You don't have to turn to this
passage, because I'm only going to read one verse, and it's very
familiar. So I'm going to read John 3.14.
And it reads, and as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. We went into this
verse on a previous message. But I wanted to concentrate on
this verse and particularly the words lifting up. We know that this lifting up
must first begin with him coming down. The sovereign most holy
God of heaven and earth had to come down. The scripture says
God is spirit. It says in John 4.24, God is
spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit
and in truth. Man as he is born into this world
is nothing but flesh, and that because of their federal head,
Adam. We are not born spiritual, although
a lot of this world likes to tout that they are spiritual. They are not spiritual. They
are emotional, and they call that being spiritual. You know
why I know that? Because the scripture says God
must be worshiped in spirit and in truth. The words they are
spouting forth are not truth, according to this scripture.
So they are neither spiritual or truthful, but emotional liars. But this man, the son of man,
as it calls him here, must be lifted up. And I want to go through
some of the lifting up of the son of man. We know of the one
lifting up, as is referred to here, for sure, and we will look
at this as well, but that lifting up is not all there is. That
lifting up is the crux of all of Jesus Christ, for sure. But the scripture speaks of more
lifting up of Jesus Christ, and I wanna go through that. A lifting
up in condescension, a lifting up for the atonement of sin,
and a lifting up for justification to life. If you would, turn with me to
Acts 13. Acts 13. Acts 13, I want to read verses 22 through 28 for now.
Acts 13, verse 22. And when he had removed him,
he raised up unto them David to be their king, to whom also
he gave testimony and said, I have found David the son of Jesse,
a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will. Of
this man's seed hath God, according to his promise, raised unto Israel
a Savior, Jesus. When John had first preached
before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people
of Israel, and as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think
ye that I am? I am not he, but behold, there
cometh one after me whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to
loose. Men and brethren, children of
the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you
is the word of this salvation sent. For they that dwell at
Jerusalem and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the
voices of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath day, they
have fulfilled them in condemning him. And though they found no
cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be
slain. It says in verse 23, God, according
to his promise, raised unto Israel a savior. It was not John. John says, as it states here
in scripture, I am not he. It was said of John in Luke 1,
verses 67 through 69, we read this of John when his father
is talking about it. And his father Zacharias was
filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied saying, blessed be
the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his
people and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the
house of his servant David. John was the sounding piece,
which as scripture says here was to prepare his ways. John was a sounding piece, just
as we are a sounding piece, not in the exact same way as John
was, but we still sound forth the salvation of the Lord, which
is Jesus Christ. But this one who he spoke of
is the one who was raised up amongst his brethren. Acts 737,
we read, this is that Moses which said unto the children of Israel,
a prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your
brethren, like unto me. Him shall you hear. What did he do in being lifted
up or raised up amongst his brethren? Turn over to Luke 4 with me,
Luke 4, and we'll see. because he tells us he did. Luke
4, starting in verse 16. Luke 4, verse 16. And he came
to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as his custom
was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood
up for to read. And there was delivered unto
him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book,
he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord
is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the
poor. He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight
to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach
the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book and he
gave it again to the minister and sat down and the eyes of
them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he
began to say unto them, this day is this scripture fulfilled
in your ears. So Jesus Christ condescended
to be raised up or lifted up amongst his brethren to preach
unto them the gospel. to heal the brokenhearted, to
preach deliverance to captives, and to give sight to the blind,
and those who have been shattered he has set at liberty. And this
setting of liberty, that word means to pardon sin. There was
a glory that he would manifest of himself. This glory was him
being made something he was not, and something he knew not. But
he was raised to preach the gospel amongst his brethren, and he
did. He did this as a man. He condescended to be made of
a woman made under the law to redeem them that were under the
law. But he not only preached it,
he actually did it. So we have next a lifting up
for the atonement of sin. When we read through the New
Testament, we read several times where Christ spoke to his apostles
about his purpose of going to the cross and dying. Most of
the time it fell on deaf ears, so to speak. Those who followed
Christ most of the time did not really get what he was saying.
Now this was the purpose of God, but it kind of went over their
head. Matthew 16, 21 we read, from that time forth began Jesus
to show unto his disciples how that he must go into Jerusalem
and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and
scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day. But
they did not really get it. So much so that Peter says this
in Matthew 16, 22 and 23, Then Peter took him, that is, he took
Christ, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee,
Lord, this shall not be unto thee. But he turned and said
unto Peter, Christ turned unto Peter and said, Get thee behind
me, Satan, thou art an offence unto me, for thou savourest not
the things that be of God, but those that be of men. You remember that time on the
Mount of Transfiguration? What did he speak of when speaking
to Moses and Elias? It says they spoke of his decease. It was the purpose of his condescension,
and that was for him to go to the cross and be put to death.
Murdered by men, forsaken of God the Father. Listen at Isaiah
53, very familiar. You don't have to turn to it,
but I'm gonna read several verses here in Isaiah 53. But he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace
was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep
have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his
own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth.
He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before
her shearers is done, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from
prison and from judgment, and who shall declare his generation?
For he was cut off out of the land of the living, for the transgression
of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the
wicked and with the rich in his death, because he had done no
violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased
the Lord to bruise him. He hath put him to grief when
thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin. He shall see his seed,
he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall
prosper in his hand. You know what that last verse
says? The same thing said in Isaiah 53 10 is the same thing
that is said in 2 Corinthians 5 21. For he hath made him sin
for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him. All of our sins, even those that
we shall commit today and in the coming days, were laid on
him. He bore them in his own body
on that tree. Where did he take them? To the
grave. never to be seen again. Oh, I
see them. I may see them in you, and for
sure I see them in me. But God, who is rich in mercy,
does not see them. That's what matters. Oh, my brothers
and sisters, it does not stop there. You might think that it
doesn't get any better than that, but it does. because there was
another lifting up. So next we have a lifting up
for the justification of the life. We read in Ephesians 4,
8 through 10, wherefore he said when he ascended upon high, he
led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. Now that he ascended,
what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of
the earth? He that descended is the same
also that is ascended up far above all heavens that he might
feel all things. He ascended from the grave. First,
John 20, 17 says, Jesus saying to her, touch me not, for I am
not yet ascended to my father, but go to my brethren and say
unto them, I ascend to my father and your father and to my God
and your God. The grave could not hold him,
but his work was well pleasing to the father, so much so Christ
is sat down on the right hand of God and on his throne. He sat down because the work
of salvation is done. He is not tired, he's just finished. But there was another lifting
up and the lifting up had a wonderful result for his people whom he
condescended to die for. Romans 4 verses 23 through 25
we read, now it was not written for his sake alone that it was
imputed to him. But it for us also to whom it
shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our
Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offenses and was raised
again for our justification. Do you see that? He was delivered
for our offenses. That is him being made sin for
us. But thank God it does not stop
there. He was raised again for our justification. And I don't wanna be too critical
here, but some have said before that this justification is just
as if I had never sinned. I mean, that is true, the word
means acquittal. I've been acquitted of all wrongdoing. But this word means this, I have
been made right before God. I'm justified before God. I have
done the right thing before God. In Christ and His cross work
and Him being raised from the dead, He justified me, made me
right before God. This is a God righteousness that
He has wrought for me. It's not just that I have not
sinned, all that is true in Christ. But in Christ, I have done all
things right. Folks, I don't see that in myself.
But God says it's so. And what God says is so, is so. So what do we conclude from all
this? In him being lifted up, he now
lifts up his brethren. A lifting up of those who he
has chosen. John 5.21 says, for as the father
raises up the dead and quickeneth them, even so the son quickeneth
whom he will. Jesus Christ will lift up. He
will raise all those for whom he died for and all those for
whom he rose from the grave for to life from the dead. He can
do this because of what he has done. I keep seeing this advertisement
on TV, which really irritates me, but where the person talking
says, I gave my life to Jesus 30 years ago. And that's strange because we
just read that Christ quickeneth whom He will. So it goes without
saying that those whom He quickens had no life to give to Jesus. If He gives that life, it's already
His. So there's no life to give to
Jesus since it is His to begin with. He raises whom he wills
to raise. But here is what scripture says,
John 12, 32. And I, if I be lifted up from
the earth, will draw all men unto me. So if I do give my life
to Jesus, it is because he has given me life already and he
has drawn me unto himself. Otherwise, I would never give
anything to God. What is a sinner like me going
to boast in that I've done anything? I have nothing to boast in. He
does it all. He does not wind me up and let
me go. A lot of people talk like that.
He holds all things in his hands and by him all things consist. They are held together. So he
raises those who are his from the grave. But he also, because
we are still in this world, even though we are not of this world,
but we are in this world and we have this flesh, he gives
us gifts so that we might, through his gospel, lift up those hands
that hang down. And if you would, turn with me
to Hebrews 12. I just wanted to read this whole thing because
after reading it, I just really like this passage. But Hebrews
12, I'm gonna read just verses one through 24. Hebrews 12. Wherefore, seeing we also are
compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us
lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset
us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. who
for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising
the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne
of God. For consider him that endured
such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied
and faint in your minds. Ye have not resisted unto blood,
striving against sin, and ye have forgotten the exhortation
which speaketh unto you as unto children. My son, despise not
thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked
of him. For whom the Lord loveth, he
chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye
endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. For what
son is he whom the Father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement
of all our partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons. Furthermore,
we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave
them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in
subjection unto the Father of spirits and live? For they verily
for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure, but he for
our prophet, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now
no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth
the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised
thereby. Wherefore, lift up the hands
which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths
for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the
way, but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men and
holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Looking diligently,
lest any man fail of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness
springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. Lest
there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau, who for one morsel
of meat sold his birthright For ye know how that afterward, when
he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected, for he found
no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
For ye are not coming to the mount that might be touched,
and that burned with fire, nor into blackness and darkness and
tempest, and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, which
voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken
to them anymore. For they could not endure that
which was commanded. And if so much as a beast touched
the mountain, it shall be stoned or thrust through with a dart.
And so terrible was the sight that Moses said, I exceedingly
fear and quake. But ye are come unto Mount Zion,
and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly
and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven,
and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men
made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant,
and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than
that of Abel. We are not lifted up by the preaching
of the Sinai law to men and women. What does it say there in Hebrews?
What does the preaching of the law cause? And the sound of a
trumpet and the voice of words, which voice that they heard entreated
that the word should not be spoken to them anymore, for they could
not endure that which was commanded. And if so much as a beast touched
the mountain, it shall be stoned or thrust through with the dark.
Preaching Sinai law to men and women And I mean as commandments
that we should obey causes nothing but fear. And I didn't plan on
speaking of the law today, but when I read this, I just had
to point out about what that says. What do we preach though
that lifts up those hands that hang down? We preach the same
thing that Jesus Christ preached when he was here. Hebrews 12,
24, it says, and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant,
and to the blood of sprinkling that speak of better things than
that of Abel. It is his lifting up in condescension,
his lifting up on that tree, his being lifted up to his throne
on high, all of his lifting up that I as a sinner, saved by
grace, can then be lifted up by him. What did Christ do? He preached it, He did it, and
He upholds it, all being lifted up. His people will one day be
lifted up with Him to be with Him where He is. Those who are
sinners, He will lift them up to be with Himself one day. John
6, 40 we read, and this is the will of Him that sent me, that
everyone which seeth the Son and believeth on Him may have
everlasting life, and I will. raise him up at the last day. And I will end with this. It's
1 Thessalonians, you all know this, 4, 13 through 18. But I
would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which
are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no
hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even
so, them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the
word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the
coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with
the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the
dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain
shall be called 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. Because he was lifted
up, I shall be lifted up to be with him. And that forever. Whether that be when he lay this
body down or when he returns and I meet him in the air dropping
this body. He must be lifted up, and he
was. So what do I have to fear? We
should comfort one another with these words. We are actually
commanded to do this. What a comfort it is to hear
of his work, and because of that work and being lifted up, we
will in God's time be lifted up together with him, and that
is comforting, amen. Dear Lord God, thank you for
allowing us to Once again, to just look briefly, a little bit,
dear Lord, into your glories of Jesus Christ and Him crucified,
dear Lord. Be with all those who couldn't
make it, dear Lord, and comfort them with your words in some
way, dear Lord. All these things we ask in Christ's
name, amen.