Let's turn in our Bibles again
to the book of Hebrews, chapter 13, and let me read the text
again. In Hebrews 13, verse 20, this
is one of those great benedictions of the scripture inspired by
the Holy Spirit. Now, the God of peace, this is
a prayer. The Apostle Paul is praying.
for these believers, now the God of peace, that brought again
from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,
through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in
every good work to do his will, working in you that which is
well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory
forever and ever. This is like the benediction
in Numbers chapter 6. Are you familiar with that one?
I'd like you to turn over there and read it with me. Many times
I write letters and under my signature I make reference to
this benediction. These are the two great ones. There are many in the Bible,
but these are the two great ones. This one in the Old Testament
and Paul's benediction in the book of Hebrews in the New Testament.
But in Numbers 6, verse 24, the prophet says, The Lord bless
thee, and keep thee. The Lord make his face shine
upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up his countenance
upon thee, and give thee peace. I'd like to pray like that, wouldn't
you? In order to pray like that, one must think like that. In
order to pray like that, one must live like that. Those words
do not come from empty hearts and empty feelings. The only
way that I'll ever become an intercessor in prayer is to become
an intercessor in spirit, to become an intercessor in thought.
It's easy to pray for someone if you think about them a lot.
It's easy to be burdened and concerned in prayer if we're
burdened and concerned in spirit. But genuine intercession and
genuine burden in prayer is not turned on and turned off like
a light bulb. So in order for me to learn to
pray like this, I'm going to have to learn to live like this.
I'm going to have to learn to think like this. I'm going to
have to walk in this attitude and in this spirit. Paul is praying
for these people, God, the God of peace. It brought again from
the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great shepherd of the sheep,
through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in
all good works, working in you that which is well-pleasing in
his sight through Jesus Christ. What a perfect way to close this
book. You know, the book of Hebrews gives so much glory to Christ.
If you'll turn to chapter 1, in the very beginning of this
book, Paul starts talking about the greatness and glory of Christ.
This is really the theme of the book of Hebrews. If you want
a theme for the book of Hebrews, it's the greatness and glory
of our Redeemer priest, Jesus Christ. That's the theme of this
book. He starts off in chapter 1, verse 1, talking about Christ
being greater than the prophets. He said in verse 1, chapter 1,
God, who at sundry times and in different ways spake in times
past unto our fathers by the prophets, hath in these last
days spoken unto us by his Son. Christ is greater than all the
prophets. To him, give all the prophets witness. And then if
you look at chapter 1, verse 13, the Apostle Paul is talking
about how much greater Christ is, not only than the prophets,
but than the angels. In verse 13 he says, But to which
of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until
I make thine enemies thy footstool? Jesus Christ is greater than
the angels. And then, you know, the Israelites
bragged on their heritage, saying, we have Moses, we have Abraham.
Well, Paul in this book shows the greatness of Christ over
Moses. He's greater than Moses. In chapter
3, verse 3, he says, this man, talking about Christ, was counted
worthy of more glory than Moses. And as much as he who hath builded
the house hath more honor than the house. Christ is greater
than Moses. And then if you look at chapter
10, throughout these chapters between 4 and 10, he talks about
the priests, the tabernacle, the sacrifices, the atonement,
all of these things. And then he shows in chapter
10, verse 11 and 12, Christ greater than all the priests, Christ
greater than all of the sacrifices. He says in verse 11, Hebrews
10, and every priest, there were many of them, Christ only one.
Every priest standed. Christ finished his work and
sat down. Daily. They offered daily ministering
and offering, oftentimes, the same sacrifices. One sacrifice
right after the other. Christ, one sacrifice. And their
sacrifices could never take away sins. He has effectually purged
us from all sin. But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down. on the right hand of
God. Christ, this is the theme of
the whole book of Hebrews. The greatness and glory of Christ,
our Redeemer priest. He begins with Christ and he
ends with Christ. And this is the true religion
and true preaching always begins and ends with the Lord Jesus
Christ, as Paul did here in the book of Hebrews. He starts out
opening the opening verses of this book. God spake to our fathers
by the prophets in times past. He hath in these last days spoken
unto us by his Son." And then when he closes the book, he says
here in verse 21, "...make you perfect in every good work to
do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his
sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever."
This is one undeniable mark of a false prophet. This is one
undeniable mark of a false teacher. What is it? Somewhere along the
line, in some way, he will either deny or diminish the person and
work of Jesus Christ. That's the one undeniable mark
of a false prophet. Now, you can't always tell by
their morality or by their behavior or even by their conduct, but
you can tell a false prophet by his message. Somewhere along
the line, a false prophet will either deny or diminish the person
and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul is a true preacher of the
gospel. He begins with Christ He ends with Christ. Christ the
author, Christ the finisher of our faith. Christ greater than
the prophets, Christ greater than the angels, Christ greater
than Moses, Christ greater than the tabernacle, Christ sacrificed
greater than the sacrifices, and Christ greater than the priest.
It's Christ all the way through. And you listen to the average
preacher and you can weigh his message and measure the content
of his message by the importance he puts upon Christ Jesus. Somewhere
along the way, a false prophet will either deny the personal
work of Christ or he will diminish the personal work of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Somewhere along the line, he
will either put a question mark on his eternal sonship or his
humanity, either upon his sovereignty or his suretyship. either upon
his perfect righteousness or his efficacious, vicarious sacrifice,
either upon his exaltation or his intercession, either upon
his lordship or his second coming. But to the true preacher of the
gospel of God's grace, Christ is all and in all. Everything
is Christ, from beginning to end. To the false preacher, Christ
is great, but not all. Christ is something, but not
all. But to the Apostle Paul, the
whole book, it starts with Christ, it is filled with Christ, and
it closes with Christ. But I want to focus your attention
tonight on verses 20 and 21, and if we can, follow the natural
outline of this text. Well, first of all, he says,
now, the God of peace. When Paul calls our Heavenly
Father the God of peace, I feel sure that Paul is referring at
least to four things. When you look at that statement
there, now the God of peace, the God of peace. You know we,
in connection with God, we always think of peace. In reference
to holiness and godliness and righteousness, we think of peace.
But is that true? He calls God the God of peace.
There was a time when God was not at peace with us. There was
a time when there was no peace between us and God or between
God and us. So when Paul specifically and
intentionally points out that God is the God of peace, I believe
he refers to four things. Now, first of all, God is the
God of peace with respect to our reconciliation. It all begins
with God. We didn't seek peace, God did. We didn't seek an end to the
warfare, God did. We did not seek an end to the
conflict between flesh and spirit, between us and God, God did. If we had our way, we would still
be enemies of God. But the Lord God announced at
the birth of Christ to the shepherds on the Judean hillsides, peace
on earth. and goodwill toward men. He announced at the birth of
Christ both the peace and the conditions of peace. Turn with
me to Acts 10, verse 36. I want you to read this. Now,
here's what I'm saying, that the natural mind is enmity toward
God. It doesn't say it's at enmity,
it says it is enmity. It is not subject to the law
of God, neither indeed can be. Another scripture says, but when
we were enemies, Christ died for us. And the scripture says
we were strangers, we were foreigners, we were aliens, we were without
God, without hope, and without Christ in this world. So because
of our sins, and because of our rebellion, there is warfare between
God and men. There is enmity between heaven
and earth, and between earth and heaven. And earth did not
seek peace, and earth did not seek an end to the conflict and
the end to the warfare. It all started with God. He is
the God of peace with respect to reconciliation. We made no
overtures of peace toward God, and we never will. Left to ourselves,
we will remain at enmity. Now watch this in Acts 10.36. The word which God sent to the
children of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all. Now, 2 Corinthians
5, God sent the Word. From whom did it come? It didn't
come from Rome. It didn't come from the capitals
of religion. It came from heaven. God sent
the Word of peace. In 2 Corinthians 5, verse 20,
verse 21, it says this, God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself,
not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed
unto us the word of reconciliation." Now watch this. Did you read
the bulletin two weeks ago, the article I had in the bulletin
by Brother Barnett on reconciliation? That describes reconciliation
in Christ. When Jesus Christ died on the
cross, The enmity in our heart was not put away. The warfare
in our souls was not put away. We were not personally reconciled
to God when Christ died, but God was reconciled. That's what
Christ did. The offering of Christ was toward
the Father. It was unto the Lord. You see,
God Almighty had somewhat against us. It is impossible for God
to look with favor and to be at peace with a generation of
rebels. That's why Christ came. Christ
came to bring peace between God and men. Christ came to reconcile
enemies of God and to put away the warfare and the enmity and
the wrath from heaven against us. And Christ's offering and
sacrifice was toward the Father. Now, what removes the enmity
from our hearts? The Holy Spirit in regeneration.
The Holy Spirit in quickening grace. The Holy Spirit comes
and removes from our hearts. He sheds above the love of God
in our hearts. He gives us a new nature, a divine
nature, a holy nature, and puts away the hatred and enmity in
our hearts against God. But Christ came, the Prince of
Peace. Christ came to affect peace between
the throne of heaven and this earth. And without Christ, God
Almighty has to remain estranged from us. He's the God of peace
in reference to our reconciliation. All right? Secondly, He's the
God of peace with respect to forgiveness and pardon. Turn
to Colossians 1. This is what Paul is talking
about here. Now, the God of peace. God of peace. He's the God of
peace with respect to reconciliation. He's the God of peace with respect
to pardon and forgiveness. In Colossians 1 verse 19, listen
to this. For it pleased the Father that
in Christ should all fulness dwell, and having made peace
through the blood of his cross by Christ to reconcile all things
to himself. By him I say whether there be
things in earth or things in heaven, and you that were sometime
alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now
hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to
present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight."
God is reconciled. Now God can speak to us in terms
of love, in terms of forgiveness, in terms of pardon, because Christ
Jesus has enabled a just God to be holy and to be gracious,
to be righteous and to be merciful, to be just and justifier, because
Christ has put away all of the marks of evil against us on the
books of God. And God can love us, and he can
look upon us with favor, and he can justly and righteously
pardon us and put away our guilt. And then thirdly, he's the God
of peace with respect to our hearts and consciences. How,
with the motions of sin, and the passions of evil, and the
thoughts of iniquity, and the imaginations of blasphemy that
continually run through our minds and our hearts, how earthbound
we are. None of us here can say that
we're free from the thoughts of evil and imaginations of evil
and, yea, the words of evil and the deeds of evil. So how can
we ever feel safe? How can we ever feel that a holy
God truly is at peace with us? How can we ever feel that God's
not waiting around the corner to stamp us out or to bring us
into court and judgment because of our thoughts and our sins?
Turn to Romans 5, verse 1, and I'll show you how we can have
that confidence and how we can have peace in our hearts. We
can have peace in our hearts, Romans 5, verse 1 says, because
of Christ. Therefore being justified by
faith, not by works, not by the deeds of the law, not by the
merits of human nature, but justified by faith we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access into
this grace wherein we stand and we can rejoice in hope of the
glory of God. I can rest, I can have peace
of conscience and peace of heart because Christ, my representative,
my substitute, my redeemer, has been accepted and is seated at
the right hand of God. And my sins, because of Christ,
are put away. So God is the God of peace. He's
God of peace in respect to our reconciliation. He's the God
of peace in respect to forgiveness and pardon. He's the God of peace
in respect to our consciences and our hearts. And He's the
God of peace in respect to our dealing with one another. Now
turn, if you will, to 1 Corinthians 14. Because of our relationship
with Christ, and only because of that, can we have peace one
with another, between ourselves, in the church of the Lord Jesus
Christ. And where there is no peace between brethren, somebody
is not a brother. For Christ, for John wrote, he
said, if you don't love your brother whom you have seen, how
can you love God whom you haven't seen? And by this shall all men
know ye are my disciples, if ye love one another." And if
that love is missing, then Christ is missing because Christ brings
peace between believers and between brethren. In 1 Corinthians 14,
verse 33, it says, God is not the author of confusion. God
is not the author of confusion, of wrath, of strife, of divisions. God is not the author of that
at all. God is the author of peace. as in all the churches
of the saints. Where God is, there's peace.
Where God dwells in your heart and God dwells in my heart, we'll
dwell together in peace. Where God dwells in my heart
and dwells in your heart, then we'll dwell together in unity.
And if we cannot dwell together in peace and in harmony and love
and in unity, it is clearly evident that God does not dwell there
because he is not the author of confusion, he's the author
of peace. So let's look at our text again.
He says, now the God of peace. The God of peace. And we do not
use that term lightly. We do not just assume that everything's
all right between us and God. Everything's all right between
us and God because Christ Jesus came down here and made it right.
God was in Christ. God is the author of peace. God
is the source of peace. God is the editor of peace. God
is the giver of peace. God is the supplier of peace,
and he sent Christ down here to effect peace in order that
he might be just and deal with sinners like you and me in mercy
and grace. And he's the author of peace
in our hearts and in our consciences and between one another, and
he's the God of peace with respect to forgiveness and pardon. Now,
look at the next statement. The God of peace that brought
again from the dead Our Lord Jesus Christ, that great shepherd
of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant.
God is the author of peace, but the blood of Christ is the foundation
of peace. God is the author of peace, but
the blood of Christ is the ground and foundation of peace. And
the blood of Christ is the only way that God Almighty can be
just and justified. He said, the blood of the everlasting
covenant. Where did this blood of the everlasting
covenant originate? How did it come to pass? What was the beginning of this
foundation, this ground of peace between God and the sinner? I
think the everlasting covenant may have run something like this.
Back before the morning stars sang together, back before the
sons of God shouted for joy, back before God made the earth
or even the heavens or the angels, something took place between
the Trinity. And you know the Scripture refers
frequently to the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is not
complimentary to Christ Jesus our Lord for us to take the position
of the Jesus-only people. When God said, let us make man,
who was he talking to? Who's the us there? Not God and
the angels, not God and some other creatures. Let us make
man. When man sinned and man tried
to build a tower to heaven, God said, let us go down and confound
their language. Us. Who's us? It can only be
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And back before
the foundations of this world, if you can even think back that
far, the Father, listen to this, I, the Eternal Father, in wisdom
and love do give unto my only begotten Son a people countless
beyond the stars in number of every tribe and kindred and nation
and tongue unto heaven. I decree that in Christ they
shall be elected. In Christ they shall be accepted. In Christ they shall be regarded,
in Christ they shall be loved, in Christ they shall be redeemed,
in Christ they shall be glorified, and that through the ages of
eternity they shall be like him, and they shall be trophies of
his grace, and they shall ever be to the praise of my grace
and my glory. I the Son I, the only begotten well-beloved
son, do hereby take upon myself to be the surety and the redeemer
and the mediator of those given me by the Father. In time, I
shall go to the earth. I shall clothe myself in the
likeness of their flesh. I shall meet the holy law as
a man, tried, tempted, tested, in all points as they are tried
and tested, yet without sin. And yea, even in points that
they do not understand, I shall bear their sins in my body on
the tree. I shall bear their iniquities.
I shall be numbered with the transgressors. I will satisfy
the justice of my Father on behalf of those whom he gave me. I will
die, I will rise again, I will ascend to the right hand of my
Father, from which one day I will go back to the earth to possess
that which is mine by decree and by gift and by purchase,
and I will raise them in my likeness and take them to the place for
which I have prepared for them." I, the Holy Spirit, and I'm paraphrasing,
I don't have any scripture that tells me this exactly what took
place, but I, the Holy Spirit, do hereby solemnly affirm that
all who were given to the Son by the Father, who are redeemed
by the blood of Christ, I will in God's own time, in his appointed
time, cross the path of that sinner I will quicken him, I
will regenerate him, I will convict him of sin, I will work in him
both repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ. I will
call him to faith, and because of my work he shall hear, he
shall see, and he shall believe." The everlasting covenant. The
blood of the everlasting covenant. If you understand that three
things stand in the way of peace with God, you'll understand the
need both of the blood, the everlasting covenant, and the sacrifice of
our Savior. What are the three things that
stand between you and God? What are the three things that
stand in the way of peace with God? What are the three things
that obstruct the love of God from being bestowed upon people? The three things are, number
one, the holy law of God. God's law must be honored. Secondly,
the justice of God. God's justice must be satisfied. And thirdly, the rebellious,
evil, sinful nature in every sinner's heart. It must be broken. So Jesus Christ, our Lord, came
down here and met the holy law of God and perfectly honored
it. He took upon himself our sins and satisfied the justice
of God, and the Holy Spirit moves within to make of us new creatures
who do not hate God, but who embrace God in a willing and
loving manner. What is the evidence that God
has been reconciled? Well, let's look again at this
text. It says the God of peace, the God of peace, And here are
three things, three evidences that God has been reconciled
toward those whom he gave to Christ in that everlasting covenant.
There are three evidences given here. Now the first one is this,
the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord
Jesus Christ. Is that an evidence that God
has been reconciled? that Christ is brought again
from the dead, it certainly is. Now while Jesus Christ, now he
assumed, he took upon himself human flesh. He took upon himself
to become our representative, our surety. He was numbered with
us. He was numbered with the transgressors.
He was actually regarded as being one with us in our sins. Jesus
Christ, and I don't know exactly how to put this, he had no sin
of his own. Our Lord knew no sin. But Jesus
Christ, because of imputed guilt, because
of bearing our guilt, was in one person the greatest sinner
that ever lived. Now, you think about that a minute.
He knew no sin. He had no sin. He was without
sin. But he took upon himself, the
Father gave the Son of people, and Christ became their surety,
their substitute, their federal head, their representative. And
in order to effect a peace with God, he had to take His place
identified with us on this earth in the likeness of sinful flesh,
and all the sins of all believers of all generations were laid
on Christ. And thus by imputation, credited
to him, reckoned to him, he had more sin than any creature who
ever lived. He was made sin for us. All our
sins were laid on Christ. Now, while Christ was in the
clutches of the holy law, and while Christ was in the clutches
of the justice of God, and while Christ was in the state of the
dying and the dead, now listen to me, he was in effect a prisoner. He was under arrest. Jesus Christ
was under arrest. Jesus Christ was a prisoner,
a prisoner of God's holy law and a prisoner of God's righteous
justice. He was, in effect, us. He became
what we are, that we might become what he is. He who knew no sin
was made sin for us. You see what I'm saying? And
the holy law of God and the justice of God, which stands between
us and reconciliation, us and peace, they had Christ. And in effect, he was a prisoner. He surrendered himself to that
law and to that justice and to that wrath and to that hell.
He was in the hands of men and in the hands of the law and in
the hands of demons and in the hands of a God of wrath. The whole element, the whole
covenant of mercy, the whole population of the kingdom of
God was under arrest in that person,
Jesus Christ. So he died. He died. He died, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me? God turned away. He died. He was so alone. He was so deserted. He was so forsaken because he
was represented. all the elect, all believers,
all of the population of the kingdom of God and all of the
names and people in God's elect. All right, they buried him. They
buried him. And it says here that God brought
him from the dead. Well, he had the power to get
out of there by himself, didn't he? But he didn't. Did you know
an angel came down and rolled that stone away? Huh? That's what it said. Let's make
sure of that. Let's turn to Matthew 28. Let's make sure of that.
Let's see now. It says here, we know he had
the power over death, don't we? He brought Lazarus forth, didn't
he? The widow's son? Didn't he bring the widow's son
forth? And Jairus' daughter? But when
Christ subjected himself to the punishment of our sins and to
the justice and holy law of God, he was in effect a prisoner.
He was laid in that tomb. And it says here in Matthew 28,
verse 1, In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the
first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other mayor
to see the sepulchre. And behold, there was a great
earthquake. There had been, it says, for the angel of the Lord
descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from
the door and sat on it. God brought him from the dead. And what is this telling us?
It is telling us this, as a judge himself comes to the present
and sets the prisoner free, opens the door and says, you're innocent,
you're justified, you're without guilt. I come personally to let
you know that I'm freeing you and you're no longer under any
condemnation, no longer bearing any sin. The Heavenly Father
did that himself, Cecil. He brought him from the dead.
And when the Heavenly Father brought him from the dead, if
Christ had, by his own power and authority, walked out of
that tomb, I would have believed the Father had been reconciled,
but this is better. The Father said, I accept what
he did. I accept him. He came forth without sin. Let
me show you an example of that in Acts 16. In the 16th chapter
of Acts, the apostles were in prison. In the 16th chapter of
Acts, verse 35, this is interesting here. The apostles were in prison,
and it says in verse 35 of Acts 16, And when it was day, the
magistrates sent the sergeants and said, Let those men go. And
the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates
have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart and go in
peace. But Paul said, Hold on here now. Paul said, they've
beaten us openly, innocent, uncondemned, being Romans, and they've cast
us into prison. And now, do they let us out privately?
Do they slip us out the back door? Oh, no, verily, let them
come themselves, and let me out. I want to judge himself, he said,
to come, and by his presence here, and by his opening the
gate and opening the door, he says, oh, Paul's not guilty.
Oh, Paul's not guilty. And he apologizes. And so the
sergeants went and told these words to the magistrates, and
it scared them when they heard they were Romans, and they came
and besought them and brought them out and asked them to leave
the city. I don't know whether I can make
this plain as it ought to be made. I wish I could. We're just
so disassociated from from what took place at Calvary. I don't
think we are touching the hem of the garment. I don't think
the average preacher preaches Christ's work, Charlie, as substitutionary. I think they think they do, but
I don't think they do. I don't think they know enough about
it themselves. Christ came down here and died
as a sacrifice or as an example or as an offering. There's a
whole lot more to it than that. When Christ died, I died. God Almighty, in the everlasting
covenant, gave his Son a people. He gave his Son, and Christ assumed
at that moment the suretyship of those people. He's like old
Judah said to his father, he said, I'll become surety for
Benjamin, and I'll go get him, and if I don't bring him back,
you hold me wholly responsible. I'll be a surety. That's what
a surety is. A surety is totally responsible. If somebody signs
your note down at the bank as a surety, they don't have to
come to you, they can go to him. He's responsible for that note.
It's his. He took it upon himself, I think.
And Christ became the surety of an everlasting covenant. His
blood is the blood of an everlasting covenant, and the enmity between
me and God kept God from manifesting His grace or His love or His
mercy to me, and Christ came down here to this earth. And
when He stood on this earth, it was me and you and every believer
was walking in the person of Jesus Christ. You say, how can
one man be so many? He's an infinite man. He's the
God-man. He's not in the universe, the
universe is in Him. He's the sovereign, almighty
God of the universe. And when He stood on this earth,
there was a whole race of people in Him. Just like when Adam stood
in the Garden of Eden, there was a whole race of people in
that man Adam. There's just two Adams, the first
Adam of the earth and the second Adam is the Lord from heaven.
And when Adam fell, every one of us fell. When God threw Adam
out of the Garden of Eden, he's throwing the whole human race
out. When God Almighty separated Adam from his presence, he was
separating the whole race from his presence. When Adam died, the whole race
died. When Adam rebelled, the whole
race rebelled. We were all judged in one man
by one man's disobedience. The many were made sinners, and
judgment and condemnation passed upon all men for all sin. Christ
came down here, he took all the sins of all believers of all
generations in his body, and he went to that tree. And when
the wrath of Almighty God was poured out upon his soul and
his body, it was the wrath of God, the infinite wrath of God,
the insatiable wrath of God, as far as men are concerned,
satisfied by Christ. And when all of that wrath of
all of our sins was spewed upon Christ, he cried, it's finished!
And he died! And I was executed right then.
The justice of God executed every believer when it executed Christ.
The holy law of God, the justice of God, the wrath of God, the
hell of God executed every believer. And they took him down from that
cross, they took me down, and put us in a tomb. The whole race
of believers were laid in that tomb, I think. And when God the
Father sent his angel down here, said, roll that stone away and
let set the prisoner free. And when my Lord walked out of
that tomb, brought from the dead by God the Father, every believer
was brought from the dead, I think. No sin, no judgment, therefore
now, no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus. In Him
we are holy, unreprovable, unblameable, in Him, having made peace through
the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things, whether
they were already in heaven, as Moses and Elijah and Jeremiah
and David, or on the earth, such as Peter and James and John and
you and me. But they were all in Christ.
And when Christ came out of that tomb, we came out. We came out. The judge himself opened the
door and set the justified sinner free. Justified. That's proof
that God's reckons are. What's the second proof? He calls
him that great shepherd of the sheep. See it? He brought again
from the dead our Lord Jesus, and he calls him that great shepherd
of the sheep. He's called the great shepherd,
the good shepherd, And the chief shepherd, now he can't be a great
shepherd unless he can be trusted with all the sheep. If he loses
one, he's not a great shepherd. If he deserts one, he's not a
good shepherd. If he doesn't have the power
to deliver one, he ain't a chief shepherd. And our Lord calls him, our God
calls him, all of those things. Good shepherd. I'm the good shepherd. I know my sheep and have known
of mine. And other sheep I have which are not of this foal, them
I must bring. I must bring them. And they shall
hear my voice and there shall be one foal and there shall be
one shepherd. The great shepherd. And then
the third evidence that God's reconciled, he said, is through
the blood of an eternal covenant. What kind of covenant is an eternal
covenant? Well, it's eternal both ways. It has no beginning
and no ending. It's eternal. Eternal. And this covenant shall be fulfilled. Turn to Romans 8. God says it
will, in Romans chapter 8. God says this everlasting covenant
is going to be fulfilled. In every jot and tittle, he said,
all flesh is grass, and the goodliness of man is the flower of the field.
The grass withereth, and the flower fadeth, because the Spirit
of the Lord bloweth on it, but the word of God shall abide forever. God knoweth them that are his.
And Romans 8, 29 says, For whom he did foreknow, that word is
foreordained. 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, them
he also called, and whom he called, them he justified, and whom he
justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these
things? If God be for us, who can be
against us? If God be for me in eternal mercies,
if God be for me in representation, if God be for in death on that
cross, if God be for me in resurrection, if God be for me in intercession,
if God be for me in preparation of a city, who can be against
me? Can somebody in heaven be against
me? Can somebody on earth be against me? Can somebody in hell
be? Can anyone prevail? Is anything too hard for God?
Mary said, how can these things be? I don't know a man. And the
angel said, God can do anything. You think there's something too
hard for God? And he goes on and says, he that
spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall
he not with Christ freely give us all things that Christ purchased?
Shall Christ be disappointed? Shall Christ be defeated? Shall
Christ make a purchase with His holy, spotless, precious blood
and that purchase not be given? Shall Christ redeem and a man
not be redeemed? Shall Christ offer a ransom and
that ransom not be accepted? Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? Who opened the door and let the
prisoner out? God did. Anybody going to question
his decision? Huh? Anybody going to question
his decision? It's God that justifies. It's
God that says, set him free! It's God that says, I'm satisfied.
Who else is there to satisfy? It's God that says, I'm reconciled.
Who else has to be reconciled? The Pope? The Cardinal? The Bishop? The Reverend? The
pastor? It's God that's reconciled. Who
can lay in charge of God's election? Who is he that condemneth? It
is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is even
at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession. Notice how Paul rises there with
each one of those statements. Who is he that condemneth? He
says Christ died, and then he says, yea, rather Much more,
he's risen again. If Christ had died and stayed
in that tomb, we'd be as dead as the Mohammedans, because that's
where their Messiah is. We'd be dead as the Buddhists,
because that's where their Messiah is, in the tomb. We'd be as dead
as the Confucius, because that's where their Messiah is, in the
tomb. But our Lord is risen. Our representative is risen,
who he rather is risen again, who is what's his. And not only
risen again, but he is even. at the right hand of God. What's
the right hand mean? Acceptance? Love? Power? Authority? Sit thou on
my right hand. Who also, he just keeps on rising,
doesn't he? Who also. What's making intercession
mean? Well, you know what intercession
means. You mamas do that all the time. You go to Daddy and
say, now Junior didn't mean to do that, Daddy. Junior's off
in his room and they're pouting, you know, and you go to Daddy
and say, now, Lee, ease up on him, Daddy, a little bit there,
you know. I want you to let him have the car, OK? For my sake,
huh? And old Daddy, he melts, doesn't
he? Here's the keys, you know, let him go. That's intercession. That's what that means. But I
tell you, we ain't got a prayer with a holy God unless Christ
makes intercession. And our Lord Jesus Christ. But
He doesn't plead sympathy. Because God must punish sin.
God doesn't deal with sinners in pity. He deals with them in
justice. He deals with them in justice. See, God can't vacillate
on this thing. He can't weigh these things and
decide. He's got to deal with sin as
sin. And so Christ comes and says,
let him go. See, this wound, I died for it.
I died for it. I paid his bill. I paid his debt. You look on me, and you look
on him, and you look on him in me." He's innocent. All right,
notice this, and I'll close. I'm preaching too long. Hebrews
13, this has got so much here. Hebrews 13, one more time. He
says, "...the God of peace brought again from the dead, our Lord
Jesus Christ, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood
of the eternal covenant, make you perfect." Well, let's don't
run from words like that. Now, there's one way that this
cannot be considered, not by honest people. Paul said this,
I'm not perfect. Paul the Apostle, the writer
of thirteen epistles, the founder of churches, the first missionary,
the man, God's own chosen man, the man who was caught up to
the third heaven, says, I am not perfect. And here he prays
that God will make you perfect. But he must not mean, I just
know he doesn't mean perfection in the flesh. Because we claim
perfection in the flesh would be liars. If I justify myself,
my own mouth would condemn me. If I say I'm without sin, I'm
a liar in the truth, not in me. And if I say I don't have any
sin, I make God a liar, make God confederate in my rebellion. I'd like to be perfect, wouldn't
you? But I'm not. I have to say I'm the chief of
sinners, O wretched man that I am. I'll tell you another thing,
perfection would ill-equip me for life here, I'll tell you
that. I wouldn't have much fellowship with you, would I, if I was perfect?
I'll tell you something else, I wouldn't have much pity for
you either. I wouldn't have much compassion. But what does this
mean? Well, it might be considered
in three ways. The God of peace makes you perfect. And these
three I know are so, because the scripture backs this up.
It means perfect in Christ. We are complete in Christ. I'm
already perfect. I'm already perfect. I am faultless
and flawless in Christ, in the sight of God. That's right. In
the sight of God, I have no sin. With his faultless garments on,
I'm as holy as his own son, in Christ. So in Christ I am perfect. It may mean this, God make you
perfect in the next world, because I'm going to be perfect. Now
I know in part, but then I'm going to know as I'm known. Now
I see it through a glass darkly, but I shall see. Faith will give
way to reality, and to sight and hope will give way to reality,
and I'll be just like Christ. When I see him, I'll be just
like him, perfect. But you know what I really believe
Paul means here? I believe he's talking about
spiritual maturity. This is the most logical thing
of all. The God of peace make you perfect. Yes, you are complete in Christ.
That's so. Move it aside. We shall be perfect. We shall be conformed to His
image. That's so. Move that aside. Now, right now,
make you mature in every good work, right now, to do His will. Working in you that which is
well-pleasing in His sight. in every good work. God gives
you spiritual maturity. That's Paul's prayer for these
people. In your works of righteousness, not only in some of them, but
in all of them, that all that you do may be for the glory of
God. This is the will of God, even your sanctification. This
is the will of God, that you walk in his will. In everything
give thanks, for this is the will of God concerning you. Now,
that's what he's talking about. Working in you that which is
well-pleasing in his sight. What's well-pleasing in God's
sight? What is it? Faith. Without faith, it's impossible
to please God. Let's look back one verse here,
and I'll let you go. Hebrews 11, verse 5. Now, watch this. Hebrews 11,
5. By faith, Enoch was translated that he should not see death,
and he was not found because God translated him. For before
his translation, he had this testimony that he pleased God.
Look at the next verse, but without faith it's impossible to please
God. So what was it in Enoch that pleased God? You know what
it was? His faith. What was it in Abraham that pleased
God? Abraham believed God. Abraham believed God. Abraham
wasn't perfect. He wasn't perfect. He was imperfect, but he pleased
God. He believed God. That's how he pleased God. He
believed God. And may God do this, working in you that which
is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ. Christ
is the object of faith. Christ is the life of faith.
I hope this message tonight, if it has done anything, has
brought you to think upon the representative, the Lord Jesus,
our surety. God deals with us in Christ,
looks upon us in Christ. He dealt with us in Christ, and
right now, he accepts us in the Beloved. And I'll tell you, Bruce
read this a while ago, he that honors the Son, honors not the
Son, honors not the Father. And I'll tell you this, if you
want to honor the Father, you honor the Son. You honor him
with faith, with love, with confidence, with committal, honor the Son. That's the way to honor the Father.
Honor the Son. Our Father in Heaven, we are
so thankful for Thy mercies, all the infinite, unspeakable,
precious mercies of God in Christ Jesus. What wretches, what sinful
creatures, what rebels we have been and we are. And yet, O Lord,
thou hast loved us in Christ, and chose us in Christ, and set
your affections upon us in Christ, and, yea, Lord, dealt with our
sins in Christ, and accepted us in the Beloved, and raised
us in Christ, and already hath seated us with him in the heavenlies. For where Christ is, we are,
and what Christ has, we have. Our hope is Christ. Lord, help
us to grow in grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Help
us to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. Help us to think upon
Christ. Move in every heart in this congregation
to accomplish that which is well-pleasing in thy sight. Help us in every
circumstance and whatever the environment and whatever the
consequences to believe God. To be able to say with Abraham,
I believe God. To say with the Apostle Paul,
I believe God. In his precious name we pray
and for his glory. Amen.