Let's turn back to Ephesians
chapter 3, and I hope that you'll pray for me and that you'll pray
for yourself as I attempt to preach this message, the Father
of the Christ. And I want to say as much as
I can about the relationship between the Father in Christ,
and obviously I feel like I'm way over my head, but I feel
that way about everything I preach on, but I ought to feel that
way, shouldn't I? If I felt like I've got some
subject down, all I prove by that is I don't know much about
it, or anything about it actually. The Father of the Christ, the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Verse 14, for this cause, I bow
my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ. For this cause, I bow my knees in worship, in reverence, in
fear, in all. I bow my knees before the Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, I love His name, the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm going
to talk about Him being the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, but
let me speak just for a few moments about the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the Lord. I love to be able to announce
to men and women, He is your Lord. He's Lord both of the dead and
of the living. Somebody says, He's not my Lord.
Oh, yes, He is. He's your Lord. You're in His
hand. He does with you whatsoever He's
pleased to do. You see, He's the Lord. He's
the one whose will is always done. He's Lord of creation.
He's the one who spake this creation into existence. He's the Lord
of providence. Whatever happens, I don't care
what it is, whatever happens is His will being done. Are you saying that God is the
author of evil? I'm saying that whatever happens
is His will being done. Now, you can say whatever you
want, give any kind of objection you want, but any objection to
that is an objection to Him being Lord. He is the Lord, Lord of
creation, Lord of providence, Lord of salvation. Now, what
that means more than anything else is if you're saved, it's
up to Him to save you. salvation is of the Lord. He's
Jesus. I love his name, Jesus. Matthew
121, thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his
people from their sin. It means Savior. He's the Christ, the Lord Jesus
Christ. He's God's Christ. He's God's
prophet, God's anointed, God's anointed priest. If he represents
you before the Father, everything's fine for you. He's God's anointed
king, ruling and reigning. Now this is the name upon which
we believe. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be
saved. This is the one by whose grace
we are saved. We believe that by the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved even as they. And God is his father. This is one of the great mysteries
that we would never know of without the Bible. God is one God. in three distinct persons." Now,
is that something we can figure out? Obviously not. It's something
that he has revealed in his word. God the Father, God the Son,
and God the Holy Spirit, one God in three distinct persons. Now, hold your finger there and
turn with me to Genesis chapter 1. This is made known in the opening
verses of the Bible. Earth One. In the beginning,
God created the heaven and the earth, and the earth was without
form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and
the spirit of God moved upon the face of the world. Now I
believe that verse one is a reference chiefly to God the Father, although
God the Son and God the Spirit are also included. And here we
read of the Spirit of God moving upon the face of the waters in
verse three says, and God said, let there be light. Now, if you go on reading this
passage of scripture, the sun and the moon were not created
into the fourth day. And light is not created at this
time. This is the eternal light of
the Son of God. Light be, and light was. So in the very opening verses
of the Bible, we have the Trinity. I love it when God said, let
us make man in our own image. in the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God. A distinct person and the Word
was God. Now, this is something that we
just see the Bible teaches. I think of when the Lord Jesus
Christ was baptized, the Son of God. A voice came from heaven,
the voice of the father. This is my beloved son in whom
I'm well pleased. And the scripture says the spirit
descended from heaven in the form of a dove upon him. And
there we have all three persons of the Trinity. These three persons are said
in scripture to speak to one another, to know one another,
to send one another, and to glorify one another. God the Father,
God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, the only true and living
God is one God in three distinct persons. And salvation, All three
persons of the Godhead have their part. And you can't really preach
the gospel and not preach this. God the Father elects. God the Son redeems. God the Holy Spirit gives life. And if you leave out any aspect
of that, you have not preached the gospel. All three are absolutely
necessary. Listen. Election is necessary
for salvation, isn't it? The redeeming work of Christ
on the cross is necessary for salvation. The regenerating work
of God, the Holy Spirit, and giving life is necessary in salvation. And this is one of the great
mysteries of the scripture. Now, what was it that Satan questioned
when he was tempting Christ? He was questioning his relationship
with his father. If thou be the son of God, if
thou be the son of God, if thou be, three times. And what I love
about that, there's a lot of things I love about that. But
you know, the Lord could have blasted him. He's God. But you
know how he answered all three times? It is written. You look at the high place Christ
gives the scriptures. It is written. Turn with me to that scripture
we're looking at this morning, Hebrews chapter one. There's not a passage of scripture
any more clear about the excellency and glory of Christ and how the
Father feels toward him. God, who at sundry times and
in diverse 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 being the brightness of his glory, and the express
image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his
power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on
the right hand of the majesty on high, being made so much better
than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent
name than they. For unto which of the angels
said he at any time, Thou art my son. This day have I begotten
thee. Christ is the only begotten son. Now this begetting is not an
event of time. He's the eternal son. It's an
eternal fact irrespective of time. He is the sole representative
of the being and character of the invisible God so much so
that Christ said, he that has seen me hath seen the Father. Somebody says, explain that.
Ain't no explaining that. He that has seen me has seen
the Father. Let's go on reading. And again,
I'll be to him a father. This is the father's words concerning
the son. I'll be to him a father and he
shall be to me a son. Now I'm thankful that we can
say our father who art in heaven, aren't you? I'm thankful we can
say that. but he is preeminently the father
of our Lord Jesus Christ. And the only way he's our father
is through him being father to Christ. Let's go on reading.
Verse six, and again, when he bringeth in the first begotten
into the world, he saith, and let all the angels of God worship
him. And of the angels, he saith,
the father, who maketh his angel spirits and his ministers a flame
of fire, but unto the son, he saith, This is God the Father
speaking. Under the sun, he saith, thy
throne, O God, is forever. A scepter of righteousness is
the scepter of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness
and hated iniquity. Therefore God, even thy God,
hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
And thou, Lord, in the beginning has laid the foundation of the
earth. This is the Father speaking of the Son. And the heavens are
the works of thine hands. They shall perish, but thou remainest. They shall all wax old, as doth
a garment, and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up. And they shall
be changed, but thou art the same. and thy years shall not
fail. You're immutable and eternal. Verse 13, but to which of the
angels said him, anytime, sit on my right hand until I make
thy enemies thy footstool. Are they not all ministering
spirits set forth to minister for them that shall be heirs
of salvation? Now the father loveth the son. Isn't that glorious? The Father
loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. Turn with me to John chapter
10. John chapter 10, verse 15. 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, 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. Now, I think of the man of transfiguration. The Lord was transformed before
his disciples. And I can't help but thinking,
I wish I would have been there to see this. At this time, his
divinity burst through his humanity. His face shined as the sun. And his clothing was white and
glistening Mark tells us there's no fooler can make him, no launderer
can make him. And his deity, his glory, burst
through his humanity. And there were two people talking
with him at this time, Moses and Elijah. And we know exactly
what they were talking about. Luke tells us they spake of the
deceased, which he should accomplish. Isn't it glorious? What are they
talking about in heaven? about the decease which he should
accomplish. Now this is interesting. That
was the subject before eternity. The lamb slain from the foundation
of the world. It's the subject that's going
on right now. They speak of the decease which he should accomplish
in Jerusalem. And it's going to be the theme of heaven when
there is no more time. Worthy is the lamb that was slain. Now, Peter and James and John
are witnessing all of this. And the scripture says, then
answered Peter. Now, what I think is interesting
is nobody asked Peter anything. If there was ever a time that
he just should have kept his mouth shut and not said anything,
it was then. Then answered Peter. Wonder how many times that would
describe me. Then answered Peter, Lord, it's
good for us to be here. This is good stuff. Let us make
three tabernacles, one for thee, one for Moses, one for Elijah. Could anything more stupid ever
have been said? You know what happened at that
time? A bright cloud overshadowed them. And they fell on their face,
scared to death. And a voice from heaven came
saying, this is my beloved son. in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him. And the cloud left and the scripture
says they saw no man save Jesus only. Now that gives us some
idea of the relationship between the father and the son. Don't
talk about Moses. Don't talk about Elijah. There's
one subject, the son. What about the only story we're
given with regard to the Lord's youth when he's 12 years old?
Now his mom and dad knew who he was. What did the angel say? That holy thing which shall be
born of thee shall be called the Son of God, the Son of the
Father. They knew that. What was it like
to have him growing up in their home? Who knows? Who knows? But he has reached the age of
12 years and they go to Jerusalem to observe the Passover. They
did that every year. And after the Passover was over,
they went home and the scripture says they supposed that he was
in their company. You know, I don't want to make
a supposition, do you? I want to know he's in my company.
But they supposed he was in their company. And Scripture says they
found he wasn't there. They looked over, they went back
to Jerusalem. And they found him in the temple. speaking with
the doctors of the law, both hearing them and asking them
questions, the scripture says, and I'd like to have been in
on that, wouldn't you? Hear what's being said. And his
parents said, son, what are you doing here? Don't you know that
we've sought you sorry? And he said, how is it that you
sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about
my father's business. And that would describe his whole
life being about his father's business. And you see, it's the
father's will that all men should honor the son, even as they honor
the father. Now, there was a time When all
there was, now, even when I use the word time, I'm using it wrong.
I'm speaking through the weakness and infirmity of the flesh, because
this wasn't time, what I'm talking about. This is eternity. And
even when I say eternity past, well, you shouldn't put it, I
shouldn't even say that. I just, I don't know how to,
I don't know how to deal with this, but before the creation of the world,
all there was, was God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy
Spirit. and how they delighted in one
another, and how they had communion with one another, and how they
rejoiced in one another. And God the Father looked at
His Son and said, I'm gonna have a bunch more perfectly conformed
to His image. And that's what predestination
is. Whom He did foreknow, Then he
also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that
he might be the son, the firstborn among any brethren. The church
is the gift of the father to the son. the bride of the Lord
Jesus Christ. God has done all of this for
his son, for his glory. So he gave these people to his
son before time began. I love what the Lord says in
John 6 37, all that the father giveth me shall come to me. Him that cometh to me, I will
in no wise cast out. This is the will of him that
sent me that of all which he has given me, I should lose nothing. Lord's never going to be a failure.
He's never going to try to do anything. Everybody he died for
must be saved. His will is always done. It can't
be thwarted. He's the Lord. My father, speaking of his sheep,
which gave them me is greater than all. No man can take them
from my father's hand. Father, the hour has come. Glorify
thy son, that thy son might also glorify thee. These people are
eternally united to the son given to him by the father. Now, I don't understand how I can have
always been united to Christ. I don't understand that. It seems
to me like there had to have been a time when I wasn't, but
that's not what the scripture says. We believe what God's word
says. Turn to John chapter 17 for a
moment. Beginning in verse 20, this is
the great high priestly prayer of Christ for his people. And
he says in verse 20, neither pray I for these alone. Now in
verse nine, he said, I pray for them. I pray not for the world,
but for them, which you've given me for they are that. Verse 20,
neither pray I for these alone, not just the 11, but for them
also, which shall believe on me through their word. You know,
he's praying for me and you at that time before believers. Your
name was on his heart. Your name was on his lips. He's
not just praying for the disciples. I'm praying for all of them that
shall believe on me through their word. I'm one of those people.
He's praying for me at that time. He's praying for you. Verse 21, that they all may be
one as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also
may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent
me, and the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them,
that they may be one even as we are one. I in them, thou in
me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may
know that thou hast sent me and thou hast loved them as thou
hast loved me." We wouldn't dare say that if it wasn't in the
Word of God, would we? But it says that the Father loved them,
those he gave the Son, with the same love he loves his only begotten
and well-beloved Son. Now, while the Son spent 33 years
upon the earth after having come incarnate, how the father looked
upon the son. When he was a little boy, when
he was in a manger, when he was a teenager, when he was working
in the carpenter shop, when he began his public ministry, oh,
the pleasure the father received in looking upon his son. son of his love. This is my only begotten and
well-beloved son. Mine equal. Mine equal. You remember when the Pharisees
got mad that he called God his father and they said, why you're
making yourself equal with God? He was. He is. He's God the son. But remember his purpose and
predestination. Now he said regarding his life,
I do always those things that please my father. What a statement. I do always those things that
please my father. But remember his purpose in coming. God's purpose and predestination
is to have many brethren conformed to his image. And that could
only be done through the cross. Lamb slain from the foundation
of the world had to come in time to accomplish this thing. And
his doing those things that pleased the Father was seen in him keeping
God's holy law perfectly for these people and working out
a perfect righteousness for them. and going to die on Calvary's
tree for them, to put away their sins and make them perfect before
God. He became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross. For them to be what He is, He
had to become what they are. Now, when I'm talking about this,
once again, I have such little understanding
of this, so does everybody else. Somebody says that I've got that
down. No, you don't. For he hath made him to be sin. For us. Who knew no sin. He knew no sin, but he made him
to be sin for us. He knew no sin that we might
be made. the righteousness of God in him. That's true of every
believer. You are the very righteousness
of God in him. Now, I can talk about that, but
I understand it so little, but I believe it all together. He
really was made to be sin. When he was in Gethsemane's garden, he saw that cup. I don't know
how that works, but the God, his father, gave him a look at
that cup. And I know what was in that cup.
That cup was the sins of God's elect. Every sin that I committed
was in that cup. Every sin that all of God's elect
committed was in that cup. And you see, the reason I don't
understand this is because sin just doesn't bother me the way
it should. I'm used to it. I'm used to it. But what about the horror that
the Holy Son of God saw in drinking that cup of sin? And he said,
Father, if it be possible, Father, if it be possible, let this cup
pass from me." When the Son of God saw the cup
that He was going to drink, my sin, my filth, my wickedness,
my rebellion, my unbelief, when He saw what was in that cup that
He was to drink, His human nature became overwhelmed and he began
to sweat great drops of blood at the thought of drinking the
contents of that cup and being made sin. And afterwards, after the angels
came and strengthened him at that time, He said in John chapter
18 verse 11, the cup which my father had given me to drink,
shall I not drink it? And from the cross as he had
drank the content of that cup and was made sin and forsaken
by God, he cried. Father, forgive them." He didn't say, Father, please
forgive them. He said, Father, forgive them. Much like he said, Father, I
will. that they whom you have given
me be with me where I am." He didn't say, Father, if you will
let this take place. He said, Father, I will. He's the only one who could pray
that way. I mean, you couldn't dare do that, but he could. And
he said, Father, forgive them. And everybody he prayed for was
forgiven. And after he Cried, it is finished,
he said, Father, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. Now, remember when he said this.
He didn't have any feeling of the Father's favor. He had cried,
my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? He didn't feel God's
presence. He didn't feel God's favor or
God's blessing. But you know what? He never doubted
it. Perfect faith. Somebody had to
believe God perfectly. I mean, you haven't done it,
but he did. He believed his Father perfectly. Father, into thy hands,
I commend my spirit. Now, here's something else that I don't even know how to express
it. But the father, his love is immutable. It doesn't become
stronger. It doesn't become less. It's
perfect. It's altogether glorious. God's
love. And how the father loves his
son. Not greater at one moment or
less at another. how the father loves his son. And when the Lord Jesus Christ
was nailed to the cross and forsaken by God, the father never ceased
to love him. He never ceased to love Him. And if there could be, and I
know there can't be, and if there could be a time when the Father
loved Him most greatly, it was when He was nailed to that cross,
becoming obedient to death, even the death of the cross. Oh, how
the Father loved Him at that time. He looked at His Son, and
His Son would choose to be forsaken rather than let his father's
law be dishonored, or to let his father not be glorified. Oh, how the Son loved the Father,
and how the Father loves and delights in the Son. Feels such, much like a shallow
idiot trying to talk about this great transaction between the
father and son, because what do I know about it? Very little. But I can tell you this, I sure
am thankful. I'm thankful for the father's
love to the son and the eternal relationship between the son
and the father and the spirit. And after the resurrection, Christ
said to his disciples, I go to my father, you might know what's
next, and your father. To my God and your God. And now we can pray, our father. who art in heaven, hallowed be
thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be
done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. and lead
us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the
kingdom, thine is the power, and thine is the glory forever. Amen. For this cause, I bow my
knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let's pray. Lord, You are our great Father. We're Thy sons through the glorious
Son. the son of your love, and Lord, to think that he's
not ashamed to call us brethren. What a glorious thing it is to
have you as our father, through thy son, our savior, our Lord, our husband, our very best friend,
our all in all. Bless this message for Christ's
sake. In his name we pray. Amen. Mitch, can you come leave
us now?