The Hour Has Come

Q: What does the Bible say about the hour of Jesus' death?

The hour of Jesus' death is described as His greatest accomplishment, planned from before the foundation of the world, emphasizing the sovereignty of God in salvation. In John 17:1, Jesus declares, 'Father, the hour is come. Glorify thy Son,' acknowledging the significance of His impending death. This hour was not a mere moment in time but the culmination of God's sovereign plan for redemption. The death of Christ is portrayed as His greatest achievement, where He willingly bore the sins of the elect, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies and God's covenant promise to save His people. The cross, therefore, becomes the very focal point of God's eternal purpose.

Q: Why is the death of Christ considered His greatest accomplishment?

The death of Christ is seen as His greatest accomplishment because it was the perfect act of obedience that secured the salvation of sinners. The sermon emphasizes that the death of Christ is His greatest accomplishment because it was the ultimate expression of His obedience to the Father, where He bore our sins in His own body. This act not only fulfills the requirement of God's justice against sin but also establishes a means by which sinners can be reconciled to God. Jesus' death allows for the perfect sanctification of believers, setting them apart and declaring them holy through His once-for-all sacrifice. Furthermore, it was through His death that He accomplished the greatest act of love and justice, showcasing the depths of His mercy in bearing the sins of humanity.

Q: How do we know that Jesus' death was planned from the foundation of the world?

The Bible teaches that Christ was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, indicating that His death was part of God's eternal plan. Scripture reveals that Jesus’ death was not an accident or an afterthought; rather, it was predetermined by God's foreknowledge and counsel. Revelation 13:8 refers to Christ as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, serving as a declaration of His role in God's redemptive plan. This indicates that even before creation, God had a plan in place to address sin and provide salvation through His Son. The consistent fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies surrounding Christ’s suffering and death further affirms this truth, demonstrating God's sovereign orchestration of history toward the cross.

Q: Why is the resurrection of Christ important?

The resurrection of Christ is vital because it confirms His victory over sin and death, ensuring that His sacrifice was accepted by God. The resurrection of Christ is critical to the Christian faith as it validates the efficacy of His atoning sacrifice. Without the resurrection, the death of Christ would be rendered meaningless. Paul states in 1 Corinthians 15:17, 'If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.' The resurrection signals God’s acceptance of Christ's sacrifice and confirms His victory over sin and death. It guarantees the future resurrection of believers and represents the hope of eternal life that is rooted in His triumphant defeat of the grave, affirming that He indeed accomplished redemption for His people.

I'm very happy for you. I was thinking while I was driving over here, I've known and been friends with this church for a long time. I think the first time I came was in 1978, and I was in UK at the time, and I would come to services. I'm from Ashland, Kentucky, under 13th Street Baptist where Henry Mahan was the pastor.

And I remember, uh, I went to that school and one time I went there and everybody was speaking in tongues. And I thought, what in the world has happened to this place? And they'd sold the building and Pentecostal church had moved in there. And I just didn't know it, but I remember I came in, I got out quick and found out what took place. I remember when you're meeting and, uh, Kentucky Utilities.

I remember when Don came, and I think of what a blessing Don has been to me, how he's taught me so much. And I thank the Lord for his friendship. You've all gone six years without a pastor, and now you've got a pastor. And I'm very thankful for you. I've loved Frank, known him many years.

Turn to John chapter 17. Verse one, these words spake Jesus and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour is come. Glorify thy son. that thy son also may glorify thee. These things spake Jesus. And this is talking about everything that he said between John 13 and John 16, his last address to his disciples.

He knew that he would be nailed to a cross the very next day. They did not know that at this time. But he did. He began with. Washing his disciples feet there at the first of John, Chapter 13, I'm sure they were in shock as he did this. Peter says, you'll never wash my feet. And the Lord said, if I don't wash you, you have no part with me. He said, well, don't wash my feet only, but my hand and head and everything else about me. He that is washed. needeth not to be washed save his feet." He's clean. You're clean. Your feet needn't be washed every day, but you're clean.

And then he began this discourse that would be the last time he spoke with the disciples. And he ended it in verse 33 of chapter 16 saying, these things have I spoken unto you that in me, You might have peace, not in yourself, not in your circumstance, not in your works, in me. There's no peace anywhere else. These things have I spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.

Now these words spake Jesus, and then he lifted up his eyes to heaven. I've seen people do that, and I sure don't feel comfortable with it. I've seen preachers hold their hands up, lift up their eyes. When I feel like I'm speaking with the Lord, I got to keep my head down. That's the way I feel.

But he could lift up his eyes like no one else could lift up his eyes to his father. There's something so special about this. And he begins to pray. And this scripture, this passage of scripture, John chapter 17 is utterly unique. There's nothing like this anywhere else in the Bible where we're allowed to listen in as the Lord Jesus Christ prays to his heavenly father. I thought of what the Lord said to Moses. Draw not nigh hither, but off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place thou standest is holy ground. This is holy ground.

These words spake Jesus and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour is come. He's talking about the hour of his death. The hour At the beginning of his public ministry and his first miracle, when the water was made wine, when they'd run out of wine, his mother said unto him, I have no wine. The implication being, do something about it. We're never to tell the Lord what to do. And he said, woman, With no disrespect, he's speaking to his mother. Woman, what have I to do with thee?

Thine hour is not yet come. In John chapter seven, some men were sent to arrest him. Then they sought to take him, but no man laid hands on him for his hour was not yet come. Again, in John chapter 8 verse 20, after his preaching in the temple, these words spake Jesus in the treasury as he taught in the temple, but no man laid hands upon him for his hour had not yet come. Look back in John chapter 13 when he begins this address, verse 1.

Now, 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, having loved his own, which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And that is when this last message is given. Father, The hour is come. An hour is a measurement of time. Time began in creation, minutes, seconds, hours. And this is the hour that time was created for. This is the hour for which the universe was created. The hour has come, the hour of his death. He said in John chapter 12, and what shall I say when anticipating his death? Father, save me from this hour, for this cause came I into this hour.

When he was in Gethsemane's garden, and I don't understand all that was going on, nor does anyone else. But I know when he anticipated drinking that cup, drinking the cup of the sins of the elect, taking them into his own body and being forsaken by God, he started sweating drops of blood. And I wouldn't diminish the agony, the physical agony that he was to endure, but I am quite certain that's not what he was sweating blood over. It was the thought of being forsaken by his father. The thought of being cut off by his father.

The thought of bearing the full equivalent of an eternal hell during those three hours of darkness on Calvary's tree. And he sweat great drops of blood. Now you and I can't understand that because we don't really understand how evil sin is. We're used to it. He knew the evil of sin, and he was going to take it into his own body on the tree. Now, his death, Father, the hour has come.

Listen to this carefully. His death was his greatest accomplishment. I want you to think about that. His death, when he closed his eyes and died, That was his greatest accomplishment. But now I realize it would be meaningless were he not raised from the dead. We'd be wasting our time talking were he not raised from the dead. But his death was his greatest accomplishment.

Do you remember on the Mount of Transfiguration when the Lord gives Peter and James and John a glimpse of his deity? The scripture says his face shined like the sun. You can't look at the sun. His clothing, glistering and white. And Moses and Elijah appeared to him.

And we know what they were talking about. Luke 9 31 says they spake of the decease, which he should, anybody know the next word? Accomplish at Jerusalem. Now, This is the only death of which we can say it's an accomplishment. When they lay me in the grave, it's going to say one thing. I'm a sinner. When they lay you in the grave, it's going to say one thing about you. It's not an accomplishment. It says that you're a weak, sinful individual. You know, I was thinking about this while we were while I was driving over here.

I was thinking about when the Lord says to his disciples, he said, if you then he's talking to his disciples, he's not talking to unbelievers. He said, if you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly father give? He called him your heavenly father. You then, being evil, how much more shall your heavenly father give good things to them that ask him?

Our death is just going to say one thing. We're sinners, but his death is his greatest achievement. It's his greatest accomplishment. The death of Christ on the cross is the most God-like thing God ever did. I hope you and I will have a reverence and an awe at the majesty of his death.

This is greater than the creation of the universe because the universe was created for this hour. So the lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world could be slain in time. Now somebody says, this is high doctrine. Well, all God's doctrines, high doctrine.

But when Peter began that first sermon after the resurrection on Pentecost, where did he begin? Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken and with wicked hands have crucified and slain. That's where he began. The early church, they'd only been together three weeks and listened to their song of praise, their hymn of praise.

For the truth against thy holy child, Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. Now, this is elementary stuff. This is the ABCs. Somebody says that's high doctrine. Well, yeah, it is. It's gloriously high, but it's still the ABCs of the gospel. Christ is the lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Now, how many times during the event of his death did something happen that the scriptures might be fulfilled? Everything with regard to his death, the scriptures in the Old Testament told exactly what would happen. They didn't know what they were doing. They were doing what they wanted to, but it's almost like they said, what are we supposed to do next? Let's look it up. I mean, it's everything that took place, took place that the scriptures might be fulfilled.

I think of the first promise of the gospel in Genesis 3, verse 16, where the Lord says to the serpent, you're going to bruise, the seed of woman is going to bruise, crush your head. There's only one seed of woman, the virgin born birth of Christ. The seed of woman is going to crush your head. You're going to bruise his heel and him die, but he is going to crush your head.

Now, to me, One of the great mysteries of the scripture, I'm sure this is to you too, one of the great mysteries of the scripture is how he could die in the first place. He's God. He's the God man. I love there in the storm and he's laying asleep in the ship and The disciples are scared to death. Go away, God. Master, don't you care that we perish? He gets up and, peace, be still. The wind quits blowing. There's a great calm.

And they say, what manner of man is this that even the winds and the sea obey him? Well, we know what manner of man he is. He's the God man. He's man, asleep, tired, worn out. He's God. He controls the weather. The God-man, how could he die? God can't die. The God-man did. How? I don't know, but he did. Tis mystery all the immortal dies who can explore his strange design. In vain the firstborn seraph tries to sound the depth of love's design. Tis mercy all, let earth adore. Let angel minds inquire no more.

Amazing love, how can it be that thou, my God, should die for me?" Now, you'll notice what the Lord says. Here's the reason for this hour back in John chapter 17. Father, the hour has come. Glorify thy Son. Now, this is important. He knew he wouldn't going to be glorifying himself. He said, you glorify me. I can't glorify myself. You glorify me for this one singular reason that I might glorify thee. The death of Christ is the glory of the son. The death of Christ is the glory of the father. You see the death of Christ. is a declaration of the character of God. Now don't think, when you think about Christ's death, don't feel sorry for him. Don't think of him as being a victim. He said, daughters of Jerusalem, don't weep for me. Weep for yourselves and your children.

He was no victim. He was there willingly. He said, No man takes my life from me. I have power to lay it down. I have power to raise it up. Now, how could he be dead and have power to raise his own life up from the grave? I don't know, but he did. The God-man. I mean, tis mystery all. We don't understand all this. We just believe it because of the greatness of this person.

I love it when Pilate said, speakest thou not to me? Don't you know I have power to release you and I have power to crucify you? You know, he hadn't spoken up to this point, hadn't said a word, but now he speaks. You could have no power at all over me, except it were given thee from above.

The death of Christ is the complete manifestation of who God is. You see, this is his sovereign purpose being done, isn't it? He's called the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. I think that's such a significant verse of scripture. The whole Bible is interpreted in light of that one verse of scripture, the Lamb having been slain from the foundation of the world. And we see God's sovereign purpose being accomplished.

He was there by the will of God, by the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. What will? God's will. God's will. We see his justice, all sin must be and will be punished. And God's no respecter of persons.

Even when sin is found in his son, when he drank that cup and bore our sins in his own body on the tree. And once again, that's something I don't understand. I don't understand how he made sin, but I believe it. Whatever sin is, he was made to be, and God the Father killed him. And he didn't cease to love his son when he was doing that.

The point is, is God's no respecter of persons. All sin must be punished. And he punished his son. for sins that I would say were not his own, but he never sinned in his person, but they became his sins. It would be unjust for God to punish him if he didn't have any sins of his own. Now I realize I don't even understand what I'm talking about, but my sin became his sin. He never committed sin, but my sin became his sin so that he became guilty of that.

He willingly took that on in his death and the father killed him. We see the omnipotence of God to become flesh, to die on a cross, to make sin not to be, to put it away, to make me perfect in Christ Jesus. Only omnipotence could do that. We see the wisdom of God and how he made a way to be just and yet justify somebody as sinful as me so I stand before God without sin. how we see the independence of God. He didn't need any help in this. When he had by himself purged our sins, you and I didn't make any contribution in this. He did it by himself. And aren't you glad? What if you did have to contribute something? We'd be in trouble, wouldn't we? We see his mercy, his grace, His love in their fullness of the death of Christ on the cross. What about the miracles that surrounded his death?

I think of darkness covering the earth for those three hours. And the scripture says it was the whole earth. That's a reminder to me, and that's a reminder to you, that we'll never really understand what was going on. This was a transaction between the Father and the Son. And there's darkness covering it to let us know we'll never, even in heaven, I don't think we'll fully comprehend this.

The earthquake, graves were opened and saints walked out and walked around Jerusalem. Somebody says, how could that be? I don't know, but that's what it says. And I know that that lets us know that his death is the opening up of our graves. That's why the graves were raised from the dead. That's why we're given spiritual life because of his death. But I think my favorite miracle surrounding his death is when that veil, I've heard it was four inches thick, was torn from top to bottom. That signifies this is God's work.

It was ripped in half. The moment he gave up the ghost, the veil in the temple was ripped in half. And that tells us two things. Well, it tells us three things. Number one, because it was ripped from the top to the bottom, it tells us this is God's work. Number two, it exposes the phoniness of human religion. Because when that veil was ripped in two, guess what wasn't there?

The Ark of the Covenant. It was all pretend. It was all play acting. It wasn't real. But that veil rent tells me that every believer has boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. I actually have entrance into the holiest. I know when that great high priest was behind that veil, He didn't have boldness. Well, maybe he did. I don't know, but I would imagine he was scared if he did something wrong, he'd get killed. He was nervous. I'll guarantee you that. But we're called upon to come boldly to the throne of grace with confidence. How? By the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

You see, when he died, his body never went through the process of decay. He's the only one to ever do that. His body never went through the process of decay. And that lets us know the moment he died, God was satisfied with what he did, and he was satisfied with everybody he did it for.

Now, let me make a few comments about what the death of the Lord Jesus Christ is. Number one, in the death of Christ, allowing himself to be nailed to that tree. I repeat, he was no victim. He purposed this. It was the ultimate act of obedience. He obeyed his father perfectly. He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Obedience.

When I hear preachers talk about the necessity of obedience, I wouldn't discount that in any way. But I don't feel like I've ever been obedient one time. There's always been sin there. And I always feel very shaky about my obedience. I feel my motives and just go on and on. I don't feel like I've ever been obedient, obedient once.

He became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. His father said, son, be nailed to that cross. Yes, father. The ultimate act of obedience, he obeyed his father perfectly, and that's the obedience we're saved by, his obedience. Secondly, the death of Christ is the greatest act of faith this universe has ever seen. Now, what do I mean by that?

How many times have you, in your experience, felt separated from God, shut off from God, far from God, isolated? And I must not be saved. Well, Christ really was shut off, cut off. You never have been. He was forsaken by his father. He felt nothing but his father's awful frown against sin. And he never quit believing and trusting his father.

He said, though he slay me, yet will I trust him. You say, Job said that. Well, Job said that, but he didn't practice it. You read Job, there was all kinds of unbelief and lack of trust and accusations against God. These are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Though he slay me, yet will I trust him. He never quit trusting. And remember this, somebody had to believe God perfectly. He did, we're saved by the faith of Christ, according to the scriptures. That's my faith, the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. I don't want to bring my puny faith up. Let me have his faith saved by his faithfulness. Thirdly, the death of the Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest act of justice. It's the greatest act of justice. God is just. God is righteous.

Now, when Christ was on the cross, I've already said this twice, he was no innocent victim. While he never sinned, he bore our sin in his own body on the tree and he took ownership of them. He called them my sins over and over again in the Psalms. He called them my sins. He didn't say Todd's sins, which were imputed to me. He said my sins.

Now, when he was hanging on that cross and God was pouring his wrath out on him, he was still God's son. And God had not stopped loving him. I can't think of the pain the father had in bruising his son. I know the scripture says that please the Lord to bruise him. And I, I believe that. But can you imagine doing him doing this to his only begotten and well beloved son?

Now we see from this, God truly is no respecter of persons. Me and you are. We are. He's the only one who's not. He's no respecter of persons when sin is found on his son, away go swords, smite the shepherd. The man that is my fellow, the man that is my right hand, smite the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. You see, the death of Christ is.

So just. It's so just. I know that I justly deserve to be sent to hell. And I don't know that anywhere near as acutely as I ought to know it. You know, I say that because I know I'm supposed to say it, but I believe it too. If God cut me off and sent me to hell, I'd be getting exactly what I deserve.

But what I'm amazed by in this act of justice, God has made a way to be absolutely just and justify me in a way that honors his justice, his righteousness, and his holy law. What a glorious thing to think of. The way that God has made a way to be just. and justify the ungodly. God commanded, commended his love toward us.

And while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Scarcely for a righteous man will one die. You know, what that's saying is, you know, for a real moral, righteous man, not too many people are going to die for him. For a good man, a merciful man, some would die. But God commended his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us when we were yet without strength.

In due time, Christ died for the ungodly. And I love Romans chapter five, verse nine, being now justified by his blood. I stand before God right now, and this is the way I'll stand on judgment day, as one who has never sinned, one whom the justice of God would demand my salvation.

What a glorious gospel. This is the greatest act of love on the Father's part. God so loved the world that he gave. his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. What an act of love on God, the Father's part.

Do I grasp it? No. How could he be? Because he's God. I love that passage of scripture, Deuteronomy chapter 7, where God says, God didn't send us. He said, I didn't set my love on you because you're a greater, more powerful people. You're the fewest. of people. But he did it because he did, because he loved you. That's the only reason. It's his character. It's his nature. He's so glorious.

What an act of love in God giving his son up to die. What an act of love on Christ's part. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Now, if you're a believer, Jesus Christ counts you his personal friend. Isn't that amazing? That's true of every believer. He counts you, his personal friend. And greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. His death accomplished perfect sanctification. Let me give you scripture first.

Hebrews 10.10, by the witch will, By the witch will, we are sanctified once for all through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ. There is such confusion by religious people on sanctification. And they look at it as behavioral. And I have no doubt that if God has saved me, it'll affect my behavior. No question about that. That's just true.

But that's really not what sanctification is about. Sanctification is the father setting me apart to be holy before time again. Sanctification is the son declaring me to be holy by his work on Calvary Street. There are not degrees of sanctification. There's not a progressive sanctification. You don't become more holy or less holy. God, the Holy Spirit, sanctified us when he gave us a new nature and a holy nature.

But here's the point. It was all accomplished by what Jesus Christ did on the tree by one offering. He had perfected forever them that are sanctified by the which will we are sanctified once for all. Now, that once for all means it's a perfectly completed action that will never be repeated once for all perfectly sanctified, perfectly holy in God's sight. His death accomplished reconciliation. We were reconciled to God, Romans 5 10, by the death of his son.

That means he doesn't have any reason to be mad at me. We think he is, but that's through our foolish unbelief. He's perfectly reconciled. He has no reason for anger with every believer. Now, what a thought that the Lord, I'm the one who sinned against him, yet he reconciled me to himself. He made me holy and unblameable and unreprovable on his side, complete Reconciliation.

I love this scripture, Hebrews 9, 12, neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, speaking of his death. He entered once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. I love that word eternal. Eternal means it never had a beginning. It'll never have an end. It's the eternal, spotless blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that makes us clean from all eternity.

Eternal justification. constant cleansing Now listen to this scripture God is light. This is John 1st verse on 510. God is light In him is no darkness at all If we say We have fellowship with him and a lot of people make that claim. I pray God hears me He speaks to me. I speak to him I've got fellowship with him if we say We have fellowship with him and walk in darkness.

The darkness of salvation by works, the darkness of religious superstition. Salvation by works is darkness. It's so dishonoring to God. It brings God down on our level. Say, well, he could accept this. I would. It's such a high view of ourselves. It's walking in darkness is what it is. If we walk in dark, if we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, We lie and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light, that's the light of which the Lord said, I am the light of the world.

And he said that after he said to that woman who was taken in adultery in the very act, woman, where are those nine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, no man, Lord. He said, neither do I condemn thee. Why? There was nothing to condemn her for. That's why he said that. He wasn't saying, I'm just sweeping it under the rug and forgetting about it. He said, there's no sin. There's no sin. Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more.

I am the light of the world. I'm the light as to how that can be. Now, if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another. You know, this is fellowship, the gospel. The gospel is not getting together and having a good time. I'm all for that. But the fellowship is the fellowship in the gospel. If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. Fellows in the same ship. We believe same gospel. And the blood of Jesus Christ, God's son.

Cleanse us. Present tense. Continually. cleanseth us from all sin. Now, I need continual cleansing because I'm continually sinning. And I'm not saying that, I hope I'm saying that with a broken heart. I hope I'm saying that ashamed of myself, but I need continual cleansing. And the blood of Jesus Christ, God's son, cleanses us from all sin constantly.

Hebrews 10.20 says, having boldness to enter into the holiest. by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way. Now that word new means freshly slaughtered. The blood of Christ is always poignant to the father, freshly slaughtered, living as opposed to dead. Let us draw near with a true heart and full assurance of faith.

Every time the gospel is preached, We're preaching Christ crucified, the death of Christ. Paul said, I determined not to know anything among you said Jesus Christ and him crucified. That's got to be the foundation of everything that's said, everything that's spoken.

The death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why? Even when we observe the ordinance of what does baptism speak of? The death of Christ. Life, death, resurrection. What do we do when we take the Lord's table? We show forth the Lord's death. until they come. Now, listen to this scripture. Paul said in Romans chapter eight, verse 34, who is he that condemned? I condemned myself. The devil's got plenty on me.

He's called the accuser of the brethren, the accuser day and night before God. And he wouldn't have to tell lies about you, would he? The things he would accuse you of, they'd be true, wouldn't they? There's others who, I know what he did. I know what he thinks. Who is he that condemneth? Listen to Paul's answer. It's Christ that died. I need no other argument. I need no other plea. It is enough that Jesus died and that he died for me.

Let's close by looking at Romans 3. Romans 3. Verse 19. If I was given an opportunity to preach the gospel to someone who had never heard it before, this is the passage that I think I would select. Romans chapter three. In verse 19, now we know. We're not shaky about this. This is something we know. Don't you love the we knows of the Bible? This is not speculation. We know.

That what things, soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, subject to the judgment of God. No excuses. You remember when Adam confessed his sin? The woman you gave me, she gave me the fruit and I did eat. That's not a stopped mouth. That's giving excuses. When your mouth is stopped, your sin is all your fault. You can't blame your circumstances. You can't blame your raising. You can't blame the devil. It's all your fault. fault. That's when your mouth is stopped. No excuses. Guilty as charged.

All the world may become guilty before God. Was there anything we can do about this? Therefore, by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight. For by the law is the knowledge of sin. No, there isn't anything you can do about it. All the law does is expose your sin. I love that scripture. The strength of sin is the law. All the law does is expose sin. Well, does that mean we have no hope? No. But now, verse 21, the righteousness of God without the law. without my personal law keeping, is manifested being witnessed by the law and the prophets.

This is what the scripture is always taught. This isn't some new doctrine. I'm preaching what Moses preached, Paul says. I'm preaching what Joshua had to say, what David had to say, what Isaiah had to say. This is nothing new. This has always been witnessed by the law and the prophets. Bible's got one message.

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ. Notice it doesn't say by faith in Jesus Christ. It says by faith of Jesus Christ, by his faithfulness, by his law keeping. The righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe. Who's it for? Them to believe. Now look what he says next after that.

For there's no difference. Do you know there's no difference between me and you? None. There's no difference between the most moral man and the most immoral man alive in God's sight. There's no difference. All have sinned. and come short of the glory of God. What is sin? It's coming short of the glory of God. Have you ever come up to the standard of the glory of God? Well, of course not. You've come short of the glory. I've come short of the glory of God. But look what he says in verse 24, being. justified freely. There's nothing you did to get this. It's free. If it cost something, you wouldn't have anything to pay. I wouldn't either. Thank God it's free.

Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption, the death, the shedding of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ through the redemption that is in Christ. Verse 25, whom God has set forth for ordained, this is his purpose, for Christ to be a propitiation, a sin removing sacrifice. When Christ was raised from the dead, we're justified. Sin's gone.

It is no more. But look at this next. Statement. Remember it says to them that believeth. Now look what he says. Through faith in his blood. Through faith in his death. Through faith in the accomplishments of his death. Question. Is Jesus Christ alone his death all that is needed to make you perfect before God? Do you believe he can save you with no help from you, with no contribution from you? Now, I realize he also was raised from the dead, saved by his resurrection. But if he stayed dead, his death would be meaningless. But the blood of Jesus Christ, his greatest accomplishment. Do you have faith in his blood?

Do you believe that what he did is all that's needed for God to accept you completely. Faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God to declare, I say at this time, his righteousness, not just his love, not just his grace, not just his mercy, not just his kindness, but his righteousness. that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus, where is boasting then? What can you take credit for? It's excluded by what law of works? Nay, but by the law of faith. Therefore, we conclude the man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also the Gentiles? Yes, are the Gentiles also. Seeing it's one God which shall justify the circumcision by faith and uncircumcision through faith. Do we make void the law through faith? God forbid. We establish the law. Do you want to honor God's law? Look to Christ only and you honor God's law. The death of Christ. His greatest achievement, our salvation. When I'm called to stand before God, and if I'm called to give an account of myself, there's only one thing I could say. It's Christ that died. Let's pray.

The Hour Has Come

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the hour of Jesus' death?

Why is the death of Christ considered His greatest accomplishment?

How do we know that Jesus' death was planned from the foundation of the world?

Why is the resurrection of Christ important?

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The Hour Has Come

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the hour of Jesus' death?

Why is the death of Christ considered His greatest accomplishment?

How do we know that Jesus' death was planned from the foundation of the world?

Why is the resurrection of Christ important?

Sermon Transcript

About Todd Nibert

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