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Good evening to everyone. You can turn in your Bibles with me to begin our worship with the reading of Psalm 19 beginning at verse 7. Psalm 19 beginning at verse 7. This is the word of God. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yay, than much fine gold. Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover, by them your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Amen. Let's stand and sing our first hymn. It'll be Psalm 110A. Psalm [Music] 110a until Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] All [Music] will change. You are [Music] forever. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] and the sweet fresh water. He will lift his head on [Music] high. Let's go to God in prayer. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this your Lord's day evening that your saints could gather together a second time in this place for the worship of our blessed God. We do pray that you would help us now to hallow your name. Give us that measure of your holy spirit that our hearts might be lifted up to a proper worship uh unintruded upon by any any other thoughts, any uh wandering uh thinkings. We do just pray that you'd help us now in worship to worship you are right in spirit and in truth. We thank you for your blessings towards us. We rejoice in the blessing of Jesus Christ, our savior, and that so great salvation that we have in him. We do pray that you'd help us now as we worship to reflect upon our precious Christ, to reflect upon his perfect work, knowing that our salvation comes not from ourselves, whether in whole or in part, but solely and alone by virtue of the perfect work of Jesus Christ. And we do uh we do um just praise you for that. We thank you Lord God that we have in him that forgiveness of sins. We do pray that you would forgive us Aresh by virtue of the shed blood of our savior Jesus Christ. We thank you that we have that advocate Jesus Christ the just one who uh who is quick to forgive and forgives uh based upon that precious work. And we we know that in him we have a perfect salvation. We pray that we would worship father, son, and holy spirit. As we uh engage in the reading of the scriptures, as we engage in prayer and the the preaching of the word, might you be honored and glorified. And we pray unto that end for the preaching of the word, Lord God, that you would uh just strengthen Pastor Butler as he comes up here to preach the word. Uh we know that ministers rely on you there, God, to strengthen them in the pulpit. And we do pray for that. We pray that he would know uh your aid and your strength in in in this pulpit. And we pray that he would preach well the things of your holy word. That we uh listening out in the pews would uh would take in that word, rejoicing in our God, rejoicing uh in uh our precious Christ and rejoicing in amazing grace. And we pray unto that end again for the ministry of the spirit uh joined to the preaching of the word that your saints would be strengthened, that sinners would be saved, and uh Lord God that you would be honored in this act of worship. We pray for those who are struggling physically with many uh diseases or injuries or other things. Lord, we do just pray that you'd watch over your uh your ailing saints that you'd lift them up, strengthen them in the body, cause them in the inner man though in the midst of affliction to praise your name and to uh rejoice in you their God and rejoice in our precious Christ. And we do pray that you would just tend to them and heal them. We pray for those struggling spiritually, Lord God. We just pray that you lift them up uh strengthen them in the inner man. Cause them as well to have returned unto them the joy of their salvation and uh to uh to seek you each and every day and each and every hour. We pray Lord God that you would be with those who rule over us as we're called upon in the scriptures to pray for kings and those who are in authority that we might live peaceable lives. We pray to that end uh you would just do a work in the midst of the the governments of the nations knowing that as we your people pray for these things. We we know that a sovereign God uh has uh the grip on the upon the king's heart. And we do just pray that you'd uh watch over those who rule, that you would uh cause them, Lord God, not to uphold wickedness, not to sanction sin and transgression and wickedness in the land, but much rather that they would uphold that proper righteousness and justice. And we pray that those who would seek uh to remain in rebellion against you, that you would take them out of the way, uh that we might see righteousness reign in the land. And we pray that you would cause your people uh to be prayerful unto this end and unto many ends. Lord God, as your people go about this lower sojourn, we pray that you would cause them to be prayerful not only unto that end, but unto the end that your word would go forth from many pulpits throughout the world. Uh that uh the precious transmission of truth would obtain from church to church throughout many nations. that Jesus Christ would be proclaimed and that by your grace and for your glory many sinners would be brought forth to the knowledge of our precious savior. We do pray Lord God then that you would be uh continue to be with us in worship as we sing another hymn and as we engage in that central act of worship, the preaching of the word. Might you strengthen us by your spirit and might you cause us Lord God to hallow you a right and to to have the Lord Jesus Christ exalted upon the praises of this gathered assembly. and we pray in his precious name. Amen. Amen. Well, let's sing again. This time we're going to sing hymn 364. Let's stand together as a church and sing 364. Hallelu. Halleluj to heaven. Praise sing to God in our gladness. Sing to God praise. He who are the cross sal. Jesus Christ the king of glory now is ris from the dead. Christ is risers of the holy gra All full of abundance at his second coming near and the golden years of will be for way. I in my glorious sunshine rose of the grave. Hallelu Hallelu. Glory be to God. Hallelu to the savior who has won the victory. Hallelu to the spirit found of all sanctity. Hallelu. Hallelu to the [Music] triesty. Can turn in your Bibles with me to the book of Judges. Judges chapter nine. It's where we're at in our continual reading consecutively through the Old Testament. Judges 9 verse 1 to verse 21 is the section that we'll read. Once again, the word of God. Judges 9:1. Then Aimilec, the son of Gerubbel, went to Sheckchham to his mother's brothers, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying, "Please speak in the hearing of all the men of Sheckchham. Which is better for you, that all 70 of the sons of Jerobel reign over you, or that one reign over you? Remember that I am your own flesh and bone?" And the mother's brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the men of Sheckchham. And their heart was inclined to follow Aimilec. For they said, "He is our brother." So they gave him 70 shekels of silver from the temple of Baal Barth with which Aimilec hired worthless and reckless men, and they followed him. Then he went to his father's house at Afra and uh killed his brothers, the 70 sons of Jerobel. one uh on one stone. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerobel, was left because he hid himself. And all the men of Sheckchham gathered together all of Beth Milo, and they went and made Aimilec king beside the Terabinth tree at the pillar that was in Sheckchham. Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Garazim, and lifted his voice and cried out. And he said to them, "Listen to me, you men of Sheckchham, that God may listen to you." The trees once went forth to anoint a king over them. And they said to the olive tree, "Rign over us." But the olive tree said to them, "Should I cease giving my oil with which they honor God and men and go to uh go to sway over trees?" Then the trees said to the fig tree, "You come and reign over us." But the fig tree said to them, "Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit and go to sway over trees?" Then the trees said to the vine, "You come and reign over us." But the vine said to them, "Should I cease my new wine, which cheers both God and men, and go to sway over trees?" Then all the trees said to the bramble, "You come and reign over us." And the bramble said to the trees, "If in truth you anoint me as king over you, then come and take shelter in my shade. But if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon. Now therefore, if you have acted in truth and sincerity in making Aimilec king, and if you have dealt well with Jerobel and his house, and have done to him as he deserves, for my father fought for you, risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian. But you have risen up against my father's house this day and killed his 70 sons on one stone and made Aimilec the son of his female servant king over the men of Sheckchim because he is your brother. If then you have acted in truth and sincerity with Jerobel and with his house this day, then rejoice in Aimilec and let him also rejoice in you. But if not, let fire come uh let fire come from Aimilec and devour the men of Sheckchham and Beth Milo. And let fire come from the men of Sheckchham and from Beth Milo and devour Aimilec. And Jotham ran away and fled. And he went to beer and dwelt there for fear of AMC his brother. Amen. Well, let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word. We rejoice in your goodness to us and revealing your will and your mind to the sons of men. We thank you uh that we can hold your truth in our hands and that we can avail of it and we can avail of the Christ to whom it points. And we thank you for this all because of your goodness towards us and uh the glory of amazing grace. We do pray now as we move to our last hymn and to the preaching of the word that you would continue with us that you would give us your spirit that we might worship you a right and we pray in Christ's name. Amen. Amen. Our final hymn before the preaching will be Psalm 119m 119m. Let's stand and sing together. [Music] Holy I weren and I for your me. I am all wisdom and my teachers for your day. I am glorious and for all your test I need everywhere for I desire to follow your word. Since you have taugh me all your grace, I do not. [Music] How sweet your words are. Lord to my sweet and is my heart. Through your commandments I will understand. Therefore, oh Lord [Music] my Well, you could turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Romans. Romans chapter 4 Romans chapter 4. I'll read the last few verses and then our focus will be on verse 25. But just to give you sort of an outline as to what's going on in this portion of the book of Romans. So, beginning in chapter 3 at verse 21, continuing to chapter 4 25 is Paul's treatment of justification by faith alone. specifically the righteousness of God and justification in chapter 3:es 21- 26 and then that emphasis on justification by faith only or alone in verses 37 or 27-31. He then confirms this in chapter 4 by a reference to Abraham in verses 1 to4 and then David in verses 5 to8 showing that this is not a new thing. God has always saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. And then from chapter 4 at verse 9 to the section that we're going to consider, there's an extended treatment concerning Abraham, specifically the place of circumcision and justification by faith alone in verses 9 to 12. The place of faith, promise, and law in verses 13 to 22, and then the benefit for the new covenant believer. And I'll read that section in verses 23-2. And then we'll pray. So beginning in Romans 4 23. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in him, who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised because of our justification. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for this beautiful day. We thank you for the day that you have made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. We thank you for our savior, King, that blessed one who lived for us, who died for us and wonderfully was raised for us and now is enthroned at the right hand of God for us. We thank you that he is building his church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. We pray for the blessing of God upon the proclamation of the truth that more would be added to the church through the power of the Holy Spirit calling them effectually unto the Lord Jesus. We pray for the edification and growth of your body. We pray that the people of God would have the mind of Christ, that we would be mature, that we would be one one new man, that we would glorify and honor you in this present evil age. Even now, God, forgive us for all of our sins, cleanse us in the blood of the lamb, and may you fill us with your Holy Spirit. We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, this morning when our brother was preaching from 1 Corinthians 15, I remembered something that Jay Gresum man had rightly pointed out. For instance, in 1 Corinthians 15:3, we read that Christ died for us. And as Ma man says, Christ died is history. The for us is doctrine. And our passage does something similar. Notice specifically in verse 25 you have the fact of the death of our Lord Jesus the history and then you have the rationale or the doctrine or the theology of it. So in verse 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses and then the same thing in the latter part of the verse was raised that's history but why was he raised because of our justification. So who was delivered up is history because of our offenses is doctrine and was raised as history and because of our justification is doctrine. And essentially what we have here as Paul describes the doctrine of justification by faith alone having pointed to Abraham having pointed to David and then returning to Abraham in an extended way. Notice again in verse 23, it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to us, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. So essentially in verse 24, Paul says, we believe in him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. And then in verse 25, he explains why he was dead. Why this holy, harmless, and undefiled one would actually be executed. Why was Christ dead? Well, it was because of our offenses and he was raised then for our justification. So, we'll look first at the first part of the verse, the redemptive purpose of the death of Christ. And then secondly, the latter portion of the verse, the redemptive purpose of the resurrection of Christ. A very simple sermon and hopefully nothing new. We cover this material a lot. Again, I'll remind you what Luther said. I preach justification by faith alone every Sunday because my people forget it by every Sunday. So with reference to the reason for his death, notice in the first place the death of Christ was not primarily an example. I think I've tried to show that in Philippians 2:es 5-11 where it really is an example. Also in 1 Peter chapter 2, we see Paul or Peter there setting forth Christ in as an example to the people of God. But the accent falls in the New Testament on the death of Jesus Christ as a satisfaction of divine justice. The accent falls upon substitutionary curse bearing. The accent falls upon atonement. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1, we preach Christ crucified. To the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness. But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. And we see that emphasized here. He wasn't delivered up because we needed an example. He wasn't raised so that we will love each other better and more. So no, the specific emphasis here and we would expect this in an argument that is focused upon justification by faith alone is on the atoning work of the savior king. So the death of Christ was substitutionary atonement. It was typified in the Old Testament, prophesied in the Old Testament, and then brought to fruition the coming of the son of man. When the word became flesh and dwelt among us, he is in fact the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Now, if we look specifically at our text, who was delivered up because of our offenses? We're going to work a little backwards in this section. What is the offenses or what are the offenses that are in view here? It is not sin in general in some sort of vague notional sense but rather it is the sins of his people. In the book of Hebrews in chapter 2 at verse 17 we read therefore in all things he had to be made like his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people. Again, not vague notional ideas of sin out there in the abstract, but the sorts of sins that you and I commit, the sorts of transgressions against God's law that Paul has already detailed in Romans 1, beginning in verse 18. All you have to do is run through that list to see the sorts of offenses that Paul has in mind here. He was delivered up because of our offenses, the kinds of lawlessness that the that the Gentiles engage in that that transgression of God's holy law, the decalogue. And then he turns his attention to the Jew in chapter 2 and he says, even though they have the oracles of God, even though they have been the recipients of special revelation, they nevertheless are guilty. They nevertheless have transgressed that law. And then Paul summarizes the argument in chapter 3. Notice in verse 9, what then are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. As it is written, there is none righteous, know not one. There is none who understands. There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside. They have together become unprofitable. There is none who does good. Know not one. Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have practiced deceit. The poison of asps is under their lips. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. For by the law is the knowledge of sin. And then he brings that relief. He brings that doctrine. He brings that truth of justification by faith alone in Christ Jesus alone. In fact, turn back to Romans 1 specifically at verse 18 where he starts this indictment of all men everywhere whether Jew or Gentile for having committed transgression against God. So in 118, for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth and unrighteousness. And then he hammers down as I said to the he to the heathen and then to the Jew. But in 3:21 after summarizing the universal condemnation and liability of all men to a holy God because of their transgression, he uses that same phrasiology. But now, so you've got the wrath of God is revealed. And then in verse 21, but now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed. And thus he begins his exposition of of justification by faith alone. So when we look at our text who was delivered up because of our offenses, our transgression of the law, our idolatry, our blasphemy, our Sabbath breaking, our insubordination, our murder, our adultery, our uh theft and our our lies and our covetousness, our lack of conformity unto God's law and our positive transgression of it. And so with reference to the offenses, we see that God is angry with the wicked every day. And we see how at the cross that is one of the things going on. If you look again at 3:21, but now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed. And here I take righteousness not as that perfection of God, his rightness or his justice, but that righteousness that God demands, but God graciously supplies in the gospel of our salvation. Paul speaks to this in Philippians 3:9. not having my own righteousness which is from the law but that righteousness which comes from God which is through faith in Jesus Christ. So he says this is witnessed by the law and the prophets even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by his blood through faith to demonstrate his righteousness. So it's God's wrath, God's fury, God's righteousness in terms of perfection, God's justice is satisfied by Christ on the cross. So this is what we see how God uh treats offenses. He was not uh he was pleased to deliver up his own son for us so that he could deal with the sin problem because in his forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed to demonstrate at the pre present time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. So the description of our offenses, our sin, our guilt, our vileeness, our helplessness, our our rebellion and against the majesty of God Almighty. But then notice in the first part, who was delivered up because of our offenses. We learn from this that God's justice demands that we be delivered up to hell for our sins and transgressions against him. Unless a substitute takes our place, unless the penalty is satisfied, unless divine justice is dealt with, and that is precisely the reason we find that Christ was delivered up because of our offenses. God's grace provided satisfaction for our sins through the substit substitutionary crosswork of our Lord Jesus Christ. And from this we conclude that God's provision in the gospel is his only begotten son. That one who assumed our humanity. That one who lived for us, who died for us, and was raised again for us. That lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. It couldn't just be a man. It was the the divine son who assumes to himself our humanity in order to fulfill what the father had laid upon him. Steven Charoch makes this observation. And he says, "As man, he was fit to undergo the sharpness of the curse, and as God able to remove it. As man, he was capable to obey both the moral and mediatorial law, and as God to transmit the fruit of that obedience to us." Praise God for that blessed reality. Praise God that Christ was delivered up because of our offenses. And before we move on, we ought to notice the divine initiative. He was delivered up. It's a theological passive. That means that something happened to him. He was delivered up. And if I were to ask you who was guilty with reference to the murder of the Lord Jesus Christ, there'd be a lot of contenders for that particular position. Well, the Romans. They were culpable. Well, the Jews. They cried away with him. Away with him. Crucify him. I'm not minimizing or mitigating their human responsibility. God doesn't. You crucified by lawless hands. Peter says in Acts two, but he says it was according to the predetermined plan of God Almighty. The accent or the focus or the emphasis here on the delivering up because of our offenses is on the father. Again, look back at 3:25. Whom God set forth as a propitiation by his blood through faith to demonstrate his righteousness because in his forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed. So the instrumentality of the Jewish leaders and Judas's Scariot and the Romans, but the purpose and plan of God most high was the overarching situation. As Winslow says, who delivered up Jesus to die? Not Judas for money, not Pilate for fear, not the Jews for envy, but what uh but the father for love. So that's where Paul is bringing this particular argument. If you look at chapter 8, specifically at verse 32, you see a similar emphasis. And again, this is not uh a few one-offs. You've got it in the prophet Isaiah. The Lord was pleased to bruise him or to crush him, putting him to grief. Notice in 8:32, he who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? So it was the father. God so loved the world that he gave not only in the incarnation but in the passion as well. He delivered up his son. He delivered up the Lord Jesus because of our offenses. In other words, it's either Jesus is our substitute. Jesus is our wrathbearer. Jesus bears the curse of the broken law. Or we do. There's no other option. There's no other alternative. If you're not a believer tonight, I want to encourage you to look unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Why? Because he was delivered up for our offenses. But then the text goes on. Notice then secondly, the redemptive purpose of the resurrection of Christ. He was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised because of our justification. Again, the fact of our res resurrection or the fact of the resurrection, the history, brethren. We can't have good doctrine without real history. We can't just say, "Well, it doesn't really matter if these things took place. It really doesn't matter if there was a historical Jesus. It doesn't really matter if there was a crucifixion. It really doesn't matter if there was a resurrection. What really matters is what those stories promote or produce in us." And if you're thinking, "Well, nobody ever does this." is there's some very popular people right now doing podcasts and doing this very thing. In fact, Christianity Today just wrote an article that the Bible nowhere says that Jesus was nailed to the cross. Christianity today, I would expect that from paganism today, but not from Christianity today. That is a a complete rejection of the sacred text. So, don't think it's an odd sort of, you know, he's just picking on a straw man. It doesn't matter about the history. It only matters what the story promotes or produces in the heart of the people. No, brethren, without that history, we don't have the doctrine. Without the reality of the last Adam doing what Paul says he does in Romans chapter 5, if we don't have that, we don't have salvation. And so, as we move through the message tonight, we're going to end, and I'm going to basically rehearse the history. And I'm not going to do that in a great bit of detail. I've done it before. I think it's good to keep it before us in terms of the gospel narratives and what it says concerning the the the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. So, the one delivered up because of our offenses was raised for our justification. Remember the language, the angel at the tomb. He is risen. You're not going to find him here. Again, the passive verb indicates that the father raised Jesus from the dead. You see something similar in Romans 1:4, which we'll look at in just a moment. But this does not mean that the son was uninvolved. In other passages, Christ speaks of his power involved in the resurrection. Got to remember inseparable operations. Everything external to God terms of add extra those things outside of God. God, the father, son, and holy spirit do that. But with reference to appropriations, we have it appropriated here specifically to the father in terms of resurrection. Turretan says although the resurrection of Christ is often ascribed to the father it does not follow that it cannot be ascribed to the son because whatever the father does the son in like manner does and as the resurrection is an outward work it ought to be undivided to the whole trinity so inseparable operations to be sure but it's predicated to the father on many instances and as we consider this was raised because of our justification cam read this morning pastor cam read this morning 1 Corinthians Ians 15:17. What does Paul say there in 1 Corinthians 15:17? And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile. You are still in your sins. So it's not just, well, we can kind of have this and we can kind of No, it's a package deal, brethren. Life, death, resurrection, ascension, exaltation, current session at the right hand of God most high. It's all prophesied in the Old Testament, brought to fruition in the New Testament, and absolutely essential for the Christian church to confess, to hold to, to fight for, and to do so with great zeal and with great vigor and earnestness. This is the faith once for all delivered to the saints, the the faith that we must contend earnestly for. And with reference to the result of the resurrection, notice he was raised because of our justification or he was raised for our justification. Typically, we don't connect the doctrine of justification with resurrection. I hope to show why Paul does that in a moment, but it's perfectly acceptable and it's perfectly appropriate. What is justification? Justification is an act of God's free grace wherein he pardons all our sins and accepts us as righteous in his sight only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone. So the apostle hinges this great doctrine of justification by faith alone on the resurrection which necessarily involves the death that brought it to the point where there would need to be a resurrection. Again, it's a package deal. You don't have one without the other. Well, I really like the resurrection story, but I'm not too into that passion thing or I really like the simp uh the the sorrow and death of Jesus. I hope no one said ever. Uh but that resurrection thing, that's not quite for me. No, Paul puts these things together for a specific reason. The historical link between the crucifixion and the resurrection. We started worship this morning on Psalm 16. That is a prophecy concerning the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Peter tells us as much. The Apostle Paul tells us as much. It wasn't David that David was writing about in terms of resurrection and his soul not being abandoned in shiel. It was Jesus. We've got that that that reference again that Pastor Cam pointed to the sign of the prophet Jonah in Matthew 12. Jesus says that was typical. That was uh forwardlooking. The fact that he spent three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish and then came out or was vomited on the land. So must the son of man spend that time in the earth and then be raised from the dead. I believe resurrection is assumed by Psalm 1101. Yahweh said to my lord, "Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your foottool." When we see that passage applied in the New Testament, it's always at the exaltation which follows the resurrection which necessarily follows the death or crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. I think Matthew uh Daniel chapter 9 as well indicates a resurrection of our blessed savior. And so the doctrine of justification by faith alone typically linked to the death necessarily involves and includes the resurrection. You don't have the death of Christ without the resurrection of Christ. You don't have the resurrection of Christ without the death of Christ. And subsequent you've got ascension, you've got exalt exaltation, and you've got current session. The the resurrection is the necessary followup to the crucifixion. They're inseparable. Hajj says the resurrection of Christ as an historical fact established by the most satisfactory evidence authenticates the whole gospel. As surely as Christ has risen, so surely shall believers be saved, as verse 25 specifies. He was delivered up because of our offenses, and he was raised for our justification. Now, in terms of the connection between resurrection and justification, I'm sure there's a lot of things that people could add here. I'm sure there's a lot of things that hopefully will be provoked in your own thoughts, but I just want to offer up four things. The resurrection between uh rather connection between resurrection and justification. First, the resurrection testified that Christ is the son of God with power. You can turn to Romans chapter 1. Romans chapter 1. If we ask the question, why does he link justification with resurrection? Here's an attempt and an answer. Notice in 13 concerning his son, excuse me, Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead. This did not constitute him or make him the son of God. It declared rather that he was in fact the son of God and that with power. We are to believe according to verse 24 in Romans 4 that Jesus is our Lord. In other words, the resurrection underscores the truth that the second person of the triune God assumed our humanity. He functioned as covenant mediator, the shity of a better covenant. He is the one, the Davidic Messiah. He is the one sent by God on that mission from God to redeem his people from their sins. Calvin says, "The cross of Christ only triumphs in the breast of believers over the devil in the flesh, sin and sinners when their eyes are directed to the power of his resurrection." Again, brethren, martyrs have died in the history of the world. People die for other people in the history of the world. And that's nice at some level. Sentimentally, that's a really good story. Perhaps you like reading military lore and you read military stories in history and you hear about a guy and he dives into a dives on a grenade and he spares the lives of all his people. That is good. I'm not suggesting it isn't. I'm not necessarily suggesting go find a grenade tonight and do that. But that is a good and noble thing. There's no redemptive power in it. Not so with Christ. He was delivered up because of our offenses and he was raised for our justification. I think Calvin is bang on here. When their eyes are directed to the power of his resurrection. Secondly, the resurrection testified that Christ's sacrifice was accepted. It testified that Christ's sacrifice was accepted. Listen to Gil. He says Christ's resurrection did not procure the justification of his people. That was done by his obedience and death. But was for the test justification of it. Our brother used that word this morning. I thought that's great. He kind of paved the way for for John Gil. but was for the testification of it, that it might fully appear that sin was atoned for, and an everlasting righteousness was brought in, and for the application of it, or that Christ might live and see his righteousness imputed and applied to all those for whom he had wrought it out. or in a more modern uh uh theologian says the resurrection is quote a divine endorsement of his mediatorial work a declaration of the power and value of his death the amen of the father upon the it is finished of the son that's gold that's one of the reasons why we see Paul here say raised because of our justification I would suggest thirdly that the resurrection testified that satisfaction was rendered. Again, that bit in 3:21-26. He set him forth as a propitiation through his blood. Why? To demonstrate his righteousness. And then specifically in verse 26 at the end, that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. The cross didn't compromise divine justice. The cross upheld divine justice. The cross wasn't just a vehicle to pour out God's love without any respect to God's law. No, it's at the cross that those things are upheld together. It's not just mercy, but it's justice. These things kiss. These things are are are friends at the cross of our blessed savior. The law was honored and magnified such that God might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Look at verse five in Romans 4. But to him who does not work but believes on him. Notice who justifies the ungodly. He justifies the ungodly. How could God do that? Because Christ was delivered up because of our offenses and he was raised for our justification. His faith is accounted for righteousness. Verse six, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works. Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin. That's the proper response to this glorious doctrine. It's to bless, to praise, to honor, and to glorify the God of heaven and earth. I would suggest fourthly, the resurrection testified that redemption was accomplished. redemption was accomplished. God willing, we're going to get to to John chapter 19 eventually. And in verse 30, Jesus says, "It is finished." He doesn't say, "I am finished." And I don't think it's this meat pathetic sort of a thing. It the work the father has given me is finished. Several times in John's gospel, and I've tried to point this out along the way, Jesus celebrates the active obedience of Christ. He speaks about doing the will of his father. I always do what is pleasing to him. He speaks about his meat being to do the will of the father. So everything about Jesus in that mediatorial capacity was about obeying God the father in terms of the law laid upon him. And so on the cross when he says it is finished, that is a triumphant cry concerning that covenant of grace. Listen to Spurgeon commenting on John 19:30. He says,"I am persuaded that it was so intended to be used," talking about it was for the church. For none of the words of our Lord on the cross are addressed to his church, but this one, I cannot believe that when he was dying, he left his people for whom he died without a word. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Is for sinners, not for saints. I thirst is for himself. And so is that bitter cry. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Woman, behold, thy son is for Mary. Today thou shalt thou be with me in paradise is for the penitent thief. Into thy hands I commend. My spirit is for the father. Jesus must have had something to say in the hour of death for his church. And surely this is his dying word for her. It is finished. Brethren, that's good news to a weary sinner that by grace has come to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. See, we need to get this out of our heads that it's up to Jesus and us. It's a bit of Jesus and a bit of me. If you can read Romans and come to that conclusion, you're a better man than a lot of people in the life of the church. You can read Galatians, that emphasis on justification by faith alone. Look at 3:27. 3:27. Sometimes papers say, "Well, the Bible doesn't say justification by faith alone." Really? Completely excluding works isn't faith alone. But notice in 3:27 where is the boast? Where is boasting that? It it is excluded by what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Now note ver verse 28. Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Sounds like semantics to me. Well, it doesn't say solid specifically. Well, it it does. You just don't have ears to hear and are to receive it. There is nothing more clearly set out by the apostle, by the apostles, by our blessed savior, by the prophets, and dare I say by Moses than that justification is by faith alone. Abraham believed God. It was accounted unto him as as righteousness or for righteousness. And so when it comes to this it is finished cry from our blessed savior in John 19:30, let that help you on a Thursday when you are feeling miserable about yourself. Now, you may have good reason to feel miserable about yourself, but go to the cross. Go to the Savior. Consider first John 2. My little children, I write these things so that you may not sin. And if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. Sing with the hymnwriter. Nothing in my hand I bring. Simply to thy cross I cling. Or even better, foul I to the fountain fly. Wash me, Savior, or I die. Or if you want the inscripturated version, Zechariah 13:1, in that day there will be a fountain open for sin and uncleanness. You guilty of sin and uncleanness plunged by God's grace beneath that flood. Christ satisfied. Christ completed and as well I said for one more the resurrection testified that the session was initiated. So from the resurrection comes the ascension to the state of exaltation and the in the session of Christ at the right hand of the father. And we learn in a couple places in the New Testament documents that he ever lives to make intercession for us. The Lord Christ at the right hand of the father is our advocate and he does plead on our behalf. So in conclusion, very simple text. He was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised because of our justification. So I want to end by looking at the glory of the resurrection of Christ. First the historical significance or rather the historical data and then the theological significance of that data. First the confirmation of his death. Cam mentioned the Muslims earlier. The swoon theory. He wasn't really dead. He was mostly dead. And being mostly dead when he goes into the tomb he's able to get over whatever malady he was facing. And then he came out and thought, you know, people thought that he had risen from the dead. James Cameron held that view and made a documentary on that. It's out there, the swoon theory. But his death was confirmed by men who made it their business to kill people. Honestly, if I saw a dead body in the road, I could be off. It's not my business to kill people. If I'm a Roman soldier in the first century and I'm defending the empire and I'm fighting off the barbarians, I I think I'd know what dead is versus mostly dead. So his death is confirmed by the soldiers. His death is confirmed by Pontius Pilate. His death is confirmed by the Jewish leaders. His death is confirmed by the angel. His death was a reality. So what went into the tomb was a dead man. Now the confirmation of his resurrection by the angel and Jesus himself. What's the best proof for the resurrection from the dead of our Lord Jesus Christ? Our Lord Jesus Christ and his resurrected status. Now consider the gospel narratives. He appeared first to the women who had left the tomb in Matthew 28 and then to Mary Magdalene in John 20. He appeared to Cleopus and the unnamed disciple on the road to Emmas in Luke 24. He then appeared to Peter sometime that same afternoon Luke 24 1 Corinthians 15. He appeared to the 11 minus Thomas on the day on that day of resurrection in the upper room. He invited his disciples to touch him and he ate broiled fish and honeycomb with them. He appeared a week later to his disciples. This time Thomas was present. By the way, Thomas was the chief skeptic. Thomas was the doubter. Thomas was the denier. Unless my eyes see and my hands touch, I will not believe. Huh? Here he comes with my Lord and my God. It's great way to end John's gospel. The gospel that introduces the word who was with God, the word who was God is confessed by Thomas who was at one point the chief skeptic. But the gospel ends with that blessed confession, that lofty confession of faith. He appeared to seven of his disciples by the Sea of Tiberius and prepared and ate breakfast with them. He appeared to the 11 on a mountain of Galilee. This occasion could have possibly been the one when he also appeared to more than 500 people. He appeared to James, his half-brother. He appeared again to the 11 on the occasion of his ascension into heaven. He appeared to Saul of Tarsus sometime later. That that's a lot of witnesses, brethren. There's a lot of people involved. This is not some great sort of, you know, charade. He appeared to individuals. He appeared to a pair of disciples. He appeared to small groups. He appeared to large assemblies. He appeared to wh women women and men. He appeared in public and private at different times of the day both in Jerusalem and Galilee. This is not the testimony of a mass hallucination. Now, we hear a lot about UFOs, but back when I was younger, you'd hear about them. And typically, they would be cited at about 2 a.m. outside of an Air Force base by guys drinking lots of wine. Well, yeah, you're going to see UFOs given those particular conditions. mass hallucination or at least small group hallucination. That's not what the the New Testament documents reveal at all. Now, the emphasis on the scientific approach seeing in Matthew 28, come see the place. Matthew 28:6, Matthew 28:7, there you will what? You will see him. And in verse 10, there they will see me. In other words, investigate it. Go check it out. Go to the tomb. Look and see. Look and see for yourself. In fact, Jesus does that postresurrection to Thomas. Go ahead. But blessed are those who believe, who didn't have to see and touch. Now, in terms of the so-called problems with the resurrection, the fact that women are the first witnesses is a compelling be piece of evidence in terms of the veracity of the account. Women in that con that that that situation were not looked upon as credible witnesses. So, if I'm a for a forger and I'm a faker, I'm going to leave that out. I I'd like to say and think I'm more holy than that, but hey, I kind of know the the the the the depths of depravity there. In other words, if you're going to fake or you're going to forge or you're going to do something to try to pull the wool over people's eyes, wouldn't you get rid of those unsavory details that would make that more challenging? Josephus says, "Let not the testimony of women be admitted on account of the levity and boldness of their sex." A fake would have left that out just like I think a fake would have left out 2 Samuel 11. What happens in 2 Samuel 11? David commits grievous sin. Or not a fake there necessarily, but somebody who only ever wanted to see David as a grand hero. Well, the spirit of God who brings inspiration to the author says, "Nope, put it in there. David committed adultery and he covered it up with conspiracy to murder." as well. The fact that the gospel records are not smoothed out the differences, not contradictions, brethren. Differences are not contradictions, but the fact that they're not smoothed out. You put four different people in a room and say, "Let's each write a narrative." We're going to try to get our details straight. We're certainly not going to put in Matthew 28 that when Jesus rose from the dead, he's making an appearance to all of his disciples and some worshiped but others doubted. I might be tempted to leave out that doubt part because that doesn't favor the star of the show. That's not the way the gospel records come to us. Again, not contradictory, but not exact uniformity either. The differences that exist can in fact be harmonized and smarter men than I have done it. But the fact that there needs to be or rather a looking at these details and compar comparing them fakes would have smoothed it all out. They would have shaved off the rough edges. They would have made their story straight. Now in terms of the historicity of the resurrection, brethren, we own that. We confess it just like he was delivered up because of our offenses. He was raised for our justification. Let us never cease to praise God for this. Let us never cease to preach to the heathen this. And let us never capitulate to the mindset that says, well, it doesn't matter about the history. What really matters is what that story does in the ter in terms of a person's life. No, that's unacceptable. If that history is fake, if that history is falsified, if the word did not become flesh and dwell among us, if he did not function as the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, then there's no taking away the sin of the world, we are dead in our trespasses and sins, and we are of all men the most to be pied. That's Paul's logic in 1 Corinthians 15, and it's impeccable. Now, then finally, the theological significance. the work of satisfaction having been accomplished, Christ was no longer under the dominion of of death. Turn to Romans 6:es 9 and 10. Romans 6:9. Knowing that Christ having been raised from the dead dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over him. For the death that he died, he died uh he uh died to sin once for all. But the life that he lives, he lives to God. Hajj again says with a dead savior a savior over whom death had triumphed and held captive our justification had been forever impossible. It's what's kind of frustrating about well it's kind of really frustrating about the crucifixion the you know the thing that hangs in papist churches Christ is on the cross. Oh we we we we we need his death. We need that empty tomb brethren. We need that he is risen declaration. Why? Because he was delivered up because of our offenses and he was raised for our justification. Secondly, the work of satisfaction having been accomplished, the father raised the son to testify the completion of the work. Back to Turitan, he says, "But there is a peculiar reason why it resurrection is ascribed to the father on account of the obligation which Christ took upon himself from which he ought to be released by the father as judge who as he had delivered up Christ to death for our sins. So he ought to raise him up again for our justification in order to testify that a full satisfaction had been made by him." Beautiful. And then I would s suggest thirdly and finally the work of satisfaction having been accomplished and what Paul just said in Romans 4:25. He was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised for our justification necessarily and thematically and theologically and literally leads to Romans 5:1. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God. The endgame is the forgiveness of our sins. The imputation of the righteousness of Jesus Christ received by faith alone. What does that produce? What does that yield? What does that obligate us toward? Peace. peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. So the apostles logic is impeccable. His theology is glorious and it's built and founded and grounded upon the historical reality that in the fullness of the time God sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law to redeem those under the law. If you are not a believer, look to the Lord Jesus Christ and be ye saved. Romans 10:9 is a great way to finish this in terms of exhortation for the unconverted. Romans 10:9, if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth uh with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture says, "Whoever believes on him will not be put to shame, for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord overall is rich to all who calls upon him. For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." Praise God for abundant grace and mercy and salvation to be had in and through the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Well, let us pray. Our father, we thank you that you delivered up your own son for us. We praise you that that justification in our text is connected with that resurrection from the dead, that divine sanction, that testimony, that confirmation of what Jesus did was beneficial for the glory of God and for the good of our of our helldeserving souls. We give all praise to you, all glory to you, and thank you for that peace that we now have with you through our Lord Jesus Christ. We ask that you would go with us, watch over us in this coming week. Grant us grace to to live in a manner consistent with our high calling in the gospel. But when we do sin, let us never forget that advocate with the father, even Jesus Christ the righteous. And we pray in his most blessed name. Amen. Well, let us stand and sing praise to God. 568 the doxology. Praise God. All blessings. Praise all creatures here. Praise him abol. Oh Israel, hope in the Lord. For with the Lord there is mercy and with him is abundant redemption. and he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. Amen. Well, please be seated for a brief time of meditation.