It's so good to be here always. A great blessing to gather together. The name of the message today
is The Son Glorified. The Son Glorified. Turn if you
would to John chapter 13. John chapter 13. We'll read verses 21 to 35. Our text will be found in verse 32, but we'll read the
context here. 21 to 35. When Jesus had thus said, he
was troubled in spirit and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say
unto you, that one of you shall betray me. Then the disciples looked one
on another, doubting of whom he spake. Now there was one leaning
on Jesus' bosom, one of his disciples whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter
therefore beckoned to him that he should ask who it should be
of whom he spake. He then lying on Jesus' breast
saith unto him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, he it is
to whom I shall give a sop when I have dipped it. And when he
had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of
Simon. And after the sop, Satan entered
into him. Then said Jesus unto him, that
thou doest do quickly. Now no man at the table knew
for what intent he spake this unto him. For some of them thought
because Judas had the bag that Jesus had said unto him, buy
these things that we have need of. against the feast, or that
he should give something to the poor. He then, having received
the sop, went immediately out, and it was night. Therefore,
when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify in himself,
and shall straightway glorify him. Little children, yet a little
while I am with you. You shall seek me. And as I said
unto the Jews, whither I go, you cannot come. So now I say
to you, a new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another
as I have loved you, and that you also love one another. By
this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you
have love one to another. Now, our Lord in verse 31 is
speaking of His death. Therefore, when He was gone out,
Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified
in Him. This will be our text today.
He's speaking of His death and how God is glorified
in it. Think upon this. God had been
glorified all through Christ's life. God had been glorified
all through His life. And this statement speaks to
that, and God is glorified in Him at the latter part of the
verse too. So He was glorified in His life, and He was glorified
in His death. Now Christ is soon to die. And God will be greatly glorified
in His death. in his death. God shall save his people from
their sins. Christ himself shall save his
people from their sins. The God man. He shall redeem
his people. He shall redeem and purchase
with his own precious blood. All those that were given to
him by the father in eternity. And notice that Judas had gone
out to do what Satan led him to do, and what his wicked heart
had designed to do also, and what God had determined for him
to do. Just as the Scriptures proclaim in the Old Testament,
in Psalm 41.9 it says this, Yea, mine own familiar friend in whom
I trusted, which did eat of my bread, had lifted up his heel
against me. So scriptures predicted that
this would happen in Psalm 41, 9. And in the words of our master over
in John chapter 6, turn a few chapters over to John chapter
6, the words of our master about Judas in John chapter 6. In verses 70 and 71. Jesus answered them, have not
I chosen you twelve and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot, the
son of Simon, for he it was that should betray him, being one
of the twelve. So let's go back to our text
in John chapter 13, and now we see our Lord is with who? He's
with His true disciples. Because Judas is gone, He's with
His true disciples. And as one commentator said,
He talks more freely now about His sufferings. about his death and his ascension.
And he instructs them about their future conduct and behavior. They're to love one another.
And they're to love the brethren. And this is evidence of salvation,
isn't it? It's evidence, because it says,
by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love
one to another. It's a fruit of the Spirit. It's
not a fruit of anything that the believer does. It's a fruit
of the Spirit. And always remember that with
the fruit of the Spirit, it's His work. It's not the fruit
of man, it's the fruit of the Spirit. And when we're born again
by the Holy Spirit of God, God rots in us a love for the brethren.
A love for the brethren. So again, our Lord is with His
true disciples, His true followers. And He says, now is the Son of
Man glorified. That is, the time has come that
the Son shall immediately be glorified by accomplishing the
work which the Father gave Him to do. Look at verse 31, here's
our text. Therefore, when He was gone out,
Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified
in Him. Note our Lord here views His
death upon the tree as His glorification. Now is the Son of Man glorified.
That is, the time has come that the Son shall immediately be
glorified by again accomplishing the work which the Father has
sent Him to do. If our Lord had said this at
His baptism, as He stood on the banks of Jordan, and Holy Spirit
descended like a dove, and the Father speaking from heaven,
saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, we
would say, Amen, Lord, wouldn't we? If our Lord had spoken these
words on the Mount of Transfiguration, when His face did shine as the
sun, and His remnant was white as the light, and Moses and Elijah
appeared there with Him, and the voice of the Father came
from glory, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased, then we'd say, Amen. Look at verse 31. And we see
our Lord call Himself the Son of Man. This tells you that He
was bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh, beloved. It brings
forth our Lord's humanity. It brings forth His position
as God's servant. While He is here upon this earth,
what's He here to do? What's He here to do in our text?
He's here to do the Father's will. He's here to do, let's read verses
31 to 33. Therefore when he was gone out,
Jesus said, now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified
in him. If God be glorified in him, God
shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify
him. Little children, yet a little
while while I am with you, ye shall seek me, and as I said
unto the Jews, whither I go ye cannot come. So now I say to
you. So these words were spoken by
the Lord before he's about to go through his deepest humiliation. These words are spoken here by
our Lord before he was to go through his most severe sufferings. These words were spoken before
false and heavy accusations would be bought against him. Before the crowd would cry, crucify
him, crucify him. And before he would be sentenced
to death. And he says here, therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said,
now is the Son of Man glorified. This was spoken before he would
face blasphemous insults and before the awful agonies of his
death. Before he would redeem his people
from their sins, how? By his death upon the cross. Before the fierceness of the
wrath of God for the sins of his people would fall upon him,
he speaks these words. Before he dies as a substitute
of his people, He speaks these words, before
all this was done. It is before these circumstances
that our Lord speaks these words. Now is the Son of Man glorified,
and God is glorified in Him. Where in our Savior's death on
the cross was His glorification? We'll remember who it was who
was dying, the Son of Man. God incarnate in the flesh. Now God had been glorified in
His life, as He only did that which pleased the Father. Now
God will be glorified in His death. In our Lord's death upon the
cross, our first point is, He performed the greatest work in
the history of this world. He performed the greatest work
in the history of this world. That's how He's glorified. He
performed the greatest work. Christ's death upon the cross
was the greatest event in history, beloved. Now there's been some
great events in history, hasn't there? All through the ages. There's been some great events.
The fall of Rome. All different things that have
occurred. Even in our lifetime there's been some what we would
call great events. They all pale in comparison,
beloved. They all pale in comparison to
the great work of redemption which the Lord Jesus Christ wrought
out on Calvary's cross to save His people from their sins. They
all pale in comparison. Think of this, He's the promised
seed of the woman below Him. He's the promised land. He's the one who When God said
God will provide Himself a lamb, He's the lamb. He's the provided lamb. He's
the promised deliverer of His people. He's the promised deliverer
because out of Zion the deliverer will come. There He is. There He is. God is glorified
in Christ. Why? Because it's in Him and
Him alone that God is pleased. Only in Christ is God pleased.
And think of this, if we're in Christ, then God's pleased with
us. Only because we're in Christ.
Only because we're in Christ. Number two, Christ was glorified
in the sight of God because in the place of His people, He reversed
Adam's conduct before God. Now before Adam fell, he's a
living soul. And what was Adam's conduct before
God when he fell? He's disobedient. He's disobedient. When Adam fell,
we all fell with him, didn't we? We all fell with him. So in the eyes of God, we're
all disobedient, sinful. But in Christ, Christ in the place of his people
reversed what Adam did. Adam was our first representative,
wasn't he? He's what's called a federal
head. A federal head. We all know what a representative
is. Someone who represents us. An advocate. Well, Adam was our
representative. He's our federal head. But Christ
is the federal head of his people. He's a representative of His
people. All those who God gave to Him in Christ, in eternity,
Christ is the head of His people. As one commentator said, God
deals with mankind and these two men. Think of this, we fell an item,
but God's blood-bought people are raised up in Christ. Are
raised up in Christ. Psalm 69, verse 4 says, They
that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my
head. They that would destroy me, being
my enemies wrongfully, are mighty. Then I restored that which I
took not away. The believer in Christ is restored
to a right standing with God in Christ. Turn, if you would,
to Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 1. We're far
off in Adam, aren't we? We're far off in Adam. We're
dead in trespasses and sins in Adam. But those who are in Christ
are what? Well, we're botanized, aren't
we? The scripture says. We're made alive in Christ. We're
born again by the Holy Spirit of God. In Adam, we're all counted
as disobedient sinners. Born sinners, just like when
Adam fell, we all fell in him. But in Christ, all who are in
Christ are counted as obedient. Consider that. We're counted
as obedient. All because of Christ's substitutionary
life in our place. In Adam, we're naked before God. But in Christ, God sees us clothed
in the perfect, spotless righteousness of Christ. And we are accepted
in Christ. The only reason the believer
is accepted by God is because we're in Christ. That's the only
reason. In Adam we're born dead spiritually,
but in Christ we're born again by the Holy Spirit of God. And we have a righteous standing
before our God. Look at Ephesians 1, verses 3-8. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Now notice the word
all there. All spiritual blessings are found
where? In Christ. Nowhere else. Only in Christ. According as He has chosen us
in Him, that's Christ. according as he hath chosen us
remember who Paul's writing to he's writing to born-again blood-bought
believers he's writing to the church at Ephesus according as
he has chosen us in him when before the foundation of the
world that we should be holy God's people are made holy in
the eyes of God by Christ and his righteousness and without
blame before him in love without blame all we are sinners But
the scripture here says that those in Christ are made holy
and without blame before Him in love. This is marvelous. Having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
Himself, look at this. This statement at the end of
this verse is absolutely marvelous. People like to talk about free
will, don't they? Oh, free will, free will, free will. You know
the only free will is the free will of God? That's the only
free will. God can do whatever He pleases.
We are bound by our nature, beloved. But God can do whatever He pleases,
whatever He pleases. And the believer in Christ, look
at this, this is absolutely marvelous, is saved according to the good
pleasure of His will. That's marvelous. That's wonderful. And then look at this, to the
praise of the glory of His grace. Wherewith He has made us accepted
in the Beloved. That means accepted in Christ.
On our own and in our own righteousness. We are not accepted by God Because
our righteousness is like filthy rags in the eyes of the Lord,
but the scripture there This is marvelous proclaims that sinners
are accepted in Christ God's born-again blood-washed people
are accepted in the beloved in Whom we have redemption how how
are we redeemed through his blood? Oh, through the shedding of his
blood. And we have what the forgiveness of sins, all sins, beloved past,
present and future. That's marvelous. According to
the riches of his grace and and we who are redeemed, we say that,
don't we? Oh, we're saved according to
the riches of his grace and by his mercy alone. It's wonderful. It's wonderful news. Absolutely
wonderful news. wherein he hath abounded toward
us in all wisdom and prudence. God's mercy and grace, beloved,
has abounded toward we who are in Christ. Adam was a disobedient
rebel, a sinner, but Christ is the Holy One of God, perfect,
sinless, righteous, totally obedient to God. He is the obedient son
in whom God is glorified. And he did all that as a substitute
of his people while he was here on earth. Turn, if you would, to Hebrews
chapter 5 and Philippians chapter 2. Put your finger in Hebrews
chapter 5 and Philippians chapter 2. Oh, Christ was the obedient
Son in whom God is glorified. Adam was a sinner, disobedient
unto death. But Christ was obedient unto
death. He's the author and finisher
of our salvation, beloved. The salvation of His people.
When he what? When he took upon himself the
form of a servant. Our Lord took upon himself the
form of a servant. Think of that. The Word of God,
the second person of the Trinity, took upon himself the form of
a servant. And he did all that which is
pleasing to God while he lived here on this earth as our substitute. Never forget that. Substitution
and satisfaction. Look at this in Hebrews 5, verses
8-10. Though he were a son, yet learned
he obedience by the things which he suffered. And being made perfect,
he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that
obey him, called of God and high priest after the order of Melchizedek. Then turn over to Philippians
chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2 and look what the scriptures
proclaim about this. Verses 5 to 8. 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. When our Lord was born into this
world, there wasn't pomp and circumstance that there would
be when a prince or a king is born. Pomp and circumstance. Nothing
like that. No. Made himself with no reputation. And look at this. And took upon
him the form of a servant. And was made in the likeness
of man. God became man. The God-man. The Word of God. The Son of God. Took upon him
the form of a servant. Did all that was pleasing in
the eyes of God. Did that which it is impossible
for us to do. Remember with God all things
are possible. Salvation, but with man, we cannot
save ourselves. God himself became a man to redeem
his people, to save his people from their sins, took upon himself
the form of a servant. Why? Well, because God's law
has to be satisfied, doesn't it? God's justice must be satisfied. So Christ fulfills the law of
God in the place of his people. Aren't you thankful, you who
are born again, we can't fulfill one law. And Christ fulfilled the whole
law for us in our place. It's amazing. And then he suffered
the wrath of God for us in our place. The sinless, spotless
Lamb of God who knew no sin, who was absolutely perfect, in
his life and in his death. He did that for me. And if you're
a believer, you can say he did that for me. He did that for
you. It's amazing. It's amazing grace. So when we read this, but he
made himself with no reputation and took upon him the form of
a servant and was made in the likeness of man, we can say,
well, he did that to redeem. He did that to save me. We who
are his people. And look at this, and being,
now remember, remember Adam was a sinner. Disobedient unto death,
but look at this. And being found in a fashion
as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death.
Even the death of the cross. He's obedient unto death. Sinless,
perfect, spotless. Again, another verse that proves
the sinlessness of Christ. Obedient unto death, beloved.
My goodness! And he humbled himself and became
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. What's the
chief end of man? To glorify God. But beloved,
God was never more glorified than in the death of his son,
when his son became incarnate. God incarnate in the flesh. God
was glorified all through his life, and God was glorified in
his death, too. Have you ever considered that
you and I, who are the saints of God, will glorify our great
God forever because someone else, the Lord Jesus Christ, glorified
him perfectly in our place? Have you ever considered that?
That we will spend eternity glorifying God, all because Christ glorified
God in our place. It's incredible. It's absolutely
incredible. And we will be in the presence
of the Lord forever. We who are as born again, blood
bought people because of what Christ has done. Because of what
Christ has done. We will enjoy God forever in
glory because of Christ. Left to ourselves, we'd be in
hell. That's what we, that's what we
get. We would deserve that, wouldn't we? But we who are His people,
we who were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the
world, we get to glorify God for eternity
because Christ glorified God in His life as our substitute.
Let us remember that when we take the supper. Let us remember
that. He did it willingly. He did it willingly. We'll look
at that later on. He did it willingly. Voluntarily. He did it. The third point is Christ was
glorified in the sight of God by His death on the cross and
the fact that He destroyed him which had the power over death,
which is the devil. Turn if you would to Hebrews
chapter 2. Hebrews chapter 2. And then put your finger in Colossians
chapter 2. Hebrews chapter 2 and Colossians chapter 2. Hebrews 2 verses 14 to 17, For
as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood,
he also himself likewise took part of the same. God became
a man. The Redeemer became a man. The
Word of God, the second person of the Trinity became a man.
Took part of the same. That through death he might destroy
him that had the power of death, that is the devil. And deliver,
that means to save. That means to save. Them who
through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Now before I was saved, I feared death. I don't fear death now. I wonder how the Lord's gonna
take me out, and we all wonder how that's gonna happen sometimes,
but I don't fear it. I don't fear it. Because I know
that death is but a doorway. And when the believer breathes
their last breath here, they're in the presence of the Lord.
So we don't have that fear of death that we had at one time.
Now, for verily he took not on him
the nature of angels, but took he on him the seed of Abraham.
Again, he became a man. Wherefore, in all things it behooved
him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be merciful
and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation
for the sins of his people. And put note in verse 14 there,
that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death,
that is the devil. Now the word of God became a man. The word became
flesh and dwelt among us, the scriptures say. And he was a
willing servant. Fully submissive to the father's
will. Fully submissive to the father's
will. And he went and died upon the cross so that death has no
more sting for his people. Death has no more sting for the
believer. Why? Because we're redeemed. were
purchased by the precious blood of Christ. And as I said earlier,
the moment we die, the moment, the second we breathe our last
breath, we're in the presence of the King forever. Forever. So death doesn't have a sting
for the believer anymore. Look what we got waiting for
us. God's people are delivered from
the dread of death, beloved. Why? Because Christ has died
in our place. And what awaits us is not eternal
torment, or the wrath of God being poured out upon us, but
what awaits us is eternal joy. Eternal joy. So this thing of
death for the believer is being destroyed. How? By the death
of Christ. By the death of Christ. By Him
dying in our place. Righteousness is given to the
unrighteous by nature. And we are accepted in the Beloved. We are accepted in Christ. And never forget, beloved of
God, that Christ was made in the likeness of sinful flesh,
yet without sin. Perfect, spotless. Perfect and
spotless. Why? To save His people from
their sins. He came to complete the absolute
defeat of he who is the enemy of both God and man. Look at
Colossians chapter 2. Colossians chapter 2. This little
portion of scripture, I just love reading this little portion
of scripture. Colossians chapter 2 verse 13 to 15. Now think of
the law of God. And what a claim it would have
on the believer, right? If all our sins were written
on the scroll, oh my gosh, it would be an endless scroll. It
would be handwriting of ordinances that was against us, right? Because
we sin and those are against us. Those are against us. Look at this though. Look at
this. And remember, he's right. Paul's
writing to believers in Christ, born again, blood washed believers
and you being dead in your sins. Verse 13 and the uncircumcision
of your flesh. Hath he quicken? We looked at
that earlier in Sunday school. Quicken there is born again.
You're born again by the Holy Spirit of God. Quicken together
with him. Heaven forgiven you. Look at
this. This is marvelous. Heaven forgiven you. All trespasses. All. All of them. Past, present, and future. Again, it doesn't give us a license
to go out the door and go crazy. But all, all trespasses, and
I'm going to say this again, I've said it multiple times,
when I say, I had somebody ask me one time, how can you say,
how can you say all your sins are forgiven? Future. Because
every one of my sins was future when Christ died on the cross. And he either paid for all my
sins, or he didn't pay for any of them. Well, praise be to God,
he paid for all my sin. But again, that doesn't give
us a license to go crazy because the love of Christ constrains
the believer. We get convicted by the Holy
Spirit of God, don't we? We do. And we cry out the Lord.
Oh, forgive me, Lord. Have mercy on me. Have mercy
on me. Look at that. Heaven forgiven
you. All trespasses. All of them. All of them. Blotting
out the handwriting of ordinances. Now, the word blotting out there
in the Greek, it means to whitewash. It's gone. Now remember what
I said, if all our sins were written on a scroll, they would
be handwriting ordinances against us, wouldn't they? Oh my, we
would just blot them out, beloved. Blot them out. What mercy. Blotting out the
handwriting of ordinances that was against us. and was contrary
to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross. Oh, what mercy this is, beloved.
And remember, He destroyed him that had the power of death,
and look at this next verse, and having spoiled principalities
and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over
them in it. He's victorious, beloved. He's
the conquering King. The Lord Jesus Christ. And marvel,
if you're one of His people, He did all this for you. It's wonderful. Blotting out the hand. It just doesn't get any better
than this. Heaven forgiving you all trespasses, blotting out
the writing of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary
to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross.
And what does God say? I'll remember your sin no more.
Why? Because it's being blotted out. Isn't that good news? That's
good news for sinners, isn't it? Good news for this sinner.
Oh, my. That's wonderful news. Oh, Christ's
principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly triumphing
over them, beloved. He did this on the cross of Calvary
when he died as the substitute of his people. Oh, my turn, if
you would, to John 14, 31 verse, I want us to look at here one
verse. One verse. Christ is the sinless,
spotless Lamb of God. He glorified God in all things.
He did only that which is pleasing in the eyes of the Lord. And
listen to what the Master says in John 14, 30. Look at this. Now, if Satan came
to us, he'd have a lot in us, because we're sinners, eh? We're
sinners. But look at this. Again, this
speaks of the sinlessness of Christ. Again. Hereafter I will
not talk much with you. Verse 30. John 1430. Hereafter,
I will not talk much with you for the prince of this world.
And that Satan cometh and hath nothing in because Christ is
the perfect spotless lamb of God. Nothing in him. There's nothing in Him. He's
sinless in thought, sinless in word, and sinless in deed. That's
my Redeemer. Is He yours? That's my Redeemer. That's the One who spoiled princes
and principalities. That's the One who blotted out
my sins. Is He your Savior? Is He your Redeemer? I pray that
God would make it so. Oh my. Because He's the only
one who God will accept in the place of sinners. He's the only
way that we can have the forgiveness of all our sins and all our iniquities.
He's the only one. No one else could accomplish
this task. And look at this, I have nothing
in me. Remember the Gadarene demoniac? And the demons said, Thou art
the Holy One of God. They knew who He was. They knew
who He was. He's the sinless, spotless Lamb
of God. He's called in Scripture, the Holy One of God. The Holy
One of God. That's why when Satan comes,
He has nothing in Him. Nothing. Nothing in Him. Next
point is, Christ was glorified in the sight of God in His death
on the cross and the fact that He paid the ransom price for
His people. He purchased His bride, He purchased His people
with His precious blood. He purchased all the elect of
God of all the ages on Calvary's cross. So each believer can say,
if you're a believer, you can say with me, He purchased me
on Calvary's cross. He paid the ransom price that
God demanded for my soul. Turn, if you would, to Job chapter
33. Job chapter 33, and then put your finger in Job chapter
19. Job chapter 33 and Job chapter 19. Oh, Christ paid the ransom
price. As a matter of fact, Christ is
our ransom, isn't He? He's our ransom. He's the one
who set us free. He's our city of refuge, beloved.
He's our deliverer. He's our shield. He's our defender.
He's everything to the believer. He's everything. Look at this
in Job 33 verse 24. Then he is gracious unto him
and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit. I found a ransom. Oh my, I found a ransom. Oh my goodness. How wonderful
these words are in light of this precious truth that Christ paid
the ransom price for his people on Calvary's cross. Deliver him
from going down to the pit. I have found a ransom. Oh my,
it's wonderful news. Wonderful news. Turn if you would
to Job chapter 19 now. And look what Job writes. And
every believer, we can say this. If you're a believer, you can
say this. Look at this. Oh, this is wonderful. And all because
the ransom price for our souls is being paid, beloved. Being
paid in full. Look at this, Job 19, verse 25
to 27. For I know that my Redeemer liveth. Do you know He lives? Oh, I know
my Redeemer liveth. He lives right now. He's in glory,
seated on the right hand of the Father, interceding for all His
people. He's paid the ransom price for
my soul. I know my Redeemer liveth. And that He shall stand at the
latter days upon the earth. And though my skin, worms destroy
the body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. Every believer can
say, I'll see God one day. I'll breathe my last breath,
I'll breathe my last breath in this world, and I'll see Him
in all His glory. All because of what He's done
for me. Whom I shall see for myself. It won't be because someone
else told me about Him. Each believer can say, I'll see
Him myself. And mine eyes shall behold. And
not another. Though my reigns be consumed
within me. Beloved, this great ransom price
which Christ paid for His people, when He purchased His bride on
Calvary's cross, no one else could ever accomplish this task.
No one else could ever accomplish this task. We can't save ourselves,
can we? I can't pay my own ransom price,
can you? I can't pay the ransom price
God demands for one of you, let alone myself. But Christ paid the ransom price
for all his people that God demanded. And he bought all the elect of
ages. They're all bought the glory because of him. Christ glorified God when He
laid down His life for His sheep. Think upon this. God was glorified
in what Christ did. God was glorified in how Christ
did it. Because He's the sinless, spotless
sacrifice. And God is satisfied with the
sacrifice of Christ. Turn, if you would, to Isaiah
53. Isaiah 53. And let us always remember this
too, that Christ was a willing sacrifice. As we take the Lord's
Supper today. Let us remember, we who believe
and we who partake of the supper, that Christ was a willing sacrifice
for us. He was a willing sacrifice. He
was a willing sufferer. And he willingly paid all that
God demanded to ransom our souls. Each believer can say, he willingly
paid that which God demanded to ransom my soul. He went to Calvary voluntarily.
You ever think of that? Remember last week we looked
at weep not for me. He voluntarily went to the cross. Have you ever considered, you
who are a saint of God, that the Word of God, the second person
of the Trinity, left glory, left heaven, willingly? Came to this earth willingly
to die in your place, willingly? Came to this earth to die as
your substitute, willingly? to redeem you Isaiah chapter 53 starting in
verse 6 all we like sheep have gone astray that's our natural
state beloved we have turned everyone to his own way and this
is speaking to God's people and the Lord that laid on him the
iniquity of us all Christ is the great sin bearer for his
people He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened
not his mouth. He was brought as a lamb to the
slaughter. Willingly. Willingly. As a sheep before its shearers
is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. Didn't speak a word. Willingly
went to the cross. He was taken from prison and
from judgment. And he 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." Take note of that. God says that Christ was
stricken. Christ, the sinless, spotless
Lamb of God, was stricken for the transgression of God's people.
For all those whom God chose in Christ in eternity. And He willingly did this. And he made his grave with the
wicked and with the rich in his death, because he had done no
violence, neither was there any deceit in his mouth. He's sinless.
Perfect. Look at this. Yet it pleased
the Lord to bruise him. God was glorified in this, beloved.
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 hands. He shall see the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied. There's the key word. So now
we see two things in this text here. Substitution, Christ dying
as a substitute of his people, and satisfaction. Two words. If you take anything
away from the message, substitution and satisfaction. Christ died
as a substitute of his people and God is absolutely satisfied
with that sacrifice. He shall see the travail of his
soul and shall be satisfied. By his knowledge shall my righteous
servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities."
He's the sin bearer. He's sinless, spotless. And he's
bearing the sin of his people. Bearing the wrath of God in our
place. And he did it willingly. He did it because it's the only
way that we could be redeemed. It's the only way that we could
be accepted. by God. Now this is grace. This is amazing
grace. This is an ocean of grace that
has no bottom. Therefore will I divide him a
portion with the great, and he shall divide the small with the
strong, because he hath poured out his soul unto death. And
he was numbered with the transgressors and he bared the sin of many
and made intercession for the transgressors. Again, he did
this voluntarily, willingly to purchase the souls of his people.
So each believer can say he did this willingly to purchase my
soul. He suffered on the cross willingly
to redeem my soul. Greater love hath no man. There's
no love in this world that can compare to that love. Looking unto Jesus, the author
and the finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set
before Him, the joy that was set before Him, that He would
redeem His people from their sins. That He would have a people
with Him in eternity. The people that the Father gave
Him in eternity. the joy that was set before him,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the
throne of God." Hebrews 12, 2. Not until the broken law of God
and the justice of God was satisfied, did our Lord cry, it is finished. Satisfaction. The law of God is satisfied.
The justice of God is satisfied in the place of the sinner. And
Christ our Lord, our great Savior, our great Redeemer Christ, it
is finished. And he gives up the ghost. Finished. And now our Savior is glorified,
beloved. He's glorified. Turn, if you
would, to Hebrews chapter 1. Hebrews chapter 1, and I'll read.
1 Timothy 2.5, Our Lord is glorified, He's sitting on the right hand
of the Father. It says, For there is one God and one mediator between
God and man, the man Christ Jesus. And look at this in Hebrews chapter
1, verses 1 to 4. All these wonderful words here.
God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times
past unto the fathers by the prophets. hath in these last
days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of
all things, by whom also he made the worlds, who be in the brightness
of his glory, and express image of his person, upholding all
things by the word of his power. O our God, he is all-powerful,
beloved, he upholds all things by the word of his power. When
he had by himself purged our sins, Look at that. Marvel at that. Remember that
as we go to the Lord's table. He purged our sins, beloved,
by the shedding of His own precious blood. And again, He did it willingly.
Willingly. Oh, this is wonderful grace.
Sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Why did
He sit down? Because the work's done. It's
finished. Salvation's accomplished. He's
obtained eternal salvation for His people. Wonderful news. All who flee to Christ shall
be saved. All who flee to Him shall be
saved. Being made so much better than the angels, He hath by inheritance
obtained a more excellent name than thee. Then look at verse
8. But unto the Son, He saith, Thy Son, O God, is forever and
ever. A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom.
What a Savior! What a Savior is Jesus Christ,
our Lord. He's the only Redeemer of sinners. He's the only one who God will
accept sinners in. He's the great Deliverer of His
people, because He's purchased us with His own precious blood. And He glorified God, beloved,
Our great Lord, our great Savior, He glorified God both in His
life and in His death. Oh, my. Neither is there salvation
in any other. No salvation outside of Christ,
but in Christ. Oh, wonders. Wonder of wonders. God's people are forgiven of
all their sins. The handwriting of ordinances
against us is blotted out, beloved, and God will remember our sins
no more. This should fill our hearts with
joy. Just fill our hearts with joy. Oh, what wondrous love is
this. Oh, my soul. Oh, my soul. Heavenly
Father, we thank you for your word. Oh, we thank you for how
it points us to your son, our savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
And oh Lord Jesus, we just marvel. Marvel at what you accomplished
for us on Calvary's cross. Marvel that you willingly came
to this earth to die for the sins of your people. And we marvel
most of all, we who are your blood-bought people, that we
are included in that number. That God the Father chose us
in Christ. We marvel at that, knowing that
we are, we don't merit any of this. We don't deserve any of
this grace. And we marvel that you have bestowed
it upon us in and through Christ Jesus our Lord. May you be glorified
as we ponder these things and as we meditate upon these things
through the week. May our lips be led to praise
thee, O Lord, for the great things which you've done for us. In
Jesus' name, amen.