Now, in Philippians chapter 2,
Philippians chapter 2, let's read verse 5 and verse 6 again. In Philippians 2, verses 5 and
verse 6, let this mind be in you. Now, he's writing to believers.
He's writing to those who have been called out of darkness into
God's marvelous light. And he says, let this attitude
and this mind be in you. which was also in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Who? I believe that's a key word. Who? Who? Salvation is in this
person, the Lord Jesus Christ. Who, being in the form of God,
thought it not robbery to be equal with God, read one more
verse, but made himself of no reputation and took upon him
the form of a servant and was made in the likeness, in the
likeness of men. Now, when Paul, the apostle,
would teach us about giving, about giving, he points to the
supreme sacrifice of giving. He points to the Lord Jesus Christ
Himself. Now, hold your place here and
find II Corinthians 8, 9. II Corinthians 8, 9. When he would encourage and motivate
and inspire us to give as unto the Lord, to support the ministry
and the gospel, he uses the example, the supreme example of giving,
how Christ gave Himself for us. 2 Corinthians 8, 9, He says,
"...you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though
He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through
His poverty might be made rich in Him." How did He give? You
want to learn an example? You want an example to look at
to see how He gave? He gave sacrificially. He gave
His life. He laid down His life for His
sheep. Here's another example. Another
example. Turn to 1 John chapter 3. When John would motivate believers
to love one another and to forgive one another, he doesn't threaten
them. He points them to the supreme
example of love, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Having
loved His own, He loved His own to the end. This is I John chapter
3. Look at verse 16. Hereby perceive
we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us. We
ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. You see how He
uses that? Now, I'll give you another scripture here. chapter
4, 1 John chapter 4, verse 7, Beloved, let us love one another,
for love is of God. And everyone that loveth is born
of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not
God, for God is love. And this was manifested, the
love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten
Son into the world, that we might live through Him, here in His
love. Not that we love God, but that
He loved us. And He sent His Son to be the
propitiation, the satisfaction, the sin-atoning victim, the putting
away of our sin. Beloved, if God so loved us,
we ought to love one another. Our Lord said, By this shall
all men know that you are My disciples, that you love one
another. So when we talk about giving, He points him to Christ.
When we talk about loving, He points to the example of the
Lord Jesus Christ. And when we When Paul talks about
forgiving one another, find Ephesians chapter 3, Ephesians chapter
4 rather, verse 32. When he talks about forgiving
one another, when those maybe would sin against you. Ephesians
4 verse 32, be you kind one toward another, tender hearted, forgiving
one another, forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake
have forgiven you." See what he's doing here? Moreover, when
the apostle here in Philippians chapter 2 would encourage the
brethren to humility, humbleness of mind, and compassion and love
for one another, he points to this supreme example of humility
and servitude and compassion. The Lord Jesus Christ gave His
life for His covenant people. That's why he says in verse 5,
let this mind be in you which was also in the Lord Jesus Christ. Let that humility be seen in
you that was in Christ. Let this same attitude of submission
and concern and love for one another be demonstrated by you.
Now these things are not the cause of our salvation, they
are the fruit of our salvation. The fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, gentleness, meekness, temperance, faith, these things.
They are the fruit of salvation, not the cause of our salvation. Now, in these following verses,
He gives us the very reason and ground of our salvation found
in verses 6 down through verse 11. The very cause and reason
and fruit, and the fruit that we enjoy is because the Lord
Jesus Christ came, lived, and died, and ascended, and He ever
lived to intercede for us right now. That we enjoy the fruit
of what He accomplished for us. The fruit of His work. So let
this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Now, here's
the key. This word, who. Who. Salvation is in a person. The
Lord Jesus Christ. Did you ever notice how the Scriptures
emphasize the word who? Who? I'm going to give you some
examples of this. Find I Corinthians chapter 1
verse 30. Who? Who being in the form of
God. Salvation is in the Lord Jesus
Christ. In I Corinthians chapter 1 verse
30. But of Him are you in Christ
Jesus. Who of God? is made unto us wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, and He is our redemption. That
according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory
in the Lord. It's in whom? Find Ephesians
chapter 1. Ephesians chapter 1. It's in
whom? You see, saving faith is objective. Saving faith looks to the risen,
exalted, seated, enthroned Lord. Saving faith is not subjective,
it's objective. We look to Him who is enthroned.
Notice in Ephesians chapter 1, verse 6 says, We're accepted
in the Beloved to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein
He hath made us accepted in the Beloved, in whom, there it is
again, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness
of sins according to the riches of His grace. Now can you find
Hebrews chapter 12? Hebrews chapter 12. And look what it says right here. He is the Lord Jesus is the image,
who is the image of the invisible God. He's a manifestation of
the invisible God. In Hebrews chapter 12, look at
verse 1. Hebrews 12, verse 1. Wherefore,
seeing we are all so compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which does
so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that
is set before us, looking, looking, and notice it's not I look, saving
faith is an ongoing action in us, looking to whom coming, believing,
repenting, looking unto Jesus, who is the author, He is the
beginner of our faith, and He is the finisher of our faith
and salvation, who for the joy, Who, for the joy that was set
before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set
down at the right hand of the throne of God? Who, saving faith,
is looking unto Him who is exalted? And who is our blessed Lord and
Savior? Turn back to 2 Timothy. 2 Timothy chapter 1. Look at what it says right here. This is 2 Timothy 1.9. Let's read verse 8 as well. Be
not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor
of me his prisoner, but be thou partaker of the afflictions of
the gospel according to the power of God, who saved us. Now, if you're saved, who did
the saving? God did. Did He do it on purpose
or was it an accident? God saves whom He saves on purpose. It's God who saved us and called
us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to
His own purpose and grace. Underscore those two words right
there. Purpose and grace. Purpose and grace, which was
given us in Christ before the world began. Get a hold of that. The eternal mercies of God in
Christ Jesus. Now, back to the text, Philippians
2. So we see the reason of our salvation is all wrapped up in
the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. And saving faith is taken
up with Him. We don't look back to an experience
or a feeling or a tradition or a ceremony. Saving faith looks
to Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, we have a description of
who this one is who came to put away our sin. Look at verse 6.
Who being in the form of God, he thought it not robbery to
be equal with God." Now what's this verse teaching us here?
We plainly see the Lord Jesus Christ is none other than God
our Savior. He is God our Savior. And it's who He is that gives
infinite merit and value to what He did. God bought us with His
own blood. Now if there be no other scripture,
and there is many other scriptures that teach the deity of Christ,
but if there be no other scripture that declares His deity, these
words most plainly reveal it to us, being in the form of God. and being equal with God, declares
plainly that this One who is our Savior is none other than
Paul calls throughout the book of Titus and Timothy, God our
Savior, the One who has come to save us. In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This is the Word that was made
flesh and dwelt among us. And notice it says there being
In the form of God, what does that mean, being in the form
of God? Nature, the same nature and essence as God Almighty. Really and truly God. Really
and truly God. Now look back at Hebrews chapter
1 this time. And notice this verse here, Hebrews
chapter 1. Hebrews 1, let's read beginning
at verse 1. who in sundry times and in divers
manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets,
he hath in his last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath
appointed heir of all things, Lord of all things, by whom also
he made the worlds." Who, being the brightness of His glory and
the express image of His person, upholding all things by the Word
of His power, when He by Himself purged our sins, He sat down
on the right hand of the Majesty on high." The very nature of
God. Same divine nature as God the
Father and God the Holy Spirit. God the Son. He is God our Savior. Being in the form of God. Now
notice secondly, it says in verse 6, He thought it not robbery
to be equal with God the Father. Equal with God. He enjoys this
equality not by robbery, but by nature. Father, Son, Holy
Spirit, these three are one. No wonder the Lord said, find
John chapter 10. No wonder our Lord said, My sheep,
they hear My voice, and I know them, John chapter 10, and I
give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
Neither can any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father which
gave them Me is greater than all, John 10, 29. And no man
is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand. Now look at
verse 30. You see it, John 10.30, I and my Father, we are one. One. Here, O Israel, the Lord
our God is one God. He's manifest in three distinct
persons, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, but one God. Thou didst not rob
me to be equal with God. Now find John 14 and look at
this. John 14, Philip said to him in
verse 8, John 14, verse 8, Philip said unto him, Lord, show us
the Father, and we'll be satisfied. You know, he'd been with these
disciples three years, traveling, and he's back getting ready to
leave, and the Lord said in verse 9, Have I been so long time with
you, and you have not known me? Philip, you have seen me, I've
seen the Father. How sayest thou then, Show us
the Father? You've seen me, you've seen the Father. He thought it
not robbery to be equal with God. This is the One who is our
Savior, our Redeemer, the One who died for our sin. He is none
other than God in human flesh. God, Man, Mediator. Now look at verse 7. Here's what
he says in verse 7. So we see the Lord Jesus Christ
is fully and totally God. No question about that. We never
even entertain any thoughts to diminish His deity whatsoever. He is totally and fully God. Who else can speak to the wind
and the waves and control all elements of nature but He who
is God? And that's exactly what He did.
But notice this in verse 7, He made Himself of no reputation,
and He took upon Him the form of a servant. and was made in
the likeness of men. He was a real man, bone of my
bone and flesh of my flesh, and He had to be a real man to represent
me truly as my great high priest. What a marvel! What a wonder
of His love, His humility to take humanity, humanity untainted,
untainted by sin, in perfect union to His deity. in perfect
union to His deity, humanity apart from sin. Now find, if
you will, Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8. Look what it
says right here. "...who made himself of no reputation,
took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness
of men." He was a real man born of a woman. made under the law
to redeem them that were under the law in the fullness of time.
God sent forth His Son, made of a woman. Look what it says
here in Romans 8, verse 2, For the law of the Spirit of life
in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and
death. For what the law of God could not do. Is it that the law cannot do?
It cannot pronounce the guilty justified. It can't. The law
cannot justify the ungodly for what the law could not do. Nothing
wrong with the law, but what it says right there, in that
it was weak through the flesh. Problem not with the law, the
problem is the weakness of our sinful flesh. God sending His
own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. Now, He had no sin. He
knew no sin. He did no sin in the likeness
of sinful flesh, and for sin, or by a sacrifice for sin, condemned
sin in the flesh, that the law of God would be honored, that
justice would be satisfied, to enable God to be a just God and
Savior. Look at verse 4, that the righteousness
of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the
flesh, but after the Spirit. We're seeking God's favor only
in Christ Jesus and upon His merit. Now, look back at the
text again. Notice what it says right here
in verse 7. He made himself of no reputation. He emptied himself
of all but love and made himself a man, a man, a man of sorrows,
a man acquainted with grief and took upon him the form of a servant,
God's servant. Now, he's a servant of the covenant
of grace. Turn to Isaiah 42, verse 1. He is a real man. The Word was made flesh and dwelt
among us. God was manifest in the flesh. John Gill, the old commentator,
said this, He remained what He was, God, eternal God, and became
what He was not, flesh. But He never ceased being God
when He was a God-man mediator. He remained what He was and became
what He was not, flesh and dwelt among us. And as the God-man,
He was God's servant." Notice Isaiah 42, verse 1, "...behold
My servant." Now this is the Son of God. This is God the Son.
And yet He's the servant of God. "...upon whom I uphold, My elect,
in whom my soul delighteth. I put My Spirit upon Him." He
shall bring forth judgment, and that is salvation, a justifying
righteousness to sinners. Turn to Isaiah 53. Isaiah 53,
and notice this. Isaiah 53, 10. Yet it pleased
the Lord to bruise him. Boy, that's our hope. It's not
what men did at Calvary, it's our hope. It's what God was doing
at the cross. That's our hope. He planned the
cross. He presided over the cross. And
more than that, He participated in afflicting God, dear son,
for us. It pleased God to bruise Him.
He hath put Him to grief when thou shalt make His soul an offering
for sin. He shall see His seed, His elect.
He shall prolong His days. And the pleasure, the purpose
of the Lord shall prosper in His hands. Now read verse 11,
ìHe shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied.
By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he
shall bear their iniquities.î Thatís our hope of salvation,
is it not? God, man, mediator, He came representing us. He was
made sin for us, Godís servant. Now, I want you to turn and see
this too. Turn to Matthew 20. Matthew chapter
20. Matthew 20, and look at this.
James and John were discussing, with their mother's request somehow,
who would sit on his right hand and the left hand when he comes
into his kingdom. And the other apostles got a
little bit upset. It says in Matthew 20, verse
24, when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against
the two brethren. But look what the Lord said.
They were interested in high places and high seats. But look
what the Lord said. He brings them down to nothing.
But the Lord said unto them, unto Him, but Jesus called them
unto Him and said, You know that the princes of the Gentiles,
they exercised dominion over them. This is the way the Gentile
world worked, the ungodly world. And they that are great exercised
authority upon them. That's what kings and presidents
do. That in that natural kingdom. But in the spiritual kingdom,
look what it says. But it shall not be so among
you. But whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister. And whosoever will be chief among
you, let him be your servant. even as the Son of Man came not
to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life
a ransom for many." Not all the sins of all men, but for the
many given to Him in that covenant of grace. Of which the Lord says,
all that the Father hath given Me, I'll lose nothing, but raise
it up again at the last day. Now, look at verse 8. Back in
our text. Philippians 2 verse 8. and being
found in fashion or habit as a man. You know, the Lord, now
you think with me, as a God-man mediator, you read the gospel
records, you'll never find one time when He performed a miracle
to relieve His own suffering. Not one time. Now, he performed
miracles to relieve the sufferings of others, but as the God-man
mediator, never for himself. As a matter of fact, when he
was in the wilderness, 40 days without food and water, and was
tempted of the devil, and the devil said, why don't you make
these stones and turn them into bread? Then you'll have plenty
to eat. And he said, it's written, it's written that man shall not
live by bread alone, but by every word of God, by every word that
comes from God, that is, depend upon him. for life and for salvation. But being found in fashion as
a man, he humbled himself, became obedient unto death, even, even
the death of the cross. He was the obedient God-man mediator
who accomplished all our salvation. Now stay with me here. He was
a real man, not just in appearance. He wasn't a phantom man, a phony
man. A plastic man. He was a real
man. A real man. Tempted and tested
in all points like as we are, yet without sin. He took not
on Him the nature of angels, but He took on Him the seed of
Abraham. He was a real man. Tempted and
tested in all points like as we are, yet without sin. Here we have the God-man mediator. Now here's what I'm saying. I
can't explain this, but I believe it. Fully and totally God. fully
and totally man, and one blessed person. That's why the old timers
called the Lord Jesus, and I often use this phrase that you hear
me say all the time, He's the God-Man Mediator. And it comes from the Scriptures,
actually. It comes from I Timothy chapter
2, where it says there's one God and one Mediator between
God and men, that is the God-Man, the Lord, the Man, Christ Jesus.
And we know that He is God. Now, this had to be. And here's
the reason why. He had to be both God and man
and one blessed person to accomplish our salvation. And here's the
reason why. God alone cannot suffer and die. God is spirit. Man cannot satisfy and live. Not at all. Man alone cannot
satisfy and live. But the God-man mediator both
suffered, satisfied, lived and died. He said, I'm he that liveth
and was dead. Behold, I'm alive forevermore.
This is what we call amazing grace. Amazing grace. He died for our sins according
to the scripture. He humbled himself. And look
what it says there. He humbled himself. He willingly
marched to the cross. Isaiah said his face was set
like a flint. His own disciples tried to turn
Him from that. Remember what He told Peter,
get behind Me. Satan, you savers, not the things
that be of God. The cross of the Lord Jesus Christ
is not an accident. Him being delivered by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God. Wicked men did what they
wanted to do, but they did what God determined before to be done.
He died the appointed death at the appointed time for the appointed
people as the Lamb of God. That's our hope. being found
in fashion as a man, he humbled himself. He humbled himself,
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He humbled
himself to perfect, active obedience, even dying for the sin of those
covenant people. The sin of God's people was laid
upon Christ. We read this in Scripture, God
made him to be sin for us. who knew no sin, that we might
be made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. He is the Lord, our righteousness. He's the One who came, the just
One who died for the unjust, that He might bring us unto God. Obedient unto death. Now, I want
you to see this. Turn to Galatians 3. Even the
death of the cross. Now, I asked that question earlier.
Why was He hung on a tree? You know, under the law, they
were stoned to death. But also under the law, when
one was found guilty, and in the mouth of two or three witnesses,
evidence was given, and if it was a capital offense, they were
killed, stoned, and then they were hung on a tree to demonstrate
that the curse of God was upon them and to publicly demonstrate
that the wrath of God was on them. That's why the Lord Jesus
Christ died on Calvary's tree. He took the wrath of God Almighty
that was due my sin and fully satisfied God in every aspect
of that law both in precept and in penalty. Now look what it
says in Galatians chapter 3. Look at verse 10, "...for as
many," Galatians 3, 10, "...for as many as of the works of the
law are under the curse. For it is written," here's what
the law said, "...do it and live, disobey it and you're going to
die." Well, the bar, God set that bar so high. None can be
justified by the deeds of the law and God set it that way on
purpose. The law was not given to save,
it was given to condemn and to drive us to Christ. For as many as are of the works
of the law are under the curse, for it is written, Cursed is
every one that continueth not in all things which are written
in the book of the law to do them." Do it all or you're under
curse. The good news. But that no man
is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident.
The just or the justified shall live by Christ, shall live by
faith. The law is not a faith. But the
man that doeth them, if you can do the law, you can have life
by the law. If you want to go that route,
have at it. But God said, do it all or die.
But here's the good news. Look at verse 13. Christ has
redeemed us from the curse of the law. How? Being made a curse
for us. He was made sin for us. He took
my judgment. He took my sin. He took my curse. Being made a curse for us and
the wrath of God fell on Him. Now look what it says, for it
is written, Deuteronomy 21, verse 23, Cursed is everyone that hangeth
on a tree. See where that comes from? Now
you can go back and read that reference in Deuteronomy, but
it means that those who were convicted under the law and executed
were hung up and demonstrated they were under the judgment
of God. And the Lord Jesus Christ dies under the judgment of God
on my behalf. That, verse 14, that the blessings
of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ,
that we might receive the promise, the promise of salvation of the
Spirit through faith. Through faith. And that's Christ.
You can't separate faith from Christ. One and the same. He
paid the debt of my obedience. Look back at the text again. Being found in fashion as a man.
He humbled Himself, became obedient unto death, even, even, even
the death of the cross. He paid the debt of my disobedience
by His perfect obedience unto God. He paid the debt of my sin
by taking the full debt of my punishment, bearing my sin in
His own body on the tree. Having done that perfectly, having
done that satisfying God in every aspect of His holy justice. It
says in verse 9, "...wherefore, or therefore, because the Lord
Jesus Christ accomplished all of our salvation, because the
Lord Jesus put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, wherefore
God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is
above every name, that that name of Savior and Lord everyone will
bow, in heaven, in earth, under the earth, and that every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, Lord to the glory of
God the Father." Now, here we see in verse 9, his success fully
declared. How do we know? How do we know
that his death was sufficient payment? How do we know his death
satisfied God's law and justice? How do we know that? Here's how
we know that. Here's how we know, by His resurrection.
He was delivered for our offenses and raised again because He did
justify us at the cross with His own blood. And therefore,
God being fully satisfied, He put His stamp of approval on
all that He did as our great High Priest. He didn't stay dead. He put away our sin, satisfying
God, and He ascended to glory. Seated at the right hand of God
on high. There He ever lives. He ever
lived to intercede for me right now. Seeing we have a great high
priest that entered into the heavens. Entered into the holiest. The Lord Jesus. And He's my mediator. He's called the forerunner. The
forerunner. He's entered in and He's seated. That means the work's done. It's
finished. It's done. His resurrection glory
and His ascension is God's full stamp of approval of all that
He did was satisfying, perfect, and accepted before God. That's
my salvation. He's my Savior. He is my Lord. I tell you, my friend, that gives
us sinner hope. That gives us sinner assurance. Now, here's the blessed conclusion.
The blessed conclusion of this message is this. And the blessed
conclusion of salvation is this, the salvation is this, everyone
is going to bow and everyone is going to confess that the
Lord Jesus Christ, He is Lord and God, He is the Savior. The
Lord Jesus being highly exalted as Lord of heaven and earth,
King of kings and Lord of lords, every creature, every creature,
angel, demon, sinner, saint, is subject to His sovereign dominion
and sovereign rule. He is the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember in Matthew 28, when
He came forth, He said, All power is given unto me in heaven. And
in His meditatorial office, He has all power. As God, He has
all power. But in His meditatorial office,
as our high priest, He has all power, all authority. He prayed,
He said, Father, You've given me power over all flesh that
I should give eternal life to as many as You have given me. Our God's not a beggar. He is
Lord of lords and King of kings, and He said, I will have mercy
on whom I will have mercy. It's not of Him that willeth
nor of Him that runneth, but it's God that shows mercy. Everyone's going to bow and confess
His Lordship. Isn't this exactly... You know
what we call this? You might be shocked here, but
we call this Pentecostal preaching. Isn't that exactly what Peter
said at Pentecost that day in Acts chapter 2? That same Jesus
whom you crucified, He's both Lord and Christ? Now bow to Him. Bow to Him. Bow to Him. I tell
you, it's the blessed, blessed thing to bow to the Lord Jesus
Christ and being drawn by His grace and bowing to His Lordship. Look what it says over here in
Ephesians chapter 1. Ephesians chapter 1. Every knee will submit
Every tongue will declare and acknowledge that Jesus Christ,
He is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Look what it says
over here in Ephesians 1 verse 19. What is exceeding greatness
of His power. Ephesians 1 verse 19. You got
it? What is exceeding greatness of
His power to us who believe. How do we believe? You know,
to listen to some in religious circles today, they think that
faith is something that blooms native and something that's native
to the old depraved heart. It's not at all. Faith is what
Arthur Pink called exotic. It's planted there by the hand
of Almighty God. What is exceeding greatness of
His power to us who believe according to the working of His mighty
power." Now what kind of power is he talking about? He's talking
about resurrection power. What kind of power did it take
to raise the dead body of the Lord Jesus? It takes great power.
What kind of power does it take to raise a dead sinner? Same
power, power of God. "...which He wrought in Christ,
when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right
hand in heavenly places, far above all principality and power,
and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only
in this world, but that which is also to come, and to put all
things under His feet." See, He's Lord. "...and gave Him to
be head over all things to the church." You see, He's Lord.
"...which is His body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all."
And it's all to the glory of God the Father. We read in Romans
14, don't turn, let me just read it to you. In Romans 14, 9, For
to this end, to this purpose, Christ both died and rose and
revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. He is Lord. Christ is not Lord
by something that we do either. We hear this in religious circles
today. Make Jesus your Lord. You can't do that. You can't
make Him Lord. You can bow to His Lordship.
You can't make Him Lord. He is Lord. God beat you to it.
Eons ago, in eternity, God made Him both Lord and Christ. He's
not Lord by what we do. He's Lord by God's decree, by
God's design, and by His death. You know what? Believers love
His Lordship. They love His Lordship. Oh, they're in love with Him
who is Lord. We love Him who is the sovereign
King of all the earth. King of kings. and Lord of Lords.
Now, I like this testimony here. I'll let you go with this. Turn
to John 20. John chapter 20. Last scripture
reference. John chapter 20. The resurrected
Lord met with His apostles. And you know who wasn't there?
There was one of them missing. Of course, Judas was dead. But
of those living, there was still one missing. His name was Thomas.
His name was Thomas, that's why some call him Doubting Thomas. And he wasn't there in that first
meeting and he missed a great blessing because the Lord came
and met with the disciples. Now John 20 verse 24, But Thomas,
one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus
came. And the other disciples therefore
said unto him, We've seen the Lord. But he said unto them,
Except I shall see in his hand the print of the nails, and put
my finger in the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into
his side, he said, I will not believe." No wonder he's called
Doubting Thomas. Verse 26, After eight days again
his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. He said, I'm
not going to miss this meeting. I'm not going to miss it this
time. The Lord may come. Well, I'll not miss any meeting.
The Lord may come. After eight days again, his disciples
were within, and Thomas with them. Then came Jesus, the Lord
Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst of them,
and said, Peace be unto you." That's a miracle, isn't it? That's
a miracle of grace. Peace be unto you. He didn't
scorn, Thomas, where are you at? Thomas, why weren't you there?
He said, Peace be unto you. Oh, how merciful our Lord is.
And then he said to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, Behold my
hands. Reach hither thy hand, and thrust
it into my side, and be not faithless, but believing.' And Thomas answered
and said unto him, My Lord and my God." Oh, I tell you, he was
glad that God appeared to him and that God had mercy on him,
the Lord Jesus Christ. And the Lord said to him, Thomas,
because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. But blessed are
they who have not seen, and yet Believe Him. Oh, we see by faith. We see in His Word that Jesus
Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. See what I mean
about that text? It's tremendous, tremendous.
It merits many, many messages and much, much preaching. And
you could take a whole message or series of messages just preaching
on the Lordship of Christ alone. Well, Lord willing, next week,
We'll bring a message to you from chapter 3. That's my intentions. Chapter 3, if you want to look
that over, and then your mind will be prepared for the message
when you come back again next week.