Now we're turning in our Bible
this afternoon to John chapter 17. Let's read beginning at verse
1. These words, these words, spake
Jesus. That's His name of suffering.
His name is name of humanity. Call His name Jesus. He shall
save His people from their sin. And the Lord Jesus These words
He spake, and it refers back to those preceding chapters when
He instructed those disciples in chapter 13, 14, 15, and 16. When He spake all those words
to His blessed disciples, how He instructed them and how He
encouraged them in the way of truth and the way of salvation.
He speaks to them as God's prophet, as God's prophet. And he is our
prophet. He is that prophet that God said,
I will raise up that prophet from among the brethren, and
he shall speak my truth. And God's people will hear that
truth. He speaks here as the prophet,
and then he lifts his eyes toward heaven. He sets his heart, his
affection on heavenly things. He lifts his eyes to heaven.
And now he intercedes for us as our priest. Now he is our
prophet, priest, and king. He is that prophet that speaks
God's redemptive will to us. And he is that priest of God
that we so desperately need. I need a priest to represent
me before God. Because God is holy, and I'm
a sinner, and I need a suitable mediator. And that suitable,
well-suited mediator and surety is none other than my Savior,
the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus, He spake these
words as God's prophet, and then He prays for God's people, and
He says, Father, Father, the hour has come. Glorify Thy Son,
that Thy Son may also glorify Thee. Our Lord Jesus Christ,
He is our head. He is the head of the body. He
is the husband. He chose His bride. He loved
the church and gave Himself for the church. He is our head. He is our husband. He is our
great High Priest. And you think about this. He
ever lives to pray for us. He ever lives to intercede for
us. This is His intercessory prayer
for us. Did you notice in verse 9 that
He says, ìI pray for them.î What great privilege we have right
now that our Lord ever lives to intercede for us right now. He said, ìI pray for them.î Notice
verse 20 in John 17, "...neither pray I for these alone, but for
them also which shall believe on me through their word." He's
talking about His disciples and then He's talking about us in
our day. He prays for us. Now, He ever
lives to intercede for us. Turn to Hebrews chapter 7. What a privilege we have. He
prays for us. He prayed one time, Father, He
said, I know that you always hear my prayer, and His prayers
are always answered. But He ever lives to intercede
for us. Hebrews 7, notice verse 25, Wherefore He is able to save
them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever
liveth, He ever liveth to intercede, to make intercession. to pray
for them. He doesn't plead our merit or
our goodness. He pleads His merit and His righteousness
as a basis of our forgiveness, pardon, justification and righteousness
before God. Find Romans chapter 8. Romans
chapter 8. He says, I pray for them. He ever lived to intercede for
us. Romans 8. Verse 33 says, Who shall lay
anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies.
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died. Yea,
rather, that is risen again, who is even the right hand of
God, who also maketh intercession for us. Oh, what a privilege we have.
He intercedes for us. Preacher Thomas Manton said this,
this prayer of the Lord didn't pass away as soon as these words
were spoken or when Christ ascended to glory, but it retains a perpetual
effectual prayer before God Almighty on our behalf. He prays for us. He prays for us. And notice he
says this, Father, the hour, the hour, John 17, verse 1, the
hour, Now, if you read back through the book of John, many times
they came to arrest him, they came to trap him, they came to
trick him. Do you remember what he said?
My hour is not yet come. They couldn't lay hand nor hair
on him until his hour appointed of God was come. This is the
hour that God had determined from all eternity that the Lamb
of God would be slain. This is the appointed hour. He
said, now, O Father, the hour has come. He's praying these
words on the eve of Calvary, on the eve of dying for the sin
of God's people. The hour has come. This is the
hour appointed of God. The hour decreed of God from
all eternity. This is the hour that Peter said,
Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of
God, foreordination of God. This is that hour. Boy, what
an important time this is. We are creatures of time. Boy,
what an important time this is. This is the time when all Scripture
must be fulfilled. At this time. Turn to 1 Corinthians
15. This is the time when all Scripture
must be fulfilled. You see, the Lord Jesus Christ
died. He died in our room and in our
stead, but He died a certain way. 1 Corinthians 15 tells us
this, in verse 3, For I delivered unto you first of all that which
I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to
the Scriptures." He died fulfilling all the Scriptures, all those
lambs that were slain, all those Bullocks and goats and all those
animals that were sacrificed, they're all just a picture and
type of showing salvation in a substitute, the Lord Jesus
Christ. He died for our sins according
to God's Scripture, God's Word. He was buried and that He rose
again the third day according to the Scriptures. This is a
time when He would come and fulfill all that was spoken of, every
pattern, type, and picture of the Lord Jesus Christ, honored
and exalted. This is the time. This is the
time when salvation through His blood must be accomplished. This
is the hour. All history revolves around this
hour. All human history revolves around
this hour, the coming of the Lord and the day of the Lord,
A.D. I want you to find this is the
time when salvation through His blood must be accomplished. Turn
to Romans 5. This is the time. This is the hour. This is our
time. This is our time of salvation.
This is when our time of salvation was accomplished in my substitute,
in my representative, in my head, the Lord Jesus. Notice what He
says here in Romans 5, verse 6. when we were yet without strength
in due time. You see that? Due time. According
to the time, Christ died for the ungodly. Look at verse 9.
Much more than being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved
from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we
were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more being
reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. He said, I'm He
that liveth and was dead. What happens if it just ends
there? We are in trouble. I am He that liveth and was dead,
behold, I am alive forevermore. He said, because I live, you
shall live. This is the time when all Scripture
must be fulfilled. This is the time when salvation
through His blood must be accomplished. Turn to Galatians chapter 4.
Galatians chapter 4. This is the time. This is the
hour. Oh, what a special day. What a special hour. What a special
time. How God, in His love, sent the
Lord Jesus to die for His people. Notice, if you will, Galatians
4, verse 4, but when the fullness of time, Galatians 4, 4, there's
that word again, time. When the fullness of time was
come, God sent God. God sent the Son. God sent God. He remained what he was and became
what he was, not flesh, but he never ceased being God, made
of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under
the law that we might receive the adoption of sons in the fullness
of time. Now turn to 1 Peter. This is
the hour. Oh, this is the hour, my friend.
This is the hour that we love to talk about. Him who accomplished
all of our salvation. This is the time. This is the
hour. Look at 1 Peter. I Peter chapter 1. I Peter 1.18,
for as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible
things, he mentioned silver and gold, certainly we're not redeemed
by money, are we? And from your vain conversation
received by tradition from your father, certainly we're not redeemed
by our money nor our morality nor our tradition, but with the
precious blood of Christ He put away our sin with His own blood,
as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot, who was verily
foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest
in these last times for you." In the fullness of time, He appeared
once in the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice
of Himself. Now, look back at the text again.
John 17, verse 1, Father, Father, you see, Calvary didn't sneak
up on the Lord Jesus Christ. Early on He told those disciples,
I must go to Jerusalem, I must be betrayed, I must die, I must
be raised again. And Peter tried to stop Him.
You remember what He said? You get out of my way, you don't
savor the things that be of God. Father, the hour has come. He
set His face like a flint, it says in the book of Isaiah, and
no one could turn Him from accomplishing God's will in saving His people. He came to this hour, to this
end He came to lay down His life for His people. Father, the hour
has come. It's the hour of His glory, of
His redemptive glory. Glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son
may also glorify Thee. Now who is due all honor and
glory for the salvation of sinners? Who is due honor and glory for
all salvation? The salvation of His people.
Well, I know this, it's certainly not those who are receivers of
this salvation. We're not due any honor or glory.
David prayed this way, Lord, not unto us, not unto us but
unto thy name do we give glory for thy mercy and for thy truth's
sake. God laid on him all honor and
glory in the accomplishing of our salvation. We read in 1 Corinthians
1.30, but of him. But of him are you in Christ,
who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,
and redemption, that according as it is written, he that would
glory, let him glory." Where? In the Lord. In the Lord. Turn
to Jeremiah. Thinking of this Scripture over
here, I hope I've got the right one. Jeremiah, I didn't write
this down, but Jeremiah, is it chapter 9? where it says, "...let
not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man
glory in his might, but he that glorieth, let him glory in this."
Jeremiah 9.23, have you got it? Thus saith the Lord, Let not
the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory
in his might. Let not the rich man glory in
his riches, but let him that glorieth, glory in this, that
he understandeth and knows me, that I am the Lord with exercise,
love, and kindness, and judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
In these things I delight." We glory in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle put it this way to
the Galatians, God forbid, that we should glory save in the cross
of Christ. God in all the majesty of His
glorious person, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who alone is
worthy of all honor and glory in our salvation. We read that
scripture in Ephesians chapter 1, where it talks about God the
Father had chosen us according as He purposed and determined
from all eternity in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption
of children, and all to the praise of the glory of His grace. And
then it talks about the work of the Son, in whom we have redemption,
the forgiveness of sin according to the riches of His grace, wherein
He put away our sin, all to the praise of the glory of His grace.
And it talks about the work of God the Father in choosing, God
the Son in redeeming, purchasing us with His blood, and then that
quickening work of God the Holy Spirit. He quickens us from death
unto life and gives us salvation in Christ. We're sealed with
the Holy Spirit of promise, kept by the power of God. And again,
it says, "...all to the praise of the glory of His grace." The
point I'm getting at is this, God alone, is due all honor and
glory in the purpose of our salvation, in the purchase of our salvation,
and in the applying, the application of our salvation. God alone,
God alone. God is so fixed in His eye in
salvation that no sinner can come along and stick his finger
at any point at any time in the whole scheme and plan of God's
salvation and say, look what I've done. God forbid, God forbid. We glory only in the Christ of
God. Glorify thy son that thy son
may also glorify thee. Now look at verse 2. We see something
of the glory of the Lord Jesus coming and saving his people.
As thou hast given him power, power over all flesh, that he
should give eternal life, Now notice, it doesn't say, God giving
him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to
all men everywhere without exception. Only if they'll do certain things.
It doesn't say that. Thou has given him power over
all flesh that he should give eternal life. To who? To as many as God hath given
him. It's covenant people. It's covenant
people. The Lord Jesus, as God, has all
absolute and absolute authority over all. He does according to
His will in the army of heaven among the inhabitants of this
earth. None can say unto Him, Lord God, what are you doing?
Whatsoever the Lord please, that's what He did in heaven and earth,
seas and all deep places. The Lord Jesus, as God, has all
authority and power, right? But it says here that as God
had given him power over all flesh. Now what does that mean?
God had given him power. Here the Lord Jesus prays in
His office character in the covenant, in His office character in the
covenant of grace as the God-man mediator. gives him in his office character
and in his office as mediator, in that office, all power, all
authority, all right to execute it perfectly. Notice what it
says here in John 3, John 3 verse 35. In his office character,
God had given him power to execute. He laid help upon one that is
mighty, the psalmist said. In John 3, Verse 35, "...the Father loveth
the Son, hath given all things into His hand." He has all power
as God, but all power also designated and given to Him in His office
character as mediator, as head representative of His people.
We read in 1 Timothy 2.5, there is one God and one mediator between
God and men, and that's the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now something
about this power here. Thou hath given him power over
all flesh. We see the origin of this power,
it's of God. Remember what Peter said when
he preached there in Pentecost on that day? He said, God had
made that same Jesus whom you crucified, God had made Him both
Lord and Christ. You don't make Him Lord by something
you do, some act you perform. God in His office character made
the Lord Jesus Lord over all flesh, over all flesh. You see,
the origin of this power is of God. Pilate told the Lord Jesus
on that day, he said, don't you know I have power to crucify
you? I have power to release you.
And the Lord corrected him and said, you don't have any power
over me except that which is given to you of God. He said,
no man takes my life from me. I have power to lay it down.
I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received
of my Father. So the origin of this power is
of God. Secondly, the extent of this
power. How far does it extend? It says here, over all flesh. over all things, He has absolute
authority over all, the extent of His power. Every knee shall
bow, every tongue shall confess that He is Lord to the glory
of God the Father. All power, He has all power in
His office character to judge. God has appointed a day in which
He will judge the world in righteousness by that man. Acts 17.31. The
Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the
Son. All judgment is relative to Christ. What do you think
of Him? What do you think of the Lord
Jesus Christ? He has all power to judge. He has all power to
give life. He said that the Father raising
up and quickens them whom He will, even so the Son quickens
whom He will. He has all power to give life. He did one day to a dead man
named Lazarus. How much power does that take?
You better have some power if you're going to speak to a dead
man and say, get up! He has all power. He has all power. He has all power to judge, all
power to give life, he has all power to pardon sin. Turn to
Matthew chapter 9. He demonstrated that one day,
that he has all power, and those Jews got so upset, when this
man being paralyzed, Matthew 9, And his beloved friends somehow
carry this paralyzed man to the feet of the Lord Jesus. And the
Lord Jesus speaks to him in verse 2 of Matthew 9, Son, be of good
cheer, thy sin be forgiven. And behold, certain of the scribes
said within themselves, well, this man speaks evil. Well, he
didn't speak evil. He spoke something good. But
Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, wherefore think ye evil
in your hearts? For whether it is easier to say,
Thy sins be forgiven thee, or to arise and walk, but that ye
may know that the Son of Man, the Son of Man, the Son of God,
God the Son, hath power on earth to forgive sins, so that ye may
know, then said he to the sick of the
palsy, take up thy bed, and go into thy house. And he arose,
and they departed. But when the multitude saw it,
they marveled and glorified God, which had given such power unto
a man, the God-man, Mediator." He has all power to judge, all
power to give life, and all power to pardon sin. Aren't you glad
He has all power? Something else, we see something
of the glory of this power. The glory of this power. the
glory of this power to give eternal life and to give salvation. Look what it says there in verse
2 in our text. Matthew, John 17, 2. Something
of the glory of this power. Thou hast given Him power over
all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as God
hath given Him." You see the glory of this power? To give
eternal salvation to all the covenant heirs of grace. This
salvation is the free gift purchased at great cost, but given to His
elect. To give eternal life to as many
as Thou hast given Him. Moses asked the Lord, ìShow me
your glory.î Remember what he said? What did he say? ìIíll
have mercy. Iíll have mercy.î You see, God
is glorified in showing mercy to sinners, not at the expense
of His justice, but magnifying His mercy and magnifying His
justice, both in Christ being crucified, that God might be
a just God and Savior. in Christ Jesus. Oh, the glory
of this power to give eternal life. Oh, He said, I'm come that
you might have life. Have it more abundantly. Oh,
I have physical life, but I don't have spiritual life. Naturally,
I'm dead. He must give me life. And that's
what He does. Salvation in this spiritual life.
Notice, He says, this life is given to as many as. Now that's a good phrase, as
many as thou hast given him. He's talking here about his covenant
people. All that the Father hath given
to me, they will come to me, and those that come to me I will
in no wise cast out. He mentions in this prayer in
John 17 at least five, maybe six times, maybe more, maybe
seven, at least that many times about those people given to him
in that covenant of grace. I pray for them, I intercede
for them. Salvation is to many as God has
given to Him. He is their surety, He is their
Savior, and He is their Sacrifice. Who are these people? Take your
Bible and look at this. As many as Acts chapter 13. Acts chapter 13. As many as be led by the Spirit
of God, they are the sons of God. Romans 8, 14. But in Acts
13, Verse 48, when Paul and Barnabas
had preached the gospel to those Jews, and they didn't want no
part of it, they turned to the Gentiles. And when they preached
the gospel to the Gentiles in Acts 13, verse 48, look what
it says there. When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and
glorified. Who did they glorify? Get right
back to the glory of God. They glorified the Lord and as
many as. That's whom He's going to save. as many as were ordained, not
who walked in the aisle, not who prayed through, not who made
a decision for Jesus, as many as were ordained to eternal life,
believe, no more, no less. God gives eternal life to His
covenant people. Now look back at this one. Acts
chapter 2, verse 39. Acts 2.39. I know there's a bunch
of folks around We call them up our way, the sea of sea people.
And they like Acts 2.38. And there's nothing wrong with
Acts 2.38, but they get it all confused. They get it all contorted
and out of the way. But look at verse 39. For the
promise is to you and to your children, to all that are far
off, even as many as the Lord our God. Even as many as the
Lord our God shall Call! He calls them with the gospel. It's not the call of the preacher
come down front. It's the call of God, the Holy
Spirit, with the gospel of God's truth and grace. And that's when
He does a work of grace in the heart. God called. It's God who
saved us and called us with a holy calling. Not according to our
work, but according to God's own purpose and grace, which
was given us in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the
world. Now, look back at the text again. Look at verse 3.
This is life eternal. Now, here it is. This is life
eternal. Here it is. This is life eternal.
That they might know Thee, the only true God. Now, a God who wants to and can't
is not the true God. A God who wants to and can't
is an idol. An idol. Salvation is not in
idolatry. Salvation is not in an idol.
Eternal life is knowing the true God. God, as old Arthur Pink
defined it, God who is God, absolute in all things. He's God in creation,
He's God in providence, and He's God in salvation. Eternal life
is to know the true God. Jesus Christ. I like to read
it this way, and oftentimes I do. The only true God, Jesus Christ,
whom thou hast sent. He is the true God. Salvation
and eternal life is in this Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is in
a person in Christ Jesus. Now notice, if you will, 1 John.
1 John. 1 John chapter 5. Our pastor Our beloved brother
Mahan preached for years and years and years. Salvation is
in a person. In a person. The true Christ
it says there, the true God and true Jesus Christ, the One that
He sent. Not a counterfeit. Not sweet
Jesus who wants to and can't. That's a counterfeit. I'm talking
about the true Christ of God who has all power over all flesh
to give eternal life to as many as God gave Him, the One who
finished the work of all salvation for His covenant people. Now,
1 John chapter 5. This life is in His Son. Look
at verse 11. This is the record that God hath
given to us eternal life. 1 John 5, 11. And this life is
in His Son. In the true Son of God. He that
hath the Son hath life. He that hath not the Son of God
hath not life. These things have I written unto
you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may
know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the
name of the Son of God. Now look at verse 20. And we
know that the Son of God is come. had given us an understanding
that we may know Him that is true, that we're in Him that
is true. Even in His Son Jesus Christ,
this is the true God. And this is eternal life. To know the true God, the One
who gives eternal life, the One who has accomplished salvation
by Himself, purged our sin. He sat down at the right hand
of the throne of God This One that cannot fail to accomplish
all God's purpose in saving His people. He says, I give them
eternal life and they'll never, they'll never, no never, never
shall they perish. Now notice this in verse 4. The
Lord Jesus was sent of God to accomplish salvation for us. Look at verse 4 and we'll quit
with verse 4. I have glorified Thee on the earth. I have and
I will. I have glorified thee on the
earth." How? I finished the work you gave me to do. He finished salvation for us.
Now, no one can say this except our blessed Savior. I finished
the work, I have glorified thee on the earth. No one can say
this except the blessed Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is
holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sin. The Redeemer
and our representative, the holy, spotless Lamb of God, honored
God's will perfectly in every jot and tittle of God's law.
He honored, satisfied the law of God. Every precept. In Isaiah
42, remember that scripture? God said, I am well pleased for
His righteousness sake. He will magnify the law. He will
make it honorable. You see, my friend, he glorified
the Lord's law, will, purpose, and justice in honoring God and
satisfying God in every aspect for His covenant people. Now, two things, two things where
he said, I finished the work that you gave me to do. He said,
I finished the work. Hold your place there and find
John chapter 4. John chapter 4. He says, My meat,
John 4, 34. The Lord said unto them, My meat
is to do the will of Him that sent Me, that's My meat, that's
My delight, to do the will of Him that sent Me and to finish
His work. And God said He did. Turn over
here to Matthew 3. This is My beloved Son, Matthew
3, 17. This is My beloved Son in whom
I am well pleased. He finished the work of two things
I desperately need and two things that He brought in for His people.
What are these two things that every sinner needs? Righteousness
and redemption. And He completed both. He brought
in an everlasting righteousness for us. Christ alone lived in
absolute submission to God's will. The absolute submission
to God's will. As a matter of fact, He says
this. Turn to John chapter 6. John
chapter 6. In verse 37, he said, ìAll that
the Father hath given to me, theyíll come to me, and them
that come to me I will in no wise cast out.î Now look at verse
38, John 6, 38, ìFor I came down from heaven, not to do my own
will, but the will of Him that sent me.î He did the will of
God perfectly. Christ alone lived in absolute
submission to the perfect will of God in every jot and tittle. The Lord Jesus Christ as a God-man
mediator, as my representative, as my head, my husband, the Lord
Jesus lived perfectly, performed perfectly for His covenant people
as my representative, bringing in for me an everlasting righteousness
that He freely gives to His people. I must have a righteousness that
exceeds that of those, you remember, the scribes and Pharisees? Our
Lord said, except your righteousness exceed theirs, you'll not enter
into the kingdom of heaven. Well, I know this, I'm a sinner.
We've all sinned to come short of the glory of God. I cannot
produce or perform, perfect a righteousness in myself. But the Lord Jesus
Christ, as my representative, did that exact thing for all
of His covenant people. He brought in an everlasting
righteousness for them. Did you ever notice this Scripture?
Turn back to Matthew 3 again. Matthew 3. Robert Hawker said this in his
commentary, Christ has done more in honoring every precept of
God's law than we've done by sin to dishonor it. You think
about that. Where sin abounded, grace did
much more abound. Did you ever look at this Scripture
here? Matthew 3 verse 13 this time. Then cometh Jesus from
Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him. But John
forbade him, saying, I need to be baptized of thee. Cometh thou
unto me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be
so now, for thus it becometh us, us, to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him." Who is
this us here? We're one with Him. Us! He brought in everlasting righteousness
for us. Find Romans 5.19. This is what
we call the doctrine of representation. In Adam all died. In Christ all were made alive.
It's such a key. It's such a key aspect of the
Gospel. Representation. In Adam all died,
even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Look at Romans 5.19. For as by one man's disobedience
many were made sinners." Now, we don't have any problem understanding
that, right? And Adam all died. His disobedience
was passed on and imputed to all people. By his disobedience
many were made sinners. So, by the obedience of one,
this is the second man, the Lord from heaven, the Lord Jesus,
shall many, and some say it should read, thee many, shall be made
righteous in Christ." That's how I'm made righteous. "...Moreover,
the law entered that the offense might abound, but where sin abounded,
grace did much more abound." Now look at verse 21 carefully.
"...that as sin has reigned unto death, even so might grace reign
through righteousness being established in Christ Jesus unto eternal
life by Jesus Christ." Now one page over, Romans 4, look at
verse 6. Romans 4, 6, "...even as David
also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth
righteousness without works..." God gives righteousness without
works on your part. "...it was completely perfected,
performed, provided, and given to us in Christ Jesus, saying,
Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, whose sins are
covered. Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord will not impute sin." Christ alone, Hawker said, has done
more in honoring every precept of God's law than we have done
by sin to dishonor it. That's so. I believe he's right. The Lord Jesus brought in an
everlasting righteousness for his covenant people and freely
gives that to them. That's what he's saying there.
I finished the work you gave me to do. And then we have not
only righteousness in Christ, but we have redemption. I need
something given to me, Christ the Lord our Righteousness, but
I need something removed too. I've got blemishes. I've got
sin. I've sinned against God. I must
have someone pay my debt to pay all my sin debt. I can't pay
it. The Lord Jesus Christ by Himself
put away all the sin of God's covenant people. He said it's
done, it's finished. It's paid. Jesus paid it all. All the dead isle, sin left the
crimson stain. He washed it white as snow. He finished the work. God made
Him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made.
The righteousness of God in Him. We have redemption. It's not
something that we'll have some day. In whom we have, present
tense, right now, we have redemption. He obtained for us eternal redemption
with His own blood. By Himself, He purged our sin.
Deliverance. Turn to Colossians chapter 1.
Colossians chapter 1. Deliverance complete, eternal,
and freely given to all in Christ Jesus. We have complete righteousness. A justifying righteousness. A complete deliverance. Redemption from all sin. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses
us from all our sin. Now, I want Colossians chapter
1. Have you got it there? Look what
it says. In verse 13, verse 12, it says
in chapter 1, We give thanks unto the Father who hath made
us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in
light, in Christ, who delivered us from the power of darkness,
and have translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son, in whom
we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins,
who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn Lord of every
creature." Now turn to Colossians chapter 2. The firstborn Lord,
heir of all things. Look at verse 9. Colossians 2.9.
For in him dwelleth all the fullness of a Godhead bodily." Now, he
said at Calvary's tree, it is finished. It's the same root
word here in verse 10, you are complete. Complete. In Christ dwells all the fullness
of a Godhead in a body, and you are believers in Christ, are
complete. completely justified, completely
delivered from all sin, pardoned, forgiven. You are complete in
Him which is the head of all principality and power. John 17, look at verse 4, and
I'll quit. I have glorified Thee on the
earth. Oh, aren't you glad? Aren't you
glad? He glorified God's justice, magnified
God's mercy. I've glorified Thee on the earth.
He did that for His covenant people, enabled God to be a just
God and Savior. I have finished the work that
you gave Me to do. And He said it's done. Well done. Done to the delight and satisfaction
of God Almighty. And it says of Him in Isaiah
42 that He cannot fail. He cannot fail.