WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.980 Is there anything or anyone you would die for? 00:00:04.860 --> 00:00:07.540 Um, it's kind of a tough question to answer. 00:00:07.700 --> 00:00:09.519 Anybody I would die for? Holy cow. 00:00:09.620 --> 00:00:10.439 That's a tough one. 00:00:10.519 --> 00:00:14.519 That would be a tough one. I'd have to have a little more time to think about that one. 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:15.460 It's a hard question, huh? 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:16.019 It is. 00:00:16.199 --> 00:00:19.800 I don't think people really take into consideration what dying for someone means. 00:00:19.940 --> 00:00:21.900 Anyone in this world you would be willing to die for? 00:00:23.320 --> 00:00:25.980 Uh, right about now I'm not so certain. 00:00:26.100 --> 00:00:27.760 There's very few people I could think I would die for. 00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:28.539 Maybe my mother. 00:00:29.060 --> 00:00:29.560 My wife. 00:00:29.919 --> 00:00:30.279 Definitely. 00:00:30.820 --> 00:00:31.379 My family. 00:00:31.579 --> 00:00:33.359 They definitely have to be very important to me. 00:00:33.839 --> 00:00:36.439 I don't know if I would die for someone. 00:00:36.759 --> 00:00:38.039 Is there anyone you would die for? 00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:40.460 Um, no. 00:00:40.579 --> 00:00:41.659 I love myself. 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:43.659 Why should I be thinking of dying? 00:00:43.939 --> 00:00:45.980 Um, I don't think I would die for anything. 00:00:46.320 --> 00:00:48.000 Um, no, not really. Not right now. 00:00:48.099 --> 00:00:48.439 No one? 00:00:48.560 --> 00:00:48.820 No one. 00:00:49.140 --> 00:00:51.119 I will not sacrifice my life for nobody. 00:00:51.299 --> 00:00:51.539 Nothing. 00:00:51.820 --> 00:00:52.060 Nothing. 00:00:52.340 --> 00:00:55.820 Because I would think in God's blessing he would want me to live. 00:00:55.820 --> 00:00:58.560 Is it 100% sure that I'm going to die for them? 00:00:58.560 --> 00:01:02.060 Or is it a possibility that I may can live and maybe save them? 00:01:02.060 --> 00:01:03.380 Is there anyone you would die for? 00:01:04.340 --> 00:01:05.640 Uh, depends. 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:06.120 No. 00:01:06.879 --> 00:01:07.540 I don't know. 00:01:07.659 --> 00:01:07.859 No. 00:01:08.280 --> 00:01:11.079 I mean, it's the people who would do the same for me. 00:01:11.159 --> 00:01:11.859 It's hard to tell. 00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:12.719 It's so speculative. 00:01:12.939 --> 00:01:15.260 If it was a cause I really believed in, like the environment. 00:01:15.260 --> 00:01:16.480 For peace, probably. 00:01:16.740 --> 00:01:21.620 I don't think I would die for a friend unless, no, I don't think so. 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:22.980 I will not die for nobody. 00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:24.080 I would like to live forever. 00:01:24.219 --> 00:01:25.740 Is there anyone you would die for? 00:01:27.540 --> 00:01:28.280 My family. 00:01:28.580 --> 00:01:31.320 My mother and my God and also my woman. 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:33.020 Yes, I would die for my dad. 00:01:33.120 --> 00:01:36.200 Well, if I was married, you know, I would rather die for my wife. 00:01:36.320 --> 00:01:36.880 My son. 00:01:36.960 --> 00:01:40.560 Put my life on the line for my country and my family. 00:01:40.560 --> 00:01:43.840 I think I would have to put him on a pretty high platform. 00:01:44.019 --> 00:01:45.560 I'd have to have a lot of respect for him. 00:01:45.820 --> 00:01:48.019 If I was going to put my life on the line for him. 00:01:48.140 --> 00:01:48.420 Jesus. 00:01:48.820 --> 00:01:49.579 Jesus Christ. 00:01:49.780 --> 00:01:50.040 Yeah. 00:01:50.620 --> 00:01:52.400 That's probably the only thing I would probably die for. 00:01:52.500 --> 00:01:54.140 Would you die for someone who didn't love you? 00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:57.379 Um, that's a tough one. 00:01:57.960 --> 00:01:58.700 Why should I? 00:01:58.740 --> 00:02:00.840 If they don't love me, then why should I die for them? 00:02:00.939 --> 00:02:02.620 Would I die for someone who didn't love me? 00:02:02.820 --> 00:02:03.140 No. 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:05.740 I'd like to think yes, but probably not. 00:02:05.780 --> 00:02:06.379 Probably not. 00:02:06.379 --> 00:02:07.859 I guess it depends on the person. 00:02:08.019 --> 00:02:12.759 Like, if they're rude and, you know, mean, I wouldn't want to do it for someone like that. 00:02:12.859 --> 00:02:15.400 Can you ever think of a situation where you might die for, like, a criminal? 00:02:15.960 --> 00:02:17.259 Um, no, not really. 00:02:17.699 --> 00:02:20.219 Due to my selfish nature, I probably wouldn't. 00:02:20.280 --> 00:02:22.560 But I'd like to think that I would do such a thing. 00:02:22.719 --> 00:02:29.919 But I think if it came down to it, I probably wouldn't have that kind of a nature. 00:02:30.219 --> 00:02:31.599 Do you believe anybody's died for you? 00:02:32.199 --> 00:02:33.139 I don't think so. 00:02:36.379 --> 00:02:39.019 Good morning, everybody. 00:02:39.199 --> 00:02:39.840 Let's bow our heads. 00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:40.340 I'm going to pray. 00:02:41.620 --> 00:02:48.120 Father, as we think now about the significance of you sending your son into the world, his 00:02:48.120 --> 00:02:54.180 life, his sacrificial death, as we open the scriptures now, we pray that you would speak 00:02:54.180 --> 00:02:59.019 to us by your spirit and that you would grow us in Christ and grow us in our service of 00:02:59.019 --> 00:02:59.240 you. 00:02:59.740 --> 00:03:01.840 And we pray this in Jesus' precious name. 00:03:02.039 --> 00:03:02.400 Amen. 00:03:03.620 --> 00:03:05.199 I learned something last week. 00:03:05.199 --> 00:03:08.099 I thought that was a fantastic message that Steve preached last week. 00:03:09.179 --> 00:03:13.379 Matthew chapter 4 and across the whole of Matthew's gospel talking about the life of 00:03:13.379 --> 00:03:19.839 Christ and the significance of his humanity in facing temptation and making very human decisions 00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:23.740 and in the face of that having to trust his heavenly father. 00:03:24.740 --> 00:03:30.879 And we saw very clearly that Jesus' death was preceded by a life which was well lived. 00:03:31.819 --> 00:03:35.539 Satan used every bit of deceit in the book to bring him down. 00:03:35.980 --> 00:03:40.640 Jesus clung to his heavenly father in faithfulness and trust in everything. 00:03:40.639 --> 00:03:48.079 Unapologetically, I want to spend this first little bit recapping what we saw last week, 00:03:48.259 --> 00:03:53.139 partly for your sakes, partly for my sake, because it was just so good to engage it. 00:03:53.219 --> 00:03:59.419 But Jesus, taken out into the wilderness in Matthew chapter 4 and tempted by Satan, 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:03.639 first of all, tempted in weakness, hasn't eaten for nearly seven weeks. 00:04:04.039 --> 00:04:06.539 Satan comes along to him when he's really hungry and says, 00:04:06.539 --> 00:04:11.560 why don't you use a bit of that power you've got and turn some of those rocks into bread and have a feed? 00:04:12.239 --> 00:04:17.199 And Jesus' answer was, we live by every word that comes out of the mouth of God. 00:04:17.779 --> 00:04:23.240 Life is nourished and life is sustained, not just by the physical life that we have, 00:04:23.500 --> 00:04:27.519 but by the word of God and our response to what God is calling us to do. 00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:30.159 And so Satan changes tack. 00:04:30.399 --> 00:04:31.860 He can't get him in his weakness. 00:04:32.219 --> 00:04:34.060 He tries for him in his strength. 00:04:34.060 --> 00:04:35.920 He quotes scripture. 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:42.220 And remember Steve saying that the devil knows his Bible very well and he knows how to misuse it. 00:04:43.139 --> 00:04:48.019 And so he brings the Bible to tempt Jesus into testing God. 00:04:49.079 --> 00:04:57.319 I think testing God is, we put God to the test when we try to manipulate God into doing what we want 00:04:57.319 --> 00:04:59.560 rather than what he wants. 00:04:59.560 --> 00:05:02.019 So I was thinking about that. 00:05:02.100 --> 00:05:09.800 Range Street's got a really nice lounge room wall that could fit a very large flat screen TV. 00:05:11.680 --> 00:05:15.519 And I'm thinking, well, I'm going to trust God for this. 00:05:15.620 --> 00:05:21.860 I'm going to go out and buy the biggest LCD TV I can get down at JB Hi-Fi 00:05:21.860 --> 00:05:23.600 and I'm going to fill the wall with it. 00:05:23.840 --> 00:05:25.540 I'm going to max out my credit card. 00:05:25.540 --> 00:05:32.180 I'm going to dispose of all my savings because I know that the Lord owns the cattle on a thousand hills 00:05:32.180 --> 00:05:35.760 and he will give me what I need for the next fortnight. 00:05:38.820 --> 00:05:42.259 See, we twist the scriptures, don't we, to get what we want. 00:05:42.340 --> 00:05:43.100 Can God provide? 00:05:43.180 --> 00:05:43.920 Of course he can. 00:05:44.759 --> 00:05:47.120 Will he allow himself to be manipulated by us? 00:05:47.660 --> 00:05:48.700 Not a chance. 00:05:48.699 --> 00:05:54.099 And then the final temptation was with what Jesus loves. 00:05:54.199 --> 00:06:00.039 So Satan comes to Jesus, I'll give you the world if you will fall down and worship me. 00:06:00.659 --> 00:06:04.539 And Steve reminds us, John 3.16, God's attitude towards the world. 00:06:04.539 --> 00:06:08.919 For God so loves the world that he gave his one and only son, 00:06:09.759 --> 00:06:13.379 that whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life. 00:06:13.379 --> 00:06:24.060 And so Satan's false promise to Jesus, I will give you all this if you will bow down and worship me. 00:06:25.159 --> 00:06:34.600 And it's like salvation short-circuited, humanity saved but delivered up to Satan by the son of God 00:06:34.600 --> 00:06:37.480 rather than to his heavenly father. 00:06:39.480 --> 00:06:43.079 Now we had a fair bit of discussion about this this week in our staff group. 00:06:43.079 --> 00:06:45.339 We had a wonderful discussion about this passage the other day. 00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:48.419 And I hear it's been talked about in some of the small groups. 00:06:48.519 --> 00:06:49.939 And people have had all sorts of questions. 00:06:50.060 --> 00:06:53.079 I think that's a terrific flow on from what happens on Sunday. 00:06:53.959 --> 00:07:01.500 But one of the questions has been with regard to what it means for Jesus to be both sinless and perfect. 00:07:03.259 --> 00:07:07.539 Jesus is unlike us in that he is sinless. 00:07:08.459 --> 00:07:09.579 We're not sinless. 00:07:09.579 --> 00:07:11.539 We're all culpable to the eyeballs. 00:07:13.079 --> 00:07:19.839 But in becoming perfect he had to live a life very much like the life we live. 00:07:21.099 --> 00:07:28.659 Day by day making small and large decisions about whether he was going to trust the word of God 00:07:28.659 --> 00:07:30.799 or figure things out for himself. 00:07:30.800 --> 00:07:36.680 You may have come here this morning struggling with things like that. 00:07:36.740 --> 00:07:39.980 Little things, big things, small temptation, big temptation. 00:07:40.819 --> 00:07:47.519 And in the end it comes down to do I have the faith and do I have the courage, the confidence 00:07:47.519 --> 00:07:52.519 to trust to do it God's way and not to do it my way. 00:07:52.519 --> 00:07:59.919 And Steve told us a story of a meeting with Glenn Davies, our bishop, not very long ago. 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:07.779 And he asked them the question as a group of small group of ministers whether if Jesus had died as a baby 00:08:07.779 --> 00:08:17.979 would his short life and his sinless death have still achieved our salvation? 00:08:20.359 --> 00:08:28.659 Would his short life and his sinless death, the son of God, still have achieved our salvation? 00:08:28.660 --> 00:08:34.279 And I think the answer is no. 00:08:35.560 --> 00:08:36.879 He became a man. 00:08:38.160 --> 00:08:43.259 He lived the life that we were called to live but were unable to live. 00:08:44.620 --> 00:08:51.259 And he didn't become perfect until he had journeyed the lonely road of testing and suffering. 00:08:51.259 --> 00:08:56.659 Walking that road completely trusting his heavenly father. 00:08:58.159 --> 00:08:59.860 And that leaves us here today. 00:08:59.960 --> 00:09:03.559 We don't have to speculate and say well what might he have done? 00:09:04.379 --> 00:09:05.279 He did it. 00:09:05.939 --> 00:09:06.980 It's not academic. 00:09:07.899 --> 00:09:08.659 He delivered. 00:09:09.460 --> 00:09:12.539 And so there's this sense in which he is the perfect passage. 00:09:12.539 --> 00:09:18.840 He has lived not just the sinless life but the perfect life, the complete life. 00:09:18.840 --> 00:09:24.440 The testing of Jesus continued throughout his life and ministry. 00:09:24.600 --> 00:09:25.840 It climaxed at the cross. 00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:29.480 Passers-by ridiculed him saying come down from the cross. 00:09:29.580 --> 00:09:30.780 They sowed the seeds of doubt. 00:09:31.019 --> 00:09:32.519 If you are the son of God. 00:09:33.680 --> 00:09:40.060 Or the religious leaders who were mocking and saying he saved others but he can't save himself. 00:09:40.879 --> 00:09:42.160 And he's the king of Israel. 00:09:43.379 --> 00:09:46.580 Let him come down from the cross and we will believe in him. 00:09:47.560 --> 00:09:48.600 He trusts in God. 00:09:48.600 --> 00:09:51.259 Don't let God rescue him now if he wants him. 00:09:51.639 --> 00:09:53.440 For he said I'm the son of God. 00:09:57.399 --> 00:10:04.180 And so Jesus went to his death with nothing but confidence that he was safe in God's hands and that God would vindicate him. 00:10:06.259 --> 00:10:10.399 In a sense Jesus lived the life of faith of the people of the Old Testament. 00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:16.240 Abraham would go to his grave with great promises made by God and not much delivered yet. 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:22.720 Prepared to take the life of his child trusting God who was asking him to. 00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:25.379 And in the end not requiring him to. 00:10:25.379 --> 00:10:33.500 We as believers as we get older especially we stand at the graveside and we bury other believers. 00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:39.820 And we bury one another in the extraordinary hope of the resurrection to a better life. 00:10:39.820 --> 00:10:41.480 We go to the graves. 00:10:41.480 --> 00:10:41.500 We go to the graves. 00:10:41.500 --> 00:10:42.600 We deal with death. 00:10:42.600 --> 00:10:46.580 And we trust a promise in something which we do not yet see. 00:10:46.580 --> 00:10:59.460 I think when we give in to testing and temptation what we do or I do is I reach out and grab what I think is best for me. 00:10:59.460 --> 00:11:05.040 I take what is the easier way out. 00:11:05.920 --> 00:11:12.500 And I hold back and say well you know effectively by my actions say I'm not prepared to trust and wait on God. 00:11:12.560 --> 00:11:14.519 And it's almost like we say to God I can handle it. 00:11:16.900 --> 00:11:24.620 One of the things we encounter often in ministry and it's always a sadness is when the Christian young person marries a person who doesn't share their faith. 00:11:24.620 --> 00:11:33.980 And it's a failure to trust God that goes right back at the beginning when they decided that they were going to go out with that person because they sort of like one another. 00:11:34.679 --> 00:11:35.899 Very natural thing to do. 00:11:40.759 --> 00:11:47.659 But it's our failure to trust God in singleness or to wait for him to bring a partner who shares our faith. 00:11:47.659 --> 00:11:57.899 Or a person who pursues their career and advancement looking for security in this world. 00:11:58.039 --> 00:12:05.659 You know we need to get ourselves set up before we can go and do some of the other things of life that might be required of us. 00:12:07.179 --> 00:12:13.699 And you ask this question do we really trust that God has a mansion in heaven when we have it all here? 00:12:13.700 --> 00:12:17.879 We like what we've got here. 00:12:19.820 --> 00:12:23.759 Not sure that God's really going to give us something which is better. 00:12:26.060 --> 00:12:34.879 We like the rich fool in Luke chapter 12 who's got it all today and doesn't know he's going to die tonight and doesn't even think that we could lose it all and for what comes next. 00:12:34.879 --> 00:12:40.840 See when I sing I go for the short circuit. 00:12:42.360 --> 00:12:50.340 The quick fix, the momentary pleasure as I seek to fill myself or to bring happiness to myself or fulfilment to myself. 00:12:53.639 --> 00:13:04.320 The really big point that I took from last week was that Jesus' life was heroic in the most magnificent sense of the word. 00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:12.460 His life, the life he lived is part of what saves us. 00:13:14.200 --> 00:13:16.439 His experience was very human. 00:13:17.539 --> 00:13:21.960 He was subjected to enormous temptation and testing throughout his life. 00:13:22.279 --> 00:13:24.879 He was tempted in every way but was without sin. 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:31.939 And so the writer to Hebrews chapter 4 says we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses. 00:13:32.960 --> 00:13:39.240 But we have one who has been tempted in every way just as we are yet was without sin. 00:13:39.240 --> 00:13:46.899 Now understanding these things, I'll tell you how the sermons are working. 00:13:47.000 --> 00:13:49.100 Last week was a one-off, this week was a one-off. 00:13:49.320 --> 00:13:52.500 I want to connect them because I think there's some things here that connect. 00:13:53.299 --> 00:13:56.259 So we plan two one-offs, God's given us a short series. 00:13:57.000 --> 00:13:57.740 That's how it's working. 00:13:58.919 --> 00:14:05.039 Understanding these things brings greater significance to a number of other passages in the Bible including Hebrews 10 where we are today. 00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:07.379 I'd really like you to have your Bibles open. 00:14:07.620 --> 00:14:09.480 I'm going to keep reading from the passage. 00:14:10.639 --> 00:14:11.579 Verse 1. 00:14:12.399 --> 00:14:14.199 Hebrews 10 verse 1. 00:14:14.200 --> 00:14:21.860 The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming, not the realities themselves. 00:14:22.820 --> 00:14:31.980 For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 00:14:33.640 --> 00:14:37.000 If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? 00:14:38.200 --> 00:14:42.879 For the worshippers would have been cleansed once for all and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:51.600 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 00:14:54.399 --> 00:15:01.159 It's a devastating critique of the Old Testament system of worship that God's people lived under and was given to them by God. 00:15:02.679 --> 00:15:08.019 The writer says that the law, with all its rituals and ceremonies repeated year after year, 00:15:09.100 --> 00:15:12.679 the writer tells us not what they could do but what they couldn't do. 00:15:13.500 --> 00:15:20.419 So he says it couldn't make the worshippers perfect, it couldn't take away people's guilt and it couldn't take away people's sins. 00:15:21.340 --> 00:15:22.759 So you go down to the temple. 00:15:23.939 --> 00:15:25.379 I think somebody's going to do this later. 00:15:25.419 --> 00:15:30.340 I looked downstairs this morning and there's a little rabbit so I'm wondering if somebody's going to wring its neck as a demonstration in church or something. 00:15:30.439 --> 00:15:31.299 No, not quite. 00:15:31.759 --> 00:15:33.899 But you go to the temple. 00:15:33.899 --> 00:15:36.399 That's what it was like though. 00:15:36.779 --> 00:15:42.600 You would go to the temple and the priest would kill an animal or bird that you had bought 00:15:42.600 --> 00:15:49.179 and they'd sprinkle its blood around and they'd burn or eat its body and then you'd go home. 00:15:49.179 --> 00:15:59.359 And you'd be reminded that how serious your sin was, you'd still feel guilty and you'd still be struggling with sin. 00:15:59.360 --> 00:16:03.360 That works, doesn't it? 00:16:06.620 --> 00:16:09.740 Consumer product, you'd be taking it back under warranty and getting your money back. 00:16:09.740 --> 00:16:14.519 The writer's damning about the old system. 00:16:14.680 --> 00:16:15.960 It doesn't take away sin. 00:16:16.039 --> 00:16:17.220 It still leaves you guilty. 00:16:17.899 --> 00:16:19.879 You are not perfected by it. 00:16:21.460 --> 00:16:24.720 And then he quotes from the Old Testament, Psalm 40, 00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:30.039 to show that the Bible itself realises its own limitations in terms of the sacrificial system. 00:16:30.039 --> 00:17:00.019 Verse 5 says, 00:17:00.039 --> 00:17:08.519 See, a thousand years before, when King David wrote this song, 00:17:09.220 --> 00:17:16.159 he knew that God was looking for something beyond blood and body sacrifices and ritual. 00:17:16.619 --> 00:17:18.299 God was looking for something more. 00:17:20.180 --> 00:17:23.899 He took the kingdom of his predecessor, King Saul, 00:17:23.900 --> 00:17:30.860 because on the occasion when he offered heaps of sacrifices and failed to obey the word of God. 00:17:32.640 --> 00:17:38.080 And so David knew that sacrifices didn't make God happy, 00:17:38.200 --> 00:17:41.019 even though, yes, God was the one who prescribed them. 00:17:41.980 --> 00:17:43.340 He didn't desire them. 00:17:43.740 --> 00:17:46.680 He wasn't pleased with them, but he required them. 00:17:46.680 --> 00:17:47.920 That's an enigma, isn't it? 00:17:55.160 --> 00:17:57.920 And so you say, well, what is he looking for? 00:17:57.920 --> 00:18:02.940 And tucked away here is a great truth that David knew, 00:18:03.000 --> 00:18:07.440 and the writer of Hebrews now applies to the life of Christ. 00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:12.779 Verse 9, he said, 00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:14.799 Here I am, I have come to do your will. 00:18:14.900 --> 00:18:17.420 He sets aside the first to establish the second, 00:18:17.960 --> 00:18:23.620 and by that will we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 00:18:24.759 --> 00:18:27.600 Here I am, I have come to do your will. 00:18:27.599 --> 00:18:31.980 Christ came wanting to please his heavenly Father. 00:18:33.079 --> 00:18:36.179 He was committed to doing what God his Father wanted. 00:18:38.039 --> 00:18:41.639 This is, you know, this is a tiny little journey this morning into the book of Hebrews. 00:18:42.179 --> 00:18:44.500 If you go back to chapter 9, the chapter before, 00:18:45.019 --> 00:18:50.839 you would see that that chapter was all about Christ's blood which had been poured out. 00:18:51.659 --> 00:18:53.939 And it came to a conclusion in verse 22. 00:18:53.939 --> 00:18:54.339 It said, 00:18:54.500 --> 00:18:57.299 The law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood. 00:18:57.299 --> 00:19:00.139 And without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. 00:19:01.779 --> 00:19:03.859 But chapter 10 is different. 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:08.099 Chapter 10 is about his life lived in the body. 00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:14.579 You put the two together and you've got blood shed and you've got life lived in the body. 00:19:15.980 --> 00:19:18.599 Christ is the complete package. 00:19:20.099 --> 00:19:27.279 And not only that, he is the priest who makes the one and only sacrifice to please God, 00:19:27.299 --> 00:19:34.220 but he is also the sacrifice in two parts. 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:47.779 His blood is shed, he dies, but his life is lived doing the will of God in the body. 00:19:47.779 --> 00:19:57.779 So before Christ died on the cross, before the sacrifice occurred, 00:19:57.779 --> 00:20:04.019 before the sacrifice occurred, came a life which was committed to the will of God. 00:20:06.700 --> 00:20:08.059 Here I am. 00:20:08.639 --> 00:20:11.240 I have come to do your will. 00:20:11.240 --> 00:20:15.880 He did God's will in the desert. 00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:19.220 He did God's will in the garden. 00:20:19.799 --> 00:20:20.359 You know, he said, 00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:22.700 My soul is anguished to the point of death. 00:20:23.120 --> 00:20:28.079 If possible, take this cup from me, but not my will, but yours be done. 00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:32.699 And then the sacrifice came. 00:20:32.779 --> 00:20:34.259 He's on the cross and he says, 00:20:34.759 --> 00:20:38.439 Into your hands I commit my spirit. 00:20:39.619 --> 00:20:42.079 He trusted God to death. 00:20:46.039 --> 00:20:46.839 Verse 10, 00:20:46.839 --> 00:21:10.599 I want to whip across the rest of the passage. 00:21:10.599 --> 00:21:11.379 Verse 11, 00:21:12.159 --> 00:21:17.079 Day after day, every priest stands and performs his religious duties, 00:21:17.339 --> 00:21:23.539 and again and again he offers the same sacrifices which can never take away sins. 00:21:23.539 --> 00:21:29.899 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, 00:21:30.079 --> 00:21:32.240 he sat down at the right hand of God. 00:21:33.779 --> 00:21:38.779 And since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 00:21:40.519 --> 00:21:47.539 Because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. 00:21:48.980 --> 00:21:52.639 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:53.520 First he says, 00:21:54.180 --> 00:21:57.900 This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. 00:21:58.320 --> 00:22:00.200 I will put my laws in their hearts. 00:22:00.280 --> 00:22:01.759 I will write them on their minds. 00:22:02.140 --> 00:22:02.960 And then he adds, 00:22:03.259 --> 00:22:06.880 Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more. 00:22:08.360 --> 00:22:10.340 And where these have been forgiven, 00:22:10.740 --> 00:22:13.560 there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. 00:22:15.580 --> 00:22:19.880 This is the conclusion of a number of chapters in this book of Hebrews, 00:22:19.880 --> 00:22:24.080 which is all about Jesus and his great high priestly work. 00:22:24.180 --> 00:22:24.940 This is the end. 00:22:25.300 --> 00:22:27.080 He is a magnificent saviour. 00:22:27.400 --> 00:22:28.640 His work is done. 00:22:28.980 --> 00:22:34.060 He's not like the earthly priests who do it day after day after day after day after day. 00:22:35.800 --> 00:22:36.640 Verse 12, 00:22:36.760 --> 00:22:39.140 He sat down at the right hand of God. 00:22:39.480 --> 00:22:40.460 He's done his work. 00:22:40.680 --> 00:22:41.640 He's back in heaven. 00:22:41.760 --> 00:22:43.800 He's in the presence of his heavenly father. 00:22:44.060 --> 00:22:45.060 It is finished. 00:22:45.059 --> 00:22:47.480 Verse 13, 00:22:47.599 --> 00:22:50.399 He's waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool. 00:22:51.240 --> 00:22:52.740 That's a wonderful expression. 00:22:52.919 --> 00:22:54.159 It's got a positive dimension. 00:22:54.299 --> 00:22:55.619 It's got a negative dimension. 00:22:56.200 --> 00:22:58.619 He's waiting for the whole of the created order. 00:22:59.000 --> 00:23:02.159 Every human being who has lived, is living or will live, 00:23:02.440 --> 00:23:05.079 is going to be under the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:23:06.759 --> 00:23:07.740 Subject to him. 00:23:07.740 --> 00:23:10.940 All God's enemies will be brought into subjection to him. 00:23:12.299 --> 00:23:15.180 And you might be a noisy Richard Dawkins, 00:23:15.319 --> 00:23:17.160 ranting and raving that there's no God, 00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:21.120 or you just might be the quiet and ignorant defier like I was. 00:23:22.740 --> 00:23:24.680 But it doesn't matter who you are, 00:23:24.779 --> 00:23:27.859 we will all bow our knees before the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:23:29.120 --> 00:23:30.259 Philippians chapter 2, 00:23:30.339 --> 00:23:31.759 You know every knee will bow, 00:23:31.880 --> 00:23:33.160 every tongue will confess 00:23:33.160 --> 00:23:36.400 that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 00:23:37.740 --> 00:23:40.740 And so we're going to be acknowledging his Lordship 00:23:40.740 --> 00:23:42.640 gladly and willingly 00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:47.839 or compelled against our wills, 00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:49.440 defiant to the end. 00:23:51.480 --> 00:23:52.819 Ephesians chapter 2 says, 00:23:53.180 --> 00:23:55.420 Everyone is an enemy of God and subject to his anger 00:23:55.420 --> 00:23:58.839 until they receive the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:24:00.980 --> 00:24:04.960 So he's waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool, 00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:09.100 yielding to his Lordship or subjected to his power. 00:24:10.740 --> 00:24:11.960 And God is waiting. 00:24:12.100 --> 00:24:12.900 And while he waits, 00:24:12.980 --> 00:24:16.279 there is still opportunity to call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ 00:24:16.279 --> 00:24:17.360 and be saved. 00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:19.360 What are we doing today? 00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:21.360 We're going to the more with the precious good news 00:24:21.360 --> 00:24:22.819 of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:27.220 We believe in the power of God's word to transform people. 00:24:27.220 --> 00:24:30.819 We're praying that even today God would lead us to some 00:24:30.819 --> 00:24:32.539 who want to talk about the Lord Jesus 00:24:32.539 --> 00:24:35.039 and hear about him in a fresh and new way 00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:36.200 under the power of his spirit 00:24:36.200 --> 00:24:38.360 and that he might use us as his agent. 00:24:40.180 --> 00:24:41.579 I don't know if you realise it, 00:24:41.600 --> 00:24:44.620 but we have come into God's family because he waits. 00:24:46.319 --> 00:24:52.500 If the Lord Jesus had come back 32 years ago in the mid-1970s, 00:24:52.500 --> 00:24:54.180 I would not be in his family, 00:24:54.339 --> 00:24:56.019 I would be subject to his judgement. 00:24:57.859 --> 00:24:59.839 You look around a church family like this 00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:00.339 and you wonder, 00:25:00.779 --> 00:25:02.319 if he came back a year ago, 00:25:02.759 --> 00:25:04.640 who of us might have missed out? 00:25:04.779 --> 00:25:06.440 If he came back five years ago, 00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:08.539 who wouldn't be sitting amongst us 00:25:08.539 --> 00:25:11.680 confident of the salvation that the Lord Jesus has brought to us, 00:25:11.940 --> 00:25:13.680 the mercy that we have received? 00:25:13.680 --> 00:25:19.039 And the passage finishes with these words, 00:25:19.140 --> 00:25:20.580 with one sacrifice, 00:25:20.779 --> 00:25:23.160 God has made perfect forever 00:25:23.160 --> 00:25:26.400 those who are being made holy. 00:25:28.400 --> 00:25:33.600 He's fulfilled Jeremiah's promise of a new covenant 00:25:33.600 --> 00:25:35.920 which would be written on our hearts. 00:25:36.680 --> 00:25:40.900 He has chosen to remember our sins no more 00:25:40.900 --> 00:25:45.700 because the sacrifice has been made 00:25:45.700 --> 00:25:47.860 and sins are forgiven. 00:25:48.280 --> 00:25:50.660 No further sacrifice is required 00:25:50.660 --> 00:25:56.200 and those of us who are in Christ 00:25:56.200 --> 00:25:58.660 are forgiven forever. 00:26:01.460 --> 00:26:02.660 Forgiven forever. 00:26:07.259 --> 00:26:09.180 Huge application for us. 00:26:09.180 --> 00:26:11.779 We know the reality of struggling with sin. 00:26:13.180 --> 00:26:15.759 We can't save ourselves by adding more 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:17.380 in terms of the offering to God. 00:26:17.460 --> 00:26:19.279 You know, I just beat myself up a bit more 00:26:19.279 --> 00:26:21.420 over this stuff that I keep grappling with. 00:26:21.500 --> 00:26:22.440 We can't do it. 00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:25.779 We have to continually come to the Lord Jesus Christ 00:26:25.779 --> 00:26:28.080 to trust his enormous forgiveness 00:26:28.080 --> 00:26:31.299 that he brought through a life courageously lived, 00:26:31.700 --> 00:26:32.880 trusting the word of God 00:26:32.880 --> 00:26:34.700 even to a terrible death on the cross. 00:26:34.700 --> 00:26:40.000 If you've come here today with sin and struggle, 00:26:40.640 --> 00:26:42.000 bring it to the Lord 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:44.740 and leave it with the Lord 00:26:44.740 --> 00:26:49.160 and remember that he has already acted to forgive it 00:26:49.160 --> 00:26:52.000 and chooses to remember it no more 00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:53.600 if we will leave it with him. 00:26:53.599 --> 00:26:58.839 He is a magnificent saviour. 00:26:59.879 --> 00:27:02.179 He has run the race that we couldn't 00:27:02.179 --> 00:27:04.139 and he's won a victory over Satan 00:27:04.139 --> 00:27:06.980 which has determined the future of the universe. 00:27:06.980 --> 00:27:10.079 Jesus is a glorious king. 00:27:10.360 --> 00:27:11.360 He's done it all 00:27:11.360 --> 00:27:13.880 and that calls for response. 00:27:16.360 --> 00:27:17.980 And I haven't got time today 00:27:17.980 --> 00:27:20.319 but I want you to just give you a little glimpse 00:27:20.319 --> 00:27:22.640 and see that the response that's called for 00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:24.519 is in the next verses which is in Hebrews 00:27:24.519 --> 00:27:27.480 in the last part of the chapter. 00:27:27.640 --> 00:27:28.319 Verse 22. 00:27:28.319 --> 00:27:33.659 Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart 00:27:33.659 --> 00:27:35.899 with full assurance of faith. 00:27:37.919 --> 00:27:39.039 Verse 23. 00:27:39.259 --> 00:27:42.839 Let us hold unswervingly to this faith that we profess. 00:27:44.379 --> 00:27:45.559 Verse 24. 00:27:45.720 --> 00:27:48.079 Let us not give up meeting together. 00:27:51.939 --> 00:27:54.419 See, Christ has done all this for us. 00:27:54.480 --> 00:27:56.399 He has done what we cannot do. 00:27:56.400 --> 00:27:59.220 What sort of response does that evoke from us? 00:28:00.100 --> 00:28:01.960 It's a relational response. 00:28:03.720 --> 00:28:05.300 Don't stand away from him. 00:28:05.420 --> 00:28:06.380 Come near to him. 00:28:08.360 --> 00:28:11.560 Keep hanging on to this faith that we profess. 00:28:11.700 --> 00:28:12.440 Where do we find that? 00:28:12.500 --> 00:28:13.240 The word of God. 00:28:13.560 --> 00:28:14.840 Cling to the word of God 00:28:14.840 --> 00:28:17.259 and know what Christ requires of us 00:28:17.259 --> 00:28:20.680 and do not despise this gathering. 00:28:21.560 --> 00:28:23.580 Gather together with brothers and sisters. 00:28:23.820 --> 00:28:25.320 Encourage one another in the Lord 00:28:25.319 --> 00:28:27.480 in the things that we have believed together. 00:28:29.439 --> 00:28:30.599 Come near to him. 00:28:30.980 --> 00:28:32.379 Hold on to him in his word. 00:28:32.819 --> 00:28:34.019 Hold on to one another 00:28:34.019 --> 00:28:36.819 because the body of believers is the place 00:28:36.819 --> 00:28:39.299 where we keep encouraging one another 00:28:39.299 --> 00:28:40.659 to meet and serve 00:28:40.659 --> 00:28:43.179 in response to who Christ is, 00:28:44.139 --> 00:28:46.960 in response to the life that Christ has lived, 00:28:46.960 --> 00:28:50.899 and in response to the death that Christ has died. 00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:52.439 Amen.