Our text tonight is John 14,
verse 1. Let not your heart be troubled.
You believe in God, believe also in me. Now, the Lord Jesus had
told his disciples of his death. He had told them of his departure. He had washed the disciples'
feet. He had instructed them in the
grace of humility. He had told them that he would
be betrayed by one of them. They began to ask, Lord, is it
I? Is it I? Judas had departed to
carry out his betrayal scheme and to sell his Lord for eighteen
dollars. The Apostle Peter had boasted
that he would lay down his life for Christ's sake. I'll follow
thee, Lord. I'll lay down my life for your
sake. And the Master had interrupted
Peter in his idle boasting and told him that he would deny him
not once, not twice, but three times. Now the disciples were
troubled. Their Lord was about to leave
them. He was about to die. One of them
was betraying the Master. The Apostle Peter was shocked
to learn from the lips of the Master that he would deny his
Lord. And they were discouraged. Humanly
speaking, they had many reasons for their discouragement and
many reasons for their sorrow. because they couldn't see beyond
the moment. If these disciples had been able
to see the design of his death, if they had been able to comprehend
or understand what would be accomplished by the death of their Lord, if
they could have seen beyond this moment, if they could have seen
their sins all removed, their guilt put away, If they could
have seen God the Father reconcile to them, if they could have seen
themselves out preaching under the power of the Holy Spirit,
and sinners being brought to a knowledge of Christ, they would
have rejoiced. But they could not see as we
can't see the future. All in the world that they could
see was the Lord leaving them. All they could see was their
enemies descending upon them. All they could see was one of
their number betraying and another denying and the rest forsaken.
The Lord Jesus Christ does not remove our crosses. He does not
always remove our burdens. But he comforts us under those
crosses and under those burdens. And he comforts us by encouraging
us to believe in him. He says, let not your heart be
troubled. You believe in God, you believe
in God the creator, you believe in God the governor of all things,
you believe in God the king of the universe, you believe in
God the preserver of all things in whom we live and move and
have our being, you believe the promises of God in Moses, You
believe the promises of God in the Psalms and in the Prophets?
You believe all that he spoke concerning the Messiah? You believe
the Redeemer is to come and save Israel? You believe that? Then
he says, believe in me. Now my message tonight has four
points. Jesus Christ is the sole object
of faith. Whether it be faith for salvation,
or faith for strength, or faith for comfort, or faith for death,
or faith for judgment, or faith for eternity, Jesus Christ is
the sole object of faith. Years ago there was a famous
preacher and writer by the name of Stephen Charnock. I have his
works, and they are unusually good." And he made this statement. God, apart from Christ, is an
angry God. God, apart from Christ, is an
offended sovereign. And unless we behold him in and
through the Mediator, Jesus Christ, the terrors of his majesty would
overwhelm us. We dare not approach God the
Father except in Christ the Son because of our sins. We first
must fasten our eyes upon Christ and then upon the Father. We first must call upon Christ
and then the Father. We first must rest in Christ
and then in the Father. For if Jesus Christ does not
bear our guilt and reconcile us unto God and intercede for
us as our mediator, we perish. Before any man can think to stand
before the face of God's or be admitted to the secret chambers
of God's mercy, or partake of the riches of God's grace, he
must look to Christ, the Mediator, the Great High Priest, the Intercessor,
who satisfies God's justice and honors God's holy law. For it was of his Son, he said,
This is my Son, in whom I am well pleased." Peter said in
1 Peter 1, verse 21, that it is by Christ that we believe
in God. He says in verse 18, you know
you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from
your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers,
but with the precious blood of Christ." That's how you were
redeemed, you know that. "...as a lamb without spot or
blemish, who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the
world, but was manifest in these last times for you who by him
do believe in God." The covenant was made before
the world. The people were given to Christ
before the world was founded and created. But he was manifest
in these last days, and he was manifest for you, who by him
do believe in God. Turn to Galatians chapter 3. In Galatians, it's the second
chapter, Galatians 2, Paul says in verse 16, knowing that a man
is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith
of Jesus Christ. How's a man justified? Not by
the works of the law, he's justified by the faith of Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Jesus
Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not
by the works of the law. For by the works of the law shall
no flesh be justified." Hebrews 7, 25. Turn over there. Hebrews chapter 7, verse 25. Listen to the word of God. He is able also to save them
to the uttermost or evermore that come unto God by him. Christ is the sole object of
faith. We come to God only by Christ. He said, I am the way, the truth,
and the life. No man cometh to the Father but
by me. I am the door, by me if any man
enter in, he shall be saved, and go in and out, and find pasture.
Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come
to God by him, by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession. He liveth eternally to make intercession. He has always lived to make intercession. He shall always live to make
intercession. for them. He is our wisdom to take away
our foolishness and rest our trust in his redemptive work,
the cross. He is our righteousness to remove
our filthy rags and present us holy and without blame before
his majesty. He is our sanctification to clear
us of that which is offensive before the Father He is our redemption. At the cross, at the cross where
I first saw the light, and there the burden of my heart rolled
away, it was there by faith I received my sight. And now I'm happy all
the day. Down at the cross where my Savior
died, down where for cleansing from sin I cried, there to my
heart was the blood applied, glory to his name. I'm so wondrously
saved from sin. Jesus so sweetly abides within. There at the cross, that's where
he took me in. Glory to his name. Christ is the sole object of
faith. Secondly, turn to Psalm 110. Christ was always the soul, object of faith. Not as distinctly as now, not
as clearly revealed as now, not as openly understood as now,
but Christ was always the object of faith. Now watch this, Psalm
110. You say, what are you going back
there to the book of Psalms for, to prove that Christ was always
the object of faith? Christ did it before me. In Psalm 110, verse 1, David
wrote, The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand
until I make thine enemies thy footstool." When David speaks
of the Father, he says, The Lord. The Lord said unto my Lord. Who's he talking about there?
He's talking about the Messiah. He's talking about Christ. If
you'll go over here to Matthew 22 verse 44, you'll see Christ
referring to this scripture right here, talking about him being
the Messiah. Matthew 22 verse 44, turn over
there. He said in verse 42 to the Pharisees,
in Matthew chapter 22 verse 42, he said to the Pharisees, what
think ye of Christ? What think ye of the Messiah?
What think ye of the Redeemer? And they said unto him, he's
the son of David. This Messiah is going to be the
son of David. They didn't believe Jesus Christ
was the Messiah. They didn't believe he was the
Christ. And so Christ said, what think ye of Christ? Whose son
is he? They said he's the son of David.
And he saith unto them, then how doth David in spirit call
him Lord? David calls him capital L-O-R-D,
Lord, saying, The Lord, the heavenly Father, said unto my Lord, Christ
the Messiah, sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies
thy footstool. David's object of faith was not
the Hebrew sacrifices, it was Christ. David's object of faith
was not his good works, it was Christ. I don't know, I reckon, I reckon
we're just going to have to take a hammer and beat this into folks'
heads. I don't know any other way to
get it down. The Holy Spirit won't put it that high in the
world you're going to get it down. My wife teaches a Sunday
school class, and I pride myself on the fact that even the boys
and girls in this church know how to be saved. Well, she asked
them this morning in class, these are first graders, and she asked
them, she said, how are people saved? And one of them raised
his hand. She called on him. He said, well,
just try to be a little better. Try to be a little better. And one little fellow sitting
next to him said, it's awful hard, it's awful hard to be good
for very long. Now you think about it, you chew
on that just a little while. They're raised here hearing about
Christ, but they don't hear it. People sit here Sunday after
Sunday listening to the gospel, but they don't hear it. Inbred, ingrained, inborn in
every one of you is salvation by works, and you're going to
get to heaven by your works in spite of hell. That's just exactly
what most of you believe. But I'm here to tell you, you're
not going to make it. It's not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to his mercy, mercy, mercy, mercy. And if you don't have mercy,
you're going to hell. I don't know what it'll take
to get you to understand that. David looked to Christ. He didn't
look to his works. He didn't look to his victories.
He didn't look to the law. He didn't look to the Hebrew
sacrifices. He said, the Lord said to my
Lord, my Lord. It's clear to Moses. Turn to
Hebrews 11. It's clear to Moses way back
yonder. And I'll tell you, their revelations,
their revelations weren't as clear as yours. They didn't have
the completed Bible. Most of them didn't even have
a Bible. They listened to the prophets.
God, who at sundry times in endowers manner spake to our fathers by
the prophets, hath spoken to us in these last days by his
Son, and we won't even hear him. We're so bullheaded. Our heads
are concrete blocks. We just can't get it through
our heads that God will show mercy. through Christ and only through
Christ. In Hebrews 11 verse 24, listen
to it, "...by faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused
to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to
suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures
of sin for a season." esteeming the reproach of Christ. Of whom? Of Christ. Greater riches and the treasures
in Egypt. In whom did Moses trust? In Christ. In Christ, not in himself. He
saw greater riches and greater honor in Christ than he did in
Egypt or in Israel. In Christ. It's clear to Abraham,
look at Hebrews 11 verse 17, "...by faith Abraham, when he
was tried, tested, he offered up Isaac. And he that had received
the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was
said that in Isaac shalt thou cede. Because, accounting, Abraham
believed that God was able to raise him up." even from the
dead. And there on that Mount Moriah,
when he raised that knife to plunge it into the heart of his
only son, God says, Don't touch the lad. Look over there caught
in the thicket is a ram. Offer that ram in the stead of
your son. And Christ said in that day,
Abraham saw my Abraham saw substitution, Abraham saw redemption, Abraham
saw Christ the sacrifice, and he rejoiced, Christ said. Not
in his works, he rejoiced in me. Look at Hebrews 11.4, Abel
saw it. Abel, the object of faith, was
Christ for David, Moses, Abraham, Abel. Hebrews 11, 4, by faith,
Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than King. It was a sacrifice of faith.
It was belief in the person signified by that sacrifice. That's what
Abel rested in. It was the person signified by
the sacrifice. Abel was not ignorant of the
promised seed of woman if Mama had taught him about it. For
did you know that Eve looked for the Messiah? Turn to Genesis
chapter 4, I'll show you that. And you buy you another translation,
and buy you a Bible study book and a commentary, and you'll
see that this is true. When Adam and Eve had fallen,
when they had sinned, God promised the Messiah, God promised the
Savior, He said, The seed of woman shall bruise the serpent's
head, destroy its power. And when Eve gave birth to her
first son, she thought she had given birth to the Messiah. For
she says in verse 1 of chapter 4 of the book of Genesis, Adam
knew Eve, his wife, and she conceived and bear King, and she said,
I've gotten a man. And your better translations
will read it this way. I've gotten a man, dash, the
Lord." The Lord. That's who she thought King was.
She thought he was the Messiah. She thought he was the Redeemer.
She thought he was the Savior. And she said, I've gotten a man,
the Lord. The Lord. Now turn to Luke chapter
2. Christ was always the object
of faith. Those who were under the law
who believed, had their faith set upon the Messiah. When the
Lord Jesus was born of Mary and was brought to the temple in
Luke chapter 2, verse 25, there was a man in Jerusalem whose
name was Simeon. And this same man was just and
devout. He was waiting for the Messiah. He was waiting for the consolation
of Israel. The Holy Ghost was upon him.
It was revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit that he'll not see
death till he'd seen whom? The one he's looking for, the
Christ. The one David looked for, the
Christ. The one Abraham saw, the Christ. The one Eve thought
she had, the Christ. And the Holy Spirit said, Simeon,
you're not going to die till you see the Lord's Christ! He's
waiting on him And verse 27, he came by the Spirit into the
temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to
do for him after the custom of the law, he took him up in his
arms and blessed God and said, Lord, now lettest thy servant
depart in peace according to thy word, for mine eyes have
seen thy salvation. You know what Jacob said on his
deathbed? He said in Genesis 49, 18, O
Lord, I have waited for thy salvation. I have waited for thy salvation.
And here Simeon takes up the child Jesus in his arms and says,
Now I'm ready to die, I've seen thy salvation. It's here, right
in my arms. Turn to John chapter 4. Did you
know that even the Samaritan woman The woman who was living
in adultery and who had been married four or five times was
looking for the Messiah. These people were taught that
a Redeemer would come. In John 4, verse 28, the woman
left her water pot and went her way into the city and said to
the men in the city, Come and see a man which told me all things
that I ever did. Is not this the Christ? You reckon this is the Messiah?
You reckon this is the Christ? Turn to John 1. Listen to Philip
in verse 45. Philip found Nathanael, and he
said, Nathanael, we found him. These people weren't trusting
in their These people weren't trusting in the Hebrew sacrifices. These people weren't trusting
in the law. The sole object of their hope
and refuge and trust was the Christ. That's who they were
looking for. And Philip found Nathanael and
said, We found him, of whom Moses is in the law. And the prophets
did right. We found him. He's Jesus of Nazareth. And then Nathanael said the same
thing in John 1.49, and Nathanael answered and said unto him, Rabbi,
thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel. And Jesus said, Nathanael, because
I said to you I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe?
Nathaniel, you're going to see greater things than these. Why,
you're going to see heaven open and the angels of God ascending
and descending upon the Son of Man. Christ is the sole object
of faith, and Christ to the believer always has been the sole object
of faith. And then Christ is the object
of faith in his person and in his work. Our text says this.
Look at it. Look at it again. Let not your
heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also
in me, in his person. I am the Messiah. I am the great
person anointed by the Father to redeem. This faith is not
in a promise, it's in a person. This faith is not in a plan,
it's in a person. This faith is not in a purpose,
it's in a person. There is a purpose, and there
is a plan, and there is a promise. But it's all incorporated in
a person. He said, and I'll give you rest. Look unto me, and be you saved."
And this faith is not only in his person, but in his work. He said, I am the good shepherd,
I lay down my life for my sheep. And true faith looks to Christ,
the person who effectually performs the necessary work to accomplish
God's plan. He's not only God, but He's man. He's not only man, He's the crucified
man. He's not only the crucified man,
He's the risen man. He's not only the risen man,
He's the ascended man. He's not only the ascended man,
He's the accepted man. He's not only the accepted man,
He's the coming man. who will reign eternally, and
he's sufficient in all his offices. Nothing can be or need be added
to Christ, for he's the sole object of faith, and there is
no other. Let not your heart be troubled.
Believe in me. It's not believe in me and in
your profession. however sincere, however honest,
but believe in me." And that was there. It is not believe
in me and in your church, however strong the bond and the fellowship,
however confident you are in your creed and in your doctrine,
it's believe in me. It is not believe in me and your
baptism, however separating it was, however great it was, however
sincere it was, it's believe in me. It is not believe in me
and in your experience, however life-changing, however climactic,
however great it was, it's believe in me. It's not believe in me
and in your works, however sacrificial or however self-denying, it is
believe in me. Let not your heart be troubled,
troubled over sin, troubled over death, troubled over judgment,
troubled over eternity. You believe in God, you believe
in me. It is not believe in me and the
saints, it's believe in me. No other lamb was slain, no other
sacrifice was given, no other foundation was laid, and no other
way is provided. For other foundation can no man
lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ the Lord. And it is foolish to try to add
to Christ as it is to hold a candle up to help the Son give life. That's about what our works are
worth. We stand out here in a noonday sun, a brilliant sun in the month
of August, and it's beaming down, and a silly fellow gets a candle
out and lights it and holds it up and says, I'm going to help
the sun to give light to the world. The sun doesn't need your
candle, and Christ doesn't need your merit, and Christ doesn't
need your works, and Christ doesn't need your righteousness, and
Christ doesn't need anything you have. The Son is sufficient. Address yourself only to Christ,
believe only in Christ, cling only to Christ, and hope only
in Christ. Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, do you? Believe
also in me. Our Father, by the power of the
Holy Spirit, make the word effectual to the understanding and to the
profit of thy people. Reveal Christ to the heart. Bring us to see sin and guilt
and human depravity and inability. bring us to see as David, Moses,
Abraham, Jacob, that God's salvation is Christ, that God's way of
life is Christ, that God's anointed Redeemer is Christ and Christ
alone. God did not commission the church
to save, but to preach the Savior. God did not set forth the ordinances
of baptism and the Lord's Supper to redeem, but to remember the
Redeemer. and be identified with him. Grant,
O Lord, that our attention and our faith and our confidence
may only rest in Christ. He is worthy of our faith, he
is worthy of our confidence, for we are persuaded he is able
to keep that which we have committed unto him against that day, that
day of wrath, that day of glory, that day of judgment. and that
day when the nations shall be assembled in thy holy presence,
and the sheep divided from the goats, and we shall not be ashamed. He that believeth on Christ shall
not be ashamed. He that believeth on Christ shall
not be confounded. He that believeth on Christ shall
not be lacking. But he shall enter with his Lord
into the kingdom prepared from the foundations of this world.
Give us faith to believe, and O Lord, help our unbelief. In
Christ's name we pray. Amen.