Latest / Providence Baptist Church - Sermons / John 1:14-18 (Part 1)
Transcript
- 0:00Intending to debate that out this morning, but in fact, God the Son became a man, but also to clarify the nature of it.
- 0:10! What is the reality of this God-man?
- 0:15!
- 0:30Since the beginning, all of those errors that I mentioned to you, Christians have gathered together and they have made statements to make it clear what the Bible teaches about the Incarnation.
- 0:43An example, in 451, in the former city of Chalcedon, now part of Istanbul, a council convened for just this purpose and adopted the Chalcedonian Creed.
- 0:57I'm going to read to you an English translation of it.
- 1:01I'll try to do so carefully for your edification, and then I'm also going to lay out some summary points to clarify.
- 1:06But listen to what they wrote. This is the translation of it.
- 1:12We then, following the Holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 1:22The same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood.
- 1:26Here's a key phrase.
- 1:27Truly God and truly man.
- 1:31Of a reasonable soul and body, co-substantial with us according to the manhood, in all things like unto us without sin.
- 1:41Begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days for us and for our salvation.
- 1:48Born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God.
- 1:50According to the manhood.
- 1:52One and the same Christ, Son, Lord only.
- 1:56Unchangeable, indivisibly, inseparably.
- 1:59The distinction of nature's being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved.
- 2:07And concurring in one person and one subsistence.
- 2:10Interexistence.
- 2:11This is called the hypostasis or hypostatic union of Christ.
- 2:16Not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son and only begotten, God the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the prophets from the beginning have declared concerning him.
- 2:28And the Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the creed of the Holy Fathers has handed down to us.
- 2:35End quote.
- 2:36Now, you go, I didn't catch any of that.
- 2:39That's fine.
- 2:40The point being, they were very careful in defining the nature of the embodied Christ.
- 2:47They saw it as important.
- 2:49They were pushing back against unbiblical falsehoods, and we need to do the very same thing.
- 2:57So, six summary points that we can derive from the Chalcedonian Creed, which is coming from the scriptures.
- 3:06Number one, Jesus Christ is one person, one being, with two natures.
- 3:13Once again, he is truly God and truly man.
- 3:17Some people will say fully God and fully man.
- 3:20Like 200%.
- 3:22Not half God, half man, but completely, fully both.
- 3:28The divine nature was not diluted by the incarnation, nor was the human nature somehow abstract or incomplete.
- 3:38Right?
- 3:39Truly both at the same time.
- 3:42Number two, two natures united without confusion, change, division, or separation.
- 3:54Divine and human natures are distinct yet united in one person.
- 4:00This is a mystery, to be clear.
- 4:03Right?
- 4:04Again, this is the hypostatic union.
- 4:07It's a thing for us to marvel over.
- 4:10I don't know that we're going to fully comprehend it, this side of glory.
- 4:13But we should try as best we can to understand this nature of Christ.
- 4:20They are not mixed, not divided, and not reduced to a third nature.
- 4:25Thirdly, the human nature was fully assumed.
- 4:33Jesus had a real human body, mind, soul, and will.
- 4:38Everything essential to true humanity.
- 4:42Right?
- 4:42He was like us in that way, and the clarification is, yet without sin.
- 4:48That's the part of the human nature that he did not take on.
- 4:51Right?
- 4:51Born of a virgin, he didn't inherit the line, the sin line and the sin nature.
- 4:55That we have.
- 4:59Fourthly, the divine nature remained fully intact.
- 5:03So even though he took on human flesh, at the incarnation, Christ did not lay aside his divine attributes.
- 5:12Fifthly, the person of the Son is the subject of both natures.
- 5:20Right?
- 5:20By that I mean, Jesus is not two persons or a split consciousness.
- 5:24Right?
- 5:25The eternal Son is the acting subject of both divine and human experiences.
- 5:32So, to make that more real for you, he hungered as a man.
- 5:38He got tired as a man.
- 5:41He experienced the pain of suffering as a man.
- 5:46And yet he worked miracles.
- 5:48He walked on water.
- 5:50He raised people from the dead.
- 5:51He forgave sins as God.
- 5:55Yet, always as one person who we most often call the Son of God, as we're thinking about his incarnation.
- 6:08The incarnation, sixthly, was for our salvation.
- 6:13And we'll talk about that more in our third point.
- 6:17But, briefly here, Jesus became man, not merely to reveal God, but to redeem sinners through his substitutionary death and victorious resurrection.
- 6:30The unity of his person ensures the efficacy.
- 6:35Right?
- 6:35That it actually worked.
- 6:37That his work was the work that he said it was.
- 6:40Yes, only one who is God could save and only one who is man could die in our place.
- 6:49Again, the incarnation is not easy to grasp.
- 6:53But it is good.
- 6:55And it is a necessary reality to be grasped.
- 6:59In order for us to be saved, we must repent of our sins and place faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
- 7:09I don't know if that phrase has ever puzzled you.
- 7:11I say it all the time.
- 7:12What do we place faith in?
- 7:15Not just the work, but the person and work of Jesus Christ.
- 7:20Because if Jesus is not who he said he is, then the work itself wasn't effectual.
- 7:26Right?
- 7:27Jesus has to be who the scripture says that he is in order for it to have its proper effect.
- 7:34We are concerned with the person of Jesus because it makes possible the work of Jesus.
- 7:42And so we need to believe in both.
- 7:45And we need to be clear about what the scripture says those things are.
- 7:51Cyril of Alexandria, who was a 5th century church leader.
- 7:56He died a couple of years before the Council of Chalcedon.
- 8:00I think he would have been there had he not passed a few years before.
- 8:03Said this, and this is the quote on the back of your bulletin today.
- 8:07He said,
- 8:07And I love this quote particularly for the phrase,
- 8:20And I love this quote particularly for the phrase,
- 8:29They're inexpressible and inexplicable concurrence into unity.
- 8:36That person has made possible the work.
- 8:39And it's by that, both person and work, that we declare Jesus the Lord and Son of God.
- 8:46God.
- 8:47The word became flesh.
- 8:52Not only that, but it became flesh and dwelt among us.
- 9:00Dwelt is a form of a Greek verb that means literally to live in a tent.
- 9:07We can read in Exodus the account of God tenting with Israel as his glory dwelt in the tabernacle.
- 9:16Of course, later this same presence dwelt, same word usage in Hebrew, in the temple.
- 9:25God dwelt among us in the incarnate Christ, and he will dwell with his people again.
- 9:34John picks up this language in Revelation chapter 21.
- 9:41Verse 3 and following, he says,
- 9:42And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
- 9:45Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.
- 9:49The tenting place of God is with man.
- 9:52He will dwell with them, and they will be his people.
- 9:55And God himself will be with them as their God.
- 10:00He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more.
- 10:03Neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore.
- 10:07For the former things have passed away.
- 10:11He came and he dwelt.
- 10:14He dwells in us now by his Spirit, and one day fully we will dwell together with him.
- 10:23John goes on to say,
- 10:24He dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory.
- 10:28Glory as of the only Son from the Father.
- 10:33Jesus manifested God's glory during his earthly existence in a more magnificent way than ever before.
- 10:42Right?
- 10:42I mentioned a couple of these ways that God's glory dwelt.
- 10:46Right?
- 10:46In the tabernacle, and then in the temple.
- 10:49But now in person, in flesh.
- 10:54Jesus' tenting was more glorious than previous tenting,
- 11:00but still a shadow of the things to come.
- 11:05Jesus' human flesh still veiled his full glory.
- 11:12John, the author of the words that we're reading,
- 11:15along with Peter and James,
- 11:17were invited to see Jesus' unveiled glory at the transfiguration.
- 11:23That's what's so significant about it.
- 11:26Interestingly, John doesn't record anything about the transfiguration.
- 11:30I'd like to wrap my head around why.
- 11:33But we can read in Matthew chapter 17 and verse 2,
- 11:37Jesus was transfigured before them,
- 11:40and his face shone like the sun,
- 11:43and his clothes became white as light.
- 11:49John and Peter and James beheld God's glory.
- 11:56His magnificence.
- 11:59This was glory as of the only Son from the Father,
- 12:02because the Son and the Father have the same nature.
- 12:09So I think when John says,
- 12:11we, we have beheld his glory,
- 12:15we have seen his glory,
- 12:16he is most certainly referring to himself
- 12:20and Peter and James.
- 12:22He has to have that in his mind.
- 12:26But he is also,
- 12:27although perhaps unwittingly,
- 12:29maybe it's just that he's being carried along by the Spirit,
- 12:32he's referring to all of us who have seen Christ
- 12:36in the Scriptures
- 12:38and placed our faith in him.
- 12:42Why can I make such a claim?
- 12:45That we,
- 12:46we share in this we
- 12:47that he's talking about here,
- 12:50beholding the glory.
- 12:51If there is an event in history,
- 12:56I think I would want to be on that mount
- 12:58and see the transfigured Christ.
- 13:01I think that's the one I would want to be whisked away to,
- 13:04to witness.
- 13:05But listen to the astounding thing
- 13:07that Peter says
- 13:09with reference to that very same event
- 13:12in 2 Peter chapter 1.
- 13:15You may enjoy joining me there.
- 13:16It's a little bit longer text.
- 13:17This is verse 16
- 13:18and following.
- 13:21Listen to what Peter says.
- 13:24For we do not follow
- 13:25cleverly devised myths
- 13:27when we made known to you
- 13:28the power and coming
- 13:30of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 13:33We weren't following just some teaching
- 13:36when we told you about
- 13:37the power and coming of Christ.
- 13:40Why?
- 13:40But we were eyewitnesses
- 13:43of his majesty.
- 13:45We were eyewitnesses
- 13:47of his glory.
- 13:49How do I know he's talking
- 13:50about the transfiguration?
- 13:51Because he goes on in verse 17.
- 13:53For when he received
- 13:55honor and glory
- 13:56from God the Father
- 13:57and the voice was born to him
- 13:59by the majestic glory,
- 14:02this is my beloved son
- 14:04with whom I am well pleased.
- 14:07We ourselves heard this very voice
- 14:10born from heaven
- 14:11for we were with him
- 14:12on the holy mountain.
- 14:14Right?
- 14:14So he's talking about
- 14:15the transfiguration there.
- 14:17He's talking about the voice
- 14:18that's recorded for us
- 14:19that came from heaven.
- 14:20He's saying we heard
- 14:21that very voice.
- 14:22So we're not appealing to you.
- 14:24We're not trying to teach you
- 14:25Christ about his power
- 14:26and his coming
- 14:27because we heard
- 14:28somebody else say it.
- 14:29We were actually there.
- 14:30We were eyewitnesses
- 14:32of the transfiguration
- 14:33of Christ.
- 14:35And then he says this.
- 14:36How I read the Bible
- 14:39as a young man,
- 14:41read it through
- 14:42time and time again
- 14:43and wasn't arrested
- 14:44by this,
- 14:45I do not know.
- 14:46But when it arrested me,
- 14:47boy, did it.
- 14:48Verse 19.
- 14:50Peter says this.
- 14:52And we have
- 14:53the prophetic word
- 14:56more fully confirmed.
- 15:00We have the scripture
- 15:01more fully confirmed
- 15:04then standing on the mountain
- 15:06and watching Christ
- 15:07be transfigured
- 15:08and a voice from heaven
- 15:09saying,
- 15:11this is my beloved son
- 15:12with whom I am well pleased.
- 15:14We have the prophetic word
- 15:16more fully confirmed.
- 15:19Why?
- 15:21How is that possible?
- 15:22Right?
- 15:23Have I experienced
- 15:24God's word in the way
- 15:25it must have been
- 15:26to stand on that mountain?
- 15:27It's hard to say
- 15:28that I have.
- 15:29He says,
- 15:30to which you will do well
- 15:31to pay attention
- 15:32as a lamp shining
- 15:33in a dark place
- 15:33until the day
- 15:34dawns
- 15:35and the morning star
- 15:36rises in your hearts
- 15:37knowing this first of all
- 15:40that no prophecy
- 15:42of scripture
- 15:42comes from someone's
- 15:43own interpretation
- 15:44for no prophecy
- 15:44was ever produced
- 15:46by the will of man
- 15:47but men spoke
- 15:48from God
- 15:49as they were carried along
- 15:51by the Holy Spirit.
- 15:54So how do we have
- 15:55the word more fully confirmed?
- 15:56Right?
- 15:57It was written
- 15:57by the Spirit of Christ
- 15:59and the Spirit of Christ
- 16:01illuminates him to us
- 16:03as we take it up
- 16:04and we read.
- 16:06That's incredible.
- 16:07Right?
- 16:08We get to behold
- 16:09the glory of God
- 16:10in the Son
- 16:12as we take up
- 16:12and read
- 16:13and understand
- 16:14who he is.
- 16:16We have seen
- 16:17his glory.
- 16:19Glory as of the only
- 16:20son
- 16:20from
- 16:22the Father.
- 16:23We live in an age
- 16:25of great consumerism.
- 16:28Emotions
- 16:28lead the charge.
- 16:29We're looking for
- 16:30experiences
- 16:31all the time
- 16:32and I just want to say
- 16:33to you
- 16:33beloved Christians
- 16:35do not
- 16:37downplay
- 16:38the ordinary
- 16:39means
- 16:40of grace.
- 16:42God has given to us
- 16:43the gathering
- 16:44of his church
- 16:44the opening
- 16:45of his word
- 16:46the singing
- 16:46of true songs
- 16:47the praying
- 16:48in and day out
- 16:49week by week
- 16:50by week.
- 16:51This is regularly
- 16:52normatively
- 16:53how God grows
- 16:55his people.
- 16:58Just because
- 16:58you're not having
- 16:59a transfiguration
- 17:00kind of moment
- 17:01when you come
- 17:02to the church
- 17:02week in
- 17:03and week out
- 17:03recognize
- 17:04that Christ
- 17:05is being exalted
- 17:06from the text
- 17:08and Peter says
- 17:09this is better
- 17:11than standing
- 17:12on the mountain.
- 17:15Now I would like
- 17:16to make a little
- 17:17translation note
- 17:18at this point.
- 17:21I'm preaching
- 17:22from an English
- 17:22Standard Version
- 17:23we've kind of
- 17:24encouraged others
- 17:24to have the same
- 17:25some of you
- 17:26may not have
- 17:27the same
- 17:27translation.
- 17:29Some of your
- 17:30translations
- 17:31in the place
- 17:32of only son
- 17:33as I have it
- 17:35before me
- 17:36may say
- 17:37only begotten
- 17:39God
- 17:40or some
- 17:41variation
- 17:42of that.
- 17:43And if your
- 17:44translation says
- 17:45that it's actually
- 17:45a more
- 17:46word for word
- 17:47translation
- 17:48from the Greek.
- 17:49So I want to
- 17:49commend the
- 17:50translation
- 17:50for doing
- 17:51that.
- 17:53ESV is
- 17:53trying to
- 17:54tidy up
- 17:55some potential
- 17:55confusion
- 17:56at that point.
- 17:58We could argue
- 17:58whether that's
- 17:59a good thing
- 17:59or not.
- 18:01To always be
- 18:02clear
- 18:02the original
- 18:04text is the
- 18:05inspired text.
- 18:05These are just
- 18:06translations of
- 18:06that inspired
- 18:07text.
- 18:08So we've got
- 18:09to do work
- 18:09as we come
- 18:10across things
- 18:11like this
- 18:12in the text.
- 18:14Again that
- 18:14only begotten
- 18:15son is a
- 18:16more literal
- 18:17translation of
- 18:18the Greek
- 18:19phrase
- 18:19found there.
- 18:20But it
- 18:21does bring
- 18:22to the
- 18:23surface
- 18:23this word
- 18:24begotten.
- 18:26This word
- 18:26begotten.
- 18:28If you are
- 18:28a careful
- 18:29listener
- 18:29perhaps you
- 18:30heard the
- 18:31same word
- 18:32used in
- 18:33the Chalcedonian
- 18:34Creed
- 18:34although I
- 18:35imagine you
- 18:36glazed over
- 18:37as I was
- 18:37reading that.
- 18:38But maybe
- 18:38you heard
- 18:39that word
- 18:39found there
- 18:40as well.
- 18:42The challenge
- 18:43of the word
- 18:44is that it
- 18:44can mean
- 18:45to generate
- 18:46or create.
- 18:48It can
- 18:49mean just
- 18:49simply that.
- 18:51It could
- 18:51be said
- 18:52that my
- 18:52sons,
- 18:53my earthly
- 18:53sons are
- 18:54begotten.
- 18:55They were
- 18:55created.
- 18:58A misunderstanding
- 18:58here has
- 19:00led to all
- 19:01sorts of
- 19:02error
- 19:03concerning the
- 19:05incarnation.
- 19:06A lot of
- 19:07Greek words
- 19:07have a lot
- 19:08of elasticity
- 19:09to them.
- 19:09We have
- 19:09English words
- 19:10that are
- 19:10the very
- 19:11same.
- 19:13This
- 19:13Greek word
- 19:14can also
- 19:15mean
- 19:15unique,
- 19:17radically
- 19:18different,
- 19:19and without
- 19:20equal.
- 19:23So what
- 19:23John is
- 19:24doing
- 19:25is
- 19:25distinguishing
- 19:26Jesus
- 19:27as the
- 19:29Son of
- 19:31God
- 19:31from others
- 19:33who by
- 19:34faith will
- 19:35be called
- 19:36Sons of
- 19:37God.
- 19:39I can't
- 19:40remember which
- 19:41song it was
- 19:41but we sang a
- 19:42song just
- 19:43earlier this
- 19:44morning about
- 19:44being called
- 19:45children of
- 19:47God.
- 19:47By faith
- 19:48that's what's
- 19:48accomplished.
- 19:49We,
- 19:50believing in
- 19:51the Son of
- 19:51God,
- 19:52have the
- 19:53privilege of
- 19:53being adopted
- 19:54sons of
- 19:56God.
- 19:56And ladies,
- 19:56you want to
- 19:57be sons of
- 19:57God because
- 19:57you want
- 19:58inheritance in
- 19:59him.
- 19:59The language
- 20:00is communicating
- 20:00to us.
- 20:02But we
- 20:02will never
- 20:03possess the
- 20:04status that
- 20:05he possesses.
- 20:06He is
- 20:07unique,
- 20:09radically
- 20:09different,
- 20:10and without
- 20:10equal.
- 20:11He is the
- 20:12Son of
- 20:13God.
- 20:14And when
- 20:14you see
- 20:14that word
- 20:15begotten,
- 20:16that's what
- 20:17it's
- 20:17communicating
- 20:17to us.
- 20:18Not that
- 20:19he was
- 20:19created,
- 20:20but that
- 20:21as he
- 20:22is God
- 20:23the Son,
- 20:24he is
- 20:24different.
- 20:25That title
- 20:25is not
- 20:26given to
- 20:26anybody
- 20:27else in
- 20:28that way.
- 20:31And John
- 20:31goes on,
- 20:32just after
- 20:33this,
- 20:33to say
- 20:34that he
- 20:35is full
- 20:36of grace
- 20:37and truth.
- 20:40More on
- 20:40this in a
- 20:42minute,
- 20:42that Jesus
- 20:42is the
- 20:43full
- 20:44expression
- 20:44of God's
- 20:45grace
- 20:45and the
- 20:46necessary
- 20:46truth
- 20:47for us
- 20:47to place
- 20:47our faith
- 20:48in and
- 20:48be saved.
- 20:49It's
- 20:49found in
- 20:50his
- 20:50person
- 20:51and
- 20:51his
- 20:51work.
- 20:53We
- 20:53need
- 20:53not
- 20:53look
- 20:53further.
- 20:54Jesus,
- 20:55full
- 20:56of
- 20:56grace
- 20:56and
- 20:58truth.
- 20:59Second
- 20:59point,
- 21:00the witness
- 21:01to the
- 21:01incarnation.
- 21:02Very
- 21:03briefly,
- 21:04we see
- 21:04this insertion,
- 21:05verse 15,
- 21:06John bore
- 21:07witness about
- 21:07him and
- 21:07cried out,
- 21:08this was
- 21:08he of
- 21:09whom I
- 21:09said,
- 21:10he who
- 21:10comes after
- 21:11me ranks
- 21:12before me
- 21:12because he
- 21:13was before
- 21:15me.
- 21:16John the
- 21:17apostle inserts
- 21:18this parenthetical
- 21:19about John the
- 21:21Baptist bearing
- 21:22witness to the
- 21:23fact that Jesus
- 21:23is the
- 21:25Christ.
- 21:26This, I
- 21:27think, is a
- 21:28summary of the
- 21:29witness that
- 21:29will be detailed
- 21:30more fully
- 21:31beginning in
- 21:31verse 19,
- 21:33so we don't
- 21:34need to spend
- 21:35much of our
- 21:36precious time
- 21:37here this
- 21:37morning.
- 21:38something worth
- 21:40noting,
- 21:41though.
- 21:42When John
- 21:43the apostle
- 21:43wrote his
- 21:44gospel,
- 21:45there was
- 21:45still a
- 21:46group that
- 21:47claimed John
- 21:48the Baptist
- 21:49as the
- 21:50Messiah.
- 21:51It wasn't a
- 21:51very large
- 21:52group as far
- 21:53as we can
- 21:54tell, but
- 21:54there was
- 21:55still a
- 21:57John the
- 21:58Baptist cult
- 21:58out there.
- 22:01So John
- 22:01seems to be
- 22:02addressing that
- 22:02here at the
- 22:03very beginning
- 22:04of this
- 22:05account.
- 22:06John makes
- 22:07clear in
- 22:08verses 7
- 22:09and 8
- 22:09that John
- 22:10the Baptist
- 22:10was not
- 22:11the Christ.
- 22:12He was not
- 22:12the light.
- 22:13He came to
- 22:14bear witness
- 22:14about the
- 22:15light.
- 22:16And he
- 22:16does so
- 22:17again here
- 22:18in verse
- 22:1815, but
- 22:18this time
- 22:19he does
- 22:20it in
- 22:20John's
- 22:21own words.
- 22:23So perhaps
- 22:24to some
- 22:25of these
- 22:26John the
- 22:27Baptist
- 22:27followers
- 22:28of the
- 22:28day,
- 22:29they may
- 22:29have taken
- 22:30up this
- 22:31writing and
- 22:32seen that
- 22:32John himself
- 22:34said,
- 22:34John the
- 22:35Baptist,
- 22:36this was
- 22:36he of
- 22:37whom I
- 22:37said,
- 22:38he who
- 22:38comes after
- 22:39me ranks
- 22:40before me
- 22:41because he
- 22:42was before
- 22:44me.
- 22:45The one
- 22:45whose
- 22:46ministry
- 22:47starts after
- 22:48my ministry
- 22:49is actually
- 22:51greater than
- 22:52me.
- 22:54John the
- 22:55Baptist
- 22:55acknowledged
- 22:56the supremacy
- 22:57of Jesus
- 22:57Christ and
- 22:59boldly
- 22:59proclaimed so
- 23:00by appealing
- 23:02to his
- 23:02eternal
- 23:03preexistence.
- 23:05Jesus was
- 23:07born six
- 23:08months after
- 23:09John.
- 23:10So he
- 23:10can't possibly
- 23:11be referring
- 23:11to their
- 23:12birth order.
- 23:13He
- 23:14recognizes
- 23:14that Jesus
- 23:16is the
- 23:17eternal
- 23:18God.
- 23:20So I
- 23:20think John
- 23:21the apostle
- 23:21is being
- 23:22careful
- 23:22inserting that
- 23:23here at
- 23:25this point
- 23:26and he
- 23:26takes back
- 23:27up what
- 23:27he's trying
- 23:27to teach
- 23:28us of
- 23:29Christ.
- 23:30In our
- 23:30third point,
- 23:31the
- 23:32accomplishment
- 23:33of the
- 23:35incarnation.
- 23:36There is so
- 23:37much to
- 23:37unpack here.
- 23:38Here is
- 23:38what we
- 23:39are going
- 23:39to do.
- 23:39It is
- 23:40almost
- 23:40noon.
- 23:42We are
- 23:42going to
- 23:42do a
- 23:43part two
- 23:43of John
- 23:44chapter 1
- 23:44verse 14
- 23:45through 18
- 23:46because I
- 23:47don't want
- 23:47to rush
- 23:48through this.
- 23:49It's way
- 23:50too good
- 23:50to rush
- 23:51through it.
- 23:51I want to
- 23:51carefully show
- 23:52you why
- 23:53the
- 23:53incarnation,
- 23:54the proper
- 23:55understanding
- 23:55of it
- 23:55matters for
- 23:56all of the
- 23:57work that
- 23:58it accomplishes
- 23:59on our
- 24:00behalf.
- 24:01Let me
- 24:01try to
- 24:02give you
- 24:02a really
- 24:02quick.
- 24:04I'll do
- 24:05a brief.
- 24:06Let's
- 24:06focus in
- 24:07on verse
- 24:0717 for
- 24:08just a
- 24:08moment.
- 24:10John
- 24:10says,
- 24:11the law
- 24:11was given
- 24:12through
- 24:13Moses.
- 24:15Grace
- 24:16and truth
- 24:16came
- 24:17through
- 24:18Jesus
- 24:18Christ.
- 24:19Two
- 24:20characters
- 24:20bringing
- 24:21different
- 24:21things
- 24:22to the
- 24:23table.
- 24:24The law
- 24:24is given
- 24:25through
- 24:25Moses to
- 24:26bring about
- 24:26the conviction
- 24:27of sin
- 24:28not the
- 24:29salvation
- 24:30of souls.
- 24:31We'll
- 24:32unpack that
- 24:32more next
- 24:33week.
- 24:33The law
- 24:33comes to
- 24:34bring about
- 24:35the conviction
- 24:35of sin,
- 24:36show us
- 24:37our need
- 24:37of salvation,
- 24:39our need
- 24:39of a
- 24:40Savior.
- 24:41Jesus
- 24:41Christ
- 24:42is that
- 24:43Savior.
- 24:44It's meant
- 24:45to aim
- 24:45us at
- 24:46him.
- 24:47Here's a
- 24:48text that
- 24:48may help
- 24:48us understand
- 24:49that.
- 24:49Paul
- 24:49writes in
- 24:50Galatians
- 24:50chapter 3
- 24:51verse 23
- 24:52through 26,
- 24:53Now before
- 24:54faith came,
- 24:56we were
- 24:56held captive
- 24:57under the
- 24:58law.
- 24:58imprisoned
- 24:59until the
- 25:00coming
- 25:00faith
- 25:01would be
- 25:02revealed.
- 25:03So then,
- 25:04he says in
- 25:04verse 24,
- 25:05the law
- 25:06was our
- 25:06guardian
- 25:07until
- 25:08Christ
- 25:09came.
- 25:10And the
- 25:11picture of
- 25:11guardian is
- 25:12like a
- 25:12schoolmaster
- 25:13meant to
- 25:13teach us
- 25:14something.
- 25:14A guardian,
- 25:15this Greek
- 25:16word would
- 25:16have been
- 25:16used of
- 25:17a father,
- 25:18a wealthy
- 25:18father,
- 25:19hiring somebody
- 25:20kind of like
- 25:20a tutor
- 25:21for his
- 25:22son.
- 25:23Like while
- 25:23he's a
- 25:23child,
- 25:24he's meant
- 25:24to help
- 25:25him,
- 25:25nudge
- 25:26him along,
- 25:26take him
- 25:27towards
- 25:28manhood.
- 25:29That's the
- 25:30unpacking of
- 25:31that word
- 25:32in brief.
- 25:33So the
- 25:33law serves
- 25:34as that
- 25:35for us,
- 25:37pushes us
- 25:37toward,
- 25:38shows us
- 25:39our need
- 25:39of Christ.
- 25:41The rest of
- 25:42verse 24
- 25:42says,
- 25:43in order
- 25:43that we
- 25:44might be
- 25:44justified
- 25:45by faith.
- 25:48The law
- 25:49being
- 25:49insufficient
- 25:50to save
- 25:51us,
- 25:51but showing
- 25:52us our
- 25:52need of
- 25:53salvation,
- 25:54it could
- 25:55never
- 25:55justify us.
- 25:56How are
- 25:56we to be
- 25:57justified,
- 25:58declared
- 25:58righteous
- 25:59before God,
- 26:00restored to
- 26:01relationship
- 26:01with him,
- 26:02saved from
- 26:03the penalty
- 26:03of our
- 26:04sin,
- 26:04delivered to
- 26:05life forever
- 26:06by faith.
- 26:10By faith,
- 26:11believing in
- 26:12the person
- 26:13and work
- 26:14of Christ.
- 26:15So verse 25
- 26:16says,
- 26:16but now that
- 26:17faith has
- 26:17come,
- 26:17we are no
- 26:18longer under
- 26:19a guardian,
- 26:21for in
- 26:21Christ Jesus
- 26:22you are all
- 26:23sons of
- 26:24God,
- 26:25lowercase
- 26:26sons of
- 26:27God,
- 26:28through
- 26:28faith.
- 26:30So the law
- 26:31was given
- 26:31through Moses.
- 26:33Grace and
- 26:34truth came
- 26:35through Jesus
- 26:36Christ.
- 26:38So I have
- 26:39up here with
- 26:40me in
- 26:41closing my
- 26:43two favorite
- 26:43books.
- 26:45The Bible
- 26:46is my first
- 26:46favorite book,
- 26:47book,
- 26:47and it
- 26:47is my
- 26:48favorite
- 26:49book in
- 26:50much,
- 26:50much higher
- 26:51order,
- 26:52infinitely higher
- 26:53order than
- 26:54the other
- 26:54book.
- 26:55It is God's
- 26:56inspired word.
- 26:57It is his
- 26:59word itself
- 27:00to us.
- 27:01This is to
- 27:02be treasured.
- 27:04I also like
- 27:05The Pilgrim's
- 27:05Progress by
- 27:06John Bunyan.
- 27:09Not nearly as
- 27:10much, but I do
- 27:11rather enjoy it.
- 27:12And if you've
- 27:13been around for
- 27:13very long, I
- 27:14often joke, I'll
- 27:15eventually read the
- 27:15entire thing to
- 27:16you.
- 27:17In little bits
- 27:18and pieces.
- 27:19If you're
- 27:19unfamiliar with
- 27:20it, it's such
- 27:21a work.
- 27:22It's so
- 27:23Bible rich.
- 27:23It's so
- 27:24very helpful.
- 27:26If you don't
- 27:27like allegory,
- 27:28don't do it.
- 27:30But I hope I
- 27:31can convince you
- 27:31to really,
- 27:32really love and
- 27:33appreciate this
- 27:36work.
- 27:36I want to read
- 27:36just a little
- 27:37bit of it to
- 27:37you.
- 27:37I think I've
- 27:38read this to
- 27:39you before,
- 27:40but I think
- 27:41this helps us
- 27:42think about the
- 27:44law being given
- 27:45through Moses
- 27:46and grace and
- 27:47truth coming
- 27:48through Jesus
- 27:48Christ.
- 27:49And so,
- 27:50there's an
- 27:50account, the
- 27:52main character's
- 27:53name is
- 27:53Christian and
- 27:54he meets a
- 27:55man named
- 27:56Faithful who
- 27:57travels with
- 27:57him for a
- 27:58portion of his
- 27:59journey.
- 28:00So hear this,
- 28:01Faithful is
- 28:01already a
- 28:02Christian in
- 28:03this allegory.
- 28:04He's already
- 28:05in Christ.
- 28:05He's repented
- 28:06and believed.
- 28:08And so, I
- 28:09don't want the
- 28:10point of this
- 28:10to be lost on
- 28:11somebody who
- 28:12has yet to
- 28:13do that, but
- 28:13the word here
- 28:15and the
- 28:15encouragement here
- 28:16is for that
- 28:17person who has
- 28:18repented and
- 28:18believed in
- 28:20Christ and
- 28:21yet, and
- 28:23yet, still
- 28:24been tempted
- 28:25by their
- 28:25flesh, right?
- 28:27Still has that
- 28:28word of Moses
- 28:29working in them
- 28:31to show them
- 28:32their
- 28:33wretchedness.
- 28:35And Faithful
- 28:36is recounting
- 28:37some of his
- 28:37journey to
- 28:39Christian.
- 28:40Both of them
- 28:40came to a
- 28:41hill called
- 28:43Difficulty.
- 28:44And in
- 28:44Christian on his
- 28:45journey, he
- 28:45fell asleep on
- 28:46that hill.
- 28:46He took a
- 28:47rest and he
- 28:48left behind a
- 28:48promise.
- 28:49He went on
- 28:49on his
- 28:50journey and
- 28:50had forgotten
- 28:51something and
- 28:51he had to go
- 28:52back and
- 28:52retrieve it.
- 28:53You'll see a
- 28:53little clue of
- 28:54that in here.
- 28:56But Faithful,
- 28:57before he goes
- 28:58up the hill
- 28:59called Difficulty,
- 29:01encounters a
- 29:03character by
- 29:04the name of
- 29:05Adam the
- 29:06First.
- 29:08And Adam
- 29:08the First
- 29:09lives in
- 29:09the town
- 29:10of deceit.
- 29:12And he
- 29:13tries to
- 29:13convince
- 29:14Faithful to
- 29:14come and
- 29:15work for
- 29:16him.
- 29:18And Faithful
- 29:18is tempted
- 29:19to do that
- 29:19very thing,
- 29:20but then he
- 29:20perceives that
- 29:22Adam the First
- 29:23is going to
- 29:23make him
- 29:24a slave.
- 29:26And so he
- 29:26flees from
- 29:27him, he
- 29:28doesn't do
- 29:29it, and
- 29:30he heads
- 29:30up the hill
- 29:31called
- 29:32Difficulty,
- 29:33saying,
- 29:34O wretched
- 29:34man, and
- 29:36he heads on
- 29:36up the
- 29:37hill.
- 29:38And then he
- 29:38says this,
- 29:39and I
- 29:39quote,
- 29:40Now when I
- 29:41had climbed
- 29:41about halfway
- 29:42up, I
- 29:42looked behind
- 29:43and saw
- 29:44someone coming
- 29:45after me,
- 29:46swift as
- 29:46the wind.
- 29:48Soon he
- 29:48overtook me
- 29:49just about
- 29:50the place
- 29:51where the
- 29:52arbor stands,
- 29:53and Krishna
- 29:53interjects,
- 29:54that is the
- 29:54place where I
- 29:55sat down to
- 29:55rest, fell
- 29:55asleep, and
- 29:56lost my
- 29:56scroll.
- 29:57And Faithful
- 29:57says, dear
- 29:58brother, hear
- 29:58me out.
- 29:59So as
- 30:00soon as
- 30:00the man
- 30:01overtook
- 30:01me, without
- 30:02saying a
- 30:02word, he
- 30:04struck me
- 30:04and knocked
- 30:05me down
- 30:06unconscious.
- 30:08When I
- 30:08came to, I
- 30:09asked him
- 30:10why he
- 30:10had thus
- 30:11assaulted
- 30:12me.
- 30:13He said
- 30:13that it
- 30:14was because
- 30:14of my
- 30:15secret
- 30:15inclination
- 30:16to follow
- 30:17Adam
- 30:17the first.
- 30:19And with
- 30:20that he
- 30:20struck me
- 30:21with another
- 30:21deadly blow
- 30:22on the
- 30:22chest and
- 30:23beat me
- 30:23down
- 30:23backward,
- 30:24and I
- 30:24lay at
- 30:25his feet
- 30:25as if
- 30:26I
- 30:27were
- 30:27dead.
- 30:28So here,
- 30:29this man
- 30:30overtakes
- 30:30him, knocks
- 30:32him down
- 30:32unconscious.
- 30:32When he
- 30:33comes to, he
- 30:33says, why
- 30:33did you do
- 30:34that?
- 30:34And he
- 30:34said, because
- 30:34you were
- 30:35tempted by
- 30:36sin.
- 30:38So when
- 30:39I came
- 30:39to, I
- 30:39cried to
- 30:40him for
- 30:41mercy, but
- 30:43he said, I
- 30:44do not know
- 30:45how to show
- 30:46mercy.
- 30:47And with
- 30:47that he
- 30:47knocked me
- 30:48down again.
- 30:49He would
- 30:49have beaten
- 30:50me to
- 30:51death, except
- 30:52one came
- 30:54by and told
- 30:55him,
- 30:56to stop.
- 30:58Now, I'm
- 30:58reading for
- 30:58you, and I
- 30:59know you
- 30:59can't see
- 30:59it, but
- 31:00in my
- 31:00copy, one
- 31:01is capitalized
- 31:02as a proper
- 31:03noun.
- 31:03One came
- 31:04by and
- 31:06told him
- 31:06to stop.
- 31:09So a
- 31:09Christian asked
- 31:10Faithful, who
- 31:10was it that
- 31:11told him to
- 31:12stop?
- 31:13Faithful went
- 31:14on, I did
- 31:15not recognize
- 31:15him at
- 31:16first, but
- 31:17as he
- 31:17went by, I
- 31:18saw the
- 31:19wounds in
- 31:19his hands
- 31:20and in
- 31:21his side.
- 31:23Then I
- 31:23concluded that
- 31:24he was our
- 31:25Lord.
- 31:27So, I
- 31:28continued up
- 31:29the hill.
- 31:32Christian then
- 31:32explained, the
- 31:33man who
- 31:33overtook you
- 31:34was Moses.
- 31:34He spares
- 31:35no one, and
- 31:35he does not
- 31:36know how to
- 31:36show mercy
- 31:37to anyone
- 31:38who transgresses
- 31:39his law.
- 31:41And Faithful
- 31:41said, I know
- 31:42that very well.
- 31:43It was not
- 31:44the first time
- 31:45that he had
- 31:46met with
- 31:47me.
- 31:48The law
- 31:49was given
- 31:49through Moses.
- 31:51Grace and
- 31:52truth came
- 31:53through Jesus
- 31:54Christ.
- 31:56Let's pray
- 31:56together.
- 31:57Let's
- 31:57pray together.
- 31:57Let's
- 31:57Thank you.