There have always been rulers and kings

Men of prominence, who boast of mighty things

History will tell us, of all they’ve done and said

But there is only one king who rose up from the dead

And He stands above the rest

His name forever blessed

 

Jesus, what a mighty name!

Every knee will bow to You

And every tongue proclaim

Jesus, what a mighty name

Forever You will reign

The name above all names

Jesus, what a might name!

 

At the end of all the ages

These kings will all bow down

Presidents and royalty; faces to the ground

There will be no doubt

That Jesus Christ is Lord!

And I’ll be there to see Him

Seated on His throne

There will be a holy roar

As the saints sing to their Lord

 

Jesus, what a mighty name!

Every knee will bow to You

And every tongue proclaim

Jesus, what a mighty name

Forever You will reign

The name above all names

Jesus, what a might name!

 

Testing Your Wisdom
James 3:13-18
December 14, 2014

Last week when we met we saw a pretty serious warning from James.
He was warning us about the dangers of trying to corral the tongue.

“Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.”

James warned us that those who stand and speak for God
Will in fact be judged more severely.

You simply don’t want to mess it up when you stand to speak for God.

And we might be prone to overlook this warning
Were it not for the fact that James goes on to tell us
How difficult it is to tame the tongue.

• You have this small part of your body that causes more results (both good and bad) than any other part of your body.

• Furthermore this small part is virtually impossible to control, and since Satan loves to use the tongue for his benefit, James couldn’t be more serious in his warning.

You are taking an uncontrollable and powerful tool
That Satan loves to use and trying to wield it for the glory of God
Under threat of stricter judgment.

Anyone who seeks to step into the position should exercise caution.

And James gave this warning BECAUSE
Throughout the church there were plenty of men
Who were aspiring for the office who should not have been.

1 Timothy 1:6-7 “For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.”

These men were ambitious, these men wanted to teach,
But they had no business doing so
Because they didn’t know what they were talking about.

And so James wrote his warning for men like that.

Tonight James addresses ANOTHER VERY SERIOUS MATTER
And one that I believe to be directly linked to that same argument.

“Who among you is wise and understanding?”
I studied on this passage quite a bit, and read many commentaries, and it seems that scholars are torn on exactly what James is talking about here.

There are really two options for who he is addressing.

1) He is using wisdom as a fruit of salvation and is saying, “Who among you thinks that he is genuinely saved?”

If you’ll look down to verse 18, the section concludes by saying, “And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

That verse is difficult to translate.

In fact many of you will notice that either the word “seed” is italicized
Because it isn’t in the text, or you’ll have an alternate translation in your margin.

The literal translation is “and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

But because the translators saw righteousness as a fruit and not a seed,
They added the word “seed” there.

However it could very well be that when James uses the phrase
“the fruit of righteousness” he is in fact talking about wisdom.

He might be calling wisdom “the fruit of righteousness”
Implying that true wisdom only belongs to those who are truly saved.

And therefore we would be studying this passage as a sort of
“test yourself to see if you are in the faith” sort of passage.

And there is truth to that.
1 Corinthians 2:6-16 “Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; but just as it is written, “THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.”

It is true that when you are saved and declared righteous before God,
That you are given the Holy Spirit, who alone knows the mind and thoughts of God.

The result is that believers are said to “have the mind of Christ.”

Wisdom is a genuine fruit of the genuinely saved.
And so it is not wrong to say that when James speaks of those who are wise, he is talking about those who are truly redeemed.

That is one option

2) He is talking about the man who thinks he has something valuable to offer. And therefore is saying, “Who among you thinks he has wise counsel to give?”

And there is merit to that as well.

Even in verse 18 we read that the fruit of righteousness “is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

James is obviously talking about a wise person
Imparting that wisdom to others and doing it in a peaceful way.

Obviously there it is more than just wisdom within your heart,
But that which you share with others.

And so it could very well be that James is talking about
Those who think they are wise enough to give counsel to others.

And since we just finished a section on the tongue
In which James is challenging teachers,
I am inclined to think that is precisely the purpose.

James just warned those ambitious teachers
Against being so eager to jump into the pulpit
Because they might not be able to control their tongues.

I think he anticipated their response.
“I hear your warning James, but I’ve got something to say that people need to hear.”

AND SO JAMES WILL NOW ADDRESS THOSE
WHO THINK THEY HAVE WISDOM TO SHARE WITH OTHERS.

And let’s face it, this is applicable stuff.

If I know anything about our culture, it is that it is filled with counselors.
Sure there are some who are professionals, who make a living giving advice,
But for every one of those there are 100 who will give you their advice for free.
If you don’t believe me, go home tonight and pose a conundrum on Facebook and then ask for advice and see how many comments you get.
Our world loves to give advice.

Now, because of that reality, we tend to think we’ve gotten pretty good
At discerning who we should and shouldn’t listen to.

• Some will test everything by the word of God (as they should)
• Some will say, “I’m a good judge of character” (perhaps)
• Some will determine to “know them by their fruits”

But we have grown accustomed to testing those who give us advice.

But James isn’t talking about that here.
He’s not talking about you discerning what you hear.

James is asking you to test yourself
Before you deem yourself worthy to speak.

James’ question to all those eager teachers is this:
“HOW DO YOU KNOW
IF YOU REALLY HAVE WISDOM WORTH SHARING?”

• Before you jump into the pulpit…
• Before you pick up the phone…
• Before you run speak into someone else’s life…
How do you know you are wise enough to do it?
How do you know if you should even share what you have?

Well that is what we deal with tonight.
We are talking about TESTING YOUR WISDOM

And just to make sure we are crystal clear,
What we really want to know is if you have wisdom from God
Or wisdom from another source.

That’s really it.
And to answer that question, we can deduce three tests you need to apply to your self.
#1 HOW DO YOU WALK?
James 3:13

You want to know if you are wise, James says, “Well, how do you live?”

“Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.”

What a great statement!
You already know that James is a
“Put your money where your mouth is” kind of guy.
• He doesn’t want faith without endurance
• He doesn’t want compassion without sacrifice
• He doesn’t want confession without obedience
• He doesn’t want wisdom that isn’t used by the one who offers it.

So if you are interested in mailing your resume to James
To show how wise you are, James isn’t interested.
He wants to see you live.

“Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.”
Don’t say – “show”

And the reasoning for this is very sound.
Hopefully you’ll remember talking about wisdom back in chapter 1.

We actually took a minute to discuss what real wisdom is.

Don’t confuse wisdom with knowledge.
Wisdom is NOT what you know.

If you’ll remember we said:
WISDOM IS WHAT YOU DO WITH WHAT YOU KNOW.

There are a lot of smart people who are not wise.
There are a lot of educated people who are not wise.

Wise people don’t just know the truth, they act on it.
Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell — and great was its fall.”

Both men heard, both had knowledge, but only one was wise
The one who acted on what he heard.

There are many people who know that Jesus is the Son of God (even the demons believe)

But the wise man is the one who forsakes all other attempts
And places everything on Jesus.

Wisdom isn’t what you know, it’s what you do with what you know.

And so James’ point is very fitting.

YOU THINK THAT YOU ARE WISE?
Show me.
Wisdom isn’t demonstrated from a pulpit,
Wisdom is demonstrated on the path.

That is why when you read 1 Timothy
And Paul starts listing the qualifications for an overseer,
He really doesn’t spend much time talking about what they know.

He does say they must be “able to teach” but that is really it.

But notice all the character and attitude based requirements.
1 Timothy 3:2-7 “An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”

What are they examining there? – His wisdom
Does he live right?

Well that is what James is saying.
You say you are wise, well, do you live right?

Do you have “good behavior”?
Do you do your “deeds in the gentleness of wisdom”?

“gentleness” is a word also translated “meekness”
It means submissive (strength under control)
(It’s like a good broke horse)

James says, “Are you submissive to the truth of God? Do you do what God says? Do you do good deeds?”

Don’t step into some “wisdom giving” role
If your life doesn’t epitomize a wise life.

So if you want to know if you have something to share,
First let me ask about how you walk.

Do you make wise decisions and live submissive to God’s truth?

How do you walk?
#2 WHY DO YOU SHARE?
James 3:14-16

And you can really feel James getting after those men
Who are itching to claim the teaching role.

He would really be focusing in on those Pharisees
Who seated themselves in the chair of Moses.

Why did those Pharisees do that? Do you remember?
Matthew 23:6-7 “They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men.”
They want the glory.
They want the honor.

They want to teach others, but it isn’t from pure motives,
And James says STOP RIGHT THERE!

“But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.”

I certainly don’t begrudge pastors in large churches,
I am actually quite thankful that men like Adrian Rogers and John MacArthur made it as big as they did which afforded me an opportunity to hear them.

But that verse alone should serve as a staggering warning
To any preacher who is only interested in climbing the ladder
To a bigger church with more notoriety.

James says you claim to be wise, but you aren’t.
You are lying “against the truth”

You don’t have wisdom – you have “jealousy” and “ambition”

You aren’t looking to preach and apply and follow God’s truth,
You are just trying to appear wise so you can climb the ladder.

Remember these guys?
Philippians 1:15-17 “Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment.”

There were preachers who actually preached harder when Paul went to prison because they saw it as an opportunity to take his place and steal his position.

Are we really to say a man like that is wise?
NO

And James says you are “arrogant”

That is to say you are not wise, but you claim to be.
• Oh, don’t get me wrong, you may know a lot.
• You may be able to wow people with your command of the Greek language and you may oratory skills out of this world.

But the very fact that you covet a higher position
And are ambitious to get it shows you have no real wisdom.
And it is absolute arrogance to claim that you do.

1 Corinthians 3:18-20 “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS”; and again, “THE LORD KNOWS THE REASONINGS of the wise, THAT THEY ARE USELESS.”

You can see that arrogance has no place in genuine wisdom.
If you think yourself wise and deserving of more,
You obviously don’t have the wisdom from above.

Because God’s wisdom only comes to those
Who first recognize themselves as fools.

If you think yourself to be so wise, what you have didn’t come from God.

(15) “This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.”

James says you didn’t learn your ambitious ways from God.
• That is worldly stuff – the world teaches you to climb the ladder
• Or that is purely the flesh – that is always about promoting self
• Or even worse, it is demonic – the devil was a self-promoter from way back

That is a strong indictment from James.
You may in fact have something to say, but it is not wisdom from above.

And the reality is that IT WON’T HELP ANYONE.
(16) “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.”

James says, “Show me a man who has selfish ambition and I’ll show you a man who has every evil thing as well.”

James would say to that man
You aren’t real, and you won’t help anyone.

It reminds of the prophets in Jeremiah’s day:
Jeremiah 23:32 “Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams,” declares the LORD, “and related them and led My people astray by their falsehoods and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them or command them, nor do they furnish this people the slightest benefit,” declares the LORD.”

The very notion of offering wisdom to someone
Is to help them get their life back in order,
And these people do just the opposite.

They actually push “disorder”
They are jealous and ambitious
And a wise man would never be those things.

So if you think yourself to be a wise man James has a couple of tests for you.

How do you walk? And why do you share?
#3 HOW DO YOU SHARE?
James 3:17-18

Well, if jealousy and ambition are not indicative of a truly wise man, what is?
I’m glad you asked.

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.”

What a list!

Now take those and apply them to yourself
When you want to speak wisdom into someone else’s life.

Are your motives “pure”?
That is to say, “Do you really only care about helping the other brother get his life back on track?

You aren’t doing it so you can go talk about it later
And use that guy as a number on report that will help pad your reputation.

Are you “peaceable”?

Some people love to confront others
Just for the sake of a good old altercation.
There are some who thrive on debates because it makes them look smart if they can humiliate their opponent.

Godly wisdom isn’t looking for a fight,
Godly wisdom is looking to help a life see the truth and live right.

Are you “gentle”?

Or are you brutal? Do you beat people up, or do you understand that the people you are trying to help are often already broken and battered?

You don’t want a paramedic arriving on the scene of a crash
And dragging people around by their ankles, you want them to be gentle.

 

Are you “reasonable”?

That is to say when you speak truth do you seem to understand that
Those you speak to might not look like Jesus in 30 seconds.

Are you willing to patiently wait and help and encourage?
Are you willing to wait for God to help you through, or do you need the results now?

How about “full of mercy and good fruits”?

You are not out to condemn others, but to help them.
You want to encourage them to succeed and to have victory.

You don’t put yourself above them in arrogance,
But mercifully gets into their situation with them to help them.

And can you see the “fruits” of your past labors?
It is obvious that you have helped others.

Are you “unwavering”?
Meaning that you are confident in the truth you are sharing.

You aren’t just telling people what they want to hear,
But is guiding them into the truth.

Not like that “double-minded man” back in chapter 1.

Are you “without hypocrisy”?

Meaning do you ask something of that that you don’t do yourself?
Do you tie up heavy burdens that you won’t move with so much as a finger?

That is some list.
But I must remind you that this list of wisdom isn’t unique to James.

Matthew 5:3-9 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

Those lists are pretty similar wouldn’t you agree?

James is asking you if you can see Christ in your wisdom.

• You think you are wise, well, how do you walk?
• You think you are wise, well, why do you share?
• You think you are wise, well, how do you share?

• Are you some sort of bully who thinks himself better than others and who enjoy rattling off your own ideas because it helps you climb the ladder?

• Or are you a meek and gentle person who lives what you speak and speaks what you live to genuinely try to help others find victory in their lives?

You can really feel James’ animosity
To those arrogant preachers who continually run to the front
Because they love to put their wisdom on display.

He sees plenty of that in the world.

He is looking for the man who looks like Christ.

Matthew 12:18-21 “BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM IHAVE CHOSEN; MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL is WELL-PLEASED; I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES. “HE WILL NOT QUARREL, NOR CRY OUT; NOR WILL ANYONE HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE STREETS. “A BATTERED REED HE WILL NOT BREAK OFF, AND A SMOLDERING WICK HE WILL NOT PUT OUT, UNTIL HE LEADS JUSTICE TO VICTORY. “AND IN HIS NAME THE GENTILES WILL HOPE.”

That is the guy James is looking for.

And James closes with:
(18) “And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

I already told you that literally this verse says, “And the fruit of righteousness (wisdom) is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

In other words when those who really do have wisdom peacefully share it with others, they sow “in peace” intending to “make peace”

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

Please note it isn’t “peace keepers”, it is “peacemakers”

James is referring to people like Jesus
Who offer their wisdom that man might have peace with God.

Romans 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

Ephesians 2:13-18 “But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.”

What James is talking about is that people who truly give wisdom
Give it so that people who listen to them find peace with God.

Those with worldly wisdom leave you in disorder,
Those who Godly wisdom leave you closer to God.

And James’ question, is which one are you?

Are you jealous and ambitious or do you practice what you preach and leave others at peace with God?

Before you jump into some teaching role
Because you think you are wise,
You had better test what kind of wisdom you have.

The tongue is too powerful a tool for you to run out there and use it
When you are not qualified to do so.

James 3:13 “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.”

Remembering Our Purpose
John 3:16-18
January 4, 2015

As we mentioned earlier, we are now beginning
Our annual missions month here at the church.

And before we get into our text this morning
I really just want to sort of remind you why we have missions month.

I want to bring back the basics of missions to your mind.

We typically set aside the month of January
As a time to focus on the last command of Jesus.

Acts 1:8-9 “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.”

Certainly it is of no small significance that
This is the very final command of Jesus.
We are called to be His witnesses.

In short – THE CHURCH HAS A PURPOSE

We set aside the month of January
To REMEMBER and FOCUS and get RECOMMITTED to that purpose.

Hopefully you will remember our study from this past September,
When we talked about the purpose of why we gather as a church.

We narrowed it down to three.
1) EXALTATION – we meet to praise God
2) EXHORTATION – we meet to encourage one another
3) EXPOSITION – we meet to hear God’s word proclaimed

Those are the reasons we gather
That is our purpose for gathering.
But our purpose for being left in the world is greater still than that.

What you find is that our purpose for gathering
Is in part to prepare us for our purpose in the world.

Let me explain.

We meet together for EXALTATION
But our purpose as a church body is not just to praise Christ in private assembly, but to proclaim His greatness to the world.

1 Peter 2:9-10 “But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.”

Certainly when we come it is for the purpose of praising God,
But God deserves to be praised by more than just us.

God deserves to be praised by all of His creation.

Psalms 67 “God be gracious to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us — Selah. That Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all nations. Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; For You will judge the peoples with uprightness And guide the nations on the earth. Selah. Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. The earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, blesses us. God blesses us, That all the ends of the earth may fear Him.”

We meet to praise, but our purpose is not limited to personal worship.
God left us here that we might lead the world to worship Him.

As the Psalmist said, “God blesses us, That all the ends of the earth may fear Him.”

There is a missionary purpose implied here.
As John Piper said, “Missions exist because worship doesn’t”

So we gather for exaltation,
But it also carries with it a larger purpose and expectation.

Our praise is meant to spread beyond these doors into a lost world.
(That’s why it is important that you learn to praise here.
If you won’t do it here, then you wont’ do it out there.)

We also said we gather for EXHORTATION
Hebrews 10:24-25 “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

We understand the importance of encouraging one another
To live the way Christ expects us to live.

But again that encouragement is only part of our total purpose.

Our encouragement (like our praise)
Is meant to extend beyond the walls of this building.

We are called to encourage sinners to repent and trust Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:20-21 “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
You can see that our purpose for gathering
Is meant to strengthen our purpose in general.

We also said that we meet for EXPOSITION
We meet to have the word of God explained.

But let me remind you why:
Ephesians 4:11-12 “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;”

We talked about how God gave spiritual gifts to uniquely equip some
To be able to proclaim, explain, and apply His word.
Why?

“for the equipping of the saints for the work of service”

Well guess who you are? – “the saints”
Guess what your job is? – “the work of service”

I know we live in a day when people try to shift all ministry type work
Off on the pastor or the staff, but that just simply isn’t Biblical.

If you want to get down to the brass tacks of the situation:
• MISSIONS IS YOUR JOB
• EVANGELISM IS YOUR JOB
• REACHING THIS COMMUNITY AND BEYOND IS YOUR JOB

MY JOB IS TO EQUIP YOU TO DO IT.

But missions is your job.

And so again, you see how our purpose for gathering
Is meant to directly affect our purpose in general.

We are left here in this world to do more than just gather together.
We are here to proclaim the excellencies of God to a lost world,
And to encourage them to respond to God’s truth.

WE ARE HERE FOR MISSIONS.

It is just as Paul said:
“we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us”

This morning I want to go back to the basics
And remind you of what God’s mission is.

The appeal God wishes to make through you
Is the same appeal He has always made.
I want to show you God’s mission
To remind you of what yours is supposed to look like.

We are going to look at John 3:16-18
Because in it you easily see the mission and heart of God.

And I want you to see that the mission God has for you
Is no different than the mission He had for Christ.

In fact Jesus said:
John 20:21 “So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

The mission is one and the same.
So this morning let me briefly hit this passage again
To remind you of the basics of your mission.

Three things
#1 THE MISSION
John 3:16

Obviously we must start with the heart of God here.
“For God so loved the world”

Don’t let anyone fool you.
There has only ever been one true motive behind missions,
And it is LOVE

• Missions is not about thrill seeking
• Missions is not about gaining experiences
• Missions is not about personal glory
• Missions is not about earning favor

Missions must be done for the same reason that God did missions
And that is love.

“God so loved the world”
• It was the world He created
• It was the world that disobeyed Him and fell into sin
• It was the world which so grieved Him that He once flooded it
• It was the world that He gave a second chance to after the flood
• It is the world that He sustains and nourishes and directs

And more than just this ball of dirt and rock, it is a mass of humanity.
It is people

Husbands, Fathers, Sons
Wives, Mothers, Daughters
And God loves them

And our motive for missions must be love as well.
Not only love for them, but also love for the God who loves them.

We are called to love God more than anything.
We are called to love our neighbor as our self.

BUT THE MISSION MUST BE GROUNDED IN LOVE
(Lack of missions reveals a lack of love)

And that love must be measurable.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son”

• God gave Him to the world at Bethlehem
• God gave Him to the cross at Golgotha

It was a sacrifice
All true love is measured by sacrifice
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Amy Carmichael
“You can give without loving, you cannot love without giving.”

And there is the very heart of missions.
• You give your time
• You give your money
• You give your service
• You give your life
• To share the truth with a lost and dying world.

BECAUSE YOU LOVE GOD AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR

You love so they have a chance to be saved.
“that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

That is the mission.
It hasn’t changed in 2000 years.
It was the mission of Christ, and it is your mission.

#2 THE MOTIVE
John 3:17

What was the motive?
That the world might be saved.

And oh how we need this reminder.

“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”
We now live in a world where churches actually picket with their signs that read, “God hates fags”

We even have Christian organizations whose only goal in life seems to be to rid the world of homosexuality and any other “anti-Christian” behavior.

And certainly I am not saying that God is pleased with homosexuality
Or any other form of immorality,
But are we really assuming that
The purpose of the church is to condemn sinners?

I love the band Casting Crowns.
They wrote a song called “Jesus, Friend of Sinners”

“Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away. We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing. Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth’s become so hard to see, the world is on their way to You but they’re tripping over me. Always looking around but never looking up I’m so double minded; a plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided.
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers. Let our hearts be led by mercy. Help us reach with open hearts and open doors. Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours
Jesus, friend of sinners, the one who’s writing in the sand; made the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands. Help us to remember we are all the least of these. Let the memory of Your mercy bring Your people to their knees. Nobody knows what we’re for, only what we’re against, when we judge the wounded. What if we put down our signs, crossed over the lines, and loved like You did.
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers. Let our hearts be led by mercy. Help us reach with open hearts and open doors. Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours
You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast; for the leper and the lame; they’re the reason that You came. Lord I was that lost cause and I was the outcast, but you died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet.
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers. Let our hearts be led by mercy. Help us reach with open hearts and open doors. Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours

And the point of that song is well noted.

Now, we aren’t saying that as Christians we don’t confront sin
WE MOST CERTAINLY DO.
• The first words of the gospel message are “Repent”
• People have to realize they are lost before they will ever be saved.
• Furthermore they must turn from their sin and trust in Christ.

But it becomes concerning to me that the goal today seems to be only condemnation, and I’ll tell you how I know that.

If all we ever do is blast sinners from public platforms
To condemn them for their sin,
But never approach sinners to offer them forgiveness
Then we are not following the footsteps of Jesus.
Jesus exposed adultery as sin,
And yet there He was conversing with that woman at the well.

Jesus exposed greed as sin,
And yet He was found eating with tax collectors.

NOW HERE IS THE KICKER.
If all Jesus had wanted to do was condemn them,
Then all He had to do was stay right where He was.

“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”

And that sheds quite a bit of light on our mission participation doesn’t it?

It is hard to say you love the lost and want to see them saved
When you never go to them and offer them Jesus.

In fact by not going and not sharing
You are preaching a much louder message.

If you want the world to be judged then just do nothing
that is where they are headed.

But if you want the world to be saved,
Then you have to do as Jesus did and go to them.

The motive of our mission must be the salvation of the lost.
• We don’t go to make our lives better
• We don’t go to maintain a culture that we want to raise our kids in
• We go because sinners are dying in their sin and they must be given the chance to be saved.

That is the Mission and that is the Motive

And for the final basic
#3 THE MESSAGE
John 3:18

The message is and has always been extremely simple.
“JESUS SAVES”

“He who believes in Him is not judged”

Failure to believe in Him results in condemnation.
“he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Is there anyone in here who doesn’t know that?

If you believe in Jesus you will be saved.
If you refuse to believe in Jesus you are condemned.
Anyone in here not know that?

I remind you of that because too many fail to share with their neighbors or co-workers because they “don’t know what to say”

Yes you do!
• You tell them that Jesus can save them.
• You tell them that Jesus can forgive them.

You tell them the first verse you ever learned:
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

That is it.
That is the message.

What most people who say “they don’t know what to say” really mean is:
THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY
TO GET PEOPLE TO RESPOND THE RIGHT WAY

Well friend no one knows what to say to get that.
I sure don’t.

Even Jesus didn’t get a response from everyone He ever witnessed to, nor did Paul, or Peter, or Billy Graham.

But that isn’t part of the mission.

The mission is where you love the world enough
That you give of yourself to go to them
And tell them how they can be saved.

You simply shine the light of Jesus into their dark and hopeless world.
When John wrote his gospel,
He focused in on a delightful truth about Christ.

John 1:4-9 “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.”

John 8:12 “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

John 9:5 “While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.”

And so we are pretty clear on that.
Jesus came as a light in the midst of darkness.
When Matthew saw Him, he said:

Matthew 4:12-16 “Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI, BY THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES — “THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT, AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH, UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED.”

Jesus came to bring light to a dark world.
He brought insight into how to be reconciled to God,
And He brought hope that such a reconciliation was possible.
Jesus is the light.

Of course Jesus is no longer in the world,
And we are often referred to as the light.

Philippians 2:14-15 “Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,”

Now of course that light does not originate from ourselves.
We are like lamps filled with the light of Christ.

He is in us and we let Him shine His light through us.

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

That passage sums up our purpose now on earth.

Christ now shines in our hearts
To give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God
To the rest of the world.

It is our purpose
It is the reason we are here
Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Acts 1:8 “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

So one would do good to ask the question:
• Can a church that does not participate in missions be said to be faithful to fulfill her purpose on earth?

• Can a Christian that does not participate in missions be said to be faithful to fulfill his or her purpose on earth?

And just to sort of complete our introduction to this missions month, let me remind you of the ways you fulfill that purpose.

PRAYER
Matthew 9:36-38 “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

That passage highlights two extremely tragic realities.

One is the pitiful condition of the sheep.
They are distressed, they are dispirited, they have no guidance and no hope.
They are the lost sheep still out in the world.

The other tragic reality is the pitiful complacency of the workers.

Instead of being motivated to run out and gather the sheep,
Or gather the harvest,
It appears the workers are content instead to just do nothing.

And apparently the situation is so drastic
That Jesus doesn’t even request for workers
To get off their tale and go to work.
He instead requests prayer
That God would shake the workers out of their apathy.

And sadly it is a reality still today.

Recent statistics say that only 39% of Christians today
Actually share their faith.

That means that 6 out of every 10 “professing Christians”
Are living in flat out disobedience and are disregarding their purpose
For being here at all.

If that is true then prayer to the Father
To shake up a complacent Christian community is most certainly in order.

It is time to appeal to the Father
That Christians would rise from their comfort, overcome their fears,
And would enter the field to bring in the harvest.

Another way is GIVING
Certainly not all missions involve overseas trips, but some do.
And those that do come with a hefty price tag.

Giving financially is a way to be involved in that mission.

Romans 15:20-25 “And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation; but as it is written, “THEY WHO HAD NO NEWS OF HIM SHALL SEE, AND THEY WHO HAVE NOT HEARD SHALL UNDERSTAND.” For this reason I have often been prevented from coming to you; but now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I have had for many years a longing to come to you whenever I go to Spain — for I hope to see you in passing, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company for a while — but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints.”

No one can question Paul’s missionary zeal.
He was devoted to taking the gospel to those who had not heard.
But certainly funding that mission was a difficulty.

For that Paul leaned upon the church.
Not everyone could go, but everyone could give.

And finally by GOING

Matthew 10:7 “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

You may not be called to cross an ocean
You may not be called to cross the country
But every day you do cross the street and you must be faithful there.

• You are the lamp through which Christ desires to shine at your work place.
• You are the lamp through which Christ desires to shine at the Senior Citizens.
• You are the lamp through which Christ desires to shine in Little League
• You are the lamp through which Christ desires to shine in your coffee circle
• You are the lamp through which Christ desires to shine at your school
• You are the lamp through which Christ desires to shine in your family

And of course some of you may be called
To go and share in a far off distant place.

Some may be even called to go and shine in the darkest corners of the globe.

But if you are a Christian you are called to shine.
And if you are one of those 6 out of 10 who is not,
Then you are being disobedient and are not fulfilling your purpose.

AND THAT IS WHY WE HAVE MISSIONS MONTH.
• We focus on praying for missions
• We take up an offering for missions
• We ask God where He would send us on mission

It is a month to help us get reconnected to the purpose God has for us.

So
• Pray that God will shake us out of our complacency
• Give so that those who would, can go
• And go not only around the world, but also across the street

Acts 1:8-9 “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.”

Taking Inventory in Israel
Genesis 35:16-36:43
December 28, 2014

In our Genesis story we are about to make a pretty big transition.
The spotlight is going to move off of Jacob for a time
And seem to focus more on the life of Joseph.

This morning we are really in sort of a transitional period.

And honestly the text even reads that way a little bit.
What we have here are some seemingly last minute
And almost random facts just sort of thrown in.

It seems as though Moses is trying to tie up all the loose ends of one story
So that he can begin the next.

The result is that it makes these couple of chapters a little bit difficult to deal with.

But as I read these chapters it seemed to me that Moses is
Reminding Israel of some very basic and yet monumental realities.

And I think it is important that Moses do this.
In fact I think it is important that we all take inventory from time to time.

Consider the congregation that Moses was preaching to.

They had been led out of Egypt and then we read:
Exodus 15:22-24 “Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore it was named Marah. So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”

And the very next chapter:
Exodus 16:1-3 “Then they set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the sons of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure from the land of Egypt. The whole congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The sons of Israel said to them, ” Would that we had died by the LORD’S hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

And the very next chapter:
Exodus 17:1-3 “Then all the congregation of the sons of Israel journeyed by stages from the wilderness of Sin, according to the command of the LORD, and camped at Rephidim, and there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water that we may drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?” But the people thirsted there for water; and they grumbled against Moses and said, “Why, now, have you brought us up from Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”

Then later in the book of Numbers:
Numbers 11:1-6 “Now the people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the LORD; and when the LORD heard it, His anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. The people therefore cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the LORD and the fire died out. So the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the LORD burned among them. The rabble who were among them had greedy desires; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, “Who will give us meat to eat? “We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna.”

When you study the character of the children of Israel,
It is obvious that they are neither perceptive, nor grateful.

They seemed to easily forget all that God had done in their life
And instead seemed only to focus on their current circumstances.

If ever there was a people who needed a reminder
Of all that God had done for them, it was the group.

And I think that reality helps us understand passages
Like the one we are studying this morning in the book of Genesis.

Instead of there being some sort of great new adventure or story,
It is a chapter that really seems to just remind Israel of who they were,
What God had done, and why they should be grateful.

(almost a summary of things past and intro into things to come)

And as I said, this is a good idea for all of us.
All of us are prone to be thankful when things are going good.
When things go according to plan we are a people who love God.

But all too often things get rough we can quickly become
Complaining, bitter, ungrateful people.

And this should not be.

Paul said:
1 Thessalonians 5:18 “in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

There is no excuse for a child of God to ever reach a point of
Self-pity or bitterness of grumbling.

In fact Paul specifically told us in the New Testament
That we should learn from Israel’s example and do the opposite.

1 Corinthians 10:6-12 “Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND STOOD UP TO PLAY.” Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.”

Paul was very clear that we should learn from their example
And not follow in their footsteps.

But the point is that these were an ungrateful people.
They quickly forgot all that God had done for them and thus were prone to grumbling.

Because of this, I have no problem understanding
Why Moses would take every opportunity
To reiterate to the children of Israel
Exactly how gracious God had been to them.

And that is what he is doing here.

We don’t have a full blown story
Instead we have random pieces of information that almost come up like twitter statements.

But corporately examined and looked at together
We are reminded about the work of grace in the history of Israel.

This portion of Scripture (as I ponder Israel)
Brings two very distinct points to my mind.
(and realities that apply to your life and mine)

#1 THE REALITY OF GRACE
Genesis 35:16-36:43

Understand here that if you read what Moses is saying
As though you were part of the nation of Israel
Then hopefully you would be reminded of
The tremendous grace that has come to you as a people.

Implied in this passage are two very strong realities
That point to the grace of God in Israel.

1) THE SELECTION OF ISRAEL

Now I know when we read this chapter a moment ago,
We read nothing about God choosing Israel,
But look at the chapter and then look at the next.

Chapter 35 reveals the birth of Israel’s 12th son.
It contains a list of all the chosen sons of Israel.

But when you go to chapter 36 it is a record of the “unchosen”,
It is a record of the descendants of Esau.

Revealing Esau’s descendants has two purposes.

On one hand it reveals the faithfulness of God
As He keeps His promise to Abraham.

Genesis 17:4-6 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, And you will be the father of a multitude of nations. “No longer shall your name be called Abram, But your name shall be Abraham; For I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. “I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you.”
God didn’t just promise to make a nation out of Abraham,
He promised to make nations out of him.

Esau (along with Ishmael) is a fulfillment of that promise.
Indeed, more than one nation has come from Abraham.

But this isn’t the only reason for listing Esau’s descendants.

Reading this list also serves to remind us that:
NOT ALL WHO ARE DESCENDED FROM ISRAEL ARE ISREAL
Romans 9:6-13 “For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED.” That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants. For this is the word of promise: “AT THIS TIME I WILL COME, AND SARAH SHALL HAVE A SON.” And not only this, but there was Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, “THE OLDER WILL SERVE THE YOUNGER.” Just as it is written, “JACOB I LOVED, BUT ESAU I HATED.”

By reading this lineage of Esau we are reminded of that other brother.
We are reminded of this massive group of people
Who did not receive the blessing of God.

In fact Malachi said:
Malachi 1:1-5 “The oracle of the word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi. “I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob; but I have hated Esau, and I have made his mountains a desolation and appointed his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness.” Though Edom says, “We have been beaten down, but we will return and build up the ruins”; thus says the LORD of hosts, “They may build, but I will tear down; and men will call them the wicked territory, and the people toward whom the LORD is indignant forever.” Your eyes will see this and you will say, “The LORD be magnified beyond the border of Israel!”

God had chosen Jacob – God had rejected Esau
And that is clearly seen even in Genesis 36

READ GENESIS 36:6-8

There we see Esau leaving the land of promise.
• Esau had certainly prospered
• Esau had certainly multiplied
• But Esau was not the chosen seed

Jacob was

And reading how Esau left the land of promise
Certainly was meant to be a huge reminder to those
Who were about to re-enter it.

MOSES WAS REMINDING HIS CONGREGATION ABOUT THEIR ELECTION
He was reminding the children of Israel
How blessed they were to have been those who were chosen.

They could have just as easily been Esau, but they weren’t, they were Israel.

It was a reality of grace in their life.

That reality of grace is also seen in:
2) THE SUCCESS OF ISRAEL

First we see the birth of Israel’s 12th son.
(READ 35:16-18)

Then if you skip down to the end of verse 22 we read the listing of all his sons.
(READ 35:22b-26)

Israel now has 12 sons.
In a few years they will travel to Egypt and their number will be 70.

Genesis 46:26-27 “All the persons belonging to Jacob, who came to Egypt, his direct descendants, not including the wives of Jacob’s sons, were sixty-six persons in all, and the sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt were two; all the persons of the house of Jacob, who came to Egypt, were seventy.”

They may not seem like a massive number of people to you,
But remember we are only 3 generations removed from Abraham.

And might I remind you that God brought forth these 70
From a 90+ year old barren couple?

• Abraham should have a son
• Abraham shouldn’t have a grandson
• Abraham shouldn’t have 12 great-grandsons
• Abraham shouldn’t have a generation of 70 relatives.
The success of Israel can again only be attributed
To the reality of grace in the life of Israel.

As Moses preached they are coming out of Egypt
As numerous as the sand on the seashore.

The reality is that God had been gracious to Israel.

They would come out of Egypt and grumble and complain,
But obviously they should realize that they wouldn’t even be a nation
If God hadn’t already done more for them than they deserve.

They were a nation
They were a chosen nation
It is good to take inventory of that.

I realize that life can be a bitter pill to swallow
I realize that circumstances can be less than pleasant

At the end of the day we are still a chosen member of the body of Christ.

At the end of the day we cannot deny that God has lavished His grace upon us
By adopting us as sons and making us heirs of the covenant.

And we should be all the more grateful
Since we are not even descended from Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob.

We are of the unchosen race
And yet God has called us into His kingdom anyway.
(We are that wild olive shoot grafted in)

It is the reality of grace that Israel (and us) needed to remember
As they sat there grumbling against God.

The second truth that comes to my mind while reading this chapter is not only the reality of grace but…
#2 THE NECESSITY OF GRACE
Genesis 35:16 – 36:43

Also splattered throughout this chapter is a reminder of
Just how badly Israel needs the continued grace of God.

And there are two things again that readily jump off the page.

1) THE SINFULNESS OF ISRAEL

READ VERSES 21-22

Now there is a pleasant story.
Here we have the oldest son of Jacob,
No doubt trying to lay his claim to being the next family patriarch
Actually having an incestuous affair with one of Jacob’s wives.

The grossness of the event is really quite appalling.

This was not only a clear case of sexual immorality
But was also a tremendous show of disrespect toward Jacob.
It is vile.

But by now “vile” shouldn’t surprise us when it comes to Jacob’s sons.

A couple of weeks ago we already saw
Simeon and Levi slaughter the entire city of the Shechemites.

When their sister Dinah was raped these men asked for the circumcision of the city as a bride price and when the city was in pain of recovery those brothers went and slew that entire city with the sword.

They didn’t just kill the man responsible, they killed all the men.

And then they plundered everything they owned
And then they stole their wives and children

It is easy to see that the sin of Jacob’s sons
Far out-distanced the sin committed against Dinah

And when you couple that sin with Reuben’s sin here
We find that Jacob’s sons are a mess.

And that isn’t all.

We can fast forward to chapter 37 and watch 10 of Jacob’s sons actually conspire against Joseph their brother and sell him to Ishmaelite traders.

They certainly would have killed him, but Reuben saw saving the boy’s life as a way to gain back his father’s good graces and so he talked the brothers out of it.

They settled on selling him.
Those boys are a rough bunch.

Or you can fast forward to chapter 38 where Jacob’s 4th son Judah watches his two oldest sons die due to their own wickedness and then eventually sleeps with the widow of his oldest son thinking she is a prostitute.

Are you kidding me?

Or watch them later travel to Egypt and leave another brother locked in prison while they go home and devour grain.

The point to all of this?

There is still an enormous amount of iniquity in Israel.
And we haven’t even talked about Jacob’s apathy
Or propensity to value one son over all the others.

If ever there was a nation that was going to need God’s grace,
It would most certainly be Israel.

These were sinful men and they need grace.

And that is a message that should have resonated
Among the children of Israel to whom Moses was preaching.

• We already read about their constant complaining and grumbling.
• Or perhaps we should talk about their golden calf and idolatry.
• Or perhaps we should talk about their attempts to overthrow Moses.
• Or maybe we should talk about their unwillingness to enter the Promised Land

The fact is that for Israel to be a blessed nation
They not only needed grace to choose them,
But grace to continually forgive them.

Israel was a wicked nation – and they started out that way.

Of course none of us can throw stones at those boys
When we take a look at the sin in our own lives.

To assume that Jacob’s sons needed grace and we don’t
Is obviously a deliberate blindness.

No doubt as the children of Israel poured over their history there would be
Many events that would cause them to hang their heads in shame.

And I would imagine as you pour over your history
There are a few events that cause you to hang your head in shame as well.

And some of those events might not have happened that long ago.

The reality is that we all need grace.
• I need for God to be merciful toward me
• I need for God to be gracious to me
• I need for God to count me a son even when I don’t deserve it
• I need for God to be more faithful to me than I am to Him

Because if He isn’t, I won’t make it.

I need what the Psalmist wrote about:
Psalms 103:6-14 “The LORD performs righteous deeds And judgments for all who are oppressed. He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel. The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.”

I need that mentality from God if I am to make it.

Grace isn’t just some benefit that I get… Grace is a necessity,
Just as it was in the lives of Jacob’s sons
And in the lives of those Moses preached to.

The necessity of Grace is seen because of the sinfulness of Israel.

But the necessity of grace is also seen because of:
2) THE SUFFERING OF ISRAEL

We could already begin to think back about the hardships of Jacob’s life.
(even if some of them were self-inflicted)

• He had to flee from Esau
• He worked 7 years for the wrong wife
• He then worked another 7 years for the right one
• Those marriages were less than fulfilling and more of a fight
• He worked 6 more years for his flock

• His daughter has been raped
• His sons are murderers
• And his oldest son has totally dishonored him

That is bad enough.

And then we read of more adversity here.
(READ 35:19-20)

Jacob was forced to bury the wife that he loved.
And this is no minor affliction.

Then by the end of the chapter we read:
(READ 35:27-29)

And there Jacob had to bury his father.
And as anyone who has ever done this will tell you, it is not a pleasant moment.

And all of that would be bad enough,
But the pain is just beginning for Jacob.
As I mentioned earlier his favorite son will sold into slavery
And Jacob will be made to believe that he has been killed by wild animals.

And Jacob’s response to this is telling.
Genesis 37:34-35 “So Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. Then all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, “Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.”

Jacob would not recover from the loss of Joseph.
(having lost a mother, a wife, a father, and now his favorite son)

Following that a severe famine would hit the land
Threatening the lives of Jacob and his family.

Another son would be lost to chains in Egypt and Jacob would even have to part with his next favored son.

And finally Jacob would have to leave the Promised Land altogether,
Never to return.

MY POINT?

Jacob’s life was a life that needed the grace of God.
Not just because of his sin, but also because of his suffering.

Jacob would endure much adversity during his life
Jacob would endure much hardship
And he would need the grace that only God could supply.

Certainly Israel should remember that.

They were about to enter a land they had been absent from for over 400 years, if they were to succeed, THEY WOULD NEED GOD’S HELP.

It certainly DIDN’T MAKE SENSE for them to grumble against Him
And seek to abandon Him at every turn.

And that is also a good reminder for you and me.

We need God’s grace.
We need it not only because we are sinful,
But also because we live in a cold harsh world that offers many trials.

We need the strength of God to carry us through our adversities.

And because that is true, it doesn’t stand to reason
That we should become an ungrateful type of people
Who would complain against Him.

Paul is right when he warns us to learn from the example of Israel.

Remember that you are a child of grace
God has already done for you far more than you deserve

And remember that you are still in need of His grace
To complain against Him and grieve Him with ingratitude would be a most unprofitable thing.

Take inventory of your history Israel
And see that God is for you and that you should be for Him.

Take inventory of your history church
And see that God is for you and that you should be for Him.

Grace has been real in your life and that is good, because you need it.

1 Corinthians 10:6-12 “Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND STOOD UP TO PLAY.” Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.”

“Do not be idolaters”

Do not “act immorally”

Do not “try the Lord”

Do not “grumble”

All of those things were to be ungrateful and bitter people
Who seemed to push the Lord away.

And in view of the fact that we are those “upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” I don’t think it is wise to push God away.

We need His grace far too much.

The Absent Atonement
Genesis 12-35
December 21, 2014

This morning we didn’t start out with a particular passage to read
Because we are going to do something a little unique for us here today.

We are going to address an issue that has been very heavy on my heart
As we have been studying through the book of Genesis.
And this morning it seems that the time is right to do that.

As you know we’ve been studying Genesis
And we have called it “The Gospel According to Moses”

I have maintained from the beginning that Moses is not just streaming together random historical events, but is rather preaching the gospel to the children of Israel.

• We talked about how Moses taught us about sin in Adam.
• We talked about how Moses taught us about judgment in Noah.
• And now as we have examined the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob we’ve talked about salvation or even more specifically; grace.

Ever since we began the life of Abraham in Genesis 12
It has been one story of grace after another.

God’s election
God’s predestination
God’s preservation
God’s providence

Over and over and over
God has worked out His perfect plan in the lives of His chosen,
And He has done this in spite of their sinful choices,
Their stubborn natures, and their selfish tendencies.

God made promises and God won’t let them fail.

There is no doubt we have seen grace at its finest.

BUT ONE THING HAS BEEN NOTICEABLY ABSENT
(our Sunday school class talked about it briefly)
ATONEMENT

It is actually one of the things that has seemed to be a little bothersome
Throughout the study of the Patriarchs.

These men at times were terribly sinful,
And except for some natural repercussions,
There has been no demonstration of justice.

It seems as though God has just totally disregarded
The sins of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
And let me remind you that there have been plenty.

ABRAHAM

His idolatrous past
Joshua 24:2 “Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods.”

Or passing of Sarai as his sister
Genesis 12:13 “Please say that you are my sister so that it may go well with me because of you, and that I may live on account of you.”

Or having an affair with Hagar
Genesis 16:4 “He went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her sight.”

Or doubting God’s promise of a son
Genesis 17:17 “Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”

Or passing of Sarah again
Genesis 20:2 “Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.”

Or clinging to Ishmael when he had to go
Genesis 21:10-11 “Therefore she said to Abraham, “Drive out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac.” The matter distressed Abraham greatly because of his son.”

And yet despite all that sin, there is no heavy emphasis
On repentance or atonement for those sins.

It is almost distressing that God just sort of seems to
Ignore the sinful choices of Abraham and choose him anyway.

The same can be said for ISAAC

He also passed off his wife
Genesis 26:7 “When the men of the place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my my wife,” thinking, “the men of the place might kill me on account of Rebekah, for she sister,” for he was afraid to say, “is beautiful.”

He tried to give Jacob’s blessing to Esau
Genesis 27:1-4 “Now it came about, when Isaac was old and his eyes were too dim to see, that he called his older son Esau and said to him, “My son.” And he said to him, “Here I am.” Isaac said, “Behold now, I am old and I do not know the day of my death. “Now then, please take your gear, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me; and prepare a savory dish for me such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, so that my soul may bless you before I die.”
And of course there is JACOB

He was a liar
Genesis 27:35 “And he said, “Your brother came deceitfully and has taken away your blessing.”

He committed polygamy
Genesis 29:27-28 “Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you shall serve with me for another seven years.” Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.”

He endured idolatry
Genesis 31:19 “When Laban had gone to shear his flock, then Rachel stole the household idols that were her father’s.”

He was stubborn
Genesis 32:24-25 “Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When he saw that he had not prevailed against him, he touched the socket of his thigh; so the socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated while he wrestled with him.”

He grew apathetic
Genesis 34:30 “Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me odious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and my men being few in number, they will gather together against me and attack me and I will be destroyed, I and my household.”

It has really been staggering the amount of sin these men committed,
And yet there has been no mention of them seeking forgiveness
Or there being any sort of atonement.

And to some extent this trend will continue.
JACOB’S SONS

We saw that they were murderers and thieves
Genesis 34:26-27 “They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem’s house, and went forth. Jacob’s sons came upon the slain and looted the city, because they had defiled their sister.”

Reuben will shock us later
Genesis 35:22 “It came about while Israel was dwelling in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine, and Israel heard of it.”

And we could read on about Judah and Tamar
Or the 11 brothers selling Joseph.

It is really quite staggering.

People who carry this notion that the God of the Old Testament
Was all wrath and no mercy obviously haven’t read Genesis.

Because Genesis is just the opposite.
Certainly we saw wrath with Adam and certainly we saw it with Noah.

But once we got onto the topic of God’s chosen; God’s elect,
We haven’t seen it at all.

There has been no anger
There has been no wrath
There has been no atonement

And it really leaves one a little bit baffled.
WHERE IS THE GOD OF JUSTICE?
• Where is that sacrificial atonement?
• Where is the necessary death for the payment for sin?

Quite frankly, we just haven’t seen it.

Now, it is only fair to point out that it is coming, but not in Genesis.

Moses’ gospel does in fact include sacrificial atonement – a lot of it.
Just bump ahead to Leviticus.
Sacrificial atonement saturates that book.

But the reality is that Moses will not introduce his atoning sacrifice
Until the book of Exodus.

It will happen during the 10th plague of Egypt when Moses tells the children of Israel that the death angel is coming and if they are to escape the just wrath of God then they must paint the blood of the Passover lamb on their doorpost.

And Moses reminds the children of Israel that such a sacrificial act
Will cause God to “pass over” them.

So Moses will introduce atonement into his gospel,
But right now it is noticeably absent.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are making mistakes
And yet there has been no atonement.
WHAT ARE WE TO MAKE OF THAT?

TURN TO: Romans 3:21-26
I know you are familiar with this book and probably this chapter.
It is the chapter in which Paul introduces the atonement.

(21) “But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,”

You should know by now that salvation is a quest for righteousness.
God has it, sinful man does not.

If man is to be saved he must obtain the righteousness that God requires.

Of course Paul has made the point time and time again
That this righteousness cannot be acquired through works of the Law.

No one ever saved themselves through religious action.

However, Paul reveals there that the righteousness of God is available.

(22) “even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;”

The righteousness God requires is actually made available to sinful men
When they place their faith in Jesus Christ.

And this opportunity is for Jew and Gentile alike,
Namely because Jew and Gentile alike both need it.

(23) “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

There is not a man or woman who is not in need of the righteousness
That is acquired by faith in Christ.

All men are sinful
All men have fallen short
All men are spiritually bankrupt

And it is through Christ that sinful men obtain salvation.

(24-25a) “being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.”

Now all of that should be very familiar to you at this point.
• Man is sinful
• The only way to be made righteous is through faith in Christ

God publicly sacrificed Christ to appease His wrath on sin.
And all those who trust in Christ
Have their sins atoned for as a result of His death.

And then comes the portion of the text I want us to see today.

As Paul is referring to the crucifixion of Christ,
He reveals the answer to the question we have about Genesis.

(25b) “This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;”

And there is the answer to problem.

• Why did God not judge Abraham for his idolatry?
• Why did God let Isaac get away with swapping off his wife?
• Why did God overlook Jacob’s lying?
• Why did God not reject Jacob’s murderous sons?

At the very least why didn’t God at least require some sort of sacrifice in order to pay for those sins?

All we saw was “the forbearance of God”
He just seemed to overlook it.

• Abraham is having an affair
• Isaac is disregarding God’s choice
• Rachel is stealing idols
• Jacob is lying

And God just keeps on blessing them like nothing is wrong.
That was certainly “the forbearance of God”

God “passed over the sins previously committed”

In His mercy He chose not to instantly deal with them.
• God just let them be for a time.
• He chose to be patient
• He chose to be long suffering
• He chose to pass over those sins

And all of that does wonders for God’s mercy,
But it certainly causes a person to question His righteousness.

Can a righteous God just choose not to punish sinners?

WELL, THAT WAS THE PURPOSE FOR THE CROSS.
• It was “to demonstrate His righteousness”
• And Paul said God did it “publicly”

The cross was there to show you that God is righteous.
The cross was there to show you that God is just.
HE DOES NOT LET SIN GO UNPUNISHED

He did not in the past, and does not today.
(26) “for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time SO THAT HE WOULD BE JUST and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

The cross demonstrated the justice and righteousness of God.
The guilty do not go unpunished

Isaiah 53:10 “But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering,”
That is to say if Christ would be willing to offer Himself for the sins of others, God would be “pleased to crush Him”

WHY?
Because God’s justice demanded it.
God’s righteousness longed for it.

It was the cross of Jesus Christ
That proved that God is in fact a righteous God.

He had passed over centuries of sin…
He had left multitudes of sin un-atoned for…
AND WHILE HE CERTAINLY CAME ACROSS AS MERCIFUL,
IT DID NOT MAKE HIM LOOK HOLY.

The cross solved the issue.

But that brings up another question.
WHY WAIT?

• I mean, why not just go ahead and atone for Abraham’s sin right then?
• Why not just atone for Isaac instantly?
• Why not just atone for Jacob from the start?

Why don’t we read about God calling Abraham and saying, “Go sacrifice an unblemished lamb to atone for your sin, and then I will bless you.”?

Why don’t we read about God telling Isaac, “God sacrifice a bull, and then I will make a great nation out of you”?

Why don’t’ we hear God say to Jacob, “Go sacrifice the best of your flock at Bethel and then I will be with you and multiply you and give you this land”?

Why not atone for them right then and there?

THE WRITER OF HEBREWS ANSWERS THAT QUESTION.

Hebrews 11:39-40 “And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.”

God was pleased with them because of their faith,
But they were not “made perfect”

And the explanation is that
God did not want them to be made perfect “apart from us”

God had a bigger plan.
He was not interested in having millions of singular atonements
And people being redeemed based on those millions of various sacrifices.

It was God’s will that all atonement happen as a result of 1 sacrifice.
That all of God’s people simultaneously be made perfect at the same time.

God wanted Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and Paul and the writer of Hebrews and you and me to all be atoned for at the same place.

And of course you realize that that place was the cross.

Hebrews 10:11-14 “Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”

Did you catch that statement?
“For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”

It was ONE sacrificial act by which
Christ atoned for all of those who are sanctified.

All God’s elect had their sin atoned for at the same moment.
All together, in one act.

Which helps us understand what Jesus said:
John 19:30 “Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”

One act, atoned for all who are saved.

That is why when we put up a cross, Christ is not still hanging on it.
We don’t put up a crucifix, because Christ doesn’t have to suffer again. That one
act was sufficient.

That is why we say that when we take the Lord’s Supper this morning it will not turn into Christ’s body or Christ’s blood as the Catholic’s do.

He does not have to suffer again.
That one death on the cross was absolutely sufficient
To atone for all the sin of all of God’s people.

And just for a moment think about the enormity of that.

It is massive enough if you think about all the sin that you’ve ever committed
(not to mention those you have yet to commit)

Your sin alone makes a massive burden.

But Christ bore the debt of all the sin
Of all of God’s redeemed for all the ages.
• He took the wrath for Abraham’s idolatry
• He took the punishment for that affair with Hagar
• He bore the blame for Abraham passing of Sarah twice

No wonder Jesus said:
John 8:56 “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”

Abraham’s sin had been “passed over” but not forgotten,
Not until Christ paid that debt.

Hebrews 9:11-12 “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”

It was on that day Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were finally made perfect.
It was on that day their sin was finally atoned for.

That is why you read Luke 16 and see that rich man die and go to Hades,
He can look across and see Lazarus with Abraham.

Abraham was in paradise, but he wasn’t yet in the presence of God.
He was comforted, but not yet made perfect.

It wasn’t until Christ died and entered that more perfect tabernacle that Abraham (along with you and I) was made perfect.

It all occurred at the cross.

Every sin, every transgression, every short coming of all God’s people through all the ages fell on Christ on that day.

2 Corinthians 5:21 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Isaiah 53:6 “All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.”

It all fell on him.
• DO YOU SEE THE ENORMITY OF THE CROSS?
• DO YOU SEE THE MAGNITUDE OF WHAT CHRIST DID THERE?

He bore a massive debt
He took a massive blow

On that day God took out thousands of years
Of righteous indignation on Him.

AND IT WAS SUCCESSFUL!
Hebrews 9:11-12 “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.”

Hebrews 10:11-14 “Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”

The joy to that for you and me
(those of us who have placed our faith in Jesus Christ)
You can know your sins have been atoned for.

Hebrews 10:19-22 “Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

1 John 5:13 “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

It is the cross and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon which our faith rests.

We are not even like Abraham or Isaac or Jacob or even Moses who looked forward to the day when the perfect One would come and atone for their sin.

We are able to look back at the cross with confidence
And see that our debt has been paid.

Jesus Christ already finished it.
Jesus Christ already paid for it.
He atoned for it all.

BUT THERE IS ONE MORE THING WE MUST RECOGNIZE
IN THIS GREAT PLAN OF GOD

We saw that God would not even atone for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
Apart from the cross of Jesus.

He wouldn’t even erase their debt apart from the cross

WHY WOULD SOMEONE THINK THAT THEIR SIN CAN BE REMOVED APART FROM IT?

Why would you assume that there is another way to be righteous before God,
When God wouldn’t even make the Old Testament saints righteous
Apart from the sacrifice of Christ?

We hold that no one can be saved apart from Christ
Simply because no one ever was saved apart from Christ.

Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

Jesus Himself said:
John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Or even think about the Christmas season.
Do you remember when Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus into the temple at 8 days old to circumcise Him?

Simeon saw Jesus and said:
Luke 2:25-32 “And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, And the glory of Your people Israel.”

They all knew it.

Had God been merciful? Absolutely
Had God been gracious? Without a doubt

“in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed”

But they all knew that God was righteous and without atonement
There could be no salvation.

They all knew that God was holy and unless the sin debt was paid,
There would be no gospel of good news.

• That is why Abraham rejoiced to look forward and see the day of Christ
• That is why Moses gave a “Passover Lamb” to point to the future one
• That is why Simeon rejoiced when he saw the baby Christ.

They were all looking to that one future day of total atonement.

So when you read Genesis,
And you wonder where the atonement is in Moses’ gospel,
It’s not just curiously absent, it’s PURPOSELY absent.

Atonement didn’t happen for 2,000 more years.

Hebrews 11:39-40 “And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.”

But when Christ came He bore it all.

And that is what we come to remember this morning.
We come to remember the most amazing, profound, sufficient,
And enormous sacrifice that the world has ever seen.

On that one day on the cross Jesus Christ
Bore all the sin of all of God’s children for all the ages.

It is the most praiseworthy event in all of human history,
And we come to remember it this morning.

• We eat this cracker and we remember the body that was pierced
• We drink this juice and we remember the blood that was spilled
• We examine ourselves and we remember the price that was paid

And as Paul said:
1 Corinthians 11:26 “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”

That is what we are doing here today.
We are proclaiming the death of the Lord.

We are letting it be made known that we believe the death of Christ
To be the sufficient and sole means of redemption for humanity.

There is no other way of salvation because this way is sufficient.

And as we prepare to partake of the table of the Lord
We will have a time of preparation.

1 Corinthians 11:27-32 “Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.”

We come to examine ourselves.
• Have I placed my faith in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ?
• Is that evident in my obedience to Him?

It is a holy and sacred moment of remembrance and communion with the Lord as we ponder His amazing sacrifice.

Pray