Acts chapter 1, and I'd like
to read the first three verses of Acts chapter 1 this morning
as we begin a series on this great book. And I was speaking
to Brother Duane the other day by phone and I says, I don't
know whether I will live long enough to get through this book.
At the rate we're going. There is so much packed in this
book and it just reminds me that not one step Not one word, not
one miracle of Jesus was not purposed before the foundation
of the world. Every step he took was purposed
by God Almighty in Christ Jesus in the covenant of grace before
the foundation of the world. Every miracle, everywhere he
went. And here we are as he is closing up his earthly ministry,
he is sharing some most valuable information for us. He is sharing
with the church, he's sharing with his people these things
about himself. And it tells us here in verse
1, 2, and 3 this morning of the book of Acts, the former treatise
have I made, O Theophilus. And that's the book of Luke.
You go back to the book of Luke, it was written to the same individual.
But you know what? It was written to every... friend
of God. That's what that name means.
And we go over there and we find in the book of James that Abraham
was called the friend of God. And we look into the Gospels
and we find the Lord Jesus told his disciples, ye are my friends. So this book of Luke, the Gospels,
the whole Bible has been written to the friends of God. And here
it goes on to tell us in this passage of scripture of all that
Jesus began both to do and to teach. Now we notice as we go
through the Gospels, we find that everything that Jesus did
and every word he preached was in complete harmony with each
other. He never had to say, oh, I apologize
about that. He had the truth as he preached
it. He had the truth as he declared
it. And every step he took was on purpose and that purpose was
stood out or set out before the foundation of the world. And
we remember the first time that we looked at this, we went to
that wonderful name, Jesus. And I just want to recall for
just a moment, let's remember, always remember, that the name
Jesus in Matthew chapter 1 and verse 21, it was not a name that
was given by mistake. It was a name given on purpose. You shall call his name Jesus. Now, it doesn't matter that there
was no one else in your line by that name. You know, people
said, where did your name come from, Norm? I don't know. I have
no one in my family that was called Norm. My twin brother's
named Gordon. No one in the family named that.
They just pulled it off of a book somewhere, I guess. But this
name, Jesus, you shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save
his people from their sins. And the church, when they hear
those words say, hallelujah, he shall do what he promised
he would do. He would save his people from
their sins. And if you'll travel with me over to the book of Philippians,
we close the thought out about the name and here in the book
of Philippians. And if you turn there to the
Philippians chapter two, and we'll be reading this again in
our message today, but Philippians chapter two and verse 10. we
read these wonderful words about the Lord Jesus Christ. Now he
is all-powerful. I just love what he had to say
before he ascended back to heaven. He says, all power is given unto
me in heaven and in earth. I rule over the demons, I rule
over every government, I rule over every sphere, I have everything
under my control, and I deal with it according to my eternal
purpose. And God never moves except for
the glory of God and for the purpose of the church. He is
going to be about saving his people from their sins. I will
never forget in that message that that pastor who brought
me the gospel brought up the subject that I'd never thought
about before. Will God start a war in order to save one of
his elect? And he didn't even stutter. He
just, yes. He will do that, and he has done that. You know, we
just follow through the scriptures, the Old Testament, how he did
those very things. He started a war so that a man
could go down into Judea and capture a young lady that knew
something about the gospel and bring her back as a captive. And when it came time for her
to say something, I wish you knew something about my God and
the prophet that we have. And then we start naming the
leper. God started a war to get a young
lady in the right place so that the account could go on. All
right, Philippians chapter 2 and verse 10, that at the name of
Jesus, no other name. And that means no other person,
no other being, no other God. At the name of Jesus, every knee-shed
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. Now, to me, that does
not exclude people that are damned. They too will confess this great
truth, you're right. As we follow that, what a glorious
study. 1,000 times in the New Testament
is this name mentioned, or almost 1,000 times, and some 70 times
in the book of Acts alone that name is mentioned. It was the
heart and core of the gospel by those disciples of the Lord
Jesus Christ when they went out to preach. They went out to preach
the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus of Nazareth, however they
identified him, he is the Christ, the Messiah. And they preached
that and were constantly in trouble, brought before courts, beaten,
and left for dead over the subject of the resurrection of Jesus
Christ. All right, here in verse two, going back to the book of
Acts, if you would, chapter one. In the book of Acts, chapter
one, we read these words about the Lord Jesus, and I'm gonna
take it as it's laid out. In chapter one, verse two, we
have until the day that he was taken up. Now you'll notice with
me in verse three, to whom also he showed himself alive after
his passion by many infallible proofs. He openly showed himself
as the resurrected Christ. But we're going to step back
into verse 2 and say, we're going to look at until the day in which
he was taken up. After that, he, through the Holy
Ghost, had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had
chosen. Well, he just declares, I have
chosen a people. They're my people. They're out
scattered about throughout the world. I have found them. You
know what we find with regard to the very powerful voice of
Almighty God? Jesus Christ would walk up to
a man working in his job of collecting taxes and say, follow me. And
that man was lifted off of his chair by the grace of God, and
he followed him. That's what God does. He doesn't
just puny around a little bit and say, if you want to, nope,
it's a command. And God's commands are always
obeyed. God's commands to his elect are
always obeyed. All right, now let's look here
until the day he was taken up. We observe here this day that
he was taken up and received that this is he who had done exactly what he promised
he would do and put sin away. Now turn with me to the book
of Hebrews chapter 9 if you would. As we follow this, he ransomed
his people, he made atonement for his people, he did not Pussyfoot
around he made it Absolutely secure. He was a priest Forever
and it tells us here in the book of Hebrews chapter 9 Hebrews
chapter 9 this glorious statement about the Savior God's Savior
of his people it says speaking about the Old Testament priest
There was such a problem with him You know what the problem
was? They died. They were natural
man's descendants. They were children of Adam and
they could not continue on. And the second thing that we
read about them is they never ever got to sit down. Their work
was never finished. No, they went home and had supper,
but they'd sit down there. But when it came to their office,
they never sat down. Now, we're going to read about
one who is sitting down because his job is finished because he
cried out from the cross, it is finished. The work is done. All right, here in the book of
Hebrews chapter nine and verse 26, for then must he often have
suffered since the foundation of the world if he'd have been
a natural priest. But now, once in the end of the world, hath
he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And
I just say, isn't that wonderful? He hath appeared. Now, you know,
people get all stressed out about the end of the world. It's right
here in the book of Hebrews. And that was written 2000 years
ago. In the end of the world. In the end of the world, he hath
come and put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as
per the eternal purpose of God, he was received up into heaven
upon full payment. for the sins of his people."
Now, if he'd have made it possible to save people, if he'd have
just said, I've done all I can do, and now the rest is up to
you, you know what? He'd still be on this earth. But since he's not on this earth,
and he is sitting down at the right hand of the Father, we
can take it to the bank that he paid in full for all the sins
of his people, and God the Father was so satisfied with the work
and ministry of his son, he says, welcome back. Come on up. Now, the Lord had purpose to
do that from the very beginning, and we'd like to follow that
through the scriptures. As we see, he sets on the throne
of his completion. It's a completed work. If it
hadn't been a completed work, we would be of all men most miserable.
If He had not taken care of sin, we would be miserable. If He
had not done according to the covenant of grace, we would be
miserable yet in our sins. So, since he has completed the
work, and though we are sinners and we sin every day, we rest
in his completed work that he has taken care of my sin debt. All right, let's look here into
the scriptures about this very thing as per the eternal purpose
of God. It tells us in Acts chapter one,
verse three. Turn there with me as we start
this review of the scriptures in verse three. He showed to
whom also, he showed himself alive after his passion. There was a resurrection. He
presented himself alive. He was alive before the disciples. And you know, we may title our
next message, his post-resurrection agenda. because that's what he
did. He wanted to make sure that people
knew that he had come out of that tomb and he spent 40 days
after his resurrection before his ascension and at one time
he appeared in the 500 people at one time. He wanted people
to know it was not done in a corner. Okay, here in the book of Acts
chapter 1 and verse 3, to whom also he showed himself alive
after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them 40
days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom. He
wanted them to know that the kingdom of God was not food and
drink. It's righteousness, peace, holiness. That's the kingdom, that's salvation
that he has given to us. And in verse 11 of that same
chapter, read this with me. There's two angels. When he ascended
back to glory, well it tells us there, verse nine, let's read
verse nine. And when he had spoken these
things, while he beheld, he was taken, can you just get your,
he's right here in the middle of us. We've known him for three
and a half years. We were a little bit discouraged
there when he went to the cross. We thought that this was the
one who was going to restore the kingdom and get rid of those
Romans, but they were mistaken on that. He never planned and
purposed to do that. And here he is, he's visited
with him 40 days. He's told him he loved him. Peace
be unto you. Even old Peter got to hear those
glorious words. Peace be unto you. And you know
what? All the rest of them did too.
Peace be unto you. I'm not holding a thing against
you. You did what the scripture said you would do. And I'm not
holding it against you. I'm not charging you with that
sin. You will not have to answer for that sin before God. I paid
for it on the cross. Peace be unto you. And now in
the very midst of them, as it kind of surrounded him, 11 disciples,
one's gone. He was a demon from the beginning.
He was a devil from the beginning. He had been determined that God
would use him to point out the Lord of glory to a bunch of reprobates. But it wasn't by mistake, it
was exactly on purpose. That one's gone. We're going
to read about that later here in the book of Acts chapter 1.
But there they are around him to show, give us another word. Give us another word. Give us
another word. Share with us another great truth
of grace. And he did by what he did. He shows us another great truth
of grace. He ascended, it tells us there
in that verse of scripture, and he was taken up, and a cloud
received him out of their sight, and while they looked steadfastly
to heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white
apparel, which also said, ye men of Galilee, why stand ye
gazing up into heaven? Now notice this, this is just
so comforting. To every generation, I'm sure
it was comforting to those disciples. John, who lived to be 100 years
old, oh, it was comforting to him. It was comforting to the
next generation. It was comforting to the next
generation. And you know, a whole bunch of people said, you know,
he said he's coming back, but he's not back. He must have been
a mistake, must have been a lie to us. And there were those who
wrote and said, No, no, there's a bunch of his lost sheep of
the House of Israel that have not been found yet. He is long-suffering
to usward, not willing that any should perish. He's long-suffering. He will take the time that's
necessary. He has purposed the time necessary
until the very last lost sheep is saved, and when that takes
place, this will be wrapped up like a garment. It will be over.
We'll say, uh, the tent's finished. Eternity has started, but here
he says, why stand you gazing? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into
heaven. Now this is the promise. So shall
so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. And they went back to Jerusalem
and they waited there, just as he had told them to do. As we
follow this, we find that he went visibly, he's coming back
visibly. I heard someone told me in their
religion, he came back in 1914, he came in spirit. You know what? I know that's not true because
none of the dead came out of the grave. It's a lie. And you know what? Almost every time someone tells
a lie like that, they never apologize for it if it's wrong. They set
a date for the Lord coming back. He's gonna come back. Send me
all your money. Send me all your money and I'll take care of it
and we'll get the word out. He doesn't come back, you know,
they do not apologize. They just continue on. Now we
find in the gospel that those who made an error apologized. Peter had to apologize. Paul
came to him and said, you know, you cannot do that. And you know
what? He was sorry. He apologized to
the Lord. He went out and wept bitterly.
All right, let's follow this. He's going to come in a cloud.
I don't understand all I know about it, but I know he's going
to come. By his own power is he going to come back. Not by
the power of some other, not by prayer. A whole bunch of people
getting prayed. Look at the world and the mess
it is now. Let's pray that he'll come back.
When the last sheep is saved, then he'll come back. And he's
never said this is going to be a good place to live. He's always
said that to the believer, this is not a good place to live. He doesn't want us to get past
the point that we're just strangers and sojourners in this land.
Now I like the house I live in and I like the food I eat, but
it's still not a good place to live. All right? And by, he's
with, with like majesty he's coming back. He went majestic.
He's coming back majestic. We're going to get over there
in the book of 1 Thessalonians and read, boy, by the shout and voice
of the archangel is he going to come back. I was taught all
my life he's going to come back secretly. All you have to do
is read in the Bible, you find that it's not secret. Voice of
the archangel, trump of God, by the power of his majesty is
he going to come back and call all his out of the grave, out
of the sea, out of every place, and then we shall join him in
the air. And then there will be a great judgment. And he'll
say to those on the right-hand side, welcome to the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of the world. And he'll say to
those on the left side, I never knew you. Depart. He sets on the throne of his
completion. This resurrection signifies the
successful end of an earthly ministry. You know, to the world,
he was just a nobody. If he'd have been a somebody,
he'd have been raised up in a palace. He's a nobody. He's born in a
manger, born of a virgin. She's gonna face this trial the
rest of her life. She has a baby and wasn't even
married. She's pregnant with a baby, not
even married to the guy. all of the things that he went
through according to divine appointment. He had only been able to do,
if he'd only been able to do what we hear today, he's done
all he could. Now it's up to you. He had not
been on his right hand of the Father. sitting in glory. His
ascension signifies success. His ascension declared to the
return from heavenly glory. Turn with me over to the book
of Ephesians chapter 1 verse 19. In the book of Ephesians
chapter 1 verse 19, we have these wonderful words written that
comforts the church. Chapter 1, what a blessing. Chapter
2, hallelujah, but before by grace are you saved. And then
it tells us in chapter 1 verse 19, and what is the exceeding
greatness of his power to us that who believe. The exceeding
greatness of his power to us were to believe according to
the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when
he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand
in heavenly places far above all principality and power and
might and dominion and every name that is named not only in
this world, but also in which is to come. And hath put all
things under his feet, and gave him to be the head of the church
over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness
of him that filleth all in all." You know what he's telling us
there? The same power that it took to raise Jesus Christ from
the grave is the same power it takes to raise you and I from
the spiritual dead we're in. It takes the power of God. We
can't do that by ourselves. We're so fickle. We don't have
the power to heal them. We don't have the power to prevent
a pimple. We don't have the power to prevent
a toothache. We don't have the power to keep our hair from turning
color. We don't have power to keep it
from falling out. We have no power whatsoever.
And yet, he said, you must have mighty power. Well, we find out
we don't have any power, but he has all mighty power. And he raises his people from
the spiritual dead. The one with whom the father
is well pleased has received up into glory. God said, when
Jesus was transfigured on that mountain, this is my beloved
son in whom I am well pleased. You know, that's the only way
that he can look at the church and say, I'm well pleased, is
in the son. We don't have any qualities of
our own. We don't have anything to present. Our righteousness
is our filthy rags. His righteousness is perfect.
And we need that perfect righteousness. As we read over there in the
book of Philippians, he was given a name above every name, chapter
2 and verse 9. And we now come and observe and
hear the word and work of the great high priest. Would you
turn with me to the book of Hebrews again, Hebrews chapter 4, as
we think about this ascended king. Master, Lord, Savior, as
he ascended back to the Father, as he completed what he had intended
to do before the foundation of the world. He intended to come
down here. He intended to lay down his life
for ransom for many. He intended to be buried. He
intended to be raised the third day. He intended to spend 40
days with his disciples. And at the end of that time,
he intended to go back to glory and sit at the right hand of
the Father, declaring, my mission is over. It's accomplished. My
people shall be saved from their sins. Here in the book of Hebrews
chapter 4, we read these words. Hebrews chapter 4, verse 14. It says, seeing then that we
have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens. We have a great high priest.
There wasn't a high priest in the Old Testament that anybody
could say that about. You know what they could say?
We have a high priest that died yesterday. We got a high priest
that was made a high priest today. wearing the clothing of a high
priest. He's going to go through the form and formality of a high
priest. He's going to do what God commanded him to do as a
high priest. He's going to represent Israel
as a high priest. But we have a high priest that
has entered into heaven. Jesus, the Son of God, let us
hold fast our profession, for we have not a high priest which
cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in
all points tempted like we are yet without sin. Oh, now he bore our sins, but
he never became a sinner. Our sins were laid on him, but
he never became a sinner. Let us, therefore, come boldly
unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find
grace to help in time of love. Why would we want to come there?
Because that's where our ascended Savior is. That's where the Lord
of glory is, sitting at the right hand of the Father. Turn with
me, if you would, to the book of 1 Thessalonians, chapter 4.
1 Thessalonians, chapter 4. In 1 Thessalonians, chapter 4,
there in verse 16, we read these words, for the Lord himself,
Jesus Christ the glorious, the Lord himself, it says here, shall
descend from heaven. He shall come back from the throne.
He shall leave it one more time. You know, he talked to his father
about giving up the glory that he had with the father before
the world was. And now, he's going to come down here as the
glorious, victorious king of glory. And it says here, with
a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of
God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we which are
alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be
with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another
with these words. Now all of this is a summation
of what he said he would do. But He went through His ministry,
sharing with those disciples and with us, that that was His
intended purpose. So let's look at two or three
verses of Scripture along this line. First one is found in the
book of Luke, chapter 9. In the book of Luke, chapter
9, we read these words about the ministry of the Lord Jesus
Christ. He came down here on purpose. You know, when those folks walked
away They didn't believe anymore and walked away from him because
his saying was hard. You know what he was preaching?
Free and sovereign grace. That's all he was preaching.
You're saved by grace and not of yourselves. You're saved by
grace through faith and that not of yourselves. And they walked
away and said they walked with him no more. Now the word there,
it says his disciples left him. You know, they were mental disciples
and they liked the bread. We mentioned that passage of
scripture over there in the book of Isaiah, where it says, in
that day there shall be seven women that will seek after one
man. And they will tell that one man,
we don't want your bread, and we don't want your clothing,
but we want your name. And that's religion to the core.
We don't want your bread. Your bread says, no man can come
unto you except the Father which hath sent him draw him. I don't
like that. Your bread says, all that the
Father giveth me shall come unto me, and he that cometh unto me,
I will in no wise cast out. I don't like that bread. Your
bread says, God chose a people before the foundation of the
world, and those he will save. And you know what? I don't like
that bread. The disciples in the Old Testament wandering around
in the wilderness says, we loathe that white bread. We just don't
care for it at all. But you know what? To the church,
it is the sweetest, most noble, most filling bread we've ever
munched on, because it is Him that has become our Savior. And
we are attached to the head as the church is described. Here
it tells us in the book of Luke chapter one, chapter nine, and
there in verse 51, the Lord Jesus had a purpose in going back to
the Father. Time, time, time. It was just
laid out. Brother Mike had that timeline
out and he said, this is a stick band timeline. This isn't. This is a God timeline. And he's
sticking to it exactly. All right. Here it says, it came
to pass when the time was come that he should be received up.
And you know what? If we're in Luke chapter nine,
we got a ways to go. There's several chapters to take
place yet, but it says, it came to pass when the time was come
that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to
go to Jerusalem. What was that? I gotta go to
the cross. I must lay down my life a ransom
for many. I must meet the indignities of
all those religious people and those political people. I must
go to the cross and face the wrath and justice of my father
on that cross. I must say, my God, my God, why
hast thou forsaken me on that cross? And then, what he had
to say here, his time was come that he should be received up.
This was his goal. John 13 verse 1. Look at this
with me. John chapter 13 and verse 1. The Bible shares this. Now, John
13 verse 1, now before the feast of the Passover. Isn't that interesting? that the Passover is mentioned
right here as we approach the end of the ministry of the Lord
Jesus Christ. It's no wonder that the Apostle Paul declared
to the church at Corinth, the Lord our Passover. It's his blood
that makes the difference. It's his blood that he applies. Apply the blood. You can't get
there from here. We need a householder. the head
of the house to go outside and take care of that job for us,
and his name is Jesus. All right, now therefore, before
the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour was
come, that He should depart out of this world unto the Father,
He never had a time in His ministry. He never had a time in eternity
that this was not going to be carried out exactly like this.
It says, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved
them to the end. Even while we were yet sinners,
Christ loved us. That's amazing. He's going to
face death on the cross and payment for the sins of his people. And
yet he said, I will love them to the end. I will demonstrate
my love completely and totally. I will pay for every one of their
sins before God the Father and the covenant of grace shall be
carried out. John chapter 16, move just a little bit further
in the book of John, John chapter 16 and verse 28, we have these
glorious words that share with us. He said, I came forth from
the Father and am coming to the world. Again, I leave the world
and go to the Father. I left the Father, I came down
to this world, I finished my mission, I finished my purpose,
I went to the cross, I died for my people. And then he says,
I leave the world and go to the Father, and this is in a prophetic
statement. This is before the fact of it.
He's already telling his disciples, anyone with an ear to hear, he's
saying, this is my plan. I will be victorious on the cross.
I will cry out, it is finished. I will be taken down and not
one bone of my body will be broken. You know, the others that were
crucified with him, they suffered great indignities. Their body
was mutilated, but his body was taken down whole. You know, when
we go back to the Passover, it says, don't, don't break that
lamb up. Don't take it apart. He's the lamb that shall suffer
before the father and all of his righteous judgment shall
be poured out upon him. And just like that lamb in the
Old Testament that was used for a sacrifice, the ashes fell through
the great and came down into a pile underneath that place,
that altar. We can envision the Lord on that
cross, everything that mattered was taken through the judgment
of the Father, and he came out victorious. I like what it says
over there in the book of Daniel. Those guys came out of that burning,
fiery furnace. You couldn't even smell smoke.
You know, the other day there was a fire down here by Mosier.
I could smell the smoke from it. Smoke travels by wind. It can be 20, 30, 40 miles away,
and we still get it. Well, they were right over the
top of these guys, and they said, well, I can't smell any smoke
on their clothes. What a glorious statement about
our Savior. He says, I can't smell any sin. It's all taken care of. Back up, if you would, to the
book of Mark. Mark chapter 16. What a statement is made here. He's going to get to sit down
at the right hand of God. It says here, Mark 16, verse 18, they shall
take up, excuse me, verse 19, excuse me. So then, after the
Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven and
sat down on the right hand of God. The only high priest that
ever got to sit down. And he got to sit down in a very
special place. He got to sit down where he had
been from. He had been there for eternity, and now in returning,
He sat down in His glory at the right hand of the Father. And
you know what He's doing right now? Making intercession for
His people. came to pass while he blessed
them, he was parted from them and carried up into heaven. It's
what we read in the book of Luke chapter 24. And in 1 Timothy,
would you turn there with me to the book of 1 Timothy chapter
three and verse 16? 1 Timothy chapter three and verse
16. And without controversy. Great is the mystery of godliness.
There's no controversy over this. It is a great mystery. There's
a lot said in this verse of scripture. It is full and running over.
It says here, without controversy, 1 Timothy 3, verse 16, without
controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest
in the flesh. Isn't that wonderful? God come
in the flesh. They shall call his name Emmanuel,
being interpreted God with us. The God that is in eternity past
is with his people, and now, God was manifest in the flesh,
justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the
Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. We have a high priest who is
set at the right hand of the throne of the majesty of the
heavens. Turn with me again to the book of Hebrews, if you would.
Hebrews chapter 9. Hebrews chapter 9, verse 24. For Christ is not entered into
the holy places made with hands. You know, in the Old Testament,
they had that temple, tabernacle or temple, didn't matter. They
had the same thing set up. One was just larger than the
other. One was more permanent than the other. But his permanence
was not permanent. We heard today it was tore down.
But there was a holy place and a holy of holies. And the high
priest alone could go into the holy of holies. And he went in
once a year, not without blood. And he sprinkled that blood upon
the mercy seat. And he sprinkled that blood on
the mercy seat for Israel. Just like the Lord Jesus Christ's
blood is for spiritual Israel, for the church. Here it says,
for Christ has not entered into the holy places made with hands,
which are figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to
appear in the presence of God for us, nor yet that he should
offer himself often as the high priest entered into the holy
places every year with the blood of others. For then must he have
suffered since the foundation of the world, but now once in
the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the
sacrifice of himself. He has completely put away sin
for His people. And then just a little further
there in the book of Hebrews chapter 12, Hebrews chapter 12,
we read there in verse 2, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher
of our faith. Hebrews chapter 12, verse 2,
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who
for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross. Can you
grab that? who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross. What was the joy? Receiving many
children. Those he had chosen before the
foundation of the world welcomed them into his presence without
fail. Looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before
him endured this cross, despising the shame, and is set down at
the right hand of the throne of God. Sitting down at the right
hand of God. And a couple more verses I'd
like to read are passages. One's found in 1 Peter. You join
me in 1 Peter chapter three. 1 Peter chapter three. He was
taken up on purpose. Mission accomplished. Welcome
back to glory. I never went home but one time
that I wasn't welcome. Almost every time I went home
but one time I was welcome. Come on in. We'll have some meals. Mom and dad, welcome. Glad you're
here. Thank you for traveling that
far. One time I went over there and my mother and dad weren't
speaking to each other. And I told my dad, I said, I'm leaving.
I'm not gonna put up with this. And he said, give me a minute. And he went and he apologized
to my mother for something stupid he did. He says, we're okay now. I wonder why didn't you do that
yesterday? We're stubborn lot, aren't we men? Anyway, as we
look here in first Peter chapter three, verse 21, Says here, the like figure where
into even baptism does also now save us. Like figure. Don't you
think for a moment that you're going to depend on your baptism
to appear before God in your righteousness. Don't. You're
just wet. That's all you got. All right? Now putting not the putting away
of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience
toward God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is gone
into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities
and powers being made subject unto him. No one is not subject
unto him. He moves in mysterious ways,
his wonders to perform. The whole world is his stage. He is the absolute director of
all things that are going on. His children, the church, saved
or still lost, that's the characters of his play. And the rest are
just props. Hewers of wood and drawers of
water. One final passage found in the book of Romans. Would
you join me there in the book of Romans chapter eight? We should read this whole chapter,
but we'll leave that to you. Chapter eight, verse 33. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? I love that, don't you? But we
go on and find out why. In the next verse, who shall
lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea,
rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand
of God, who maketh intercession for us. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. And
then, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, gave,
risen again, and is sitting down at the right hand of the Father,
making intercession for his people. You know, I have my own thoughts
about that. I don't think that he even has
to make a mention of it. He doesn't have to say a word. You know, I had a very good friend
that was in the South Pacific during World War II. And he came home with an object
that made people say, he did a good job. It was called
a silver star. He came home with a silver star. He never told me why he got it
or how he got it, but he had a silver star. You know what?
I gave him great honor. Well, our Savior is sitting at
the right hand of the Father, has paid completely for all the
sins of his children, so we give him great honor. He is honorable
because he has paid the price. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ? So tribulation or distress or
persecution or famine or nakedness or peril, no, no, no, no, no,
no, no. He's on the right hand of the
Father making intercession for his people. He was taken up on
purpose. Mission completed. Welcome back. And on that promise, he said,
I will come again. It will be noisy. It will be
with a voice of the archangel and the trump of God. And I'm
going to bring every one of my children out of their graves
and every one of my children that are alive at that time shall
meet me in the air. And so shall we ever be with
the Lord. Why? Because he was successful
in his venture at the cross. victorious over sin, death, hell,
and the grave. He went to the tomb, he raised
out of it, and he's sitting at the right hand of the Father.
And no wonder those disciples are looking up. But I like what
the angel said, this same Jesus shall come again.