Through the Resurrection Apr 21, 2019 by: John Herbert | Series: The Word of God - A Survey of the Bible Audio Study Notes PDF https://s3.amazonaws.com/cornerstonejax/sermonfiles/T006_20190421.mp3 Refresh A Recap from the Sermon Hey 12:2 looking [from] unto Jesus, the author and finisher of [the] faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Today we will look to put our Lord's suffering, death and resurrection within the context of God's plan and purpose set out in foundation. The full text of this message can be found by clicking the PDF button. Sunday April 21st 2019 Resurrection Sunday ‘Through the Resurrection….’ 1). Heb 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking [from] unto Jesus, the author and finisher of [the] faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. As we look to the events of what we have come to call ‘Holy Week’ there is a natural tendency for us to focus on the Friday of our Lord’s passion and the first day of the week of His resurrection. But it would be entirely wrong to see these 2 significant events, the Lord’s death and His resurrection, in isolation. a). As we read in our opening verses this morning, our Lord ‘endured the cross’ and despised ‘the shame’, ‘for the joy that was set before Him’ – a joy connected to His sitting down ‘at the right hand of the throne of God’. b). And here is a reference to Psalm 110, a Psalm the writer of Hebrews quoted from in the first chapter of this Book – Heb 1:13 But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”? And this is a chapter we will remember, where we find 7 OT quotations, all of which are Messianic in their scope, opening to us, in Hebrews, God’s revelation concerning the Age to come and the salvation of our souls – Heb 2:3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? 5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. This then is the joy that was set before Him – The Christ in the age to come ruling over the earth in the place of Satan and his angels, with the many sons to be brought to glory, those Christians comprising the Bride, by His side. Just as is pictured in the foundational type of Adam and the Woman and rulership in the 7th Day. c). And it is to bring this purpose to fulfillment, that set in foundation from the beginning, that our Lord ‘endured the cross’ and despised ’the shame’ and this cannot be overlooked or set aside as we reflect upon His sufferings and death. 2). Isa 52:13 Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. 14 Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; 15 So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider. We see in Isaiah’s description of the Lord at His crucifixion, beginning in v14, that because of the beatings and the scourging He received, His physical features had become so disfigured that He was no longer recognizable as a man, causing those who saw Him, as He was hung on the cross, to be ‘astonished’ at what they saw, as they had seen nothing like it before. a). But, remember why the Lord endured this – for the joy set before Him, the coming of His Kingdom. And in that Day when His Kingdom comes, the scene of His humiliation, degradation and suffering will then see the One who had previously been so disfigured, in His Kingdom Glory, shining like the noonday sun in its strength; the King of kings and the Lord of lords. And in that Day, there will again be astonishment, ‘kings shall shut their mouths at Him’, as they see that which they had not been told and consider that which they had not heard – the glorified Christ and His Kingdom Reign, as they will have seen nothing like it before. b). We will not minimize the Lord’s sufferings, but they must be given their proper context, ‘the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world’, or else we can sink in a mire of melancholy rather than rejoicing in the hope His sufferings and resurrection have set before us. 3). With this in mind, let’s also consider this – Gen 2:8 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”……. 21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. In foundation, the Woman had existed in the Man from his creation, but it is only at a specific point in time, following the Man being put into a deep sleep, that the Woman is brought into existence as a separate entity for the purpose of rulership. As it is in the type, so it must be in the antitype. a). The Bride of Christ has existed in Christ from before the foundation of the world – Eph 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. But it was only at a specific point in time, following the Lord giving up His Spirit, that the Bride for Christ could be brought into existence. And for that to happen the last Adam had to be put into a deep sleep – Jn 19:33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. The blood and the water speak of a work to be accomplished among those who have already availed themselves of God’s provision for sin - death and shed blood - by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. b). And this work among the eternally saved for the purpose of procuring/building a Bride for the Son is inextricably connected to resurrection, as we can see by comparing scripture with scripture – Jn 13:3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” 8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” The Lord taught His disciples on the night of the last supper about the High Priestly ministry He was about to engage in on behalf of His Church. A ministry that necessitates His death because blood is needed upon the altar to make atonement for the soul, and a ministry that necessitates His resurrection if He is to fulfill it. And again, we cannot separate the Lord’s present High Priestly ministry from the joy set before Him – as it is the means to accomplish the end. c). And it is because of the Lord’s present work on our behalf that we can be emboldened with respect to the hope of that joy - 1 Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time……..9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. We see then from Peter that we have been brought forth from above to a living hope, a living hope made possible ‘through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead’. d). The living hope is the Lord Jesus Christ as we see from – Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. And the connection between the blessed hope, the Lord’s death and the Lord’s High Priestly ministry is clearly seen in v14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. e). It is the risen Christ who is our hope as we look to the Day when He appears in His Kingdom glory, the hope of His Kingdom to come, the joy set before Him. But, not just the hope of the coming of His Kingdom of itself, but rather that which awaits us because of its coming - the inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away reserved in heaven for those kept by the faith, for those built into the Bride, in conjunction with the risen Lord’s High Priestly ministry in the Heavenly Tabernacle. f). The coming day of the Lord’s Kingdom had already been witnessed by Peter, James and John on the holy mountain – Mt 17:1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 1 Jn 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. And this coming Day of the Lord’s Kingdom had already been foreshadowed in Abraham’s encounter with Melchizedek following the battle with the kings – Gen 14:18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all. In that coming Day the Christ will come forth as the great King/Priest according to the order of Melchizedek and will bless the descendants of Abraham, both heavenly and earthly – blessings that in that Day will flow from Abraham’s descendants in the heavens and his descendants on the earth to the Gentile nations in fulfillment of God’s promise – Gen 12:3…….And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Again, this is the joy that was set before Him, the joy still to be realized in that Day – the purpose for His death and guaranteed through His resurrection. g). A certainty that the Lord embraced unwaveringly – Lk 9:51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 4). And this same steadfastness and determination with respect to the hope should be ours also as we look from the world unto Jesus who is the author and finisher of the faith. a). And with this singlemindedness in view let’s remember the verses we looked at a few weeks ago and note again what they taught us – Mt 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone (of you) desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his soul will lose it, but whoever loses his soul for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. As we had seen, we are to deny our self, take up our cross and follow Him. And to do so not only takes us to the Lord’s death, but also to His resurrection. b). And we can find God’s own commentary on this in – Rom 6:3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 2 Tim 2:11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. We cannot in all conscience consider the enormity of the Lord’s resurrection without acknowledging the impact it must have on our present race of the faith, IF we have died with Him. c). And we can’t look at the imagery of baptism in the verses from Romans Chapter 6 without recalling the great spiritual truths we are taught through the foundational type of the first generation of Israel to come out of Egypt – 1 Cor 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. All those who came out of Egypt were part of Moses ‘house’, all were led by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink, ‘But with most of them’, the entire generation except Joshua and Caleb, ‘God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness’. And these things have been given as types for us to learn from. d). As we know they were delivered from the land of Egypt on the night of Passover through the death and shed blood of the Passover lambs, just as we have been delivered from the world by the death and shed blood of Christ ‘our Passover’. e). And just as Israel was delivered from Egypt for the specific purpose of entering the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; to receive their inheritance and rule as God’s firstborn son within a Theocracy as kings and priests, the conduit through which God’s blessings were to flow to the Gentile nations. So we have been delivered from the world for the specific purpose of entering the heavenly land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to receive our inheritance and rule as God’s firstborn son within Christ’s Kingdom as kings and priests, the conduit through which God’s blessings are to flow to the Gentile nations. f). These 2 experiences are identical, something the writer of Hebrews has also drawn attention to through the house of Moses and the house of Christ – Heb 3:1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, 2 who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all his house. 3 For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. 5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, 6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. Now for that first generation of Israel, having been delivered from Egypt, their focus was to be solely on the land of their calling and every experience they had beyond the Red Sea crossing to the borders of the land was to be seen through the lens of the fulfillment of that calling through their faithful obedience. But, for this entire generation, except Joshua and Caleb, this was not the case. From the golden calf, to the rejection of the manna, to Kadesh Barnea, their focus was on the land from which they had been separated not on the land they were called to causing them to rebel against God. g). And that seen here applies to us. Every experience of our life must be seen through the lens of fulfilling our heavenly calling through our faithful obedience. This is what Peter wrote about in – 1 Pe 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. You see, our faith, that which we have believed concerning Christ and His coming Kingdom, and the salvation of our soul, must be tested to prove its genuineness, and this testing comes through the events of our daily experience. h). If we respond to these experiences with a default, knee jerk, carnal response then we are still looking back to that from which we have been separated by Christ’s death and shed blood. But if on the other hand our response is in line with the Scriptures, in faithful obedience, then what we have believed concerning Christ’s coming Kingdom and the salvation of our soul is proven to be genuine, the real thing, and this is seen to be ‘much more precious than gold’ as it will find ‘praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ’ – bringing our faith to completion as we realize the salvation of our soul. i). Let’s remember - For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 5). And as we again consider ‘the likeness of His resurrection’ let us go on beyond the elementary principles – 1 Cor 15:20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: The word translated ‘all’ in v22 is all inclusive. Every human being dies ‘in Adam’ and every human being who has experienced physical death, which began with Adam, through Christ’s resurrection, will be made alive – they will be raised from the dead. Every human being that has ever existed, saved and unsaved, will experience bodily resurrection - all will stand up before the Christ to be judged – but each in his own order. Not everyone will be resurrected at once and this process of resurrection will begin with those who have died in Christ, eternally saved Christians from this dispensation. a). What we will conclude from this is that bodily resurrection of itself is not the issue as ‘all shall be made alive’. For us, Christ’s resurrection takes us beyond this to something significantly more profound – Php 3:8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the [out]resurrection from the dead. The out-resurrection moves us beyond bodily resurrection from among those who are physically dead to the events of Christ’s Judgment Seat, to those of the eternally saved who, because of their faithful obedience, will stand up out of those Christians who will experience ‘death’ for the age to come. b). ‘To stand up out of’, to be called out of the called, in that Day will be to receive the salvation of our soul, to be adopted as a firstborn son, receiving the redemption of our body, to be a joint heir with the Heir of all things, to occupy the rulership position seen through the role of Wife and firstborn son. To rule with Him for 1000 years. c). This is the purpose to which the whole of human history inexorably moves. The purpose that the events of those 2 days in Jerusalem certified and ratified. Days set in place from before the foundation of the world and then manifested in time at the precise moment necessary for the outworking of God’s plan and purpose. d). And it is because of how it will all end that we must celebrate our Lord’s suffering, death and resurrection together. e). The joy set before Him encompasses not just His Kingdom rule, but the reason for it – Acts 3:20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. 1 Cor 15:24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. This is why the Lamb was ‘slain from the foundation of the world’, and the light has shone out of darkness. Through the Resurrection Apr 21, 2019 Speaker: John Herbert Series: The Word of God - A Survey of the Bible Category: Sunday Morning https://s3.amazonaws.com/cornerstonejax/sermonfiles/T006_20190421.mp3 Download Audio x
Refresh A Recap from the Sermon Hey 12:2 looking [from] unto Jesus, the author and finisher of [the] faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Today we will look to put our Lord's suffering, death and resurrection within the context of God's plan and purpose set out in foundation. The full text of this message can be found by clicking the PDF button. Sunday April 21st 2019 Resurrection Sunday ‘Through the Resurrection….’ 1). Heb 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking [from] unto Jesus, the author and finisher of [the] faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. As we look to the events of what we have come to call ‘Holy Week’ there is a natural tendency for us to focus on the Friday of our Lord’s passion and the first day of the week of His resurrection. But it would be entirely wrong to see these 2 significant events, the Lord’s death and His resurrection, in isolation. a). As we read in our opening verses this morning, our Lord ‘endured the cross’ and despised ‘the shame’, ‘for the joy that was set before Him’ – a joy connected to His sitting down ‘at the right hand of the throne of God’. b). And here is a reference to Psalm 110, a Psalm the writer of Hebrews quoted from in the first chapter of this Book – Heb 1:13 But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”? And this is a chapter we will remember, where we find 7 OT quotations, all of which are Messianic in their scope, opening to us, in Hebrews, God’s revelation concerning the Age to come and the salvation of our souls – Heb 2:3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? 5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. This then is the joy that was set before Him – The Christ in the age to come ruling over the earth in the place of Satan and his angels, with the many sons to be brought to glory, those Christians comprising the Bride, by His side. Just as is pictured in the foundational type of Adam and the Woman and rulership in the 7th Day. c). And it is to bring this purpose to fulfillment, that set in foundation from the beginning, that our Lord ‘endured the cross’ and despised ’the shame’ and this cannot be overlooked or set aside as we reflect upon His sufferings and death. 2). Isa 52:13 Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. 14 Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; 15 So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider. We see in Isaiah’s description of the Lord at His crucifixion, beginning in v14, that because of the beatings and the scourging He received, His physical features had become so disfigured that He was no longer recognizable as a man, causing those who saw Him, as He was hung on the cross, to be ‘astonished’ at what they saw, as they had seen nothing like it before. a). But, remember why the Lord endured this – for the joy set before Him, the coming of His Kingdom. And in that Day when His Kingdom comes, the scene of His humiliation, degradation and suffering will then see the One who had previously been so disfigured, in His Kingdom Glory, shining like the noonday sun in its strength; the King of kings and the Lord of lords. And in that Day, there will again be astonishment, ‘kings shall shut their mouths at Him’, as they see that which they had not been told and consider that which they had not heard – the glorified Christ and His Kingdom Reign, as they will have seen nothing like it before. b). We will not minimize the Lord’s sufferings, but they must be given their proper context, ‘the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world’, or else we can sink in a mire of melancholy rather than rejoicing in the hope His sufferings and resurrection have set before us. 3). With this in mind, let’s also consider this – Gen 2:8 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”……. 21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. In foundation, the Woman had existed in the Man from his creation, but it is only at a specific point in time, following the Man being put into a deep sleep, that the Woman is brought into existence as a separate entity for the purpose of rulership. As it is in the type, so it must be in the antitype. a). The Bride of Christ has existed in Christ from before the foundation of the world – Eph 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. But it was only at a specific point in time, following the Lord giving up His Spirit, that the Bride for Christ could be brought into existence. And for that to happen the last Adam had to be put into a deep sleep – Jn 19:33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. The blood and the water speak of a work to be accomplished among those who have already availed themselves of God’s provision for sin - death and shed blood - by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. b). And this work among the eternally saved for the purpose of procuring/building a Bride for the Son is inextricably connected to resurrection, as we can see by comparing scripture with scripture – Jn 13:3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” 8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” The Lord taught His disciples on the night of the last supper about the High Priestly ministry He was about to engage in on behalf of His Church. A ministry that necessitates His death because blood is needed upon the altar to make atonement for the soul, and a ministry that necessitates His resurrection if He is to fulfill it. And again, we cannot separate the Lord’s present High Priestly ministry from the joy set before Him – as it is the means to accomplish the end. c). And it is because of the Lord’s present work on our behalf that we can be emboldened with respect to the hope of that joy - 1 Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time……..9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. We see then from Peter that we have been brought forth from above to a living hope, a living hope made possible ‘through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead’. d). The living hope is the Lord Jesus Christ as we see from – Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. And the connection between the blessed hope, the Lord’s death and the Lord’s High Priestly ministry is clearly seen in v14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. e). It is the risen Christ who is our hope as we look to the Day when He appears in His Kingdom glory, the hope of His Kingdom to come, the joy set before Him. But, not just the hope of the coming of His Kingdom of itself, but rather that which awaits us because of its coming - the inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away reserved in heaven for those kept by the faith, for those built into the Bride, in conjunction with the risen Lord’s High Priestly ministry in the Heavenly Tabernacle. f). The coming day of the Lord’s Kingdom had already been witnessed by Peter, James and John on the holy mountain – Mt 17:1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 1 Jn 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— 2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. And this coming Day of the Lord’s Kingdom had already been foreshadowed in Abraham’s encounter with Melchizedek following the battle with the kings – Gen 14:18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all. In that coming Day the Christ will come forth as the great King/Priest according to the order of Melchizedek and will bless the descendants of Abraham, both heavenly and earthly – blessings that in that Day will flow from Abraham’s descendants in the heavens and his descendants on the earth to the Gentile nations in fulfillment of God’s promise – Gen 12:3…….And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Again, this is the joy that was set before Him, the joy still to be realized in that Day – the purpose for His death and guaranteed through His resurrection. g). A certainty that the Lord embraced unwaveringly – Lk 9:51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 4). And this same steadfastness and determination with respect to the hope should be ours also as we look from the world unto Jesus who is the author and finisher of the faith. a). And with this singlemindedness in view let’s remember the verses we looked at a few weeks ago and note again what they taught us – Mt 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone (of you) desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his soul will lose it, but whoever loses his soul for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. As we had seen, we are to deny our self, take up our cross and follow Him. And to do so not only takes us to the Lord’s death, but also to His resurrection. b). And we can find God’s own commentary on this in – Rom 6:3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 2 Tim 2:11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. 12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. We cannot in all conscience consider the enormity of the Lord’s resurrection without acknowledging the impact it must have on our present race of the faith, IF we have died with Him. c). And we can’t look at the imagery of baptism in the verses from Romans Chapter 6 without recalling the great spiritual truths we are taught through the foundational type of the first generation of Israel to come out of Egypt – 1 Cor 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. All those who came out of Egypt were part of Moses ‘house’, all were led by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink, ‘But with most of them’, the entire generation except Joshua and Caleb, ‘God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness’. And these things have been given as types for us to learn from. d). As we know they were delivered from the land of Egypt on the night of Passover through the death and shed blood of the Passover lambs, just as we have been delivered from the world by the death and shed blood of Christ ‘our Passover’. e). And just as Israel was delivered from Egypt for the specific purpose of entering the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; to receive their inheritance and rule as God’s firstborn son within a Theocracy as kings and priests, the conduit through which God’s blessings were to flow to the Gentile nations. So we have been delivered from the world for the specific purpose of entering the heavenly land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to receive our inheritance and rule as God’s firstborn son within Christ’s Kingdom as kings and priests, the conduit through which God’s blessings are to flow to the Gentile nations. f). These 2 experiences are identical, something the writer of Hebrews has also drawn attention to through the house of Moses and the house of Christ – Heb 3:1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, 2 who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all his house. 3 For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. 5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, 6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. Now for that first generation of Israel, having been delivered from Egypt, their focus was to be solely on the land of their calling and every experience they had beyond the Red Sea crossing to the borders of the land was to be seen through the lens of the fulfillment of that calling through their faithful obedience. But, for this entire generation, except Joshua and Caleb, this was not the case. From the golden calf, to the rejection of the manna, to Kadesh Barnea, their focus was on the land from which they had been separated not on the land they were called to causing them to rebel against God. g). And that seen here applies to us. Every experience of our life must be seen through the lens of fulfilling our heavenly calling through our faithful obedience. This is what Peter wrote about in – 1 Pe 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. You see, our faith, that which we have believed concerning Christ and His coming Kingdom, and the salvation of our soul, must be tested to prove its genuineness, and this testing comes through the events of our daily experience. h). If we respond to these experiences with a default, knee jerk, carnal response then we are still looking back to that from which we have been separated by Christ’s death and shed blood. But if on the other hand our response is in line with the Scriptures, in faithful obedience, then what we have believed concerning Christ’s coming Kingdom and the salvation of our soul is proven to be genuine, the real thing, and this is seen to be ‘much more precious than gold’ as it will find ‘praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ’ – bringing our faith to completion as we realize the salvation of our soul. i). Let’s remember - For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 5). And as we again consider ‘the likeness of His resurrection’ let us go on beyond the elementary principles – 1 Cor 15:20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: The word translated ‘all’ in v22 is all inclusive. Every human being dies ‘in Adam’ and every human being who has experienced physical death, which began with Adam, through Christ’s resurrection, will be made alive – they will be raised from the dead. Every human being that has ever existed, saved and unsaved, will experience bodily resurrection - all will stand up before the Christ to be judged – but each in his own order. Not everyone will be resurrected at once and this process of resurrection will begin with those who have died in Christ, eternally saved Christians from this dispensation. a). What we will conclude from this is that bodily resurrection of itself is not the issue as ‘all shall be made alive’. For us, Christ’s resurrection takes us beyond this to something significantly more profound – Php 3:8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the [out]resurrection from the dead. The out-resurrection moves us beyond bodily resurrection from among those who are physically dead to the events of Christ’s Judgment Seat, to those of the eternally saved who, because of their faithful obedience, will stand up out of those Christians who will experience ‘death’ for the age to come. b). ‘To stand up out of’, to be called out of the called, in that Day will be to receive the salvation of our soul, to be adopted as a firstborn son, receiving the redemption of our body, to be a joint heir with the Heir of all things, to occupy the rulership position seen through the role of Wife and firstborn son. To rule with Him for 1000 years. c). This is the purpose to which the whole of human history inexorably moves. The purpose that the events of those 2 days in Jerusalem certified and ratified. Days set in place from before the foundation of the world and then manifested in time at the precise moment necessary for the outworking of God’s plan and purpose. d). And it is because of how it will all end that we must celebrate our Lord’s suffering, death and resurrection together. e). The joy set before Him encompasses not just His Kingdom rule, but the reason for it – Acts 3:20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. 1 Cor 15:24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. This is why the Lamb was ‘slain from the foundation of the world’, and the light has shone out of darkness.