Good morning, saints of Siwi Bay. It is great to be with you, and it is a joy and an honor to preach for you this morning.
And I bring greetings from the saints of Holy City, the pastors, the elders, the membership on James Island.
There's nothing more necessary in today's day and age than like-minded, healthy churches.
The reality is we live in a world of compromise today, and it was a joy for me to get acquainted with you all and to speak to your pastor
and to just know that the faithful word of Christ is being proclaimed out this way as it is our way.
This morning, thus far, we have worshiped the triune God in at least three ways.
So far, we have confessed the faith. We've used our minds and our voices to exalt the triune God through singing.
We have responded to the goodness and mercy of God through our giving.
And as we come now to the preaching of the word, the apostle Paul tells us in Romans that the word of God preached and proclaimed
is the means by which we have been born again.
Through the word preached, the saving gospel of repentance and faith has come to save us from our sins.
And whether or not that was through our parents, maybe an evangelist, maybe in a church service,
nevertheless, it was God's truth proclaimed that was used by the Spirit
to transfer us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the beloved Son.
It is the word of God preached and proclaimed, not only, but loved and trusted and applied to the saints
by which we are instructed in righteousness, encouraged, admonished, sanctified.
How we endure trials, trusting Christ alone for salvation, and how ultimately we're kept till the end.
Our text this morning will be Philippians chapter 2, verses 5 through 11.
And before we read that and the word is exposited and preached,
I'm going to say one more prayer and ask the Lord to be with us and to bless our time together.
Lord, we love you.
We've come together to worship you on the Lord's day.
The day in which we remember that the resurrection of Christ actually occurred.
Lord, we remember that you are Lord and you are exalted and you are the King.
Lord, please speak, convert the lost, and edify the saints.
We love you, Lord.
In Christ's name, amen.
If you haven't yet, you can turn in your Bibles to Paul's epistle to the Philippians,
chapter 2, verses 5 to 11.
Again, Paul's epistle to the Philippians, chapter 2, verses 5 to 11.
Please stand for the reading of God's word.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Let he who has ears to hear the word of God, let him hear.
Please be seated.
Well, I certainly didn't expect the Baptist Catechism confession and reading
in the Lord's providence to align in particular with our text this morning.
He's kind to do such a thing to remind us he's truly with us.
This text is important.
It's very special.
It's special and important because it is the clearest explanation of the truth
that the eternal person of God the Son became man.
If we get Christ wrong, we end up trusting in a Christ who doesn't exist.
We end up perishing.
And that is why Satan has launched since the apostolic age a full assault on teaching regarding the person of Christ.
false doctrine, false religion, false apostles, Jesus warns, false prophets, Paul warns, the Ephesian elders,
many false prophets will arise even from among yourselves, speaking what?
Twisted things.
Not necessarily immoral things, things that are intentionally wrong.
False teachers, if you want to remember something, remember this.
False teachers use our vocabulary but not our dictionary.
They use the same words and they mean something else.
And we want to be diligent in the whole counsel of God, understanding it.
Reading the Bible is one thing.
Understanding what the Bible teaches is something altogether different, vitally important.
We want to be diligent in understanding what God has revealed to us by his word.
And not just understanding it, not just understanding it to win theological arguments.
No, we want to love him.
We want to have true inward devotion toward him.
We want to know him, love him, and worship him rightly.
We want to trust it, speak it, believe it from the heart.
And we want to apply it to our lives so we can walk in holiness and honoring him.
A saving relationship with Christ is the most important relationship you can have in this life.
He honors the Father because the Father sent the Son and commands that the Son share in that honor.
There are approximately 150 to 200 warnings and references related to false teaching and doctrinal error in the New Testament alone.
It is the constant fear and, in a sense, anxiousness of the apostles who are planning churches,
who are raising up lost people, who are establishing the truth and teaching.
Hey, watch your doctrine.
Watch your teaching.
Hold fast to it.
Don't depart from it.
Love it.
The Apostle John, later in life, inspired by the Spirit, gave us the letter 1 John.
And in 1 John chapter 4, our Father in the faith gives us a warning regarding the theology of the person of Christ.
In 1 John 4, I'll read it.
You can stay in Philippians.
He says this,
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, spirit meaning person, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.
For many false prophets have gone out into the world.
By this you know the Spirit of God.
Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.
And every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.
This is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world today.
Jonathan Edwards, commenting on this passage in his work,
The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God, has argued, rightly, I think,
that the first test of any movement of any church that claims itself to be of Christ or Christian,
or whether or not they're orthodox in their confession, faith, and teaching,
He argued that 1 John, from 1 John, that a right Christological view that is birth of the Spirit leads people to truth regarding Christ and not error.
And moreover, produces genuine love for God.
If we are to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength,
we must know who He has revealed Himself to be.
And when He is dishonored or falsely taught,
we must be bold to clarify the truth and defend that truth.
We remember earlier, from John's Gospel, in chapter 1,
that he laid the theology of the person of Christ,
of whom we are to trust and believe for eternal life in a few ways.
Briefly, I love John's Gospel,
because in the Synoptic Gospels, or Matthew, Mark, and Luke,
it takes a bit of time to see the full glory of Christ and His deity on display.
John is just like, chapter 1, verse 1, Jesus is God.
I love that.
And you see the rest of the storyline unfold from there.
As we transition to Philippians, I want to lay this foundation.
He is the Word.
He is the Logos.
Logos, John doesn't define why he uses that term.
There's a reason for that.
Because the audience, the recipients of the letter,
didn't need a definition for that.
For the Jews, the Logos, they understood,
was the eternal Word of God's power who created all things in Genesis 1.
For the Gentiles,
they had a false Gentile theology
of the same word,
which was our today's unbelieving version of intelligent design,
an agnostic view.
The Greeks understood there is a God,
but we don't know Him.
But we know
that He's omnipotent in power,
created all things.
John says,
Hey, Greeks,
that eternal,
omnipotent,
unknown person
who created all things,
His name is Jesus,
and He became man.
We also learn
that Jesus is distinct
from the Father,
is God,
and is eternal and uncreated.
Jesus, or the Word,
is with God,
and is God.
That word,
with God,
in our English,
doesn't give us
enough information.
In the Greek,
prostantheion,
speaks of
an eternal
love
relationship.
It speaks of
communion.
Eternally,
all three persons of the Trinity
have existed,
being three distinct persons
sharing one divine nature,
in perfect love,
in fellowship,
in communion.
We see that this
eternal Lagos
created all things,
and we see that
this eternal,
uncreated person
who was with God
in perfect loving
community
and relationship,
He took on flesh,
and He dwelt among us.
This is what the Nicene Creed
states about
the divinity of Christ.
We believe in one
Lord Jesus Christ,
the only begotten
Son of God,
begotten of the Father
before all ages,
light of light,
very God of very God,
begotten,
not made,
being of one substance
with the Father
by whom all things
were made.
Briefly on begotten,
not made.
Look,
I understand that's confusing.
Okay?
Because we're not God,
we're human.
This must be understood.
Okay?
Begotten
is only meant
to communicate.
Okay?
The eternal way
that the Father and Son
have loved and related
to another eternally.
The Son is loved
as the Father's begotten.
That is what it's meant
to communicate.
It is not meant
to communicate
in any way
that as to
the three persons
of the Trinity's deity,
one has more authority
or more power
or more attributes.
They are all omnipotent.
They share the,
they share immutability,
impassibility.
They're all omniscient,
omnipresent.
But although they're distinct
and have distinct,
specific roles
in redemption
and how they relate
to one another.
They are the,
the triune God
is the only being
in existence
that exists
as three distinct persons
yet shares
the same divine nature.
Okay?
It is abundantly
clear
that the prophets
foretold
the Messiah
would be God
in the flesh.
Genesis 3.15,
the proto-euangelion,
the first gospel,
it's going to be
a seed of a woman
who's going to crush
the serpent's head.
But,
in Isaiah 7.14,
we see a bigger glimpse
that the sign
of the Messiah,
behold,
the virgin will conceive.
A virgin conceiving.
And his name
will be Emmanuel.
God will be with us.
Later,
in Isaiah 9.6,
we see that exact same
Davidic king's son,
the fulfillment
of 2 Samuel 7
in Isaiah 9.6,
that his name
will be
everlasting father,
mighty God,
prince of peace.
and
the apostles
who lived
and witnessed
the life of Christ,
witnessed him
personally,
proclaim to be
God in the flesh,
and validate
those claims
by his miracles,
resurrection,
and even
the father
himself,
personally speaking
from heaven
on multiple occasions,
affirming
Jesus'
person and work.
briefly on that.
You see the launch
of the
earthly ministry
of Christ
at his baptism.
John the Baptist,
hey,
you need to baptize me.
I'm not baptizing you.
the Lord Jesus
obviously had no need
of showing
any form of repentance
through baptism,
but he did
that to
fulfill all righteousness.
That is to say,
whatever the father
required of man,
Jesus was going
to submit and obey.
And the father
speaks,
all three triune
persons are present
at the baptism
of Jesus.
This is my
beloved son
in whom I am
well pleased.
On the Mount
of Transfiguration,
when the glory
and divinity
of Christ
is peeled back
for Peter,
James,
and John to see,
the father
again speaks,
this is my
beloved son
in whom I am
well pleased.
Listen to him.
When Jesus
enters Jerusalem,
obviously at this
point,
it's very hostile
because
Jesus has
raised Lazarus
from the dead.
They have
no way
to put
those rumors
to death
since
there were
tons of
witnesses
to this.
And it was
the Jewish
leader's idea,
wait a minute,
this is so undeniable,
here's our only option,
we've got to kill
Lazarus.
That's how bizarre
it got.
It was undeniable
the truth that
Jesus had the ability
to raise the dead.
The issue for
the Jewish leaders
was they were
trying to teach
and proclaim
that Jesus
was doing
his miracles
by the power
of Satan.
That's a big
issue
because
the man
is clearly
divine.
The man
is clearly
approved
by God
and Jesus
in Jerusalem
when he's
pronouncing
woes
on the Pharisees
for their
false self-righteousness,
their false
form of Judaism,
which was
completely foreign
to Moses
and the prophets.
The Father
speaks from heaven.
These people
are trying
to have
Jesus
arrested,
put to death
according to
God's sovereign
redemptive plan
and Jesus
says,
Father,
glorify your name.
And the Father
speaks for the
whole crowd
to hear.
These people
who are
the Pharisees
are saying,
no,
don't listen
to him.
Jesus
says,
Father,
glorify your
name.
God
speaks from
heaven
for all
to hear.
I have
glorified it
and I
will glorify
it again.
With
that being
said,
let's
begin
unpacking
our text
today.
This is
the theology
of the
incarnation.
Paul
begins
with this,
verse 6,
The phrase
form of
God
here is
very
important.
Okay?
Paul uses
this Greek
word
morphe.
This is
referring
to Christ
already
existing
as God.
It
refers
to
Christ
possessing
the nature
and status
as God.
And this
is reinforced
by the
next phrase
Paul uses,
equality
with God.
He came
in the
form of
God,
actual,
eternal
God,
and he
was willing
to not
hold on
to that
status.
Paul
said he
didn't
count
equality
with God
a thing
to be
held
on
to.
Paul
is not
describing
a mere
human being
who later
became
divine.
He
starts
with Christ
already
existing
as God.
And I
love this
in John
17,
Father,
only someone
who is
equal with
God
could pray
in this
way.
Father,
glorify
me
with the
glory
that I
had
with you
before
the
world
existed.
He
did not
give up
his
deity,
okay?
We need
to understand
this.
Paul
continues,
but emptied
himself,
Philippians
2,
7.
The key
question
is,
how did
Christ
empty
himself?
What
does he
mean by
he emptied
himself?
Paul
explains,
taking
on the
morphe
of a
servant,
being
born in
the likeness
of men.
Now,
he exists
in the
form of
God.
He
emptied
himself
by taking
on the
form of
a servant
or a
slave,
a doulos,
being born
in the
likeness
of men.
Now,
notice that
the
emptying
occurs
by
taking
on,
not
surrendering
anything,
okay?
He does
not say,
okay,
he does
not say
he emptied
himself
by ceasing
to be
God.
He emptied
himself
for a
time
during his
humiliation
salvation
by adding
to himself
a true
human nature
with a
true
human mind,
born
under the
law,
born
as our
brother
prayed in
a lowly
manger.
The
eternal
son,
the
eternal
creator
condescended
and he
added to
himself
a true
human nature,
the
eternal
son
of God,
uncreated,
all-powerful,
became
the
incarnate
son.
So he
emptied
himself
by adding
humanity
and
assuming
the
role
of
an
obedient
slave.
Dr.
Stephen
Wellam
bringing
clarity
to this,
the
son
remained
truly
and
fully
God
during
the
incarnation.
He
did not
surrender
omniscience,
omnipotence,
or any
other divine
attribute.
Rather,
in becoming
human,
he willingly
took on
the role
of a
servant
and chose
to live
in obedience
to the
Father
according
to his
human
nature.
The
emptying
is seen
primarily
in his
humiliation,
taking on
true humanity,
accepting the
limitations of
human life,
and ultimately
submitting to
death on a
cross.
The passage
is deliberately
contrasting in
verse 6 and
7,
form of
God,
form of
servant.
And the
word
morphe,
Paul uses
intentionally to
communicate,
he really
is eternally
God,
he really
did become
truly human.
Paul does
not say
that Christ
exchanged
one form
for another,
but rather,
the one who
is in the
form of
God took
on the
form of
an obedient
slave.
The same
eternal
person of
the Son
in the
incarnation,
this is
incomprehensible,
by the way.
If this
sounds confusing,
it is,
okay?
But we
want to be
diligent because
it's in the
text,
it's God's
given it to
us for us
to love and
trust and
understand and
confess and
defend and
die for.
The same
eternal
person of
the Son
in the
incarnation
now possesses
both a
divine nature
and a
human nature.
He is.
He is the
God-man.
His
humiliation
is his
becoming
human
and
obedient.
We also
read from
the
catechism
of his
exaltation.
I love
this quote
by Dr.
MacArthur
that
the stone
was rolled
away
not to
let Jesus
out,
but to
let the
witnesses
in.
How do we
know that?
Because later
that night,
they're locked
in a room,
it intentionally
says doors
are shut
and locked,
windows are
boarded up,
and Jesus
appears in
the midst
of them,
in his
human body.
His
exalted,
glorified state
of his
new creation
body
has
different
limitations.
His
new
glorified
human
body
is made
for the
new
world,
which we
ourselves
will be
given as
well.
No sin,
no death,
no pain,
no crying.
He will
wipe away
every tear.
And I
love that
because
it is a
reminder for
us
that there
are better
days ahead.
Here's a
question,
I think a
good question.
Now,
what is
your appeal
to heaven?
When you
think about,
man,
I can't
wait to
go to
heaven,
what are
you thinking
about?
Now,
obviously,
for some
people,
okay,
they have
physical
disabilities
or things,
they're really
looking forward
to having
a new
body,
that's
totally
understandable.
But,
what's
your appeal
to heaven?
Is it
simply because
you just
want no
hell?
Is it
simply
because
you
want
the big
mansion
prepared for
you,
the crown?
What are
you thinking
about?
You know
what I'm
thinking
about?
I'm
thinking
about
unhindered
true
communion
with a
trying
God.
He is
the
prize.
All of
the other
things,
the blessing
and the
sonship
and the
sitting on
his throne
with him
and all
that,
no,
that's not
our motive.
Our motive
is we
want to be
with him.
We want
to truly
see him
as he
is,
love him
as he
is.
Let that
be your
motivation.
Look,
we live
in a
materialistic,
sinful
world where
all we
can think
about is
getting
something
else.
Now,
we must
be
heaven-minded.
We must
be.
Because
true love
for God
is what
motivates us
and motivated
the apostles
to be
beheaded
and crucified.
Some of
our
Protestant
brothers
being
tied to
a stake
and set
on fire
with
the
attitude
Hugh
Latimer,
Calvin
Ridley
have the
flames
coming up
to their
feet.
Mr.
Ridley
play the
man.
For
we will
have
sorry
he says
we will
have
good
dinner.
we will
have a
good
dinner
with
the
Lord
tonight.
And
we
shall
set
such a
fire
in
England
that
will
never
be
put
out.
So
Paul,
here's a
reminder,
do you think
about this?
Paul was
literally
killing
Christians.
the
risen
Christ
appeared
to him.
He's
now
writing
us
this
text
exalting
the
son
whom
he was
just
executing
people
for
professing
him.
This
is
true.
Paul,
who
was
formerly
Saul,
describes
this
downward
movement.
ask
yourself
this
question.
If you
are at
the
state
of the
exalted
eternal
son,
are you
willing
to come
be
flogged,
beaten,
murdered,
slaughtered,
spit on,
falsely accused,
false trial?
Are you
doing that
if you're
God?
This is
hard to
comprehend
that God
would do
such a
thing.
It
elevates
the
gospel
message.
Paul
describes
the
downward
movement.
He
existed
in the
form of
God,
truly
God,
took
on the
form of
a
slave,
servant,
really
a
slave,
truly
human,
truly
obedient
servant,
being
born as
a man,
humbling
himself,
God
humbling
himself,
becoming
obedient
unto
death,
even
death
on a
cross.
The
humiliation,
listen,
is not
that he
ceased
being
God.
The
humiliation
is this,
that the
divine
son
entered
the
conditions
of human
weakness,
suffering,
and death,
so that
he might
store up
for us
a perfect
righteousness
that will
be imputed
to us.
He was
perfectly
a little
baby.
And then,
if you can
imagine,
sinless,
perfect,
obedient
toddler,
and then
a young
man,
and then
a teenager,
and then
a fully
grown adult
man,
perfectly
sinless,
obedient,
loving,
worships
truly,
worships
with a
right mind.
after
describing
Christ's
humiliation,
he goes
on to
say in
verse 9,
therefore,
God has
highly
exalted
him and
bestowed
on him
the name
that is
above
every
name.
And at
the name
of Jesus,
every knee
should bow,
and every
tongue
confess that
Jesus Christ
is Lord.
Now,
this language
is taken
exactly
and precisely
from Isaiah
45,
verse 23,
where it is
Yahweh
himself speaking.
In Isaiah,
it reads
this,
to me,
Yahweh,
the true
and living
triune
God,
every tongue
shall swear
allegiance.
Who's Paul
apply that to?
He applies
it to
Christ.
The same
way in
which the
apostle John
applies Isaiah's
vision of
Yahweh in
Isaiah 6,
the holy,
holy,
holy text,
the whom,
who will go,
who will send
me text,
of Yahweh
sitting on the
throne,
and the robes
and the train
of his garment
filling the
temple.
John says,
Isaiah saw
Christ.
And now Paul
is saying,
hey,
in Isaiah,
every knee
shall bow
to me,
every tongue
swear allegiance
to me.
Paul applies
that to
Christ.
Thus,
the one
who became
man
is still
worthy of
worship
that belongs
only to
God.
And you
know,
here's the
thing.
You're going
to meet
plenty of
people,
false
teachers,
mainly
deceived
people,
okay,
who have
been wrongly
taught by
cults their
whole life
on wrong
things about
Christ.
They're
going to
take you
to all
of the
texts
that clearly
are teaching
of his
humanity.
He was
tired.
He slept.
In some
cases,
he says he
didn't know
the day or
the hour.
Well,
that's his
humanity on
display,
because the
eternal son
who became
man,
okay,
is still
truly and
fully and
totally God.
But,
he has
a true
human brain
and mind
and emotions
and soul.
The eternal
person of
Christ,
during his
humiliation,
lived his
human life
by the power
of the
spirit.
The spirit
is pushing
him into
the wilderness.
The spirit
is telling
him what
he ought
to say,
what he
ought to
speak,
where he
ought to
go.
Hey,
we're
going to
have to
go through
Samaria.
I've
got an
eternal
divine
plan
there.
I've
got to
meet
someone
there.
He is
truly God
and truly
human.
They're
going to
try and
take you
to those
verses
and prove
to you,
see,
he's not
God.
He says
right here
he doesn't
know.
He can't
be God.
No,
he is
God
and he
is human.
And
he lived
inwardly
and outwardly
a perfect
righteous
and holy
life without
sin.
And we
got to
think about
this as
well.
He didn't
just fulfill
the whole
law according
to all
of the
commands given
to Israel
from Moses.
Of course
he did.
He lived
a holy
life without
sin,
fulfilling
the whole
law.
But at
the same
time,
this is
probably
even more
important,
every
thought,
every
inner
desire,
all of
his
affections,
were
holy
and
blameless.
He
absorbed
the
wrath
due to
all
those
who
would
believe
on
the
cross.
He
validated
his
lordship
by being
raised
and he
is the
firstborn
of the
new
creation.
He
is the
first
new
created
man.
He
is the
new
Adam
of the
new
creation.
And now
the
crowned
exalted
God
man
inherits
the
entire
creation
with
all
of the
worship,
all
of the
glory
and
honor
that
comes
with
it
that
he
is
worthy
of.
So
Paul's
argument
looks like
this.
So
Philippians 2
teaches
not that
Jesus
stopped
being
God
at all.
It does
not
teach
that.
But
it
teaches
that
the
eternal
divine
son
added
human
nature
and
entered
a
state
of
humiliation
while
remaining
fully
divine
truly
God.
So
this is
why many
theologians
see
Philippians 2
as this
summary.
Okay?
Pre-existent
uncreated
eternal
deity
incarnation
taking
on human
flesh
humiliation
suffering
obedience
having to
deal
with
living
in a
sin
cursed
world
yet
being
perfectly
holy
and
obedient
the
entire
time.
Being
crucified
which is
not just
being
crucified
he
absorbed
God's
eternal
wrath
in our
place
and
exaltation
after his
resurrection.
This
man
who is
also
God
is being
rewarded
for his
perfect
obedience
and his
exaltation.
This is so
vitally
important for
us to
remember
and to
meditate
on.
Meditate
on.
People think
meditate means
go sit in
your room
and be
quiet,
turn out
the lights.
Meditation
really is
thinking.
When you're
driving in
your car,
what are you
thinking about?
When you're
going on a
walk,
what are you
thinking about?
When you're
laying in bed
at night,
what are you
thinking about?
you think
of these
things,
you put
your mind
on these
things,
you meditate
and think
on these
things
regularly,
your inner
man is
going to
be
transformed.
You're
going to
be provoked
when you
hear Christ
dishonored.
You're
going to
desire more
to boldly
evangelize the
people whom
you're so
normally afraid
of speaking
truth to.
We've
got to
meditate on
this,
think of
it as
often as
we can
because for
too many
people,
really,
the gospel
is just
this word
that gets
thrown around
and just
becomes
meaningless
to them.
We're
talking about
God becoming
man and
absorbing
your sin,
your
immorality,
your
blasphemy,
your lying,
your dishonoring
him,
your sinfulness.
The eternal
blameless
son was
treated on
the cross
by God
as if he
lived your
life.
That is
why there
is no
room for
boasting.
For our
sake,
2 Corinthians
5,
21,
he made
him to
be sin,
who knew
no sin,
so that
in him we
might become
the righteousness
of God.
You know
why Jesus
was bleeding
sweat drops
of blood
in the
garden?
Because an
eternal divine
holy person
is contemplating
becoming sin
for us.
We can't
imagine that.
Through his
human nature,
that right,
holy,
non-sinful,
anxious
thoughts is
made evident
through his
human faculties.
He is
truly,
sorry,
let me say
it this way,
only because
this is
important,
okay,
because if you
look,
you cannot
have the
attitude,
well,
does this
matter?
Like,
yeah,
I mean,
my friend
denies the
deity of
Christ,
and you
know,
he believes
Jesus is a
good teacher,
right?
Isn't that
good enough?
He believes
in Jesus.
Does that
matter?
Absolutely
it matters.
Does sound
doctrine matter?
Yes.
Listen,
only because
Jesus is
truly God
could he
provide an
infinite
atonement.
Only because
he is truly
man could
he die
in our
place as
our
representative.
Reject
either,
and the
gospel is
emptied of
its saving
power.
that is
why
whenever I
meet someone
who
says they're
a Christian,
and look,
it's not from
a place of
self-righteousness,
it's not,
I'm not trying
to be
suspicious,
look,
I just know
what's out
there.
I know
deceived people
are everywhere.
That is why
it is normally
my custom
when someone
says,
yeah,
I'm a
Christian,
oh,
let me
just ask
a few
questions.
What is
the gospel?
What?
What do
you mean?
I met
this girl
who told
me she,
at a
coffee shop,
she just
became a
Roman Catholic
on Easter,
and I was
like,
oh,
okay,
why are you
going to
heaven?
She had no
idea what I
she didn't
know how
to answer
that.
How is
that possible?
Then I
took her
to her
supposed
pope's
preaching
in Acts
2.
What must
we do
to be
saved,
Peter?
Repent
and believe
and be
baptized
for your
sins.
You will
be saved.
If the
eternal
son
willingly
humbled
himself,
okay,
to endure
human
weakness
and rejection
and suffering
for our
sake,
how much
more should
we?
His
slaves,
his
servants,
those who
claim his
name,
who claim
to be
devoted to
him,
who claim
to love
him,
who
apparently
have
counted
the cost
of
discipleship,
which
one of
those
costs,
he says
in Luke
14,
you must
be willing
to bear
your own
cross.
Look,
that's not
talking about
your boss
being mean
to you.
That's not
your cross.
He's literally
saying in the
immediate context,
you must be
willing to
suffer Roman
crucifixion if
you're going
to follow
me.
He's not
trying to
prevent people
from following
him.
He's trying
to prevent
false
converts.
We must
do the
same.
We don't
try and
draw people
into the
church with
earthly
pleasures.
We don't
tell them,
hey,
there's no
suffering after
you follow
Christ.
No,
Jesus literally
says the
world hates
you because
it first
hated me.
Paul says
I bear in
my body
the marks
of Christ.
The world
doesn't hate
you personally.
They hate
Christ in
you.
We speak
his words.
We love
like him.
We represent
him.
They hate
him.
And it
is our
job to
bring the
message to
them regardless
of what it
costs.
If the
son of
God
willingly
humbled
himself
unto
death,
how much
more should
we be
willing to
bear hardship
in faithful
obedience?
obedience.
When the
Lord of
glory
willingly
stooped
to human
frailty
on the
cross,
sorry,
human frailty
and was
willing to
suffer on
the cross,
he established
the pattern
for his
people,
for us.
We are
not above
our master
but called
to follow
him in
humble
obedience
through
suffering.
What does
he say?
look,
a slave
is not
greater than
their
master.
If this
is how
the world
treated
me,
who had
no sin,
who loved
perfectly,
who treated
everyone
perfectly,
who obeyed
the father
perfectly,
who is
God,
if that's
how they
treated
me,
you don't
think your
life is
going to
be void
of suffering,
do you?
how much
more so,
he says,
look,
a slave
is not
greater than
his
master.
That's
why he
got a
little
frustrated
with
James
and
John.
Lord,
can we
sit at
your
right
hand?
Can
you
stop?
Can
we
put
aside
these
future
plans
of
succession
or
reigning?
The
son of
man
must
suffer
dying
on
the
third
day
be
raised.
Remember
that.
Let's
start
with
that.
What
does
he
mean
by
that?
They
found
out.
As we
bring the
message to
a close,
a very
important
quote
that I
love
is very
dear to
me.
Really
transformed
my life,
the trajectory
of it,
because
it's far
too easy
in this
life to
get caught
up in
cultural
Christianity,
where you
might just
go to
church,
and you
get married,
you have
kids,
culturally
you're
Christian,
you'll
go to
church,
you might
even
become a
member
of a
church,
but
your
internal
motive and
attitude
isn't
full,
complete,
total
devotion.
This
quote
really
moved me
in that
direction.
not that
I was
deceived,
but I
just
kind of
was a
product
of my
environment.
I was
in a
weak
teaching,
seeker
friendly
church,
where that
was just
the
attitude.
I heard
this,
a lot
has
changed.
Dr.
John
Piper
says
this,
John
MacArthur
commenting
and
clarifying
this,
he says
the
gospel
offers
what
the
sinner
does
not
want
naturally.
It
offers
reconciliation
with
God.
It
offers
righteousness,
holiness,
forgiveness,
heaven,
and dominating
all of
that.
Christ.
The
gospel
is not
a gospel.
Our
message
is not
a message
of
self
fulfillment.
It
is a
message
of
self
denial.
Paul
in
Philippians
3
later in
this
letter
goes on
to say,
but
whatever
gain
I
had
I
counted
as
loss
for
the
sake
of
Christ.
Indeed,
I
count
everything
as
loss
because
of
the
surpassing
worth
of
knowing
Christ
Jesus
my
Lord.
For
his
sake
I
have
suffered
the
loss
of
all
things
and
count
them
as
rubbish
in
order
that
I
may
gain
Christ
and
be
found
in
him
not
having
a
righteousness
of
my
own
that
comes
from
the
law
but
that
which
comes
through
faith
in
Christ
the
righteousness
from
God
that
depends
on
faith
we
must
remember
our
message
that
we
proclaim
and
ourselves
believe
that
the
good
news
of
Christ
must
first
come
only
after
the
good
I'm
sorry
the
good
news
of
the
good
news
of
Christ
must
first
come
only
after
the
bad
news
it
was
Arthur
Pink
who
said
many
have
a
sense
that
they're
saved
how
is
that
happening
the
sinner
must
have
a
right
view
of
their
sin
and
offense
and
dilemma
before
a
holy
and
just
God
before
they
can
see
the
sweetness
and
beauty
of
the
saving
person
and
work
of
Christ
this
is
the
model
of
Christ
preaching
I
love
that
Mark
115
first
words
after
the
baptism
repent
and
believe
the
gospel
Jesus
launches
his
earthly
ministry
right
out
of
the
water
repent
the
kingdom
of
God
is
here
believe
the
good
news
this
is the
model
of the
apostles
preaching
this
must
be
our
model
as
well
look
you
gather
on
Sunday
you
are
then
launched
into
your
community
into
your
stores
into
your
schools
into
your
places
of
work
that's
where
we
evangelize
the
lost
that's
where
we
represent
Christ
that's
where
we
call
sinners
to
repent
and
believe
and
remind
them
hey
listen
deny
yourself
repent
trust
Christ
all
your
sins
all
of
them
will
be
washed
away
and
not
only
are
the
sins
washed
away
he
also
gives
you
his
perfect
righteousness
he
then
unites
you
to
himself
with
full
communion
and
sonship
with
the
trinity
your
sins
aren't
just
forgiven
you're
also
given
full
righteousness
the
father
now
looks
at
you
as
if
he
looked
and
approved
of
the
eternal
son
in
his
full
obedience
that's
good
news
if
we
are in
Christ
today
Paul
says
we
have
been
saved
by
grace
through
faith
this
is
not
our
own
doing
but
the
gift
of
God
there
is
no
room
for
boasting
here
only
true
worship
and
thankfulness
and
gratitude
toward
the
merciful
loving
and
holy
triune
God
the
reason
you
even
believe
is
a
gift
Jesus
says
no
one
can
come
to
me
unless
it's
granted
to them
from
the
father
he's
explaining
to
Nicodemus
the
wind
blows
our
wishes
and
no
one
knows
where
it
comes
from
so
it
is
of
everyone
who's
born
of
the
spirit
John
says
those
who
believed
in
him
he
gave
the
right
to
become
children
of
God
who
were
born
not
of
blood
or
water
but
by the
spirit
born
again
born
from
above
your
sinful
nature
you were
born
with
he
gives
you
a
new
one
a
new
regenerated
heart
lastly
Charles
Spurgeon
one of my
heroes
probably many
of yours
as well
he has a
sermon to
me
which
stands above
all others
here's the
title
you think
of
Puritan
thought
and
they've
got
these
really
long
names
even
like
the
Edwards
earlier
the
distinguishing
marks
of
a
word
here's
Spurgeon's
title
now
that's
it
now
he
was
preaching
on
2nd
Corinthians
6
2
he
was
preaching
on
behold
now
is
the
accepted
time
behold
today
now
is the
day
of
salvation
he
argued
today
is
the
Lord's
day
and
tomorrow
is
the
devil's
day
what
does
he
mean
by
that
he
means
people
who
hear
the
gospel
and
want
to
keep
living
in
their
sins
always
tell
themselves
tomorrow
I
will
repent
tomorrow
I
will
come
to
Christ
I
will
turn
and
believe
tomorrow
I
want
to
keep
living
in
this
sinful
relationship
I
don't
want
to
be
bold
and
proclaim
the
truth
I
don't
want
my
parents
to
denounce
me
tomorrow
I'll
stand
my
sins
until
tomorrow
and
unfortunately
for many
and I
mean
many
tomorrow
never
comes
look
for some
reason
everyone
thinks
they're
going to
die
in
their
bed
at
100
years
old
painless
in
a
hospital
with
plenty
of
pain
meds
surrounded
by
family
and
dying
their
sleep
painless
why
do we
think
that
you know
I think
of like
9-11
a lot
when you
watch the
plane hit
the tower
like someone
was probably
sitting there
pouring their
coffee
getting ready
for their
meeting
next thing
you know
we know
what happens
next
why do you
think that
do you
think that
way
the
Christian
must live
for Christ
now
the
believer
must
serve
Christ
now
and
the
sinner
must
come
to
Christ
now
today
if you
hear his
voice
do not
harden
your
heart
no matter
who you
are
what
you
have
done
the
savior
stands
ready
to receive
you
come
unto
him
now
let's
pray
father
we love
you
we
thank
you
for
your
truth
your
word
your
spirit
lord
thank
you
for
the
bible
in
our
own
language
lord
please
bless
the
saints
equip
them
embolden
them
remind
them
of
your
love
remind
them
of
the
truth
that
you
are
with
us
to
the
end
of
the
age
we
love
you
lord
please
bless
these
saints
by
your
word
in
christ's
name
amen