love to them which has his knowledge and some fresh Mark and token of his affection for them and which is explained in the next clause and will manifest myself to him not in a visible way or in a corporeal form as he did to his disciples after his resurrection but in a spiritual manner as when he makes himself known to his people in ordinances and favors them with communion with him and they see his Beauty his fullness his grace righteousness power and His glory so in other words this is an encouragement to the people of God who've been justified by faith in Jesus Christ that the natural reflex in terms of sanctification is love to the Savior and obedience to the Savior and in the midst of all that the Savior the father and the spirit commune with you and the language that he uses there in verse 23 when he amplifies it he says we will make what our home with him it's the same word from 142 I go toep prepare a place for you in my father's house are many homes many mansions many Dwelling Place uh places and if I go to prepare a place I will bring it myself so in 142 and 3 we have the promise that when we exit this world we enter that Eternal home but in 1423 we have the Blessed promise that presently right here and right now by virtue of God's Rich Grace in our lives the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit indwell the people of God we will make our home with him if that isn't an impetus to live in a manner that is consistent with the gospel in terms of our gratitude our appreciation our thankfulness I don't know what is again it's not do this so that do this because of this it is Most Blessed blessed most wonderful most glorious so I want to end where we began the first significant difference or one of the first significant differences of the Christian religion from every other is the doctrine of God one true and living God who exists eternally is Father Son and Holy Spirit you must believe that it's not open for debate well I just don't get it well okay that doesn't mean it isn't true it just may mean you need to study a bit more there's been books written there's been Creeds written there's been conf I written there's probably mountains and volumes written on the subject will you ever get it perfectly no because then you would be as God God's Essence is comprehended only by himself and simply meaning that he is altogether different in the sense that he's Creator and we're creature but you got to believe in this true and living God who exists eternally as father son and spirit Jesus makes that clear in John 8 he says if you do not believe that I am and there he's equating himself with Father then you will die in your sins so the most one of the most significant things about the differences between Christianity and every other religion is our God but secondly is redemption redemption in the Christian World Life religion is not try harder be better and do more no it's to come to the one who obeyed perfectly who died as a substitute on the cross and was raised again the third day such that everyone who looks to him in faith will have everlasting life that's the emphasis if you're not a Believer here this morning that you need to take home and Ponder who is this true and living God and how has he provided a way of Salvation it is through the son of his love and all those who come in faith will be saved well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you for your word we thank you for what Jesus does here in the upper room in letting the disciples know more about who he is in relation to the father and the spirit God I pray that you would help us to want to study these things to want to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to take these promises of communion with the Triune god with great encouragement and with great cheer be with us and the remainder of this day be glorified in our local church and we pray through Christ Our Lord amen we can take your hym books and we'll turn to page 569 569 where we'll stand and sing together a doxology of praise to our God [Music] L and PR Father Son and Holy Ghost 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 please be uh pleased to bless and strengthen each one here give us Grace to glorify you and for Sinners throughout this world we pray the gospel would be proclaimed the spirit would attend and you would call Sinners out of Darkness into Marvelous Light and we pray this through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation [Music] for e e