Tonight I'll be speaking out of Judges chapter 6 on Gideon. I've entitled the message for this morning, That You Might Believe. Wouldn't that be the greatest grace of God to us if we're enabled to be of that number that you might believe. I pray to the Lord that everybody in this room will leave this place in this description that you might believe.

Believe what? Look in verse 28. You have heard how I said unto you, I go away and come again unto you. If you love me, you'd rejoice because I said, I go into my father for my father's greater than I. And now I have told you before it came to pass. I've told you that I'm leaving. and I've told you I'm coming again. That simple. I've told you that I am leaving, going back to my father, and that I am coming again. Now, I've told you before it came to pass that when it is come to pass, you might believe.

Now I'm doing what only God can do. I'm telling you what will come to pass before it came to pass. Only God can do that. We can make guesses, but only God can tell you what will come to pass before it comes to pass. In saying this, the Lord says, I'm the one who declares the end from the beginning. And from ancient times, eternity, the things that are not yet done, saying, my counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure. I've purposed it, I'll do it. That's why I can tell you what's going to come to pass before it comes to pass. I'm doing what only God can do. Jesus Christ is God. I love to say that. Let me say it again. Jesus Christ is God. He's the mighty creator. The second person of the blessed Trinity. He purposes it. It comes. to pass. I've spoken it. I will also do it.

You know, at least three times during his earthly ministry, he told his disciples, I'm going to be crucified. I'm going to die. And I'm going to be raised from the dead. And these words were prefigured in the old testimony. Abraham said, I in the lab will go yonder and worship and come again to you. Same thing the Lord said. You know, Abraham knew that after he had killed his son and he killed him in his mind, when God said, go offer him as a burnt offering to me and to a mountain, which I shall show you. Abraham truly believed that God would raise him from the dead because he knew God had promised the Messiah would come through him. I and the lad will go yonder and worship and come again to you.

Let me remind you of this scripture, Revelation chapter 13, verse eight. There's not a more important verse of scripture in the Bible than this. The whole Bible is interpreted in light of this one scripture. Christ is called the lamb, having been slain from the foundation of the world. The whole Bible is interpreted in light of that one verse of scripture. God created this universe. So the lamb slain from the foundation of the world could come into this existence that he's created to be slain. And remember this, not only was the Lord Jesus Christ, the lamb slain from the foundation of the world, he didn't stay slain, did he? He's the lamb raised. from the very foundation of the world. And in heaven, when time is no more, what did John say when he describes that last vision? He said, I saw a lamb as it had been slain. That's the vision of heaven, who came and took the book from the right hand of him that sat on the throne.

Now, before time, The Lamb slain and raised from the foundation of the world. During time, behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. In heaven, worthy is the Lamb that was slain. This is everything. This is everything. This is God's eternal purpose, that I die. All of our hope is in what He, His death accomplished. And he says, I'll be raised from the dead and come again to you.

Now remember the setting. In less than 24 hours, he's going to be nailed to a cross as the lamb slain. And this is his last discourse with his disciples, his last time. And he says in verse 29, now I've told you before it came to pass that when it is come to pass, you might believe. Beloved, this is what faith is, that you might believe that I am who I said I am and that I did what I was sent to do and I'm coming back for you. I said all this, that you yourself might believe.

Look over in John chapter 20. Verse 30. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. Now in the book of John, there are seven miracles. that the Lord performed, that this book is built around these seven miracles. And John tells us there are other miracles, signs, truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book, but these are written, these seven miracles and signs that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ of God. the Son of God, and that believing you might have life through His name.

Now let's go back to our text. John chapter 14, verse 28. You've heard, and you have too. You have too, just as much as they have. You have too. You've heard how Christ said, I'm gonna be crucified, I'm gonna be slain, I'm gonna be raised from the dead. God sent me for this purpose. I love the passage David read among the verses he read is this, I came down from heaven. If I said I came down from heaven, you'd say he's crazy. He did come down from heaven. I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me.

You've heard how I said unto you, I go away and come again to you. If you love me, you'd rejoice because I go to my father. Now in the incarnation, when the word was made flesh, do you know he left his father's presence? He had spent eternity basking in the presence of his father. In thy presence is fullness of joy. How he delighted in the presence of his father. He left that presence and came down here in the flesh. And as a man in the flesh, he trusted his father completely. He's the only one who could say, though he slay me, yet will I trust him when he was nailed to the cross. He was nailed to the cross, completely trusting his heavenly father. And he had no light at that time. Darkness covered the earth. He never quit trusting, even though he had no light.

He came to die. This horror began in Gethsemane's garden when the father showed him the cup he was to drink. He said, Father, if it'd be possible, let this cup pass from me. But it wasn't possible. This is God's purpose. The only way you and I'll be saved is if he drinks that cup, the cup of our sins, and takes him in his own body on the tree. As the sin-bearing Savior, he was forsaken by God and died. Well might the sun in darkness hide to shut his glories in when Christ the mighty maker died for man the creature's sin. But he accomplished something by his death. You know, when you and I die, you know all it's gonna say? We're sinners. That's all it's gonna say. Oh, but when he died, He said, it is finished. Whatever it was he came to do, he did. It is finished. Now I quoted John chapter six, verse 38. I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. And he tells us what that was in the next two verses. And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all which he hath given me, talking about the elect. Don't miss that. Jesus Christ died for the elect, those the father gave him before the foundation of the world.

Now, if I say that he died for all men without exception, I'm going against what the Bible says. You see, his death is successful. That's the point. If he died for you, you must be saved. There won't be anybody in hell that Jesus Christ died for. He's God, he can't fail, the God-man.

I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him that said me, and this is the Father's will which has said me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing. But raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of Him that sent me, that everyone that seeth the Son and believeth on Him should have everlasting life."

Now, you're not going to believe on Him until you see who He is. And if you see who He is, You will believe. You cannot not believe if you see who he is. It's impossible. You see, it's the revelation of this person that causes you to believe. He makes himself known, who he is, you'll believe.

Three days later, after his death and the accomplishments of his death, You know, after he said it is finished, he said, father into thy hands, I commend my spirit. And he bowed his head and gave up the ghost. He's the only one to ever do this. He gave death permission. You can come and take me now. It couldn't until he gave it permission. He's God. Don't you love that? God manifest in the flesh.

Now I love the way he says, knowing that's where I'm going. If you love me, you'd rejoice what he says. Verse 28, you've heard now I said unto you, I go away and come again to you. If you love me, you would rejoice because I go unto the father. For my father is greater than I. And somebody says, what's that mean? If he's equal with God, it's talking about the subordination of the three persons of the Godhead. God, the father, God, the son, God, the Holy spirit. God, the son is equal to the father. God, the spirit is equal to the son. God, the father, God, the son, God, the Holy spirit, all having the substance of God, whatever that is. And nobody knows one God and three distinct persons, but the son subordinates himself to the father. The spirit subordinates himself to the son.

He says, my father's greater than I he's equal to the father, but here's the point. I'm going back to the father. You ought to rejoice. I'm going back to the Father. I'm going to be in His presence once again. You know, when somebody dies that's a believer, we're sad for ourselves, but we rejoice for them because they are in the presence of the Son. They're in the presence of the Father. They are crying, worthy is the land that was slain. They're not thinking about us. I always think it's amusing and ridiculous when somebody says they're looking down at us from heaven. No, they're not. No, no. They're beholding the sun.

I'd love to think of the many dear saints who have left this place that were one time sitting live in these pews, hearing the gospel. Now they're in a lot better place, seeing the son as he is, worshiping him, being freed from sin. There they are. Now we feel sorry for ourselves, but we don't feel sorry for them. When the Lord says, I'm going back to the father, you ought to be rejoicing. Not being, yeah, you're sorry for yourself, but I'm going back to the father and you ought to be rejoicing.

Verse 28, you've heard how I said unto you, I go away and come again to you. If you love me, you'd rejoice because I said, I go to my father for my father is greater than I. I can. Imagine the relish in his voice as he said that, in his subordination to his heavenly, holy father. I'm sure it delighted his soul to say, my father is greater than I. I subordinate myself to him.

Verse 29, now I've told you before it came to pass that I'm going to my father and I'm going to come again to you. I've told you before it came to pass that when it is come to pass, you might believe. I love the phrase in the scripture, it came to pass. That's in the scripture hundreds of times. It came to pass. God purposed it. It came to pass. You know why you're here this morning? God purposed it, it came to pass. That's why you're here. God purposed it, it came to pass. That is the explanation of everything. God purposed it, it came to pass. I form the light, I create darkness. I make peace, I create evil. I the Lord do all these things. things. I purposed it, it comes to pass. And I'm telling you before that you might believe.

I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. the uncreated, eternal son of God. The word was made flesh. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest. in the flesh. He came in the flesh. He did what he came to do. He saved his people from their sins and he returns to his father. When he died and said it is finished, the salvation of everybody he died for was completed. Now, do you hear that? Don't miss the significance of that. It is finished. Oh, my soul, what joy I find in that. My salvation is finished by what he did. What am I to do? Rest. Rest in who he is and what he accomplished. And he went back into his father's presence to intercede for us, and he's coming again. Behold, I come quickly. Yes, even so. Come, Lord Jesus.

Beloved, I believe. These things are written that you might believe. I believe. I believe him. Do you believe you're saved? I believe Him. I believe Him. I rely on Him. 2 Timothy 1, 12, Paul said, I know whom I have believed and I'm persuaded that He's able to keep that which I've committed to Him against that day. I believe Him.

Verse 30. Hereafter, I've said these things, I've told you what is going to come to pass, before it came to pass, that you might believe. Hereafter, I'll not talk much with you, for the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me." Now, he knew the time of talking was just about over. They didn't know he was going to the cross at this time, but he did. And he knew the prince of this world. What a name for Satan. He's also called the God of this world. The prince of this world is coming for what he thinks is the final conflict. He didn't know this. I don't know how he didn't know this, but the prince of this world, Satan, is God's pawn. doing God's will. He doesn't know it. He's not doing it willingly.

But I think of that scripture in Acts chapter 4 verse 27. For the truth against thy holy child Jesus 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. When Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross, I have no doubt that Satan thought he was finally gonna defeat him. He was inspiring these men to do this. They did it willingly, but it was not without his inspiration. He hated Jesus Christ, thought he was destroying him, and he didn't know that he was putting the final nails in his own coffin. The prince of this world is judged.

You see, not only in the death of Christ, we have the justification of every believer. We have the condemnation of Satan. The prince of this world is judged. I think of him being there at the baptism of Christ. He heard the father say from heaven, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. He heard those words and he was used by God in the temptation. He didn't know he was being used by God.

Let me repeat. Satan is God's devil on God's chain, doing God's will. He can't make a move apart from God. God was completely sovereign over the free and uncoerced actions of Satan himself and Satan. Said, if you're the son of God, prove it. Command that these stones be made bread. It's written, man shall not live alone. I love the way he answered with it. And it's written. It's written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Well, Satan tries another tactic. Uh, if you're the son of God, you make this claim, prove it. Jump off this pinnacle of the temple. And the Bible says, even Satan used the scripture, he always does. He shall give his angels charge over thee, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against the stone. Prove it to us. Lord doesn't need to prove anything. He said, it's written, thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

And Satan tried once again. He showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and he said, all this I'll give to you if you'll bow down and worship me. Get thee hence, Satan. It is written, thou shalt worship the Lord God alone, and him only shalt thou serve. And the scripture says, Satan departed from him for a season. Now I have no doubt that he came again to him, but he thinks This is it. But look what the Lord says. The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me.

He couldn't find anything that he could take hold of. He couldn't find anything that he could. You see, Jesus Christ is impeccable. He is incapable of sin. When he was tempted by the devil, it wasn't like, well, maybe I will go ahead and eat this bread. Maybe I will go ahead and jump off the pinnacle of the temple just to prove it to him. He was not tempted to sin the way you and I are. He has a holy, impeccable nature. A holy nature is incapable of sinning. Jesus Christ was incapable of committing a sin when the devil sought to tempt him, the Lord said, he found nothing in me. There was nothing he could take hold of.

Now, how easy would it be for him to find something in me or you? You know, he's called the accuser of the brethren, and every accusation he would make against me and you, they're all true, and he's not exaggerating either, is he? Whatever accusation he can make, it'd be true. But there's one he found nothing in. The Lord Jesus Christ. He has no sin. He's impeccable. He could not sin. And that perfect righteousness that he worked out, the righteousness of God is what is given to every single believer as their personal righteousness. And that's why I can look toward judgment day with boldness. Because the very righteousness of Jesus Christ is my personal righteousness. Just as he took my sin and it became his sin. He confessed it as his sin. God would never condemn someone that's innocent. Jesus Christ was not innocent. My sin became his sin. He became guilty of that sin. His father punished him. and that perfect righteousness that he accomplished when he walked on this earth, that impeccable character of his person is given to every believer.

Verse 30, hereafter I'll not talk much with you. He's gonna be dying in less than 24 hours. The prince of this world cometh. He hath nothing in me but, verse 31, that the world may know that I love the Father. And as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do rise. Let us go hence.

Now here's something the world is gonna know one of these days. You know, the world doesn't know now. Everybody's busying themselves with their agendas, making plans. Here's what we're going to do. Here's what we're going to accomplish. Not a thought of God. Oh, maybe the weak God they've made up, they'll give some acknowledgement to, but not a thought of the living God. But one of these days, they're gonna know that I love the Father and everything I have done is in perfect obedience to the command of the Father. They're gonna see that. They don't see it now. One day they will.

When I came into this world, the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us It was an obedience to my father's command. Because I love the father and delight in obeying his command. Though I come in the volume of the book, it's written of me. When I willingly became surety for those the father gave me, it was in obedience to his command. He said, you take these people and bear full responsibility for them. And when he was doing that, he was every individual believer. Yes, it's the whole company of God's elect, but it's Todd Nybert. You take full responsibility for Todd Nybert salvation. That was said of all of his people.

When he became their surety and he came to save them in obedience to his father's command, when he kept the law, it was an obedience to his father's command for his people. When he went to the cross, it was obeying the command of his father. He became obedient. even the death of the cross. He says, everything I do, I do out of love to my father in obedience to his command. Lo, I come. In the volume of the book it's written of me, I delight to do thy will. O God, yea, thy law is written in my heart. heart.

Now this world that either positively hates him or what is worse is apathetic toward him. Isn't that amazing that most of this population is completely apathetic toward the Lord Jesus Christ. They have no knowledge of who he is, nor do they care. This world is going to one day see that everything he did was in obedience to what his father told him to do. And everything he did was out of love to his father.

Turn with me back a few pages to John chapter 10. John chapter 10, verse 14. I am the good shepherd. There's no doubt in my mind he is speaking of the shepherd David spoke of when he said, the Lord is my shepherd. He's saying I'm him. I am the good shepherd David spoke of. And know my sheep. and am known of mine. Lord knows me. And because he knows me, I know him. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, I'm not just talking about the 12, other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd, therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life that I might take it again. No man takes it from me. The Lord was no victim. No man takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down. I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my father."

Everything he did was in obedience to the command of his father and was done out of love to his father.

Now, back to our text. Verse 31, but that the world may know that I love the father and as the father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence. Now I think that he is referring to going to Gethsemane's garden, which is where they were going. Arise, let us go hence. That's when he saw that cup pass before him. That's when he sweat great drops of blood.

But arise. Arise, my soul, arise. Shake off thy guilty fears. The bleeding sacrifice on my behalf appears. My name is written on his hands. Before God, my bleeding surety stands. Arise. Arise, shake off thy guilty fears.

Now. He tells us. I'm telling you what I'm going to do before it came to pass. I'm going to go. I'm going to bear your sins. I'm going to give you my righteousness. And I'm going back to my father. I've told you. And I've told you that you might believe.

Now here is the commandment of the gospel again to everybody in this room. Sirs, what must I do to be saved? Believe. on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.

Now he did everything he did in obedience to the commandment of his father. And listen to this. God commands you. There's your right to do it. God commands you. Christ commands you. believe on me.

Let's pray. Lord, how we thank you for the glorious gospel of the blessed God. How we thank you for the excellency and the glory of your son. How we thank you that he has told us what he has done before it came to pass for this purpose that we might believe. And Lord, I ask in Christ's high and holy name that you will create saving faith in the heart of everybody here for Christ's sake. In his name we pray. Amen.