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you one it's good to be in the house of our god on this lord's day just one announcement though tonight will be the lord's supper that service begins at 5 p.m well for our call to worship you can turn in your bibles to the prophet isaiah isaiah chapter 11. isaiah 11 will read verses 1 to 10. isaiah 11 beginning in verse 1 there shall come forth a rod from the stem of jesse and the branch shall grow out of his roots the spirit of the lord shall rest upon him the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the lord his delight is in the fear of the lord and he shall not judge by the sight of his eyes nor decide by the hearing of his ears but with righteousness he shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked righteousness shall be the belt of his loins and faithfulness the belt of his waist the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb the leopard shall lie down with the young goat the calf and the young lion and the fatling together and a little child shall lead them the cow and the bear shall graze their young ones shall lie down together and the lion shall eat straw like the ox the nursing child shall play by the cobras hole and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the lord as the waters cover the sea and in that day there shall be a root of jesse who shall stand as a banner to the people for the gentiles shall seek him and his resting place shall be glorious amen will please take your hymn books and turn to psalm 27. psalm 27 a as in alpha will stand as we sing together uh foreign me oh foreign foreign foreign see is great me so foreign yes well just a brief update mrs van sheak did return home last night they wanted to keep her two or three days at the hospital but she declined and is now at home resting and hopefully the medication will help her so let us pray we'll remember her and certainly other things connected to our church our god most high it is with grateful hearts that we come before a great and glorious god the god who is from everlasting to everlasting the god who made this world the god who governs it and the god who redeems his people from their sins we give praise to you father son and holy spirit for your great and glorious grace that you have displayed to us and as the psalmist says as he expresses in that psalm the desire of his heart to be in the house of god almighty what a blessed thing that you meet with your people what a glorious thing that we can come to the father through the mediation of the son and the power of the holy spirit such that god would be all in all in this place we ask that you would promote in our hearts a right reverence and to respect for your majesty and for your glory as well god mingle it with thanksgiving and with joy for certainly as we consider your works as we consider in particular the work of redemption the glorious truth that christ jesus came into this world sinners to save our hearts are drawn out in worship and praise and adoration we know lord god that we are not accepted because of our good works we're not accepted because of anything in us but it's all because of what christ has wrought in his life his death and his resurrection paul summarizes this well he says because jesus was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised for our justification we give glory to you for this great salvation and as we sing and as we pray and as we consider holy scripture may we indeed worship you in spirit and in truth as well our father we pray that many would be conquered by sovereign grace today both in this place and throughout this earth we know that your heart is inclined to the salvation of sinners when we turn to the book of revelation we see that there's a great multitude there that no man can number from every tribe and tongue and people and nation and even the prophet isaiah there in chapter 11 as he's rehearsing the ministry of the messiah speaks concerning gentile inclusion in the promises of god so lord we know that the gospel is the power of god unto salvation for everyone who believes to the jew first and also to the greek we know that in that gospel the righteousness of god is revealed from faith to faith and we know the constant refrain of scripture is that the just shall live by faith so god bless the proclamation of your truth we pray for sinners here that you would open their eyes and their hearts to the reality of their state before thrice holy god as well may they hear of christ that lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world and may they by grace believe on him and know the joy of being found in him and know the joy of the forgiveness of sins and for all of us god as we come here this morning as those conquered by sovereign grace as those washed in the precious blood of the lord jesus christ as those with the righteousness of another imputed to us we confess our transgression and our lack of conformity to your law we ask for forgiveness and for cleansing in that precious blood and we pray that your spirit would be at work in our hearts and in our minds that he would further conform us under the image of the lord jesus that as we leave this place we would shine as lights in this crooked and perverse generation and that we would have the courage and the boldness to hold forth your word of truth and god that is our genuine desire and plea we know that man is estranged from a holy god we know that man's problem in this generation isn't finance it isn't politics it isn't uh the the pandemic their problem is is they've sinned against a thrice holy god and deserve your wrath and your curse both in this life and that which is to come so for all of the churches in this land we pray that ministers would cry aloud that they would spare not that they would lift up their voices like trumpets and proclaim the salvation of god almighty through our lord jesus christ bless other churches in our community and may you cause them to know progress not in numbers specifically but spiritually may there be additions by grace to their memberships because of the power of the christian message we pray that for the entirety of this country that your word would run swiftly and be glorified god as we survey this country with the various ways that the government has overreached the various ways the government continues to endorse murder violation of the sixth word in terms of abortion and euthanasia it grieves our hearts but we know that the answer is your gospel so god unleash it send it forth powerfully may it go forth conquering and to conquer running swiftly and being glorified as well our father we pray for those in high places of civil government we ask that you would give them wisdom the apostle paul tells us we're to pray for them so that we may lead peaceable and quiet lives and that is precisely what we desire to be left unaffected through these days so that we can gather in worship we pray and cry out to you there'd be no more church closures there'd be no more prohibitions against meeting together as the people of god that we could exercise that freedom of religion that that our our our our documents secure for us god if not we pray for restraint solomon speaks of the king's heart being in the hand of yahweh and you turn it the way that you wish so god be merciful to your church be merciful to image bearers throughout this country and grant us the ability to glorify and honor you we ask for your blessing as well to be upon the church in surrey thank you for their faithfulness and thank you for pastor mike and may you continue to bless that local work and cause them to continue to thrive and flourish under the grace of the gospel bless our brother ryan as he's in vernon today god we are anticipating and we are looking forward to what you will do in that region and god we pray for the saints there we pray for our brother that you would cause all things to work together for good and that if it is your will that there would be a faithful church planted and that there would be a beachhead to preach the gospel of the saving grace of our lord jesus christ in that community as well our god we pray for your blessing to be upon the situation in other countries we see what goes on in china and in north korea in the muslim world we see as well the ongoing chaos in myanmar and we just pray to you god that in your wrath you would remember mercy you would bring stability in order that you would cause there to be a flourishing of the gospel of jesus christ your son in these places you would protect your suffering saints that you would protect the persecuted church and continue to grant them the courage to never back down to continue to own faith in the lord lord jesus christ come what may and god closer to home we pray for your blessing upon our dear mrs van sheikh we just commit her to you and to the word of your grace we pray that you would watch over her we know that this has been a a tough several months in terms of the loss of her husband and in terms of physical challenges and difficulties but god we rejoice that she knows the lord jesus christ we rejoice at the nearness of god is her good and in that vein we pray for our dear sister bev as well she would continue to watch over and encourage her look with favor upon the new felds and the fabers and others in our midst that have ongoing physical challenges and bless the dear sisters who are pregnant we thank you for the gift of the of children we pray for your continued blessing upon the little ones and the young people in this congregation and we pray that in their youth they would look unto the lord jesus christ and know the joy of being found in him and we ask these things in his most blessed name and we pray in jesus name amen well you can turn with me again in your hymn books to psalm 47 a 47 a as in alpha we'll stand as we sing together so me so so yes [Music] so we could turn with me in your bibles to galatians chapter 6. galatians 6 as we finish paul's letter to the churches of southern galatia most likely his first letter he had written this after the first missionary journey after the fifth first missionary journey certain men went to the various churches that had been founded on that missionary journey and they had commented they had said it was good for the people there to have believed the gospel concerning jesus but they also needed to take on the rights of circumcision and calendar observance in other words they needed to be jews along with faith in christ and so the apostle underscores emphasizes and highlights that it's justification by faith alone it's not faith plus works it's not faith plus a little help or supplement on our part but it's justification by faith alone so i'll read beginning in galatians 6 at verse 1. brethren if a man is overtaken in any trespass you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness considering yourself lest you also be tempted bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of christ for if anyone thinks himself to be something when he is nothing he deceives himself but let each one examine his own work and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another for each one shall bear his own load let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches do not be deceived god is not mocked for whatever a man sows that he will also reap for he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption but he who sows to the spirit will of the spirit reap everlasting life and let us not grow weary while doing good for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart therefore as we have opportunity let us do good to all especially to those who are of the household of faith see with what large letters i have written to you with my own hand as many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh these would compel you to be circumcised only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of christ for not even those who are circumcised keep the law but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh but god forbid that i should boast except in the cross of our lord jesus christ by whom the world has been crucified to me and i to the world for in christ jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything but a new creation and as many as walk according to this rule peace and mercy be upon them and upon the israel of god from now on let no one trouble me for i bear in my body the marks of our of the lord jesus brethren the grace of our lord jesus christ be with your spirit amen well just a couple of observations as paul concludes this particular chapter in the first place notice in verse 11 he says see with what large letters i have written to you with my own hand most likely he had an eye sight problem back in chapter four he says that when he first visited they had received him as an angel of god and that if possible they'd have taken their own eyes and had given him to paul so paul wasn't this 8 foot tall bulletproof theology machine he was a real man flesh and blood that god used in a tremendous and most powerful way as well notice the emphasis in terms of the apostle with reference to the gospel he says on the one hand the judaizers want to boast in your flesh most likely brethren and i don't want to sound crass it was in the number of foreskins that they had been able to to arrive at in terms of convincing these gentiles to become circumcised so they want to boast in the flesh but then in verse 14 says but god forbid that i should boast except in the cross of our lord jesus christ by whom the world has been crucified to me and i to the world it is a most blessed expression of his dependence upon the gospel of our lord jesus and the rationale behind it is verse 15. for in christ jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything but a new creation again he's addressing this error called judaizing that taught that circumcision was a religious obligation that one needed to take on in order to be accepted by god brethren if we believe for a moment that we're accepted by god by our own works or in our own strength then we have nullified the grace of the gospel that's what paul says in galatians 2 21 i do not set apart the grace of god for if righteousness comes through the god through the law then christ died in vain and paul will have no part of that paul says emphatically over and over again it's justification by faith alone one more piece of evidence is found in verse 16. notice and as many as walk according to this rule peace and mercy be upon them and upon the israel of god he's writing to primarily gentile churches how can he include them as the israel of god because according to the bible jesus is supremely the israel of god what adam failed to do jesus did what israel failed to do jesus did so that those by grace who are in jesus christ through faith are the sons and daughters of abraham they are the israel of god so this gentile inclusion shows or underscores or indicates once again justification is by faith alone and then the final observation is verse 17. it's very practical paul says from now on let no one trouble me for i bear in my body the marks of the lord jesus what does he mean by that the physical sufferings that he had received relative to his proclamation of the truth he speaks of this in second corinthians chapter 11. he had been whipped he had been beaten he had been treated scornfully he had been delivered up to the civil government and so he says in this instance from now on not let no one trouble me for i bear in my body the brand marks of jesus in other words i am a true servant of the lord jesus christ and it's evident if i were to take off my outer garment at the church picnic and walk into the lake you would see what he means there in galatians 6 at verse 17. so for the judaizers no opposition no persecution because as far as man is concerned it makes sense works in order to get to god okay but when a man comes preaching grace when a man comes celebrating christ when a man comes deep valuating man's achievements and abilities he then becomes the object of persecution and that's what paul indicates here in galatians 6 17. well let us pray our father we thank you for this wonderful letter to the galatians and god we thank you for all of the all of the scripture so we were reminded in the last hour it's all given by inspiration of god it's profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction and for instruction in righteousness that the man of god may be thoroughly furnished unto every good work help us to see the bible in that light and help us to receive it happily and help us to be students of it and to be searchers out of holy scripture and we ask this in jesus name amen well you can turn again with me in your hymn books to number 286 286 will stand as we sing together i oh oh foreign is foreign well you can turn in your bibles to john's gospel where in john chapter 1. john chapter 1. i'll begin reading in verse 1. in the beginning was the word and the word was with god and the word was god he was in the beginning with god all things were made through him and without him nothing was made that was made in him was life and the life was the light of men and the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it there was a man sent from god whose name was john this man came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all through him might believe he was not that light but was sent to bear witness of that light that was the true light which gives light to every man coming into the world he was in the world and the world was made through him and the world did not know him he came to his own and his own did not receive him but as many as received him to them he gave the right to become children of god to those who believe in his name those who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of god and 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 grace and truth john bore witness of him and cried out saying this was he of whom i said he who comes after me is preferred before me for he was before me and of his fullness we have all received and grace for grace for the law was given through moses but grace and truth came through jesus christ no one has seen god at any time the only begotten son who is in the bosom of the father he has declared him now this is the testimony of john when the jews sent priests and levites from jerusalem to ask him who are you he confessed and did not deny but confessed i am not the christ and they asked him what then are you elijah he said i am not are you the prophet and he answered no then they said to him who are you that we may give an answer to those who sent us what do you say about yourself he said i am the voice of one crying in the wilderness make straight the way of the lord as the prophet isaiah said now those who were sent were from the pharisees and they asked him saying why then do you baptize if you are not the christ nor elijah nor the prophet john answered them saying i baptize with water but there stands one among you whom you do not know it is he who coming after me is preferred before me whose sandal strap i am not worthy to lose these things were done in bethabara beyond the jordan where john was baptizing the next day john saw jesus coming toward him and said behold the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world this is he of whom i said after me comes a man who is preferred before me for he was before me i did not know him but that he should be revealed to israel therefore i came baptizing with water and john bore witness saying i saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove and he remained upon him i did not know him but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me upon whom you see the spirit descending and remaining on him this is he who baptizes with the holy spirit and i have seen and testified that this is the son of god amen let us pray our father thank you for the written word and thank you for this wonderful statement this wonderful and glorious declaration by john the apostle and john the baptist concerning the dignity of the son of god we know that he is most high most glorious most wondrous and we know it was him who came into this world sinners to save help us now as we consider this passage to see him as altogether lovely and his chief among ten thousand help us to worship help us to praise and to glorify and again forgive us for all sin and everything that darkens our understanding and fill each one of us now with your spirit and we pray through jesus christ our lord amen so the prologue is john the apostle statement concerning jesus it goes behind the scene it goes instead of starting with what jesus did it goes to who jesus is and it stresses jesus relationship to the father verse 1 jesus the word is co-eternal with the father jesus the word is distinct from the father and jesus the word is consubstantial with the father that means he's of one being of one substance with so before john the apostle gets to the work of the savior he starts with theology he wants us to understand something of who god is before he begins to express to us what god does and then beginning in chapter 1 at verse 19 he turned specifically to the testimony of john the baptist and we have that in verses 19 to 34. the first time we looked at that testimony we looked at verses 19 to 27. i'm sorry verse put my glasses on verse 28 and then last week we looked specifically at verse 29 because in many respects verse 29 is a summary statement of the entire bible behold the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world that is a good summation of what scripture teaches from genesis to revelation so it seemed good to dwell on that well this morning we're going to we're going to take up verses 30 to 34. so we have john's testimony in two broader sections in verses 19 to 27 he is disputing with the religious leaders or rather a delegation that has come from the religious leaders jesus is absent at that point according to verse 29 the next day john saw jesus coming toward him and said behold the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world so now he's testifying directly to those who are out in the wilderness who are listening to john's preaching witnessing his ministry being baptized by him and of course jesus is now on the scene so john identifies him in this wonderful way so he highlights first the declaration of his mission verse 29 and then secondly the dignity of his person and that's where we're going to spend our time this morning the dignity of his person and if you're following brethren you will see that this is repetitious in the prologue john the baptist testimony is already highlighted or alluded to what's john's testimony christ is supreme in the first part of his testimony we already see him again say christ is supreme as we come to this section of the testimony that's the same message repetition is good because it drives home the point and especially when that point concerns the one who the bride describes as altogether lovely and as chief among ten thousand it does us well to consider not only the nature of his mission but the dignity of his person who is it that saved us from our sins who is it that became flesh and dwelt among us who is it that lived for us that suffered and died for us and was raised again for us both john the apostle and john the baptist know that when the people of god get glimpses of this then they worship god as they ought they approach god with the joy and the gratitude and the thankfulness that is fitting for such a glorious salvation so let's look at what the baptist declares concerning the person or the dignity of christ person in the first place there is strictly a declaration verses 30 and 31 and then secondly explains himself in verses 32 to 34. but notice he again underscores the preeminence of the savior in verse 30. so after announcing the the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world he says this is he of whom i said after me comes a man who is preferred before me for he was before me again a recurring emphasis on the part of the baptist you didn't hear about him you didn't hear about his wife you didn't hear about his kids you didn't hear about his date night you didn't hear about all his personal anecdotes you didn't hear his whole autobiography what you heard in the preaching of john the baptist was the supremacy and the glory of jesus christ our lord several times as we've looked at this particular character of the biblical revelation i've tried to emphasize that what the church today needs is not more joke tellers it doesn't need more entertainers it certainly doesn't need any more wook people it needs preachers men that will declare christ must increase but i must decrease we are in troubled times not like china to be sure but we are certainly in troubled times and if the church does not arouse itself and understand that courage is necessary and understand that we're not in the business of entertainment we're not in the business of meeting men in their felt needs but we're in the business of declaring the supremacy and the sufficiency of jesus christ until the church gets that she'll continue to put up with woke preachers she'll continue to put up with chatty preachers she'll continue to put up with with guys with their lattes in their hand and their hand in the other pocket simply telling stories about how wonderful their lives are or how hot their wives are brethren that needs to stop we need men of the caliber of john the baptist men of the caliber of john knox who at his gravesite one testified that here lies a man who neither feared nor flattered the face of any man we see that with john the baptist he doesn't say with herod oh it's okay that you have your brother's wife it's okay because this is a time of sexual revolution it's okay that you just do whatever it is you want and however it is you you're led no the baptist gets in his face and says it is not lawful it ultimately proves to be a sermon that cost him his head but he doesn't shrink back from that and in the same instance notice his emphasis in verse 30 this is he this lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world this is he of whom i said after me comes a man who is preferred before me for he was before me john the baptist was six months older john the baptist was first in terms of redemptive history look back at verse 23 the voice of one crying in the wilderness makes straight the way of the lord so though john was older and though john had a place in redemptive history that predated jesus nevertheless notice what john says it says that after me comes a man who is preferred before me why for he was before me he has supreme dignity he has a superiority he is preferred before me or in the language of our margin says ranks higher than i or the esv has who ranks before me or the niv has her has surpassed me or the nasb captures it as has proved to be my superior why is that the case john the baptist because he was before me john the baptist is simply testifying what john the apostle already has in verses 1 and 18. in the beginning was the word and the word was with god and the word was god and no one has seen god at any time but the son or the only begotten son who is in the bosom of the father he has exegeted or he has declared him so john the baptist understands the preeminence of jesus and the dignity of jesus as it relates to the person of jesus he was before me i'm the one who comes to announce that we make straight the way of the lord john understood his place in redemptive history and he understood well that jesus was before me cyril of alexandria said after he had said he has come before me he necessarily adds because he was before me ascribing the most ancient glory to christ and maintaining that his superiority over all things did not accrue to him in time but is in him from the beginning since he is god by nature the baptist knew this in fact when we get to verse 34 again it's strictly parallel to what john the apostle says in verse 1. this is the son of god and practically when we ponder this when we focus upon this it is most amazing when it came to the salvation of people like you and my i god didn't hold back his best god sent the best we saw last week the demand of leviticus 22 the worshiper coming to tabernacle or temple must bring the best of his flock he simply doesn't have the prerogative to take the worst to take the mangias to take the lame to take the loser in the barnyard fights no he's supposed to bring the best because god demands and deserves the best so when it comes to god's provision for our salvation he sends the son of his love in the fullness of the times god sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law to redeem those under the law paul's speaking there of the dignity of the son again but he's also speaking concerning us to redeem those under the law that he has redeemed us that he has saved us that he has blessed us that he has begraced us that he has washed us that he has given us a righteousness brethren we ought not to be hard hardened or tired when we cut hard-hearted rather when we come to worship we ought not to just sort of mumble out the stanzas of the songs because that's some sort of religious requirement what was david's deal in psalm 122 when he said i was glad when they said unto me let us go to the house of the lord the worship of god is not drudgery the worship of god is not a hardship the worship of god is essential for god's glory and for the good of his creatures and it demands glad response on the part of those blood bought so brethren as we sing as we pray as we worship this blessed god let us do so in the conscious knowledge that christ jesus who was in the beginning with god who was god came down for us men and for our salvation notice john not only highlights the preeminence of the savior but he indicates his revelation to israel the revealing of him officially to israel in verse 31 i did not know him for he i'm sorry i did not know him but that he should be revealed to israel therefore i came baptizing with water now that's an intriguing statement when john the baptist says i did not know him now remember john the baptist as a babe leaped in the womb of his mother when mary who had the babe christ in her womb came to visit so we see that in luke 1 41. but after zacharias's sort of song and praise to god we learn in chapter 1 and luke's gospel at verse 80 that john went to live in the desert in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to israel and i think that's what he means when he says i did not know him now he knew something about him because in matthew 3 when jesus comes to be baptized by john john makes that statement are you coming to be baptized by me but again i'm not suggesting or i'm not i'm not thinking that he's lying here i did not know him he didn't know him as messiah it was at the baptism that that was brought home with power to our dear brother john the baptist so in this particular context jesus had already been baptized by john he is visiting again this site he is again visiting john the baptist and this group of people that are in the wilderness he's already been baptized so this is the baptist testimony concerning the purpose behind his baptism notice i did not know him but that he should be revealed to israel therefore i came baptizing with water again verse 23 the voice of one crying in the wilderness makes straight the way of the lord that was the purpose of john the baptist he wasn't a religious nut he wasn't somebody on the fringe of society he was a prophet ordained by god a man prophesied by god a man tasked with announcing not only the coming of the savior but also his arrival it's in that vein that jesus describes him in matthew 11 9 as more than a prophet he's not only a prophet concerning the coming of the son of man he's not only a prophet concerning his role prophesied in scripture but he's more than a prophet in that he's announced the arrival of the coming king of the messiah that would save his people from their sins and paul picks this up in acts 19. he says john the baptist indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance saying to the people that they should believe on him who would come after him that is on christ jesus if i were to ask you what kind of baptism did john the baptist baptize with and i said that five times i'm sure my tongue would be tied but if i were to ask you that you would say repentance what's this the opposite side of the coin of repentance it's faith it's not that john just said to everybody clean up your act make yourself worthy make yourself ready make yourself receptive and jesus will add his blessing to you no john pointed to jesus as the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world john's preaching was a preaching of what atonement john's preaching was one of acknowledgement concerning the old testament prophets john's preaching was cognitive of the fact of genesis 3 15. john's preaching was gospel preaching he wasn't preaching works he wasn't preaching fix yourself and jesus will accept you he was preaching that jesus in his grace and mercy has come to save his people from their sins believe on him repent from your sin and you will be saved so that's the emphasis in the baptist testimony now notice he explains this further remember that when we treat the doctrine of the person of christ we're dealing with someone unique john's prologue points that out remember the divinity of the word is stressed in verses one to three in the beginning was the word the word was with god and the word was god and then the incarnation of the word is highlighted in verses 14 to 18. so this one was in the beginning this one was with god this one who was god according to verse 14 became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth so what do we see in the one person of jesus christ we see two natures we see both divine and human we see that the word who was with god the word who was god took on our humanity without ever ceasing to be the word without ever ceasing to be god without ever stopping that blessedness of who he is and so as we survey john's sort of explanation now he points to this glorious person of christ and he does so by highlighting something of his humanity and something of his deity but before we get there look at what john says in verse 32. john bore witness saying i saw the spirit descending from heaven notice the language like a dove the spirit's not a dove the hypostatic union when the word became flesh and dwelt among us when he assumed our humanity with all the essential properties and the common infirmities thereof and yet without sin that is not what is happening in terms of the spirit descending like a duff there's no hypostatic union there it is symbolic it is expressive it is emblematic and john says as much so back to verse 32 john bore witness saying i saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove and he remained upon him now before we look at the significance of that let's compare it with matthew's gospel in terms of the significance of jesus baptism remember when john says to jesus why are you coming to be baptized by me again i did not know him as the messiah but i knew there was something about him and so i asked him why are you coming to be baptized by me well jesus response in verse 15 in matthew 3 jesus answered and said to him permit it to be so now for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness so on the one hand jesus does submit to water baptism as a great example for all of us who believe on him to submit to water baptism but there's something that transcends the exemplary in that and when jesus says what he says he is underscoring something of the nature of his mission yes he's going to die yes he's going to be chastised for our peace yes he's going to take on himself our sin our misery our depravity and the god of heaven and earth is going to punish him in our place but prior to that jesus is going to live for us jesus is going to fulfill all righteousness for us such that when by god's grace we believe on him we're not only forgiven but we're positively given a a righteousness wherein now we can enter into the presence of god it is most glorious it is most wondrous it is most awesome so some have interpreted the gospel for instance of john and said well there's no active imputation of christ's obedience every time in john's gospel jesus highlights that he does the will of his father remember he's doing that certainly for the father certainly for himself certainly in light of the covenant of redemption but he's doing it for us he obeys not so that we don't have to he obeys because we never did he obeys in order that we receive that righteousness in fact look at this emphasis in john's gospel in just a few places look at john 4 at verse 34 listen to the savior and think not only is he doing this god-wordly in terms of covenant of redemption but he's doing it for us men and for our salvation john 4 34 jesus said to them my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work john 5 30. john 5 30. i can of myself do nothing as i hear i judge and my judgment is righteous because i do not seek my own will but the will of the father who sent me john 6 38-40 for i have not come down from heaven i'm sorry i have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me 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 this is the 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 and then notice in 8 29 8 29 verse uh verse 29 and he who sent me is with me the father has not left me alone for i always do those things that please him can any of us with any degree of legitimacy say that at all even a tiny bit even the most barest form absolutely positively not yes we need the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world and yes we need the lamb of god who fulfills every jot and tittle of the father's law so that when sinners come believing on him they're not only washed clean from their sin but they receive the righteousness of christ that avails with god our acceptance is founded not in a little bit of jesus and a little bit of us are accepted is our acceptance is founded holy and alone in what men have called the active and passive obedience of our lord jesus christ by passive they mean his death at the cross that doesn't mean he wasn't participating passive is probably related to passion and refers to the sufferings and death the act of obedience is the life of the savior always doing the will of the father his will is or his meat is to do the will of the father he does that such that his righteousness can be and is imputed to us and received by faith alone so jesus answers for every need that we have this is why paul in ephesians 1 3 can say blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ who's blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in christ not some spiritual blessing our sin is such that we can't make it with some spiritual blessing if we don't have every spiritual blessing we end up in hell forever and ever john robbins makes this observation i think it's astute he says the righteousness of god is that which god himself provides when luther discovered this the reformation was born that is the good news that is the gospel the righteousness of jesus christ is both the demand of god and god's provision for his people as mentioned earlier i do not set aside the grace of god for if righteousness comes through the law then christ died in vain the righteousness doesn't come through the law it comes through faith in our lord jesus christ it is the the empty hand that god gives us to receive the manifold benefits accomplished by the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world so it's not that the act of obedience of christ is not on full display in john's gospel it most certainly is but going back to john the baptist testimony notice that verse 32 john bore witness saying i saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove and he remained upon him there's old testament background for this we already read one of the passages at the outset of worship isaiah 11 specifically verses one and two there shall come forth a rod from the stem of jesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots the spirit spirit of the lord shall rest upon him the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of counsel and might the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the lord see with reference to the prophecies concerning messiah the old testament prophets envisaged that messiah would receive the spirit without measure in fact in isaiah 42 1 behold my servant whom i uphold my elect one in whom my soul delights i have put my spirit upon him he will bring forth justice to the gentiles incidentally note the triad there in isaiah 42 1. yahweh is speaking concerning the messiah and the spirit will come upon him for those morons that tell you that there's no trinity in the old testament that's because they don't understand the old testament as well isaiah 61 1 the spirit of the lord god is upon me because the lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound again the triadic references the servant of yahweh is talking about yahweh himself and the spirit coming from yahweh upon him there is the trinity and the the old testament prophets are prophesied concerning the coming of the messiah that he would receive the spirit the language of one commentator his name is clink full and permanent possession of the spirit was taken to be the distinctive characteristic of the messiah the full uh full and permanent possession of the spirit was taken to be the distinctive characteristic of the messiah later on in john 3 34 john the baptist will say for he whom god has sent speaks the words of god for god does not give the spirit by measure so i think what john the baptist is highlighting here in verses 32 and 33 the provision for the messiah according to his humanity for the work of mediation now that may seem like a long sort of involved statement but i hope you follow what the baptist is pointing out is the furnishing of the spirit to the person of the messiah according to his humanity for the work of mediator mediator means he's the prophet he's the priest and he's the king our confession of faith summarizes it thus the lord jesus in his human nature thus united to the divine in the person of the son was sanctified and anointed with the holy spirit above measure having in him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in whom it pleased the father that all fullness should dwell to the end that being holy harmless undefiled and full of grace and truth he might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of mediator and surety which office he took not upon himself but was there unto called by his father who also put all power and judgment in his hand and gave him commandment to execute the same all that to say this if you are a little suspicious that the baptist has described this man's mission in two grand of terms understand that he's fit understand that he's suitable understand that he's equipped understand that everything he has to undertake for us men and for our salvation according to his humanity he will be above measure visited by the holy spirit of power in acts chapter 10 peter makes the same point with reference to cornelius how god anointed jesus of nazareth with the holy spirit and with power and again this isn't some what's called adoptionistic christology that this man jesus who happened to come from the land of nazareth was identified by god and it was here is set apart for the work that was given unto him that's not what's in view in the beginning was the word and the word was with god and the word was god 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 grace and truth and so this one uniquely equipped according to his divinity is uniquely equipped according to his humanity not two persons of christ one person what we call the hypostatic union now john doesn't end with this statement notice in verse 33 i did not know him again as messiah as the one that the prophets identified but he who sent me to baptize with water this is god said to me upon whom you see the spirit descending and remaining on him this is he who baptizes with the holy spirit in other words the baptist learned on that day when he baptized jesus christ that jesus christ was that one that was prophesied by the prophets such that when jesus comes now to him as he's surrounded by his companions he can point to him and say behold the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world but see the baptist doesn't end there he ends with a statement concerning the son's divinity not only is he fully truly man but he is truly god verse 34 and i have seen and testified that this is the son of god i think brethren we at times are guilty of reading things and forgetting to be thrilled we are guilty of reading things and forgetting to be thrilled we should be thrilled here that the son of god loved us and gave himself for us the son of god goes on this mission he comes to his own and his own receive him not the son of god takes on our humanity the son of god knows what it is to be hungry the son of god knows what it is to thirst the son of god certainly knows what it is to sorrow and the son of god knows what it is to die again it is god's word in terms of what we call the covenant of redemption but it's man word in terms of the covenant of grace god the son undertakes on behalf of guilty vile helpless sinners see paul makes this argument in romans 5 4 scarcely would somebody die for a righteous man i mean if somebody threw a grenade in the middle of this room would all of us just jump on that grenade i'd like to think so but if human nature is any indicator i'm not always sure and we like each other we love each other we hang out with each other we see each other regularly so the apostle affirms that scarcely for a righteous man one would be willing to die but how does god demonstrate his his love in the gospel god demonstrates his own love toward us and that while we were yet sinners christ died for us so the baptist not only underscores something concerning the humanity of the mediator for the work of mediation but he brings it right back to where john the apostle starts in the prologue this jesus of nazareth this lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world is truly the son of god and as we consider that brief phrase son of god he's not son of god the way you and i are sons of god see both the book of galatians in chapter four verses four and five and as well the book of ephesians in chapter one verses 4 and 5 indicate that you and i are adopted sons of god god's grace has come to us god's grace has conveyed to us faith and repentance we've seen our sin we've seen our misery we've seen the loveliness of the savior and by grace we've looked upon him and we've lived so what does paul celebrate we are the adopted sons of god as well jesus is not son of god and that other sort of christology i referenced earlier an adoptionistic son of god that that it was at this time that this man sort of stepped up to the plate and now that the spirit came he's identified no john the apostle will never let us think that because in the beginning was the word the word was with god and the word was god the word became flesh and dwelt among us so jesus is the son of god in the language of john gill the natural essential and eternal son of god john the baptist knew this just like john the apostle knew this so let's say for instance the nicene creed they didn't make this up they recognize what was taught chapter two in our confession or chapter eight in our confession of faith at paragraph two did it make it up but recognized what was always there in the last hour i encouraged our uh the people that were there with a a a a reference to a man by the name of cyril of alexandria and i said there and i'll say again he's the theological hero you don't even know that you have cyril lived in the 5th century and he was a combatant of the man called nestorius so cyril did amazing things in terms of christology arguably stuff that we have in our confession of faith listen to his comment here concerning john the baptist testimony now there might be some things that elude the understanding just some language you know barrier that type of thing if you want the quote email me text me write me carrier pidgin me i will get it to you he says this concerning john's comment in verse 34 and i have seen and testified that this is the son of god he said he is not a bastard or a son in name only but he is of the substance of god the father not by cutting off or emanation or a division or separation for the divine nature is altogether impassable but as one from one always with him co-eternal rooted in the one who begat him both in him and proceeding from him indivisibly and without distance the divine nature is neither corporeal nor circumscribed by space nor of such a nature as to move from place to place over distance he says we believe that the sun subsists on his own but we do not place him outside the one ineffable divine nature nor do we say that he is of a different substance from the father but since the blessed baptist here he's talking about john who is both trustworthy and of the highest reputation testifies that this is the son of god we will confess that the son is true god in every way and of the substance of the father as far as we are concerned this and nothing else is what the name of sonship means again some of that language might go a little over the head you may not get every single con concept that he is seeking to formulate there but trust me brethren he reflected on the reality that the person of the mediator is glorious the person of the mediator is both divine and human not two men not two subjects not two persons one person two natures that is what accurately reflects excuse me scriptural teaching this is what the church confesses this is what the church holds to and this is what the church should never let go of there are attacks there are assaults there are all kinds of of of seeking to to degrade the sun in relationship to the father we cannot participate in that we confess the nicene creed we confess god from god light from light true god from true god one being with the father because this reflects not only the prologue of the apostle but it reflects the testimony of the baptist and it's from this framework or it's a pound upon this uh a foundation that the apostle now treats the doctrine of salvation he begins with theology he moves to economy to tell us who it is who saves us from our sins well in conclusion just a few thoughts and then we'll go in the first place this testimony along with verse 29 or this section along with verse 29 the next day john saw jesus coming toward him and said behold the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world this underscores the mission of the lamb the mission of the lamb as we saw last week it was prophesied initially in genesis 3 15. it's expanded it's opened up it's amplified throughout the old testament and then we come to this scene and we see the fulfillment of it behold the lamb of god that particular phrase or that particular title that particular description of who jesus is is loaded with theological freight the lamb of god is reminiscent of the old testament system the lamb of god is reminiscent with mount moriah the lamb of god is reminiscent with tabernacle and temple the lamb of god is reminiscent with the person the worshiper going every every week to gather out of his own flock a particular animal to take to the tabernacle or temple in order to see it slain right before his eyes to underscore the necessity of blood atonement so when john the baptist calls him lamb of god we're not supposed to divest what he says here from the old testament as well the necessity of this is seen not necessarily in this brief testimony concerning the person and work of the savior but the necessity is seen throughout the bible why does god send the son of his love in order to do this well in the first place god maintains his holiness his justice his righteousness and his dignity and on the other hand it is to save people who are bad just bad wretched horrible when we understand that the one described in verse 1 is the one described in verse 29 what necessitated that again the holiness of god but the depravity of man in order to get us from here to there it necessitated the life the death and the resurrection of the son of god most high and as i said i'm actually quoting from a brother in our church who calls verse 29 a summary statement of the entire bible the use of the word behold is reminiscent of the old testament prophets the title lamb of god points to the chief office of the savior the function who takes away the sin of the world points to the mission of the savior never forget that there's people that like to moralize jesus jesus was such a good religious teacher he was a good religious teacher i affirmed that i wholeheartedly affirm that but the primary emphasis of jesus life and death and resurrection yes to instruct us but to redeem us remember the jews seek after signs and the greats want wisdom but we preach christ and him crucified to the jews of stumbling block and to the greek's foolishness but to those who are being saved christ is both the wisdom and the power of god and then the prologue and the testimony of john the baptist both underscore the dignity and the glory of the savior secondly we ought to appreciate in this passage the wrath of the lamb what it's not necessarily in this passage i'm going to make a bit of a link here to another passage that john the apostle wrote turn over to the book of revelation so oftentimes we focus and well we should on the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world i think i tried to define last week world there does not mean every man without exception but it means every man without distinction in other words if you're a jew or you're a gentile you have access to the father through jesus christ the son again we saw that in the reading in isaiah 11. one of the functions of the messiah was not only to go after the lost tribes of jacob but also to be a light given unto the gentiles and so john the apostle uses that word world not to speak of every single human being without exception in other words the bible doesn't teach what's been called universalism that in the final analysis everyone will be saved if you believe that you didn't get that from me don't ever blame me for that i have never taught universalism in fact i have condemned universalism it is wretched it is horrifying it is a departure from holy scripture when john uses world he uses it in the the sense of revelation 5 9. every tribe every tongue every people every nature a nation so when we think of that mission statement behold the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world there's a necessary inference that follows what of those who don't believe what of those who don't come what of those who don't look what of those who don't receive because we already saw in the prologue he came to his own his own received them not well what happens to them what happens in our own generation when persons sit under faithful gospel preaching when they hear the truth as it is in jesus when they hear that they're miserable and they're depraved and they're wretched and they're unholy and they need the holy harmless undefiled son of god that by grace when looking to him in faith you will have everlasting life well what of those who don't accept what of those who don't believe well john the apostle deals with that notice in revelation chapter 5 revelation chapter 5 there is a scroll that is handed to the lamb verse 1 and i saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back sealed with seven seals then i saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals and no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look at it so i went much because no one was able or was found worthy to open and read the scroll or to look at it but one of the elders said to me do not weep behold the lion of the tribe of judah the root of david has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals and i looked and behold in the midst of the throne think about that the throne of god who's there in the midst of the throne only god right creature as creature doesn't sit in the presence of god the fact that the lamb is in the midst of the throne is another testimony to the divinity of the lamb anyways in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as though it had been slain having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of god sent out into all the earth then he came and took the scroll out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne again a function and prerogative of deity you don't wander into the presence of god and take something out of his hand unless you are his son now let me just cut to the chase this is a judgment scroll this is an announcement of judgment now wherever you locate the target of that judgment i don't think ultimately you know determines what we're going to do in a moment i happen to take it as the judgment upon apostate israel because he came to his own and his own received him not and as a result that that self-maladictory oath they took before pilate let his blood be upon us and our children oh yeah god's gonna visit that upon them but notice what happens in terms of the opening of the seals turn over to revelation 6 at verse 12. this is the sixth seal that is open i looked when he opened the sixth seal and behold there was a great earthquake and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair and the moon became like blood now if it's arising up in your head to think oh he's going to try to scare us in a moment yeah exactly that's exactly what i'm going to do because he is the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world he is the lamb of god who brings those riches he is the lamb of god that brings forgiveness that brings a righteousness that avails with god but we see through a careful well it's not even that careful you need to believe on him you need to receive him if you don't believe him and you don't receive him then you will be the target of destruction i'd like to try to candy coat that and make it a little softer but i can't but look at the illustration that is portrayed here in this passage i looked when he opened the sixth seal and behold there was a great earthquake and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair and the moon became like blood and the stars of heaven fell to the earth as fig trees drop it lit drops its lake figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up and every mountain and island was moved out of its place and the kings of the earth the great men the rich men the commanders the mighty men every slave and every free man hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb for the great day of his wrath has come and who is able to stand that's bible brethren that's bible friend you reject him as the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world he will visit you with judgment for having that sin look as well in the book of revelation we've got this concept of gentle jesus make and mild as dale ralph davis describes him this soft effeminate sort of man from the ancient near eastern world that comes to us wreaking of hand cream that's not the bible or that's not the jesus of the bible notice in revelation chapter 14 revelation chapter 14 specifically at verse 9. then a third angel followed them saying with a loud voice if anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of god which is poured out full strength into the cup of his indignation he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the lamb see it's the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world on this side of the day of judgment you continue to reject you continue to rebel you continue in your sin you continue in your refusal you will meet the lamb but it won't be as the one who takes away your sin it will be the wrath of the lamb and one final passage in revelation 17. revelation 17 verse 12 the ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast these are of one mind and they will give their power and authority to the beast these will make war with the lamb and the lamb will overcome them for he is lord of lords and king of kings and those who are with him are called chosen and faithful great bit of encouragement there on the one hand the the lamb is opposed but on the other hand the lamb wins are we ever ever in question of this reality but when the lamb wins which he has that means blessing and beatitude for the people of god when the lamb wins which he does it means damnation and curse for the non-people of god and the last aspect of our exposition this morning is the gospel of the lamb the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world how do we access him how do we get an interest in him how does that avail for us again in the prologue verse 10 he was in the world the world was made through him and the world did not know him he came to his own and his own did not receive him but as many as received him to them he gave the right to become children of god to those who believe in his name who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of god john 6 verse 40. 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 john 20 20 30 and 31 and truly jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book but these are written why did john write his gospel yes for the edification and nurture of the church but if you're not a believer you're not actually in the church by god's grace through the blood of the savior john wrote his epistle or his gospel for you as well listen to why he wrote these are written that you may believe that jesus is the christ the son of god and that believing you may have life in his name why will you die why will you refuse why will you reject why will you say no when god most high has undertaken for the salvation of guilty vile helpless sinners who are we to say no god i'd rather continue in my sin and ultimately reap the whirlwind in terms of damnation at the hands of the wrath of the lamb believe on him listen to john in the gospel do not tarry do not wait do not try to argue yourself out of it don't try to say well when i'm older when i'm wiser when i'm brighter when i've done the sins that i want to commit then i'll get right with god no now is the acceptable time today is the day of salvation believe on him and you will be saved let us pray our father thank you for your word thank you for its clarity at the point of who jesus christ is and what a glorious declaration concerning who he is and how we stand in awe that when it came to our salvation you sent the best you sent the son of your love the only begotten son full of grace and truth god we pray that others today would hear of him and others today by grace would believe on him and that they would know that blessedness of being found in him not having their own righteousness which is from the law but that which is given to you and received by faith alone be merciful we pray and be glorified we pray through the salvation of sinners and through the sanctification of your people and we ask in jesus holy name amen we'll close by singing the doxology that is found on page 568 in your hymn books 568 will stand as we sing praise to our great and glorious triune god the grace of the lord jesus christ and the love of god and the communion of the holy spirit be with you all amen father thank you for the revelation of who you are in the scriptures thank you for the revelation of what you've done in the scriptures help us to have ears to hear and hearts to receive these glad and glorious truths and may we see the dignity of the son and may we extol and worship and praise him and may you be pleased to reach down in mercy and in sovereign grace and to free sinners to draw them out of darkness into marvelous light proclaiming your excellencies go with us now father help us to enjoy the day to call it a delight and may it be sanctified for your glory and we pray through jesus christ our lord amen you may be seated for a brief time of meditation you