You open your Bibles with me
to Isaiah, the 52nd chapter, Isaiah 52 for our scripture reading
this morning. Uh, Bert texted me early this
morning and said that he woke up sick today and was not able
to be here. So we miss him. And I think Ed
sick and, uh, Mary, it's good to have you back. Um, Sarah had
surgery down in South Florida this week and is recovering.
at home from that and if you weren't here the first hour I
mentioned that Mary Bell is is seems maybe she's in her last
days with us here in this world and so I want to remember the church in
Crossville, Tennessee. Isaiah chapter 52 Awake, awake. Oh Lord, would you wake us up?
I am so prone to slumber. I tell you, it's hard to get
out of bed sometimes, isn't it? It really is. And that's especially
true spiritually when we're just resting and things we ought not
to be resting in. Awake, awake, put on thy strength,
O Zion, put on the beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy
city, from henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised
and the unclean. They shall no more say to their
brother, Know the Lord, know the Lord, for they shall all
know me from the least of them unto the greatest." Every member
of the family of God is a believer. That's how you become part of
the church. That's what he's saying. Shake
thyself from the dust, arise. Sit down, O Jerusalem. Loose
thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.
For thus saith the Lord, you have sold yourselves for naught,
and you shall be redeemed without money." That's a picture of our
struggle with sin, isn't it? Just sold ourselves for naught.
And we're going to be redeemed from that, but it's not going
to be by money. It'll be by the work of Christ. For thus saith the Lord God,
my people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there,
and the Assyrians oppressed them without cause." You find yourself
attracted to Egypt, trying yourselves in the Assyrians' camp. Verse 5, Now
therefore what have I here, saith the Lord, that my people is taken
away for naught? They that rule over them make
them to howl, saith the Lord, and my name continually every
day is blasphemed. Therefore my people shall know
my name. Therefore they shall know in
that day that I am he that doth speak. Behold, it is I. how beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth
peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation,
that saith unto Zion, thy God reigneth, thy watchman shall
lift up the voice, with the voice together they shall sing, for
they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. It's such a blessing for me to
be able to have fellowship with Gabe Stoniker, a brother with
whom I see eye to eye on the gospel and on so many other things. Gabe and Hannah and Isabella
and Sophie are here on vacation this week and the girls are so
excited about going to Disney World. And we're happy for them
that they get to do that. So Gabe's going to preach for
us this morning. I'm so thankful that he's willing
to do that. Let's pray together and ask the
Lord to continue His blessings. Our Heavenly Father, we thank
You for the work of grace that You do in the hearts of Your
children, teaching them all the same things. teaching them of
the same One, the Lord Jesus Christ, and causing them to see
eye to eye, to be in agreement, to rejoice together in the truth
of the gospel of your free grace in the accomplished work of the
Lord Jesus Christ. I thank you for Gabe and ask,
Lord, that you would Bless him as he comes to speak and give
us ears to hear, to hear what you say. And Lord, that we would
leave this place knowing that we've heard thy voice. Would you pray for Bert and for
Ed and for Cyril and Lord, as their home recovering with illness
and surgery, we pray that your hand of strength and healing
would be upon them. Thank you for Mary and for her
recovery. And Father, we pray for our dear sister Mary Bell.
We ask that you'd be merciful to her and to the church and
to Donny as they wait on you in these dark hours. Pray the
light of your peace and grace would shine from heaven. We ask
it in Christ's name. Amen. Gabe, we're going to sing
another hymn and then you come, okay? I know you don't want that water.
I have my finger in it. Good morning. I have two little girls who are
extremely delighted to be with you this morning. And Hannah and I are too. We are so thankful to get to
be here again. We dearly love you in Christ.
And it's just special to meet with His people. And I do love
your pastor and his wife so much. We thank you for having us. We appreciate everything. We
truly do. Turn with me, if you would, to John chapter 10. John chapter 10. I believe that
the Lord has burdened my heart with this message this morning. I want to ask us a question, and I'd like for us to answer
this in our minds, to ourselves, in our hearts. Who is Jesus Christ? Who is Jesus Christ? That's a life or death question. It's a life or death question.
This thing is not about religion and it's not about church. Who is Jesus Christ? Is He the Son of God? Was He begotten of the Father? Who is Jesus Christ? Our Lord asked those Pharisees,
What think ye of Christ? Whose Son is He? And they said, he's the son of
David. The Lord said, then why did David
call him Lord? He said, if David called him
Lord, then how is he his son? And they had no idea how to answer
that question. No idea. They could not answer this question. Who is Jesus Christ? The determining factor on whether
or not you and I spend eternity in the presence of God, in His
glorious kingdom, depends on whether or not He has revealed
to us who Jesus Christ really is. Do you know that? That's
the determining factor. It's whether or not He has revealed
to us who Jesus Christ really is. This world has no idea. No idea. They think they do.
No idea. Who is Jesus Christ? He answers
that question very plainly Very simply so that no man or woman
is without excuse. He said right here in John 10
verse 30. John 10 verse 30. He said, I and my Father are one. I and my Father are one. What
does that mean? What does he mean when he says,
I and my Father are one? Hannah and I are one. We're one. We were talking about that yesterday,
going down the road. I was working on a message in
Genesis 2. Adam, Eve, these two will be
one flesh. It's amazing how the Lord has
done that for a man and a woman in the picture of Christ and
His bride. Everything I do, I want to do
it with Hannah, specifically. If Hannah doesn't go with me
on vacation, I don't want to go. I mean, from here on out, we're
going to do it together. We are one. She took my name,
same last name. We have children together. Our Lord said, A man shall leave
his father and mother and cleave to his wife and they shall be
one flesh. We are one. But I am a male. And she's a
female. I'm tall. She's short. I'm old. She's young. That's not the kind of oneness
that our Lord is talking about. He said, I and my Father are
one. One. Not just one in every way. One in being. One. Now I want to go through some
scriptures and if the Lord Jesus Christ has never revealed to
any of us here who He really is, my prayer is that He would
do that for me and do it for you right now this morning. Right now. Let's see who Jesus
Christ really is. Let's begin with John 1.1. Turn
with me to John chapter 1. John 1 verse 1 says, In the beginning
was the Word. Who is the Word? Verse 14 says,
The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth. That's Jesus Christ. Verse 1
says, In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God
all the way in the beginning. Now there is no start to the
beginning. Eternity is infinity. So God has no age. But for our
simple minds, here's the best way we can understand it. They
are the same age. The Father is not older and the
Son is not younger. They're the same age. In the
beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. He said, I and my Father are
one in eternity. One. Well, Jesus is 2,000 years
old. No, He's not. No, He's not. Go with me to Deuteronomy chapter
6. Deuteronomy 6, look at verse
4. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our
God is one Lord. One Lord. Well, that's not what Genesis
1 said. Go with me over to Genesis chapter 1. Genesis 1 verse 26 says, And God said, Let Us make man
in Our image after Our likeness. Us. Our. Who are the Us? That's God the Father, God the
Son, and God the Spirit. Now look at what it says in verse
27. So God created man in His own image. In the image of God
created He, Him. Male and female created He, them. It doesn't say, so God created
man in their own image, does it? In the image of God created they,
Him. Male and female created they,
them. It says He. Who is that? Jesus Christ, the
Word. Alright, so Jesus Christ was
with God the Father. In the beginning was the Word,
the Word was with God. So Jesus Christ was there. with
God when He created all these things. Well, turn with me to
Hebrews 1. Hebrews 1 verse 1 says, "...God,
who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in time past unto
the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken
unto us by Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things,
by whom also He made the worlds." Jesus Christ was not only with
God, Jesus Christ was God, Jesus Christ made the worlds. Everything
that's in them. Everything that's in this world.
Verse 3 says, Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express
image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His
power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on
the right hand of the Majesty on high." Okay, so Jesus Christ
has a throne next to God's throne. He sat down at the right hand
of the Majesty on high. He's sitting there right next
to God. honored to be next to God. No, look at verse 8. Hebrews
1 verse 8 says, But unto the Son he saith, the Father saith,
Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever. A scepter of righteousness
is the scepter of Thy kingdom. thy kingdom." What He said is,
this is all your kingdom. Your kingdom. Jesus Christ and
His Father are one in that throne. In the throne. He does not have a smaller throne
next to God, His Father's throne. One of these days, we're going
to physically be able to approach the throne. Can you imagine?
We're going to watch Him ascend up to His throne. And we're going
to be able to approach that throne with boldness. And when we do,
there will not be two thrones there. We're not going to wonder,
who is God? We're going to approach the throne
and Jesus Christ is going to be sitting in it. He's the express image of God. Hebrews 1 verse 10 says, And
thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the
earth, and the heavens are the works of thine hands. They shall
perish, but thou remainest, And they all shall wax old as doth
a garment. And as a vesture shalt thou fold
them up, and they shall be changed, but thou art the same, and thy
years shall not fail." Genesis 1 kept saying God, God, in the
beginning God. And God said, God. Who is He
talking about? The Son, Jesus Christ, God. Jesus Christ and the Father are
one in eternity. They're one in image. They're
one in the throne. That means they're one in authority.
All judgment has been put in the hands of Jesus Christ. That's
what John 5.22 says. They are one in power. Go with
me over to Matthew 28. Matthew 28 and look at verse
18. And Jesus came and spake unto
them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. He said, All power is given unto
me in heaven and in earth. What He did not say is, Won't
you let me?" Won't you let me? Doesn't that
crawl you to hear men lie on God? Won't you let me? He said, I have all power to
control heaven and all power to control the earth. You know
who does that? God does. God does. He said, I and my Father are
one in eternity, one in image, one in the throne, one in authority,
one in power. Now go with me over to John chapter
5. John 5 verse 19. Then answered Jesus and said
unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing
of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do. For what things
soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. Verse 30 says,
I can of mine own self do nothing. As I hear, I judge. And my judgment is just, because
I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which
has sent me." Now look back one chapter to John 4. Verse 34 says, Jesus saith unto them, My meat
is to do the will of Him that sent Me, and to finish His work."
The reason He can do no other than the will of the Father is
because they are one in will. Absolutely one in mind. One in purpose. One in heart. We might be in agreement on something.
We might have talked it over. We both decided this is the way
things ought to be. But it took a little while to
get there. That's not the case with Christ and His Father. They
are always in perfect agreement. He can do no other than the will
of the Father because that's His own will. Absolutely one
in will. What is that will? What is the
will? Look at the end of verse 34,
John 4 verse 34. He said, to finish his work. The father sent Christ to this
earth to finish his work. The father wanted that work finished,
accomplished. Christ wanted that work finished. Christ finished the work. He
finished the work of saving all the souls that the Father gave
to the Son. All the souls that the Father
put in the Son. He finished that work. Christ and His Father were one
in that work. I want to show you this in Acts
chapter 20. Go with me over to Acts chapter 20. Acts chapter 20 verse 28. Take heed therefore unto yourselves
and unto all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made
you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with
His own blood." God did it. God is the one who hung there
on that tree. Was he man? Absolutely. The God-man. But God did it. God purchased
him. 2 Corinthians 5 says, God was in
Christ, reconciling the world unto himself. That was God. Jesus
Christ and the Father, they're one in eternity, one in image,
one in the throne, one in authority. one in power, one in will, one
in work. And this one is my favorite.
Turn with me over to John 14. John 14. Verse 6 says, Jesus saith unto
him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto
the Father, but by me. Now listen to what he's saying
right here. He said, no man comes to the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you should
have known my Father. You should have known my father
also. And from henceforth, you know him and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord,
show us the father and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, have
I been so long time with you? And yet hast thou not known me,
Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen
the Father. And how sayest thou then, Show
us the Father? Believest thou not that I am
in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak
unto you I speak not of Myself, but the Father that dwelleth
in Me. He doeth the works." What he
is telling them is, I and my Father are one." We're one. We are one. In Him dwells all
the fullness of the Godhead bodily. We're one. One in body. Is God the Father the mighty
God? Yes, He is. So is God the Son. Isaiah said, Unto us a child
is born, unto us a son is given, the government shall be upon
his shoulder. His name shall be called Wonderful,
Counselor, this is His name, The Mighty God. This is His name, The Everlasting
Father, The Prince of Peace. A child is born. What's his name?
The mighty God, the everlasting Father. Who is Jesus Christ? Well, He's a man who was a great
humanitarian and He knows the way to God. No. He is God. If we come to Christ,
we come to God. The highest God. The mighty God. Is God the Father? I'm not present. Is He everywhere? So is God the
Son. He said, I'm with you always,
even unto the end of the world, wherever you go. Brother Maurice
Montgomery was going into the service, being shipped overseas.
And right before He left, His Father said, Son, remember this,
God goes everywhere. You're just as safe over there
as you are right here. You're just as in His will, in
His purpose, in His power, in His hand as you are right here. Our Lord said that He was able
to save to the uttermost. Why? He's in the uttermost. Is God the Father omniscient?
That means all-knowing. So is God the Son. Go with me
to John 21. John 21 verse 17 says, He saith unto him the third time,
Simon son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because
he said unto him the third time, lovest thou me? And he said unto
him, Lord, thou knowest all things. You know all things. Thou knowest
that I love thee. You know all things. Is God the
Father unchanging? Unchangeable? So is God the Son. Hebrews 13 says, Jesus Christ,
the same yesterday and today forever. He's the same. He changes not. That's why we're
not consumed. That's why we sinners are not
consumed. It's because He changes not. Who is Jesus Christ? The undeniable message throughout
all of God's Word is all men should honor the Son
even as they honor the Father. All men should honor the Son
even as they honor the Father. If they do, it's the grace of
God. It's the work of God. It's the
mercy of God, if they do. If God gives you and me a mind
and a heart and a desire to honor the Son, if He puts a love in
this heart for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ, the Son
of God, If He puts a heart in us to bow
to the Son of God, this One who most people think they have in
their back pocket, you know, lucky charm. Oh, that's my God
and my King. That's my Maker. He's my Defender,
my Redeemer and Friend. If He opens our eyes and gives
us life, And we come to know who Jesus Christ really is. If He reveals Christ to us, then
here is the glory of the gospel. We stand up and we preach this
gospel. And it's a wonderful gospel.
It starts out really bad. We're all sinners. But God came. He sent His Son. God came. and willingly gave His life for
ours. Paid the debt, rose from the
grave, went back to the throne He left, sat down victoriously. If God opens our eyes to that,
here's the glory for us of the Gospel. Here's the good news
for us, us ruined sinners. Go to John 17. John 17 verse 11, our Lord said,
And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and
I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine
own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one in the same place that we are.
That's not what it says. that they may be one even as
we are one. That's pretty glorious. Verse
21, that they all may be one as thou, Father, art in me and
I in thee. That they also may be one in
us. That the world may believe that
thou hast sent me. and the glory which thou gavest
me, the mighty God, I have given them, that they may be one even as
we are one. I in them, and thou in me, that
they may be made perfect in one. And that the world may know that
Thou hast sent me and hast loved them as Thou hast loved me. Verse 26 says, And I have declared,
this is the Gospel, I have declared unto them thy name, and will
declare it, that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in
them, and I in them. Just as the Father and the Son
are one, All whom Christ reveals Himself
to are one with them, one in them. There is going to be one body
in glory. It's going to have one head and
there's going to be one body. I cannot tell you how much I
love me. I could never describe to you
how much I love me. Everything in this world that
I touch is for me. I love them and I want them for
me. It's all about me. Well, in glory
there's going to be one body. We're all going to be one. No
division, no schism. Why? We're one in Him. in the head. The mind of the
head is the mind of the finger. The finger wants to do that because
the head said, do that. That's what I want to do. There
will be one body in Him, in the Father, in the Son. As He is,
so are we. Isn't that glorious? May the
Lord reveal Christ to all of us. I pray He'll bless His Word. Thank you for having me.