[0:00] We'll commence our time of worship to God by singing in praise to his name from Psalm 111.
[0:12] That's in the Scottish Psalter, Psalm 111. And that's from the beginning of the psalm.
[0:26] It's on page 391. Praise ye the Lord with my whole heart.
[0:37] I will God's praise declare where the assemblies of the just and congregations are. The whole works of the Lord our God are great above all measure.
[0:50] Sought out they are of everyone that doth therein take pleasure. His work most honourable is, most glorious and pure, and whose untainted righteousness forever doth endure.
[1:04] His works most wonderful he hath made to be thought upon. The Lord is gracious and he is full of compassion.
[1:16] This psalm's a reminder of all that God has done for us and will continue to do for us. So let us stand and sing praises to his name.
[1:27] Praise ye the Lord with my whole heart. Praise ye the Lord with my whole heart.
[1:41] I will watch this in there. Where the assemblies of the just and congregations are.
[1:57] Where the assemblies of the just and congregations are.
[2:13] The full works of the Lord our God are great above all measure.
[2:30] So glad they are of everyone. So glad they are of everyone.
[2:49] The full works of the Lord our God is, most glorious and pure, and his and his and his and his. Decented righteousness and righteousness and righteousness.
[3:00] His works of the Lord our God is, most glorious and pure, and his and his and his. Decented righteousness and righteousness and his and his. Decented righteousness and his.
[3:11] Decented righteousness and his. Decented righteousness and his. Decented righteousness and his. Decented righteousness and his.
[3:24] And this untainted righteousness Of heaven now endure.
[3:41] If what's most wonderful we have May truly thought upon, The Lord is gracious and he is, The Lord is gracious and he is, Full of compassion.
[4:28] May we join our hearts together in prayer. Let us pray to your Lord. Our heavenly Father, We come to you again this day, Thanking you for all that you have given us.
[4:44] Thanking you for the privilege of being able to gather, Freely and without threat, From no man nor any one that would seek to destroy The proclamation of your name.
[5:01] Lord, we thank you especially for what this day is to us, As a reminder of what your son did to show us, What you have done to show us.
[5:16] Your power, your authority, your creation, What you will do for the believer who believes in his son.
[5:28] Lord, we know that these things provoke wonder in our hearts. The Lord Jesus Christ, who was buried and who rose again.
[5:44] Lord, we pray that we would give our thoughts to this today, And wonder of what he is, And who he was.
[5:55] Lord, we thank you that that promise is for the believer in Jesus Christ. Those who believe in his name shall not perish, But have everlasting life.
[6:07] And what a comfort that is to us. What a comfort it is to those who pass from this life.
[6:19] And we know many of whom have gone to glory. And we pray your comforting hand over those who are mourning this day.
[6:31] Lord, we pray that they would know your presence amongst them. Ask that strength to them. In a time when they feel unable to take a step forward.
[6:46] Lord, we pray that you would be with them in that time. Lord, we pray for the family of the late Duncan McLean.
[6:58] We pray for the families of the late Belle McLeod. Lord, and any others who mourn.
[7:10] We commit them to you. Those who we do not know of. Those who are still feeling the pains of their losses. And their lives that have changed so dramatically.
[7:23] Lord, be that comfort this day. To whom else can we commit them to? But you who are so loving. As a loving father gives to his children.
[7:34] You know the greatest administration of that love to your people. So Lord, we pray that you would be with each of us.
[7:46] You know the plights of our hearts and our lives. You know the difficulties that we go through in our experiences. You know what keeps us awake in the watches of the night.
[7:58] Lord, would we commit ourselves to you. Would we seek guidance from your hand.
[8:10] Would we seek comfort in your word. One that teaches us that you will show us the way. You are one that can level the ground before us.
[8:21] You are the one who has strength to overcome all the impossibilities that this world sets before us. Lord, we thank you for your son, Jesus Christ.
[8:35] Lord, we pray that he came to redeem his people. That he came with that love. And showing us that love of the father to the son.
[8:50] And the son to his people. Lord, work amongst us. Lord, we pray. May your spirit that has been left with us.
[9:04] Be known in this building. We can do nothing of ourselves. The words would be dead to us. If it were not for your spirit.
[9:15] That enlivens it and makes it alive. And gives us an ear to hear. And eyes to see. What Jesus Christ has done for us.
[9:26] And it is an eye and ear that helps us to see ourselves. In a more clearer light. In your light. We see the depths of the sin that lies within us.
[9:42] But your light illuminates a way far greater. That cleanses us from these sins. And that you have promised to do so for those who believe in your name.
[9:57] Our robes are so stained with our sins. But you shall take them from us. And put them on yourself.
[10:09] But give us a robe that is clean. And pure and undefiled. Lord, we just ask that you would bless the preaching of your word today.
[10:22] Wherever it goes forth. We pray for our congregation around Easter islands. And across our nations. That the spirit may be known. And the power of your word.
[10:34] May be known by the people who hear it. That you may bless it. To all who hear. Pray for our nation, Lord.
[10:46] We pray. That we have largely forgotten you as a nation. And we. There are many. Thoughts.
[10:58] People pushing new opinions of how they want the nation to be. Lord, we need to go back. And look at your word. And find guidance from.
[11:11] Lord, you are the one. You can show us the right path. You are the one who has commanded us the way in which we should live.
[11:22] You have given us the rules of life. And they are the rules and laws. That are in accordance with your ways. For you are the one that will come as judge over us.
[11:37] Lord, how will you judge our nation? Lord, are you judging our nation? Lord, we know that. Lord, we know that. The world can change in so short a time.
[11:53] Maybe you are trying to tell us something. How fragile life is. How we are not in control. How we cannot control.
[12:05] No matter what we do. We pray. Lord. That you would open the eyes of the nations. To the power. Of Jesus Christ.
[12:18] We pray for our leaders. We pray. For them. That they may know. This gospel message for themselves. And receive it with joy and gladness to their hearts.
[12:31] Lord, we are quick to criticize them. But let us pray for them first. Let us pray for them. That your word may come to them.
[12:45] As that light and guide. That will administer to them wisdom. And will be a wisdom to them. A rod and staff.
[12:57] That will show them the way. And be a guide for them. And a guide for the nations. That they lead. We pray. Our leaders. Seek. The God.
[13:10] Of creation. The God. Of salvation. And the God. That is. A God of great provision. For those who believe in him.
[13:21] So be with us in this time of worship. We ask. For your spirit. To be with us. Blessing every word that is spoken. And the power of your word being read. Administer it to our souls.
[13:34] With your love. All this we ask in the name of our saviour. The Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. I'd like to say a word to the younger ones that are here.
[13:47] It is Easter Sunday. As I'm sure most of you know. And I hope you all got an Easter egg. So I brought with me a stone.
[13:59] A pebble. And you might ask. Why on earth did you bring a pebble with you on Easter Sunday? Surely an egg would have been better to bring.
[14:11] But. This pebble is a reminder to us. As well. Of the tomb. This is a pebble that I can.
[14:23] Throw up. It's nice and light. I can. Pick it up no problem. I can put it down where I want. I can move it with ease. And it is not too heavy.
[14:34] For me. And if I wanted to. I could throw it. All the way. To the back. Of the building. But if this pebble was bigger. Or got bigger.
[14:45] And bigger. I would find it more difficult. To throw it. To move it. And. It would come. To the size.
[14:55] That. And the point. Where I couldn't move it. And the stone would be stronger. Than. Me. Now.
[15:08] When Jesus had been buried. There was a stone. Put over his tomb. And Mary and her friends. As they came. With the spices. To administer.
[15:20] To Jesus's body. They asked. Who will roll away. The stone for us. It was too big. For them. It was too heavy. For them to move.
[15:31] It was impossible. For them to move. Because of its weight. Let alone. Because it was sealed. And let alone. Because it was guarded.
[15:43] And the stone. That would have been there. Is most likely. They say. It would have been. Something like a four foot. Kind of. Round stone. Maybe a wee bit bigger. Maybe a wee bit smaller.
[15:54] But the stone. That would have been put there. If it was round. Signified that. The tomb. Would have been. For someone. Who was. The elite.
[16:06] Pretty much. Of the nation. The top men. Of the nation. The kings. Of the nation. The rulers. Of the nation. Only the rich. Got a round. Stone. On their tomb.
[16:19] So when they saw. The tomb. Where the person. Was buried. They knew straight away. Oh this must have been. A king. This must have been. A ruler. This was someone. Who was. Important.
[16:29] But it was a stone. That was too heavy. For these. Ladies. To move. And there was a quote. I read. Which gave me.
[16:40] That inspired me. To do this. The stone. At the tomb. Was a pebble. To the rock. Of ages. The stone. At the tomb. Was a pebble. To the rock.
[16:50] Of ages. The stone. That the. Marys. Couldn't move. Was like this. Pebble. To the God. Of creation.
[17:01] He could have just. Got rid of it. And he did. With ease. God pushed it out of the way. Just like a pebble. The tomb. Could not hold.
[17:13] Jesus. In. Jesus. Showed us. And God. That they were stronger. Than death. It was revealed.
[17:24] To us. Many things. In our life. Are hard. Are hard. For us. Many things. In our life. Are even impossible. For us.
[17:34] Like the ladies. That came to move. A stone. They couldn't do it. But Jesus. Shows us. That he is. Strong. And stronger.
[17:45] Than the hardest. Thing. That we know of. In our life. And that is death. Jesus. Is stronger. Than death. Itself. So if you ever find.
[17:56] A pebble. On the beach. A round one. Remember. The king. That was buried. King. Jesus. Remember.
[18:08] How strong. God is. In overcoming. Death. For us. Remember. The tomb. That was empty.
[18:19] And remember. That Jesus. Is alive. The stone. That. The tomb. Of Jesus. Is grave. Was like a pebble.
[18:30] To the rock. Of ages. Jesus. Has conquered. Death. May that. Be blessed. To us. May we say. The Lord's.
[18:40] Prayer. Together. Our Father. Which art in heaven. Hallowed. Be your name. Your kingdom. Come. Your will. Be done. On earth.
[18:51] As it is. In heaven. Give us this day. Our daily bread. And forgive us. Not our debts. For thine. Is the kingdom. The power. And the glory.
[19:02] Forever. Amen. May we turn to our Bibles now. And read God's word. In the book. The gospel of John. Gospel of John.
[19:16] Chapter 5. And we'll read from the beginning of the chapter. The gospel of John. The gospel of John.
[19:37] Chapter 5. At the beginning. And we'll read down to the end of verse 29. Let us hear God's word. After this, there was a feast of the Jews.
[19:52] And Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool. An Aramaic called Bethesda. Which has five-roofed colonnades.
[20:03] In these lay a multitude of invalids. Blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for 38 years. When Jesus saw him lying there.
[20:15] He knew that he had already been there a long time. And said to him, Do you want to be healed? The sick man answered him, Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up.
[20:29] And while I am going, another steps down before me. Jesus said to him, Get up, take your bed, and walk. And at once the man was healed.
[20:40] And he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, It is the Sabbath. And it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.
[20:54] But he answered them, The man who healed me, That man said to me, Take up your bed and walk. They asked him, Who is the man who said to you, Take up your bed and walk?
[21:08] Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was. For Jesus had withdrawn, As there was a crowd in the place. Afterwards Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, See, you are well.
[21:20] Sin no more, That nothing worse may happen to you. The man went away and told the Jews That it was Jesus who had healed him. And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus.
[21:33] Because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, My father is working until now, And I am working. This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him.
[21:47] Because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, But he was even calling God his own father, Making himself equal with God. So Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, The Son of Man can do nothing of his own accord, But only what he sees the Father doing.
[22:07] For whatever the Father does, That the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son, And shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these he will show him, So that you may marvel.
[22:22] For as the Father raises the dead, And gives them life, So also the Son gives life, To whom he will. The Father judges no one, But has given all judgment to the Son, That all may honour the Son, Just as they honour the Father.
[22:40] Whoever does not honour the Son, Does not honour the Father, Who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, Whoever hears my word, And believes him who sent me, Has eternal life.
[22:54] He does not come into judgment, But has passed from death to life. Truly, truly, I say to you, An hour is coming, And is now here, When the dead will hear The voice of the Son of God, And those who hear will live.
[23:13] For as the Father has life in himself, So he has granted the Son also, To have life in himself. And he has given him authority, To execute judgment, Because he is the Son of man.
[23:28] Do not marvel at this. For an hour is coming, When all who are in the tombs, Will hear his voice, And come out, Those who have done good, To the resurrection of life, And those who have done evil, To the resurrection of judgment.
[23:46] Amen. May the reading of God's word, Be blessed to us. May we have ears to hear it, And may we know the life, That is within it. May we continue in our praise, By singing to God, And sing Psalm, Psalm 139, 139A, That's on page 181, And we'll sing from verse mark 13, Down to verse mark 18.
[24:20] Psalm 139A, And the singh sounds, For you, O Lord, Created me, You wove me on your loom, My inmost being, You have formed, Within my mother's womb.
[24:34] Because I'm wonderfully made, With all your praise I tell, Your workmanship is marvelous, And this I know full well. Down to the verse mark 18, Where are I to count them, They would be more than the grains of sand.
[24:48] When I awake, I am with you, Still safe within your hand. Let us stand and sing to God's praise, For you, O Lord, Created me. For you, O Lord, Created me, You wove me on your loom, My inmost being, You have formed, Within my mother's womb.
[25:30] Because I'm wonderfully made, With all your praise I tell, Your workmanship, Is marvelous, And this I know full well.
[26:05] When in the secret place, My frame was made before, You have formed, My word, You saw my body, Yet unformed, Within the depths of earth, And on the days that I should live, Which you are gave for me.
[26:56] Well written in your beautiful Lord, Before they came to me.
[27:14] O God, O God, How precious are your thoughts, I scan them from afar, And thus I sing to God's name, And thus I sing to God's name, And thus I sing to God's name, For I am the greatest of sound, And thus I sing to God's name, Who I am the greatest of sound, I am the greatest of sound, When I outweigh, I am with you, still stay within your hands.
[28:31] May we turn back to the passage that we read together. And I want us to focus on the section from verse 19 down to where we stop reading at verse 29.
[28:46] And we read from the beginning just so our minds would understand the context of why and what Jesus is saying to the believers there. And as a text to take, I suppose it would be verse 28 and 29.
[29:04] Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming, when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out. Those who have done good to the resurrection of life and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
[29:21] Now, Easter reminds us of the stone that was rolled away, the tomb that was empty, the angels that declared, Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
[29:34] He's not here. He has risen. The man who had been seen by all the people to take his last breath on the cross and to have the spear pierced through his side.
[29:49] He came back to life. And it's hard for us to comprehend this as something that really happened. We read it.
[30:02] We've known it. But to understand it as something that truly happened, it pushes our understanding, admittedly, especially when we know of death ourselves.
[30:18] And it reassures us when we go through the Gospels that the very men who were with Jesus and followed him through his life, doubted.
[30:31] Thomas doubted. And he wouldn't even believe his other friends that were with him. It says in the Gospel of Luke that when he appeared to the men, they disbelieved for joy at his reappearing.
[30:47] And it tells us also that they marveled that he was there. It pushes our understanding. It causes us to marvel.
[30:58] And marvel at the Easter message is what we should do. But I believe we are guilty of not really giving thought to these things at Easter time.
[31:10] We're maybe more guilty of making a thing of when Jesus was born than when he arose. For many, Easter seems to come and go with little or no consideration to Jesus overcoming the final enemy of death, this death being nullified by Jesus Christ.
[31:36] And it is the crux of the Christian faith, the resurrection. If Jesus had not been resurrected, if he had not revealed himself as the resurrected Savior, where would our hope lie today?
[31:53] But the question is, do you marvel at what he has done and revealed to you? Maybe it's such strange a thought to us or so difficult a concept to consider that we just don't really consider it.
[32:08] We're scared to consider it. Maybe it's just that we're growing old and we get distracted by the things of life and God falls out of the picture and we doubt the resurrection's credibility and maybe even reject it entirely as unbelievers.
[32:27] Or is it as Christians, we become guilty of being so familiar with it that we stop to marvel at it? So if possible, I would love to provoke ourselves to wonder about Jesus Christ and his resurrection through the words that he spoke to the doubters of the day and the passage that he has left with us.
[32:53] And back to our reading, the beginning of the chapter, as I said, it sets out the context of what's happening. What's taking place, this man has been healed on Sunday and he has been told to lift his mat and go.
[33:08] And the Jews pick up on it and they ask him who healed him and why he was carrying his mat and he says, well, the man that healed me, the man that had the authority to heal me, told me to carry my mat.
[33:18] But I don't know who he was. But it comes to life that it was Jesus Christ. And Jesus makes a claim that he is the Son of God and leads to the hostile accusation that we can see there in verse 18.
[33:33] This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him because not only was he breaking a Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own father, making himself equal with God.
[33:48] You can imagine this group of Jews, likely Pharisees, Sanhedrin, Sadducees, they're ready to kill him. He's standing before men that are ready to kill him and that effectively, if they had guns, would be pointing them at his face.
[34:05] So he's got some explaining to do and this is how he explains himself. And it is a lesson for us today to hear. And you may have noticed that he speaks to them with three truly, trulys, or verily, verilys as we knew them in the King James Version.
[34:25] There's one there in verse 19 at the beginning. There's one at verse 24 and the last one up here at verse 25. And it is sensible that we can take these truly, trulys to break up our passage and our thoughts for today.
[34:40] And every time he says this, truly, truly, it is a certainty that demands our attention. Jesus says this is of utmost importance for us and it is vital grounding for us today.
[34:57] Jesus makes an emphasis as well by repetition, a common practice of the day to emphasize something or to repeat it. And it might be equivalent to me saying to you today, you must listen to this.
[35:13] This is vastly important to you. You must consider it. If you don't listen to this, I don't know what I can do for you. It is absolutely certain that this is true.
[35:27] So we will call them three certainties of Jesus' word. And there is a sermon to each of them, but we will just skiff over them. And wonder and marvel at what Jesus Christ reveals to us through each of them.
[35:41] So we'll take our first certainty there. And I suppose if we are to understand the resurrection of Christ, we need to realize who he is to God.
[35:54] Who is this man? And who and what relation does he have to God? And this is what Jesus is attempting to do to the men there.
[36:05] Let us read again from verse 19. So Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing.
[36:16] For whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these he will show him, so that you may marvel.
[36:32] For the Father raises the dead and gives them life. So also the Son gives life to whom he will. The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father.
[36:50] Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. This passage, Jesus is justifying his claims to be the Son of God.
[37:02] Where does his authority come from to do the miracles and works that he does? And he speaks of divine truths here as absolute certainties for them, and they are certainties for me and you to believe in today.
[37:17] He gives them a lesson of the personal relationship and the personal role that the Son has with the Father. And of that relationship, his first words are there in verse 19, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees his Father doing.
[37:35] And this is a vital point. First of all, he tells us that they are both inseparable. The Father and the Son work together.
[37:48] Every teaching, every miracle, has been worked through both of them. Outapproven by God and outworked through Christ.
[37:59] And he is saying to the Pharisees, how on earth do you expect me to be doing these things? Healing this man and making him walk. Do you expect me to be doing these things by myself?
[38:12] No. I am working with the Father and I am working according to this will. and he is my source. And he is the source of all.
[38:26] He does nothing of his own accord. Jesus in this relationship is a son of obedience to the Father, but he's a son of reliance upon the Father as well.
[38:38] we remember how often Jesus would pray, how he would rely on his Father to guide him and to be strengthening him and to be paying him for the works that he had before him.
[38:52] He could do nothing of his own accord, nothing without his aid. and it's an important lesson for the Christian to remember that if Christ relied so heavily upon his Father, if Christ could do nothing of his own accord, surely it is the same for us if we are not in accord with our Saviour.
[39:17] We cannot do nothing. Jesus is the source of our strength. He is the intermediator between God and us. and we can do nothing without his aid.
[39:32] And it says there as well, but only what he sees the Father doing. And children often react in a manner similar to their parents and it's not surprising because they've been taught by their parents.
[39:47] And they can say that, well, you're just like your father when you do that or you've learned that from your father. That's not usually a good quality when they say that. But Jesus has known the perfect Father.
[40:02] And he is one who is in every way worth imitating. And likewise, as the Father does, so the Son will do.
[40:15] And through what we have been revealed in the words of Scripture through Jesus Christ, we see and we know more of who God is.
[40:29] What is God's nature? What are God's attributes? Who is God? We see it more clearly when we look at his Son.
[40:39] Because his Son, it says in Hebrews, it's a beautiful verse, Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.
[40:55] When we look at Jesus, we see the creator of this world. Is that not a wonder to us? This relationship of the Father and Son is also one grounded in love.
[41:10] You'll see that in verse 20. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he is doing. It is such a love that shares in all that he is doing.
[41:23] He has let us know him. And he has shared his love. He has shared his revelations. And all the more have come to us through his beloved Son of whom he is well pleased.
[41:41] And their love is shared in such a way that we can become receivers of it. We can receive and experience the love of Jesus Christ.
[42:00] He gives us the right to become children of God. That's John chapter 1 verse 12.
[42:11] Imagine becoming a child of God and knowing the love of God. It's a wonder.
[42:22] Why has he given this to us? Jesus tells us of who he is through his relationship and his role.
[42:35] And their role together is perfectly complementary to the purposes of God. Verse 20 there. And greater works than these will he show him so that you may marvel.
[42:50] greater works will come greater than this man who has picked up his mat and walked. And why will they be done? So that we may marvel.
[43:02] You may marvel. I may marvel. God has ordained these things and revealed them through Christ for our benefit.
[43:16] God is all for our benefit. God didn't need to prove himself to anyone. God is God and the creation alone would prove who he is.
[43:30] But through his grace has not left us hidden. Not left us unknowing of who he is. God wants us to know him.
[43:43] Had not a wonder. God wants us to think about who he is and consider who he is. He chooses to reveal himself to us but still it is only in part there is more far far more to this God and his fullness is probably beyond our understanding in this world beyond what we could comprehend we can only marvel at what he has chosen to reveal to us.
[44:15] You see Christ's role is to reveal even more of who the father is. He does not hide these things from the Jews when they question it but he takes time to explain it to them and greater works will be done no greater than the resurrection.
[44:35] Surely it points to the resurrection when he was exalted as the son of God and having satisfied the cost of sin and giving every believer the assurance of his provision to them.
[44:51] Donald Gray I found a new quote book this week you might pick up that I've got a few quotes in here. I found a new quote book and Donald Gray Barnhouse I don't know who he is he said the angel rolled away the stone from Jesus' tomb not to let the living Lord out but to let unconvinced outsider in.
[45:15] That's exactly what Jesus does he's revealing who God is. The stone was rolled away to reveal who he is and the fact that he was not there proves that he is the son of God.
[45:30] We are not left in the dark. We are given sufficient knowledge to be persuaded that he is who he says he is. But the son has another role and that's in verse 22.
[45:45] It says that he is judge. It's not the father who will judge. It is the son that has been the authority to do that. And any judge in this life that would have authority over us provokes the response of reverence or honour because they have authority to judge how they seem fit.
[46:12] What we think of ourselves does not matter to the judge. It is no bearing on how the judge will determine us. Jesus will judge say to me.
[46:31] Do you reject his claims to be the son of God? Have you dismissed every revelation and grace that he has given to you? Have you dismissed him coming to you and saying I want you to know me?
[46:45] Have you dismissed that thought today? All that has been revealed to us provokes wonder in us. Is this man really the son of God?
[46:56] Surely how could he do these miracles because of who he is? How could he come back from death again the son of God? Why do we have this Bible? Why did men go forth and preach this word and why did men become martyrs for the sake of this certainty and fully believed in the next certainty?
[47:23] What is that next certainty? Read verse 24 with me. Truly truly I say to you whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.
[47:35] He does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life. In understanding the resurrection of Christ we need to realize who he is to God but realize who he is to us.
[47:50] And it is a certainty that whoever believes in the word of Jesus Christ and believes God sent him to pay for your sin will have eternal life.
[48:04] This is the shortest of our certainties and one that is far simpler to grasp maybe but one that comes with far greater weight on us.
[48:15] especially when we realize he is the son of God. What does he say to me and what does it mean to me in this certainty?
[48:30] Well he says that whoever hears my word and believes in whom he sent me has eternal life. And this is good news. You can have eternal life and believe in Jesus Christ.
[48:44] The son of God provides an escape from the enemy of death. But it is a word that also makes a demand on you as the whoever to ask another question of yourselves.
[48:56] Do you believe God sent his son Jesus? Do you believe this word that we have is from God? Or maybe we can ask do you want to have eternal life?
[49:08] Maybe that's an easier question to answer. A life without the pains and sorrows of this life. What would you say? We must give our ear to hear this word and believe in the God who sent his son.
[49:29] Whoever you think you are, it does not matter. This is for whoever. Whether you think you're good, bad, or ugly, I will not make that decision. But whoever you are, God has revealed this to you, that whoever believes in him will have eternal life.
[49:51] What a hope, what a wonder. And the language of it that follows is a further reassurance, because it does not have, might have, could have, or should have in it.
[50:02] it, he has eternal life. His word has a weight that actually determines your eternity. Whether you like it or not, whether you agree with it or not, Jesus is your judge.
[50:18] But what does it mean if we believe? It says in the second part of that, he who does, he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
[50:33] If you hear his word and believe it as a gift of God, you will have eternal life. And you can see that the believer does not come into judgment, but has, again, has, no maybes there, has what?
[50:49] Passed from death to life. It means life even in death. And that is the resurrection's reassurance to the believer.
[51:00] we have life in death. In the sight of death, there is life. And it is a hope for those who have lost a believer.
[51:15] They have life. The believer will not expect judgment, for he has already passed. Something has already happened.
[51:27] He has passed to life. Jesus grants the believer the procession of eternal life in this life. Because Christ is the payment of it. It is settled.
[51:38] The payment is settled. We pass from a life leading to a certain death to one that leads to certain life. And the passing here maybe points us back to the Passover in Egypt.
[51:51] The judgment of God falling upon a nation who refused to believe in the word that he brought to them through Moses. The angel of death that came.
[52:02] They were warned of it. But the angel of death came and visited their homes killing the firstborn. But passed over the homes that had made the sacrifice of killing the lamb and putting it on their doorposts and trusting in that blood.
[52:22] this is what it means to believe Jesus is the lamb that saves us from death. Death that has been warned and told to us.
[52:36] Jesus is the one to set us free from the slavery of the world. Jesus is the one that gives us a new life. The Jews will remember the Passover this week and it is a wonder in the timing of God that Jesus would be our Passover sacrifice.
[53:00] We have life through his death and it gives the great believer the greatest hope in this life for today and for tomorrow.
[53:12] So move on to our third certainty very briefly. Read again with me verse 25. truly, truly I say to you, I know it is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.
[53:31] In understanding the resurrection of Christ we need to realize who he is to God, who he is to us and who he is for us today and will be in our tomorrow.
[53:48] Jesus says that the hour is coming and is now here two times, one to come and one that is here. There will be an hour that will come as we now know.
[54:02] The Son will come as the judge to set men free or to condemn them. And again it will be made known to us and revealed to us by what we hear.
[54:15] It is a voice that will speak on that day. It is a voice that will make a declaration over everyone's life. But he says do not marvel at this and I cannot help but marvel at this.
[54:31] I wonder what this day will be like when Jesus comes in judgment. What will his appearing be like?
[54:43] We can only but wonder. but he says do not marvel at this. Men have tried and wondered to calculate when this day would be but nothing has come of it.
[54:54] They have wasted their time. But why are we told not to marvel over it? well he is speaking to the Jews and he is telling them of all these things and he is saying you can marvel at what I have just told you but I tell you something else.
[55:14] Something far greater will come that you will marvel at. Do not marvel at these things. These are small things. that a day will come when you will have cause to marvel.
[55:30] It will be a marvelous day when men and women will rise from the dust of the ground from rise from the place where they rest by the power of his word.
[55:50] It's hard for us to grasp. It's hard for us to understand what this will be like which makes it all the more marvelous for us.
[56:02] It will leave us in awe. Resurrection for everyone is a certainty. We are told that in our passage and I have another quote for you.
[56:14] Thomas Watson said, we are more sure to arise out of our graves than we are out of our beds. We are more sure to arise out of our graves than we are out of our beds.
[56:28] You see, time is not certain. Tomorrow is not certain. The ability to get out of our beds is not certain. But your resurrection is.
[56:41] Jesus tells us that and that bears the greatest weight on the time that is now, the time that is here. This makes a great weight for now.
[56:55] And it is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. And that voice is as active today as it ever has been through his promised Spirit.
[57:06] See, the unbeliever is like a dead man. And the unbeliever as a sinner should expect Christ to pass a judgment of death. The believer is one that has life and should expect Christ to receive them to eternal life.
[57:27] And that is relevant for every person that is sitting here today. It's an expectation for you. Christ Jesus is giving you a certainty of an expectation to come.
[57:41] But which is it for you? Do you believe in this son or do you not? Will it be good or will it be bad?
[57:54] There are many believers in this building who looked at their lives and thought and realized that they were dead. They went through their lives and achieved what they wanted to achieve and maybe had their life planned out to retire in comfort after they had done all they wanted and what is it for when it comes to that hour?
[58:20] That life that we may fill with so much of what we want stands empty of any hope but the empty tomb of Christ fills the one who dies to himself a hope for their life.
[58:38] this Easter I'm sure you'll all have eggs around your home and the egg stands for a reminder of the wonders Christ has done and revealed to us.
[58:54] Maybe he points back to the Passover the ways of sacrifice the way that things were done there and Jesus concluded the sacrificial ways by sacrificing himself but pointing a new way of resurrection life for the believer he concluded the way of sacrifice and he'll conclude the way of resurrection by coming again himself.
[59:27] But it should cause us to consider this egg not only what he has done but what he will do. Nine times out of ten the chocolate egg is made of two sides and the empty centre reminds us of the empty tomb.
[59:43] The resurrection to come will certainly have two sides to it. We are told that in what we read today and it will be the resurrected son of God that will make the divide.
[60:00] One side is easy to digest which is the inconceivable joys of life that it will be so perfect holy and happy to the believers in the company of the saints and the immediate vision of God their father the Lord Jesus Christ for all eternity.
[60:21] But the other side of this resurrection is harder for us to swallow. It is the divide to death where the judge will sentence the unbeliever.
[60:32] Fear shall stand before him knowing that his condemnation will be rightful and just. To be tormented body and soul in hell with the devil and his angels forever.
[60:47] I can't stand here and tell you these things are not to be expected. That's what Jesus has revealed to us. Many people won't tell you that truth or won't take that from the word of God.
[61:02] But it's what we are to expect if we do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Truly these saints come with much weight to us. There is no middle ground.
[61:15] This is the words of the judge himself. And it's not often that the judge tells you how to escape this wrath, is it? It's not often you would have a judge that would offer to pay to set you free.
[61:30] It's not often you have a judge that would take the death sentence for you. But we do. In Christ Jesus, he does.
[61:45] Do you believe in him? Every truly, truly of Christ was not for his benefit. It was for ours. The wonder of who he owes to God, the wonder of who he is for you and the wonder of what he can be for your today's and tomorrows.
[62:07] May we marvel at his words, for it will come to pass. All is certain. The believer has the certainty of the company of this great judge, this man of authority, this man of love, who is a great reassurance for eternity.
[62:35] May these thoughts be blessed to us. May we conclude by singing in Psalm 72 in the Scottish Psalter. The last verses there.
[62:49] All right. All right. All right. 72, page 314, Scottish Psalter.
[63:10] The city shall be flourishing, her citizens abound, and number shall like to the grass that grow upon the ground. His name forever shall endure, last like the sun it shall, and shall be blessed in him and blessed all nations shall call.
[63:26] Now blessed be the Lord our God, the God of Israel, for he alone does wondrous works in glory that excel. And blessed be his glorious name to all eternity, the whole earth let his glory fill.
[63:40] Amen. So let us be the wondrous works of God that reveals his glory. Let us believe in Christ Jesus and sing about the wonder of who he is as we stand and sing these words together.
[63:55] The city shall be flourishing. The city shall be flourishing, our city and number shall like through the grass that rose upon the ground.
[64:31] His name forever shall endure. Last life the son it shall when shall be blessed in earth and blessed all nations shall end call.
[65:05] now blessed be the Lord our God the God of Israel for he alone the wondrous one heart when glory God excel and glory not excel and blessed be his glorious name to all eternity the whole whole earth is glory full amen so to all and to the glory that is revealed to us do they not leave us in awe of who you are and what you have done for us and the reminder of this day the glory that is revealed to us through your son and all that he has done for us points us back to the creator of all things the giver of life and it is one
[66:47] Jesus is the one who has authority over life he can give us life so may we know life through Jesus Christ may that glory be revealed to us may we have ears to hear it and eyes to see it to see it that we may stand in awe of him as we depart together may all that has been said and done be to the glory of your name and praise forever more in Jesus Christ's name amen for recoming and viewers about the few details have heard these are accurate we have a point 90 5 we have caught