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e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e good morning everyone welcome back to free race Baptist Church and a warm welcome to any visitors amongst us today couple of announcements before we get started our usual evening service will be at 5:00 p.m. this evening and Wednesday night bible study again at 7:30 we continue that through the month of June July and August will be off so catch the last couple Bible studies before the break if you can uh Wednesday night at 7:30 then we had announced earlier that Julian vop has applied for me members ship and we're the plan is to bring him into the membership next Sunday uh but as well Landon vop has also applied so down the road we'll be bringing Landon in Lord willing as well so two more Brothers being added to the the number of our congregation special congratulations to the vort family Tony and Marilyn and family Jordana was married on Friday to Jordan terar so big congratulations to Jordana and Jordan now we're going to turn to worship by turning in our Psalm our alter to 96 Psalm 96 and we will read the entire Psalm as we turn our Focus toward worship Psalm 96 oh sing to the Lord a new song sing to the Lord all the Earth sing to the Lord bless his name proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day declare his glory among the Nations his wonders among all peoples for the Lord is great and greatly to be praised he is to be feared above all gods for all the gods of the peoples are Idols but the Lord made the heavens honor and Majesty are before him strength and beauty are in his Sanctuary give to the Lord O families of the peoples give to the Lord glory and strength give to the Lord the glory do his name bring an offering and come into His courts oh Worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness tremble before him all the Earth say among the Nations the Lord Reigns the world also is firmly established it shall not be moved he shall judge the peoples righteously let the heavens rejoice and let the Earth be glad Let the Sea Roar and all its fullness let the field be joyful and all that is in it then all the trees of the woods will rejoice joice before the Lord for he is coming for he is coming to judge the Earth he shall judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with his truth amen we're going to stand and sing from our Trinity alter Himel Psalm 9B as in bravo 9B wholehearted Thanksgiving please stand with me as we sing in gra of [Music] my I will sing [Music] by I will praise High praise praise the Lord his voice praise the Lord praise the Lord let thej to his and all for his all all trust and trting our bless for my Mercy for the soul that has my praise Lord Praise Lord his praise the Lord praise the Lord let to and give him all for justice his name pra to Mighty of has chosen his high to to Justice and be this is the L and over praise the Lord praise the Lord Earth his PR Lord praise the Lord let rej to he is all for justice is behold my my Mercy adore and [Music] me Sal and show my praise praise Lord Praise let Earth his voice praise the Lord praise the [Music] Lord he is and all for jce may be seated let's turn our Attention our hearts to prayer as we continue in worship our gracious Heavenly Father this morning as we come into your presence our desire is to obey the command of the psalmist that we read earlier to Worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness and yet Lord we come into your presence knowing that we have no right in and of ourselves eles to stand before you we know that as children born to our father Adam we were born in sin and we know that we can only tremble before you were it not for what Christ has done on our behalf we thank you oh God that we have this privilege to come into your presence to gather with your people and to call your adopted Sons and Daughters our brothers and sisters we thank you for this tremendous privilege and Lord we know it is not because of any good in us there are many who who could be here this morning but laugh it off and have have Shrugged off the calls of mercy and Grace and Lord it has been only your spirit that has drawn us here this morning and that has woed us throughout our lives and Lord we thank you for that Grace and for that Mercy we thank you that we can come in here today unstained because of the righteousness of Christ that has been afforded to us and granted to us we thank you for that perfect righteousness these white garments with without which no man can stand before you and we thank you oh Lord that one day we will be able to partake in the the marriage supper of the Lamb dressed in Pure White Lord we thank you that on this side of Glory you continue to work in our hearts and continue to perfect us I pray oh God that you would do that work even this day as we sing and as we pray and as we hear the word preached we pray oh God that you would continue to trans form us cause that word to be living in our hearts and cause it to to do its work to conform us to the image of your son may the spirit be present may he not be grieved with us this day but oh God I pray that your you would be uh gladdened by our worship this morning and I pray oh God that you would do a good work especially in the hearts of those here this morning that have not yet embrace the truth have not yet tasted in the seed that the Lord is indeed good we pray oh God that today would be the day of salvation Lord we pray the same for every Church in this city where the gospel is preached this morning this afternoon of this evening we pray oh God that you would bless the Ministers of the Gospel give them unction may your spirit attend the preaching we pray that for our sister churches across uh this country pray you'd bless the congregation in Suri this morning and in Armstrong and in dren encourage them continue to build them up in their Most Holy Faith and Lord I pray that we and many others who believe in your name would be a light and would be salt in this country we pray oh God that you would preserve our nation we pray that you would restrain the forces of wickedness we pray oh God that the magistrates of this country would deal righteously and Lord those who are who are bent on destruction we pray Lord that you'd be gracious to us and remove them from Office Lord we know that all across the face of this Earth there are churches being planted there are souls being saved and there is opposition and we pray oh God for those places where the people of God are being severely oppressed by the governing authorities or by the religious leaders around them we pray you'd be merciful to your people this day bless those who are unable to meet or who are meeting in secret for fear of reprisal and bless those oh God this day that are in prison for the sake of Christ and for the gospel we pray you'd encourage them and help them to remain steadfast and true Lord we pray again that you would be with us as we turn our hearts towards the preaching today bless Pastor Butler as he comes into the pulpit I pray Lord you'd open the the ears and the minds of our little ones to be able to receive and understand the word that's preached at their level and we pray oh God that they would in due time know the blessing of being saved and being brought into the the the kingdom of God it is a tremendous privilege for young people people to be brought up under the preaching of the Gospel but it's also a tremendous uh responsibility and and a tremendous weight Lord not all of us have had that privilege even if we were raised in churches many of us did not hear the true gospel in the churches we were raised in Lord I pray for our children here and our grandchildren I pray oh God that they would early uh be be brought into the kingdom of God by your Holy Spirit and by the the work that only you can do Lord we pray that would happen even this day we ask it in Jesus name amen amen we're going to stand again and sing from our Himel hymn 378 hymn 378 look ye Saints the sight is glorious [Music] for the the vior we to [Music] we the [Music] GL Jesus in the [Music] us theor Sint and Angels [Music] him pra [Music] his those [Music] Jesus is the highest station [Music] you may be seated please turn in your Bibles with me to Matthew chap 27 for our morning scripture reading Matthew 27 we'll read the first part of the chapter up to the end of verse 26 Matthew 27 beginning in verse 1 when the morning came all the chief priests and Elders of the people people plotted against Jesus to put him to death and when they had bound him they led him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor then Judas his betrayer seeing that he had been condemned was remorseful and brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and Elders saying I have sinned by betraying innocent blood and they said what is that to us you see to it then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed and went and hanged himself but the chief priests took the silver pieces and said it is not lawful to put them into the treasury because they are the price of blood and they consulted together and bought with them The Potter's field to bury strangers in therefore that field has been called the field of blood to this day then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet saying and they took the 30 pieces of silver the value of him who is pric whom they of the children of Israel pric and gave them for The Potter's field as the Lord directed me now Jesus stood before the governor and the governor asked him saying are you the king of the Jews Jesus said to him it is as you say and while he was being accused by the chief priests and Elders he answered nothing then pilate said to him do you not hear how many things they testify against you but he answered him not one word so that the governor marked mared greatly now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished and at that time they had a notorious prisoner called barabus therefore when they had gathered together pilate said to them whom do you want me to release to you barabus or Jesus who is called Christ for he knew that they had handed him over because of Envy while he was sitting on the Judgment seat his wife sent to him saying have nothing to do with that just man for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of him but the chief priests and Elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for barabus and Destroy Jesus the governor answered and said to them which of the two do you want me to release to you they said Barabas pilate said to them What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ they all said to him let him be crucified then the governor said why what evil has he done but they cried out all the more saying let him be crucified when pilate saw that he could not Prevail at all but rather that a tumult was Rising he took water and washed his hands before the multitude saying I am innocent of the blood of this just person you see to it and all the people answered and said his blood be on us and on our children then he released barabus to them and when he had scourged Jesus he delivered him to be crucified amen thank you Father in heaven for the tenacity that Jesus had being faced with such accusations and such evil and yet he answered not a word Lord I Thank you that he had the ultimate wisdom being truly God and truly man and thank you that he went all the way to the cross for us and for our Redemption amen amen let's turn in our himels for our final hymn to 389 389 and stand with me as we sing I see and the [Music] of the glor SE prare my soul to be to him in the Jo surounding their souls his presence those to S with for they shall rise and my their tears and S are [Music] R all to you I see and he me and the cre the of man glor SE his cross I the Heaven and Earth shall away and usare to be you may be seated you can turn with me in your Bibles to the Gospel of John John chapter 14 John 14 our Focus this morning will be verses 28-31 we saw in this last section in John 14 the emphasis on the gifts given by Christ in verses 25- 27 and now the emphasis is upon his departure in verses 28 to 31 but I want to back up and read 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 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 and the 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 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 a scariot said to him Lord 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 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 let us go from here amen well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you for this Lord's day we thank you for the house of God which is the Church of the Living God the pillar and the ground of the truth we pray that you would bless our time now as we consider Holy scripture we pray for the ministry the aid of the Holy Spirit who reminds us who teaches us who leads us we thank you that you've not left us as orphans in this world but have supplied the indwelling spirit who abides with us forever forgive us for all sin and transg agression and everything that that darkens our minds and help us to appreciate the glory of the one living and true God who exists eternally as Father Son and Holy Spirit and we pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ amen well as I said we are in the upper room discourse the last discourse of Our Lord with his disciples prior to his death on the cross and his Ascension back into heaven and one of the emphases in this Upper Room discourse is on the nature of God the Lord Jesus wants to prepare the disciples for mission for Ministry to go out to make disciples to plant churches to take the gospel to the then Known World the way that he does that primarily is by setting forth truth concerning God the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit so as we consider the end of chapter 14 last week we saw the gifts given by Christ specifically the holy spirit in verse 26 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 so the benefit or the provision of the holy spirit for the people of God but as well he then gives or promises the gift of Peace in verse 27 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 we see in that bequest of peace upon the people of God that Jesus desires stability amongst his people people it is from the vantage point of stability that we enter into the mission that he has given to us in other words if we're eratic if we are paralyzed with fear if we are filled with troubled hearts we're not going to be mobile we're not going to go and do what the Lord has committed to us so he says or promises that he'll give this peace and then the implication at the end of verse 27 is let not your heart be troubled neither Let It Be Afraid there is that tendency amongst the people of God to have heart trouble or to have fear the lord of course understands this and knows this and says the provision of peace is to try and keep that from happening so that you may do What is entrusted to you and then that brings us to this final section in in chapter 14 on the departure of Christ and there's three things to notice first the exhortation to the disciples in verse 28 secondly the confirmation of the divine plan in verse 29 and then thirdly the expectation of Triumph in verses 30 and 31 so let's look first at the exhortation to the disciples in verse 28 he reiterates what he said on many occasions prior to this particular time notice in verse 28 you have heard me say to you I am going away and coming back to you he has mentioned this previously we saw it in John 3:14 when Jesus uses the analogy of the serpent lifted up in the in the wilderness so must the son of man also be lifted up he describes his going away to the Jews in chapter 7 at verses 33 and 34 and then he emphasizes this specifically with the apostles in this Upper Room discourse go back to chapter 13 notice at verse 33 little children I shall be with you a little while longer you will seek me and ases I said to the Jews where I am going you cannot come so now I say to you chapter 14 ver verses 1 to 4 let not your heart be troubled you believe in God believe also in me in my father's house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am there you may be also and where I go you know and the way you know and then as well we see that emphasis recurringly throughout jesus' discourse with the apostles so in chapter 4 at verse 28 you have heard me say to you I am going away and coming back to you there's previous references and now A present encouragement by reminding them of this particular eventuality and on the heels of that he then gives this exhortation specifically in verse 28 notice if you loved me you would Rejoice because I said I am going to the father for my father is greater than I now I want to slow down a bit here because if you were to walk across uh uh the high uh not the highway but over the Yale Road there and you found the Jehovah's Witnesses and they were out there testifying of their their faith and you got into a debate with them concerning trinitarianism they would most likely cite John 14: 28 in fact if you meet antitrinitarians those who deny the doctrine of the Trinity John 14:28 is a missile in their Silo that they will Point At You Very particularly because Jesus says the father is greater than I how can you maintain trinitarianism when it comes to a statement like that so as I said I want to slow down a little bit as we investigate this so that we understand what Jesus is doing here but first in terms of the exhortation he says if you loved me you would Rejoice because I said I am going to the father for my father is greater than I in terms of the immediate context this isn't the first place he has hit upon the necessity for the disciples to obey him notice back in chapter 15 I'm sorry 14 at verse 15 if you love me keep my Commandments and then at verse 21 he who has my Commandments and keeps them and then again in verse 23 if anyone loves me he will keep my word so when it comes to this particular statement it's not the first time that he has said something similar so in verse 28 if you loved me you would Rejoice now remember the theology involved in this statement and in verses 15 21 and 23 the idea isn't go out there dead Sinner and start to love Jesus and then you will be saved that's not what the Bible teaches the Bible teaches that we are dead in our trespasses and sins that we cannot do anything pleasing to God that we have no desire for the Son of God no desire for the Lord Of Glory as far as we are concerned he's a curse word he's a Blasphemous word he is something that is irrelevant to us so there is no love in our hearts by Nature so the Bible is not teaching go out and love Jesus and then you'll be saved no the Theology of the Bible is Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved the emphasis throughout the Bible is on justification by faith alone and the reality is is that when those who are justified by faith that faith is alone but it doesn't remain alone but it's always accompanied by all other saving Graces so that when we're justified by faith The Reflex response is love to Jesus obedience to Jesus so those who believe the gospel are those who love Christ those who believe the gospel are those who want to do what Christ says he says that in verse 15 if you love me then keep my Commandments again it's the reflex it's the response with reference to God's grace so he's not teaching love me and you'll be saved rather you've been saved freely by Grace so therefore love me and express that in keeping my commandments so we need to make sure we're clear in terms of the theology now notice the specific emphasis he says in verse 28 I am going away and coming back to you if you love me you would Rejoice because I said he wants them to Rejoice at his departure now Brethren it shouldn't take a bit or to too much time to sort of put this in the context they're probably not anxious for him to leave they've grown quite fond of the Lord Of Glory they have been in his constant companionship with him they have have have been with him in terms of ministry in terms of hearing his Doctrine seeing his miracles seeing his power seeing his love seeing his kindness seeing his affection he's announced to them that he's going to depart and certainly that would by all accounts mean it would be a time of grief and a time of sorrow but Jesus doesn't want that Jesus says I want you to Rejoice at this announcement of my departure clink says that he just exhorted his disciples to trust him in relation to their worldly circumstances again notice in verse 27 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 so he says he just exhorted his disciples to trust in him uh trust him in relation to their worldly circumstances now he exhorts them to trust uh him in regard to his circumstances in other words don't fret don't be sorrowful don't be downcast don't look like your do dog just died don't look like your wife just left you don't look like you've just gone bankrupt but rather Rejoice because I said I am going to the father now with reference to the nature of his departure we know what that means it means his death on the cross it means the shame associated with cruix it means all that is bound up or wound up in that most heinous for form of execution in the then Known World in the first century remember that the Romans would not execute by crucifixion a Roman citizen except by special permission from the emperor in other words the garden variety Roman Empire Roman uh citizen who engaged in even a capital offense could be executed for his crimes but they would not execute him via crucifixion it was it was too bad it was too horrific it was too wretched so when it comes to the Lord Jesus Christ that's specifically what they cry out they're given the option barabus or Jesus they want barabus they side with an insurrectionist they side with a terrorist they side with a man who was a murderer a man who fomented Rebellion they sided with the Godless wretched reprobate and as far as Jesus was concerned away with him away with him crucify him so when Jesus says I'm going to depart again it invoked some kind of sadness in response because his departure is via the cross the bloody beaten bruised body of our blessed savior going through that for us men and for our Salvation when he says what he says you would have uh you would Rejoice because I said I am going to the father he does that via the cross but his actual access to the father comes through his resurrection through his ex exaltation through his Ascension to the right hand of the father so I think the emphasis falls on the entirety of the events that are going to befall him yes he's going to die yes he's going to be treated like a criminal yes he is going to be exposed to that sort of harsh treatment from man and ultimately from God Jesus on the cross does not say my my my my friends my friends why have thou or why hast Thou forsaken me he says my God my God why hast Thou forsaken me so all of that shame came and as the old writers would say the ignominy associated with the cross but it leads to the resurrection it leads to the Ascension on high it leads to the right hand of the father and I think it's in this context that our lord Jesus is encouraging them to Rejoice so again verse 28 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 and the Bible tells us what happens upon his resurrection and his Ascension to the right hand of God Psalm 2 ask of me I will give you the Nations as your inheritance the uttermost parts of the earth as your possession we have it in Psalm 110 Yahweh said to my Lord sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your foot stol we have it in Acts chap 2: 33-36 the exaltation of Christ led to him seated at the right hand of the father where God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ you have it in Ephesians 1:1 19-23 Christ his name is above all other names every every dominion and every Power is subject to our blessed savior you see it in the book of Philippians as well God has given him a name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow you see it in the book of Colossians in chapter 1 15 to 20 you see it in the Book of Revelation when John comes to encourage the churches of Asia Minor he greets the churches in chapter one in the name of the Trinity and with reference to Jesus he highlights the prophetic office the Priestly office and the kingly office and he says that Jesus is the ruler over the kings of the earth so in other words Jesus says I want you to Rejoice at what is befalling me because it's according to God's purpose and plan I want you to Rejoice because it means my exaltation I want you to Rejoice because it means your benefit and I think that's the emphasis that he is getting across to these brothers when it comes to the state of humiliation there is far more to rejoice in with reference to the state of exaltation when you think about Jesus you need to think about him pre-incarnate the the the birth of Christ was not the arrival of the word the word was from the beginning the word was with God the Word was God in the Incarnation we speak of Christ and what we call the state of humiliation when he takes on our Humanity to himself he then is under the law in order to redeem those under the law so all the miseries and all the sorrows and all the hardships and all the difficulties associated with life in this present evil age were Upon Our Lord in fact the Westminster Shorter Catechism describes the state of humiliation this way Christ's humiliation consisted in his being born and that in a low condition made under the law undergoing the the miseries of this life the wrath of God and the cursed death of the cross in being buried and continuing under the power of death for a time so when he says I want you to Rejoice he is looking past the cross through the grave to the current session at the right hand of the father and we call that the state of exaltation Christ's exaltation consists in his Rising again from the dead on the third day in ascending up into heaven in sitting at the right hand of God go the father and coming to judge the world at the last day so that's how he can tell them to Rejoice at the news of his departure it's going to be bloody it's going to be hard it's going to be abandonment it's going to be vicious it's going to be vile it's going to be cruel it's going to be unjust would you ever look around at the day and age in which we live and say man we live in such unjust times I do this a lot it seems like politicians get away with murder and yet for us boy they can spot you with you're doing just about anything and everything and you might get a visit from the RCMP it's a very unjust world that we live in but it's nothing compared to the unjustness of what took place in the death of the Savior imagine the Savior again he's very God and very man we don't like it when people insult us we don't like it when people don't smile at us we don't like it when people say things that are a little bit off to us imagine standing there amongst your fellows those you've only done good to and hearing them cry out away with him away with him crucify him and when Pontius Pilate that gutless wonder who knew that the Jews handed Jesus over for Envy it wasn't that he was a criminal pilate Thrice in Luke's gospel says I find no guilt in this man pilate knew that this was not a criminal trial pilot pilate knew that this man was not guilty pilate as I said was a gutless wonder and he thought for sure if I profer a deal they'll certainly pick barabus I mean barabus was Public Enemy Number One he wasn't just some common Thief he was most likely a terrorist he was most likely an insurrectionist he was most likely in the the category of those Bad Dudes we don't want walking our streets so Pilot's probably thinking oh I I'll put Jesus up but I'll put barabus I mean any thinking individual would take barabus I mean you've seen his poster at the post office you you've seen his mugshot on TV you've seen him all over the place certainly here's your opportunity it's when they say give us barabus so there's going to be hardship for the son of man there's going to be cruelty there's going to be viciousness and unjustness but there's going to be Resurrection from the dead there's going to be an Ascension to the right hand of the father there's going to be ex exaltation in the current session at the father and then his return again in glory to judge the living and the dead now I believe that what he does in the remainder of verse 38 or uh verse uh uh 28 is to explain this notice after he says 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 so that's the exhortation if you love me you would Rejoice because I said I'm going to the father now here's the explanatory reason for my father is greater than I so if we're talking to a Jehovah's Witness and they take this particular missile out and they shoot it at us how do we respond how do we answer this particular uh uh tactic in their employee H how what do we say well I I just don't know now you may still say that after I'm done explaining it but it won't be because it's never been explained to you going to use a few big words today remember I've spoken of guard rails in the past we need guard rails imagine you're driving up a windy Mountain Road and there was there was no guard rails what would happen you'd go right off that road into the valley below and remember the illustration somebody gets to the top and he sees the house owner and he sees all these cars in the valley and the guy says well why why why did they all go into that ditch and the the householder says well you know we used to have a fence alongside the Road and then the guy says well why'd you take the fence down I don't know it's the way the trinit uh uh trinitarian debates have evolved in our generation why' we get rid of guardrails why' we get rid of NAA why' we get rid of Caledon why' we get rid of the Eternal generation of the sun why did we get rid of inseparable operations a few things that I've tried to present in terms of strategy or her hermeneutics to deal with these particular issues why did we get rid of them I don't know but we need to recover them so that we don't drive our cars off the road and end up denying the trinity in the first place I want to explain secondly connect and then thirdly evidence some problems of rejecting the tactics that I suggest first in terms of explanation the father is not greater than the son with respect to the divine nature the father is not greater than the son with respect to the divine nature that cannot be in fact let's just see it with our own eyes go back to John 1 specifically verse one you've heard me cite it many times as we've moved our way up to this point in the gospel but notice in John 1:1 in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was what was God everything true of godhood with reference to the father is true with reference to the son is true with reference to the Holy Spirit we call this consubstantiality they are with the same substance with the same Essence remember the guardrail in second London Confession chapter 2 paragraph 3 in this Divine and infinite being there are three subsisten the Father the word or Son and the Holy Spirit each having the whole Divine Essence and yet the essence undivided it's not parted out God the father is 33 the son is 33 and the spirit is 33 that's heresy it's wrong reject it cast it far from your mind notice in John 1:18 no one has seen God at any time the only begotten son who is in the bosom of the father he has declared him so when Jesus says the father is greater than I he is not referring to the nature he's not referring to that common Essence that each has remember back in the immediate context of John 14 specific specifically at verses 11 and 12 but I'm sorry 10 and 11 do you not believe that I am in the father and the father in me let's just back up to verse 7 and feel the full weight of this statement verse 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 known me Phillip he who has seen me has 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 mutual indwelling of the persons of the Trinity is called peric Caris that simply means the mutual indwelling of the persons of the Trinity the father is in the Son and the son is in the father by virtue of that common Essence that same substance that same nature remember we're in the Sun not by peric Caris we're in the Sun by Grace as adopted Sons and Daughters we are justified by God's grace and brought into that blessed position but Jesus says I'm in the father and the father is in me so back to our text for my father is greater than I the father is not greater than the son with respect to the divine nature secondly the father is greater than the son with reference to the son's assumed humanity and thus his mediators ship the Covenant of redemption the father purposed and promised to save a great multitude that no man can number the second person of the Trinity stepped up to the plate and said I will be their shity I Covenant to do all that is necessary so in the fullness of the time God sent forth his son born of a woman and born under the law so when Jesus says the father is greater than I Jesus is speaking here according to his Humanity this this is a hermeneutical guard rail or this is one of those protective hermeneutics that will help us to not drive the car off of the road it is the predication or saying things I know predication is a bigger word than just saying saying things saying things of the one person of Christ according to his Humanity which is like Sorrowing hungering thirsting bleeding dying or saying or predicating things of his divine nature which is the Forgiveness of sins the Miracles that he does the titles that he Bears and the fact that he asserts or rather receives worship from creatures so you've got one person the Lord Jesus Christ two Natures so it is perfectly appropriate to speak of the one Christ according to either of the natures so when we see Jesus in Scripture say things like this he's not speaking according to his divinity as Divinity it is impossible for him to to be less as Divinity he is with the father each having the Divine Essence now in terms of the connection why is this the argument go back to verse 28 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 great greater than I I think the four the father is greater than I reveals to us the rationale for this I'm going to the father and rejoice in me the rationale is simple the one sent is happily according to his Humanity assuming that position in the Covenant of Grace he willingly submits he willingly obeys he willingly takes to himself all that the father has given him so in that regard the father is greater than him turn back to John 4 for just a moment let to see something of the emphasis on what we call the active Obedience of Christ but look how it demonstrates or illustrates the point we're trying to make here notice in John 4 at verse 34 Jesus said to them my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work he's the sent one from the Father the sent one who assumes our Humanity the sent one who is made under the law the sent one who does whatever the father gives him to do so of course in that sense the father is greater than I look at John 6: 38-40 for I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me again he's not speaking according to Divinity he's not speaking as God the son he is speaking as God the son who's assumed our Humanity unto himself notice in verse 39 this is the will of the father who sent me that of all he has given me I should lose nothing but should raise him up at the last day and this is the will of him who sent me that everyone who sees the son and believes in Him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day now the point is made I hope where you see when he says he is greater than I it's according to his Humanity it's according to his office as mediator it's according to that Galatians 4:4 reality made of a or born of a woman and made under the law to redeem those under the law of course in that sense the father is greater than Jesus but before we proceed look back with me for just a moment at the same verses here in chapter 6 let's not just bypass this too quickly for I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me have you ever talked to people and asked them why did Jesus come into this world the answers you get are interesting well to start a new religion the Jews say to be a revolutionary under a Messianic guise in the first century that's why Jesus came others say well you know he just taught us how to love each other it's kind of like Rodney King can't we all just get along why does Jesus come from the father well John 6:38 to 40 tells us and and I think that in John 6:38 to 40 there's a world of Hope and encouragement for anyone here that may not be a Christian we might get this idea well you know God Saves but he it's kind of because he has to kind of like the ebener Scrooge in terms of divinity well yeah I'll just convey benefit on you but it's really not in me to do so the the very creation of the world the Incarnation of the son the life and the death and the resurrection the Ascension on high the missionary Enterprise and Endeavor the the history of the church is all founded on this Grand principle that God is about saving Sinners why did Jesus come to do the will of him who sent me verse 39 this is the will of the father who sent me that of all he has given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day and in case you miss that listen again in verse 40 and this is the will of him who sent me that everyone who sees the son and everyone who believes in Him May may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day you see the heart of God is revealed in passages like these the heart of God is revealed in a John 3:16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that's why we reject hyper Calvinism and this idea that it's only going to be a handful of people that meerly enter into that New Jerusalem the Bible tells us it's a great multitude that no man can number from every tribe from every tongue from every people from every nation whether you be young or old black or white whatever your particular race or ethnicity or whatever we're calling it today whatever your gender if you are a sinner and you look to Jesus you will be saved you will have everlasting life and on that day of judgment Jesus will raise you up to everlasting life in the presence of God most high if ever there was an AR argument for you to turn from your sins and to look onto the Lord Jesus Christ it's right here and notice I'm not suggesting you have to be able to answer quiz at the end of this sermon to give me all of the strategies that the church has employed to protect the Divinity of our savior and the humanity not going to do that you need to look and live just as Moses lifted up the serpent so must the son of man be lifted up remember that wonderful scene in numbers they're bit by these fiery serpents they're dying and Moses gets the instruction to craft this Brazen serpent lifted up into the Wilderness what was the what was the the the the the specific response to that drag yourself over to that Brazen Serpent and kiss the base suck this the the venom out of your wound before you look to that it was look and live why does Jesus use that analogy there in John 3 and then go on to say for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life do do you think Jesus is telling you you don't have to drag yourself over first you don't have to suck the venom out of your own wound first but rather that you look and live that's precisely what he's teaching that's precisely what he's telling that is precisely the heart of our blessed God in terms of the Salvation of needy sinners so never get in your mind well you know I'm a sinner and I'm convinced of that but I'm not sure that God's in this business of saving God is completely in the business of saving ask anybody here saved they will tell you I was lost but now I'm found I was dead but now I live I was lost but now I I I am marching Heavenly or heavenward because of his grace wonderful beautiful statement from our Lord so I think that's the connection going back to John 14 specifically that latter clause for my father is greater than I the technical terminology of predicating or saying something According To Jesus Humanity or Divinity but that is true of the one person it's called partitive exog Jesus now exog Jesus you've all heard that language if you look back right now and you don't have to the exit sign the ex ex on that word means out of exag Jesus simply means to come to the Bible and take out of the Bible what the Holy Spirit intended the idea of EX Jesus or the idea of biblical interpretation is not reading our lives in there oh well I want it to say this I'd like it to say this no ex Jesus means to lead out of the text what the Holy Spirit intended partitive just refers to making statements According To Jesus Humanity or According To Jesus Divinity so the problem with rejecting this is that you're going to end up in a whole world of hurt when it comes to try and explain how in this Divine and infinite being there are three subsisten the Father the word or Son and the Holy Spirit each having the whole Divine Essence yet the essence undivided you're going to be in a very difficult straight to not uh uh if you don't employ what we call you don't even have to remember this language partitive exegesis I would suggest just this is a failure to reckon with our confession which accurately summarizes scripture in chapter 8 paragraph 7 in the first part it says Christ in the work of mediation acts according to both Natures by each nature doing that which is proper to itself so when Jesus says the father is greater than I it's not speaking according to his divinity because each has the whole Divine Essence and yet the essence undivided he must be speaking according to his Humanity wherein he assumes our Humanity he lives for us he dies for us and he's raised again for us so this failure to reckon with second London Confession 87 and the Bible specifically and the history of the Christian Church particularly means a rejection of partitive EX of Jesus and there's other places where this comes to Great aid for the people of God remember the all of that discourse when Jesus pronounces or announces rather the coming destruction upon Jerusalem in ad70 what does Jesus say in Mark's account in Chapter 13 at verse 32 he says but of that day and hour no one knows not even the angels in Heaven nor the son but only the father huh how do we deal with nor of the son well the church has always said that he's speaking there according to his Humanity obviously not according to his divinity because there's nothing outside of the knowledge of God and then as well we if rather we Embrace a rejection of partitive exog Jesus it shows ignorance of the Apostle Paul doing partitive exag Jesus turn to the book of Philippians in Philippians chapter 2 Philippians chapter 2 predicating or saying something true of the one person of Christ according to either one of his Natures this is PARTA of EX aesus Scott Swain as you're turning there simply says part of of EX aesus refers to the practice of ascribing both Divine and human natur's actions and sufferings from scriptural accounts of jesus' life to a single personal subject the second person of the Trinity so that Jesus bleeds that Jesus hungers that Jesus thirsts that Jesus sleeps are all true according to his Humanity that Jesus forgives sin that Jesus receives worship that Jesus Bears the title the word of God that Jesus is the the second person of the Trinity ascribes to his divinity so notice what Paul does in Philippians 2 specifically at verse 5 it's interesting because this is kind of an exemplary text well it is in other words we're not told a lot in the Bible though we are are to be like Jesus now hear me I'm not saying we're not supposed to be like Jesus because what's the converse be like Satan no I I'm not saying that but what happened in the early part of the 20th century is that some people started teaching that salvation was by imitation if we just go out and live the jesus' way then we'll be saved we just follow his example we knuckle under we we pull up our bootstraps and we turn the other cheek and we go that extra mile and we exemplify what the Savior taught there on The Sermon on the Mount then then we'll be saved the the emphasis on the coming of our Lord Jesus in terms of the Incarnation specifically with reference to his death is on sacrifice we don't need imitation we need blood atonement we need propitiation we need reconciliation we need Redemption the Apostle speaks to this in 1 Corinthians 1 he says the the Jews seek after signs and the Greeks they seek after wisdom but we preach Christ and him what crucified so I'd say that the accent falls upon the the sacrificial nature of Christ life death and Resurrection but with reference to some passages that teach us Christian ethics yeah it's there and this happens to be one of them and the way that the Apostle argues shows us that theology matters we need to understand who Christ is or else the illustration or else the example doesn't work so let's pick up in verse one therefore if there is any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any Fellowship of the spirit if any affection and mercy fulfill my Joy by being like-minded having the same love being of one Accord of one mind let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit but in loneliness of Mind Let each other let each esteem others better than himself let each of you look out not only for his own interest but also for the interests of others now notice in verse 5 let let this M be in you which was also in Christ Jesus in other words do what I'm telling you in verses 1 to 4 terms of a paradigm or an example for you to follow it's Jesus in verses 5 to 11 and I think the Apostle is underscoring that if you really want to see humility if you really want to see loneliness in operation if you got an axe to grind against a brother because he didn't smile at you on Sunday take it to the Lord Jesus and reflect upon his his movement I don't mean in terms of local motion I'm talking about the terms of of Assumption of our Humanity so notice in verse six who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation taking the form of a bond servant that's partitive ex of Jesus the one who is in the form of God took to himself the form of a bond servant the one person person with two Natures the Divine word who takes to himself our Humanity with all the essential properties and all the common infirmities thereof you've got to see the contrast who being in the form of God he came and and took upon himself the form of a bonder servant so Paul can we predicate of the one Christ things unique to the form of God yes things like the Forgiveness of sins accepting worship bearing titles of divinity can we predicate of the form of the one who took on the form of a bonder servant things unique to humanity yeah like walk uh uh like like eating like drinking like Sorrowing like crying like bleeding like dying so when Augustine in his book on the Trinity starts to use this convention he didn't pull it out of a hat he didn't say you know I'm going to foist upon the Christian World subsequent to my own time this doctrine of the Trinity that's only bound to confuse and confuse and disturb everybody that ever contemplates it that's all what he's doing he does that contrast in the form of God in the form of a man according to his Humanity according to his divinity to jettison this strategy to get rid of this tactic to get rid of this bit of hermeneutics is to drive the trinitarian car right off the road into the valley below I'm not kidding this is bad and to say or toite write it off well you know that's just the easy way out it's the biblical way out and the church reflecting on the biblical way out has given us these wonderful insights and once again I'll remind you we should listen to the church that went before us they don't speak with the same Authority as the Divine scripture but they by God's grace are the ones who When Jesus ascended on high and led captivity captive he gave gifts to men and what did those men do they preached they wrote they composed Creeds and confessions and they set up guard rails all along that winding road so that we in the 21st century wouldn't get a little bit up the way and then drive off the road like the morons that we are we need those guard rails we need those helps we need those hermeneutical helps so that we do not go off the road and I would suggest that this would involve among many heresies I'm just going to suggest the big one aryanism I don't mean you know guys with schwas and shaved heads aryanism is uh named after the heretic Aras and Aras denied that Jesus was true God I just heard a a podcast recently in the fellow was talking about the nyine Creed and how it almost sounds redundant you know we believe in the the son who is uh God from God light from light true God from true God begotten uh be uh begotten not made one and being with the father isn't that redundant very God of very God and then true God of true God no Aras would have said very God a very God because for Aras Jesus was a little G God think back to the Witnesses on the other side of the road they they don't have a problem affirming that Jesus is a God Aras didn't have a problem with saying that Jesus is a God but true God from true God no Aras ain't going there neither was the heretic Charles ta Russell or his followers they hide behind passages like these and say well Jesus says the father's greater and a lot of Christians say I don't really know how to answer that Brethren you better know how to answer that or you're going to get your clock cleaned on Yale Road out in front of Uptown Grill how shameful sorry we need to go back to go forward so with aryanism as far as he's concerned the little G God Jesus doesn't know what the big G God knows the the son of man statement in Mark 13:32 the son doesn't know the day or the hour as well only the Big G God has this comp comprehensive understanding and so therefore the Big G God is is greater than the little G God that's heresy it's polytheism deposit a God and a little God I don't know how you evade the concept of polytheism at that point but it's it's horrible and it's been foed upon the church throughout our ages and the church has fought back we need to maintain trinitarian Orthodoxy we need to be able to confess again not with absolute knowledge because it's tough probably a new walk in the park for some in terms of partitive EX of Jesus according to his Humanity according to his divinity as I've said many times stick with it keep learning keep listening keep showing up I hope that it will come become clearer but we need to be able to say with our confession concerning the hypostatic union the natures the two uh two Natures in the one Christ so that two whole perfect and distinct Natures were inseparably joined together in one person person without conversion composition or confusion which person is very God and very man yet one Christ the only mediator between God and Men well we're going to stop in terms of exposition there I got a bit of a cold don't want to throw the voice out too much for tonight just a couple of Thoughts by way of conclusion at this point the first is that we ought to bask in the glory that is the Son of God in the beginning was was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the word became flesh and dwelt Among Us and John there writing in the plural pronoun dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth and we're not present with John in that first century we're not walking those streets of Israel with with Jesus we're not watching him heal people we're not watching him raise the Dead we're not watching him on the Mount of transfiguration peel as it were his Humanity back so we could see glorious Divinity shine forth we're not watching him say to the paralytic son your your sins are forgiven you but can't we behold his glory in the pages of the Bible don't we behold his glory in the Salter by way of type by way of prophetic Announcement by way of anticipation when we sing these Psalms they're the songs of Jesus he is the subject matter of the entire alter he's the subject matter of the law the prophets the whole kitten Kaboodle of Old Testament the focus of the whole is upon Christ when it comes to this savior let us say with John though not physically present in the first century let us say with John every time we read our Bibles every time we come to sermons every time we fellowship with the Saints every time we come under the sound of the the glory of the Gospel we beheld his glory the glory as of of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth have we not found that to be the case what saves wretched Sinners Like Us a little bit of moral reform a little bit of help from on high no it's the grace and the truth that comes to us through our Blessed Redeemer I would suggest secondly we ought to stand in awe that he didn't leave us as orphans he says that back preceding in our chapter notice verse 17 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 as or uh I will not leave you orphans I will come to you well how does Jesus come to us in the sending of the holy spirit in verse 26 Jesus dwells in our hearts through faith according to the Apostle Paul in Philippians chapter 3 this isn't the little weird sinners prayer thing where Jesus is standing outside of a door and there's no handle because he's waiting for you to knock on it and let him into your heart that's not what we're talking about the reality is is that through the spirit Christ dwells in the hearts of Believers by faith such that we're not alone such that we will not be orphans such that wherever we go we have the sure promise I will never leave you nor forsake you so then not only that on the heels of that and I think there's probably priority I'll send the spirit and then peace peace Breen this world in many ways is out to try and steal your peace turn on the news at any moment of any day and what is it calculated to do to destroy your peace to see you troubled in heart I actually and this is my right-wing wack job Nut Job Theory I actually think they want to divide the body politic because then the government comes and is the Savior for all of us miscreants that can't handle life together with one another but that's another story they're in the process of ripping from us any degree of Peace whatsoever see for Jesus and this disciple group in the upper room it was crucial that these men may remain stable that these men when they went to the Jewish synagogues and demonstrated and reason from the scripture that Jesus was the Christ when they be brought up before the Civil government when they be imprisoned when they be executed when they be martyred Jesus didn't want erratic men confused men chaotic men men who couldn't compose themselves so what does Jesus do he provides the Holy Spirit and he provides to them his peace that peace is what is there to protect our hearts from being troubled and that peace is there so that we will not fear Christ the only begotten Son of God took on our Humanity lived for us us died for us was raised again for us so that we can have everlasting life and in John 10 he says I come that they may have life but that they have it what more abundantly not pulling your hair out every time you look at the news not not thinking oh this is whatever the mess is Christ is King a ruler over the kings of the earth does that ever encourage you it does me I mean when you look back in the Old Testament and you see you know some of the the the the wretches that governed Israel specifically Northern tribe wretches it's great to know they were wretches unleashes it's great to know that whatever happens in our day the Lord Christ is at the right hand of the father he ever lives to make intercession for us he is our Advocate with the father but he also rules and Reigns and he must do so until all of his enemies are made his foot stol so the Blessed Son of God convey to us the spirit of God and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you for your word we thank you so very much for the Lord Jesus Christ and what he took uh to himself for us we bless you for the gospel of our Salvation we pray for the proclamation of that gospel to go throughout the Earth conquering and to conquer we pray that from every tribe every tongue every people every nation Sinners would be called out of Darkness into Marvelous Light confessing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ go with us and help us to to Proclaim these things help us to think clearly biblically concerning Christian doctrine and may we just stand in awe that in this one living and true God there exists eternally Father Son and Holy Spirit and we pray in Jesus name amen well you can turn with me in your hym books to number 568 as we close our service singing doc oology in praise to our Triune God we'll stand together 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 thank you for your word thank you for this day that we can gather together to worship you go with us now may we know your peace may we know your blessing may we know your presence in our lives and we pray this through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation e e e e for