Good morning to everyone. Welcome to Free Grace Baptist Church. Uh any visitors out there with us this morning, we welcome you to our church. It's good to have you with us for the worship of our triune God. Just a few announcements before we begin worship this morning. Um, evening service tonight at 700 p.m. Excuse me. Evening service tonight at 5:00 p.m. Uh, 1700 for those who like military time. Um, Wednesday night Bible study is this Wednesday. And remember, it starts now at 7:00 p.m. It's no longer at 7:30. So, uh, Wednesday night Bible study at 700 p.m. Um, Scott Peterson has applied for church membership. So that's a wonderful thing to to hear. Uh we can pray for Scott. If you have not yet uh spoken to him uh much, you can introduce yourself and and speak with Scott. And just a reminder about church membership. Uh if you've been with us for uh if you've been with us just if you're new with us here at Free Grace Baptist Church or if you've been with us uh for a while and you're not you're not yet members, um we encourage that. uh our confession of faith speaks with regards to the members uh membership in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ speaking in paragraph 6. The members of these churches are saints by calling visibly manifesting and evidencing in and by their profession and walking their obedience unto that call of Christ, and do willingly consent to walk together according to the appointment of Christ, giving up themselves to the Lord and one to another by the will of God in professed subjection to the ordinances of the gospel. It's uh good to hear of Scott seeking church membership and we encourage that as well for any others. So if you have questions, you can certainly approach us and ask. Uh next, uh just an announcement with regards to the confessing the faith conference. Registration is open for that. You may have seen that um in your email or on church social. Uh so you can register for the Confessing the Faith Conference, April 2026, uh the 10th and the 11th of April. There's some new tracks at the back of the church. um some that have been there for a while but some that have been put out this morning by whim. Um feel free to uh to read to take and provide any feedback on the tracks that that are there. And lastly uh we would love to have more questions for the Ask Free Grace Baptist Church, Ask FGBC uh videos that we record. There will be another one coming up that we're going to be recording. So if you have any uh doctrinal questions, practical theological questions, uh you can submit those. If you don't know how to submit, then just ask um you can ask Whim or one of the officers of the church. That's all the announcements this morning. Let's now turn to the sacred worship of our triune God as we open up with a reading of Psalm 25:es 8-15. Psalm 25 beginning at verse 8. Psalm 25 beginning at verse 8. This is the word of God. Good and upright is the Lord. Therefore he teaches sinners in the way. The humble he guides in justice and the humble he teaches his way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth. To such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. For your name's sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great. Who is the man that fears the Lord? him shall he teach in the way he chooses. He himself shall dwell in prosperity, and his descendants shall inherit the earth. The [snorts] secret of the Lord is with those who fear him, and he will show them his covenant. My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he shall pluck my feet out of the net. Amen. Well, let's stand and sing together. Our first hymn is going to be Psalm 144b as in bravo. Psalm 144b and we'll sing stanzas 1 to 4. Let's see the Lord of my [music] rock and my [singing] mind. He tra my hands for the fight. My [music and singing] fortress deliverer. My refuge and shield. He breaks down [music] my host and beneath me. >> [music] >> Oh Lord, what is man that you recognize [music] him the son of man that you [singing] are mindful of [music] him for his blood. [singing] His prey [music] days are just like a [music] shadow which passes away. [music] and the Lord our Lord from [music] on high and the great [music] mountain [singing] from your fierce light and scatter [music] the send out your shar and [music and singing] them Oh, stretch your hand from the heavens [singing] above. [music] From strangers and [music] their tongs be so [singing] false and truth they despise. their [music] right hand and they all to swear to their eyes. >> Let's go to our God in prayer. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we come to you this morning on this Lord's Day Sabbath rejoicing in you and seeking Lord God to honor you in this place this morning. We would pray that you would help us by your spirit to hallow your most high name. That your will, Lord God, would be done on earth as it is in heaven. We thank you, Lord God, that you have called us from out of the world to gather together in this place on this your Lord's day for the worship of the one and only living and true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We acknowledge Lord God as those who are creaturely, those who are finite, those marked by the weakness of sin and the the loneliness of humanity. We acknowledge your highness, your loftiness, your majesty, and your glory. That you are infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in all of your glorious perfections. And we rejoice in the fact that you have condescended in the sending of your son to save sinners from sin and from hell and from death. We rejoice in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The fact that in the fullness of the times you did send forth your son born of a woman and born under the law to redeem those who were under the law that we might have the adoption as sons. We rejoice in this reality. We rejoice in the historical truth of the Lord Jesus Christ who lived a life of obedience unto your law that he rendered act of obedience unto the whole law and that in thestead in the place in the room of all who believe in his name and that he died upon Calvar's cross not a an atonement of maybe or a redemption of perhaps but that he so secured on that cross the salvation of a multitude that no man can number from every tribe and tongue and people and nation ation. We rejoice in that death that it was substitutionary that it was sacrificial and that by the shedding of the blood, shedding of his blood, we have forgiveness, the remission of sins. We rejoice in the resurrection on the third day where in the Lord Jesus Christ rose in great power and in great victory uh a vindication of the perfection of his work and that he ascended to your right hand where he now ever lives to intercede for his people and to judge his enemies. And we do pray, Lord God, that you would cause us to rejoice in the Savior. That we would be washed Aresh in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that blessed reality of the forgiveness of sins and knowing as well, Lord God, that in him we have a righteousness, that that alien righteousness, that righteousness outside of ourselves that is imputed to us and received by faith alone, that righteousness alone that avails with you, a holy God. We rejoice in salvation. And we would pray that you would cause each and every one this morning, Lord God, because it is possible with you that each and every tongue this morning would leave this place singing the praises of our triune God and rejoicing in the Lord Jesus Christ. We do pray God for the preaching of the word in this place this morning, that central act of worship, which is the proclamation of truth. We do pray for Pastor Butler as he comes up here to preach your word. Give him strength. give him what he needs to grip this pulpit and to know the confidence and the comfort of his God. And may he have that fluidity of speech, the presence of mind to open up your word, the presence of the spirit to proclaim richly the things of our savior Jesus Christ. And might that preaching be unto the edification of saints, your people in this place, and and unto the salvation of sinners as we've already prayed that every tongue would leave singing the praises of Christ. We do pray that you would be with those unable to join us due to illness, due to travel, uh due to sickness, Lord, to physical ailments. We pray that you would be with those that you would strengthen them in body, that you would cause them to know the presence of their God in the midst of physical suffering. And we do pray, Lord God, that you would grant healing, that you would grant gains and strength, and uh that you would cause them in the midst of these things to know the God of heaven and earth does right according to his glory, according to his will, and for the good of his people. We pray Lord God for those struggling spiritually that you would lift them up from out of that uh those pits of sorrow and and despair Lord and cause them uh to to know the joy of the Lord to be returned unto that joy of their salvation that they might stand upon the high places as it were of walking in the in the knowledge of Christ. We do pray that you'd be with those who govern over us as we're commanded in the Holy Scriptures to pray for kings and those who are in authority. And we would ask, Lord God, that you would cause those who rule over the nations to do so in righteousness, to do so according to a proper justice, that they would properly call those things that are good as good, those things that are wicked as wicked. We pray God for those who pervert the nations, who uh who secretly or openly uh engage in wickedness in the ranks of government. We pray that you would cast them down, that you would cause them to stumble like drunken men, that they may no longer pervert the nations and uphold wickedness throughout the world. We do pray for the victory of the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the nations, that through the work of missionaries, through the work of uh those preachers in churches, men that you have called and and gifted to the church. We pray the gospel of Jesus Christ would be proclaimed and this would serve as that which would change the nations that many would behold the glories of Christ and Lord God that you would uh raise up uh more from out of the darkness of idolatry the darkness of sin to behold the savior the king of kings and lord of lords and to live a man in a manner worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. So do be with us as we worship Lord. We do pray that you would help us to worship you in spirit and in truth. We know that we require the Holy Spirit. We pray that you would send the Holy Spirit that we might be lifted up to proper worship that our minds would not be carried away by any distractions, but that we would by your spirit be solely focused on the worship of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We do pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our precious savior. Amen. >> Let's stand and sing again. This time, hymn number 154. Let's stand and sing 154 together. This [music] day at my birth the [music] light was born. Oh Lord, this [music] day upon us shine and fill our [music] souls with mighty. [singing] This [music] day the Lord for sight [music] victorious ro. Oh Jesus [music and singing] Mary raises me from death of sin to life [music] with this day the Holy Spirit came with my return of gold. [music] Oh spirit, fill our hearts [singing] this day with grace to heal and grace to pray. [music] Oh day of light and life and grace of [music] earth we resting. My [singing and music] halls bless give me a h to God. [singing] [music] All praise to God [music] the father. All praise, eternal son to thee, whom with the spirit we adore, forever [music] and forever more. [music] You can turn in your Bibles with me to the Gospel of Luke. Luke chapter 14. We're going to read from verse one to verse 14. When you see the the word dropsy there in sentence number two, verse number two, sentence number two. In verse two of of Luke 14, um that's a particular physical ailment that we may call anemma today. a a um an um an unnatural uh collection or uh obtaining of water um such that it swells the body and and is marked by uh great pain and great physical trial. So just a a brief definition of that particular word in verse two. This is the word of God. Luke 14 beginning at verse one. Now it happened as he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath that they watched him closely. And behold, there was a certain man before him who had dropsy. And Jesus answering spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, but they kept silent?" And he took him and healed him and let him go. Then he answered them, saying, "Which of you having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?" And they could not answer him regarding these things. So he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noted how they chose the best places, saying to them, "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be be invited by him. and he who invited you and him come and say to you, "Give place to this man." And then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place. So that when he who invited you comes, he may say to you, "Friend, go up higher." Then you will have that then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Then he also said to him who invited him, "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed because they cannot repay you, for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just." Amen. Well, let us pray. God, we thank you for your holy word. We rejoice in your goodness to us in revealing to us in the scriptures your will for the sons of men. And we know that it it lands upon the the blessed and central reality of Jesus Christ our precious savior who came into the world sinners to save. And we thank you uh for his humility in the assumption of our humanity that he was one who exemplified humility and was therefore exalted. And we would pray Lord God that we would not be such who are marked by pride uh but that we would learn that blessed lesson of the Savior that we would be marked by a proper Christian humility knowing uh from what we were saved. Knowing that we were dead in trespasses and sins that we were without strength and without hope but that in due time in your appointed and accepted time you made us alive in Jesus Christ and by grace we were saved. We do pray that you would help us to be marked in this lower world by that proper Christian humility. Uh that we would seek to exercise these things that our Lord Jesus Christ exemplified. And we do pray Lord God that you would cause us to honor your Sabbath. That we would rejoice in this your Lord's day that we would be marked by such who honor the day and seek to rejoice in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and to reflect with high thoughts upon Jesus Christ our precious savior. And it's in his name that we pray. Amen. >> Amen. >> Our final hymn before the preaching of the word, if you'll stand with me, is Psalm 119m as in Mary. Psalm 119m. Let's stand and sing together. [music] [music] Oh, how I love your [music] holy love, Lord. All day [music] I upon your word [music] makes me wer [singing] and my [music] for your commands [music] are ever with me. >> [music] >> I have more wisdom than my teachers, [music] [singing] Lord. Lord, on [music] your side. I [singing] [music] have more in sight than the age [singing and music] for all your test. [music and singing] I keep my [music] cre [music] for I desire [singing] to follow your [music] word. Since you have taught [music] me all your [singing] wisdom gra, [music] [singing] [music] oh Lord, how sweet your [music] words are, Lord to [singing] my days. Sweeter [music] than is upon [music] my tongue. Through your [music] I will understand. [music] Therefore, oh Lord, I teach that. [music] Well, please turn with me in your Bibles to John's Gospel, John chapter 21. It's bittersweet coming to the end of the fourth gospel. Remember as we have seen the gospel of John is most glorious and most blessed starts with a prologue in chapter 1:es 1 to18 and then moves to the book of the public ministry of our lord in 119 to 1250 and then the book of the passion in 131 to 2031. So the epilogue functions or chapter 21 functions as an epilogue, but there is much teaching concerning the church. In the three sections, we've seen the mission of the church woven into the fishing trip in verses 1-4. The ministers of the church presented in the restoration of Simon Peter in verses 15 to 19. And then this last section treats the authority in the church. I was going to go for manifesto to alliterate but it sounded a bit me nowish for my comfort. So the authority in the church I want to read the whole chapter because we will have cause to reflect upon what we've seen. So chapter 21 beginning in verse one. After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberius. And in this way he showed himself Simon Peter Thomas called the twin Nathaniel of Canaa in Galilee. The sons of Zebedee and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We are going with you also." They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore. Yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any food?" They answered him, "No." And he said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. Therefore, that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord." Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he had removed it, and plunged into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from land, but about 200 cubits, dragging the net with fish. Then as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it and bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish which you have just caught." Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land full of large fish, 153. And although there were so many, the net was not broken. Jesus said to them, "Come and eat breakfast." Yet none of the disciples dared ask him uh dared ask him, "Who are you?" Knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. This is now the third time Jesus showed himself to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him,"Lord, you know all things. You know that I love you. Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep." Most assuredly I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish. This he spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he said to him, "Follow me." Then Peter turning around saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following who also had leaned on his breast at the supper and said,"Lord, who is the one who betrays you?" Peter seeing him said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about this man?" Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow me." Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die. But if I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? This is the disciple who testifies of these things and wrote these things. And we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things that Jesus did which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our father in heaven, we thank you for this beautiful day. We thank you for the glory of God revealed in the created order. We know that the heavens declare the righteousness of God. We know as well that that cross and that empty tomb declares the grace and the mercy of God most high in the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We pray that your spirit would guide us as we consider this section of holy scripture. We pray that your spirit would open uh deaf ears and hardened hearts to receive the truth of the gospel that they might believe and be saved. We pray for all of your people that we would be informed concerning the the authority of the scriptures with reference to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ and the headship of our savior over his church. And may we be submissive. May we listen to the word of the master as it comes to us. And may we seek by grace to do those things that you call us unto in this present evil age. Again, forgive us now of all of our sins. As the psalmist says in Psalm 25:11, "For your name's sake, O Lord, pardon our iniquity, for it is great. Cleanse us in that precious blood, and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord." Amen. Well, as we have seen, this was not just a simple fishing trip in chapter 21:es 1-14. Jesus is dealing with his disciples in such a way as to instruct them concerning the mission of the church. It is to go therefore and to make disciples of all the nations. And then in the restoration of Simon Peter, he tells them as the representatives of the church what's to be done after those disciples are made. Once the fish are caught, you then put them in the context of the church and then you feed the sheep of the Lord Jesus Christ. So, we've seen the mission of the church. We see the ministry in the church. And as I said, now we come to the authority in the church with reference to John's specific saying in verse 24. And we'll get there in a few moments. So, I want to look first at the future of John in verses 20 to 23. And then secondly, the testimony of John in verses 24 and 25. But note the future of John in verses 20 to 23. Now, Simon Peter has just been told in his restoration that he is going to die a martyr's death. And probably the the illusion or rather the stretching out of his arms is illusion to his crucifixion which history tells us uh Peter was crucified and he has to be crucified head downward because he was not worthy to suffer the same way as our lord Jesus. So in verse 18, Jesus tells him what's going to happen. Verse 19, John explains for us the significance of this statement in verse 18. This he spoke signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he said to him, follow me. So now when we come to verses 20 to 23, we see Simon Peter's curiosity and his question to our Lord. And I think there is some good instruction for us with reference to our own oftentimes curiosities and the question or the response of our Lord. So note with reference to the question in verses 20 and 21. Then Peter turning around saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following. So this is the third appearance postresurrection of Christ to the disciples. Verse 14 tells us that this is now the third time Jesus showed himself to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. So the fishing trip, the breakfast with Jesus, the restoration of Simon Peter, and then this particular section with reference to John, it's all happening consistently with one another. It's not that they're separated by time. It's not that they're separated by place. They're uh beside the Sea of Tiberius or the Sea of Galilee. So Peter turning around saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following. Now the disciple whom Jesus loved is John the apostle. He is the author of the fourth gospel by the power of the Holy Spirit. John was introduced in John 13 specifically at verse 23 that he was the disciple whom Jesus loved. And though that's the first reference to him, we know that he's there present from the very beginning. And so we see John as that beloved disciple. It's reiterated several times in John's gospel in John 13:23, in John 19:26, John 22, and then again in John 20 uh 21 at verse 7. The one whom Jesus loved, the fourth gospel was penned by the beloved disciple. And by the way, that was one of the things unique or particular with reference to history writing in that particular era. anonymity that John doesn't refer to himself as me John but rather as the beloved disciple was a common practice in historical writing at the time as was testimony eyewitness testimony there was a lot of stock put in an eyewitness testimony relative to the writing of histo consistency John starts off in the beginning was the word the word was with God and the word was God and John ends with Thomas's confession. My Lord and my God. So all of these things from a historiical survey indicate that John in fact is the beloved disciple. Notice as well he is the beloved disciple who reclined on the Lord Jesus' breast at the supper. Verse 21 uh 20 he saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following who also had leaned on his breast at the supper and said Lord who is the one who betrays you. So his identity is the beloved disciple. His intimacy is seen in the closeness the physical proximity to our lord not just being at the supper but having laid his head upon the bosom of the savior and then asking who is it that's going to uh uh betray you. And then Peter asks this question. Peter seeing him said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about this man? What about this man?" Now, I think a lot of times people see a great difference in terms of Peter and John. In fact, there's a theory concocted that what's likely in view is some division among the community of John's disciples and the community of Peter's disciples. I don't think that's what's going on. Peter and John were close associates. They were close friends. They were companions. They loved each other. They were disciples unto the master, the Lord Jesus Christ. And in terms of the context of his question, I get it. He's just been told, Peter has in verse 18 that he's going to die a martyr's death. So now he's walking with the Lord Jesus. He turns and he sees the beloved disciple and he says, "Well, well, what about this man? You know, if I was told by the master that I was going to suffer a martyr's death, I'm not going to lie to you. I most likely would say, "Well, what about Cam? What about Steve? What about Doug? What about Roger? What about these guys? If I've been promised a martyr's death involving crucifixion, the outstretched arms, what about this this lot?" So, I'm not going to be picking on Peter. But I do think we ought to understand his curiosity is normal. But I think that when we see the response of Christ specifically in verse 22, we learn something of not only Christ's headship and authority, but about Christ's will for his people. So notice in his response in verse 22, Jesus speaks concerning his will for John and then his will for Simon Peter. So note the question of verse 21. Peter seeing him said to him, "But Lord, what about this man?" Verse 22, Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow me." Now, there's confusion about what Jesus says here. Not just in our day, but in the day that Jesus said it. If you look at verse 23, John tells us there was confusion as a result of what Jesus had answered. With reference to his response, he does not say that John will in fact remain until he comes. Some suggest this is a reference to AD70, his coming in judgment upon the unbelieving nation of Israel or the second physical coming. He doesn't say that. He simply gives a hypothetical and a rhetorical response. All he is saying is that it's dependent upon Christ's will for his sheep. So again verse 22 Jesus said to him if I will that he remain till I come. What is that to you? You follow me. So the emphasis there is on the will of Jesus. It's pretty obvious. This isn't earthbreaking groundbreaking exesus but I think it does deserve some attention. Simon Peter's curiosity. Jesus clear response. If I will that he remain till I come. What is that to you? You follow me. So when we consider the will of Christ, we ought to think about what we call in theology providence. Providence, providance. In the language of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, the answer to what is providence is God's works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful, preserving, and governing all his creatures and all their actions. What's one of the tendencies with reference to providence that the people of God oftent times experience in their own lives? Well, the tendency to question it. the tendency to perhaps doubt, the tendency to perhaps look at a Romans 8:28 where the apostle says, "We know that God causes all things to work together for good." Well, we're in the the depths of misery and we're in the depths of despair and we're in the depths of hardship and heartache and affliction and trial. It's a bit more difficult to appreciate God's providence in causing all things to work for our good. So there is that tendency for us to question. Again, I get it. Simon Peter's told he's going to die. How uh arms outstretched illusion to crucifixion. He's curious. Well, what about John? What's going to be his lot? So if the tendency with reference to providence is to question it, I think we need to deal with our relationship to providence. What I mean by that is not God's governing all his creatures and all their actions, but our relation to that government. Are we victims of it? Are we those who are penalized according to it? Are we those who are constantly fatting under it because nothing ever seems to go our way? It's one of the options with providence. It's one of the options that's often expressed by all of you. No, it's something that happens to each and every one of us. Why are all these bad things happening to me? You've announced, Lord, that I'm going to die by martyrdom, probably on a cross. What about John? Are you a victim of providence or are you a contented subject of providence? There's a big difference there. There is a massive and huge difference with reference to that. The victim incessantly complains. The victim incessantly looks around at other people's conditions and says to God, whether verbally or at least nonverbally, why are they benefiting and I'm not? Why are they thriving and I'm not? Why are they going forward to old age and yet I'm going to be crucified on a cross and I'm going to be turned upside down? The victim whines about God's providence. The victim doesn't submit to it contentedly, but rather the victim questions. The victim wants to peer into. The victim wants to tell God how to do his job. That's the reality of victimhood relative to divine providence. If God governs all his creatures and all their actions for his most holy purposes according to his infinite wisdom, we can trust that he's got this. We can trust that he's omniccompetent. We can trust that whatever our God ordains is right. We can say with Job, "Naked I came into this world. Naked I will exit from this world. Blessed be the name of the Lord." Remember, Job's wife wanted Job to curse God and die. Job says, "No, good comes from God. Bad comes from God. All things come from God." And as a result of that, I'm going to bless the name of the Lord. David in the Psalms all over the place in the midst of melancholy or hardship or difficulty or or trial, nevertheless, always comes to that place of holy resignation under the government of God most high. Again, I'm not picking on Peter, but I think what Peter does here is reflected in the lives of God's people. What about this lady? What about this guy? What about this church? What about that thing? What about look at Jesus statement? If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? going to argue that in verse 14, uh, verse 24, John is going to highlight the origin, the divine origin of holy scripture. So, I think we've got this two tier system going on in terms of the authority of church. You've got the headship of the Lord Jesus Christ. The one who wills that Peter dies a death as a martyr. The same head that wills that John lives a long life. Not without difficulty. However, history tells us that they boiled John in boiling oil, which he survived, which I don't know how, but he survived. But we find him on the island of Patmos in the book of Revelation for the word of God and the testimony of our Lord. The island of Patmos wasn't sandals. It wasn't Hawaii. It wasn't in the Caribbean. It wasn't some resort where John went to ride out the last few years of his life sipping bevies with his feet up as he enjoyed the sunshine. It was a place of exile. So Simon Peter asks this question of the one whose will is sovereign in the church. If I will that he remain, what is that to you? If I will that you die by crucifixion, you need to be concerned about that. But then that brings us specifically for Jesus' will for Simon Peter. Notice again in verse 22, if I will that he remain till I come. What is that to you? you follow me. Now, this is emphatic. You, Peter, Simon Peter, the one I've just restored. You need to follow me. He's already given him that command at the end of verse 19. And when he had spoken this, he said to him, follow me. And what we understand there, follow him in martyrdom. The cross always precedes the crown. But follow him in ministry. Feed my sheep. Do what I call you to do. Obey and carry out your task. When the master commands the nature of your ministry, feed my sheep, and the master prophesies your martyrdom, don't be obsessed with the state or the condition of somebody else. This is, I think, his point. Gil says it becomes the saints to mind their duty in following Christ and not concern themselves in things that do not belong to them. The head of the church disposes of his church in a manner consistent with all of his divine perfections. In other words, he is the head. He determines martyrdom. He determines long life. He determines the dissu uh the issues, the challenges, the hardships, the travailes that people undergo. It's all about Christ. But that means or what we should learn rather is that we follow him. The master determines the path of his ministers and the members of his church. The master commands the obedience of his ministers and members. In other words, do what you're supposed to do irrespective of what everybody else is doing. I don't know why we think that's a legitimate defense of our waywardness. Well, God, I you know what about this guy? You sound like the Pharisee. Thank you, Lord, that I'm not like other men. Christians shouldn't do that. You know, I'm surrounded by slobs, God. And it seems like my my life in lot is nothing but trial and affliction and hardship. Mind your business and do what Christ has called you to do. That's it. Doesn't Paul tell the Thessalonians something very similar? Mind your business and work with your hands. In other words, everybody else's business is not our business. come to grips with the fact that just being a decent normal human being at least at this late stage in western civilization is an accomplishment all in it on all on its own. But as believers, to be husbands or wives, to be fathers or mothers, to be workers both in the home and outside the home, to be churchmen, to be citizens in a body politic that looks nuts, quite frankly, all of that is a full-time job. Do you really have the ability to oversee the affairs of others? What's Jesus' point? Whatever I've prophesied concerning you, Simon Peter, concerning your death, and whatever I have in mind for John the Apostle, that doesn't change your specific present duty and your responsibility to follow me both in martyrdom and in ministry. Brethren, I think this is a very valuable thing for us to consider in our own generation. Not everyone is an Elijah. Some are oadas. Several weeks ago, I referred to First Kings 18. I think I called it 17. And I called poor Oadiah Oed. I can only accredit that to the age of the brain. It's starting to devolve and decline. But remember first Kings chapter 18. What's Ahab and Jezebel want to do? They want to kill prophets. They want to destroy the true prophets of Yahweh most high. So Obadiah, he's not going to stand up on Mount Carmel and challenge the prophets of Baal basically to a theological duel. Put up or shut up. Elijah does that. Well, you know, Oadiah is not like Elijah. That's perfectly okay. Peter's not like John. That's perfectly okay. What matters? It's the will of the head of the church and what he has purposed for his John's, for his Peters, for his Elijah's for his Oadas. I think the church in our generation needs a good dose of this because I see it this sort of ministerial rivalry and oneupmanship on social media. I don't care what you're reading and I don't care what conference you're attending. Just be faithful. Just follow the master because that's the master's command. Why is it that we always have to show others up with our accomplishments, with our learning? And it's not just amongst ministers. I don't care how much you bench press today either. I don't care what your stake look like. I don't care what your home looks like, Suzy Homemaker. Follow the lamb. You see, we get so curious and so caught up in everybody else's business. I've often thought when you're doing the right thing, it's a two-fold blessing. One, you're doing the right thing and you're not doing the wrong thing. Right? You're doing the right thing and you're not doing the wrong thing. There is blessedness in that particular reality. If you're doing what you're supposed to do as an individual, as a family member, as a worker, as a churchman, as a citizen, you're not going to have time to be curious and obsessed with everybody else's issues. Now, if you happen to be sitting there saying, 'Well, my favorite influencer tells me what she eats in the morning, and I'm quite interested. May I encourage you for some self-reflection and meditation and contemplation, there's going to be more about that tonight when we get back to Philippians. But the bottom line is is that this whole idea of oneupmanship, and I don't think that's what Peter and John are doing. I don't think that's what their communities were doing. I think Peter heard that he's going to die a martyr's death. He sees John the beloved disciple and says, "Well, what what about him?" Again, I get it at the most basic level. But the Lord's response indicates that what is important, Peter, is not John's faith. What is important, Peter, is your present obedience in terms of martyrdom and ministry. That's what's absolutely crucial. John then explains for us this confusion that obtained after this saying of our Lord. Verse 22, if I will that he remain till I come. What is that to you? Verse 23, then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die. But if it but if I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? So the supposition is that Jesus was saying that John was going to be around until Jesus return. The clarification comes from John the Apostle. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die. I've often thought in both theological and political discourse today, at least the written form, people struggle with reading comprehension. They they just do. I don't know how better to explain that. If you do, I'm sorry. If you're triggered, I'm sorry. Reading comprehension. The proposition I love apples does not necessarily include therefore I hate plums. That that's bad reading. This was bad listening. Jesus was not telling them matterof factly that either at 8070 or in his second physical coming John the Apostle was going to remain. He lived to at least 2,000 plus years old. Should we take the second coming reference? They weren't listening. Often times that's the problem in our theology. We're not listening. We bring our assumptions to the text. We assume that that's what Paul's teaching. We assume that that's what Peter's teaching. We assume that's what John is teaching or Moses is teaching. We got to be careful of that. The Bible is not a wax nose that we can shape however soh however we wish it to be. So there was some misunderstanding on the part of the disciples. I guess we should be encouraged with the misunderstandings that we see that we're just like the disciples. That's probably not the best encouragement. But then note the testimony of John in verses 24 and 25. And here there's actually two things. First, the authority of scripture in verse 24. And then he ends on the glory of Christ, which we really shouldn't expect anything differently. He starts with the glory of Christ. In the beginning was the word. The word was with God and the word was God. John 1:14, the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory. The glory as of the only begotten son uh the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth. John 1:18, no one has seen God at any time. But the only begotten son who is in the bosom of the father has declared him. So to start with Christ's glory necessarily means that John is going to end with Christ's glory. But note first with reference to the authority of scripture at verse 24. This is the disciple who testifies of these things and wrote these things. And we know that his testimony is true. If you look back for just a moment to chapter 20, specifically at verses 30 and 31, you see there the purpose of John's gospel. The purpose of John's gospel in chapter 20 at verse 30. And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book. But these are written that it's a purpose that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. That's the purpose of this wonderful book that we've looked at for for I don't know how long. It's a beautiful thing. Why does John write the prologue? Why does John write the book of the public ministry of our Lord? Why does John write the book of the Passion? These aren't separate books. It's just a way to sort of categorize the the various chapters in the book. Why does he do that? Just so you'll have some historical information about this man, Jesus of Nazareth. It's not bad to have historical information about this man, Jesus of Nazareth. Just so you can beat up any theological opponents that you meet with on Facebook. That's not bad. Go ahead. But what's the purpose for what why John wrote? It's so that you may believe and be saved. John's not hiding his purpose. John's not burying the lead. John is very conspicuous and very much at it as it were with reference to what he's doing in the gospel. Why did I give you the prologue? Why did I give you the book of his ministry? Why did I give you the book of the passion? Well, it's for this purpose. Specifically verse 31, these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. You see, the stakes are high. If you don't believe, if you do resist, if you do reject, if you'll just turn a deaf ear to the gospel of John, what's the contrast with everlasting life? What's the contrast with life in his name? It is death outside of him. In fact, if you turn back to John 3 at verse 36, it's very clear there. John 3:36, he who believes in the Son has everlasting life. He who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. Notice there's not three positions. Well, I'm not a real believer in Jesus, but I'm not a, you know, an atheist either, so I'm just going to bear this or or take up this middle position and everything's going to be okay. Again, Elijah in First Kings chapter 18, choose you this day whom you will serve. If Yahweh is God, serve him. If Baal is God, serve him. There's no such thing as neutrality. There's no such thing as a foot in both camps. There's no such thing as hedging your bets. There's no such thing as, well, you know, I'm more in favor of Jesus than not, so therefore everything's going to turn out. No. He who believes the Son has everlasting life. He who does not believe the son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. It is a present reality with a final date on the day of judgment, consignment to everlasting punishment. You see, John isn't again writing simply as a historian, but as a theologian. And his specific practical purpose is that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. And in that, it's beautiful, right? Notice what John doesn't say. Clean up your act. Get perfect. Do more. Try harder. Somehow get rid of your sin problem and put on obedience. No, it's belief on the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember that missionary journey in Acts 16. Paul and Silas are thrown in the clank. There's an earthquake. The prisoners start to escape. The the the prison the the the jailer realizes that if they are found to have escaped on my watch, they're going to kill me. So what's the jailer do? He turns the sword to himself. He's going to shove it in. And what do the apostles say? Don't don't do that. Don't do that. And he says, "Sers, what must I do to be saved?" Notice he doesn't direct that question to all the other prisoners. He doesn't direct that question to anybody but the one who has the exact response that that jailer needs to hear. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Notice they don't say, "Well, you know, go out and live a better life. Be a better you. Work harder on maintaining security in the prison even when an earthquake, you know, breaks out." No, it's believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. I don't know that all of us appreciate the beauty of the Christian gospel at this point. Justification is an act of God's free grace wherein he pardons all our sins and accepts us as righteous in his sight only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by by what? By faith alone. It's faith alone. It's believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. It's come to the one who says come and I will give you rest. Matthew chapter 11, sin is your problem. Sin is your malady. It is your disease. It is your undoing. It is your ruin. But in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. You can pray with the psalmist in Psalm 25:11, "For your name's sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity." Why? Because I'm a good guy at heart. No. pardon my iniquity, for it is great. The concept that you need to clean up your act before you come to the Lord Jesus. The idea that you can reform and then he'll accept me is so contrary to the written word of the living and true God. Return to me, Yahweh says to to sinful Judah in Jeremiah 3, and I will heal your backslidings. See, we think we got to fix ourselves and then come to the savior. We got to polish up and then come to the No, come to the savior. He's in the business of fixing. He's in the business of polishing. He's in the business of saving. The apostle tells us in Hebrews chapter 7, he saves to the uttermost all who draw nigh unto God through him. So John's purpose is very clearly stated. It's so that you may be saved. It's a blessed purpose, isn't it? It's a glorious purpose. It is most comforting. So there is the purpose of the gospel. 21:24 is the origin of John's gospel. This is the disciple who testifies of these things and wrote these things. And we know that his testimony is true. He was a disciple from the beginning. John 15:27. You've been with me, Jesus says to the to the disciples in the upper room. Since the beginning, John affirms his eyewitness account at the foot of the cross in John 19:37. John was an eyewitness of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Such that when Jesus multiplied fish and bread, John saw it. such as when when Jesus, you know, healed people, when Jesus preached his doctrine, his signs, everything that Jesus did, John was an eyewitness to that. And he grounds the authority of the scriptures obviously in God the Holy Spirit through the means of that eyewitness account. He says very clearly, we know that his testimony is true. He wrote these things as an eyewitness. He wrote these things as one taught by and who had been given remembrance of the scripture or or the teachings of Jesus, the spirit of God. He's the spirit of truth that will lead you into all truth. He will bring to remembrance the things that I've said. Such that when John sits down to write his gospel narrative, it's by the power of the spirit of God. Second Timothy chapter 3, all scripture is given by inspiration of God. It's profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction and righteousness. Why? that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished unto every good work. John wrote to provide the church with divine revelation. John wrote the prologue, the book of the public ministry, the book of the passion. He wrote the epilogue again by the spirit for the expressed purpose that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. All those things he wrote, they're not up for grabs. Notice that John doesn't say they might kind of be true based on, you know, it's an older shaky memory. No, the apostles were conscious of the fact that they were used by God to write the Holy Scripture. How did they know that? Because they had the prophets. And that's exactly how God gave us the Old Testament. The Holy Spirit spake by the prophets. The apostles are conscious of that fact and reality such that when John says this is the disciple who testifies of these things and wrote these things and we know that his testimony is true. He's making an assertion concerning authority. The authority in the church is not in the ministry. The authority of church of the church is in the headship of Christ and in the revealed will of Christ as it comes through the sacred pens of those authors as they inscripturate for us the New Testament documents. John ends by asserting the authority of Jesus in the church. Go fish and make disciples. bring them as sheep into the church and feed them. What's the subject matter that we are to feed them with? Is it the recent cultural trends? Is it entertainment? Is it, you know, winning personalities? No. Feed my sheep, the divinely inspired word. Teach and preach my sheep or to my sheep the prophets and the apostles, the old covenant and new covenant scriptures. John asserts the authority of God's word that is normative for the church and then he ends on the glory of Christ. Notice his acknowledgement in verse 25. And there are also many other things that Jesus did which I think functions as a recognition of the limitation of John's fourth gospel. Why are there four gospels? Because each of the gospel authors as theologians come at the same truth from different vantage points. We would expect that. We should expect that he recognizes the limitation in John 1:1 to John 21:25. We know or there are also many other things that Jesus did. This affirms the place of the other canonical writings. Whatever Matthew, Mark and Luke say jives with what I say. He affirms the place of the apostle Paul, the place of the apostle Peter in his writings, first and second Peter. So, so he recognizes limitations in the 21 chapters that he himself appends. But he also affirms the reality of other canonical scriptures. Not other like Book of Mormon other but God breathed scripture through his representatives namely the Lord uh the the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ as well the confirmation of the glory of Christ. Notice the language and there are also many other things that Jesus did. Clink says, "By referring to what could be written but was not, the author magnifies Jesus as worthy of endless description and gives greater emphasis to what was written." I love that he magnifies Jesus as worthy of endless description. How's Jesus described in the Song of Solomon? Altogether lovely and chief among 10,000. Do you have the ability to record all that? Do you have the ability to put pen to paper and record one who is altogether lovely and chief among 10,000? And then notice what John finishes with in verse 25. He says, "And there are also many other things that Jesus did which if they were written one by one, I I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written." Clink again says the Jesus to whom he bears witness is the incarnate word the one through whom the world was made. There's not enough space in the world to contain the words needed to make known the fullness of the word. So I just want to draw out real quick and then some concluding thoughts three implications of his statement here which if they were written one by one I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen. I would suggest first the impossibility of recording all his work. It's an impossible task. Some say well John's just speaking hyperbolically. Is he? Is he really a fellow who according to his humanity, the word became flesh for 33 years, never sinned? We could probably fill up a library of books just on one week of that. Yeah. This guy cut him off on the road and the way many of us would scream or yell or raise our finger, he just took it. Somebody jipped him at the market and instead of, you know, yelling at them and demanding to see the manager, he dealt with it. Seriously, I don't think it's hyperbolic. It's an impossibility to record his work. I would suggest secondly, the impossibility of comprehending his glory. Now, by impossibility there, I don't mean none. We beheld his glory. the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth. But I speak concerning the reformed doctrine of the incomprehensibility of God. Our confession encapsulates well in 2 London 2:1 whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but himself. And then it goes on to say he's incomprehensible. The reformed doctrine of incomprehensibility it doesn't know mean we don't know anything about God but it certainly means we can't know everything about God. And we don't know God the way God knows God. So the impossibility of comprehending his glory but as well the impossibility of understanding his power. His power which if they were written one by one I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. And here there's other biblical testimony concerning this understanding of God's power. Few weeks ago I cited Job 26:14 which in the context is God's display of his glory in the created order verses 1-15. And then in 26:16 this is or 14 rather job says indeed these are the mere edges of his ways and how small a whisper we hear of him but the thunder of his power who can understand the thunder the power of Christ most high that one whose voice is able to crush the cedars of Lebanon. How do you take pen to paper and and and fill up adequate books? Or consider David in Psalm 139:17 and 18. How precious also are your thoughts to me, oh God. How great is the sum of them. If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand. When I awake, I am still with you. He's speaking rhetorically. Of course, he can't count the thoughts of God. There actually is an end to the amount of grains of sand on the earth. God's infinity transcends that. Or consider the apostle in Romans 11. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How uncarchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out. I don't think John's speaking hyperbolically in verse 25. He is speaking with reference to the word who became flesh and dwelt among us. He is speaking with reference to the word who is in the beginning. The word who was with God. the word who was God. He is speaking of the one who is in the bosom of the father and has declared him. He is speaking of the one who only ever did what was right and true and holy and just. This is not hyperbolic. This is absolutely candid honesty. If I recorded everything that that savior did, the world itself couldn't contain the books. Why? Because the finite can't capture fully the infinite. John signs off with the glory of Christ just as he begins with the glory of Christ. In conclusion, the command for ministers and members of the church is to follow the Lord Jesus. Believe 2031 and then follow. Well, how do I know how to follow? because you're a sheep that gets fed by competent men hopefully that are able to teach you what the word of God says. You know, the church isn't magic. It isn't mystery. It isn't brain surgery. It isn't rocket science. Make disciples. Plop them in churches. Teach those disciples to observe all that I have commanded you and know that I'm with you always even to the end of the age. That's it. Why do we make it so tough? Secondly, the function of the church. Mission, disciplem, ministry, feeding sheep. The head of the church. Verse 22. If I will that he remain till I come. It's the headship and authority of our Lord Jesus Christ. Not the pope of Rome. Our confession is good at that point in chapter 26. It's not the pope of Rome that's the head of the church. It's the Lord Jesus. Ephesians 1:19-23. God's positioned him at his right hand. He has absolute universal comprehensive authority to the church. And then the authority in terms of the written word, the God breathed word written by the prophets and the apostles, the abiding authority in the church of Christ, his headship and his revelation given to us in both the Old and the New Testaments. And then John's emphasis on the glory of the savior all throughout prologue book of the ministry book of the passion and in the epilogue itself. And John's purpose is that we believe in his son and that believing in him we may have life. That is a promise from God to needy sinners. Don't resist it. Don't reject it. Don't b at it. Don't question it, but rather come to the Lord Jesus and believe on him and you will be saved. Well, let us pray. Our father in heaven, we thank you for this ending section in John's gospel and the many good things it teaches us concerning life in the church. We see the mission to catch the fish. We see the ministry to feed the sheep. And we see the authority in Christ our head and in his revealed will, his word for us. May you give us ears to hear and hearts to receive these things. And may we function well together as a church. And may there be peace and unity among us. May we be prayerful. May we be about those things that you call us unto in this present evil age. Help us to shine as lights in this crooked and perverse generation. And give us the boldness and the courage to hold forth your word of truth. And we ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, let us stand and sing 572 in praise to our triune God. 572. Glory be [music] to the Father and to the Son and to [music] the Holy Ghost. As it [music] in the beginning, is [singing] now and ever [music] shall be, world without end. [singing] Amen. [music] >> [music] >> The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen. Well, please be seated for a brief time of meditation.
