I'd like to ask you to open your
Bibles to Ephesians chapter 1, please. Last Sunday I referred to the
16th verse of John chapter 3, John 3.16. And I made a point
to believe in Jesus is not just to believe that Jesus existed,
devils believe that Jesus existed, but to believe everything there
is about Him. We must believe who He is. Jesus
is God in the flesh. He's the creator of everything.
He's the Word. Everything that we read right
here in this book that He has given us to have is about the
Lord Jesus Christ. We must believe what He did. Not only did He become a man,
humble Himself and leave the royalty that He had in heaven,
the glory that He had in heaven, He became flesh. And he walked this earth in perfection. Fulfilling the law to every dot. Perfectly. And then, after living
that life perfectly, he laid down his life for his people. He gave up his life. No one took
it from him. He shed his own blood. By his
stripes, we are healed. We must believe who He is, but
we must also believe what He did, and we must believe who
He did it for. He didn't do it for the whole
world. God does not love the whole human race as man would
like to believe. Jacob have I loved, He says.
Esau I have hated. He says, I have loved you, a
people that He had chosen unto Himself before the world ever
started. Before a star was ever put in the sky. God chose a people
unto himself. He wrote their names down in
a book. Now whether he actually wrote
it down or not, I don't know. But that's what he's referring
to. That's what the feeble mind of a human can understand. It
was written before the world was. We must believe who he did it
for. And we must believe what it is
He is doing now. He's sitting on His throne. He's
back in glory with holes in His hands, holes in His feet. And He's sitting in glory and
everything will bow the knee to Him. Everything is under His
control. He is sovereign, sovereign. in
one of Mike's panels. Why do we harp on sovereignty?
Because the world wants to take it away. The world wants to be
a thief. The world wants to say, I am
the ruler of myself. And the world is wrong. Christ
rules over everything. We must believe. And to believe
is called faith. And it's a gift that God gives
to some and he passes by others. Vessels of mercy and vessels
that are fitted for destruction. We believe his word is truth.
We believe that what he has said to be, will be, as it has come
to pass, shall come to pass, just as he has said it shall
be. Because of who He is, we have
confidence in His Word. We know that everything our Lord
Jesus has said shall come to pass. When He says, all that
the Father shall give me shall come to me, all that the Father
gave me shall come to me, we know that all that the Father
giveth Him shall come to Him, because He has all power in heaven
and earth. Everything is under His rule.
Every little detail, even the hairs on our heads are numbered. We believe His Word is truth.
We believe what He is said to be. Because of who He is, we
have confidence in His Word. Our faith is based on who He
is perfectly. Faithful in all that He has promised. He cannot lie and He cannot fail. In Psalms 36.5 it says, Thy mercy,
O Lord, is in the heavens, and Thy faithfulness reacheth unto
the clouds. My subject for today's message
is the great, wonderful, amazing faithfulness of the Lord Jesus
Christ. I have three questions for you.
The first one is, who is the Lord Jesus faithful to? Well let's understand first off,
what does it mean to be faithful? You hire somebody. And you say,
I'd like you to go do this job this certain way. I need you
to do it, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, just like that. And they
write it all down. And then they go out. And the
difference between a faithful employee and one that's not faithful
is one will say, OK, this is how he told me to do it, boom,
boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. And he does it exactly how I
was told to do it. And then you have another one who, you know
what? I don't really need that. Come on, it would be the same
thing at the end, right? So you have one employee who
is faithful and does exactly how you want them to do it. You
have the other employee who wants to skip and do it their own way.
So we kind of get an idea of what it means to be faithful. Faithful employee is someone
you can count on. You can count on Him doing it
the way you need it to have done, so that it's done right. You
know, we try, we try pretty hard in our lives, don't we, to be
faithful? We try to be faithful in our marriage, try to be faithful
in our work, just to name two. But we don't come anywhere near,
anywhere near the perfect faithfulness of Christ Jesus, our Savior.
He is perfectly faithful in all that He desires. But who is He
faithful to? Are you with me in Ephesians
1? Let's begin reading at verse 8. Wherein He hath abounded toward
us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the
mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure, which he
hath purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness
of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ,
both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him,
in whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated
according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after
the counsel of his own will. That we should be to the praise
of His glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted after
that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation,
in whom also after ye have believed ye were sealed with that Holy
Spirit of promise. Who is it that first trusted
in Christ? Who is it that looked upon Christ
as faithful? That's right, God the Father. I knew that's what you were thinking,
right? God the Father, and God the Son,
and God the Holy Ghost agreed to a covenant. They made a pact,
a contract as you might say, God the Father gave a people
to His Son on the promise that God the Son would be their sacrifice. That God the Son would pay the
price for their sins, reconciling them, returning them, putting
them back in good favor of God. Not them doing it, but Christ
doing it. Reconciling them unto the Father,
washing them clean, white as snow from all their sin. making
them righteous in the sight of God. This covenant, this agreement
was seen as done. Christ Jesus was so faithful
that God the Father saw that covenant and said, it's done. That's why we hear He's called
the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. God the Father
saw the blood of Christ before anything was ever created. This covenant, this agreement
was seen as done in the Father's eyes, for the Father and the
Son are one. You don't need to turn there,
but in 1 John 5, 7 it says, for there are three that bear record
in heaven, the Father, the Word, and you'll remember from John
1, 1, who is the Word? The Word was made flesh, that's
our Lord Jesus, and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one. We read in John 10.30, it says,
I and my Father are one. We also read in John 5.18, therefore
the Jews sought more to kill Him, speaking of Christ, because
He had not only had broken the Sabbath day, if you may recall,
Christ healed a man by the pool on the Sabbath day, and they
threatened to kill Him for it, but they also said that He also
said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. Three distinct persons yet of
one mind, or in other words, total agreement, one purpose,
one will, perfect unity. When you speak of one, you speak
of all three. Turn a couple of pages to the
right, will you, to Philippians chapter 2. If you were to take this point
we just saw, our Lord Jesus was faithful to the One who first
trusted Him, God the Father. God the Father, the Lord Jesus
Christ, the Holy Ghost, One. If you took that point all the
way out there, could you come to the wonderful
thought, Christ was faithful to Himself. If He and the Father are one,
and He was definitely faithful to the Father, He was faithful
to Himself. He had to become flesh that He
could establish a righteousness for His elect. Could He have
done anything less? If so, then He would not be God.
But because He is faithful to His Word, and fulfilled all of
His obligations, all of His promises, the Father has made Him the object
of all worship. Are you with me in Philippians
2, beginning at verse 5? Let this mind be in you, that
ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord
and of one mind. Let nothing be through strife
or vain glory. But in lowliness of mind let
each esteem the other better than themselves. Our Lord Jesus
left His glory and became flesh. Lowliness, He even became a servant. Look
not every man, continuing in verse 4, on his own things, but
every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in
you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form
of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made
himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant,
and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as
a man, 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 every knee should bow of things in heaven,
and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of
God the Father. When we worship the Son, we are
worshiping the Father, for all the fullness of the Godhead dwelleth
in Him. and is seen in the Son, Jesus
Christ, the Lord. Great is His faithfulness, for great is He. I remember when Mike Smith was
standing here, I don't remember if it was his first or second
message, but he leaned out over this and he says, isn't our God
great? Yes, He is. He's greater than
anything. I'm not interested in worshiping
a puny little God who's waiting for somebody to do something. I need a God who is greater than
anything. Greater than me. Because my sins are greater. And I need a great Savior. One
who is faithful. And our Lord Jesus is faithful
in all that he says and does. So next I ask you the second
question. What was the object of his faithfulness? Or should I say, who is the object
of his faithfulness? For his faithfulness was to become
a man and to fulfill all that was required and put away the
sins of his chosen. God the Father chose a people,
a people who like all who have come into this world, born in
sin and degradation, all have sinned and come short of the
glory of God. A people who deserve the wrath to come, yet He has
chosen some to be vessels of His mercy. You don't need to
turn in there, but John, in John again, 6 verse 37, All that the
Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me
I will know why he is cast out. How can we come to a God who
is so holy? How can we come to a God and
approach a God? Every picture we see of those who come into
the presence of God, where are they? They're on their face. They're on their face. Moses got down on his hands and
knees and put his face in the dirt for he was in the presence
of a holy God and he knew he was a sinner. How can we come
into the presence of a holy God? One who cannot even look upon
sin? There's only one way. And that's through the perfect
blood of He who is faithful. Turn over to Luke chapter 19
if you would please. He who knew no sin must be made
sin. He must be made sin, and He must
take all the wrath and judgment for the sins of this people upon
Himself. And Christ Jesus did exactly
that, faithfully, even the death of the cross. He took every sin
I have committed, every sin that I will commit, upon Himself,
and He took them into the grave, burying them there, far from
His sight forever, never to be remembered again. That's good
news to me. That's excellent news to me.
Because not a day goes by that I don't see what I deserve. Not a day that I wake up thinking
I'm unworthy of what the Lord's mercy and grace has been for
me. You see, the whole purpose of
the Son becoming flesh was to be faithful to that very covenant.
When He walked this earth, His path was set. His entire walk
was according to His Father's will. In John 5.30 it says, I
can of my own self do nothing. This is Christ speaking. As I
hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not mine
own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. Even
the death of the cross was according to the Father's will. Luke 22,
verse 42, where Christ is saying, Father, if Thou wilt, remove
this cup from Me. Our Lord was under great pressure,
and the flesh cried out. He felt the pain that we feel. He felt the humility that flesh
can feel. He desired food. He was hungry.
He was thirsty. He stood in the midst of His
creation and they turned against Him and wanted to kill Him. And
He knew that was coming. Father, if Thou be willing, remove
this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will but
Thine be done. You see, these things are a must. It's part of that covenant. In
order for Christ to be perfectly faithful, every dot had to be
made. Every detail had to be done exactly
the way God the Father had put it. And even though our Lord
suffered and bled and died, He still turned, and perfectly,
something I know I couldn't do, and said, Father, not my will
but Thine. These things are a must. The
crucifixion of Christ Jesus was the only way to be reconciled
to God the Father. Scripture gives us many more
examples of these things that must happen, such as this one
that we see in Luke chapter 19. If you're with me, beginning
at verse 1, and Jesus entered and passed through Jericho, notice
the detail. Pay close attention to detail
in the shawls and the musks. And behold, there was a man named
Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was
rich. And he sought to see Jesus, who
He was, and could not for the press, because He was of little
stature. And he ran before and climbed
into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was to pass that way."
Do you think that was an accident? No, our Lord passed that way
because somebody was there and needed to see Him. Somebody whose
name was written in the Book of Life before the world was.
Somebody who was one of those for whom the Father gave Him. And when Jesus came to the place,
He looked up. There were a lot of people gathering
around Jesus at this time. All the different miracles and
stuff. A lot of sick and palsy people
in the world need help. Just like it is today. There's
a lot of sick and palsy hearts in the world today. But yet there
was one in a tree. And Jesus looked up to him. And saw him and said, Zacchaeus,
make haste and come down. For today I must abide at thy
house. And he made haste and came down
and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all
murmured, saying that he was gone to be guessed with a man
that is a sinner. Is that not what we just read
about in Bible study a little bit ago? On how Saul was not
happy at all about how God was with David? One of God's elect? And Saul could plainly see that
the Lord was blessing David. Even though Saul was the king
of many people, had all the riches of the world, he still was jealous
that God was with this little guy, this little man who was
nothing more than a... I got it. Hang on. It's coming. Shepherd. Thanks, Cheryl. This man who was nothing more
than a shepherd. And Saul was jealous of him. Angry with him. The people. Why is God going
to be with a sinner when He's got such a perfect guy? I do
all the right stuff over here. How come He's not coming to my
house? Because it pleases Him. Our Lord does everything that
pleases Himself. And Zacchaeus stood and said
unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to
the poor, and if I have taken anything from any man by false
accusation, I restore to him fourfold." When the Lord opens our eyes
to what His mercy and grace means to us, how can we not feel mercy
and grace for all those around us who have not had their eyes
opened to Him? And Jesus said unto him, this
day is salvation come to this house. For as much as he also
is the son of Abraham, for the Son of Man has come to seek and
save that which is lost. You don't need to turn there,
but in John 5.3 he says, I can't of my own oneself... Oh wait
a minute, I already read that part. No, I didn't. Our Lord must be
about His Father's will. As it says in John 5.30, it says,
I cannot by myself do nothing as I hear, I judge, and my judgment
is just. I did read that once already,
didn't I? Well, and His Father's will is
plainly declared in John 6.39, and this is the Father's will
which has sent me, that all of which He hath given me I should
lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
The object, objects of his faithfulness is very clearly this, all those
whom the Father gave him. In John 4.4 he says that he must
needs go through Samaria. Why? Because there was a woman
by the well whose name was also written in the Lamb's Book of
Life. He went into a town, there were
a whole bunch of lepers in this town. He saved and healed one. The objects of His faithfulness
are all those whom the Father gave Him. A certain woman was
there, who shall be saved? The word must go through rescue,
through Rescue California. Why? Because there are certain
people there that shall be saved. The Word of God had to go through
this little building right here because John Reeves was destined
to come into this building in sorrow and pain of the heart
and hear the truth. Hear the truth preached. But not just John Reeves, Kathy
Reeves. Lee Reeves, Shirley Reeves, all the names of God's saints
had to come to this church. Why? Because their names were
written in the Book of Life and they had to hear the Gospel preached.
How are you going to call on the Lord Jesus Christ if you've
never heard of Him? And God put a man right here to preach the
Gospel so that His people would hear that Gospel preached. Just like going to the well.
It had to be done. Our Lord Jesus Christ is faithful. Christ is faithful to come to
His sheep, for He is the Great Shepherd, faithful to save them,
faithful to keep them, faithful even to the death of the cross.
You don't need to turn there, but again, in John 10, verse
14, it says, I am the good shepherd and know my sheep, and am known
of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even
so I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep, and
other sheep I have which are not of this fold. Them also I
must bring, and they shall hear my voice. Must? Shall? And there shall
be one fold and one shepherd. In John 3, 14 and 15 it says,
And Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must
the Son of Man, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.
That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal
life. Remember the opening of this
message? Only those who God the Father gives the gift of faith
shall believe. In John 644 it says, No man cometh
to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him, and I
will raise him up at the last day. These are the words of the
Creator of all that is. Our Creator was faithful, and
I say again, to the death of the cross. But death, death could not hold
him. Death has no power over God. Again in John chapter 10 we read
in verse 17, Therefore doth my Father love me, Christ is speaking,
because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man
taketh it from me. Wicked hands put our Lord on
a cross, nailed Him to that cross. Wicked hands wanted to kill Him,
but no man taketh it from me, He says. God is not beholding to death,
but I lay it down myself. I have power. The Lord Jesus
Christ who has all power in heaven and earth. I have power to lay
it down and I have power to take it again. This commandment have
I received from my Father. There goes that faithfulness.
What a great faithfulness it is. Turn over to Romans chapter 5
if you would. And this brings me to my last
question. What is the result of this great
faithfulness, this great and wonderful faithfulness of the
Lord Jesus Christ? Are you with me in Romans 5?
Let's begin reading at verse 12. Wherefore, wherefore as by one
man Sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death
passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." What happened in the garden was
no little thing. It wasn't something that just happened
by and we can brush under the rug. All men come into this world
sinners. Men and women come into this
world sinners. Our Lord says we come from our
mother's womb lying. Sin. And so death passed upon all
men for that all have sinned. For until the law, sin was in
the world. But sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless,
death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned
after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who was the figure
of him that was to come. But not as the offense, so also
is the free gift. For if through the offense of
one many be dead, much more the grace of God and the gift by
grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that
sinned, so is the gift, for the judgment was by one to condemnation,
but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification.
For if by one man's offense death reigned, by one, much more they
which receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness
shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. Therefore, as by the
offense of one judgment came upon all men to come to nation,
even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon
all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience
many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many
be made righteous. Notice it didn't say in that
last verse all, it said many. Because I know there's a couple
of verses back where people will take that and say, see? All men. No. Two more verses here, we
say we see many. Moreover, continuing in verse
20. Moreover, the law entered that
the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace
did much more abound. that as sin hath reigned unto
death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal
life." By who? Not by you. Not by your will
walking down to the front of the church. Not by getting in
this water pool back here and dunking yourself. Not by taking
a cup and drinking wine and eating a little bread. Not by helping
others. No. By Jesus Christ our Lord. What is the result of this great
faithfulness of the Lord Jesus Christ? that grace would reign through
righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Because of the wonderful faithfulness
of our Savior, we who were chosen in Christ before the world was,
we who were in Christ when He hung on that cross, bleeding,
we who were in Christ when He died, we died in Him. Our debt was paid. There's nothing for us to do.
Our Lord said it is finished. Because of His wonderful faith
in us, we have eternal life.