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e e e e e e [Music] w h [Music] h [Music] [Music] [Music] good morning everyone welcome back to free Grace Baptist Church and again a warm welcome to any visitors that are amongst us this morning couple of announcements our evening service we'll be having the Lord's supper at 5:00 p.m this evening Wednesday night bible study again at 7:30 our annual general meeting is coming up on February 15th so that's Saturday in two weeks at 7 p.m. and then we have also a baptism coming up the date has been set for February 16th so two weeks from this morning in the morning service we will be baptizing and wel welcoming into the membership Wendy Harrison and Glenda Deon as well we have five other applicants for membership who have already been baptized so these as well will be added to the membership soon Grant and Abby southernland Bob Ray and Arjun and Rachel kendes Sami so we praise the Lord for His blessings in those regards as far as the conference that's coming up there is a brochure at the back multicolored brochure uh pick up some of those and pass them out if you uh have other friends and relatives and neighbors you want to see come to the uh confessing of the faith conference that's April 24th and 25th uh like last year we are offering lodging with the with members of the congregation so if you have that possibility if you have spare room spare bedroom and you can host a pastor or a couple pastors or a family please um get in touch with Charlotte she is the one organizing that now we're going to move on to worship by turning to Psalm 27 Psalm 27 we'll just read the first six verses of this psalm for our call to worship Psalm 27 a Psalm of David the Lord is my light and my salvation Whom Shall I Fear the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid when the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh my enemies and foes they stumbled and fell though an army May encamp against me my heart shall not fear the war may rise against me in this I will be confident one thing I have desired of the Lord that will I seek that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his Temple for in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his Pavilion in the secret place of his Tabernacle he shall hide me he shall set me high upon a rock and now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies All Around Me therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in his Tabernacle I will sing yes I will sing praises to the Lord amen let's turn in our Himel to hymn number 212 Come Thou Almighty King 212 please stand with me as we sing Mighty my to sing help us to praise father all glorious for all Victorious and US paent of [Music] days word my mighty stand my that Al Mighty our our souls on by Wonder [Music] holy th s withness in this all Mighty are now rule in heart of to the great in Eternal prises than ever his s mesty may we glor and to [Music] ET let's turn to the Lord in prayer our gracious and merciful Heavenly Father we do thank you for this tremendous privilege that we have once again to gather as your people people in your name and in your presence to worship you to lift up our hearts and to be blessed by communion with you and with one another we thank you for this opportunity we thank you for this place we thank you for the freedom that we have to gather we thank you for our king of kings and Lord of lords who is worthy of all our praise and adoration who is worthy of our devotion and we thank you that all over the face of the Earth the king of King K and Lord of lords is being worshiped by Believers this day and we pray that you would continue to build your church continue to sustain her sustain those that are in the midst of trial and tribulation those who are being persecuted for the cause of Christ be merciful to your church I pray we thank you for what you are doing here in our nation of Canada we look around us and we we see with human eyes with natural eyes eyes many problems and many difficulties politically spiritually and yet with the eyes of faith we know that Christ sits upon the throne we know that he rules over the nations of the earth we know that he holds the the heart of the king in his hand and he turns it like the rivers of waters we thank you oh God that you control the beginning and the end of history and thank you that we are on the right side that we serve the king of kings and Lord of lords because he has called us out of Darkness into Marvelous Light by his Sovereign Grace and Mercy and Lord we pray that this day many more souls would be called out of Darkness into Marvelous Light even here in our midst this day as the gospel Goes Forth as Pastor Butler preaches and as he challenges us and encourages us and lays the gospel before us I pray that you would cause those who have not yet embrac the truth who have not yet tasted and seen that the Lord is good cause them to turn and to believe Lord we pray this for churches all across this nation we thank you for our sister churches and church plants bless the congregation out in dren Ontario this morning bless the congregation in Armstrong and the congregation in Suri we pray oh Lord that you would continue to encourage these ones cause them to grow in faith and in maturity Lord we pray for fellow churches here in the city of chilak where the gospel is being preached this day bless your servants and bless your people and cause that gospel to take root in the hearts of unbelievers May the Holy Spirit apply that work all across this city today Lord we thank you again for the opportunity we have to be here we pray that you would cleanse us we pray oh God that you would wash us even us believers who have served you throughout this week we know that we have fallen short we pray oh God that you would be gracious to us and that you would uh set us back on our on our feet and Rush us off and clean us and prepare us oh God for the worship of this day we know that it's by no good in us that we can even stand in your presence we thank you for Christ's righteousness applied to us bless us even now as we continue in worship I pray in Jesus name amen amen please turn with me in your Salter Himel to Psalm 99a as an alpha 99a stand with me as we sing the Lord God Reigns on [Music] high our and all the he of and [Music] all is great for all the world and praise is great and awesome the holy the mighty king is [Music] for in ch you of jce Jing rightous and all Lord and Mer oh his FR to B the Holy One for Moses was his gra andon was the same among them also Samuel [Music] call the Lord he from the cloud waser his teston May oy and get his word oh Lord our s God you answer their lord oh God you were forgiving yet their all of veng exalt the Lord of God before his Mountain God and worship God for his Lord love Holy One please be seated and take your Bibles and turn with me to Mark chapter 14 for our morning scripture reading in the New Testament Mark 14 we will read the first half of the chapter from verse 3 verse 1 through verse 31 Mark chapter 14 after 2 days it was the Passover and the Feast of unleavened bread and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by trickery and put him to death but they said not during the feast lest there be an uproar of the people and being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper as he sat at the table a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard then she broke the flask and poured it on his head but there were some who were indignant among themselves and said why was this fragrant oil wasted for it might have been sold for more than 300 deneri and given to the poor and they criticized her sharply but Jesus said let her alone why do you trouble her she's done a good work for me for you have the poor with you always and whenever you wish you may do them good but me you do not have all always she has done what she could she has come beforehand to anoint my body for burial assuredly I say to you wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her then Judas es scariot one of the twel went to the chief priest to betray him to them and when they heard it they were glad and promised to give him money so he sought how he might conveniently betray him now on the first day of unleavened bread when they killed the Passover Lamb his disciples said to him where do you want us to go and prepare that you may eat the Passover and he sent out two of his disciples and said to them go into the City and a man will meet you carrying a picture of water follow him wherever he goes in say to the Master of the House the teacher says where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with my disciples then he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared there make ready for us so his disciples went out and came into the City and found it just as he had said to them and they prepared the Passover in the evening he came with the twel now as they sat and ate Jesus said assuredly I say to you one of you who eats with me will betray me and they began to be sore ful and to say to him one by one is it I and another said is it I he answered and said to them it is one of the TW who dips with me in the dish the son of man indeed goes just as it is written of him but woe to that man by whom the son of man is betrayed it would have been good for that man if he had never been born and as they were eating Jesus Took bread blessed and broke it and gave it to them and said said take eat this is my body then he took the cup and when he had given thanks he gave it to them and they all drank from it and he said to them this is my blood of the New Covenant which is shed for many assuredly I say to you I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God and when they had sung A Hymn they went out to the Mount of Olives then Jesus said to them all of you will be made to stumble because of me this night for it is written I will strike the shepherd and the Sheep will be scattered but after I have been raised I will go before you to Galilee Peter said to him even if all are made to stumble yet I will not be Jesus said to him assuredly I say to you that today even this night before the rooster crows twice you will deny me three times but he spoke more vly if I have to die with you I will not deny you and they all said likewise amen well when we come to the passion there's much that could be said but it is Holy Ground we could just stand in awe at the Resolute determination of Christ to carry out the plan of the father to save a great multitude he was calm and cool and collected and yet he gave his disciples ample warning so that they would know what was coming they had to scatter because Christ had to do his work on his own he had to redeem his people without a helper um if we just turn back to the beginning of the chapter when we read about this lady who came to the house of Simon the leper in Bethany and broke this Alam masker flask of very costly oil of nard it tells us at the end of Christ address there to the crowd that assuredly I say to you wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her so I think it's always important not to brush over that section and it is important to remember what this woman has done Christ says that he had C she had come to anoint his body for burial beforehand now whether she was aware that that's what was happening or not we do not know we know that she was de devoted and uh to the Savior that she loved him for what he had done for her and she shows us a good lesson because no doubt it took some courage to come into this house and do what she did she may have realized that she would be criticized but made no difference to her she had her eyes on one person and only one it was Christ that you wanted to please and that should be a good um a good motivation for us to keep in mind too don't think about what everyone else is thinking about you when you come to church think about Christ and please him let's pray gracious Heavenly Father we thank you again for the privilege we have of being here we pray oh God that our Attention our focus our minds each and every one of us would be on Christ this day we pray oh God that our goal and our desire would be to please you we thank you that we can do that because what because of what you have done for us we thank you for your righteousness that covers Us and makes us presentable before the father please continue with us I pray in Jesus name amen for our final hymn we're going to turn again to the Suter Psalm 99 a is in Alpha oh sorry hymn number 210 210 oh God we praise thee please stand with me as you sing the final hymn 210 [Music] Everlasting father by all the Earth the Lord to the all Angels Cry aloud to thee the powers on high but J and S continually to cry oh holy holy holy Lord of heavenly H the world is with the glory filled of thy mestic PR the apostles glorious and roets round with life with all there no thy constant praise recite the holy church throughout the world oh Lord confesses thee that thou Eternal Father AR of boundless mesty thine H true and holy Son and Holy Ghost mer your Christ [Music] Glory well please turn with me in your Bibles to the Gospel of John John chapter 17 John 17 we'll read the chapter and then our Focus will be on verses 1 to five so John 17 beginning in verse one Jesus spoke these words lifted up his eyes to heaven and said father the hour has come glorify your son that your son may also May glorify you as you have given him authority over All Flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as you have given him and this is eternal life that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent I have glorified you on the Earth I have finished the work which you have given me to do and now oh Father glorify me together with yourself with the glory which I had with you before the world was I have manifested your name to the men whom you have given me out of the world they were yours you gave them to me and they have kept your word now they have known that all things which you have given me are from you for I have given to them The Words which you have given to given me and they have re received them and have known surely that I came forth from you and that they have believed that you sent me I pray for them I do not pray for the world but For Those whom you have given me for they are yours and all mine are yours and yours are mine and I am glorified in them now I am no longer in the world but these are in the world and I come to you Holy Father keep through your name Those whom you have given me that they may be one as we are while I was with them in the world I G I kept them in your name Those whom you gave me I have kept and none of them is lost except the son of predition that the scripture might be fulfilled but now I come to you and these things I speak in the world that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves I have given them your word and the world has hated them because they are not of the world just as I am not of the world I do not pray that you should take them out of the world world but that you should keep them from the evil one they are not of the world just as I am not of the world sanctify them by your truth your word is truth as you sent me into the world I also have sent them into the world and for their sakes I sanctify myself that they also may be Sanctified by the truth I do not pray for these alone but also for those who will believe in me through their word that they all may be one as you father are in me and I in you that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that you sent me and the glory which you gave me I have given them that I may or that they may be one just as we are one i in them and you and me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me father I desire that they also whom you gave me may be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which you have given me for you loved me before the foundation of the world oh righteous father the world has not known you but I have known you and these have known that you sent me and I have declared to them your name and will declare it that the love with which you love me may be in them and I in them amen well let us pray Our Father in Heaven thank you for your word thank you for that Incarnate Word the Lord Jesus Christ we pray for the mind of Christ CHR even now by the power of the spirit that we may be blessed and encouraged by this High Priestly prayer we praise you God for the the gospel of our salvation for what you have done in terms of the life and the death and the resurrection of our beloved Savior and how that has been applied to us we know that we have been forgiven we have received that righteous righteousness not because of good that we've done but solely and alone due to your Sovereign Grace we praise you for that we bless you for blessing us with every spiritual blessing in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus we pray now that you would forgive us for all of our sin and unrighteousness we pray that you'd open Dead Hearts to receive the truth as it is in Jesus we pray that today would be the day of Salvation And for those in Christ may we be edified may we grow in our understanding and may we see the essence of eternal life is the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent and we pray this in his Most Blessed name amen well we come now to what we call the high Priestly prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ and essentially what Jesus does is he prays first for himself in verses 1 to5 he then prays for his immediate disciples in verses 6 to 19 and then for all believers in verses 20- 26 he makes specific petition on behalf of the disciples but as I said he first starts with himself so I want to look for first of all at the petition or rather the occasion of his prayer and that's just in the first part of verse one and then secondly the content of his prayer in verse 1B to verse 5 there's a lot going on in here this is indeed Holy Ground remember that the time frame we'll look at in just a moment more but there's not a lot of time until chapter 18 in chapter 18 notice the connection in verse one when Jesus had spoken these words so Jesus speaks to the disciples in the upper room discourse in chapters 13 to 16 on the heels of that he prays according to chapter 17 verse one and following and then he's arrested he is tried and he is crucified so the hour is imminent he's already announced that he understands that he speaks in this particular section as if it's already occurred that's called to be proleptic or prolapsus he's speaking as something or speaking of something that is future as if it's already a lished he is a man on a particular Mission and he is going to accomplish it so not notice first the occasion of his prayer verse one tells us Jesus spoke these words The Upper Room chapters 13 to 16 and remember what we saw there was Christ encouraging fortifying and strengthening his strengthening his disciples he's going to be put to death he's going to be raised again on that third day but he's going to ascend on high and in his name and for his glory they are tasked with going out making disciples and planting churches in other in other words taking the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth there's going to be persecution for them in John 15:18 to 16:4 he tells them that he alerts them to that he tells them that at the close of the discourse in this world you will have tribulation so there's going to be a time of hardship and affliction and suffering for the Disciples of Christ and so he takes this opportunity in the upper room to instruct that and he encourages them but he as well discloses something true of the father and of the spirit in other words he speaks concerning the Triune God as the primary means with or which they will be encouraged and strengthened and helped in order to go about that worldwide task so with reference to these words it's the upper room and then notice the particular theological context it says he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said father the hour has come so the object of his prayer is the father and some suggest that he's simply setting forth an example here it is an example this is a great pattern if ministers preach and teach such that we find in chapters 13 to 16 it's good to follow up with prayer it's good to pray those things home to seal them in but I don't think it's simply an example that Jesus is doing here but rather according to his Humanity he is praying to the father Matthew Henry commenting in Mark's gospel says though as God he was prayed too as man he prayed and that is precisely what we would expect of true Humanity so Jesus addresses the father that one he has a special relationship to that one who sent him that one who begot him and that one in the Incarnation who clothed him with Humanity such that he could carry out that particular Mission he as well lifts his eyes up to heaven again in terms of example that's a good thing not all true prayer or all prayer necessarily means we lift our eyes to heaven but I think it invokes at least the idea that Jesus addresses the god of Heaven and Earth with uh uh reverence and with respect he doesn't just rush in and throw up this quick prayer but rather there's a time of reverence so when he comes to pray he then says father the hour has come we've identified that hour several times as we've moved our way through through the gospel narrative and that hour is his death it is his resurrection it is his Ascension on high it is his current session it is the purpose for which he came into this world the hour has come he says and when we notice what he says continuing in this brief section he says it as if it's already completed it is a Most Blessed reality he set his face like a flint he was steadfast in all that he did he was a man under God committed to doing the service of God never relenting never withdrawing uh confident and completely resolved to do what the father had given him to do and so he speaks to the father in this instance and he says father the hour has come the specific meaning was his passion and then he says specifically in ter rather in terms of the content there are two things that he says in verses 1 and one and uh 1 to5 first he requests Glory and then he gives reasons why he should get that Glory not reasons in some sort of a bartering way but the rationale the ground the foundation the petition glorify your son that your son may glorify you and here's the reasons why again not the way I might ask but in a holy and in a righteous and in a Godly way so with reference to the request for Glory he first says that glorify your son if you turn back to chapter 12 we've seen him make this petition already chapter 12 specifically at verse 23 the hour but Jesus answered them saying the hour has come that the son of man should be glorified and then in verse 27 now my soul is troubled and what shall I say father saved me from this hour but for this purpose I came to this hour he prays specifically that he would be glorified in the act of mediation he is not praying here according to his divinity as as God he has prayed to as man he prays and as man he prays specifically for his own Glory because that will reciprocate in the glory of the father it is a wonderful thing that we see displayed here stressing the divine nature the unity of the divine nature and The Trinity of persons in the godhead as Gil says as man and mediator for as God he needed no glory nor could any be added to him you can't glorify God more and in fact when we read in Scripture that we're supposed to give glory to God that does not speak to his essential Glory that does not mean God gets more glorious essentially God is Glory but with reference to declaration and demonstration and and an description of it that's what we do when we glorify the father and so the Lord Jesus according to his Humanity as the mediator of the New Covenant is praying for that glory and again that Glory obtains it is death his resurrection his Ascension his session on high all of that is purposed to bring glory to the son and glory to the father so after that petition in verse two uh uh I'm sorry verse one glorify your son that your son Also may glorify you if we look back at John 12 after Jesus says what Jesus says in verse 28 he says father glorify your name then a voice Came From Heaven saying I have both glorified it and will glorify it again in the life and Ministry of our Lord Jesus he brought glory to the father in fact turn back to John chapter 7 John 7 specifically at Verse 18 John 7:18 he who speaks from himself seeks his own Glory but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is true and no unrighteousness is in him so Christ prays as man to be glorified by the father so that Christ as the God man the mediator of the New Covenant can glorify the father and he speaks specifically of that in his Earthly Ministry notice in John 8 at verse 50 John 8:50 and I do not seek my own Glory there is one who seeks and judges John 11 at verse 14 dealing with the the eventual case of Lazarus uh Lazarus notice in John 11 specifically at verse four when Jesus heard that he said this sickness is not under death but for the glory of God that the Son of God may be glorified through it there's this reciprocity and kids that simply means back and forth if we go out to play ball I put a m on my hand you put a it on your hand we throw the ball one to another that's reciprocity that is reciprocal it is back and forth and we need to understand that with reference to the unity of the divine nature it's not as if there's a share a uh uh parceled out Glory the father has 33 and A3 the son has 33 and A3 and the spirit has 33 and a thir that's not it in fact the very Ministry and mission of the spirit according to to to John 16 in that Upper Room discourse is that he glorifies the son there's this reciprocal Glory Father Son and Holy Spirit it is most glorious and so notice he speaks in verse 14 then Lazarus is dead I glad for your sakes that I was not there that you may believe nevertheless let us go to him and then once more notice in verse 40 just building the case verse 40 Jesus said to her did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God well how do they see the glory of God it's through the person and the work of the Son of God on behalf of Sinners so back to our text the primary Petition of our savior is Glory Glory for himself and glory for the father because glory for himself means glory for the father in terms of a parallel to this particular concept you can turn to Philippians chapter 2 the next section we will be coming to in Philippians chapter 2 traces out the Incarnation of the son the one who was in the form of God took on our Humanity notice in Chapter 2 of Philippians at verse 5 let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation taking the form of a bonder servant and coming in the likeness of men and being found in appearances a man he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death even the death of the Cross this is the hour this is his passion this this is that series of events that he was purposed to undertake dare I say predestined before the foundation of the world to undertake notice verse n therefore God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of those in heaven and of those on Earth and of those under the Earth sounds like the glory of the son doesn't it sounds like what one would do if they were going to glorify their son remember that bit in the Book of Esther when hmon says or rather the King asks hmon what is it that you think would be appropriate for one whom the king wants to honor well he'd put a great robe on Hon's thinking it's hmon of course he'd put a nice robe on him he'd put him on the horse's Steed he'd pray him through the city and he'd say this is the one and of course hmon much to his shran it turns out to be Mori and that really upset that man but notice in term terms of the Incarnation of the son the one who was in the form of God the second person of the Triune God the one who has the same nature as the father nevertheless takes on our Humanity to himself and with our Humanity lives for us here he dies for us he's raised again the Father glorifies the Son and then we see that reciprocal nature in verse 11 and that and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ as Lord to the glory of God the Father we need to make sure we don't mistake the glory of God as being parceled out or some sort of a competition Father Son and Holy Spirit glorify one another and so the Lord Jesus Christ according to his Humanity not his divinity is praying for Glory as a result of his finished work that brings us then to the reasons for his glory in verse verses 2 to 5 and there's two things I want to bring out first the predestined mission of Christ in verses 2 to 3 he wasn't Earthly manly or had an Humanity at the foundation of the earth God when he purposed all of this there was a scheme a plan a purpose predestination and Jesus according to his Humanity was part of that particular plan so we see the predestined mission of Christ in verses 2 and three and then we see the the completed mission of Christ according to Verses 4 and 5 but notice this predestined Mission and here he speaks concerning those things unique to his Humanity first the provision of authority look at what he says in verse two as you have given him authority over All Flesh that cannot be true of him according to his divinity because he already has authority over All Flesh the glory of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ is seen in the Incarnation that he assumes to himself our Humanity with all the essential properties and the common infirmities thereof and yet without sin it's in this Condition it's as the mediator it's as the God man that he has these prerogatives these blessings or these these things but notice that God the Father grants him Authority again the nature of the provision God the father gives it to him Daniel 7 13 and 14 what happens at the Ascension of Christ the the the king the Ancient of Days gives to this one all authority you see that in Matthew 28:18 to20 all authority has been what given to me in heaven on and on Earth again it's not according to his divinity always always possess that but it's as the mediator of the New Covenant he's praying as a man here he's praying as the God man and the reason why I'm bringing this up is because this passage has been kind of turned on its head over the last couple of years especially with verse 5 the idea being is that Christ had Glory he gave up glory and now he wants glory back that's not what the passage is teaching the passage is simply teaching that as the mediator according to his Humanity based on or predicated on his finished work on the cross his resurrection from the dead his Ascension on high assession at the right hand glorify the son so that the sun then glorifies you it's a glorious and wondrous thing Gil says it is not that original power over all things that he has so again verse two uh as you have given him authority over All Flesh it's not that original power over all things he has as God and the creator of them which is natural essential and underived but it's a derived and delegated power which he has as mediator as subservient to the ends and designs of his office see Brethren what John is doing here or Jesus is doing here and John is recording it for us is perfectly consistent with the prologue how do we have in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God and the word became flesh and dwelt Among Us how do we make sense of that the rest of the Gospel we learn that Jesus and the father are one we learn that Jesus has true Humanity we're going to see that he Leeds we're going to see that he suffers we're going to see that he dies which is not true of God cannot be true of divinity but according to this blessed person who has a Divine and human nature he can and does do this this is the rationale behind or rather the demonstration of the prologue this one who was God and assumes our flesh is able to go through all these things for the glory of the father for the good of his people and in this instance he says you have given me authority over All Flesh something true of him according to his Humanity the emphasis is on his unique person that he is both God and man as well note the comprehensiveness of this Authority as you have given him authority over All Flesh that's encouraging isn't it by the way for those who are attending the the confession study this morning that's how we're supposed to understand 1 Corinthians 15:20 to 28 when Christ is subject to the father and God is all in all that's as mediator that's not as the Divine uh the second person of the Trinity he's doing that as the mediator of the New Covenant but with reference to this All Flesh as I tried to make it practical this morning we covered chapter 31 in the confession of Faith eschatology or the doctrine of last things or end times what do we do in the church we fight about premillennialism a millennialism and postmillennialism and I'm not suggesting that's necessarily a bad fight but one of the things that biblical eschatology does is it promotes hope it promotes encouragement it promotes the steal in the backbone so you can get out of bed and do the things that God has called you to do even in the midst of hardship and affliction and suffering and woe I used the very real and relevant example this morning I'm sure it's all in your heads hopefully not right this moment but tomorrow you can think about that trade war with the US that seems unwinable you know what this is momentary light Affliction and it will give way to an exceeding weight of Glory whatever happens to us whatever difficulties economically whatever difficulties in terms of any persecution or opposition whatever hardships we Face we can face them in the spirit of the Apostles in Acts 5:41 that they left there having been scourged rejoicing while because they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of the Savior we can live in light of second Timothy CH 3 that all who desire to live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution why because we have a hope in heaven we have Christ the bride a bridegroom we have the blessedness of the Eternal State we have all that the Lord Jesus Christ is promised to us and we have that Jesus Christ who has Authority Over All Flesh there's no Randomness out there there's no government leader or persecutor of the church or Assa of Tarsus that exists untethered from The Sovereign reign of our Lord Jesus from the right hand of his father when he says all authority has been given to me in heaven and on Earth he really means it he absolutely positively means it when Paul says that that that the father has raised him up and given him that name which is above every name in Philippians chapter 2 he means it or in Ephesians chapter one where he has comprehensive authority over all things and he and he specifically had to the church scripture means that scripture means it in the Book of Revelation when we see the contrast with the beast from the sea and the land to the to the lamb and his fair Army standing on Mount Zion in Revelation 14 the scripture means it when it says the Lord God omnipotent Reigns the scripture means it when it says the nations of the Earth are gods and the Lambs Brethren Christ was given authority over All Flesh he says here as the mediator as the God man as the short of a better Covenant this is one of the things that he's rehearsing by way of rationale glorify the son because the sun will glorify you and one of the reasons why is because you have given me all this Authority but he doesn't stop there in terms of the authority he makes that that that specific application in terms of redemption is comprehensive authority over every tribe every tongue every people every nation has comprehensive authority over every man every woman every boy every girl there's not one untethered from The Sovereign reign of our blessed savior but he then hones in specifically on the salvation of Sinners notice in verse two as you have given him authority over all fles that why did go the father give him authority over All Flesh yeah to maintain the universe yeah to govern all his creatures and all their actions yeah to engage in the Messianic Reign yeah all that but with a specific focus upon the salvation of his people notice in verse two that he should give eternal life to as many as you have given him this was the purpose for his coming we can't ever forget that Brethren we're not you know 20th early 20th century Neo Orthodox liberal theologians or modern Christians the the Lord Jesus wasn't first and foremost an example he is an example I think Paul says that in Philippian well I know he does let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus but the primary emphasis upon jesus' mission was to save his people from their sins he got all this authority over All Flesh that that he may give eternal life to as many as you have given him this is the purpose for which he came look at John 1 John 1 already referred to the prologue versus 1 to 18 we move from that theology to the economy of redemption in verses 19 and following I think one way to summarize the entirety of the economy with an Old Testament illusion is Chap 1 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 notice in John 3 John 3 specifically at verse 14 and as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the son of man be lifted up that who ever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life and then turn to John 6: 37-40 John 6 ver 37 all that the father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me I will by by no means cast out for 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 notice he doesn't say this is the will of the father who sent me that I set a good example and call all my comrades to follow me by way of example again Brethren the fact that Jesus is an example is not an unbiblical thought he is an example the primary emphasis is upon his living his doing his dying and is rising again notice in verse 40 and this is the will of him who sent me that everyone who sees the son and believes in Him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day so when we go back to John 17 and Jesus makes the petition to be glorified so that the father may be glorified he then goes on to say You have given him authority over all flesh but that specific reference is that he should give eternal life to as many as you have given him so the purpose of his coming is Redemptive in nature the purpose of of his coming is with reference to Salvation notice the beneficiaries of his coming the ones that you have given him so notice we've got All Flesh and then a subset of All Flesh Jesus is not a Universalist Jesus does not teach that every man every boy every woman every girl will be saved the Bible doesn't teach universalism it doesn't teach that every single human being is going to go to heav so Jesus speaks of this comprehensive Authority but a subset of that is that are those whom you have given me this is particular this is the priest functioning in terms of his intercession for those he's interceding for notice in verse 9 I pray for them I do not pray for the world could you imagine the modern response to that if they actually knew what he was saying well that's not fair he's Jesus he should pray for everybody but he's not as I mentioned before by way of analogy or by way of parallel the priest on the day of atonement in Leviticus 16 when he lays his hands upon the scapegoat he confesses the sins of Israel not the hites not the Hittites not the jebusites or any other the other Canaanites he confesses the sin of Israel when they cut the throat of their animals it's a substitute it's a substitute for the one going back in Leviticus who is bringing that animal to be sacrificed this one I'm cutting the throat of is taking my place that Ram caught in the thicket with Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22 is the substitute he goes in the place of Isaac so we see here particular Redemption we see limited atonement not limited in its efficacy but limited in its scope and that according to the father now with reference to this the rest of scripture highlights this so again you have given him authority over All Flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as you have given him in the birth announcement of Our Lord Jesus in Matthew chap 1 we read you shall call his name Jesus why for he will save who every single human being every tribe tongue people and Nation comprehensively no he will save his people from their sins John 6:37 I read it about five or seven minutes ago all that the father gives me will come to me H how do you deal with that as an Armenian how do you deal with that as a pelagian how do you deal with that as a univers you don't you just skip it you just bypass it and I've seen this in theological debate and well yeah can't really mean that whosoever loves you know whoever whoever whosoever believes in him they just totally evade it you can't evade it based on John 6:44 no one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him you can't evade it in light of Ephesian iians 2 1:3 lifeless helpless hopeless you can't evade it in light of a Jeremiah 17 the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked you can't evade passages like these rather you should embrace them and say praise God CU I wasn't seeking him I wasn't looking for him I wasn't trying to fetch blessing from him he sought me he found me doesn't Jesus say as much in Luke 19 with reference to zakus everybody's grumbling everybody's complaining they're murmuring that zakus gets to be a guest with Jesus at supper Jesus says the son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost that's always been the pattern when Adam and Eve sin they run from God it's God who seeks them out when the tower Builders at Babel want to build a name for themselves and rise up into the heavens what does God do he scatter matters them by giving them uh many lips many languages and then he calls Abram out of er the calans why because in you all the nations of the earth will be blessed the glory of the Christian Gospel is not that we accept Jesus into our hearts but that God is reconciling the world to himself through his blessed son it's not that we accepted Jesus it's that God the Father purpose before the foundation of the world in predestination and election to be saved by the redeeming power and work and blood of our blessed savior Jesus is praying here in the way or in the manner of men as you have given him authority over All Flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as you have given him now that brings us then to this explanation of eternal life trying to think through it it's almost parenthe radal or he he just amplifies this when he when he mentions that he should give eternal life to as many as you have given him and then in verse three and this is eternal life that they may know you the only true God in Jesus Christ whom you have sent he he amplifies this concept of eternal life and in this I think he's glorifying the father and glorifying the son wherein doth eternal life consist Heaven yeah exceeding weight of Glory yeah the communion of the Saints without sin without problems without difficulties yeah all that's true where in does eternal life consist well those Gates of pearl those streets of gold Emmanuel's land yeah but even more more foundationally and fundamentally wherein do eternal life consist it's the knowledge of God and Jesus in his amplification here I think is very instructive for all of us I think one this emphasizes his Cons subst consubstantiality with the father he puts himself on the side of the father in The Hand of Heretics this passage is turned on its head and made to teach that Jesus isn't God that's precisely what it's not teaching the the the the the true God here is not in exclusion the father in exclusion to the Son and the spirit it's the false gods of men that they may know you the only true God and could a creature say that could could could one of us say that the knowledge of uh the essence of eternal life is to know the father and the son rather than disavowing his equality with the father according to his divinity he owns it he is the object of knowledge which is the essence of eternal life again in the hands of Heretics they make this text stand on its head Jesus stresses consubstantiality one in being with the father through this compound object of knowledge and Jesus Christ whom you have sent as well he gives us a window in to the relations that obtained between the father and the son this sending of the son by the father reveals something to us of God and himself the father's unbegotten the son is begotten by the father and the spirit proceeds from the father and the son and as well with reference to gospel blessing and salvation the supposition or assumption is you don't know the father without the son you don't know the father without the son look at the text and this is eternal life that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent now General revelation God revealing himself to us in the creation uh uh creational order and providential Order that's real knowledge we truly learn of God's righteousness through the heavens that declare that the creation around us teaches us something of God's eternal power of His godhead and of the reality that it's righteous with God to punish and judge Sinners that's all from Romans chap 1 around 19 to 21 and then 32 the the the light of nature is a wonderful instructor for what it instructs Us in it tells us there's a God that that God is awesome and that we must worship that God of course we suppress those truths and unrighteousness we try to evade the created order we try to you know explain it all away but according to Paul God says that man knows that he is so General revelation gives us a notion true notion about who God is the law of Moses teaches a lot about God doesn't it if I said to you what does moses' law teach well it teaches us that God Brooks no competitors you have no other gods before me teaches us that God doesn't want to be blasphemed God says to keep the Sabbath day God says to be subordinate to lawful Authority God says do not murder God says don't commit adultery God says don't steal God says don't don't don't lie don't don't covet what we know something of God's justice and righteousness and if you read through the Old Testament you'll learn a lot about his judgment so the law of Moses teaches us much General Revelation teaches us much but the way to the father is through the son John 14 no one comes to the father except through Through Me Jesus says I am the way the truth and the life so Jesus here is showing us that the way to the father is through the son and then some might say well with all this sort of trinitarian stuff going on in the passage where's the Holy Spirit where's the spirit in all of this well I'd say he's in chapter 16 and he's in chapter 15 but he's right here too Thomas makes this observation no mention is made of the holy spirit because whenever the father and the son are mentioned and especially in matters pertaining to the Grandeur of the Divinity the Holy Spirit who is the bond of the father and the son is implied doesn't have to be specifically referenced or mentioned where you see the Father the Son and the spirit are there where you see the son the father and the spirit are there where you see the spirit the father and the son are there the unity of the divine nature not parceled out not divided up not 33 and A3 per not God Inc but the one true and living God who exists eternally as Father Son and Holy Spirit now for those of you who are wondering if we're going to make it to verse five we're not we'll put verses four and five God willing into next Sunday morning but I want to just explore this in a practical way again look at verse three and this is eternal life that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent huh the knowledge of theology matters you had to know I was going to go this way you had to the the knowledge of christology matters you mean it's not just about five principles on how to be a better me no not even a little bit this is eternal life that they may Know Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent Jesus puts him side uh puts himself on the side of the father as the only true God John identifies him as the only true God in first John 5:20 and so what Jesus is saying here when you boil it all down yes you're forgiven of your sins you've been accepted by God as righteous and his sight only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to you and receive by faith alone all that's true so now what we're Believers in Christ now what learn study meditate contemplate dive in you've been brought out of Darkness into Marvelous Light en enjoy the view enjoy the the the scene enjoy the data given by God that instructs us on who he is think at times as Believers we get pretty well caught up in what God has given to us or what God has done for us and I'm not suggesting we shouldn't get caught up in that it's glorious he's given us life he's given us justification he's sanctifying us he's going to glorify us it's good to contemplate the gifts of God specifically that Chief gift in the provision of his son God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son we always think about what God has done let's think more about who God is the god who is what he has done in fact in the Prophet Jeremiah God says this is really what's important in Jeremiah chapter 9 specifically in verses 23 and 24 let not the wise man glory in his wisdom let not the Mighty Man glory in his might nor let the rich man glory in his riches that's pretty Contra or paradoxical with reference to reality what do wise men usually glory in their wisdom right and they'll tell you I'm so wise you should hear my nuggets sit at my feet plee and listen to me ooze wisdom notice let not the Mighty Man glory in his might isn't that precisely what the Mighty Man does a guy with the 18 18in guns and the rocket chest puts a tight t-shirt on CU he wants everybody to see his might he's at the gym doing more weight than he should do because he wants them to see his might nor let the rich man glory in his riches well that's kind of not the way it actually goes I've got this and I've got that and I've got these and I've got those that's all fleeting notice the contrast but let him who glor's glory in this that he understands and knows me that I am the Lord exercising loving kindness judgment and righteousness in the Earth for in these I Delight see what God does is not removed from who God is but who God is is a crucial investigation for those who have benefited from what God gives and in the church today we need to think through the doctrine of God we need to think about the tri Unity of God we need to think about the essential nature or Unity of God we need to think about who Jesus is we need to we we need to make this our our Pursuit these are good things listen to Gil's explanation of this knowledge he says but this is to be understood of an evangelic knowledge of God as the God and Father of Christ as the God of all Grace pardoning iniquity transgression and sin and of Christ as mediator not a general notional and speculative knowledge but a practical and experimental one a knowledge of approbation and appropriation a fiducial one whereby a soul believes in Christ and trusts in his blood righteousness and sacrifice for salvation and which though imperfect is Progressive now Brethren I just want to end on this the Westminster divines asked what is the chief end of man Chief end of man isn't your happiness that's not a bad thing Chief and Dem man isn't a bigger portfolio more wisdom more strength the chief and Dem man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever how do we glorify God and enjoy him forever well faith in the Lord Jesus Christ when we're dead in our trespasses and sins miserable wretches under God's Wrath and curse we don't glorify God we don't know God savingly we don't look to God experimentally experientially we we don't usually care about God but when we're saved by God's grace through faith in Jesus when we come to grips with the reality that Jesus gives eternal life that all the father had given to him when by that Grace we believe what is the reflex of that it's to study and to know and to learn of God so that we may glorify him and that we may enjoy him forever isn't that the way it ought to be and if you're wondering is he going to hammer me right now that I need to read my Bible tomorrow yes he is the Bible isn't a chore one of the things we noticed in our studies in numbers numbers 21 a talking donke I I defy anybody in the universe to tell me that the Bible is a boring book it's not a boring book you got a a donkey reproving his master that's exciting Brethren that's good stuff you got the story of Jonah swallowed by the by the great fish you got the life and Ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ you've got the the kings of Israel you've got Elijah on Mount Carmel mocking the prophets of Baal maybe your maybe your God's on the toilet you've got glorious truth in the Bible I just I'm I'm not going to lambas I'm not going to Harang I'm going to encourage there's everything in the Bible that you should want to read everything about that book you should want to value and prize understand the Old Testament and promise and anticip ipation and the New Testament and fulfillment and realization understand that when the Apostle says in the fullness of time God sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law to redeem those under the law all that is behind that in terms of the Old Testament terms of a Genesis 3:15 promise a Genesis 22 typology of the finished work of the Lord Jesus the announcement of a prophet like Moses but not in Deuteronomy 1815 this the the the Salter I've been struck with one of the old brothers that I've been reading recently and he just says Christ says of himself in the Psalms Christ says of himself in the Psalms Christ says of himself in the Psalms if the essence of eternal life is the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent if that is it that ought to in fact the way that we live our Pursuits our desires I'm not telling you quit your jobs Brothers you know come here every day and just study the text of scripture up there in the fellowship hall shave your heads too and and learn to drink really dark black coffee and get yourself a Jetta and we'll just all do this together it's not what I'm saying I know that life is busy I know that there's a lot of hands on our time I I get all that but in many ways brethren we have been more help than any generation ever before us we don't even have to physically wash dishes or clothes we don't have to do you know things that people used to have to do by hand they meet at six I'm home at 9 it's just a big thing the point is it's an air conditioned heated vehicle why does it never occur to us than our in our pursuit of Theology and the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ who thou has sent we could actually get up a little earlier we could actually not read something else that we were going to read we can actually not watch something else that we were going to watch we can actually not go to a sporting event that we were otherwise going to go to again I'm not calling it a monkery I'm not calling you to you know withdraw from the world and just study the scriptures I mean if you can do that and finance it more power to you but but all of us in every single day have a little bit more more time than we think and if the the very essence of eternal life is the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent it really ought to affect us at some level individually with reference to the intake of scripture I would suggest as well Church attendance be a David I was glad when they said unto me let us go to the house of the Lord let us go to the house of the Lord the Wednesday night study if you if you've ever learned or read or heard of the book of numbers or been anywh familiar with it there's a lot we don't know there's a lot at the end I say comments I don't want questions and comments because I don't think I can answer the questions if you want to comment comment till the cows come home but it's getting us into the ballpark with what's happening in Redemptive history why because the very essence of eternal life is that they may Know Thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent the god of numbers 21 is glorious you should want to know him who causes an ass to talk and rebuke his master that's very upset with him that that God is is the most exciting object for investigation that there could ever be so it ought to affect us at the individual level it ought to affect us corporately and if you're not a Believer my encouragement to you is to believe the essence of eternal life is the knowledge of God in Jesus Jesus Christ whom he has sent the way to the father is through the son so believe on him and you shall be saved well let us pray Our Father in Heaven thank you for your word thank you for our Lord's Prayer here in John 17 we ask God that you would just encourage our hearts build us up in our Most Holy Faith and cause us to take the prophet's admonition and not to boast in our wisdom to boast in our might or to boast in our riches but to Bo boast in the reality that we know you that we know your Divine Perfections as they're revealed in the created order and more even more so in special Revelation and that we know your son the Lord Jesus Christ who came out of heaven or from heaven for us men and for our Salvation we thank you for your mercies to us we thank you for your grace pray for your blessing upon the Gospel wherever it is preached that many would come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Of Glory and we pray in Jesus name amen well you can stand and we'll close by singing [Music] 572 the Holy Ghost as was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world [Music] withen the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation