R sbc
July 25,2004
Sunday Night
Subject: “ THREE THINGS ABOUT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST”
TEXT: HEB 13: 8-25
Intro: I wanted to bring this book to a close tonight and I cannot think of a better way to end it, than talking about the Lord Jesus Christ. In his closing remarks as we have seen he covers a vareity of suibjects and we have hit on most of them.
I... “ THE IMMUTABILITY OF CHRIST: VS 8
MH states that “Christ is the same in the Old Testament day, in the gospel day, and willl be so to his people forever”. I believe that likewise. We have endeavoured in my messages on Sunday morning to show that Christ is indeed the sum and the substance of the Bible.
He is the changeless Christ, this makes for a sure hope for the believers. I believe that when Malichi said in his writings Malachi 3:6 For I [am] the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. That he speaks of the immposiblity of God to change, in nature in character, in time, in his will.
(1.) His immutibilty is tied to his preexistence: John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
(2.) His immutibilty contrasted with us: Hebrews 1:11-12 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; 12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
(3.) His immutibility is seen in his final book of the Bible: Revelation 1:4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace [be] unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
In light of this fact he declares to them in verse 9 they were carried about with all kinds of skism in the day of this writing just as many are today. He states the reasons that they are not to be carried away.
II... “CHRIST OUR ALTAR”..VS 10-16
We hear much today about altars, the Roman Catholic Church has an altar in which they sacrifice Christ in each celebration of the mass, the pentacostals have an altar in which they call sinners to it to pray until they pray through and touch heaven and God saves them.
Some Baptist have an altar in which they instruct people likewise to come to the front of the church and pray and settle any issues that may exist between them and the LORD. It is so sad to see so many people today that have not the foggest idea of what the real altar is... It is Christ.
(1.) The possession..vs 10 “ We have an altar”
Every sinner that has been saved by Grace has an altar and it is Christ, I like what MH says, he is both our altar and our sacrifice. 1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
The cross was the instrument not the altar, Christ in our hearts is a great blessing and many benefits to it. Paul said it like this...Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
What does it mean to have Christ In you?
A. It means that you have been washed in his blood: Revelation 1-5
b. It means that you have been forgiven all your sins: 1 John 2:12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.
C. It means that you have been justified from allthings: Acts 13:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
D. It means that you have been accepted: Ephesians 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
E. It means that you have eternal life and eternal assurance: John 10:28-30
(2.) The exclusion: “they have no right”
If a sinner has not been saved, then they have no right to this altar: Peter speaks of tasting Christ 1 Peter 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord [is] gracious. David the Psalmist says Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD [is] good: blessed [is] the man [that] trusteth in him.
The exclusion is not permanent it is just till one comes to know Christ. You can make no claim on him until he is really yours. You must come in contact with him and he then will become your altar.
(3.) The fact stated: “Sanctified the people with his own blood” vs 12
A. He sanctfies the people:
Just as the Old Testament High Preist sancitifed the offering for his people Christ did the same for his people. The word sanctify means to set apart. It does not mean that we are holy apart from him, we are still unclean in the sight of GOD.
Next look at how he did it..
B. With his own blood:
It must be emphazied over and over again so that this children in this church will know that only through the Blood of Christ can they be saved. So many verses in the Bible that teach this and yet in our day men make light of the blood of Christ.
Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
The results of this is that we can offer spiritual sacrifices on our spiritual altar to the LORD GOD of heaven and he will hear and bless us. Look at what those sacrifices are...
(1.) It is praise to the LORD:vs 15
David said: Psalm 7:17 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.
Psalm 22:26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
(2.) This praise is demonstrated in our thankfulness...vs 15 Psalm 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, [and] into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, [and] bless his name.
Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
There are so many reasons to be thankful, but live in a generation of Christians that I believe to be unthankful. God has given me a thankful heart for which I am grateful to him. When Christ healed the 10 lepers look what happen.
Luke 17:12-18 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up [their] voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw [them], he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on [his] face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where [are] the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
Let us no be guilty of this sin of ingratitude...
(3.) To do good: vs 16
Psalm 34:14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
We have such an hindrance to the commandments of the LORD that it very difficult to do good and yet we are commanded to do so: Jeremiah 13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? [then] may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. Paul stated Romans 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
(4.) His grand exlcamation to this offering: “God is well pleased”
That is he accepts what has been done. This is our primary reason for existing in this life so that we can please the LORD. Psalm 69:30-31 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. 31 [This] also shall please the LORD better than an ox [or] bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
The benefit of pleasing the Lord: Proverbs 16:7 When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
III... “ CHRIST IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD”..VS 20-21
What a climactic end to this great book. Jesus Christ who lived died and rose again that he might the LORD of both the living and the dead. This is all done through the blood of the everlasting covenant. This covenant was made with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Listen as I read what Paul said:
1 Corinthians 15:14-20 And if Christ be not risen, then [is] our preaching vain, and your faith [is] also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith [is] vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the firstfruits of them that slept.
As the good shepherd he gives his life for the sheep:
As the great shepherd he raises himself from the dead:
As the chief shepherd he will come again one day for us:
The great benefit declared in these verses:
1st. We have hope of being raised one day:
2nd. That he will make us do his will:
3rd. That he is active in us:
Philippians 2:12-13 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.
He does this that he might be well pleased with us. It is no wonder that it is called the grace of GOD in us. Because it takes God’s grace to work in us.
1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which [was bestowed] upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
God’s grace was even on Christ: Luke 2:40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
There is no question that we need the grace of GOD in our lives daily and without what a mess we make of the things that we do. We must seek the grace of the LORD in be active in us, by prayer and bible study.