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e e e e e e e e e e e e good morning everyone welcome to Free Grace Baptist church for our morning worship service we have a number of announcements to go through I'll go through them briefly you've probably noticed the little table at the back a bunch of people are gathered around it earlier there's five cards there going to the five children that our church is sponsored in Guatemala for Christmas cards so everyone that can if you haven't already signed your name uh sign those cards just there as a greeting from us to them uh then there's also uh the church directory can um whim wants to update that in December so if you have any changes your email address your phone numbers or anything like that or if you're not in the church directory from last year make sure you contact whim you can send those uh by email to media free.cc in the face conference this coming year the registration is open whim tells me already and some people already signed up a number of already signed up that's in April that um confessing the faith conference will happen here again in chillak in at the end of April so if you want to register that you can get all the details and dates and everything from confessing theith doca uh our evening service is at 5:00 pm Cam's going to be preaching cam portable will be preaching this evening we also have a luncheon this afternoon so right after between the services right after the morning service is our fellowship lunch and please stay even if you are visiting haven't come prepared that's fine join in the fellowship next Sunday will be the baptism of Shannon malar we're looking forward to that and I believe that's it those are the announcements so we're going to turn now to worship by turning to Psalm 100 Psalm 100 for our call to worship a Psalm of Thanksgiving Make a Joyful Shout to the Lord all you lands serve the Lord with gladness come before his presence with singing know that the Lord he is God it is he who has made us and not we ourselves we are his people and the Sheep of his pasture enter into his gates with Thanksgiving and into his courts with praise be thankful to him and bless his name for the Lord is good his Mercy is Everlasting and his truth endures to all generations amen for our first hymn we're going to sing number 209 in the Himel 209 please stand with me as we sing Oh Splendor of God's glory bright of Glory Mighty Eternal bringing oh light of spring to [Music] all [Music] son and for the the Holy Spirit on all we you to to you our PR [Music] glor for [Music] a our to the and our hearts [Music] We heart and the and all the true oh joyful be the passing with us as as [Music] morning my shining bright our soul sh by the [Music] glory our for the god father the Father the [Music] Son may be seated let's turn to the Lord in prayer our gracious and merciful Heavenly Father we give you thanks that we have this opportunity Unity to gather again as your people on this your day we thank you for this place that you have afforded us where we can come in out of the weather where we can enjoy each other's company and and friendship and above all where we can meet with our God we thank you that you have promised that where two or three are gathered in your name you are there in their midst we thank you that you walk amongst the lampstands in your church and we pray oh God that you would be very present in our midst this day as we sing and as we pray and as the word is preached we pray oh God that the Holy Spirit would do his work in our hearts we thank you for each and every one that is has been brought out sovereignly by your spirit this day and God if there are those amongst us who have not yet tasted and seen that the Lord is good have not yet embraced the truth have not yet been brought out of Darkness into Marvelous Light may this be the day of salvation Lord we pray the same for our sister churches and church plants we pray that You' bless the brethren in Su today bless Pastor Kirkpatrick as he ministers the word there encourage that congregation build them up in their Most Holy Faith bless the congregation up in Armstrong we thank you for the work that you're doing in the north Okanagan we pray that your the light of your gospel would spread throughout that Valley and use them in a mighty way there Lord we pray for the workout in Ontario in Ryden as well pray that you'd give Dan and Josh much wisdom much confidence as they move forward Lord we pray that you would cause that group to grow not only in number but in maturity and Lord we pray that the would we would see a solid Church established in that city of dren Lord we thank you for sister churches all across this land of Canada we thank you for churches here in chilak where the gospel will be preached this day we pray your blessing would rest upon each and every one of those Ministers of the Gospel we pray as well for the conference coming up next year seems like a long ways off and yet we know those months will fly by we pray oh God that you would bring many out again and that we would see much good done through the the Gathering of your people together on Common Ground we thank you for the the sister churches in the association we pray oh God that you would continue to add to our number we pray that there would be a a good work done throughout this nation of Canada and around the world we pray this morning as well for our sisters and brothers in churches where they're being persecuted in countries far from here Lord we pray that you be merciful be merciful to your church in the land of China in North Korea in parts of Indonesia and in in the Middle East Lord wherever your people are this day suffering for the cause of the Gospel perhaps in hiding and even those that are in prison be merciful to your people and encourage them this day we thank you that you continue to to build your church we thank you that though we do not always Escape difficulties you are there with us and this is a t tremendous Comfort to your people Lord we pray that You' be merciful to this nation of Canada to our political leaders and Lord we pray for above all for a Revival in your church and an Awakening on the streets of our nation we ask these things for your honor and your glory amen we're now going to turn to Psalm uh Suter in the Sal to 104a 104a and we'll just be singing the last four stanzas so stanza 8 through 11 and please stand with me as we sing 104a as in Alpha are your wers why you have made them all Earth is full of all your creatures the great here's the SE with life and [Music] M is where theing sh my your to you waiting the you your your open when you find your trouble bless to down when you your spirit youate them and re the the glory of the Lord eternally the GL in all his mighty words and glorious he the his whole creation Earth to shake him fear he makes all the mountain tremble so of fire I will the Lord my God all my all my my for I in the Lord all s be let the be no bless the Lord my soul praise him my soul and praise the Lord [Music] may be seated for our morning scripture reading we're in Mark chapter 10 and we will continue where we left off last week so picking up in verse 23 of Mark chapter 10 and we'll read through to the end of the chapter it's a bit of a longer portion Mark 10:23 then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples how hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God and his disciples were astonished at his words but Jesus answered again and said to them children how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God and they were greatly astonished saying among themselves who then can be saved but Jesus looked at them and said with men it is impossible but not with God for With God all things are possible then Peter began to say to him see we have left all and followed you so Jesus answered and said assuredly I say to you there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake in the gospels who shall not receive a h hundredfold now in this time houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the age to come eternal life but many who are the first will be last and the last first now when now they were on the road going up to Jerusalem and Jesus was going before them and they were amazed and as they followed they were afraid then he took the twel aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to him behold we are going up to Jerusalem and the son of man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes and they will condemn him to death and deliver him to the Gentiles and they will mock him and Scourge him and spit on him and kill him and the third day he will rise again then James and John the sons of Zebedee came to him saying teacher we want you to do for us whatever we ask and he said to them what do you want me to do do for you they said to him grant us that we may sit one on your right hand and the other on your left in your glory but Jesus said to them you do not know what you ask are you able to drink the cup that I drink and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with they said to him we are able so Jesus said to them you will indeed drink the cup that I drink and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give but it is for those for whom it is prepared and when the 10 heard of it they began to be greatly displeased with James and John but Jesus called them to himself and said to them you know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles Lord it over them and their great ones exercise authority over them yet it shall not be so among you but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant and whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all for even the son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many now they came to Jericho as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great multitude blind bartmus the son of tus Sat by the road begging and when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth Nazareth he began to cry out and say say Jesus Son of David have mercy on me then many warned him to be quiet but he cried out all the more son of David have mercy on me so Jesus Stood Still and commanded him to be called then they called the blind man saying to him be of good cheer rise he is calling you and throwing aside His Garment he rose and came to Jesus so Jesus answered and said to him what do you want me to do for you the blind man said to him raboni that I may receive my sight then Jesus said to him go your way your faith has made you well and immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road amen let's take just a a brief look at the center section of this portion beginning at verse 32 get the picture there's 13 men on a road traveling towards Jerusalem 13 of them and one is out front setting the pace a good Pace obviously determined to get to his destination the others are dragging their feet 12 coming on behind are shaking in their boots and it tells us that those 12 they were amazed Jesus obviously is the one out front and Jesus is setting the pace he's determined to get to Jerusalem they're not excited about getting to Jerusalem because they know that when they were there last it didn't go well Jesus is heading into a Den of Lions his worst enemies are in Jerusalem and they're not just thugs on the street they're the most powerful people in Israel they are the political and religious leaders that are dead head against Jesus so the disciples are amazed because Jesus has no hesitation Jesus has set his sights for Jerusalem and he is going and they've just got to follow they're not only amazed but they're afraid as it says as they followed they were afraid they were afraid of what was going to happen there to Jesus and what would possibly happen to them they probably knew that the 70 leaders of the Sanhedrin were not just nice religious people but in they were in fact thugs they were were uh ruthless they could have you excommunicated put out of your synagogue barred from the temple they could cut off your relations with your family and your business associates they could have you thrown in jail and they could even make sure that you were eliminated which is what they're afraid of so they are afraid now Jesus reassures them does he sugarcoat it and say don't worry boys everything's going to be all right just follow me trust me no problems ahead no listen to what he says behold we are going up to Jerusalem and the son of man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes and they will condemn him to death and deliver him to the Gentiles and they will mock him and Scourge him and spit on him and kill him he doesn't paid a Ros Rosy picture at all Jesus tells him exactly what's going to happen because Jesus knows exactly down to the detail that they're even going to spit on him he knows it all and he tells them exactly what's going to happen it's not an encouraging picture until we get to that last line and the third day he will rise again now they wouldn't have known exactly what that meant they still didn't understand the whole concept of the crucifixion and the substitution and and what Christ was doing nor of this resurrection and they don't ask him they're too scared to ask him they tuck it away though Jesus gives him that seed of Hope which is the hope of the Gospel we all know that we need forgiveness we all know that we need to uh to have a substitute in our place we know that without what Christ did on the cross we're not going to heaven no man will go to heaven without what Christ did on the cross but Paul tells us without the resurrection we're hopeless in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 he says if Christ is not risen then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty he goes on to say if Christ is not risen then your faith is futile you are still in your sins look how important the resurrection actually is to us and then Paul goes on to say but now Christ is risen from the dead so this little seed of hope that Christ plants in their heart and the third day he will rise again doesn't make any comments on that he doesn't expand it he just plants it so that after the crucifixion during those three days until the resurrection they're going to be thinking well everything he said came to pass they scourged him they spit on him they crucified him but what about this Rising again the third day what does that mean and of course they will find out because that is the hope that Christ left them and leaves us we look back on the resurrection as a as a wonderful thing that took place but is all also still to take place in our future because be because of Christ being the first fruits and the fact that he rose from the dead we have the hope that we too will rise from the dead let's pray gracious Father in heaven we thank you for Christ's work on our behalf and we thank you for what he did on behalf of his disciples to give them this this hope this knowledge that he would rise from the dead and we thank you oh God that after he ascended into heaven and they preached they preached as Witnesses of his death and his resurrection that indeed he did rise from the dead and thank you that we can have firm a firm confidence in their testimony we pray oh God that you would continue with us as we worship and as the word is preached may it hit its Mark in our hearts we pray in Jesus name amen for our final hymn we're going to sing number 213 in the Himel 213 and please stand with me again as we sing together glor to Father glory to the son glory be to the spirit God Almighty we in one hallelujah hallelujah glory be to him glory to us us from all S and S Glory Be to us us with to R hallelu hallelu praise the glory to the king of angels glory to the churches King Glory to the the nation and your prises Hallelujah hallelu to the king of glor sing glor blessing PR [Music] etern of Angel s honor glory Godin BL his gra creation prise hallelu hallelu PR mighty well please turn with me in your Bibles to John's gospel John chapter 16 as we work our way through the fourth gospel we are presently in the upper room with Jesus and his disciples prior to his death resurrection and Ascension on high and here he is equipping his Saints his Apostles as they go into the then Known World to preach the gospel to make disciples of all the nations and to plant churches and he does so by way of encouragement he does so by way of exhortation he does so by way of disclosure he tells them there's going to be suffering there's going to be hardship there's going to be persecution he also does so by disclosing who God is namely the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit It's a Wonderful section of Holy Scripture that encourages the Saints of Christ with reference to beholding their God even their TR God the Father the Son and the spirit so our Focus this morning will be verses 12 to 15 but I want to begin reading in verse one John chapter 16 these things I have spoken to you that you should not be made to stumble they will put you out of the synagogues yes the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God's service and these things they will do to you because they have not known the father nor me but these things I have told you that when the time comes you may remember that I told you of them and these things I did not say to you at the beginning because I was with you but now I go away to him who sent me and none of you asks me where are you going but because I have said these things to you sorrow has filled your heart nevertheless I tell you the truth it is to your advantage that I go away for if I do not go away the helper will not come to you but if I depart I will send him to you and when he has come he will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of Judgment of sin because they do not believe in me of righteousness because I go to my father and you see me no more of judgment because the ruler of this world is judged I still have many things to say to you but you cannot bear them now however when he the spirit of Truth has come he will guide you into all Truth for he will not speak on his own authority but whatever he hears he will speak and he will tell you things to come he will glorify y me for he will take of what is mine and declare it to you all things that the father has are mine therefore I said that he will take of mine and declare it to you amen well let us pray Our Father in Heaven thank you for this Holy Ground that we find in the upper room discourse we thank you for the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ for the ministry of the holy spirit that Spirit of truth that comes to help the Saints of Christ in this present evil Age We rely always always Upon Our Father Son and Holy Spirit the living and the true God so guide us now direct us as we consider this passage of scripture may you fit us for service in your kingdom may you help us to shine as lights in this crooked and perverse generation and give us the boldness and the courage to hold forth your word of Truth and we thank you God for your many mercies to us in the gospel of our salvation for that forgiveness of sins and that righteousness that avails with you even the righteousness of Jesus Christ Christ Our Lord forgive us cleanse us now in his Precious Blood we pray in jesus' name amen well as I said as we move through the upper room discourse one of the ways that Jesus encourages the disciples is by teaching them about God as Ferguson says when the world is about to crumble in upon these men Jesus instructs them concerning the nature of the living and true God because ultimately that's what we need ultimately it's the understanding of who God is in fact Jesus in the prayer that follows after the upper room discourse he defines eternal life according to the knowledge of God this is eternal life that they may Know Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent so it's the knowledge of god father son and spirit that Jesus imparts to the disciples if you've not been with us from the beginning in our studies in John's gospel remember that John uh not that the other gospel writers don't but John specifically shows us something about Theology and then about the economy and what I mean by that theology is the study of or the doctrine of or the the the things concerning God specifically and in theology we often refer to theology as referring to God as he is in himself if there had never been a creation God is the fact that there is a creation God is creation hasn't added to God creation hasn't taken away from God God simply is and so we need to consider who God is in himself and John as I said discloses that from the outset in his gospel in fact in John 1:1 he says in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God and then he tells us who that word is in John 1:14 he tells us the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of uh uh uh full of goodness and Truth or Grace and Truth and so then what we see in in following that after that disclosure of who God is in himself in John 1:29 John the Baptist sets Eyes Upon Jesus and says Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world so theology in this context is God in himself economy refers to what God does in in creation the fact that he creates is part of economy the fact that he governs and sustains is economy but specifically it's the reference to Salvation the Redemptive work of Jesus Christ in and amongst his people for their life and salvation so as we move into this section in the upper room we see more disclosure from the Lord concerning the Holy Spirit and again if you have not been with us it's going to be a little bit tricky at some point but I just want to give a good preface here or a bit of introduction by way of review is that also when we talk about the persons of the godhead the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit we make a distinction between what we call the Eternal processions and again Eternal processions is what is true of God in himself the father is unbegotten the son is begotten by the father and the spirit proceeds from the father and the son this is eternal it's not like there was a point in time where there was the father and then came the son and then comes the Holy Spirit no from Everlasting to Everlasting God is eternal without beginning Without End God the Father unbegotten God the son begotten by the father and the spirit proceeding from the father and the son so that's what I mean when I refer to Eternal processions then we've got something called temporal missions and temporal as the word suggests is not Eternal temporal happens in time and in time the father sends the son who takes on our Humanity in time the son sends the spirit who blesses and empowers the church for her Mission and Ministry in this present world so that's what I mean by Eternal processions that's what happens in God in himself but then the temporal missions reveal to us something true about those Eternal processions now if you're not thoroughly confused just stick with me no just kidding but the bottom line is Jesus is is as it were letting us in he's letting us peer behind the curtain to see what is true of God in himself and what is true of God in himself is revealed in these temporal missions and so it's not a disclosure or it's not a it's not a hiding things from the Saints of Christ rather Jesus is letting us in and so as we are let into this particular passage I want to underscore that we saw how this passage worked last time notice in verse 7 Jesus says I tell you the truth it is to your advantage that I go away a bit of a difficult statement as Mark our brother read at the in the scripture reading they were afraid to go to Jerusalem when Jesus your Lord says I'm going to go there I'm going to be crucified I'm going to be I'm I'm going to be tried I'm going to be crucified if you're his Compadres you're probably thinking wait a minute we don't a want to see that happen to him but B we certainly don't want that to happen to us as well well in this particular context some of which I read in verses 1 to 4 but it connects back to 1518 and following Jesus says the world is going to hate you if they hate the master they're going to hate the servant and so for Jesus now in verse 7 to say it's to your advantage that I go away I'm sure that caused them a bit of concern what do you mean it's to your advantage that that you go away You're our protector you're our Master you're our Lord You're our savior as we approach enemy territory V unbelieving Israel we need you and we need your help so Jesus says it's to your advantage that I go away and he explains why he says that in verse 7 for if I do not go away the helper will not come to you but if I depart I will send him to to you so the Lord promises the sending of the Holy Spirit I think the reference primarily is to the day of Pentecost that we see in the book of Acts so Jesus says it's to your advantage then he speaks concerning the spirit's conviction of the world in verses 8 to 11 the spirit will by the word the spirit will by the preaching of the Apostles the spirit will by the preaching of the church subsequent to the apostles do do these things verse 8 and when he has come he will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of Judgment of sin because they do not believe in me of righteousness because I go to my father and you see me no more of judgment because the ruler of this world is judged so the spirit's testimony with reference to Christ has a has a a focus to convict the world of these things but then in verses 12- 15 he says the spirit has a Ministry to you the apostles to the church the church subsequent to the first century the the spirit is the helper the spirit is the teacher the spirit is the guide who leads you into all truth so Jesus continues to amplify why this is to their advantage that he goes away so I want to look first at the instruction of the Lord in verse 12 and then secondly the ministry of the spirit in verses 13 to 15 the Min uh the the instruction of the Lord in verse 12 he simply says I still have many things to say to you but you cannot bear them now now that's seems to be a bit different than what he says in 15:15 notice in 15:15 no longer do I call you servants for a servant does not know what is Master is doing but have called you friends for all things that I have heard from my father I have made known to you he's not contradicting himself he's not lying he had disclosed from the father to the disciples the specifics concerning who God is the specifics concerning the way of Salvation justification by faith alone there's other things to be disclosed Ed in the apostolic writing Church politic place of Elders and deacons in the context of the church how women are supposed to function in the context of the church the Jew Gentile situation and in the book of uh Ephesians that Paul deals with at at length in chapters 2 and three there are other things that the spirit is going to reveal to the apostles but Jesus rightly concludes you're not able to Bear them right now why because he just spoke of their persecution he just spoke of the unbelieving Jews opposition to that he just spoke concerning the fact that the Jews would put them out of the synagogue and that they would kill them thinking they were doing service to God he then goes on to say it's to your advantage that I depart I go away I'm no longer with you presently Jesus is a wise teacher he understands the capacities of The Limited capacities of his disciples he says I have other things to speak to you concerning but you can't not bear them right now so what is he saying he goes on to explain in verses 13 to 15 under the Ministry of the spirit that the many things will in fact be communicated to them it will happen as a result of the helper sent by the son from the right hand of the father to bless en courage and strengthen the church to bless these Apostles so that they can take the gospel into the then Known World to turn it upside down for King Jesus and then to take pen to paper under the inspiration of that spirit and write the New Testament documents so Jesus says there's other things that you need to hear that are even outside of who God is how we get saved and those particulars but you're not able to handle it right now praise God for the kindness and the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ by the end of this sermon you're going to be saying I wish he would have followed Jesus uh teaching and advice in that particular instance because he's given us way too much now let's look at the ministry of the spirit in verses 13 to 15 this is the bulk of the uh uh the sermon first we see the temporal mission of the spirit in 138 the authority of the spirit in 133b and then the Declaration of the spirit in 14 and 15 again if we ask the question how is it that God is one and God is three he's one in essence or substance he's three in person as our confession says in this Divine and infinite being there are three substances or persons so the argument concerning or the doctrine of the Trinity is not that is one in one sense and three in the same sense that would be a contradiction the doctrine of the Trinity teaches one living and true God who exists eternally as Father Son and Holy Spirit and typically we think like this well I don't understand that exactly cuz we're not Divine we're not Creator we're not God but does the bible teach it that's the question and if the Bible teaches it the church confesses it and the church Embraces it and the church Delights in it and that Doctrine is the foundation for our comfortable dependence upon this living and true God and so again Jesus lets us in note the temporal mission of the spirit in 13A however so verse 12 I still have many things to say to you but you cannot bear them now however when he the spirit of Truth has come he will guide you into all truth it shouldn't surprise us that the spirit is referred to here as helper he's already referred to him as helper in John 14 in veres 16 and 17 he's referred to him as helper in verse 26 as well he has given us more information in 1526 and 27 about the spirit whom Jesus sends and that he's called the spirit of Truth shouldn't surprise us either remember Jesus statement in John 14:6 I am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the father except through me so it makes sense that the spirit sent by Jesus who is the truth is n naturally the spirit of Truth we have this as well in Romans chapter 8 the way that Paul navigates between the spirit of God and the spirit of Christ shows us the doctrine of the Trinity one living and true God who exists eternally as Father Son and Holy Spirit Romans 8:9 but you are not in the flesh but in the spirit if indeed the spirit of God dwells in you now if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ he is not his and if Christ is in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of righteousness but if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwell in you now that's in and of itself kind of a tricky passage I think all of Romans 67 and 8 is some pretty dense theological labor on the part of the Apostle but this synonymous use of spirit of Christ spirit of God how could Paul do that if the doctrine of the Trinity wasn't true he can do that by virtue of the unity of the divine nature and the distinction of the persons father Son and Holy Spirit and so what Jesus says here is however when he the spirit of Truth has come he will guide you into all truth the coming is on the day of Pentecost as we've covered before this does not mean that there was no Spirit brooding over Creation in Genesis 1 this does not mean that the spirit didn't speak by the prophets in the Old Testament this does not mean that you couldn't grieve the spirit in the Old Testament this does not mean that David was speaking out of order when he says take not thine Holy Spirit from me the spirit is present in the Old Testament but the spirit's Mission the temporal mission is most gloriously seen on the day of Pentecost when the ascended Christ from the right hand of the father poured out this which you now see and hear it was a testimony that God had made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ it was the Fulfillment of Joel's prophecy it was to empower and enable the church to take the message of Jesus Jus and to turn the world upside down that's the sending of which Jesus is speaking in terms of the temporal Mission and it reflects the Eternal procession the spirit proceeds from the father and the son we see that concretely in the temporal mission of the spirit sent by the father and the son and if we ask the question what's his work notice that Jesus tells us in verse 13 however when he the spirit of Truth has come he will guide you into all truth look back at 1426 1426 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 all things is biblical and Theological Truth All Things isn't chemistry Auto Repair Refrigeration as important as those things are the all things that the helper brings to the apostles are the things concerning Jesus his gospel and his Doctrine that's the all things Thomas says just as the effect of the mission of the son was to lead us to the father so the effect of the mission of the holy spirit is to lead the faithful to the son the son comes according to 1118 to declare the father notice now that the spirit comes from the father and the son to declare Jesus so what you see in terms of Eternal procession no one is seen God at any time but the only begotten son who is in the bosom of the father has declared him got that Eternal procession the eternally begotten son in the bosom of the father declares the father in the temporal Mission the son sends the Holy Spirit and what is the spirit's task or function or work it's to shine the light upon the sun it's to declare the sun in fact Jesus says that in 14 and 15 very conspicuously the task of the spirit is to declare the son just like the task of the son is to declare the father it's a beautiful expression of what we have sort of codified in the Creeds and confessions of the church that we call the doctrine of the Trinity man didn't formulate this man didn't invent this man didn't set this up man sees or God has given man to see the scriptures to execute them properly and to realize that in this Divine and infinite being there are three persons the Father the word of Son and the Holy Spirit each having the whole Divine Essence yet the essence undivided how do we distinguish those persons the father is unbegotten the son is begotten by the father and the spirit proceeds from the father and the son Brethren if there's an emphasis that I've had in this section of John and the entirety of John is that we would know something of John 17:3 that this is eternal life that they may Know Thee the only true God in Jesus Christ whom thou has sent I realize there's a lot of Christian instruction out there that emphasizes principles on how to be a better you and it's not all bad I'm not saying it's all bad in fact I preach those kinds of sermons typically on Sunday night I don't call them that but how to be a better you not in the Benny hin way not in the Joel OE way gleam of teeth here um but the the imperatives in the Epistles typically Sunday night is more practical in nature how do we function as men how do we function as women how do we function as husbands and wives how do we function in the context of the church that's all very important information but so is that they may Know Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent and if Jesus is going to peel back the curtain for us and let us peer in and see God Father Son and Holy Spirit as he is in himself and as he has revealed himself in the temporal missions I think it's a good thing for us to peer back together because once we get more of the knowledge of God the being a better me or a better you becomes alog together more doable because we understand the grace the glory the magesty the Excellence the power the sustaining enablement of God most high we understand the power of the Cross and Redemption through the son of his love we understand the glory of the Gospel the Triune God saving us from our sins and not in some wave of the wand sort of a me ISM but by the second person of the Trinity taking our Humanity to himself and living for us dying for us being raised again for us if that doesn't evoke gratitude praise adoration and a desire to follow the lamb wherever he bids us to go I'm not quite sure what motivation there is this is everything in our Christian religion there's du goody all over the place outside of the Christian Church there are pagans and there are cultists and there are Heathen that can teach you how to be a better you pay your taxes work hard get up on time eat properly but our distinction is that we serve the living and true God our distinction is that we confess Jesus as the way the truth and the life that no one will ever get to the father except through him the distinction is is that we preach blood atonement Mark mentions substitution the idea there is that when Christ went to that cross he didn't simply go there as an example to teach us how to love he went there to take the wrath of God that was due for us it is substitutionary penal atonement the way that those sacrificial animals functioned in the Old Testament when the worshipper brought that lamb out of his flock handed it over of the priest cut its throat they divided it up they put it up on the Altar and they presented it as a sweet smelling sacrifice to the Lord do you think that was all just you know kind of a religious ritual the lamb that was cut was the representative and the substitute for The Sinner that offered it this is why Jesus is called the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world he stood in our place the word who became flesh the one who was in the beginning with God the one who is God nevertheless left that H that that that place of divine glory and took on us took on our Humanity with all the essential properties all the common infirmities yet without sin Brethren if Jesus is going to let us peer behind that Veil we need to peer behind that Veil so notice he goes on to indicate what the spirit does so 14 26 he will teach you all things about Jesus notice here in 16:13 however when he when he the spirit of Truth has come he will guide you into all truth again not Refrigeration or auto mechanics you're not going to magically learn how to speak Japanese he's talking about the knowledge of Jesus who Jesus brings the knowledge of the father yet not three Gods one God infinite Divine being that exists eternally as father Son and Holy Spirit so the spirit will guide you into all truth this is Pentecost this is remember Dr barcelos lectures at the last conference this was when the light switch went on you know Mark and pointed that out they they're they're not real sure about going to this Jerusalem thing they're not you know gungho 100% on in fact in the parallel in Matthew 16 Peter gets right in jesus' face and says forbid it Lord you're not going to Jerusalem to be crucified you're not going to Jerusalem to die that's not going to happen of course Jesus says Get Behind Me Satan you're not thinking about God's things you're thinking about man's things you're thinking about your Earthly Comfort you're not seeing the Divine Purpose and plan of almighty God so when it comes to the reality of Pentecost it's the Divine light switch flip when the spirit comes that's it just like the Apostle Paul Paul on the road to Damascus as one trained under a rabbi of The Prestige of Gamel Paul knew the Old Testament Brethren Paul knew that Old Testament a whole lot better than probably all the church together collectively knows it but what was missing for Paul that key interpretative reality Jesus right what wasn't that what happened on the road to Damascus Who Who Are You Lord I am Jesus whom you are persecuting what do you think happens to Saul of Tarsus at that moment when he's converted oh oh it makes sense see in his rage and in his enmity and in his dead spiritual State he saw Jesus the Nazareth or the Nazarene and he saw the the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ as a threat Saul was a John 161 to4 man he was a John 161 to4 man he was all too happy to put you out of the synagogue he was all too happy to kill you and think that he did service to God but when Christ comes on that road to Damascus when that uh switch is flipped when Saul of Tarsus now sees that the the way to interpret the entirety of the Old Testament is through Jesus what does he immediately do he immediately goes into the synagogues and he preaches Jesus as the Christ see Brethren the holy spirit is alive and well this testifies that Christ enthroned at the right hand of the father is actually keeping and fulfilling his promises here in the upper room he's illumining Minds he's illumining Hearts he's he's effectually calling Sinners unto himself I've said it before and I'll say it again the charismatics and the Pentecostals think that you know if you don't believe in you know on the spot sort of healings and if you don't believe in sort of on the spot prophesyings and if you don't believe in sort of on the spot tongu speaking you deny the power of the Holy Spirit Brethren the spirit regenerates dead Sinners the spirit awakens dead men under the preaching of the Gospel we are not denying the power of the spirit we are not Den denying his his omnipotence his glory his majesty to take a dead Sinner and give him newness of life in Jesus Christ that I would submit far exceeds even the physical healings that are glorious I think there's an example of that Matthew's gospel Matthew chapter 9 that paralytic couldn't get in the brothers or the friends wanted to get him in to hear the Lord Jesus Christ and what do they do they open up the roof and they lower the man down Jesus looks at the man he says son your sins are forgiven of course the Pharisees and the scribes they're all me who does he think he is forgiving sin only God can forgive sin so Jesus speaks specifically to that wh which is easier to say to the paralytic take up your bed and walk or your sins are forgiven you you ever thought through that if you're in our chch you have because I've asked you to think through it it's easier to say your sins are forgiven right I don't know there's no switch on there's no now Halo on the heads of those who have been forgiven it's easier to say that what does Jesus then go on to say but that you may know that the son of man has power on Earth to forgive sins he tells the paralytic take up your bed and walk Brethren there's everything wonderful about that paralytic being able to walk again but there's everything even more wonderful about that paralytic being justified freely by God's grace by having his sins forgiven and receiving that righteousness that avails with God there's a problem bigger than paralysis and Jesus shows by a healing of the paralysis that the problem of sin is in his wheelhouse as well Brethren the spirit is alive the spirit is a well the spirit is glorious notice then he speaks of the authority of the spirit in a way that may seem like he's not fulfilling or he's not saying the same sorts of things that I am saying notice what he says at the end of verse 13 for he will not speak on his own authority but whatever he hears he will speak and he will tell you things to come he will not speak on his own authority sounds like he's an underling sounds like he's a subordinate sounds like he's an inferior sounds like there's some gradation going on we've got the father and then the son and then the spirit not just in terms of order or taxes but in terms of superiority Supremacy and and and inferiority kind of sounds that way but if you've been paying attention to ma uh John's gospel you'll note that that's the way that Jesus refers to himself when he speaks the word in fact look at John 7 uh John 7 John 7 looking at a few passages 16 to 18 Jesus answered them and said my Doctrine is not mine but his who sent me if anyone Wills to do his will he shall know concerning the doctrine whether it is from God or whether I speak on my own authority he who speaks from himself seeks his own Glory but he who speaks or seeks the glory of the one who sent him is true and no unrighteousness is in him turn to John 8 John 8 verse 26 I have many things to say and to judge concerning you but he who sent me is true and I speak to the world those things which I heard from him far from teaching any inferiority or superiority among the persons of the godhead he is stressing their equality he is stressing what we call consubstantiality that means one in being with the spirit is not extraneous to the Son and the father with some other emphases or some other doctrines there is one knowledge there is one truth communicated by the three Divine persons not because of superiority or inferiority but because each has the whole Divine Essence look at verse 28 John 8 when you lift up the son of man then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing of myself but as my father taught me I speak these things things and then again verse 47 he who is of God hears God's words therefore you do not hear because you are not of God closer to our context look at chapter 14 chapter 14 specifically at verse 10 chapter 14:10 do you not believe that I am in the father and the father in me if this was Sunday school I would ask the question and hope for the answer what is Jesus talking about here talking about peric Caris that means the mutual indwelling of the persons by virtue of the the the unity of the divine nature it is the case that the father is in the son it is the case that the son is in the father and that's what the son says 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 see the similar language that is used by the son of the son with reference to the father he's using that language of the spirit with reference to the son as well look at 15:15 we already saw that 15:15 at the end for all things that I heard from my father I have made known to you so when Jesus says he will not speak on his own authority he is not denigrating the spirit he is not subjugating the spirit he is not not suggesting the inferiority of the spirit John Gil says as Christ the son spoke not of himself in opposition to the father so the spirit speaks not of himself in opposition to the father or the son but in perfect agreement with both that's his point the helper that I send he's not going to speak on his own authority as if he's somehow in opposition to the father and the son but he speaks exactly what he has heard and when that language is used what he is heard it's it's for our benefit the Son and the spirit don't learn from the Father the way that we learn from our father they know all things always ever present but he speaks to us in a way that we can get our minds wrapped around Gil goes on to say being as of the same nature and Essence power and Glory so of the same mind understanding and will that's what he's saying there's no inferiority on the part of the spirit the spirit hears and speaks those things that he receives from the father and the son the emphasis is on the distinction of the persons and the unity of the divine nature that's what the emphasis is and as well the emphasis is on that consubstantiality of the spirit the one in being with the father and the son and then no notice but whatever he hears he will speak he hears or Knows by virtue of that one in beingness with the father and the son listen to sirel he says furthermore the Savior says this not so that we may think that the holy spirit is an underling that's where I got the word as some ignorantly suppose now Brethren when sirel was doing theology those who ignorantly opposed they didn't just get blocked on Facebook oh somebody blocked me today you know when the Cals of the earth walk the earth you know how they dealt with opposers of trinitarian Truth oh I don't know Exile all right pack up get out new Judas go live out in the desert until you repent that's how they used to do theology you said something that offended me that that that that didn't even that wasn't even a category I I love the story it's most likely apocryphal but St Nicholas slapping hilarious at the Council of NAA I see it in my mind's eye that's what you get now not please I can see it already he said we should go slap Jehovah's Witnesses I didn't say that I'm simply saying that theology mattered it wasn't just blocking a friend or getting upset because they offended me listen to serel furthermore the Savior says this not so that we may think that the holy spirit is an underling as some ignorantly suppose but rather he wants to assure the disciples that his spirit will speak and act and will nothing other than he would according to the principle of consubstantiality why are these things important so that we can maintain the doctrine of the one living and true God who exists eternally as Father Son and Holy Spirit there's no tests this morning there's going to be no quiz I'm not going to ask you to Define consubstantiality I suspect it will take a few passes through these doctrines getting this language understanding how the church has employed it for the protection of what God's word has taught before it comes to the place you go oh yeah I get it and I see why it's important on the one hand we got to fight Arians and the arens want to subjugate Jesus they want to say there was a time when when the sun was not we also got to fight against sabellians those people who sort of say that God was the father and then he became the son and now he's the spirit which by the way Arians and sabellians live on in this present world we call them Jehovah's Witnesses and we call them oness Pentecostals and I'm sure there's a whole lot of others that would identify as either Aryan in their theology or as sabellian in their theology there's no new thing under the sun old heresy just gets re hatched every every few years and now with the internet oh yeah this guy said this on the internet and it sure made sense okay but 20 centuries of Christ teachers that have given you the truth a good exposition of God's word that they didn't make sense oh no this guy you know he's in his mom's basement and that's kind of odd but but boy he's got it all figured out okay give me the cills the auses the Augustines the Thomas says give me the reformers the Charo the Owens give me the Spurgeon give me the turrittin I'm not saying they're all always right but I'm saying that Christ ascended on high he led captivity captive and he gave gifts to men some of them were called Calvin some of them were called van mastri some of them were called verigi some of them were called Augusta those gifts by God's grace and the spirit who will guide you into all truth wrote and preached and taught for the benefit of the church as a confessional church we ought to amen that H hundredfold because we subscribe the second London Confession of faith we don't see it as the infallible word of God we don't see it given by inspiration of God but we see it as a wonderful summary statement of those things most surely believed Among Us a clear articulation of gospel truth and you know what those brothers did in the 17th century when they wanted to talk about the Trinity they went back to the earlier centuries what did NAA say okay let's use that when they get to chapter 8 of Christ the mediator and explaining the hypostatic union the one person two natures and and in paragraph two do you think they said well I think we're going to just forge a new road here no let's go to celedon because they already said it why would we reinvent the wheel Brethren the Lord Jesus is telling us that 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 the way of Distinction the way of uh of seeing the distinction between the persons is through th those relations of origin the father is unbegotten the son is begotten by the father and the father uh and the spirit proceeds from the father and the son well let's let's finish this look at the Declaration of the spirit in verses 14 and 15 he will glor GI ify me interestingly he will glorify me it's a function of the spirit interestingly that's a function of the son with reference to the Father the Son comes to do what to glorify the father interestingly as well the Father glorifies the Son yet not three glories not a competition for more Glory one Glory given to this Divine and infinite being who exists eternally as Father Son and Holy Spirit so the son says that the spirit will glorify me the son says that the son glorifies the Father the Son says that the Father glorifies the Son the father if we just extrapolate speaking in the prophet Isaiah says I will share my glory with no one Isaiah 428 and Isaiah 48 11 that's yahweh's mind with reference to sharing his glory with a creature but that the three persons of the Trinity glorify one another makes perfect sense because this is the living and true God that deserves all glory all honor all praise the athanasian Creed says that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in unity neither blending their persons nor dividing their Essence for the person of the father is a distinct person the person of the son is another and that of the Holy Spirit still another but the Divinity of the Father Son and Holy Spirit is one their Glory equal their Majesty co-eternal that really is what Jesus is teaching wait a minute that seems like quite the imposition is it have I imposed anything on this text Jesus talks about the sending of the Spirit by the son he speaks of to the sending of the Spirit by the father and the son he speaks of the spirit's task or function in leading the disciples into all truth truth about Jesus and in so doing he brings glory to Jesus this Divine and infinite being exists eternally as Father Son and Holy Spirit notice the manner in which he does this he will glorify me for he will take of what is mine and declare it to you again you should hear the backdrop of jesus' own statements about taking from the father and declaring it to you and the relation that the spirit Bears to the father and the son so look at verse 15 all things that the father has our mind therefore I said that he the spirit will take of mine which Jesus got from the father and declare it to you and I don't think it's accidental this the the words aren't exact but the concept or the theme is exact no one has seen God at any time John 1:18 but the only begotten son who is in the bosom of the father has what he has declared him what's the spirit do he takes of mine and he declares me Jesus is telling the disciples the power the advantage the protection that they will have as they minister in the then known world as they take pen to paper and write the New Testament documents but he's also teaching them to behold your god father Son and Holy Spirit one living and true God equal in substance in power and in glory that's what Jesus encourages his his church with in their time of Crisis and difficulty we confess with NAA I believe in the Holy Spirit the Lord and Giver of Life who proceeds from the father and the son who with the father and the son together is worshiped and glorified who spoke by the prophets well Brethren hopefully we at least can peer a little bit if again all the concepts aren't readily available or inate stick with it there's no better pursuit in terms of learning sure Refrigeration is good I'm sure auto mechanics I'd love to know auto mechanics I blame my father he should have taught me better actually I don't that was a joke you can laugh but those are good skills but what is that skill that is bestest for life and death it's the knowledge of the Holy One it's an understanding of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit it's getting the Mind wrapped around the glory of the Incarnation the son assumed our Humanity so he could live in a sin cursed world so he could sorrow so he could suffer so that he could bleed so that he could die for us men and for our Salvation Brethren always got the Glorious Gospel of our blessed God to encourage to build you up and to see you through to the very end there is no greater knowledge than who God is and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent and if you're not a Believer look to this Jesus I I think that John 1:1 and John 1114 illustrate exemplify demonstrate and then is somewhat capped off by John 3:16 to just show us something of that great love of God God so loved the world John 3:16 let's just say it God so loved the world that's nice it's like a husband I just love you and then you just don't say anything or do anything or look at your wife again really you you love me cuz you know you're kind of a Jer God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son he gave that is beautiful language not because they deserved because they earned it's all of Grace he so loved the world that he gave and I don't think the emphasis on the so loving the world is on because the world was loving or lovely I think it's because the world is a mess God so loved the world the the the SE there amplifies the grace not the goodness of the world he so loved it that he gave his only begotten son that whoever whoever that has to include whoever here believes in him shall have everlasting life that is good news that is Gospel that is the promise of our blessed God so believe and have everlasting life well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you very much for your word we thank you for this wonderful Revelation concerning the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit that our Lord seems to emphasize so much in this Upper Room to build up his disciples to encourage them to strengthen them for the battles that they would face we thank you that this is for us in the church today we pray that you would help us to grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior and may you be glorified in all of this and we we pray in Jesus name amen well let us close our service by standing and singing the doxology page 568 568 we'll stand as we sing [Music] together all blessings Lord praise him all me Praise Him prise Father Son and Holy Ghost [Music] I'll read the benediction and then I'll pray and ask God's blessing upon the food and then after a brief time of meditation everybody can sort of head upstairs and there is food and fellowship waiting there so 2 Corinthians 13:14 the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all amen Our Father in Heaven thank you for your revealed word thank you for the Incarnate Word the Lord Jesus Christ and thank you for the ministry of the Holy Spirit to the church even now we thank you as well for the food that you provide temporally the good physical blessings that you load us with daily we don't take these for granted we acknowledge you in the giving of the of Our Daily Bread so bless us now strengthen us as we eat and drink and may it be for your glory for your honor and for your praise and we ask in Jesus name amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation and then head upstairs