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Good evening. Welcome back to the house of the Lord for an evening service. I think the only uh one announcement probably I should mention uh in case you didn't hear it this morning. Uh and that is for those who come to Wednesday night Bible study that it's been changed now from 7:30 till 7 uh to so so it starts at 7:00. Anyone who listens online, I guess you need to be aware of that as well. uh everything will be half an hour earlier and that's going to become a permanent change. So, Wednesday night Bible study uh beginning at at 7 o'clock. Well, let's turn our Bibles uh to uh to begin worship uh this evening and we're going to uh turn to Psalm 72. Psalm chapter 72. We're just going to read a few verses at the end of the chapter. Verses 17 to the end. So Psalm chapter 72 beginning at verse 17 and we'll go to the end of the chapter. His name shall endure forever. His name shall continue as long as the sun and men shall be blessed in him. All nations shall be ble shall call him blessed. Blessed be the Lord God the God of Israel who only does wondrous things. and blessed be his glorious name forever. And let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen. And amen. Well, please turn with me in your hym books to uh hymn number nine. B as in Bob 9 B. I'll ask you to please stand. [Music] heart in thanksgiving to thee will I bring in praise of thy marvelous peace I will sing in thee I will joy and exaltingly cry by name I will praise oh the most Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Let the earth hear his voice. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Let the people rejoice. Oh, come to Jo declaring his name and give him all honor for justice is our refuge for all the oppressed. All trusting who know thee and trusting are blessed forever. The Lord in thy mercy forsake the soul that has sought of my grace to partake. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Let the earth hear his voice. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Let the people rejare his name and give him all honor for justice is. Give praise to Joe the mighty self of him who has chosen his arms to dwell him to justice and vengeance belong [Music] and over. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Let the earth hear his voice. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Let the people rejoice. Oh, come to declare his name and give him all for justice his name. Behold my flesh. Thy mercy adore and from death mortals. Restore me, oh Lord, that I g of my ar [Music] of salvation and show forth my praise. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Let the earth hear his voice. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Let all people rejoice. Oh, come to Jehovah. Declare his name and give him all for justice his name. [Music] Please be seated. Well, let's go to God in prayer and ask his blessing to be upon our meeting here this evening. Let's pray. Our gracious and our loving heavenly father, we truly do desire to gather here this afternoon, this evening to praise you, Father, to bring our prayers and our petitions before the the great triune God. How we praise you, Father, that you bend your holy ear towards the prayers and the praises of your people. We thank you, Father, as we gather here this evening. We are gathered not not in the hopes of of meeting with a triune God, but we have the promise that that where two or three, excuse me, where two or three are gathered together, Lord, you are there in the in their midst. And so, we know that we have an audience with the with the high king of heaven this night. and cause us, Lord, to frame our praises and and uh frame our minds and our hearts this night uh towards you uh mindful of this of this great fact that you've called us to be worshippers of you and you've promised to meet with us as your as your people, as your worshippers. Thank you, Father, that these things are sure and secure in your son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And Father, it's not in any righteousness that we bring. We only bring our unrighteousness to you. Father, you give to us that that imputed righteousness of your son, your precious and only son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And how grateful we are for such a such a person, such a savior as your son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And Lord, we truly give you our grateful thanks for the salvation that is ours through him. We pray that you would be pleased to even forgive us of our sins even this day, Father, and this past week. Cause us to come here this night with with holy and pure hands and and hearts and and minds. desire us, Lord, to to uh to to to worship you, but with that knowledge that our sins are forgiven, that as we reminded last Sunday evening, that our sins are removed as far as the east is from the west and our sins have been put into the deepest part of the ocean. Truly, Lord, these are things that that that give give a thrill to the heart of every Christian when we hear these words and we are reminded of them. And truly, they ought to uh they ought to frame our praise and frame our worship uh each and every Lord's day. Lord, we thank you that we have the word of God. We pray Lord that has been as it has been preached already this day and will be preached in a few minutes again. We pray Lord your blessing be upon it. Bless both preacher and hearer. We pray Lord that you would be pleased to own your word and cause your word not to return to you but rather may it may it affect each and every heart here this evening that is gathered and those perhaps who are listening online uh not able to come and be with us. Lord, we pray that you would be pleased to to to bless your word and and uh bless bless the preachers and ministers of your word. We pray for Pastor Cam as well as he's in Suriri this night preaching. We pray, Lord, that your blessing would be upon that upon that service and upon that preaching hour. And uh may it be unto edification and salvation as well. And for Pastor Ryan in in Armstrong, Lord, we pray your blessing be upon him and the other churches that we are familiar with in Saskatchewan and Alberta. We do pray Lord that each one might uh might know and experience that uh that that that that that work of the Holy Spirit uh in the preaching in in the worship and uh Lord we pray that your your blessing might be upon each congregation. Would you add to their numbers may there to be saved as well. We do pray Lord we ask your your blessing to be upon those who are in our midst who are not well who are sick who who are experiencing difficulties. We pray Lord that you would minister each one. Cause them to ultimately be trusting in you to be rejoicing in you and uh they would that they would have that knowledge that Father you are aware of all things and that you are sovereign and and even in our afflictions, Father, they are sent by you and your purposes are being worked out in them. And we live in a in a fallen world and we we we suffer the the effects of a of a fallen world. Yet, Father, we thank you that that through these things or in these things, we can we can we can seek to be faithful and we can we can find your goodness and your kindness uh even even in the midst of difficult circumstances and situations. So, Lord, for those who are truly suffering, we pray that they would know your help, your aid, your spirit upon them even this night, we do pray, Lord, we ask your blessing to also be upon those who are in in persecuted countries. Father, we truly uh we marvel that that we we have lived generations here in our own country without really much of a whiff of of persecution. Yet there are those who all their all their life have experienced that. And we pray Lord that you would sustain them, keep them, encourage them, cause them to keep on keeping on. We pray they would that they would their faith in you would be test although tested, we pray it would be proved proven and Lord they would they would shine forth as as as lights as gospel lights in those difficult circumstances. We do pray for Peter in that very difficult circumstance in Myanmar as we've often heard and read and and continue to pray for he and and those 700 children and the workers there. Uh we pray, Father, that you would just be pleased to cause your face to shine upon them. We thank you for the protection they have that you have afforded them in the past. And we pray, Lord, that there would be yet protection in the coming days as well, even this very day and and this week. And we pray that Lord you'd provide for them. Provide the physical uh safety. Provide the the phys the the the food that is required to feed that many children as well. And Lord, we do pray for an end to that terrible terrible war. We pray Lord that they would lay down their arms. They would see the the the the the atrocities that are being committed and against their own people and that Father, they would come to their senses. Lord, we pray that you'd move in that in that country and we pray that this war would soon end and that uh that they might enjoy that that that freedom, that ability to to govern themselves and and come and go and and ultimately to enjoy uh worship uh in in a free and an open way. We do pray. So Lord, do bless these things. We we thank you Lord that you are uh attendant upon your word and we pray that as we gather together around your word this night that you would be pleased to bless it and and own it and each and every heart here this night. We pray these things in Jesus precious name. Amen. Amen. >> Well, please turn with me in your hym books to uh to hymn number 138 A as in apple 138A. And I'll ask you to once again stand, please. [Music] are my th [Music] That's not With all my heart, my I [Music] your praise I sing. I bow before your holy place and praise your name for truth and grace. For you above all things, oh Lord, have your name and word. The day I called to answer thee, my soul with strength increase. All kings on earth shall thank the Lord for they have heard your wonderous words. And they shall sing the ways of God. For great glory is the Lord. All the Lord his throne on high. He guards the withful wine. But those proud and loy [Music] you will rewind and strengn me without stretch And you will oppose the wrath and anger of my host. Your bride and saves the Lord fulfills for me. The word has filmed. Lord of the Lord forever stand for the words by your hands. [Music] Amen. Please be seated. And please turn with me in your Bibles to Ruth as we finish the book of Ruth tonight. We'll read the last chapter, chapter 4. I always think sometimes it's good to know ahead of time what we ought to be looking for in a chapter, especially a historical chapter like this. And I guess the first thing Pastor Butler taught us uh in in a Wednesday night Bible study when I think he was going through the book of Ruth or maybe was maybe was preaching on Sundays that um Ruth is certainly not primarily a love story. Although it is a lovely it's a lovely love story, but that's not the purpose of the book of Ruth. The whole purpose of the book of Ruth is going to be found in the in the text that we're going to be reading here tonight. It's the last the last several verses, verses 19 uh 20, 21, and 22. So, the last four verses, that's the purpose of the book of uh of of Ruth. So, although it's been a lovely story up till now, we're going to get finally to the the the the purpose and the details of chapter 1 verse one to chapter 4:18. Uh ultimately, they get us to Jesus. And that's what that's what the very last the last verse is going to talk about is uh is um David uh King David of course of whom uh the the line of the Lord Jesus came from the greater David and and although many times we certainly know from history in the Old Testament uh we can not only did the line of Christ hang sometimes by a thread. How do we relate that perhaps to today? Uh sometimes the church hangs by a thread. uh having just done a historical tour in in in England, just reminded that sometimes boy the the church of Christ hung by a thread at times, but yet the Lord preserved the church. So the church is still here today in 2025. Uh sometimes we may not seem very strong. Sometimes we may still seem to be hanging by a thread in some ways. Uh but yet we know that God that God is going to preserve his church just as he preserved the line of the line of David. Uh the line for from which Jesus would come uh one day. So with that in mind, uh just be be mindful of the fact that the whole book is leading up to these last few verses that we we will get to tonight. So beginning at verse one of chapter 4. Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there and behold the close relative of whom Boaz had spoken came by. So Boaz said, "Come aside, friend. Sit down here." So he came aside and sat down. And he took 10 men of the elders of the city and said, "Sit down here." So they sat down. Then he said to the close relative, "Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, sold the piece of land which belonged to our brother IMC." And I thought to inform you, saying, "Buy it back in the presence of the inhabitants and the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it. But if you will not redeem it, then tell me that I may know. for there is no one but you to redeem it, and I am next after you." And he said, "I will redeem it." Then then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from the from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitis, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance." And the close relatives said, "I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. you redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it." Now, this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging. To confirm anything, one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was a confirmation in Israel. Therefore, the close relative said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself." So he took off his sandal and Boaz said to the elders and all the people, "You are witnesses this day that I have bought all that was IMC and all that was Chileians and Ma Melons from the hand of Naomi Naomi. Moreover, Ruth the Moabitis, the widow of Melon, I have acquired as my wife to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from his position at the gate. You are witnesses this day." And all the people who were at the gate and the elders said, "We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman whom who who is coming to your house like Rachel and Leah the two who built the house of Israel. And may you prosper in Epha and be famous in Bethlehem. May your house be like the house of Perez whom Tamar bore to Judah because of the offsp offspring which the Lord will give you from this young woman. So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. And when he went into her, the Lord gave her conception, and she bore a son. Then the woman said to Naomi, "Blessed be the Lord who has not left you this day without a close relative, and may his name be famous in Israel. And may he be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old of your old age. For your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him." Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her bosom and became a nurse to him. Also the neighbor uh women gave him a name, saying, "There is a son born to Naomi." And they called his name Oed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David. Now this is the genealogy of Perez. Perez begott Hezron. Hezron begot Ram. And Ram begott Abinadab. Abinadab begot Nashon. and Nashon be uh begott Salman. Salman begot Boaz and Boaz begot Oed. Oed begott Jesse and Jesse begot David and thus eventually the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, let's pray. Well, we praise you for this small uh book in the Old Testament that uh just is remarkable in so many ways. how how Father, you uh caused this the the the the lineage of of the Lord Jesus Christ ultimately uh to to be saved through this act of of of kindness, through this act that that Boaz uh parttook in. And we praise you, Father, for that that Father, ultimately we are in good hands, that the Church of Christ will continue to march forward, that you will continue to save as many as are to be saved and add them to the church. And and ultimately, Father, we look forward to that day when when the church will be gathered up uh in in in the end uh to to that great and wonderful uh wedding feast where we will be with as the as the bride, we will be with the bridegroom in that great marriage feast in heaven forever and ever. And truly, Lord, we thank you that our our that we are secure in the Lord Jesus Christ just as is that line lineage was secure. Father, you caused it to be secure down through the down through the many years and and and generations. And father, we we can we have a certainty. We have a knowledge through the word of God that that you that you certainly will uh preserve your bride to the very end. And Lord, we take great great encouragement in that. May we be amongst that number uh who will be at that great marriage feast. And Lord, if there be any that here this night that know not Christ, that have not uh that know nothing of forgiveness of sins, have not entered in, how we pray, Lord, you'd be at work in their hearts this night, cause their eyes to be open, and may they be given that that gift of faith to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Bless our pastor as he brings the word. Strengthen him for that for that uh for that that privilege that is to preach the the word of God here from this pulpit tonight. And we pray Lord that you would be pleased to bless it and uh amongst our hearing and we pray these things in Jesus precious name. Amen. >> Amen. >> Well, please turn with me your hym books to the last hymn before the preaching and that is to hymn number 283 283. I'll ask you to please stand. [Music] Lord Jesus, ruler of all nature, son of God and son of man. He will I cherish. He will I have my soul's glory joy and crown. There are the are the woodland. Oh, in the blue green. [Music] Jesus is fairer. Jesus is pure who makes the heart to sing. Where is the sun? There is the moonlight and all the swinging star. Jesus shines brighter. Jesus shines. and all the angels and he beautiful savior all of the nations son of god and son of man glory and honor praise Adoration now and forever more. [Music] >> Well, please turn in your Bibles to Philippians chapter 3. Philippians chapter 3. Our focus tonight will be verses 10 and 11, but I'll read beginning in verse one to verse 11. So, Philippians chapter 3, beginning in verse one. Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs. Beware of evil workers. Beware of the mutilation. For we are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews. Concerning the law, a Pharisee concerning zeal, persecuting the church, concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gained to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our father in heaven, we thank you for your holy scripture. We thank you for the blessed gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and for what he has accomplished on behalf of all those whom the father had given him. We ask now that you would guide us in our understanding of this of this text. We pray that the Holy Spirit would illumine our minds and our hearts and again forgive us now for all of our sins. Wash us aresh in that precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we thank you for that righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone. And we bless you in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, remember we've come to the PMIC section of the book of Philippians. The Apostle Paul is dealing with what's called Judaizing. The Judaizers came. They said it was good to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, but you must also obey the ceremonial law of Moses in order to be finally accepted by God. So what Paul has done in terms of setting this forth is used his own conversion. Notice specifically what he says in verse two. He cautions the people of God against the Judaizers. He says, "Beware of dogs. Beware of evil workers. Beware of the mutilation." And then essentially in contrast in verse three, he says, "For we are the circumcision or the true circumcision." He goes on to say, 'Who worship God in the spirit, we boast in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. And so he picks up on that last statement of having no confidence in the flesh by which one is commanded or accepted by commended to or accepted by God. He then says in verse four, though I also might have confidence in the flesh. actually sets forth himself as a specimen sample of what it looks like for a man to try to attain acceptance with God based on his own performance. So he looks back to his life before Christ. He goes on in verse four to say, "If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so." So in other words, if there is a man out there that is able to gain acceptance with God based on his religious resume, then it's the Apostle Paul. And he highlights that resume. He emphasizes his ethnic connection, his relation to the law as a Pharisee, his religious zeal in persecuting the church, and then his righteousness, his blamelessness in terms of external compliance with the law of Moses. After highlighting his past life or his life before Christ, he moves on then to his conversion in Christ or his conversion to Christ. Gives that contrast in verses seven and 8. What things were gained to me? These I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I have I also count all things lost for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish that I may gain Christ. And then he explains how that can be specifically in verse 9. And there he highlights the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Notice and be found in him. So positionally he is found in Christ. And with reference to righteousness, it's not his inherent righteousness. It's not an infused righteousness, but rather it's an imputed righteousness. And that's what he maintains. Not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith. So again, the doctrine of justification by faith alone. We looked at this in our uh study this morning in the confession of faith, chapter 11, of justification. So, some of this will be repetitious for those who participated at 9:30, but this is that grand doctrine, that truth that we're justified freely by God's grace. And justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein he pardons all our sins and he accepts us as righteous in his sight only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone. Now, as long as this doctrine has been uh taught, which is from the very beginning, Abraham believed God and it was reckoned unto him or accounted to him as righteousness. Genesis 15:6. As long as this doctrine has been taught, there have been those who have suggested, well, if we believe this, then it really doesn't matter how we live. In other words, if we believe that we're justified freely by God's grace, that all our sins are forgiven, we receive this righteousness by which we may enter into the presence of God, then it really doesn't matter how we live. In fact, Paul counters such an objection in Romans chapter 6 and verse one. He asks the question, "What shall we say? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?" But he answers with a resounding, "May it never be." And as I pointed out this morning in our study in the confession, chapter 11, paragraph 2 is designed to counter this objection that if we believe justification by faith alone, then it really doesn't matter how we live. So 11:2 says, "Faith, thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness is the alone instrument of justification. Yet it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces and is no dead faith, but works by love. Now, I'll argue that this section of holy scripture, verses 10 and 11 specifically, set forth this truth. So, we're justified by faith alone according to verse 9. But that faith is not alone, but it's always accompanied with all other graces. And that's the emphasis in verses 10 and 11. Paul emphasizes sanctification in verse 10 and he emphasizes glorification in verse 11. Paul does this elsewhere in Romans chapter 8 specifically at verse 30. He says, "Moreover, whom he predestined, these he also called. Whom he called, these he also justified, and whom he justified, these he also glorified." So that's a skeletal framework of the order of salvation. We'd obviously insert from other portions of scripture sanctification between justification and glorification. So verses 10 and 11 underscore Paul's communion with Christ. So his life before Christ in verses 4 to6, his conversion to Christ in verses 7 to9 and then his communion with Christ in verses 10 and 11. So faith thus receiving and resting on Christ and his righteousness is the alone instrument of justification. Verse 9, yet it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces and is no dead faith, but works by love. Verses 10 and 11. So we'll notice first his present life in Christ, verse 10. And then secondly, his future glory with Christ in verse 11. So sanctification and glorification are necessary consequences upon the doctrine of justification by faith alone. And this is a blessed truth that the God who has uh begun a good work in us will complete it unto the day of Christ. Philippians 1:6. God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Justification, sanctification, glorification. So notice his present life in Christ according to verse 10. After having described or declared or explained what justification by faith looks like, he says in verse 10, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being conformed to his death. So, there's a couple of things going on here. First, the knowledge of Christ generally that I may know him. Not that he doesn't know him presently, but that I may know him more and more as I continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of my my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is a knowledge of Christ that is experiential. It is a knowledge of Christ that is experiential. Experiential means received, known, acted upon and enjoyed versus co uh cognitive which is simply a mind apprehending truth in the gospel. Now the cognitive is absolutely crucial as well. We cannot know that experientially what we don't know cognitively. And I would argue that the cognitive is greatly undervalued, greatly underrated. Churches should be about cognitive information. Churches as the pillar and ground of the truth should be declaring and teaching and executing the scriptures which are the truth so that the people of God have that knowledge and then they can enjoy that knowledge and live in light of that knowledge. So it is a knowledge of Christ that is experiential. I would argue as well it's a knowledge of Christ that is practical life in union with Christ and that's what he's describing in verses 10 and 11 union with Christ vav sanctification and glorification union with Christ ought to look different than non union with Christ in other words practically the people justified freely by God's grace like verse 9 says should look markedly different now it's going to differ from person to person. Paul is far holier than than I am. Uh Spurgeon is far far holier than I am. But but sanctification should be obvious. Sanctification or a newness of life in Jesus Christ practically speaking should look like putting to death the deeds of the body, putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, making no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lust, purs uh pursuing holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Corinthians 7:1. And so, it's a practical knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein we are further conformed unto his image. But I would suggest as well the knowledge of Christ that is theologically correct. Prior to his conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul likely thought that Jesus was just another false messiah. Jesus was just another uh uh uh fake or fraud or deceiver. That Jesus potentially was a revolutionary much like the common uh belief of Jews today. They look at Jesus and they say that he was a revolutionary. He was not the Messiah promised by God in the Old Testament and come in the fullness of the times. So Paul probably had those kinds of thoughts about the Lord Jesus prior to his conversion. But once he's converted, he starts to think theologically correctly. He starts to understand and know that this Jesus, the word became flesh, is one person, two natures, both uh divine and human. So this knowledge of Christ that is theologically correct. In other words, what we believe about Christ, what we know concerning Christ is accurately informed by the word of Christ. And then I would suggest finally with reference to the knowledge of Christ generally it's the knowledge of Christ that is eternal life. Remember in the upper room or high priestly prayer rather following the upper room discourse Jesus says that they may know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. And this is eternal life. That's what he says. This is eternal life. So eternal life isn't you know the blessing of heaven. I mean it is. It's not the the pearly gates. It's not the the gold streets. It's it's all that. It's included by of course, but it's the knowledge of Jesus Christ. It's the knowledge of the true and living God. It is the essence, the very nature of eternal life. And I was reminded as I was working through this section of Samuel Rutherford as he comments about Christ. He says, "Love by nature, when it seeth, cannot but cast out its spirit and strength upon amiable objects and good things and things love worthy. And what fairer thing than Christ?" Some suggest it was these words that was the impetus for the writing of Ferris, Lord Jesus. I wasn't able to spend time tracing that down and and verifying or confirming or affirming because I really don't care. But I think that there is some sort of a logical connection between what Rutherford writes here and what we just sang in terms of fairest lord Jesus. So he goes on to say, "Oh fair sun and fair moon and fair stars and fair flowers and fair roses and fair liies and fair creatures, but oh 10,000 thou thousand times fairer Lord Jesus." He goes on to say, "Alas, I wronged him in making the comparison this way. Oh black sun and moon, but oh fair Lord Jesus. Oh black flowers and black liies and roses, but oh fair, fair, even fair Lord Jesus. Oh all fair things, black and deformed without beauty, when ye are beside that fairest Lord Jesus. Oh black heaven but oh fair Christ. Oh black angels but oh supre surprisingly fair Lord Jesus. I would seek no more to make me happy forever more, but a thorough and clear sight of the beauty of Jesus my Lord. Let my eyes enjoy his fairness and look him forever in the face and I have all that can be wished. I think that's the kind of knowledge that the Apostle Paul is talking about. It is experiential. It is practical. It is theologically correct. It is the very essence of eternal life. It is to see Christ as the bride saw the bridegroom as altogether lovely and chief among 10,000 in Solomon's song. So he speaks concerning the knowledge of Christ uh generally that I may know him but then secondly the knowledge of Christ's resurrection specifically notice in verse 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection. That I may know him and the power of his resurrection. Now I would suggest the reference is not to the power exercised by God in the resurrection. It is not the power exercised by God in the resurrection. I mean there's obviously overlap. It's not that they're you know completely different ideas altogether. But I don't think that's the point here. And with reference to the power of God exercised in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ remember the doctrine of inseparable operations. Whatever things done by God add extra or outside of God are done by the one true and living God who exists eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They each have the whole divine essence, the same substance, power, and eternity. The same will. There's not three centers of consciousness in God that would compromise who God is. There aren't three wills in God that would compromise who God is. The doctrine of inseparable operations teaches that the divine and infinite being who exists as father, son, and holy spirit is responsible for everything outside of himself in terms of the the power exercised. There is as well the doctrine of appropriation. Sometimes in holy scripture, authors appropriate specific works to persons of the Godhead to shine the light upon them and to show different uh aspects or facets rather of the the the the nature of the father, the son and the holy spirit with reference to the resurrection of our lord. It is appropriated to the father in various places in the book of acts when when the apostles are upgrading the Jews, they say you crucified but god raised him up. It's appropriated to Jesus in John 10:17 and 18. He will raise himself up. It's appropriated to the Holy Spirit. But again, not three wills, not center, three centers of uh of consciousness, but one divine infinite being who exists as father, son, and holy spirit. So every work at extra is inseparable operations. God almighty does it. The doctrine of appropriation shines the light on on the persons of the godhead. As Owen says with reference to the inseparable operations, the divine essence being the same in the father, son, and holy holy spirit, they must all work the same work with one will and by the same power though in an order of subsistence and operation. So I just wanted to remind us of theology proper as I'm telling you that the reference is not to that particular power. So what is it? I would suggest the reference is to the powerful effect of the resurrection of Christ on Paul and on all other believers that I may know him and the power of his resurrection. In other words, when Jesus was raised from the dead, that had positive, glorious effects and impacts upon the people of God. Turn back to the book of Romans in Romans chapter 6. I'll just suggest three things here. First, the power or the powerful effect of the resurrection of Christ. First, the newness of life as a believer in Christ. Notice in chapter 6 at verse 4. Therefore, we were buried with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father, even so we also should walk in newness of life as well. Colossians 3 and verse 1, 1 Peter 1 and verse three. This idea being that at the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, there was certainly power expressed or exhibited or executed by God in the resurrection of our blessed savior out of that tomb. But there is that power as an effect of the resurrection upon the people of God. And the first aspect is newness of life. We've died. We've been buried. We've been raised again. predicated on the fact that our blessed savior was raised from the dead. I would suggest secondly, there's an emphasis on union with Christ. Notice in verse 5, for if we have been united together in the likeness of his death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection. Knowing this that our old man was crucified with him with uh that the body of sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves of sin. So there's this newness of life and there is as well an emphasis on union with Christ all throughout the book of Romans for sure. And I would suggest thirdly the definitive breach with sin. Notice in verse 11, likewise you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. So, as Paul back in Philippians chapter 3 speaks of knowing him and the power of his resurrection, he's not looking at the historical fact necessarily of the empty tomb. He's not looking as we have recently in John 20, the discovery of the empty tomb 1:10, the appearance to Mary Magdalene 11 to18, the appearance to the disciples without Thomas in 1923, the appearance to the disciples with Thomas in 24-29. That's not completely removed from the apostles thought process. But in this life of sanctification, I know the power of his resurrection. And I know the power of his resurrection because I have newness of life. I know the power of his resurrection because I have union with Christ. I know the power of his resurrection because I've had a definitive breach with sin. In other words, it's that power of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ that has blessed me tremendously. This is why he says or why he links resurrection and justification in Romans chapter 4. Christ was delivered up because of our offenses and he was raised for our justification. So resurrection power and justification go hand in hand. And then notice thirdly, so in sanctification, he knows Christ generally that I may know him. He knows the power of the resurrection specifically. And then he knows as well the fellowship of Christ's sufferings in verse 10. That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being conformed to his death. Now the fellowship of his sufferings is not redemptive. Paul is not suffering and being conformed to the death of the Lord Jesus Christ in order to somehow complete the justification that was specified in verse 9. These are not redemptive sufferings. It's not the case that all of us have to suffer a 100 units positively before we can ever enter into heaven. Yes, you've been justified freely by God's grace. Verse 9, but now in the life of sanctification, if you don't suffer this much, then you're not going to go to heaven. That's not what he's talking about in this particular passage. Notice Philippians 1:29. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him but also to suffer for his sake. This is not redemptive suffering. Notice in second Peter chapter 1. Second Peter chapter 1. Same sort of an emphasis there. I'm sorry. First Peter chapter 2. Boy. Second Peter 1. It was actually 1 Peter 2. 1 Peter 2:21, "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps, who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth, who when he was reviled, did not revile in return, but uh when he suffered, he did not threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously." So I want to point out that when Paul speaks in Philippians 3:10, knowing the fellowship of his sufferings and conformity to his death, he's not suggesting for a moment that this is the lot for every Christian, that you have to suffer this many units in order to be ripe for entrance into heaven. The fellowship of his sufferings is experiential. The fellowship of his sufferings is real. The fellowship of his sufferings is based on what Christ announces in the upper room in John 15:18 to John 16:4. Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. They hated me. They're going to hate you. There's going to come a time when they're going to kill you thinking that they've done service to God. There's going to come a time when they're going to put you out of their synagogues. There's going to be a time when you're going to be ostracized, when you're going to be insulted, when you're going to be persecuted, when you're going to be oppressed. Jesus speaks of this in Matthew 5 in that last beatitude. You're going to suffer for the cause of Christ. That's just a a given. So, it's not redemptive. It is experiential. Remember Saul of Tarsus when he meets Jesus on the road to Damascus in Acts chapter 9 and he asks the question, who are you? What is Jesus' response to Saul? He says, uh, the Lord said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goats." Jesus identifies with his body in the suffering that they experience in this present evil age. Again, it's not redemptive. You've got to do X amount in order to be accepted by God. No, it's more this is inevitable. This is consequential. When you leave the realm of the prince of the power who works in the air, when you leave the realm by God's grace of being a child of wrath, when you leave the realm of demon-possessed wretches that do the will of their father, the devil, all those people are going to oppose you. All those people are going to be like you see in Psalm 2. Why do the nations rage and the people plot of vain things? They take their stand against God and against his Christ. If that's true with reference to God and his Christ, it's going to be true with reference to God's people, his children, the believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the general orientation of Christian disciplehip. Turn back to Matthew's gospel, Matthew chapter 16. So again, not redemptive in nature, but suffering as consequence for having been saved by God. If Jesus suffered, if Jesus was persecuted, if Jesus was oppressed, if Jesus was executed, if Jesus was crucified, you think you're going to get better treatment, you don't think there's going to be fellowship with his sufferings? You don't think there's going to be conformity to his death? Of course, there is. Notice in Matthew 16:24, then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." And as I've tried to explain on many occasions, the cross there isn't a difficult child. It isn't a difficult work partner. It isn't a difficult situation that you face in this present world. It's death. Cross in this context meant death. And if you're not willing to die for the Lord Jesus Christ, then he says, "You're not worthy of me. If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the son of man will come in the glory of his father with his angels and then he will reward each according to his works. So in 3:10 when Paul is talking about sanctification, he's talking about the knowledge of Jesus Christ generally, the power of his resurrection specifically. And we would suggest or we would think those are positive aspects of sanctification. Yeah. But there's some hardship too. There's the fellowship of his sufferings and conformity to his death. Sanctification isn't a constant walk in the park. Sanctification isn't a day at Disneyland. Sanctification isn't a day at Stanley Park. Sanctification can be tough. There's people that hate you just because of your commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. There's people that despise you because you're pro-life. There's people that abhore you because you think that sexual e ethics should be rooted in the seventh commandment. There's people that despise the very notion of righteousness and godliness and holiness and we live in the midst of them. You don't think there's going to be fellowship of his sufferings and conformity to his death? Absolutely positively there will be. Most certainly and Paul experienced that. Remember the specific instances of persecution in his Christian life. the persecutor had become the persecuted. All you got to do is read the book of Acts. He's stoned. He's brought before civil government. He has to testify. He has to, you know, go to jail. He he's in jail while he's writing this book to the Philippians. So Paul didn't have a walk in the park every single day of his life. Yeah, he knew Christ. Yeah, he knew the power of his resurrection, but he also understood the fellowship of his sufferings and conformity to his death. We need to embrace that reality. We need to know Philippians 1:29. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake. This brings Paul to the conclusion in 2 Timothy 3:12, "Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." Again, it's not redemptive. You got to suffer x amount so that God will accept you. No, it's just consequential uh consequential. It is inevitable. It is the reality that when we by grace side with the Lord Jesus Christ, that one who was hated and despised by the world, that man of sorrows, that man who was ultimately crucified, even though he was holy, harmless, and undefiled when he had never committed any sin whatsoever, if they did that to the master, they're going to do that to the servant. And Paul knew that. Paul understood that. I think the specific point here, I think Zanki sort of nails it. He says steadfastness in enduring afflictions for the glory of Christ and the well-being of the church and so perseverance and piety to the end of life which is followed by the resurrection. So that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being conformed to his death. That's sanctification. Yes, there's the joy of the knowledge of Christ, the joy of the knowledge of the power of the resurrection. There is that. But there is on the other hand the difficulties associated with faithfulness in a faithless age. There are the difficulties associated with being the only Christian in your class, being the only Christian on your block, being the only Christian in your family. Those are challenges. There is the fellowship of sufferings. There is conformity to his death. If there was opposition against the master, settle it in your minds and hearts. There's going to be opposition against the servants of the master. It is inevitable. It is the way that it is. And then notice with reference to his emphasis on future glory with Christ in verse 11. Notice what he says. If by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. You should see the pattern. You should see the pattern. The cross always precedes the crown. That's fundamental in biblical religion. The cross always precedes the crown. Go back to Philippians chapter 2 specifically at verse 8. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. There's the cross. And then comes the crown. Verse 9. Therefore, God also has highly exalted him and given him the name which is above every name. That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth. and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. You see that same pattern at work here in 3:10 and 11. Got the life of sanctification. We got the fellowship of his sufferings. We've got conformity to his death. But we also have the resurrection from the dead. Turn back to Matthew's gospel in Matthew chapter 20. This is a a mistake. probably putting it lightly, an error, probably a little bit more strong, or just the foolardiness of most of God's people to think that it's only ever going to be crowned. Notice in Matthew 20 at verse 20, then the mother of Zebed's sons came to him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from him. And he said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right hand and the other on the left in your kingdom." But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?" It's just here that at times pastors want to say, "Okay, everybody take out your paper and your pen and answer the simple question. What is he referring to here with reference to the cup?" And I would do this based on our studies in John's gospel. Remember John 18:11. Shall I not drink the cup that my father has given me? Matthew 26. Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, Father, not my will, but thine be done. What is the cup? It's the cup of God's wrath. It's the cup of God's fury. It's the cup of God's judgment. It's all throughout the Old Testament. When the prophet Jeremiah speaks concerning the fall of Babylon, they're going to drink the cup of God's wrath. You see it in the Psalms as well. You see it all over. It's the cup of God's wrath. So, you got to get the point here. The sons of Zebedee are jockeying for position. Lord, when you come into your kingdom, we want to be one on your right and one on your left. We want to be right there with you. And and Jesus with incredul asks them the question or rather declares to them the problem. You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink? Are you able to drink the cup of God's wrath and curse and fury and judgment and and and and all manner of of of penalty? And then he goes on to say, "And be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with." Now, Jesus had already been baptized by John in chapter 3 of Matthew's gospel. So, what baptism is he talking about here? I think it's clearer in Luke's gospel in Luke 12, not clearer, but clear. Luke 12:50. Luke 12:50. But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished. It's his death. See, baptism doesn't mean sprinkle. Baptism means immersed. He is going to be immersed with. He's going to be overwhelmed by the judgment, the wrath, and the fury of God. It's not just a bit of a sprinkling upon him or a bit of an effusion, a bit of washing. Rather, he will be capsized under it. Baptism was used when ships were sunken. And so when he speaks here concerning the cup that he must drink and the baptism that he must undergo, he is telling them, you're jockeying for position. You want the crown, but you don't want the cross. Christ says, I've got to go through the cross in order to get the crown. But then he says, or rather they say, look at that in verse 22. And you know, we're not picking on these poor brothers, right? We're not picking on them. But man, isn't that us? We are able. Oh, really? You're able to drink the cup of God's wrath? You're able to be overwhelmed by the fury and judgment of God? You're you're able to do that. Now Jesus goes on to tell them, "You will indeed drink my cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with." So James loses his head in Acts 12. John according to Revelation 1 is exiled on the island of Patmos for the word of God and the testimony of the Lord Jesus. So they will know something of that cup. They know something of that baptism or to use Paul's language in Philippians 3:10, the fellowship of his sufferings and conformity to his death. They they will know that they will understand that not to the degree that Christ does in terms of redemptive suffering. He goes on to say, "But to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by my father." So the Lord Jesus underscores in terms of teaching or doctrine that the cross always precedes the crown. But Jesus' life, the paradigm, the pattern of Jesus' life shows the very same thing. It's the cross and then the crown. Philippians 2:8-9. So Paul says that if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Now when he says if by any means is there a question as far as Paul is concerned does 39 not avail to your acceptance with God? Is it the case Paul that that that there's a potentiality that you may not because it sounds like that if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. We might also read, "If by any means I don't attain to the resurrection of the dead." Well, the context is obviously against a hypothetical salvation. Philippians 3 uh uh Philippians 3:9. And be found in him positionally, he's safe, not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith. So the no confidence in the flesh motif in verses 3 to9 for salvation means it's not because of his inherent righteousness or an infused righteousness that he will attain to the resurrection of the righteous. It is rather what Christ has done active and passive obedience. I think the language if by any means is not to to to think or rather to get us to think that you know maybe he won't make it. I think it's in light of the fellowship of his sufferings in conformity to his death. I think it bespeaks that the life of sanctification which ends in glorification, it's going to be tough. There's no way around it. I wish I could just, you know, benny hin you all and say, "It's only ever going to be great." Or Joe Ostein. I'd smile and, you know, you'd see a spark from my tooth and my hair would be lush and full and big and, you know, happy. Those guys are liars. Deceptive demonic liars. In this world, you will have tribulation. All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Look at the end of the book of he uh Hebrews chapter 11. Some were sawn into the prophet Isaiah. The fellow under the spirit who gave us Isaiah 53, at least that's who commentators tell us is the one that was sawn in two was Isaiah. Who saws Isaiah in half? I mean, you got to be demon spawn. You've got to be, you know, walking in the pattern of your father, the devil. To saw Isaiah in half. Again, the idea that you're only ever going to have Friday afternoons as believers in Christ, it's just wicked deception. The emphasis is on perseverance. Perseverance in sanctification. Again, not so that we might get saved, but consequential to our justification by faith. And for Paul, it's probably an emphasis on perseverance with reference to remaining corruption. That internal threat, that problem we all face all the time. Well, how do we know Paul understood remaining corruption? Well, Romans 7, Galatians 5, spirit lusts against the flesh, the flesh against the spirit. These are contrary to one another so that you don't do the things that you want. Paul in Romans 7, the good that I wish to do, I don't do. The evil I don't want to do, I find myself doing. Who will deliver me, oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death? Paul understood remaining corruption, brethren. And it would be a battle for him and he understands that. So the if by any means isn't I may not make it. 39 is not accurate. No, it's uh it's going to be tough. I'm going to have to persevere. I'm going to have to endure. I'm going to have to be steadfast. I would suggest it's emphasis on perseverance with reference to continual opposition. So, you've got the internal threat, your own remaining sin. But then you've got this external opposition, the unbelieving Jews, the Roman Empire. Everybody hated Paul. Everybody wanted to see Paul dead. Everybody wanted to see Paul either in prison or dead. He's in prison as he's writing this. But I would suggest as well the emphasis is on perseverance with reference to ministerial faithfulness, ministerial faithfulness. And it it occurs to me, maybe it's just because I'm getting older, but at least the guys that I'm reading in terms of prayer letters and whatnot, they all are saying that I want to make it. I want to make it to the end. Faithful as a minister. The attrition numbers for pastors are pretty high. you know, guys end up shipwrecked after five years or whatever. So, you know, making it to the end for the Apostle Paul was was certainly necessary. In 1 Corinthians 9 verse 24, he says, "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it, and everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now, they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore, I run thus, not with uncertainty. Thus I fight not as one who beats the air, but I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. It's that should preach or uh lest when I have preached to others that seems to indicate something of a desire for ministerial faithfulness to the very end to the bitter end. So he's got the external threat of opposition and persecution. He's got the internal threat, his own remaining corrupt corruption. And then he's got internal and external threats with reference to ministerial faithfulness. It's not just your own heart. It's not just the people that hate you from without. It can be people that you know supposed to love you within. He speaks of that in second Corinthians 11. The concern that comes upon me daily with reference to the church. So the if by any means I may attain is not, you know, this is a hypothetical justification. It's a hypothetical salvation. As long as Paul is good, then he'll be accepted by God. No, I think it highlights the difficulties involved in the life of sanctification. And then notice, if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. And here I think he's speaking specifically to the general resurrection with a specific emphasis on the resurrection of the righteous. So it's not figurative. Verse 10, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection. Again, that's more uh the power affected by God in the lives of his people by virtue of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Here, he wants to know that resurrection from the dead, the promise of future glory in Emmanuel's land. Listen to Gil, not in a figurative sense, the resurrection from the death of sin to a life of grace of which Christ is the efficient cause. For this the apostle had attained to, unless the consummation of that spiritual life and perfect holiness should be intended, than which nothing was more desirable by him, nor in a representative sense, for this also he enjoyed in Christ his head, being risen with him and in him when he rose from the dead, but in a literal sense and designs, not the general resurrection of the just and unjust, which he believed. For he knew that everyone must and will attain to this, even Pharaoh, Judas, and the worst of men. But the special and particular resurrection of the righteous, the better resurrection, which will be first, and upon the personal coming of Christ, and by virtue of union to him, and in a glorious manner, and to everlasting life and happiness. So he's justified freely by God's grace, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is from God by faith. That he then enters into this life of sanctification. verse 10. And then glorification is his glorious promise with reference to reigning and ruling with Christ world without end. Amen. So that faith that justifies us is alone. But it's always accompanied with all other saving graces such that makes us know the power or know Christ, know the power of his resurrection and know as well the fellowship of his sufferings and conformity unto his death. So, in conclusion, we've got the life of sanctification in verse 10. Good stuff and challenging stuff. Good stuff and challenging stuff. Knowing Christ, the power of his resurrection. Hey, sign me up. Oh, yeah. But there's this fellowship of his sufferings as well. Oh, does that mean I have to suffer thus amount so that I can get into heaven? No. It just means siding with the Savior means opposition from the world. it it always has meant that and it will always mean that all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. So with reference to sanctification there is difficulty and there's great blessing and even the difficulty is surrounded by great blessing right the fellowship of his sufferings and conformity to his death usually are the times when we draw closer to Christ if everything's always great why do we need Jesus I mean I think of the words of the the proverbs give me neither poverty nor riches if I'm p uh I'm poor I'm I'm tempted to go out and steal. If I'm rich, I'm tempted to forget God. So, keep me in the medium in in the median. Well, the same thing. If there's no fellowship of his sufferings and no conformity to his death, we'll probably forget about him before long. These are good means in the hand of God to keep us close to him. They tether us to that grace. They tether us to that God. They tether us and they cause us to constantly reflect. Now with reference to verses 9 and 10, I mentioned this morning Westminster larger catechism number 77. It asks the question wherein do justification and sanctification differ? So verse 9, justification, verse 10, sanctification where I I mean we'd say that they they they're connected. They're linked. You don't get a verse 9 without verse 10. You don't get verse 10 without verse 9 and 11. It it's a package deal. For whom he forneew, these he predestined to be conformed to the image of his son. The ones he predestined, he called. The ones he called, he justified. The one he justifies, he will glorify. So salvation, it's it's it's a it's a deal. It's a it's a it's a given gift by God. So that justification and sanctification are linked. Nobody would argue. But wherein do they differ? In justification, God imputes the righteousness of Christ. Verse 9. In sanctification, his spirit infuses grace. Verse 10. In justification, sin is pardoned. In sanctification, it is subdued. In justification, all believers are equally free from the revenging wrath of God. And that perfectly in this life. In sanctification, it is not equal in all, nor in this life perfect in any, but grows up to perfection. Again, I commend Westminster Larger Catechism number 77. It is good to think through these things. It is good to see the inextricable connection between justification and sanctification. But it's also necessary, lest you become a Roman Catholic, lest you become new perspective on Paul, lest you become Federal Vision, to not see the distinctions, to not see the differences, to not see a definitive act versus progress, to not see a one-time good deal with reference to justification and the progress of growth in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. You can find Westminster Larger Catechism online. used to be you had to order books. We're going to have a bookstore right here in Chilowak. They'll probably sell Westminster Catechism and and Confession. You can go buy your own copies and I would suggest buy hard copies. You never quite know what's going to happen and everything tied up on that internet. Maybe like that vapor James speaks about. I'm not, you know, a prophet or the son of a prophet, but hard copies are probably a good idea. I would suggest uh sanctification uh justification is the basis of our acceptance with God and of course inevitably there will be sanctification. We will live in light of what God has done. And then in terms of glorification that blessed statement if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead just a couple of thoughts. It is the confident hope of the believer. We all have that. It's the blessed hope. The return of our Lord Jesus and his second coming in glory and the judgment of all men. the righteous taken up into heaven. We We live in light of that reality. I would suggest as well, it's the resurrection of the body. We're not gnostics. We're not gnostics, brethren. It's not the physical isn't bad. Physicality was created by God. God's not at war with nature. He's at war with our sin. Theuh apostles creed says, "I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting." Amen. As well, glorification is the restoration of paradise forfeit by Adam and secured for us by our Lord Jesus Christ. And I would suggest finally that glorification is an impetus for us to pursue holiness. It's an impetus for us in the life of sanctification. 1 John 3:1-3, "Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God. Therefore, the world does not know us because it did not know him." Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not been yet uh not yet been revealed what we shall be. But we know that when he is revealed, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." Blessed thought concerning glorification. Blessed thought concerning glorification. Listen to what John goes on to say. And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure. Living in light of that glory to come ought to affect us in the present with reference to sanctification. Living in light of what God has done for us in the doctrine of justification or in the the reality of justification. He has freed us. He has forgiven us. He has given us a righteousness. And he has called us to live in light of that blessed reality. look forward to future glory as a help now to pursue holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Well, let us pray. Our father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for its clarity here in Philippians 3:9-11. And we look forward to that glory in our future. We thank you for what Christ has done on the cross, in his life, at his resurrection, and now in his current session. We look forward to his return again in glory and to that judgment. And we pray that everyone here would be clothed in his righteousness, cleansed in his blood, and ready to enter in to that blessed land of Emanuel. And we ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Well, let us stand and sing the doxology in praise to our triune God. 568. [Music] Praise God. All blessings. [Music] Praise him all creatures here. [Music] Praise him above the heaven and heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. [Music] 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.