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[Music] you you you good morning to everyone welcome to free grace baptist church a warm welcome to any visitors that are out there with us it's a joy to have you uh join with us in the worship of our triune god father son and holy spirit well let's turn in our bibles for our call to worship this morning it will be a reading of psalm 8 psalm 8 as we begin worship this morning this is the word of the living and true god to the chief musician on the instrument of gath a psalm of david o lord our lord how excellent is your name in all the earth who have set your glory above the heavens out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants you have ordained strength because of your enemies that you may silence the enemy and the avenger when i consider your heavens the work of your fingers the moon and the stars which you have ordained what is man that you are mindful of him and the son of man that you visit him for you have made him a little lower than the angels and you have crowned him with glory and honor you have made him to have dominion over the works of your hands you have put all things under his feet all sheep and oxen even the beasts of the field the birds of the air and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the seas oh lord our lord how excellent is your name in all the earth amen well let's stand and sing together if you can stand and turn in your hymnals to him that is psalm 24b will stand together and sing psalm 24 bravo [Music] is [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] is [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] okay [Music] is [Music] please be seated let's go to our great god in prayer let us pray our righteous and holy god we come to you in prayer now on this lord's day morning rejoicing in you our glorious god and we thank you that by grace you have called us to come into this place from out of the world to sing the praises of father son and holy spirit and we thank you and we recognize your majesty we recognize your glory and we recognize that you are lord god infinite eternal and unchangeable in all of your glorious perfections and we do just pray that you would cause our hearts on this day to be lifted up to the worship of father son and holy spirit that we would worship you in spirit and truth the lord god that you would by your grace and power cause our minds to cast off anything that would interfere with the true and right worship of the triune god help us to be solely and alone focused on that worship that as we read the scriptures as we pray as we sing hymns and songs and spiritual songs lord god we pray that you would help us to be lifted up in true worship we long as your people to worship you in spirit and in truth we thank you for our savior the lord jesus christ god we rejoice in the blessed truth that he came into this world sinners to save that in the fullness of the times you did send forth your son born of a woman born under the law that he might redeem those who are under the law we thank you that he took upon himself in great condescension our humanity with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof and yet without sin that he executed the perfection of a saving work plan before the foundation of the world that his salvation afforded to his people is not a salvation of maybe it is not a salvation of perhaps but that he truly indeed did secure the found the salvation of a multitude that no man can number from every tribe and tongue and people and nation and we rest lord god not upon our own works not upon our own deeds not upon our own doings done in holiness of heart but rather lord god we rest solely and alone upon the perfection of the work of jesus christ our savior his active in his passive obedience rendered in the stead of a multitude and we pray that we would sing your praises on this day that we would once again sing the praises of father son and holy spirit and that we would reflect with cheerful hearts upon the doing and the dying and the rising again of the son of god even our lord jesus christ we do pray lord god that you would be with those in our midst who are suffering with sickness with illness and with injury we pray that you would strengthen them and body that you would tend to them that you would cause them not to be downcast but to be lifted up in the midst of trial and we do just pray that you would heal them that you would strengthen them that you would cause any of those any of those in the medical profession dealing with them to do so with precision uh with inaccuracy that lord god by means they might be made well and we do just pray that in the midst of these things you would cause them to glory in your name we do pray for those who are spiritually downcast lord we know this this can happen and does happen to all of us we pray that you would lift them up and cause them to cast their eyes of faith upon a risen and exalted christ that you would cause them to reflect with cheerful hearts upon the triune god and the glory of our blessed savior and lord just lift them up in spirits and cause them if here with us to rejoice in the fellowship of the saints as we sing hymns lord god that we would be singing one to each other that we would be speaking the things of god in the glorious gospel to one another and that we might be lifted up in spirit we do pray lord god for the persecuted church we think of our brothers and sisters throughout the world who are persecuted for the cause of god and truth were persecuted simply for believing in jesus christ our blessed savior we pray that you be with them in the midst of opposition that you would strengthen them in the midst of of tyranny and of hurtful hands coming down upon them we pray that you would just strengthen them lord god let them hold fast the confession of their faith without wavering because lord god you are faithful we do just pray that you would cause them in the midst of these sufferings to rejoice in their christ to be lifted up with high thoughts of their god and we do pray that those who persecute them those who are bringing violence and and threats and all these things against them lord we pray that you would deal with them we pray that you would come upon the swift wings of the glorious gospel that you would come with spirit to bring them forth from the deadness of sin to life in christ we do pray lord god once again for those who would remain rebellious in their opposition to you those who would who will not come forth we pray that you would deal with them cause them to wither away as the snail that they may no longer bring violence against the people of christ we do pray lord god for your missionaries throughout the world who do that great work of bringing the gospel to lost nations and to lost peoples we do pray that you be with them in their various activities we pray that you would give them protection that you would give them safety that you would give them what they need materially and spiritually to be able to proclaim the riches of jesus christ to those in need and we pray by that same gospel and that same spirit many would come forth from deadness to life in a knowledge of our savior the lord jesus christ we pray for the churches that we know locally and that we are dear to our hearts we think of surrey we think of armstrong we think of dryden we think of honduras lord we pray that you would be with our brothers and sisters in christ in those various cities we pray lord god that you would be with those who lead cause them to preach with great joy and with great conviction the things of christ our savior we do pray lord god that you would edify the saints and that you would save sinners in those places and for this we pray throughout the world god that your gospel would go forth today with power and with much assurance that the spirit would be active in bringing sinners to a knowledge of jesus christ our blessed savior we pray for our church this morning lord that you would be with pastor butler as he proclaims your word we know that ministers of your gospel do not rest upon their own strength but they do lord god rest upon that strength that a triune god affords his ministers and we pray for that today we pray for grace and for strength as he proclaims the word to us and as we receive that word we pray lord god for that measure of your spirit to edify and encourage your saints to even correct and to rebuke lord god that we might go from this place uh living and acting in a manner worthy of the gospel of jesus christ our savior and we pray for any and all lord god who came in to these doors in through these doors this morning outside of jesus christ in unbelief that by amazing and victorious grace they would leave these doors singing the praises of father son and holy spirit so we do pray lord god be with us now help us to worship you in spirit and in truth help us to be such as sing the praises of father son and holy spirit and we pray that all that is done this day would be done unto your glory we pray in the name of our savior the lord jesus christ amen well let's stand again and sing our next hymn is going to be 4 29 in our hymnals 4 29 let's stand and sing that together [Music] my grace [Music] [Music] is [Music] jesus [Music] is [Music] [Music] is [Music] [Music] oh [Music] please be seated for our new testament scripture reading you can turn with me in the new testament to the book of hebrews we're finishing off that book this morning with the reading of hebrews chapter 13. so hebrews 13 and we'll read the entirety of the chapter let brotherly love continue do not forget to entertain strangers for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels remember the prisoners as if chained with them those who are mistreated since you yourselves are in the body also marriage is honorable among all and the bed undefiled but fornicators and adulterers god will judge let your conduct be without covetousness be content with such things as you have for he himself has said i will never leave you nor forsake you so we may boldly say the lord is my helper i will not fear what can man do to me remember those who rule over you who have spoken the word of god to you whose faith follow considering the outcome of their conduct jesus christ is the same yesterday today and forever do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines for it is good that the heart be established by grace not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them we have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat for the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin are burned outside the camp therefore jesus also that he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered outside the gate therefore let us go forth to him outside the camp bearing his repo reproach for here we have no continuing city but we seek the one to come therefore by him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to god that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name but do not forget to do good and to share for with such sacrifices god is well pleased obey those who rule over you and be submissive for they watch out for your souls as those who must give account let them do so with joy and not with grief for that would be unprofitable for you pray for us for we are confident that we have a good conscience in all things desiring to live honorably but i especially urge you to do this that i may be restored to you the sooner now may the god of peace who brought up our lord jesus from the dead that great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you complete in every good work to do his will working in you what is well pleasing in his sight through jesus christ to whom be glory for ever and ever amen and i appeal to you brethren bear with the word of exhortation for i have written to you in few words know that our brother timothy has been set free with whom i shall see you with whom i shall see you if he comes shortly greet all those who rule over you and all the saints those from italy greet you grace be with you all amen well just a couple observations from the benediction that we have here in hebrews 20 to 21 it's a beautiful benediction there that contains something of a prayer and something of a doxology as well and we see here that paul is bringing forth the apostle is bringing forth a title to god that should set christians hearts at ease he calls god the god of peace now may the god of peace and i think we are to think here of the god of peace that is in the way of a saving peace by uh through our justification by faith we have peace with god through our lord jesus christ and by the cross by the shedding of christ's blood we have peace christ brings peace through the blood of his cross i think we also are to see here in the context of the hebrews because there has been so much national opposition to believing hebrews because there has been so much opposition brought by the unbelieving jews the political and the religious leaders they have had their goods plundered they have been persecuted they have been uh they have been excluded from those jewish events and gatherings and celebrations because they are following this jesus who is the one to whom the old testament pointed and so they are to have they are to know that there is a god of peace in high heaven that will bring bring good things in their obedience and in through their faith in the lord jesus christ that through faith in the lord jesus christ the god of peace will comfort their hearts we have this wonderful language here that great shepherd of the sheep this is that language that isn't just to conjure up the new uh new testament thinkings and ponderings but we are to cast our minds back to the old testament to passages such as psalm 23 though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death thou art with me your rod and your staff they comfort me christ is that great shepherd and john owen makes a note that it's not just the great shepherd but that great shepherd the one to whom all scripture points chapter after chapter page after page god is setting forth christ as the great shepherd who would lay down his life for his sheep and so this language of that great shepherd of the sheep is to comfort ailing saints and not just ailing saints but saints in all stages of their christian lives that great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant and notice the prayer is that he might the god of peace make you complete in every good work to do his will these good works do not rest upon our own strength though and upon our own human ingenuity but notice working in you what is well pleasing in his sight god gives us his spirit to do those things that he wishes us to do not in order that we may be saved but having been saved having been brought out of the darkness of sin to life and light in christ we by the power of the spirit do those things with cheerful hearts that god has revealed to us in his word and we have this beautiful closing doxology through jesus christ to whom be glory forever and ever amen this is a beautiful beautiful language regarding our savior that one who endured the shame and the ignominy of the cross who upon the heels of that shame and ignominy was raised was resurrected by the power of god who brought up our lord jesus from the dead he now sits at the right hand of the majesty on high and he is that one who pleads the merit of his blood perfectly for all of his people and so we say with paul to jesus christ be glory forever and ever amen well let us pray heavenly father we thank you for your word we thank you for what you've revealed to us regarding the perfection of jesus christ and his saving work we see in the book of hebrews that blessed theological content that christ is supreme he is super abounding he is the perfect and the glorious one in whom is salvation the forgiveness of sins we thank you for that exhortative content that reveals to us that by virtue of the saving work of the lord jesus christ we are to hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering and we pray lord god that you would help us in our christian lives to live in a manner worthy of the gospel of jesus christ that we would adorn that glorious gospel knowing that we have not been saved by deeds of righteousness which we have done but much rather according to your mercy you saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy spirit we pray that you'd be with us now in worship help us to glorify you help us to glorify father son and holy spirit and we pray in the name of our savior jesus christ amen well let's stand and sing our final hymn before the preaching that is going to be 209 you can stand together with me and sing 209. [Music] oh [Music] is [Music] is [Music] is [Music] is [Music] oh [Music] is [Music] well please turn with me in your bibles to john's gospel or in john chapter 7. our focus will be verses 14 to 24 but i want to read beginning in verse 1 2 24. so john chapter 7 beginning in verse 1. after these things jesus walked in galilee for he did not want to walk in judea because the jews sought to kill him now the jews feast of tabernacles was at hand his brothers therefore said to him depart from here and go into judea that your disciples also may see the works that you are doing for no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly if you do these things show yourself to the world for even his brothers did not believe in him then jesus said to them my time has not yet come but your time is always ready the world cannot hate you but it hates me because i testify of it that its works are evil you go up to this feast i am not yet going up to this feast for my time has not yet fully come when he had said these things he remained in galilee but when his brothers had gone up then he also went up to the feast not openly but as it were in secret then the jews sought him at the feast and said where is he and there was much complaining among the people concerning him some said he is good others said no on the contrary he deceives the people however no one spoke openly of him for fear of the jews now about the middle of the feast jesus went up into the temple and taught and the jews marveled saying how does this man know letters having never studied jesus answered them and said my doctrine is not mine but his who sent me if anyone wills to do his will he shall know concerning the doctrine whether it is from god or whether i speak on my own authority he who speaks from himself seeks his own glory but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is true and no unrighteousness is in him did not moses give you the law yet none of you keeps the law why do you seek to kill me the people answered and said you have a demon who is seeking to kill you jesus answered and said to them i did one work and you all marvel moses therefore gave you circumcision not that it is from moses but from the fathers and you circus circumcise a man on the sabbath if a man receives circumcision on the sabbath so that the law of moses should not be broken are you angry with me because i made a man completely well on the sabbath do not judge according to appearance but judge with righteous judgment amen well let us pray father we thank you again for this beautiful day we thank you for the house of god on the day of god to worship with the people of god and we pray that you would be glorified in this glad hour we pray that you would forgive us now for all of our sin and unrighteousness that darkening influence that it casts upon our minds and may you fill us each with the holy spirit may we know his presence and power may you guide us and lead us into all truth and may you make much of jesus christ that one who is altogether lovely and chief among ten thousand we thank you again for your mercies to us for your grace revealed in the gospel of our salvation we pray that today would be the day of salvation for sinners here and throughout the world we pray that your word would run swiftly and be glorified and we ask through jesus christ our lord amen well last week we looked at john chapter 7 verses 1 to 13 the feast of tabernacles and in verse 1 we see it says that after these things so the things recorded in chapter six about six months prior jesus engaged in ministry in a synagogue in capernaum according to john 6. well now he's in judea specifically in jerusalem and he attends to the feast of the of tabernacles and in verses 14 to 24 we see first the authority of christ they question it and then he sets it forth we see that in verses 14 to 18 and then secondly the intention of the jews jesus directly confronts them remember back in verse 1 it says after these things jesus walked in galilee for he did not want to walk in judea because the jews sought to kill him his time had not yet come if you look specifically at verse 30 we see that therefore they sought to take him but no one laid a hand on him because his hour had not yet come make no mistake about it jesus came to live to die and to be raised again but he's on the divine time frame he is not going to be led astray from the mission at hand because of godless men he is committed to do the will of the father that is his meat that is his delight that is the purpose for which he was sent so again two things this morning the authority of christ and then secondly the intention of the jews so let's look at the authority of christ in verses 14 to 18. remember in the first place the setting of his teaching verse 14 tells us now about the middle of the feast so it was a week-long feast jesus has now come he didn't come openly but he came secretly again not to gain attention for himself not to draw attention to himself but rather to do the will of his father so in the middle of the feast jesus went up into the temple and taught the feast of tabernacles is given to us in the old testament the primary emphasis is to recall the exodus from egypt so god's people went into bondage they went into egypt for a series of of sins and crimes ultimately against god and there is chastening and judgment and then they come out under the hand of a merciful and power powerful god and so this feast of tabernacles was a time for everybody to gather in jerusalem those from without the city would build temples or not temples but tabernacles or booths or tents and they would celebrate they would rehearse the reality that yahweh of israel broke the back of egyptian oppression and brought them into the liberty of god's blessing and so this was typological pointing forward to that new exodus the exodus wrought by christ when he brings his people out of the bondage of sin and misery and depravity so this is a time of feasting a time of celebration a time of rejoicing so in the middle of the feast now jesus begins to teach and it is ironic because the word became flesh and dwelt among us according to 114. remember that religion in israel at this particular time was destitute of any saving power they were formalists they were externalists they simply went through the moshed we know that from john 2 when jesus goes into the temple and he drives out the money changers he drives out the beast that was an indictment religious worship in israel was at a low ep and so ironically now the true tabernacle of god is among men they're celebrating that feast which pointed to him and all the while they reject him they despise him they abhor him so the setting is absolutely important for our understanding because of that reality the one whom the the feast pointed to the one who is the ultimate deliverer of his people is right there in their midst and instead of bowing to him and worshiping him and serving him they say how does this man know anything how does this man have any understanding he has never been taught in the rabbinic schools he didn't go to university he didn't go to college he's the son of a carpenter so they disregard him and then they ultimately accuse him of being mad or accuse him of having a demon so notice then the source of his teaching so well first of all the question of the crowd they marvel at his teaching remember that in verse 11 they actually sought him out then the jews this is probably the hoi polloi the common folk not the religious leaders the jews sought him at the feast and said where is he now john tells us in verse 14 that he taught doesn't tell us what he taught but based on the rest of the gospel we can understand he taught concerning the kingdom of god he taught the the means by which god received sinners unto himself in other words he taught law and gospel as he was want to do in his earthly ministry so that evokes from the jews this response in verse 15. the jews marveled saying how does this man know letters having never studied again the emphasis is simple he wasn't a rabbi trained in their schools he wasn't one that had gone on for undergrad degree and then a postgraduate studies he didn't have a lot of letters after his name he was not accomplished he was not approved he was not sophisticated by the understanding of that particular time you see a parallel construction in matthew's gospel a chapter 13 and verses 54 and 55 it says when he had come to his own country he taught them in their synagogue so that they were astonished and said where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works it's a good question brethren when somebody comes to speak authoritatively they speak not as the scribes did according to matthew's gospel in terms of the sermon on the mount but he taught as one having authority so they're basically saying where'd he get this authority where did he get this ability who has equipped him for this particular task remember a similar indictment is made against his apostles in acts chapter 4. it says that when the apostles peter and john were before the sanhedrin the sanhedrin says when they saw her the text says now when they the sanhedrin saw the boldness of peter and john and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men they marveled and they realized that they had been with jesus that's the primary emphasis in terms of gospel ministry it doesn't matter where the letters come from in your particular name in terms of degree it's presence with christ it's worship of the true and living god it is walking in faith with him and loving and honoring and serving him reading good and obviously the scriptures but then good theology that's why we're a confessional church we subscribe to a historic document that does summarize the main teachings of god's word teachings that the church has us agreed upon throughout our inception it is a wonderful methodology by which we cultivate hopefully an understanding in bible and an understanding in theology so again back to this context they're just blown away where did he get this authority how does this man have this wisdom he wasn't trained in our schools and now notice the source of his teaching and he lays out three particulars that need to be considered first the unity with his father verse 16 the reception of his word in verse 17 and then the mission of the son in verse 18. remember this is a three-fold response to this question of verse 15. when they say how does this man know letters having never studied so the first emphasis is the unity with his father look at verse 16. jesus answered them and said my doctrine is not mine but his who sent me now at first read or first glance we might believe that jesus is distinguishing himself from his father he's saying i'm not teaching you anything that that is what the father intended but that's not what he's saying he's underscoring the unity that he has with the father in other words my doctrine didn't originate with myself my doctrine wasn't learned in your rabbinic schools my doctrine wasn't achieved by a an internet site where they sent me my degree after i paid the fee my doctrine is the doctrine of him who sent me now go back to john 5 there's a parallel construction john 5 in which this particular chapter chapter 7 and our section goes back to in terms of some some parallel thought remember that the jews were upset because jesus healed this paralyzed man on the on the sabbath day instead of saying praise god this man who had been bound for eight and thirty years is now able to walk instead of glorifying god they got upset with him they got upset with this man they got upset with jesus and now they want to stone jesus for sabbath breaking and because he being a man made himself equal with god so notice that specifically in verse 18. therefore the jews sought all the more to kill him because he not only broke the sabbath but also said that god was his father making himself equal with god how does christ respond does he say oh no that's absolutely incorrect i am not equal with the father i am a completely other thing i am not what you suggest that i am that's not how he answers he takes the next long section in john 5 to underscore that he is one with the father that he is consubstantial with the father and as readers of john's gospel we already know this because john 1 1 begins in the beginning was the word and the word was with god and the word was what he was god he's one in substance with the father he is equally glorified and honored with the father but notice in 5 19 then jesus answered and said most assuredly i say to you the son can do nothing of himself but what he sees the father do for whatever he does the son also does in like manner so far from jesus saying i am impotent jesus is underscoring that he's omnipotent he says he does nothing of himself but he does it in perfect union with the father because each has the divine essence not divided not shared not partialed out but the son is one with the father at the level of substance or deity or divinity so going back to john 7 at verse 16 jesus answered them and said my doctrine is not mine but his who sent me and that's another way that the lord often refers to himself as the one sent by the father the one sent by the father has the authority of the father and therefore when he teaches we're supposed to listen we're supposed to submit we're supposed to respond when jesus says later on in this particular passage if anyone thirsts let him come to me now the thirst there isn't physical it's not temporal he doesn't say if you're thirsty go upstairs and fetch a drink out of the faucet no if anyone thirsts let him come to me there is never a crime or never a sin or never a problem in a sinner responding to jesus coming when he says come believing on him when he says believe that is hyper calvinism which teaches that when he says that he doesn't really mean it you just stay stay away from him resist him continue in your unbelief and in your rebellion now when christ says if any man thirsts let him come to me then because he's invested with the authority of god himself we're to respond we're to believe or to repent we're to come to the blessed savior who does satisfy that soul thirst better and only than any other thing can believe you me you talk to a believer and you say what was it like before you were a christian well i had this and i had this and i had that but god saved me and i don't have those things anymore well do you feel bad that those things are gone oh no look at paul in philippians chapter three what things were gain these i've counted lost they're they're they're they're rubbish they're they're that which is fitting uh to throw to the dogs now i have christ i have everything in the one who is all together lovely and chief among ten thousand so the source of his authority the source of his teaching is the fact that he is the son of god the sent one of god so the declaration in 519 is not one of impotence but rather of omnipotence and here the declaration is not one of difference or limitation in doctrine but rather equality in doctrine matthew poole says but it is mine as it is the doctrine of the father that sent me and i and my father both are one and agree in one first john 5 7-8 to hear the son is to hear the father so christ answers and what would later be in uh and enshrouded and then i see uh uh the nicene creed jesus authority comes because he's god from god light from light true god from true god being of one substance with the father through whom all things were made so where did this man get his authority to teach as he did because he is the son of god sent by the father to come to preach and teach his blessed doctrine notice secondly the reception of his word verse 17. so he underscores the unity of the with the father in verse 16. my doctrine is not mine but his who sent me and now in verse 17 it's intriguing he says if anyone wills to do his will he shall know concerning the doctrine whether it is from god or whether i speak on my own authority one man said it this way the jews challenge the ability of jesus to teach jesus challenges the ability of the jews to hear see here's the problem if anyone wills to do his will if anyone has been born again if anyone has been drawn by the powerful grace of god if anyone has believed on the lord jesus christ they're not going to have any disparity between the father's doctrine and the son's doctrine they're going to see it as the self-same doctrine in other words when the spirit of god works in your hearts to make you a new man or a new woman when the spirit of god gives you the graces of faith and repentance to close with the savior the spirit of god leads you to a worship of the trinity father son and holy spirit so notice jesus is questioned concerning his authority and now jesus questions them concerning their ability so verse 17 if anyone wills to do his will later or earlier look back at chapter 3 21 chapter 3 21 these sorts of people are described as those who do the truth 3 21 but he who does the truth comes to the light that his deeds may be clearly seen that they have been done in god the jews even stumbled on this in john chapter 9. you can turn there to verse 31. now they are saying it in a way that is vilifying their sort of comp competition in terms of theology but notice in 931 now we know that god does not hear sinners but if anyone is a worshiper i'm sorry this is the man now we know that god does not hear sinners but if anyone is a worship worshiper of god and does his will he hears him so going back to john chapter 7 christ is saying something that would get him kicked off university campuses today and get him thrown out of the political arena how dare you question the hearer how dare you actually think that there's something wanting in them you're obviously the problem jesus that they've all you know thrown up their hands and wondered where where did this man get this knowledge he's not studied he's not been trained in the in the in the particular universities or college settings he says if anyone wills to do his will the question will be settled if anyone wills to do the will of the father who sent the son you're not going to stumble with reference to the son he who has the father has the son he who has the son has the father go back to john 5 the same emphasis in verse 23 that all should honor the son just as they honor the father we're not supposed to honor the son with just about as much honor as we give to the father no in this divine and infinite being there are three subsistences or three persons we honor father son and holy spirit equally that all should honor the son just as they honor the father he who does not honor the son does not honor the father who sent them that sheds light on his statement in verse 17. if anyone wills to do his will he shall know concerning the doctrine whether it is from god or whether i speak on my own authority in other words to reject christ is to reject the father it's a lot of religious people in this world a lot of people that actually not so much anymore it's not religious but i'm spiritual i'm spiritual it's such an anemic and weak term to describe something that is alien and contrary to holy scripture it really doesn't matter the object of worship it just matters that i worship it doesn't really matter the object of my faith it just matters that i have faith no that's absolutely contrary you need to worship the true and living god and you need to come to the savior king the lord christ in faith because that's the only way of salvation he is the way the truth and the life and no one comes to the father except through him so this answer to people that say well you know i i love god and i serve god and i'm spiritual and i'm religious well what thank you of christ well i'm not one of those christians i'm not one of those born againers i'm not one of those weirdos i'm not one of those bible thumpers well then you're not his because if you reject the son you reject the father who sent the son and christ says if anyone wills to do his will then the matter will be settled is the word of christ divine absolutely positively why because the father sent him he sent him in the fullness of the time born of a woman born under the law to redeem those under the law so when they said how does this man know letters he says you're unable to answer understand my letters even if i teach them because you're not born again you haven't come to me you haven't believed that is a prerequisite we must be born of the spirit the apostle in first corinthians 2 14 tells us the natural man does not receive the things of the spirit of god for they are foolishness to him nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned what is christ teaching christ is teaching that dead sinners don't respond to his word christ is teaching that when you are in that depth of depravity when you have that corresponding ill inability to come to him unless the father who sent me draws him unless the father who sent me calls him unless the father who sent me awakens him by the power of the holy spirit and gives him the graces of faith and repentance you'll never never understand the word of jesus christ so when they say how does this man know letters having never unders studied he says to them you don't have the ears to hear you don't have the wherewithal and it's not just at the intellectual or cognitive level it's not saying you're a bunch of morons and you couldn't understand two plus two equals four if i spelled it out to you he's saying you don't have that spiritual discernment sin effects in such a way as to promote or produce deadness in the sinner that's why in ephesians 2 you being dead in your trespasses and sins who gets praised for awakening dead sinners it's god most high never does the bible say good on you for making yourself alive good on you for the decision that you've made good on you for raising your hand at that that altar call good on you for signing that card or registering online that you're a new believer the bible never does that it tells us it does not depend upon him who wills or upon him who runs but on god who shows mercy jesus taught this to nicodemus in john chapter 3 unless a man is born again he cannot see the kingdom of god this shows that all of us are dependent upon god all of us stand in need of god's grace all of us need what christ talked of in john 6 37 all that the father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me i will certainly not cast out verse 44 no one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him same emphasis in john 6 at verse 65 so christ hasn't forgotten these lessons in the synagogue at capernaum they undergird the entire teaching ministry that he's about he wants to show sinners that they don't have the wherewithal but god has the grace he wants to show sinners that they don't have the ability but god has omnipotence he wants to show sinners that they ought not to depend upon their own resources or upon their own works but upon god most high who sent the son of his love to live to die and to rise again so to the uh to the question how does this man know letters first because he is one with the father second because they are unable to understand his word but then notice thirdly the mission of the son in verse 18. he says he who speaks from himself seeks his own glory that's an obvious you know sort of a thing i don't think i need to spend a lot of time here we're all like that right we all like to shine the light upon our own ability upon our own knowledge i mean there's actual social media now that's been founded to advance that absolutely unworthy cause we get to tell everybody every day everything that we're ever doing that is native in the heart of man to glorify ourselves that is native in the heart of man to try to steal from others to try to steal from god that which belongs to god alone so jesus lays this down as axiomatic invert in the first part of verse 18. he who speaks from himself seeks his own glory but that's not why christ came he's underscoring his mission to the question how does this man know letters it is for this reason i have come to declare the father again this connects us back to john 1. you can go to john 1 1 1 in the beginning was the word the word was with god and the word was god verse 14 the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth and then verse 18 no one has seen god at any time the only begotten son who is in the bosom of the father he has declared him so going back to chapter 7 at verse 18 he who speaks from himself seeks his own glory christ is not on a mission to get glory for himself whatever glory he speaks of coming to him glorifies the father and the spirit because in this divine and infinite being there are three subsistences but notice he who seeks the glory of the one or but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him christ uses that terminology so that we'll never forget his specialness his divinity his consubstantiality union with the father and then notice he says that he uh the one but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is true so whatever you jews who are opposing me may think jesus knows that he's telling the truth jesus knows this because in the beginning was the word and the word was with god and the word was god in the language of psalm 31 he is the lord god of truth there is no lie in him there is no no falsehood in him there is no badness in him and that's how he ends this section in verse 18. there is no unrighteousness in him now this particular statement looks back and it looks forward to what's going to happen in this dispute with the jews to which we now turn the intention of the jews notice first he confronts them in verses 19 and 20 and then secondly he defends his ministry in verses 21 to 24. notice the confrontation in verse 19. they're questioning him about his authority they're questioning him about his training they're questioning about him him about his pedigree how does this man know what he's talking about he hasn't done all the things that our rabbis did he you know he's the son of a carpenter he's just like one of us basically who does he think he is jesus doesn't leave it there he answers their question unity with the father the the reality that you must be born again to receive his word and the fact the mission of the son is to bring glory to the father he answers their charge but now he turns the cannon back on them and he questions their ethics they're wondering about his authority he's wondering about their ethics their ethical rebellion to the true and living god you've got a lot of nerve to question me he doesn't sound like this and he doesn't probably talk like this but this is probably the spirit in which he said it like who do you think you are you're asking me about my authority and you want to kill me an innocent man a holy and a harmless and an undefiled man the only innocent man that has ever walked the face of the earth you really have the hood spa that people claim concerning the jews and that's precisely what he does here in verse 19 and 20. notice his charge verse 19. did not moses give you the law let's not forget this okay you guys are the covenant community you are the inheritors of the oracles of god you are the proud possessors of genesis to malachi you have the holy scriptures you have what god has given you have the revelation of god you claim moses as your teacher you claim the pharisees are consistent with moses and yet you want to violate that law in your hatred and opposition to me so he says in verse 19 did not moses give you the law yet none of none of you keeps the law that's a general statement none of you whether jew or gentile keeps the law just read paul in romans 1 18 to chapter 3 and verse 20 and you will see that all men everywhere are under the just condemnation of god because they don't keep the law that is generally true there's nobody that it's that has escaped the sin of adam there's nobody that's escaped total depravity there's nobody that's escaped total inability there is none of us that come out of the wombs always wanting to obey the law of god always saying with jesus my meat is to do the will of him who sent me that's not us generally speaking but notice the specific transgression that they themselves are guilty of and he calls them on it you're asking me about my authority he says why do you seek to kill me again this brings us to verse 1. after these things jesus walked in galilee for he did not want to walk in judea because the jews sought to kill him go back to john chapter 5 the healing of the man at bethesda brings us to chapter 5 at verse 16. for this reason the jews persecuted jesus and sought to kill him because he had done these things on the sabbath but jesus answered them my father has been working until now and i have been working therefore the jews sought all the more to kill him because he not only broke the sabbath but also made or also said that god was his father making himself equal with god so the lord jesus presses them now the lord jesus asks them about their conduct as i said he turns the cannon back around and says i want you to answer this particular charge with which there is much evidence to corroborate so notice how they respond the people answer now the people here is probably the hoi polloi or the multitudes of verse 11. they are not the religious leaders but their answer or their response indicates now their solidarity with the religious leaders remember when jesus comes to the feast of tabernacles at verse 11. then the jews sought him at the feast and said where is he and there was much complaining among the people concerning him some said he is good others said no one no on the contrary he deceives the people however no one spoke openly of him for fear of the jews the fear of the jews there in verse 13 is the religious leaders so verse 20 may start to be indicating this slide the hoi polloi the the multitudes the general commoners now they're starting to show solidarity with the religious leaders and this is what we see in the latter part of all the gospel narratives this rising animosity to our blessed savior which culminates ultimately in the in his crucifixion notice the p the people answered and they said you have a demon now this is what it says you have a demon the spirit of beelzebub is in you later on in chapter 10 you can turn there it's translated differently and probably it has the same sort of meaning here it has the same sort of semantic range notice in chapter 10 and verse 19 therefore there was a division again among the jews because of these sayings and many of them said he has a demon and is mad why do you listen to him same sort of situation here in chapter 7 at verse 20. they ask him specifically or they they answer and they say you have a demon you're mad you're out of your mind you don't know what you're talking about who's trying to kill you well just because they don't know that the religious leaders are trying to kill them doesn't mean it isn't so but they are showing now their hand in terms of solidarity with the religious leaders it's slow and it's gradual but it's ultimate because at the end of john we find them crying out in unison away with him away with him crucify him which again shows us the power of persuasion of our religious leaders right these men hated christ does it surprise us that the people they taught the people that followed them the people that attended their synagogues would hate christ as well the very messiah promised by god the very messiah specified in the old testament scriptures the very one has come to his own but his own receive him not and so they are expressing this union with the religious leadership which is showing that this is an increasing uh conspiracy against christ now notice the defense of his ministry and again we have three things here first the healing of the lame man second the appeal to moses and then third the standard of judgment notice first the healing of the lame man he points back to that man in bethesda i told you there was a strong connection between this section in john 7 and what happens in john chapter 5. so verse 21 jesus answered and said to them i did one work and you all marvel right they all marvel this man had been uh paralyzed for 38 years he'd been hanging out by the pool of bethesda and when christ delights on him he says well there's nobody to help me into the water he's kind of the victim there he's kind of the whiner it's kind of the moaner i just couldn't get in there on my own so christ picks that one man out of many and he heals him and notice that christ refers to that and says i healed this man and you all marveled what happened what what's become of this well now he appeals to moses which is common among the rabbis the fact that he appeals to moses shows that he didn't need to go to their schools to outsmart them he didn't need to go to their schools to to best them an argument he appeals to moses and i think that sometimes commentators convolute this and make it a lot more difficult than it needs to be but look specifically at verses 22 uh 22-23 he says moses therefore gave you circumcision not that it is from moses but from the fathers he appeals to circumcision it comes from abraham and god's dealings with him in genesis chapter 17 god had made a covenant with abraham and he he affirms it and gives this particular sign in genesis chapter 17. it became binding upon the jews it was something that became sort of a badge of national identity you got circumcised to be a participant in the covenant community that's a no-brainer that that just happened that's the way it was so he says moses commands you to circumcise and it's perfectly acceptable and it's perfectly okay and it's perfectly lawful to circumcise a man on the sabbath now probably the backdrop here is the very intention of the sabbath it seems to me based on john 5 and based on what jesus does here and the sabbath wars and the synoptic gospels typically today christians who have a problem with the sabbath think about the sabbath the way the unbelieving jews did they think about the sabbath the way that the the pharisees did we don't think about the sabbath the way that jesus taught it in mark's gospel he says the sabbath was made for the man and not the man for the sabbath when he says the man he's talking about adam sabbath predated sinai sabbath is there at the original intention of god most high in making the world and all things in it he displays by his own example in genesis 2 1-3 god this god the lord sabbaths he's enthroned over the creation and he finds complacency and rest in that but with reference to the sabbath in the jewish mindset it became a series of rules that man was made to fulfill that's why jesus says in mark 2 the sabbath wasn't made for the man god didn't say i'm going to make this sabbath and then i'm going to just make sure that they have to jump through every hoop they have to imbibe every jot and tittle and i'm going to crush them if they don't no the sabbath was made for the man imagine that the creator of the world said i'm going to give you a day to rest and in that day to rest you're going to worship me you're going to glorify me you're going to get to be with your brothers and sisters you're going to get to say with david i was glad when they said unto me let us go to the house of the lord so jesus says that if circumcision is appropriate on the sabbath day i made this man whole and you've got problems with that remember he braids them in the synoptics with the illustration over the ox or over the donkey if your ox or your donkey fell into a ditch on the sabbath would you leave it there would you say i'll be back for you tomorrow morning a beast of burden no you'd fetch him out you'd pull him out you'd show mercy to him so christ comes in john 5 he heals this this man at the pool of bethesda and they lose their minds because it's the sabbath it's not that he broke the sabbath he kept the sabbath it was always god's intention that good could be accomplished on the sabbath day read the prophet isaiah and the indictment concerning the fasting of israel and the sabbath keeping of israel in isaiah 58 the last part of isaiah 58 it's about doing good it's about helping it's about thinking about god most high rejoicing in him so the argument is a lesser to the greater 22 again moses therefore gave you circumcision not that it is from moses but from the fathers and you circumcise a man on the sabbath if a man receives circumcision on the sabbath so that the law of moses should not be broken and it's not are you angry with me because i made a man completely well on the sabbath it's a it's a absolutely positively beautiful response and answer if you guys are the the spawn of moses the the religious pedigree of abraham if you are the covenant community and you have this great and glowing respect for the law of god such that you feel you can challenge me based on my authority what about the law of moses you got a problem with authority at the most fundamental level you reject and resist moses and you now want to accuse me of having a demon and being a madman and ultimately wanting to deliver me up to be crucified this is a threefold response he first highlights the healing of the lame man he appeals to moses and then he brings it home with great power in verse 24 there is a standard of judgment and you men are found wanting there is a standard of judgment and you men have missed it by a long shot notice he says there is a wrong way to judge and he says there is a right way to judge the wrong way is clear do not judge according to appearance especially appearance that is as falsely informed as yours is we cannot operate the world way the world does at this particular level judgment is an absolutely necessary part of life if you doubt that come back tonight because we're going to look at matthew 7 verses 1 to 5. the church makes judgments according to matthew chapter 18. the civil government makes judgments according to romans 13 4. everybody makes judgment at some point or other but we're not supposed to do it based on appearance we're not supposed to do it based on feelings there's a popular commentator today that says facts don't care about your feelings where do you think he got that he got it from the objective standard of god's holy word exodus chapter 23 you're not supposed to show partiality to a poor man if i'm a judge in a courtroom and some poor slob comes wandering in i'm not supposed to say oh well that's okay that he committed armed robbery because he's some poor slob no justice is supposed to be blind justice is not supposed to be based on appearance we're not supposed to render judgment based on partiality we're supposed to judge with righteous judgment notice the appearance of a situation can be deceiving especially when you don't know the law if you assume that sabbath breaking means you can't heal a black a lame man on the sabbath day or you know fetch your your your dog out of a a ditch or your your donkey or or your goat out of a ditch you don't understand the law and you really shouldn't judge based on things you don't understand the appearance of the situation can be prejudice prejudicial again exodus 23 leviticus 19 deuteronomy 1 deuteronomy 10 deuteronomy 16. what do we read yahweh does not show partiality in judgment guess what yahweh demands from his people that we don't show partiality in our judgment a poor man is judged by the same rule of law that a rich man is the rich man is judged by the same rule of law that a poor man is because just as easy as we're typically oh you know this poor guy i'm just gonna rule in his favor because everything's against him so might we be bought off so might we judge a rich man with a little bit of leniency hoping he'll make a a donation to our our campaign we're not supposed to do that in the language of one commentator he makes the observation to show partiality and a judgment is not to give a judgment that is just because of love or deference or fear or the status of a person which things have nothing to do with the case can we ever return to the standard of god's judgment that's what jesus calls them to don't judge based on appearance but judge with righteous judgment now again in the larger context they want to murder him they want to kill him this isn't simply theoretical in the mind of the savior he's not just questioning their ethics he's not just challenging them at the level of hermeneutics just for some sort of scholastic you know enterprise he is telling these men he is calling these people to reflect upon their conduct why he wants them to see their sin he wants them to understand their wretchedness he wants them to see their lawlessness why because look at verses 37 and 38 on the last day that great day of the feast jesus stood and cried out saying if anyone thirsts let him come to me and drink he who believes in me as the scripture has said out of his heart will flow rivers of living water like he says on the occasion of the salvation of matthew the son of man did not come to call the the righteous but sinners to repentance christ is plowing up the field christ is hitting them with the law christ is using the law as a child tutor to show them their need such that when he says if anyone thirsts let him come and drink let him come to the living fountain of waters let him come for that satisfaction that christ and his gospel brings to guilty vile helpless sinners to law breakers and transgressors those who have despised the the written word of god through moses he is calling upon them ultimately to repent of their sin to believe the gospel and to be saved in conclusion the authority of the savior is seen in his person that's what he underscores in verses 16 to 18. he is the sent one from god that is his person he is the only begotten son of the father god from god light from light true god from true god begotten not made made one in being with the father through whom all things were made but the authority of the son is seen in his works as well the miracles now there have been other miracle workers in the pages of scripture one thing of elisha elisha is very typical of our lord jesus christ elijah did miracles the prophets you see that but they never claimed to be doing it in a way that jesus did jesus asserted his equality with the father moses didn't do that elijah didn't do that elisha didn't do that if persons were to ever say to them you're making yourself equal with the father they would have distanced themselves by by a thousand miles but christ owns that christ assumes that christ confirms that so the authority of jesus is seen in his relation to the father and in the works that he does and the relation of the father shows us as well that the doctrine is the same my doctrine is not mine but it is the uh it is the one who sent me secondly we should focus on the wretchedness of the jews at this place not because they're jews and we hate them but because we all ape them we're like them we are we are similar jews and gentiles are all under sin first they did not have the will to do god's will verse 17 a if anyone wills to do his will he shall they didn't have that they were dead in their trespasses and sins they had not been born again they had not been called by god out of darkness into marvelous light secondly they did not have an understanding of jesus doctrine as a result they didn't will to do the will of the father therefore when he speaks they're suspect when he speaks they're suspicious when he speaks they actually question his authority to say the things that he's saying third they did not have a commitment to the law of god verse 19. did not moses give you the law yet none of you keeps the law why do you seek to kill me it really is an interesting contrast that you find in the gospel narratives at the level of the opposition of the the religious leadership to jesus these are the men that claim to be the champions of the law these are the men that you know that stand out on the street corner and they say thank you god that that i'm not like other men i'm not a murderer i'm not an adulterer i'm not an extortioner i'm not unjust i'm not like these tax collectors i'm not like these publicans they really thought they were the cat's meow it's probably an old statement that dates me the kids are probably saying what's a cat's meow they thought they had it going on and they are confronting the very god of heaven and earth as well they did not have a respect for his glorious person to accuse jesus in verse 20 of having a demon we see in the synoptics that that is the the unpardonable sin that is the blasphemy against the holy spirit that's the one from which people don't come back and this is dangerous ground for them to tread they did not have a respect for his miraculous works as i said john 5 verses 1 to 13. the man had been incapacitated for 38 years and now he's out of the pool he's on his own two legs he's carrying his mat and these killjoys these horrible specimens of human beings are upset with him they're angry who did this to you same thing in luke's gospel the lord jesus comes to a synagogue on the sabbath day and there's a woman there who's hunched over she's bent over i mean she's been bound with a spirit of infirmity for years and years and years which nevertheless she's in the synagogue on the sabbath she's not on her couch com you know moaning and whining and hey honey bring me a cracker and some soda because i got a sniffle she was in the synagogue on the sabbath even though she's hunched over with a spirit of infirmity so jesus heals her guess how the ruler of the synagogue responds to that hey we've got a fellowship hall we'll get a cake we'll not get one we'll make one it's the sabbath we'll make sure that we have a celebration no he lambasts everybody in the synagogue he wags his finger at them and says six days you shall labor and do all your work the seventh is the sabbath of of god the the six days are when you come for a healing not on the sabbath day and jesus again says which of you hypocrites if you had a a donkey or an ox that fell into the ditch you wouldn't fetch it out and he says think of it this woman this daughter of abraham has been bent over all these years and now she stands before you whole when you reject or resist the powerful work of god most high and describe it to demons you're in a bad place we ought to rejoice in the goodness of god we ought to thank him for his mercies we ought to revel in the things that he does on behalf of people and they did not have an understanding of the law of god and that ultimately affected their response to jesus jesus is the one described in matthew 11. i'm sorry isaiah 11 the the description of messiah there tells us his delight is in the fear of the lord and he shall not judge by the sight of his eyes nor decide by the hearing of his ears so when jesus upraids them when he indicts them when he tells them do not judge according to appearance but judge with righteous judgment he knows exactly what he's talking about and yet they were so blinded in their prejudice toward him they were so upset in terms of their response to him they charge him as being a madman or being demon-possessed and they're basically saying we want nothing to do with you now if you find yourself in that particular place this morning may i encourage you with what verses 37 and 38 say if anyone thirsts let him come see all of us are sinners there is none righteous no not one no one in this church that is heaven bound his heaven bound because they're good i think i can say that safely well i know i can say that safely for everybody right we're not heaven bound because we're good we're having bound because jesus is good we're having bound because of his work because of his death because of his resurrection when he says things like he does in john 4 my meat is to do the will of him who sent me he is talking about the act of obedience he's talking about his law keeping he's talking about securing for us and imputed righteousness that is received by faith alone we need his life but we also need his death without the shedding of blood there is no remission hebrews 9 22. why was the sacrificial system in play in the old testament to teach israel that sinful man can't just wander into the presence of a holy god they come through a bloody knife and a smoking altar which bloody knife and smoking altar under the levitical system in the old covenant pointed forward to the lamb of god who takes away the sin of the world and so sinners who by god's grace believe in him have everlasting life so listen to the words of the savior if you're not a believer here this morning these come specifically to you in verse 37 if anyone thirsts let him come to me and drink christ is a willing savior for very needy sinners and if you conclude well i've been really bad been really evil you know if you've ever witnessed or you've gone door to door if you you've talked to people downtown you say to somebody you know there's salvation to be had in jesus you'll meet the odd duck once in a while who says i i think i'm beyond hope i mean you don't know my life man i'm really messed up i've got you know lots of skeletons in my closet i mean it's just littered back there i i don't think there's hope for me the apostle paul in first timothy chapter 1 at verse 15 says this is a faithful saint worthy of all acceptation that christ jesus came into the world sinners to save and then paul says of whom i am chief you're not worse than paul and yet paul on the road to damascus is conquered by the savior paul on the road to damascus is saved by the savior paul on the road to damascus is forgiven of his sins and he receives a righteousness that avails with god how by grace alone through faith alone in christ jesus alone well let us pray our father in heaven we thank you for your word we thank you for the clarity of the teaching of our blessed savior we thank you for the consistent confirmation and testimony of the apostle under inspiration of the holy spirit that jesus christ is god from god light from light true god from true god one and being with the father we rejoice in this gospel we rejoice in the fact that he lived that he died that he was raised again the third day as paul summarizes so beautifully in romans four he was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised for our justification may you be pleased to save sinners today wherever this gospel is preached and may you look down with mercy with love with kindness and compassion here and call sinners out of darkness into marvelous light and we ask this through jesus christ our lord amen we'll take your hymn books and turn to 568 and we'll sing the doxology in praise to our great god please stand with me as we sing [Music] is [Music] foreign [Music] now may the god of peace who brought up our lord jesus from the dead that great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you complete and every good work to do his will working in you what is well pleasing in his sight through jesus christ to whom be glory for ever and ever amen father thank you for this glad hour thank you for the mercy that you've shown us in the gospel of our salvation thank you for the glory of jesus christ and the power of his life death and resurrection help us to sanctify the day help us to call it a delight help us to enjoy the fellowship of the saints and to to honor you and god bring us together tonight that we may worship again in spirit and in truth and we pray through jesus christ our lord amen well please be seated for a brief time of meditation you