Where would I be without your grace? I am saved by grace Oh, found Him, mercy found me I am saved by grace And I am life and it's only by Your grace Oh, oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh, oh Say again, say where would I be? How could I live without Your grace? How could I live without Your grace? How could I live without Your grace? that I have this life. Your grace, I am free. I'm forgiven by your work and cavalry. You gave me a life worth living. Now the chains are broken. The chains are broken. The chains are broken. I am saved by grace. Love abounding. Love abounding. Mercy founding. I am saved by grace. I have learned. I have life and it's only by your grace. I'm saved by grace. Love found me. Mercy found me. I am saved by grace. I have life and it's only by your grace. Oh It's a pleasure to be here with you all this night and to be able to consider a portion of God's word. And as you can see there on the bulletin, I've been assigned the work of Christ on earth. So if you have a copy of the scriptures, please, we're going to consider two passages this evening, both from the gospel of Mark. One is from chapter one, and then we'll scroll back to chapter 15. So maybe you can bookmark both. Mark chapter one will be considering verses nine through 13 and Mark chapter 15 considering verses 16 through 20. Before we hear from the Lord through his word, let's pray. Father, we thank you that you regard much grace and mercy, one who has seen fit to look upon us and the grace that is found only in Jesus Christ. Indeed, And so we pray that you would continue to be with us this evening, that you might speak to us through the reading and the preaching of your word, and that you might continue to conform us into the image of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. We trust in you through this, Father. And we pray all these things through Christ Jesus, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Mark chapter 1. Verses nine through 13. The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God endures forever. Give attention now to the reading of God's word. In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven. I am well pleased. The spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness 40 days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals and the angels who were ministering to him. Now if you would please turn over to chapter 15. Mark chapter 15, considering verses 16 through 20. And the soldiers led him away inside the palace, that is, the governor's headquarters. And they called together the whole battalion. And they clothed him in a purple cloak. And twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. And they began to salute him, hail, king of the Jews. And they were striking his head with the reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out. to crucify him. Indeed, this is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Well, perhaps many of you remember Operation Iraqi Freedom. It was a war that began in 2003 that caused thousands of American troops to be sent to the Middle East. Now, being in the Navy, a Navy sailor for 10 years, I really, I remember all the conversations that occurred around this time. And a lot of these sailors, my peers would tell me how this war affected their families And yet in the midst of these conversations, one thing that I never heard was the fact that they did not believe they would die in war. There was some guarantee in the back of their minds that they would return safely because there at home awaited their family and their friends. And yet what happened? Do you remember? Over 6,000 American troops died, nearly half of which were under the age And now regardless of what you think about Operation Iraqi Freedom, one thing is for certain, that in war, bloodshed is inevitable. I want you to keep that in the back of your mind, that in war, bloodshed is inevitable. All you have to do is scroll through the pages of history and that becomes quite clear. You can even read your Bible and see that with all the wars that are contained in the scriptures, bloodshed is a guarantee. And according to Mark's account of Jesus' life, we have a war on our hands. Instead, it's not between two opposing nations. Mark narrows it down to be between two opposing parties, the Lord Jesus Christ and Satan himself. And as we heard from Mark chapter 15, but it wasn't because Jesus lost this battle. It was the exact opposite. So we embark upon Mark chapter one, a very familiar passage to most, if not all of you, I'm sure. Jesus comes onto the scene, he's baptized by John, the Father speaks from heaven, this is my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased. Then the Spirit of God descends and clothes the Lord Jesus Christ, and then we're told immediately he's driven into the wilderness. And if we're not careful, we can continue reading as if what Mark said just moments ago was not significant. I mean, after all, this is the shortest of all the Gospels, and Mark moves quickly from one scene to the next. And yet just in these several verses, he puts in here a plethora of details and information for us. So we need to take a step back. to consider what he's saying. What of Jesus' baptism? What of the descent of the Holy Spirit, whereby he was clothed by God the Spirit? What of being driven into the wilderness? Now, for the sake of time, I will not ask you to turn there, but just consider a portion of Exodus. I know the details are fuzzy because it says a lot in that big book, but in chapter nine, we see the particulars regarding priest. For one thing, these priests, or aspiring priests, needed to be washed in water. After they were washed in water, one of the next things that occurred were they were clothed with this priestly apparel. And soon thereafter, they began their earthly, priestly ministry. So in Exodus chapter 29, when we see how someone becomes a priest, when we see this etched in God's law, Now take that imagery and apply it to what Mark says. Jesus washed in water, or how about baptized. And he wasn't merely clothed with some external priestly apparel, he was clothed by nothing less than God the Holy Spirit. And then Mark tells us in verse 12, and he's immediately driven out into the wilderness. And might I add, to begin his earthly, priestly ministry. Mark allows us to see that in Christ's baptism, as he was also clothed subsequently by the Holy Spirit, he was fulfilling what God had in his law, namely the way in which he would become a priest. So now we have Jesus as a priest, or as the author of Hebrews says, a great high priest, being immediately driven into the wilderness. Why? I mean, of all places to go, by the wilderness. where he encounters Satan. Oh, it's because what we have here as he encounters Satan is war. And we can see that just by one word that we see in verse 12. As Mark tells us, the Spirit immediately drove him into the wilderness. Mark takes us back to the garden. And it was with Adam, God gave him certain obligations. I'm sure all of you remember the details. And one thing that we read in Genesis 2, particularly verse 15, is that Adam was given a charge to not only work the garden, but as at least the English Standard Version says also, to keep it. And if you can translate that word, keep, another way. As a matter of fact, we see that in Numbers 3. We can make it say, I think reasonably enough, to guard, to guard. You see, one of Adam's obligations was to guard the very dwelling place of God. And this was not merely an arbitrary obligation, it was a priestly obligation. You see the same thing in Numbers 3, where priests were commanded to guard the dwelling place of God, namely the tabernacle, even at the expense As we're told, you, as a priest, are to guard the dwelling place of God, and if you have to take that outsider's life, take it. So there's Adam, this priest, and he's guarding the dwelling place of God, the garden of Eden, and an outsider approaches him. And his obligation is to make sure that outsider does not confuse him, does not entangle him in lies, and sin does not trap him. And yet that's the very thing that happened. Adam fell prey to Satan's lies and his schemes. And he did not take that outsider's life. But in response, his life was taken. And we're told that he was driven away from the presence of God, out of the garden. Yeah, we see that same word here in verse 12. Jesus, likewise, was driven. Same word in the Greek New Testament and the Greek Old Testament. He was driven. But it wasn't into the presence of God. Rather, it was into the wilderness, a place of chaos and turmoil, and into the very presence of Satan. The exact opposite of what we would expect to see. Because when Adam sinned and was driven away from God, we have the sinless one now being driven to the presence of the adversary. And what will happen? Will Jesus guard and dwell in the place of God? It wasn't a tabernacle. It wasn't even a garden. It was his own body. And would he take the life of this outsider? Well, the irony behind it all is that Jesus was indeed successful, if I may call it that. He did not fall prey to the lies and the wit of Satan. And yet, as we read in Mark chapter 15, it was Jesus' life that was taken. It was his blood that was shed. The irony of it all. The victorious one. who defeated Satan in this war was the one who gave his life, was the one who shed his blood. And he successfully guarded the dwelling place of God. Why? It was so that your blood You could not defeat Satan. It was because you could not live this perfect life that God requires of you, that God requires of me. Yet, thanks be to God, because of the work of Jesus Christ on earth. Because although he went to war, and although his blood was shed, indeed, he was victorious. He was our great high priest. Or if I may put it this way, he was that perfect and great soldier who, during war, fought for your freedom, freedom from the bondage of sin, freedom from the penalty of your sin, which is nothing less than the very wrath of Almighty God. And yet, because of your faith in Jesus Christ, you've escaped, so to speak. So I guess it is true what they say about war. Indeed, in war, blood shed. And thanks be to God. Because as you all know, and as we will see, that's not the end of the story. Amen. Indeed, let us recite the prayer of confession of Christ in all that is on the back of your bulletin, and it should be appearing on the screen. Let's recite together. O lover to the utmost, may I read the meltings of your heart to me in the manger of your birth, in the garden of your agony, in the cross of your suffering, in the tomb of your resurrection, in the heaven of your intercession. Bold is this thought, I defied my adversary, tread down his temptations. Resist his schemes, renounce the world, and bow it to truth. Deepen in me a sense of my holy relationship to you as spiritual bridegroom, as Jehovah's fellow, as sinner's friend. I think of your glory and my vow in the spirit. your beauty and my deformity, your purity and my filth, your righteousness and my iniquity. You have loved me everlasting, unchangeably. May I love you as I have been loved. You have given yourself for me. May I give myself to you. You have died for me. May I live to you. Listen to your voice, be clothed with your graces, and be adorned with your righteousness. Amen. Please join us by standing and singing our second song tonight, All I Have is Christ. Once was lost in darkest night Yet though I knew the way The sin that promised joy in life Had led me to the grave I had no hope that You would hold A rebel to Your will And if You had not loved me first I would refuse to still As I ran, I held on grace Indifferent to the cost You looked upon my helpless state And led me to the cross On behalf, God's love displayed You suffered in my place You, Father God, reserved for me Now all I know is I Jesus Christ, hallelujah, Jesus is my life. Now for my will be yours alone, and live so all might see. You stray too far in your demands, and never come. my son Please It is a great privilege and a joy to be able to celebrate with those who've gone before us for thousands of years, and to celebrate our life in Christ, even as we're just standing and having a drink and celebrating throughout this service of worship. And it's a great joy to be able to unite together as congregations, as Hope in Christ, and New City Fellowship, and New Life in Christ Church, that I'm grateful that we're under the same authority of God's word, that we fellowship together, that we're in the same form of government, and there's a lot of things that we can celebrate in being under the authority of Jesus Christ. But especially, I'm grateful that our focus is upon Jesus Christ. You know, for these services over these, I'm sorry, fourth year, third year, I've forgotten, anyway, we focused on the solace of the Reformation, and this evening, it's Christ alone I, brothers, when I came to you did not come with excellency of speech or wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God, for I determined not to know anything among you I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling in my speech. And my preaching was not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." Paul says, when he came preaching, I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. In other places, it says, God forbid that I should boast, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. Indeed, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? We have in Jesus Christ an indescribable gift, and so we celebrate that gift together. That's what unites our congregations together, is the focus upon Jesus Christ, and Christ alone. We speak of the work of Christ upon the cross as atonement. It is what gives us integrity and unity with the Father, that He accepts us. It's a rich truth as it's expanded upon in the scriptures. We see that it includes victory over Satan. I'll just read these scriptures. to go through them all. But in Hebrews chapter 2, verse 14, we read, in as much then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil. Again, in 1 John 3.8, he who sins of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God is manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. is before Jesus' betrayal. He speaks in this manner and says, now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be cast out. In reasoning with the Pharisees regarding the casting out of demons, he says, but if I cast out demons by the spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. For how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods unless he first binds a strong man, and then he will plunder his house. So all of these verses focus upon the richness of Jesus Christ defeating Satan, binding him. Again, as we read in Acts 10.38, the apostles in the name of Jesus proclaimed how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit, with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed And so we rejoice in the victory of Jesus Christ over Satan. Indeed, that is part of this indescribable gift that has been given to us. But we see also that Christ brings healing. As we read in Isaiah 53, 5, he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement for our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed. Again, the psalmist rejoices and says, bless the Lord, O my soul, for getting out all his benefits and forgives all your iniquities. who heals all your diseases. He heals our bodies, he heals our hearts, he heals relationships, as well as our relationship with the Father. Indeed, we read in the scriptures how Jesus Christ is an example of love for his friends, example of suffering for his friends. We read in John 15, 13, greater love is known in this than to lay down one's life And again, in 1 Peter 2, 21 to 24, for to this you are called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps, who committed no sin, nor is deceit found in his mouth, who when he was reviled did not revile in return. When he suffered, he did not threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously, who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness, by whose stripes you were healed. The Bible uses, indeed, these metaphors, these pictures, to speak to us or to communicate to us the richness of our salvation of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, redemption from the world of economics and business, victory from the military world, reconciliation in relationships, and sacrifice from religious experience. work on the cross and the reason why we rejoice so deeply is that Jesus Christ Bible tells us, Jesus himself tells us, do not fear him who can harm your body, but fear him who can cast both body and soul into hell. Why is this? It's because of our sin that Jesus Christ had to die on the cross. Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped. All the world may become guilty before God for all have sinned fall short of the glory of God. And the wages of this sin is an eternal death. As the psalmist again ponders, if you, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? The term that is used in the Bible is not an easy one. It's the term propitiation. And it is a beautiful term because it's a picture of the Holy of Holies, the Ark of the Holy of Holies, in which the law was in the Ark. And there was a golden slab that was placed to cover that Ark. And I believe it was Martin Luther who first described it as the mercy seat, translated it as the mercy seat. But it's the place where God himself dwelt. at Holy of Holies. And only on the day of atonement was the high priest, after having made sacrifice for his own sins and for the sins of his people, was he able to go in to the Holy of Holies and then place blood of the ram upon that mercy seat to cover sin. That's the picture that is given there. And so we read of it, for instance, in 1 John 2, verses 1 and 2, my little children, these things I write to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. And he himself is the propitiation for our sins. He's the payment for our sins. He is the blood that covers the cross. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord's Ghost. Indeed, the whole earth is full of His glory. And any sin is a challenge to God's holiness. It's a challenge to His rule and reign over this world. And every sin requires a just punishment, which is to be sent from the Father. We're not graded on a curve. We can't look at the Ten Commandments and say, well, you know, I keep nine of them and just this one. He doesn't grade on a curve that even one sin against the Holy God breaks the relationship and separates sinners from that God who is holy. So our greatest problem is not Satan. Our greatest problem isn't poor health. Our greatest problem is our sin for Almighty God because God's own nature is contrary anything that is wicked, vile, God, and his personality, and his character, anything that defies his character. And so at Ruth, when we rejoice in the cross, when we boast in the cross, we're boasting that God is both holy and just, but yet he has found a way to be able to reconcile us to himself, so that he is both just and the justifier of those who believe in Jesus. Now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe, for there is no difference. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. once again, by his blood, through death, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance, God has passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time that God is both holy and righteous, but that he might be just and a justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus Christ. And so our God has solved the greatest problem in the entire universe, how he can maintain his holiness and still allow sinners, such as you and I are, into his presence. And that is through the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. We see just in the story itself of Jesus that he died in the place of Barabbas. He was a convicted terrorist. He wasn't just a robber. He was a terrorist. He wanted to steal from the Romans so that he could overthrow the Roman government. And we consider him a terrorist today. And so although he was convicted, Again, in another place, 2 Corinthians 5.21, the Apostle Paul says that Jesus became sin for us, or He made Him a new note of sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. And a great mystery is revealed to us in Isaiah 53, because in Isaiah 53.10, the prophet expresses it, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him. He is put into grief when you may along his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. But how could it please God to bruise his own son, excepting that Nino knew that through the death of his son on the cross, his own justice, his own holiness would be satisfied. And it took the eternal Son of God, who was God himself and fully equal to God, to become man, to die, death that we are to award, and he died in our place as our substitute. Even as we reflect upon the often questioned, and he descended into hell in the Apostles' Creed, as I understand it, that when Jesus Christ cried out from the cross, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? He was in hell. It's the first time, you know, when is hell? But God turning his back, not willing to commune in a fellowship with us, to defend us or to be with us. I mean, hell is where you never see the face of God. You always see his back. He's present there. That's what makes hell so awful. God is present, but he will never commune with you, never talk with you, never have any intimacy with you. And Jesus experienced that upon the cross as he became sin on our behalf. The punishment, the terrible, death on the cross, and that has been documented by physicians, you know, the terrible, you know, when it takes place, the crucifixion is terrible, but the greatest grief of all was God the Father turning his back upon his son. And so foundational to the other aspect on the penal atonement of Jesus Christ suffering the penalty of our sin. Indeed, Jesus Christ is the burnt offering. Thank you, Leon, for reflecting upon the priestly ministry. It prompted me to realize that the burnt offering had to be offered for every other sacrifice in the tabernacle or the temple. You couldn't just come and bring a peace offering or a fellowship offering as a sinner. But because he did anything particularly wrong, it's just because you walked as an unholy being upon God's holy earth that you needed the burnt offering. And then you could go on and offer another offering. And Jesus Christ is that burnt offering, the Holocaust offering, as it were, where he was totally consumed, even as the offering. congregations or churches of our Lord Jesus Christ. It exalts the relationships of the Trinity, that there is a distinction of roles within the Trinity. It is the Father who is particularly offended by our sin. Now, not that God is each of the persons and all the other persons, so we can't distinguish them out completely. But there are different roles. It was the Father who so loved the world that He sent His only Son into the world. It was the Father's plan. The Father made the plan, the Son agreed to the plan, even for all eternity, and was willing to be offered upon the cross. And so, as Jesus mentions over and over again in the book of John, He says, I only do the things that my Father has instructed me to do. Holy Spirit is the one who applies it to our lives. And so the atonement only makes sense within a triune God, within a trinity, making a distinction between the three persons that are equal in power and glory, but yet each has a particular role in our salvation. The blood atonement is the focus of the scriptures in strengthening us day to day. In Revelation 12, verse 11, we read, And they overcame Him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their own lives, even unto death. It is the atonement of Christ that motivates us day by day. Indeed, He does heal. He is an example to us. But foundational is that we're right with God. What do we need to be saved from? We need to be saved from our own sin and from the eternal wrath of God. That's what we're primarily safe from. But yet, an evangelical church that is drifting away from the gospel of substitutionary atonement, we see a heavy emphasis upon Christ as victor, which focuses primarily upon social justice. And indeed, social justice is important, so don't misunderstand me. But the greatest threat to anyone's soul is their own sin. It is not the powers that be out there. It's not structure. It's our own sin that threatens our soul. And so we need to become right with God. Yes, we need to also correct things in our society and in our culture. But yet the focus needs to always be upon right relationship with God. You know, some think of the substitution, some evangelicals talk about the substitution or atonement And so there's a distortion of the gospel message, but we can't soften the gospel message because there may be distortions. That's not the case. It plays the father to Bruce, his son, because he knew that that was the only way that we could be made right with the father. There are those egalitarian evangelicals who view the Trinity in such a way to do away with the roles of father, son, Holy Spirit, that they're all equal. And again, they've talked about it. gospel that gives its greatest concern to self-esteem, not reconciling sinners to a holy and just God. And we do rejoice that Jesus Christ not only died but that he rose again, that not only did he pay the penalty for our sins, but he is the righteousness, as Pastor Leon so capably expressed it to us, and I'm sure that Pastor Leonard will elaborate on more, and that is that he is our We are loved as much as the Son because of Christ's righteousness, even as we read in Romans 4.25 that Jesus Christ died for our sin, but he was resurrected for our justification. We can rejoice in him that I'm sure all of us have at least heard, and so we grow to love. Before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea. The great high priest, whose name is love, whoever lives and pleads for me. My name is graven on his hands. My name is written on his heart. I know that while in heaven he stands, no tongue can bid me thence depart. No tongue can bid me thence depart. When Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within, how could I look and see him there who made an end to all my My perfect spotless righteousness, the great unchangeable I am, the king and glorian of grace. One with himself I cannot die, my soul is purchased by him. We now come to our time of Thanksgiving prayer. I stand before you as one who was raised in a Catholic context, and we have had a word called the Eucharist, or the Eucharistic prayer. We don't use that word very much in our circles, but it simply was good grace, the good grace. Unfortunately, in the Catholic context, I found that as I would strain had tried to find some sense of joy in the way Eucharist was used in the context of a Catholic Mass that, for all my straining, for all my conjuring, it could not bring within my heart joy. But when, as a college student, the Navigators brought to me the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a solo scriptural way, I was able to understand that the joy of the Lord is our strength. And I learned what it meant to be an intentional follower of Jesus Christ. That's when the Thanksgiving joy began to flow in earnest in my life. So let's now join our hearts together as we give thanks and praise. And we do so in the promise that the joy of the Lord is our strength. Let us pray. Almighty God, our everlasting Father, we thank you this evening We thank you, O Lord, for who you are first, that you, the one who is so high and exalted and so lifted up and holy, that we could never approach you in our own holiness, in our own strength, that we thank you, Lord, that you sought us, drew us, brought us to yourself through the cross of Jesus Christ. We thank you, Lord, that in eternity past, the father, the sinning father, sent forth his son, the son, the one who accomplished the work upon the cross and declared the great it is finished. The final resolution for our sin and our unrighteousness, utterly satisfied in Jesus Christ, the spirit who our ears, with our hearts, and our minds, and our wills, the good news of Jesus Christ. Father, we thank you for all that you have done in the gospel. We thank you, O Lord, that you have given to your people two great mandates, that from the very beginning you gave to us the mandate to reach out into our world and into our culture and to make a difference for your honor and glory in subduing and showing dominion in the earth. And so we pray and thank you for the grace and the wisdom and strength and resources that we need to take the goodness of Jesus Christ in a transforming way to our world. But more importantly, Lord, we thank you for that second great commission. that second great purpose that you have built into our lives to take the kingdom of Christ, the dynamic reign and rule of our Lord and King Jesus into the world so that there could be good news and truth that will set men and women, boys and girls free. We thank you, O Lord, that you've placed within our lives that great work of obedience and following you into this world. We thank you, Lord, that in our own local situation, we have sister churches, and these three in particular, who have partnered to do the work of building your kingdom, to train leaders and discipling the saints. We thank you, Lord, that you have not been begrudging, Lord, short shrift in supplying the resources we need. We thank you, Lord, that we've always had just enough at just the right time for our work that we continue to trust you to supply all of our needs according to your riches and glory. We thank you, O Lord, that your people can live in this land of freedom, a freedom which seems so sadly to be taken for granted. But yet we thank you, Lord, that again, in just a matter of days, we will be able, as your people, to go forth and use the stewardship of our vote and the freedom of conscience. And according to the principles of your word, we can have a place under your kind providence to shape our world and shape our land and all of that. as it would set the conditions for the preaching of the gospel in this land. We thank you, Lord, for a persistent and persevering love and one that comes into our lives sometimes in very severe ways. And, Lord, as we still hold out in our old man and still try to reassert our own wills, we thank you, Lord, that in loving firmness You wrench from our hands the idols. You tear from our hearts the things that seem so socially acceptable. We think, Lord, of the great warning that the church would one day fall victim to the same forces in society when there would be a seeking after personal peace and affluence. Lord, thank you that you don't allow us to remain comfortable. but that you stir us up. And then there are times when you wound us lovingly so that we might know the restorative work of your grace. We thank you, Lord, that we have men and women in our churches who serve for your honor and glory. We thank you for our pastors. We thank you, Lord, for these shepherds who struggle and Watch over the flock with such concern and care. We thank you, Lord, that they're willing to endure, even when sometimes misunderstood by even their own people. But we ask your protection upon our pastors and their families and their children. We pray, Father, and thank you for the session of elders and the deacons who are part of the governance leadership of our churches. We thank you, Father, that they are men who have a spiritual burden that the people of God would grow up in faith and a heart of mercy to reach out to the disadvantaged, to the oppressed, to the poor. Thank you, Lord, that you've given us a desire to show mercy. We thank you, Father, that When we come to you in this way, you respond to us not because of our much asking. You don't respond to us out of our own righteousness. You do so solely because we do so in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And so that he might gain for himself honor and glory and thanksgiving and praise. We thank you, King Jesus, that now you sit, you are in session, you sit at the right hand of the Father, and the next time you rise, it will be so that you might come for your church. Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Will we offer this, our prayer? Our hearts and our lives to you in Thanksgiving and pray in Jesus name. If you'd like to join us by standing again for our third song tonight, Aureus Day. One day when heaven must fill a man's brain and legs, One day when sin lies as black as can be, Oh Rising angels find me forever One day He's coming on glorious day, on glorious day One day Suffering Oh One day the grave could conceal Him no longer One day the stone rolled away from the door He arose, all the dead He had conquered Now He's ascended, my Lord and Lord! Death could not hold Him! Grave could not keep Him! Rising again! Mary, He loved me! Dying, He saved me! Mary, He told me! Oh yes my baby Jesus is mine living he loved me dying he saved me Dary, ye carry my sins far away Rise up, angels! Find her! Free her forever! One day is coming, a glorious day! Thanks, please have a seat. We have looked at the work of Christ on earth. We have considered the work of Christ as He hung suspended between heaven and earth on the cross. So now, we ask the question, is that it? Is He done? What else could there possibly be? Is there work left for Christ in heaven? Even as he has said, it's finished. Look at Romans 8 with me briefly as we conclude the evening. Romans 8, 31. Paul, in summarizing what he has so briefly laid out in seven chapters, seven and a half chapters, as the gospel, he asks a bombardment of questions. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died. who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, for your sake we are being killed all the day long. We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus' honor. for what Pastors Leon and Doug have brought to us in setting up the stage for us. Christ's work on earth. He came to earth to fight for your freedom. Christ hung on the cross to die for your freedom. Now, if Christ, if the Son of God, the second person of the Godhead, was willing to come and fight for your deliverance and die for your deliverance, do you think that there is anything you can do to mess up that deliverance? Christ is worth is completed in one sense, in the way that you would say that a mother's work is completed after the baby is born. Right. Perhaps the physical pain of the deliverance of that child has ended, but there is so What is this seat of which we speak? Is Jesus in the great Lazy Boy of Heaven? Is that what was hidden in the Holy of Holies? Is that what the Mercy Seat was, a plush overstuffed recliner? Is that where Jesus is now, in the Lazy Boy? It's finished, I'm done. Finally, let them take care of this for themselves. Or maybe it's more of, you've had your turn. Now it's time to share with the Holy Spirit. It's more of a timeout seat. Is he seated in a timeout seat? Okay, let's share our toys. Let the Holy Spirit do his thing now. Is he sitting because he's done with his work? No, not at all. We're told that he's seated at the right hand of the Heavenly Father. This is a seat of honor because of the work that he has done. Because the Father told His Son to go die for us. The Father turned His back on Him. And now, as we sang this morning, now the Father cannot turn away the pleadings of His Son. He sits in a seat of honor as He has been where our faithlessness should have resulted in death and His faithfulness should have resulted in life, the exact opposite has happened. He has been faithful even to the point of death on the cross so that we could have life. He's seated in the seat of honor, but He's also seated in the seat of influence, the seat next to the Father, the seat next to the throne. He is there influencing the Father on your behalf. But make no mistake, this is a father who delights to be influenced. This isn't a reluctant king whose relenting and nagging son continues to show him his wounds and say, oh, no, put the lightning bolts away. I got this, remember? loves to be influenced for you. Jesus says, I don't do anything that I don't see my father in heaven doing. Jesus says, you want to see what my father is like? Watch me. God is not a reluctant God of the Old Testament. Now Jesus has come, and he's the perp hair flowing free free love, God of the New Testament, and then we move on to the Holy Spirit, you know, just the rules are gone, we're waving our hands, everything's chaos, but hey, at least we love each other. No, God is one. The Holy Spirit is a picture of God. Jesus is a picture of God. God, they're entwined, all of them, loving, delighting in our salvation. It's why he created this place. It's the only reason that makes sense. He didn't need us. He could only have created this to save us. And Jesus sits at his right hand, interceding for you, pleading for you with one who needs no pleading, who delights to care for you, who delights to deliver you. I love Romans 8, because at the beginning, it talks about the sufferings of the world and how it's groaning. And remember how it says that even the Holy Spirit is groaning for us. Even the Holy Spirit groans with words that we can't comprehend. So even when life is so hard, we don't even get it. The Holy Spirit is praying for you. And then at the end of chapter 8, we hear that Jesus, the Son of God, is interceding for you. Do you know what that means? Two-thirds of the Trinity are dedicated to praying for you. That's ineffable. Which this word means, there's no words for that. I like the word that means there's no words. That is ineffable. Two-thirds of the Trinity of the Godhead are dedicated to interceding for you. Christ is praying for you. He is interceding for your freedom. He came to earth to fight for your freedom. He hung on the cross to die for your freedom. He has been raised to life and has ascended to heaven and is sitting at God's right hand interceding for your freedom. I love in Acts, in Acts chapter seven, that Jesus has this seat of honor and this seat of influence, but his love and concern for you are such that he doesn't always stay there. And we see At a moment in the very first martyr's life, as Stephen is being stoned. By the way, Peter preaches and 3,000 come to Christ. Elder preaching, that's the kind of power he has. First deacon preaches and he's stoned. I don't know what to do with that. It's just something we need to... But, Peter is, or Stephen, excuse me, is stoned, and as he's being stoned, have you ever seen this? We're told here, he says in verse 56 of Acts chapter 7, he said, Behold, look, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man is standing at the right hand of God. The Son of God knows it's hard. His death on the cross is not vain. Hell, it'll all be easy street now. Prosperity for everyone all around, it's on me. He knows it's hard. And He sits at the right hand of God, interceding for you. But sometimes He knows it is so hard that He stands up. And He stands for you before the Father, who delights in you. You intercede for us. You have come and fought for us. You have died for us. Now you intercede for us. What? Holy Spirit, you pray for us, you intercede for us. When life is so hard that it feels like the entire creation is in the middle of labor pains, you pray for us. How amazing that we are given the privilege of adding our voices to yours. Your work is done, and yet it has just begun. Thank you for the reminder that you don't just sit in a seat of influence for us, but when we are at our end, you stand for us. Thank you. Father, for your son. It's in his holy, precious name that we pray. Amen. I don't know how we would have a worship service together focusing on, even in Latin, in Christ alone, without singing in Christ alone. Let's stand and sing. This cornerstone, this solid ground Burned through the fiercest drought and storm What heights of love, what depths of peace When fears are stilled, when strivings cease God in helpless babe His gift of love and righteousness Stored by the ones He came to save Till on that cross as Jesus died The love of God was satisfied For every sin on Him was laid There in the ground his body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain. Then burst he forth in glorious day, Up from the grave he rose again, And as he stands in victory, Oh No guilt in life, no fear in death This is the power of Christ in me From life's first cry to final breath Jesus commands my destiny No power of hell, no escape so grateful for the privilege of hosting having you all here. We have plenty of refreshments out there. Please plan on sticking around. If you're a member here, before you get a cookie, you have to help tear something down. Now receive your benediction. Now may the God of peace brought up from the dead by the blood of his eternal covenant, that shepherd, that great shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus. May that God restore in you everything good for doing his will, doing himself in us all that pleases him. Please greet each other.