All right, brother. Did I go
live yet? No, I didn't go live yet, did
I? Morning. Let's go to Genesis
chapter 1. Genesis chapter 1. That's where
we're going to be in both hours. Because it was, one message was
just a little too much for me to For us to bite off, it was
just too much. So we're gonna have two messages
from the same passage. We're gonna be in Genesis 1,
14 through 19. And in the first message, we'll
be looking at the ascension and glorification of our Savior,
the exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ. So I wanna say this. I apologize now because a fly
got in here and they go right for me when I'm speaking, so
they just attack. So let me just say this, all
creation declares Jesus Christ and him crucified. All of creation declares the
Lord Jesus Christ, so that each day of creation is a description
of the gospel. The Lord is declaring some facet
of the gospel of our Savior for his people. We see him reconciling
his people to himself. What do I mean? Creation begins
in verse 1 saying, In the beginning God created the heaven and the
earth. We see right from the beginning
this is our Savior. Life for the believer begins
with the Lord Jesus Christ. Until Christ gives us life, we
have no life. It begins with Him. And in fact,
the scriptures describe Him as God our Creator, saying, all
things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything
made that was made. That's from John 1, 3. Then on
the first day, if you look at verse three, God said, let there
be light. And there was light. This is God bringing forth the
uncreated light, the eternal Son of God, who is the light
and the life of the world. There is no light, there is no
life apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. Now when God brought
forth that uncreated light, that first day, that signified something. That declared that God had a
purpose to be gracious to a people. God would be gracious. When that
light shone on this dark world that he had created, there that
was void without form and in darkness, verse two, that signified
God would be gracious to his people. It showed that God had
a purpose. And so it is when the father
sent the son who is the light of his people, when he sent the
Son in his flesh, God was revealing that he would be gracious to
a sinful people who could not save themselves. God was declaring
he's going to be gracious to a people by sending Christ. If
he didn't send Christ, there's no salvation. But in sending
him, God is showing his purpose to save a people. On the second
day, verse 6, God said, let there be a firmament in the midst of
the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And we saw, when we looked there,
how this firmament is a covering. This is the heaven that God created
between the earth below and the outer space heavens above. So
that under that covering, God has provided a place where we
now live and move and have our being. God stretched forth the
sky. He stretched forth the heavens,
thus declaring the boundary of our habitation. And that covering
is a picture of the blood atoning sacrifice made for the Lord's
people by the Lord Jesus Christ who came and provided a covering,
an atonement to cover the sins of His people that we should
stand before God faultless before His throne. And so we are thankful
for this covering. It declares our need of a covering,
and it shows forth the covering which Christ brought for his
people. Then on the third day, verse nine, God said, let the
waters under the heaven, under that covering provided, be gathered
together unto one place. In other words, God's declaring
that all his people That adopted family of God are gathered to
the one Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. There's not many paths
to salvation. There's not many roads to God.
There's one. There's one. It's declared in
the Lord Jesus Christ. And he said, let the dry land
appear. And it was so. We see the land
coming up out of the watery grave, and it pictures for us the resurrection
of the Lord Jesus Christ. And from that fruitful land came
forth every herb, fruit-bearing trees, and seed after his kind,
after the Lord's kind. And this all happened under the
heaven, under that covering which Christ our creator made for his
people. And so we see this by the gift
of the Spirit. We see that Christ is being declared
right back here at the very beginning of creation. God showing this
isn't just some happenstance, random thing, but that he has
a purpose in revealing himself to a people who hear him and
receive him and believe his word. So in summary, what we've seen
in creation thus far. Day one, we see the coming of
Christ being declared in the flesh. He is the light of his
people. Day two, we see the death of
Christ being declared, where he makes an atonement for his
people. Day three, we see the resurrection
of Christ. being declared, God declaring
that he is justified and all you who look to him and believe
him are justified in Christ. And day four, we see the being
declared the ascension and exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's
talk about that for a little bit. After spending some time
with the disciples, after he rose from the dead, Luke tells
us in Acts 1 verse 3, I'll read it, Acts 1 verse 3, to whom also
Christ showed himself alive after his passion, after his death
and burial and resurrection by many infallible proofs, being
seen of them 40 days. and speaking of the things pertaining
to the kingdom of God. And then, what did Christ do? He went back to the Father who
sent him. He ascended to the Father. Acts
1 verse 9 says, And when he had spoken these things, while they
beheld, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their
sight. And so Christ, the light of man,
ascended to the Father. But what's being declared is
that he did not leave himself without a witness for his people. that we should know Him because
He departed, how do we know, how do we hear of the Lord Jesus
Christ? And so on this fourth day, that's
what's being spoken of and declared, we see witnesses given by Christ
to testify of the light of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is seen
in the sun, the moon, and the stars. They are the light bearers. That's what they picture. They're
bearing that light. Remember, day one said, let there
be light, and there was light. That was not the sun. That wasn't
the sun. We don't have an understanding
or a comprehension of that light. But seeing the sun, we do have
an understanding of that light. We do see something, and we'll
see more of that in the next message. It's describing these light bearers
that they were given to divide the day from the night and to
give light upon the earth. And so we see this described
in the passage. We're gonna get there, we're
gonna read Genesis 1. We'll come to that in a moment.
And we'll see there described these witnesses. We see in these
witnesses the ascension of Christ. They picture Christ. We see in
the sun and the moon a picture of Christ and the church, who
reflects the light of their Lord and Savior. And then when we
come back, we'll see a second time the sun, the moon, and the
stars, which picture the Holy Spirit, which is given for the
people. And what does the Holy Spirit
do? He testifies of Christ. We see also a picture of the
scriptures. What do the scriptures do? They
testify of Christ. And we see in the stars a picture
of the church. And what does the church do?
She testifies of the Lord Jesus Christ. So our Lord and Savior
did not leave himself without a witness for his people. That's
what's being declared on the fourth day of creation. Let's
read the text now, verses 14 through 19. And God said, let there be lights
in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night. And let them be for signs and
for seasons and for days and years. And let them be for lights
in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
and it was so. Now it almost repeats itself
here. And God made two great lights, the greater light to
rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made
the stars also. And God set them in the firmament
of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the
day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning
were the fourth day." We'll call this message the Ascension of
Christ Declared. So we're gonna focus on that. We're gonna see Christ's ascension
and how that the sun and the moon are a picture of Christ
and his church. And so this day declares our
Lord's ascension. And what that means, what is
the ascension? It means that the eternal son of God, who came
and fulfilled the will of the father, that he has returned
unto the Father, just as he said, having completed that work. What work did he do? The Father
sent him to make an atonement, to put away, to obtain eternal
forgiveness of the sins of his people. Turn over to John 17. John 17. This is our Lord's high priestly
prayer. John 17, verse four and five. This is the night when he would
be taken and led away to be crucified for his people. But he prays
to the father saying, I have glorified thee on the earth. I have finished the work which
thou gavest me to do." He hadn't even gone to the cross yet, and
yet everything that needed to be done, Christ accomplished
it. They were coming, and they would
take him, and they would lead him away to be crucified exactly
according to the will and purpose of God. Not as a martyr, not
as one who went unwillingly, but one who went willingly to
lay down his life to obtain forgiveness for the people from the Father. And he said, verse 5, And now,
O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory
which I had with thee before the world was. And so we see
the eternal nature of the Son of God. All right, now he's speaking
there of his ascension. Lord, let me ascend, let me return
back to you to that same glory which I had with you previously.
Turn over to Acts chapter two, and we see this. Acts two. Acts 2 verse 32 through 35. This
is Peter preaching the gospel. After that the Holy Spirit was
poured out upon the people. They were gathered there in Jerusalem
just like Christ told them, wait in Jerusalem and I will give
you the gift of the Spirit. So the Spirit's been poured out
upon them. And Peter declares, verse 32, this Jesus hath God
raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Christ appeared to
his disciples, after that he rose from the dead, so that they
too would be witnesses of what they had seen and heard. Therefore,
being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received
of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed
forth this, which ye now see and hear." They were all there
speaking and declaring the glory of God in the language of the
people that were gathered there in Jerusalem. from all different
regions, all different parts of the world, the different languages
that they spoke and were native to them, they heard them declare
the glory of God in that language. He says, for David is not ascended
into the heavens, but he saith himself, the Lord said unto my
Lord, sit thou on my right hand until I make thy enemies thy
footstool. And that comes from Psalm 110
verse one. And so what's being declared
here is that Christ has risen from the grave and he has ascended
unto the Father now to intercede for you, his people, to ensure
that you too shall be delivered out from darkness and brought
into a knowledge, a saving knowledge and understanding of what Christ
did for me. He by His Spirit makes me to
know I'm the sinner. I deserve hell. I deserve the
punishment and wrath of God for my sin and rebellion. But thanks
be to God for the Lord Jesus Christ, who came and faithfully
fulfilled all the law of God, doing for me what I could not
do for myself. because I fall far short of the
glory of God. But Christ who is faithful, Christ
who is perfect, Christ who is holy, spotless, wonderful, all-glorious,
came in perfect obedience to the Father and fulfilled all
righteousness for me. And he obtained my forgiveness
by the death of himself, shedding his blood to redeem me, to purchase
me from that death which I earned and obtained for myself. Christ
delivered me, paying the debt as my surety, saying, put it
on me. I'll pay it in full. And he came
and paid every price for his people. And now he gives them
his spirit whereby we live and look to the Lord Jesus Christ,
being born of his seed, and now behold him by faith, trusting
that word of God which said, look to my son, trust him. Don't trust yourselves, don't
trust your works, trust him. I've provided everything for
my people in my son. and everything that you need
is given to you freely by the grace of God in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Who is that for? All whom the
Father reveals that faith in, that looks to Christ in Christ
alone. Many hear, many don't believe,
but there is a people who do hear and who do believe and the
Lord delivers them from darkness because he will be gracious to
whom he will be gracious." So salvation isn't secured by
man for himself. It's not man doing things to
get God to save him. the power of God in raising dead
sinners to life to look to him who is all our life and salvation,
the Lord Jesus Christ. And we believe, and we cry out,
Lord, have mercy on me. Help me, Lord, save me. And there are none whom he turns
away who come to him seeking grace and mercy. Peter says,
if you're there in Acts still, Acts 3, Acts 3.21. He says whom, speaking of the
Lord Jesus Christ, whom the heaven must receive. He cannot be turned
away. Heaven must receive him. He accomplished
everything the Father sent him to do. And all who come to the
Father through Jesus Christ the Son shall be received even as
he is received. Glory to His name. He must be
received until the times of restitution of all things when God will set
everything right. Every question will be answered,
everything will be set right, all the mysteries will be made
plain that we need to know. God will do that in the restitution
of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his
holy prophets since when? Since the world began. Declared
right here in Genesis, being declared to us that the Lord
Jesus Christ and him alone is the salvation of his people.
God created this world for the very purpose to glorify his son
and the hearts of his people who say, Lord, you're wonderful. I could never have done this.
I never saw this until you revealed it to me by your grace and mercy. The Lord does that for His people.
Christ, we're told, is not entered into the holy places made with
hands. These are but figures of the
true. But He has entered into heaven itself now to appear in
the presence of God for us. For us. And so when you read
Revelation, the book of Revelation, chapter five, and it says that
John says, I saw one which had been slain as a lamb, as a lamb
slain, and he comes to the throne. having ascended, having done
the work, he comes to the Father and he takes the book out of
his hand and begins to open the seals, showing that he is Lord
and Savior. He is the King implementing,
ruling, reigning right now on the earth, fulfilling all the
will of God. All the will of God. Because
God will be gracious to his people in the Lord Jesus Christ. And
so we rejoice in him. We exalt his name. His name has
lifted up in our hearts. It says in Philippians 2, 8 and
9, being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself. When
he was here in the flesh, he humbled himself and became obedient
unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore, God also
hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every
name. that at the name of Jesus Christ
every knee should bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord. And so that's what the Lord is
showing us. That's what he's declaring to us over and over
again. We see the glory of our Savior. Now, going back to the sun and the
moon. I said that the sun pictures Christ and the moon pictures
the church. Turn over to Psalm 19. Psalm
19. This speaks to the bridegroom
who came and paid the dowry for his bride. He paid everything
in full, the price being his life for her life. And he purchased
her. Now he's bringing her to himself
in perfect power. So Psalm 19. The first three verses, just
so you know, are saying, because we're gonna pick up in verse
four, the first three verses are saying that doesn't matter
what language you speak, what people you are from, what continent
you live on, all of creation declares the glory of God. That's
one thing that doesn't matter what language you speak because
it's seen with our eyes the glory of God in creation. Now verse
four. Their line is gone out through
all the earth. and their words to the end of
the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle
for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and
rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is
from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of
it. And there is nothing hid from
the heat thereof. And so this bridegroom of the
sun speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ. It shows us that there
is a perfect circuit. God has a perfect plan which
he is fulfilling. His will and purpose is being
fulfilled. And just as the sun starts out,
in the morning and ends in the evening, so our God is executing
and implementing His perfect will and purpose for His people. Today is the day of grace. It's all provided freely, fully
in the Lord Jesus Christ. And he has paid the price for
his people, and his circuit is almost completed. It's coming
to an end. But before that end comes, he's
saving his bride. He saved her by laying down his
life. He saves her now in time when
she comes forth. Him working all things for her
good to bring her to hear this glorious good news, not of what
she needs to do for God, but what God did for her in the Son,
the Lord Jesus Christ, in laying down His life for her. And He brings that same glorious
resurrection power which raised Him from the dead. He brings
it to bear on His child who yet lies in darkness. prison in bondage
under a yoke Lord I can't do it he calls her and says you
come come into the light and he gives her strength and the
ability to come to him by his grace by the Holy Spirit to look
to him and say Lord save me have mercy on me he brings it all
forth for her And she looks to him and believes by the fruit
of the spirit of grace in her, of faith, born in her in that
new man, born of the Lord Jesus Christ, whereby we hear and believe
what he's done for me, for me. And we cannot refuse him. It's
irresistible. He brings it out of his people. And then when the final sheep
is brought in, then the circuit will be complete. Then it'll
be over then. So the sun, we don't worship
the sun. It's just a reminder to us that Christ himself, who
is above the brightness of the sun, he has completed the work. Look to him. Trust him. Believe
him. God's will and purpose is all
fulfilled in him, and then cometh the end. You know, we'll just,
let me just show you one more thing. In Ephesians 5, let's
go to Ephesians 5. Paul's letter to the Ephesians. Ephesians 5.25-27 Husbands, love
your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself
for it. Who does Christ love? The Church. Who did he give himself for?
The Church. You husbands, you try and love
all the other women and see what your wife thinks of that. She
won't think of it much at all. Christ loves the Church and he
gave himself for it. That's what the scriptures say,
that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water
by the word. that he might present it to himself
a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
but that it should be holy and without blemish, all by his grace. That declares to us that whom
God set his love upon, it is effectual. He does not fail. If any for whom Christ loves,
yet goes to hell, then his love had nothing to do with our salvation. But instead his love does make
the difference. And you for whom he loved from
the foundation of the world and were given to Christ He paid
the price in full and He shall bring you out of darkness to
Himself because His love is effectual. He's not like a man where his
will is frustrated like you and me. My will's frustrated all
the time. Your will probably is too. God
is God and His will is never frustrated. Well, I don't understand
then how this can happen and that can happen. He tells us,
I have a purpose. I bring all things together for
good to them that love God, to them who are thee called according
to purpose. Purpose, God has a purpose and
he's making his child to see and to behold, Lord, I don't
understand or know all things, but I know that you are faithful
and just, holy and true. And why you should be merciful
to me, a sinner, I have no idea. But I'm so thankful that you
are gracious and faithful to have called me out of darkness.
And I'm thankful to see it from the very beginning of scripture.
to the very end of it and so Christ is like that sun shining
brightly and we look to him and behold his glory and power and
stand in awe of him and the moon or the church is like the moon
who has no light of her own no light no power of its own but
it receives all the light from that sun and reflects that light. And so we as the church bear
witness of the light and the salvation and the power of our
God given and shown to us in the sun. Amen. We'll stop there,
brethren, and we'll come back in the next message and we'll
see these things more gloriously declared once again. Amen. Let's close in prayer and then
we'll be dismissed for about 15 minutes. Our gracious Lord,
we thank you, Father, for your glory, for your power. Lord,
we stand in awe of you. How glorious, how wonderful you
are as God, truly God, and we are but flesh. Lord, help us
to hear, help us to believe your word, help us to look to not
ourselves, but to the Lord Jesus Christ, whom you have provided
and given to us to to put away our sins and to give us life
in him. Lord, we thank you for your mercy and grace. It's in
Christ's name that we pray and give thanks. Amen. All right,
15 minutes, brethren. We'll come back.