We're going to observe the Lord's table tonight in obedience to his command. And this Friday, we're going to have our Christmas get together at the Hackers. Doug and Faith, we're so appreciative of what a good job you all do and in hosting that every year. It's always enjoyable and everybody is invited to come. I hope you'll all be there. If you don't know how to get there, I guess you can look it up on the phone somehow.

Christ manifests himself. Wouldn't that be something if he manifests himself to me and to you this day? Judas Iscariot would not ask this question I think it's so telling that whenever you read of Judas Iscariot, he never calls the Lord Jesus Christ Lord. Not once. You remember when the Lord said, one of you shall betray me. 11 of them said, Lord, is it I? Judas Iscariot said, master, teacher, is it I? And Judas Iscariot would never have asked a question like this.

Verse 22, Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord. How is it that thou will manifest thyself unto us and not unto the world. Who does he mean by us? Who does he mean by the world? He said, how is it that you'll manifest yourself unto us and not unto the world? Is the us the 12 apostles? Well, they're certainly included. But it is the same us as Matthew chapter three, verse 15, when the Lord Jesus Christ said, thus it becometh us. To fulfill all righteousness. It's the same us that Paul spoke of when he said, if God be for us, Who shall be against us?

Well, who's the us? Well, let me quote the scripture that led him to say, if God be for us, who shall be against us? And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. God is a God of purpose. And there is a select people, the us, that he is called by his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, this is the us. For whom he did foreknow, them he also did predestinate. to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren, moreover, whom he did predestinate." That's who the us are, those he predestinated. Then he also called, that's who the us are. And then he called, then he also justified, that's who the us are. And whom he justified, then he also glorified. What shall we say then to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

The us is the whole company of God's elect, his chosen, those for whom Christ died, those the Holy Spirit gives life to. Now I want to ask you a question. Do you want to be in this group called us? Or do you hear this and maybe your heart responds, how could that be fair for it not to be everybody? You've got some kind of sense of entitlement and you're sitting in judgment on God, judging whether you agree with him or not. Or do you want to be in the us? I want to be in this group.

Who is meant by the world? Everybody that's not us. John chapter 17, verse nine, the Lord said, I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but for them, which you have given me. How many different ways are there to look at that? The us are them that are given to Christ. The world are those who do not believe, those Christ refused to pray for. Is that too strong? That's what he said. I pray for them. I pray not for the world. the world that does not believe me, I pray for them which thou hast given me.

Who is meant by the world? All not included in the us, all who do not believe the gospel. Now, the question asked by Judas, not Iscariot, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself. And here's what's critical. Not how is it that you'll manifest, fill in the blank. How is it that thou manifest thyself? That's what's needed. His manifestation to me of himself. How is it that thou will manifest thyself to us and not to the world?

Verse 23, and Jesus answered. He gives an answer to this question. Aren't you interested in the way he answered it? I want to be in this group that he, manifest himself to? Now let's hear his answer.

And Jesus answered and said unto him, if a man love me. There are only two kinds of people in this world. People who love him and people who do not love Him. And if He manifests Himself to me or you, here's what's gonna be true of me and you. We will love Him. That's the difference. Two kinds of people. Those who love Him and those who have no love for him.

Now, if I do love him, I know this is the reason, because he first loved me. We love him because he first loved us. You see, If I love him, it's because he manifested himself to me. That's why. You know, there was a time when I had no love for him. That's a humbling thought, but a true thought nonetheless. There was a time when I had absolutely no love for the Lord Jesus Christ.

The scripture says in Romans chapter eight, verse seven, the carnal mind. That's the mind you and I were born with, the fleshly mind. The carnal mind is enmity against God. It is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. And that's the mind you and I were born with, enmity against God. Somebody says, I'm not an enmity against God. If you're not conscious of the fact that you have been an enmity against God, because you haven't really heard who God really is. You have not been an enmity with this false conception you've had of God that you can control it. No, nobody's angry with that God, but the God of the Bible, the living God, the sovereign God, the holy God, the just God, the righteous God, the God who is God. That God, the carnal mind is at enmity with. We were born that way.

John 15, 25, the Lord says, they hated me without a cause. And the only way I can love him is if he gives me a new heart, a new birth, a new creation, something that was not there before, that loves Him. If He manifests Himself to me, He gives me a heart to love Him.

Now a striking illustration of this is the thief on the cross. When he was nailed to that cross, he had no love for Jesus Christ. He was just like the other thief, railing on Christ, hurling insults at him, despising him. But something happened to him. I know what it was. Christ manifested himself to him. When he hears his fellow thief cursing and railing on Christ. He says, don't you fear God? That one nailed on a cross beside you is God Almighty. Don't you fear God, seeing you're in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, we're getting exactly what we deserve. But this man, who is God, hath done nothing amiss. He's never sinned. You know, if Christ manifests himself to you, you'll know he's incapable of sin. He's God.

And then he looks at that one, seemingly so helpless, you couldn't even recognize his face. His visage was marred more than any of the sons of men. He says, Lord, you are the Lord. You're the Lord of creation. You created the universe. You're the Lord of the providence. The reason this is happening right now is because of your will. You're in control. You're the Lord of salvation. Remember me when you come into your kingdom. He understood that the Lord wouldn't stay on that cross because he knew who he was. Christ manifested himself to him. That's how he knew. He knew he's not gonna stay dead. He's gonna come back. He's gonna be resurrected as a mighty reigning king. Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

And something that's not expressly stated in this narrative of the thief on the cross, but I know is true. Nonetheless, he loved the person of Jesus Christ. You see Christ manifested himself to him.

Now, when you love him, now this is, how is it that you'll manifest yourself to us and not to the world? When he manifests himself, you love him. You love Him as God? Do you love His sovereignty? Do you love His omnipotence? His power? Do you love His immutability? Do you love His independence? How He doesn't need something from you before He can act on your behalf because He's an independent God. Do you love His wisdom? Oh, we love Him as God. Oh, how we love Him as man, the man Christ Jesus. We love His obedience. We love His faithfulness. We love His humility. We love His love. We love His grace. We love His meekness. We love the way He treated the Pharisees. We love everything about Him. We love how He treated sinners. Oh, we love the Lord Jesus Christ.

When He manifests Himself to you, here's the evidence, you'll love His person. Now, there's somebody right now thinking, I don't love Him enough. I agree, you don't, nor do I. But don't think about the amount of your love. Think about Him. Him. If He manifests Himself, you'll love his person.

Now let's go on reading back to our text. And Jesus answered and said unto him, if a man love me, he will keep my words. Now to say you love Christ without keeping his words is meaningless. Doesn't mean a thing. It's just religious talk. If a man loved me, he'll keep my words. The one you love is identified by his words.

Turn back a few pages to John chapter six. Verse 66. From that time, many of his disciples went back. They said, I've had it with this. I'm leaving. They withdrew themselves. They claimed to be his disciples, but they didn't continue in his word because the Lord said, if you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed. In fact, in truth and reality, these people didn't, they went back and walked no more. Well, that's a solemn thought, isn't it? They walked no more with him. They were separated from him.

What happened? Look in verse 59, these things said he in the synagogue as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard said, this is an hard saying. Now that word saying is the same as word. What we have heard is hard. It's harsh. We don't like hard words. We don't like harsh words. This is harsh. Who can hear it? Who can be expected to listen to stuff like this? We don't like what we have heard.

Well, if you look in this glorious sermon that he brought in John chapter six, look in verse 29, Jesus answered and said unto them, this is the work of God. This is the work of God that you believe on him whom he has sent. What comes after that? A period. Verse 37, same chapter, all that the father giveth me shall come to me. And him that cometh unto me, I'll in no wise cast out, for I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which has sent me, that of all which he has given me, I should lose nothing, but raise it up again at the last day. Everybody the Father gave me, I'm saving and I've saved. Christ's successful atonement for the elect. And this is the will of Him that sent me that everyone would see it the Son and believe it on Him.

Now let me tell you what's necessary for me and you to believe on Him. We got to see who He is. You see who He is? I'm telling you, if you really see who He is, you will believe on Him. You can't do anything but that if you see who He is. If you don't believe, It's because you have never seen who he is. And if you have never seen who he is, he's never manifested himself to you. But if he manifests himself to you, you'll see. And you will believe.

What he said in verse 43, and Jesus therefore answered and said to them, murmur not among yourselves. They were objecting to what they heard. No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him." Now, do you hear what he says? He says, you can't come to me unless the Father which has sent me draws you to me. You're unable. You're unable to come unless the Father draws you. There's two responses to that. Why you ought to draw me then? Or draw me. Draw me.

Verse 45, it's written in the prophets and they shall all be taught of God. Every man therefore that have heard and have learned of the father cometh unto me. Now, the gospel set forth so clearly in this great sermon in John chapter six, it would be a blessing to you, Lord willing, this week to read it and look at what all he said.

But in verse 59, these things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum, many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard, said, this is a hard saying. Who can hear this? When Jesus knew in himself that the disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, did this offend you? You know, the gospel is offensive to the natural man. If the offense is not there, the message is not there. Does this offend you? Are you personally offended by what I've said? What if you should see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before? Now what he's saying, I love this. He said, if you're offended now, you're really gonna be offended when you see me seated at the right hand of the Father. You're offended now, that's when you'll really be offended.

It is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh, prophets, nothing. The words. that I speak unto you, that you find offensive and harsh. They are words of spirit and words of life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and who should betray. He said, therefore said I to you that no man can come to me except it were given unto him of my father.

From that time, many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. Now we know that there were thousands at this time. He fed 5,000 men, not including the women and the children, so it's in all likelihood that at least 20,000 people were there at this time. And the Lord watched him leave. He did not say, let me rephrase what I said. He watched him leave.

Verse 67, then said Jesus unto the 12, will you also go away? Then Simon Peter answered and said, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. These words that they were offended by, we find to be words of eternal life.

Now, I hope that will help us understand what is being said in John 14. If a man loved me, here's how he manifests himself unto a man. If a man loved me, he'll keep my words. He'll guard over him. He finds all of his hope in what I've said. And listen to this. My father will love him. And we will come unto him, me and my father. We will come unto him and make our abode with him.

You remember when the Lord said to Zacchaeus, Zacchaeus, make haste, come down. Today I must, what? Abide. Excuse me. Today I must abide, and that wasn't just for today, for eternity. We'll make our abode with him.

Verse 25, he didn't have to drink water. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. Now here's the second way that the Lord manifests himself to us and not to the world. He said, I'm with you now, present with you. He's leaving soon. He's going to be nailed to a cross in 24 hours. They're not going to see him in the flesh. I'm speaking with you now, being yet present with you, but the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name. He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

Now, how is it that he manifests himself? The Holy Ghost. That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. The difference between us and the world is God has given us His Spirit, the gift of God, the Holy Spirit. And you know how you know that you have the Holy Spirit? When you love Him. And you love his words and you look to him only.

You see the Holy Spirit should not speak of himself. He doesn't draw attention to himself. He draws your attention to the Lord Jesus Christ and what he has said. Now look what he says with regard to the comfort. I love the way he's called the comforter. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem and say unto her, her warfare is accomplished, her sin is pardoned, for she hath received of the Lord double, of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.

When you're comforted by the gospel, that's because the Comforter has comforted you. And the way He has comforted you is He's comforted you with the gospel message of what Jesus Christ has accomplished. How is it that you'll manifest yourself to us and not to the world? The Comforter. God, the Holy Spirit.

Now, if you have ears to hear and you're comforted by the gospel, the great message that your warfare is accomplished, it's over. He said it is finished. Your iniquity is pardoned. You've received of the Lord's hand double for all your sins. Not only are you forgiven, you're justified. You stand before God without guilt, having never sinned by virtue of what I've done for you. That's God the Holy Spirit.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things. What a teacher he is. And bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you. There's the difference.

And here's the last thing he mentions. Remember the question. How is it that you'll manifest yourself to us and not to the world? But look what the Lord says. Peace. Peace. I leave. with you. My peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

When he manifests himself, there is peace. He leaves with us a peace that he calls my peace. I love the way he calls it that, my peace, which I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Now there is a peace the world gives. It's what the Lord said, the false prophets cried, peace, peace, when there is no peace. What's that all about? Well, if you've done what you needed to do, peace to you, peace to you. Have you fill in the blank? Peace to you. Have you invited Jesus into your heart and accepted him as your personal savior? Peace unto you. It's all good for you. It's all good. You're in good shape. Peace.

That's no ground of peace. The only, now listen to this carefully, the only ground of peace is it is finished. If any peace you have is not based upon that glorious statement, it is a false peace.

My peace I give unto you. Now, Don read at the end, at the first of this message, where Christ is called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. In Judges 6.21, he's called Jehovah Shalom, the Lord, our peace.

Turn with me to Acts chapter 10 for a moment. We ought to spend more time here. I love this brief summary of gospel preaching. Verse 36, the word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching. Now here is a summary of preaching. Peace by Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all. Now there's the gospel message in such simple terms. Peace by Jesus Christ. He is the author of peace.

Colossians 1.20 says he made peace by the blood of his cross. You know what he said next because of what he did in making this peace? He's presented every believer. Now listen carefully to the wording. This is Colossians 1.22. Listen carefully. Here's what He did by making peace. In making peace, He has presented us to His Father, holy, unblameable, and unreprovable in His sight.

Peace. Everything God requires of me, I have. I'm holy. I'm unblameable. I'm unapprovable in His sight. My peace, I live with you. The peace that I accomplished.

Romans 4 25 says, He was delivered for our offenses. He was raised again for our justification. Therefore being justified, Now understand what being justified means. It doesn't mean simply that God counts me justified, even though I'm not in myself. It means I've never sinned. That's what that means. I've always pleased God. That's what the cross accomplished. It made every believer just like that. Therefore being justified by faith, we have what? Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, you remember when in Genesis chapter seven, verse one, God said to Noah, thee have I seen as righteous before me in this generation. And the generation he was talking about was that generation described In Genesis chapter six, and God saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. God says to Noah, I never saw you that way. Thee have I seen as righteous before me. Now, how can that be? Because Noah was in the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. And God says to Noah, I've never seen you anything but righteous before me. And do you know the same thing is said of every single believer without exception? They have I seen as righteous before me in this generation.

Now, my peace I give to you. I want you to think of the peace the son has with the father. The peace of knowing the Father sees him as altogether lovely. The peace of knowing the Father sees him as altogether pure and righteous, pleasing to him, obedient. You think if you thought the Father saw you that way, you'd have peace, wouldn't you? If he looks at you as the same way he looks at his son because you're his son, that's peace, isn't it? Peace, peace.

My peace I give unto you. I think of the satisfaction the father has with the son. That's the satisfaction he has with me. My peace I give unto you, not as the world gives, give I unto you. Peter said, peace by Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all. He's Lord of creation. He spake the world into existence. He's Lord of providence. He controls everything. He controls everybody. You're in his hand. He's the first cause of everything. He's the Lord of salvation. Salvation's in his hand.

In closing, turn to John chapter 16. How is it that you'll manifest yourself to us? Well, if a man loved me, I've manifested myself to him. You love me. You keep my words. I'll give you my spirit. He shall teach you. I'll leave my peace with you. Now this is his closing statement before his great high priestly prayer. This is the last thing he says.

In verse 33, these things have I spoken unto you that in me you might have peace. Where? In me. Not in you. Not in your subjective experience. In me. Now, I think this is very interesting. Verse 29. His disciples said unto him, lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. You know, there's a measure of disrespect in that. Since when do you tell the Lord, well, now you're speaking plainly. Oh? When they said this, it was not in the right spirit. Now, you're speaking plainly. You're not speaking a proverb. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee. By this we believe that thou camest forth from God. You've given sufficient evidence now, and we can believe. That's not faith. That's not faith at all.

And the Lord said, do you now believe? Is that the fact? Do you now believe? In all your high speech of your faith, the hour comes, yea is now come, that you shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone. All the disciples forsook him and fled. You talk about, now you believe? Well, we'll see. We'll see what you'll do. You're gonna deny you even know me. You're gonna forsake me, you're not gonna remain with me, you're not gonna be, oh, the shameful way that you're going to conduct yourself. Do you now believe? Let's talk. You see this thing of, well, now I've got sufficient evidence. Now I can believe. You've finally spoken plainly. And now we can believe what you say. Now you've proved. That's not faith. Faith isn't you figuring out the correct equation. And I got it. I believe now. No, you don't.

Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come that you shall be scattered every man to his own and shall leave me alone. Yet I'm not alone because the Father is with me. You're all gonna leave me. There's one who will not. The Father's with me. Now these things have I spoken unto you that in me you might have peace. All of God's salvation is in me. All of God's peace, all of God's favor, all of God is in me. These things have I spoken unto you that in me, you might have peace in the world. You're going to have tribulation, trial, trouble, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.

How is it that you'll manifest yourself? Well, if he manifests himself, you'll love his person, which is only revealed by love to his word. And the reason all this happens is he's giving you the comforter, the Holy Spirit, as your teacher. And you'll learn something about the peace that is in him, not in you, but in him.

Let's pray. Lord, in Christ's name, that high, glorious name that the angels who are greater in power and might than we are, fall at his feet. Lord, we ask that we might fall at your feet and that you will manifest yourself unto us. Do this for Christ's sake, in his name we pray, amen.