John, Pt. 13 | John 3:13-21

All right, if you will take your copy of the scriptures we're going to be in the gospel of

John chapter 3 Verses 13 through 21 the

gospel of John chapter 3 verses 13 through

21.

Oh Glorious God Lord we come to you

In the name of your beloved Son Jesus Christ.

And Lord we ask that you Speak to us today through your word.

That you will speak through me a mere man To your people

and that you will reveal this the hidden mystery of what you have for us to understand.

Or that if I say anything That is cloudy or That you will

make it clear as crystal.

That you will work in your people for you have filled them with your Holy Spirit

and he is our teacher.

So, please use me this day.

I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

So our theme for this Lord's Day is sola fide.

Sola fide, so if you go back to the the Reformation there was five truths given in the

Reformation.

Sola gratia, sola fide, sola Christus, sola scriptura, and sola

Deo gloria.

And what this is pointing to is the alone's right that we're saved by grace alone through faith

alone in Christ alone.

Who is found in Scripture alone for the glory of God alone?

And so we're going to see here is sola fide as we walk through this

passage faith alone and my Proposition is this and I forgot to mention.

This is our 13th message in the book of John.

So our my proposition is this.

Entrance into the new covenant is not by external works done in the flesh.

But by looking to Jesus Christ in faith, let me read that again entrance

into the new covenant is not done by external works done in the

flesh, but by Looking to Jesus Christ in faith.

We have already seen in this chapter that salvation is a sovereign work

of God alone.

The psalmist says that salvation Belongs to the Lord and we've walked through this

several times, right?

Like what does salvation mean?

Right.

It doesn't necessarily Have this salvific meaning right if I give this

instruction we are a church that's right beside a highway and this highway can be busy

and if a child was to run out and to the road and a Truck is bearing at the child.

And if you or me or someone was to run and move that child away from the coming traffic

that truck.

You in one sense would be that child salvation meaning that you rescue them.

So that's what the word salvation means.

It's to rescue that the sovereign work of God in salvation is God

rescuing us.

Right, and it's his work along.

It's God that steps out in front of his wrath and rescues us and the person of

Jesus Christ.

Jesus tells Nicodemus that unless one is born again He

cannot see.

This is with your eyes the kingdom of God that the kingdom of God is here.

But unless you're a part of God's business unless you have been rescued.

You cannot see it.

Right unbelievers have no understanding of why we gather week

after week after week.

Worshipping God and psalm hymn and spiritual song.

Sitting under his word Fellowshipping with us.

This does not make sense to the unbeliever.

But to the believer, this is what we long to do.

Right.

We long to gather in the house of God to worship him and not alone.

But corporately as a body of Christ.

Don't believer cannot see this.

As he hasn't been born again.

The kingdom of God is the rule of God in Christ on earth from heaven.

Jesus is our King.

He is sitting on the throne of David at the right hand of the father ruling and reigning and putting

all of his enemies under his feet and I said this last week that one day this Kingdom is going to swallow up

all kingdoms right as the kingdom of God is on earth.

It's growing every Person that receives Christ in faith and and partakes

in the baptism.

This kingdom is growing.

It's expanding.

It started with 12.

It was a hundred and twenty then five thousand were added in Acts chapter 2 then another 3 ,000 and what

about 500 years after that and another 500 years after that and another 500 years after that, right?

The kingdom of God is growing.

And one day this King was going to swallow up all kingdoms because we are a kingdom among kingdoms.

And in order to be a part of this kingdom, you must be born again in the same

way.

That you had nothing to do with your first birth so too you have nothing to do with your spiritual birth, right?

I made this analogy.

We did not go to our parents and some vision and say hey, I'm your future son or

daughter right.

You and my mom hook up and here.

I'll be here in the world.

We had nothing to do.

Right.

We did not do anything.

So too with being born again, the the Greek there speaks about it.

You're being born from above.

Last week we saw that baptism was a debated interpretation when it comes to verses 5 of

chapter 3 so I'm gonna read 3 Versus I mean chapter 3 verses 3 through

5 real quick just to touch base on where we've been.

Jesus answered and said to him speaking of Nicodemus truly truly I say to you

Unless one is born again.

He cannot see the kingdom of God.

Remember this is with your eyes Nicodemus said to him how can a man be born when he is

owed?

Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born Jesus?

Answer truly truly I say to you unless one is born of the water and the spirit He

cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.

So we had a Nicodemus a Jew a ruler right and a teacher that the

teacher of the Pharisees.

He was a part of the the Sanhedrin the the Jewish Council that judged

He entered the kingdom Right the kingdom of the Jews by

natural birth and Then he received since he was a male child.

He received the sign of the kingdom.

Which is circumcision and last week?

I pointed out that the new birth is our entrance into the kingdom and our

sign is baptism if you reject baptism.

You're not a part of the kingdom.

Right, I mean if if a male child If a father

refused to to circumcise their male child.

They were kicked out.

They were cut off.

They had nothing to do with the people of God.

So too If you enter the new covenant and you reject baptism.

I Give this analogy.

I'm reminded that Peter on the day of Pentecost.

They baptized 5 ,000 people.

And I'm sometimes asked about baptism in this way is it salvific and I'll say this imagine.

Someone at the very end of the line he's tired of waiting.

He's like man, it's been three hours.

I've been in this line.

I'm tired of waiting.

I He goes off and the guy standing beside him tells Peter what happens, you know this one

guy.

He said he received you he believed in Jesus, but he got tired of waiting if this man dies.

Will he be in the kingdom of God?

Peter would say no.

Absolutely not.

Same scenario.

Let's say he doesn't get tired of waiting, but let's say he has a heart attacks and heart attack and dies.

Right on the spot dead.

That same answer hey he was waiting.

And as he got up here, he had a heart attack and guy is this man with Christ.

Peter would say absolutely.

Yes.

Baptism is important.

The debated issue is is this speaking about baptism?

I believe that this passage is speaking about regeneration.

Regeneration must we looked at this already of regeneration must precede faith and faith is

followed by Repentance and this repentance that regeneration is followed by it's a

turning From sin.

So you have repentance unto salvation and repentance Unto sin

repentance unto salvation.

It's it's me.

I got my own thing going.

I hear the gospel.

God grants me faith to believe.

I turn from myself and my self -belief and I turn to God in Christ.

The jews at this time of acts chapter 2 they trusted in the sacrificial system for the forgiveness of

sins.

Their repentance unto salvation was stop trusting in sacrificial

System and put your faith in what christ has done.

That's why acts 2.

It tells them to repent and be baptized that repentance there is a form of faith repentance

unto faith after regeneration.

The repentance that follows is a turning from sins.

Ephesians chapter 2 verses 8 and 9 says this for by grace.

You have been saved through faith and this is not of yourselves.

It is the gift of God not of works so that no one may boast.

The question is is Where it says this is not of yourself.

What is the this is not of yourself?

The nearest antecedent is faith.

Faith is not of yourself.

It is the gift of God.

So are being saved by grace is the sovereign act of God in regeneration.

The grace and regeneration is a forensic transaction.

So to give you a little sentence of what a forensic transaction is it's it's you.

The guilty party, right?

We've broken God's law.

We're all we've all told lies.

We've all stolen something you're respected of its value.

We've misused his name.

Right.

We haven't been obedient to our parents.

We've broken God's law.

We're guilty.

We deserve Punishment we deserve to die.

We deserve hell.

So a forensic transaction is you the guilty party being declared

innocent by the righteousness of another.

The faith that is given to us brings us ethical

transformation.

Once you have been given faith to believe You are also given faith to live.

So one in one sense, it's a forensic transaction.

And then it's a ethical transformation.

You cannot have ethical transformation before the forensic transaction.

The bible says that the righteous Shall live by faith.

Right if you're in christ.

You are to live by faith.

This is the obedience of faith that you read about in romans.

But it's the faith that is given to you to believe by which you are declared righteous just like

abraham this is what's called the theologians call positional righteousness the

imputation Of righteousness you being the the guilty criminal you being the one who has broken

god's law.

Jesus comes down jesus takes on flesh in the incarnation lives the life that you

Could not live and took your punishment both as a substitute.

And the life that he lived is imputed to you.

Right, so everyone believes that there's that jesus christ died for their sins, right?

Your sins were imputed to jesus christ on at the moment of his death.

Transition that thought the same way that our sins are put on christ.

Christ righteousness is applied to us when.

The moment we believe.

Ethical, I mean a forensic transaction.

Just like abraham abraham believed god.

And abraham was counted righteous positionally.

Go on to read about abraham.

He messed up a lot after he was declared righteous.

So to you and me, right?

We're not perfect.

We've even now even now.

We break god's law.

But we are positionally righteous.

Having the imputation our sins counted to him his righteousness counted to us.

And for the most part when it comes to passages of scripture that speak on baptism I

always y 'all know me.

I always take it as a water baptism unless The

context says otherwise so if you look at uh Matthew chapter 3 real quick.

Keep your finger in john, but matthew chapter 3.

We'll look at one verse verse 11.

This is john the baptist speaking john says.

As for me I baptize with water For repentance,

but he who comes after me is milder than I.

I am not fit to remove his sandals.

He speaking of jesus will baptize you with the holy

spirit and fire.

So this one text names off three baptisms.

And I believe that only one is literal baptism in water, right?

The baptism of john and the other two are figurative.

So you have the a baptism of water for repentance.

A baptism of the holy spirit and a baptism of fire.

I also believe that christian baptism spoken of in ephesians chapter 4 where it says one baptism

is speaking about water baptism that That represents the death burial

and resurrection of jesus in the name of the father son and the holy spirit.

And we just saw that take place.

Right aaron partook in christian baptism.

He had entered the covenant by faith and he had received the covenant sign baptism.

John, the baptist was his baptism was a Baptism with water for

repentance.

There's no way to make this figurative, right?

John, the baptist dunked people in water for repentance, right?

There's no debate.

Right.

Is there debate on that passage?

I haven't heard any.

Before john, the baptist Was doing this this same baptism literally

dunked in water.

Was a baptism for gentile converts into judaism.

However, john, the baptist was baptizing jews and in doing so he is telling them that you

are not clean.

Despite your sacrificial system that you worship.

You are filthy rags.

John was prophesied as a road worker in isaiah.

Behold a voice crying out in the wilderness prepare the way of the lord make straight his

path.

This is what john, the baptist was he was a road worker.

He was sent out to proclaim a message and that this message was going to prepare the way

of the lord.

Prepare the way for christ and for christian baptism.

The jewish perspective of the new birth.

We looked at this last week.

That whenever john whenever jesus is telling uh, Nicodemus that he must be born again that nicodemus had a concept

of what it meant to be born again.

But the way jesus said it is you must be born from above.

Meaning that this is not something that men can do.

The jewish perspective of of the new birth was a gentile convert entering into judaism

through two ways circumcision and baptism.

The moment a jewish I mean a gentile convert into judaism would enter into the waters of baptism and come

out.

They would say that they were born again.

But they would use the word as they were.

Entered into new birth right once a gentile now a jew.

So the idea of being baptized into water is not just a christian

Concept it's not something that began with john.

And we when we're still doing it.

It was before this this is done in the intermineral the intertestamental period when jews I mean when

gentiles would convert to judaism.

The baptism of the holy spirit.

However, I believe is a figurative baptism.

It's it's it's what's being spoken about here in john chapter three when jesus tells nicodemus.

You must be born again.

You must be born from above.

This is something that you have no control over.

This is and he also the way that he says it.

He says it five times.

Verse three verse five verse six verse seven and verse eight.

And ladies and gentlemen, this is non -negotiable.

Right.

This is not something we can debate over.

In order to see the kingdom of god you must be born again.

Something supernaturally has to happen the moment that the message is being preached.

Nicodemus comes saying that they believe that he was from god.

Without the message only because of the signs that they were seeing.

And what we're about to see today is jesus lays out the message for nicodemus.

And we also saw the proper interpretation of this text.

And it's found in ezekiel chapter 36.

If you want to turn there ezekiel chapter 36

Will be in verses 25 through 27

God speaking and I will sprinkle clean water on you.

And you will be clean.

I will cleanse you from your uncleanliness.

And from all your idols moreover, I will give you a new heart.

And put a new spirit within you.

And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh.

And give you a heart of flesh.

And I will put my spirit within you.

And cause you to walk in my statues.

And you will be careful to do my judgments.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is the interpretation of being born again.

Jesus took what nicodemus was saying.

Nicodemus gave a uh, uh when he was talking about, um.

Do I enter into my mother's womb to be born?

Right jesus takes it from there and he uses the being born again pointing back to scripture and I believe it's

speaking of What we're reading about in ezekiel.

And this is what titus 3 5 calls the washing of regeneration.

Again, this word washing is in the greek.

It means figurative baptism.

So the greek word here for washing in the greek.

It's not baptismo.

Right where we get the trans the transliteration for baptism.

Well baptism is the transliteration of the greek word baptismo.

That's not what this word is.

But the greek word is it means figurative baptism that the washing of

regeneration Is a figurative baptism.

And I believe that this is what it's talking about in our in our passage the being born again

the god doing something that We can't do and that is the the sprinkling us with clean

water removing our heart of stone and giving us a heart of flesh.

Putting his spirit the holy spirit in us and this holy spirit will do what calls us to obey

his law.

This is that repentance after The born again takes place this turning from sin.

I believe that what the bible is telling us is it's that that god it's it is god who

Sprinkles you with clean water.

But it is god who removes the heart of stone and gives you a heart of flesh.

It is god who puts his spirit in you and causes you to keep his commandments.

Ladies and gentlemen, if this doesn't happen Then you will not see the kingdom of god.

And when you die You will be baptized in fire.

Right when whenever John is quoting he says I baptize you with water.

But he who's coming after me is mightier than I am not worthy to to untie his sandals.

He will baptize you with the holy spirit and fire the axe is at the root of the tree.

And any tree that does not bear good fruit.

It's cut down.

And it's thrown into the fire.

He said the willow and fork is in his hand and he would thoroughly cleanse the threshing floor.

And he would gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff it will burn With an

unquenchable fire speaking of judgment.

Speaking of burning going to hell.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you're not born again given the holy spirit to believe

You will be baptized Only in judgment in fire.

Christian baptism is is is what someone does.

Is what someone does after they've been born again after God has supernaturally done a work

in their life.

And we believe as Reformed folks that it is the sign and seal of the new

covenant the covenant of grace the covenant that's promised to first to

adam and eve the genesis 3 15.

He it was the our promise it was the curse to satan that an offspring would come from the

woman that would bruise His head while bruising his heel.

And we see that was passed through abraham was passed through his sons down through David and that jesus is

the son of david who sits on the throne.

And so now let's look at our text.

And so I made this big spill.

John chapter 3 beginning in verse 13 It says.

And No one has ascended Into heaven.

But he who descended from heaven the son of man.

And as moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the son of man be

lifted up.

So that everyone who believes will in him Have eternal life.

For god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him shall not perish

But have eternal life.

For god did not send his son into the world to judge the world.

But in order that but in order.

But that the world might be saved through him.

He who believes in him is not judged.

He who does not Believe has already been judged

because he has not believed In the name of the only begotten son of god, and this is the

judgment.

That the light has come into the world.

And man loved darkness rather than light for their deeds were evil.

For everyone who does evil hates the light.

And does not come to the light at least his deeds be exposed.

But he who practices the truth comes to the light so that his deeds might be

manifested of having been done by god.

Ladies and gentlemen in this chapter.

Where we've already walked through verses 1 through 12, we see the

sovereign hand of god in regeneration.

But then what takes place in verses 13 through 21.

Is god the father sending his son to accomplish the work of redemption and human volition.

So this week I want to lay out an outline of our text.

And next week I want to go through the two truths that parallel through scripture.

And that is the sovereignty of god and salvation and human responsibility.

Both are true.

And then the week after that we'll finish this outline so we'll begin the outline next week.

We'll look at the two truths that parallel through scripture and the following week.

We'll finish this outline.

So in our outline today.

We'll see that faith is the proper response to the message and work of jesus christ.

We have four points.

The message the response the consequences.

And the behavior.

Point number one the message.

Point number two the response.

Point number three the consequences.

And point number four the behavior.

And as we transition last week, I mentioned about verse 13.

That there was a textual variant.

That there's some translations that have a longer ending.

I've decided not to address it in the message but the next time that I fill in for sunday school,

I feel like this is something best that we can have a discussion on.

Instead of because it really isn't like a preachy subject I think it would be better if we just open it up.

We look at all the different translations.

Look at the greek and we'll just have a discussion.

So we'll look at that in sunday school.

So point number one the message.

And it's taken from chapter 3 verses 13 through 14.

And here once again in this little section of scripture.

Of the gospel jesus is pointing to his incarnation him the second person of the

godhead.

Entering into time, right?

We we talked about it the creator of all things enter into creation the infinite became

finite.

And as we're going to see when we walk through this, it's that it's not in chronological order.

This is not in the order.

In which things took place chronologically.

The son of man.

Which is a messianic title and I believe y 'all spoke about that in sunday school.

I kind of caught the tail end of it.

Descended from heaven in the incarnation lived the life.

We could not live took the punishment by dying the death that we should die for our sins.

Right and both I explained earlier were substitutionary.

If you don't know what a substitute like if you grew up in public school.

Like I did.

And your teacher wasn't there they would send a teacher to teach in your teacher's place, right?

That was a substitute.

She what she was doing was in place of your original teacher, right?

So jesus being our substitute.

That's what it is.

Jesus lives the life.

We could not live and takes the punishment that we deserve.

Substitutionary.

Then he died.

Was buried and he rose again on the third day and he ascended into heaven.

That's the chronological order.

The chronological order is not how jesus tells the story.

He begins first with his ascension verse 13.

And no one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from

heaven the son of man.

First off what he's.

What he's basically saying to them is that him being the son of man the messiah.

Who who at that time was on earth will once again ascend to

heaven?

He will once again return to where he came from right the creator entered

into creation.

Will one day enter back in to eternity.

Now we can get on a rabbit trail here and I don't know how tempting It was for me, right.

We're not going to but just real quickly.

I want to point out.

Enoch and elijah both enoch and elijah did not die.

They were taken to heaven.

Look at verse 13.

No one has ascended into heaven, but he who descended from heaven the son of man.

Like what do we do with this?

Both of them were did not die and were taken to heaven.

And for the sake of time and for the sake of breaking out into a series on heaven, which I thought about.

Right, you know me, right?

I love little little break off series.

I think it's clear to understand that wherever it was that jesus is speaking about coming from being in the presence of

the father.

But that's not the same place enoch and elijah went to.

And just for a supporting passage in the book of john if you look at chapter 1 verse 18

Jesus speaking about christ it's.

The writer tells us no one Has seen god thank the father

at any time the only begotten god son.

Who is in the father's who is in the bosom of the father?

He has explained him.

Right.

This is telling us that no one's ever seen the father.

But the son and the son has come down to explain him.

The greek word here is the same word we we get for exegete to exegete something to explain a passage.

I'm up here today.

And I am exegeting the text.

I got the the book laid before me.

And i'm trying to explain to you the meaning.

Jesus comes down to explain to us the father whom no one has ever seen.

Right.

The bible tells us that that god dwells in Unapproachable light, but there's nothing you can do to

approach him.

Right.

It also says that that no one can go to the father unless they go through the son.

And no one can go through the son unless they go through the father.

This is why the gospel is important Outside of the gospel.

We cannot approach god so verse 14.

And mose and as moses was and as moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness

even so Must the son of man Be lifted up.

He's still using the messianic title son of man.

He points to a time when the israelites were in the wilderness of numbers chapter 21.

And in numbers chapter 21 the israelites prayed to god that god would give them victory over the

canaanite armies.

And they vowed to yahweh that if god gave them the canaanites into their hands that they would devote

their cities to destruction.

And they vowed to yahweh that if god gave them the canaanites into their hands.

And they vowed to yahweh that if god gave them the canaanites into their hands.

Ladies and gentlemen god gave them into their hands.

So if you would turn with me to numbers Numbers chapter 21

We're going to read What takes place after God gave them into their hands.

So we'll read verses five through nine.

See how quick the turning of the people's heart can be.

And the people spoke against god.

This is after he gave the canaanites into their hands.

And the people spoke against god and against moses.

Why have you brought us up out of egypt?

Did you imagine that why have you rescued us from slavery god?

God Why have you brought us up out of egypt to die in the wilderness?

Remember what's going through the the through the um hebrews?

Why did why weren't they led out of the?

Of the wilderness unbelief.

They did not enter the land because of unbelief.

It says for there is no food and no water right here and we loathe this miserable food.

And they said there was no food in the water, but we know that god was giving them food.

They just didn't like what he was giving them.

Verse six, so yahweh sent fiery serpents among the people.

And they bit the people so that many people of israel died.

Then the people came to moses and said we have sinned because we have spoken against yahweh.

And against you pray to yahweh.

That he may remove the serpents from us and moses prayed for the people.

Then yahweh said to moses make a fiery serpent and set it on a standard.

And it will be that everyone who is bitten and looks at it will live and

moses made a bronze serpent.

And he set it on a standard and it happened.

That if a serpent bit any man when he looked with his eyes

I added the eyes, but when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.

Jesus in john

314 jesus points To the bronze serpent and he says just as

moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.

Even so must the son of man Be lifted up.

So the question is is what does it mean?

To be lifted up in the context.

And I believe there's a clear answer given to us in chapter 12.

So in chapter 12 verses 31 through 33, this is what it says.

Jesus speaking he says now Judgment

Is upon the world.

Remember in chapter 3 we're going to be reading he says he didn't come to judge the world.

Chapter 12 now Judgment is upon the world.

Now the ruler Of this world will be cast out speaking of satan.

And I if I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all man

to myself.

So whatever this is him being lifted up from the earth is going to draw all man to himself by this lifting up

in the verse finished it says.

But he was saying this to indicate by what kind of death by which he was

about to die.

Question.

Again, I know we're baptists.

We don't like to talk but please.

What kind of death did jesus die.

I can't hear you brother, right.

Crucifixion.

Death by crucifixion.

Crucifixion.

He says if I be lifted up I will draw all man to myself.

If I be crucified I die for your sins.

I'll draw all man to myself.

And as we transition just as moses lifted up the serpent.

On a standard this is speaking about a pole.

Jesus christ was nailed hands and feet to a roman cross.

And verse 15 tells us why.

So let's look at our second point.

The response and we'll read verses 14 with 15 for the context.

And as moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so must the

son of man be lifted up so that whoever believes will in

him have eternal life.

Eternal life is in him.

Right if you have eternal life, it's because you are in him.

You are in christ jesus.

In numbers, they look to the to the serpent that was on the pole.

They would look to that serpent and they were healed ladies and gentlemen when you.

And I look to jesus same thing.

We're healed.

We're forgiven of our sins.

The snake bite of death is taken away.

The main Verse that structures john the gospel of john is found in john chapter 20 verse

31.

We've quoted this several times it says.

But these things have been written speaking of the gospel of john.

But these things have been written.

So that you may believe That jesus is the christ the son of god

and that Believing you may have life in his name.

How do you have life in his name?

Believing.

Well, how can you believe when you're a depraved wretch like me?

Something has to happen.

And that's why the gospel has to be preached.

I want to go to the book of ephesians real quick.

And I want to look at the end hymns.

I'm gonna try my best not to give any commentary as I do this beginning in verse 3.

Blessed be the god and father of our lord.

Jesus christ who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in

christ.

Just as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we

Would be holy and blameless before him in love.

He predestined us To adoptions as sons through jesus christ to himself according to the good

pleasure of his will.

To the praise of his glory and grace, which he graciously bestowed on us in

the beloved in him.

We have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of our transgressions according to the riches of his glory of his

grace.

Which he calls to abound on us in all wisdom and insight making known to us the

mystery of his will according to His good pleasure, which he

purposed in him For an administration of the fullness of time.

This is him coming in the incarnation.

That is the summing up of all things in christ.

Things that are in heaven and things that are on earth in him in him we have

Been made an inheritance having been predestined according to the purpose of him

who works all things according to the counsel of his will to the end that

We who first to have hoped in christ will be to the praise of his glory

in him.

You also have after listening to the word of truth the gospel of your salvation having

also believed You were sealed In him with the

holy spirit of promise listen to this.

We'll read that verse again verse 13 in him.

You also after listening with your ears, right the word of truth this gospel

Of your salvation having also believed you were Sealed

in him with the holy spirit of promise.

Who is given those who is given as a pledge for our our inheritance?

Unto us the redemption of god's own possession to the praise of his glory now look at chapter 2

verse 4.

But god being rich in mercy because of his great love which he has loved us even

When we were dead and our transgressions made us alive together With christ by grace you have been

saved and raised us up with him and seated us with him

in the heavenly places in christ.

So that in the ages to come he might show his surpassing riches of his Grace and kindness

towards those who are in christ.

Are you in christ today?

If you are you are in you have been seated in heaven in him.

There's this already and not yet aspects of our future inheritance right now.

We are in him.

Colossians turn to colossians chapter 2.

Look at verses 9 through 15.

We see what else is in him for in him all the fullness of deity dwells he by

himself Is fully god.

He is truly god.

And he is truly man for in him speaking of christ all the fullness of deity

dwells bodily.

And in him having been filled who is the head over all

rule and authority.

In whom you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands

the removal of the body of the flesh and the circumcision of christ, you know the

circumcision of christ is right here having been buried with him in

baptism in which you were also raised with him through faith in the in the working

of god who Raised him from the dead.

And you being dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh He

made you alive With him having graciously forgiven us of all of our transgressions

having counseled the certificate of debt Consisting of its decrees against us,

which was hostile to us.

He also has taken it out of the way.

Nailing it to the cross our sins were.

That record of debt that stood against us has been nailed to the cross right here.

Verse 13 having disarmed the rulers and the authorities.

He made a public display of them Having triumphed over

them in him.

As they were nailing him to the cross.

They were still in their own faith the fate excuse me

in him.

There's so many many more verses I could go on and touch on.

But quickly we have been chosen in him.

We have redemption in him.

We have forgiveness in him.

We have the an inheritance in him.

We have salvation in him in him.

We are sealed with the promise.

Holy spirit.

We are in a already not yet seated with him in the heavenly heavenlies in him.

We have been circumcised if the removal of the body the circumcision of christ speaking of

christ is Christ is baptism.

Not him being baptized by john, but him being crucified dead and

buried And raised to the newness Of life that is the circumcision of christ

in him.

We have the baptism that saves.

And the baptism that saves is the crucifixion.

We see this in first peter chapter 3 verses 18 through 21.

First peter beginning in verse 18 says this for christ also listen

suffered for sins Once and for all

right here the righteous for the unrighteous that's imputed right there.

Who's the righteous?

Christ who's the unrighteous?

The righteous for the unrighteous.

For christ also suffered for sins once and for all the righteous for the unrighteous.

So that he might bring you to god having been put to death in the

flesh But made alive in the spirit.

This is speaking about his crucifixion.

And it tells you what his spirit went to in verses 19 through 20 and it gives this the

this concept of Peter's pointing back to The time of

noah listen 19 and 20 in which he also made.

Which he also went and made a proclamation to the spirits now in prison Who

once were disobedient?

And the presence of god kept waiting into the days of noah During the

construction of the ark in which a few that is eight persons were brought safely.

Excuse me through water verse 21 this is the the debate.

Corresponding to that to what to this to the ark that's going through the water

Baptism now saves.

The question is is this a literal baptism or is it figurative?

So we have the the the ark.

The the wrath was the water the ark was the safety right

the the water god sent water the the uh, The the the the sea gave forth it

burst forth.

Uh, and and water came down from the heaven.

So you had like the grounds bursting forth water and the the sky itself giving water to flood

the world.

This was the wrath this ark.

Was their safety it was their salvation.

Whoever entered the ark was safe from the wrath.

I believe what he is saying here is in the same way that that ark was their salvation.

Jesus is our ark our salvation.

Corresponding to that the ark being their salvation from the water Baptism now

saves right here.

This is how we know this is not speaking of literal.

This is not the removal of dirt from your flesh.

This is not washing water on your body.

But an appeal to a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ notice at the very beginning

chapter 18.

It talks about his death burial him going to preach and at the very end of 21.

It speaks about through his resurrection.

Real quick if you turn to the gospel of luke.

We'll see that his baptism.

That he's speaking about is a figurative.

So first in verse 49 of chapter 12, it says this jesus speaking I have

come to cast fire judgment.

That's what this means upon the earth.

And oh how I wished it was kindling.

And this I believe is pointing us to one destruction that would ultimately point to an ultimate destruction.

And that was the destruction of jerusalem in 70 a .d.

He says but I have a baptism to undergo.

And how distressed I am until it is finished.

He had already been baptized in water.

By john to fulfill all things him again that baptism.

Earlier with water the only jews that partook in a baptism of immersion Was

a high what was a priest entering into the high priesthood.

You had to be one of the five families of aaron.

In order to enter into the priesthood you were baptized and as you came up.

Your father would say how well pleased he was of you.

They would anoint you with oil.

Baptize you and your father would say how pleased he was with you and we saw that took place at jesus's baptism.

So what is this baptism that he's speaking of that's future to him?

It's his death burial and resurrection.

Jesus is speaking about his death burial and resurrection.

His baptism is figurative.

It's not with water In him.

When we're baptized in water.

We're baptized into his death burial and resurrection.

That's what romans chapter 6 is about right.

Aaron today was baptized in the name of the father son and holy spirit into the death burial Resurrection

of jesus christ.

He he's identified with christ in him in christ is our identity.

In him we are christians.

We are christ -like ones.

And we become one with christ by looking to him on the cross in faith in belief by

trusting.

And I will end there.

Because I want to lay a foundation for faith next week before we pick back up on this point, however

I believe.

The record that we have in numbers happen.

So so them being um mocking god mocking moses

and God sending snakes to bite them.

I believe all that happened because of the predetermined plan of god to send his son.

And lift him up on a tree so that all who look to him Will be healed and the question

is is are you looking to christ?

And I pray that you are i'm available

To anyone who wants to talk if god has done a work in your life.

Please come and talk to me after the service.

Let's pray father Lord in jesus name

we come to you Again we ask for your mercy.

We ask for your grace.

Well, I pray where I was Not communicating well lord that you cause the understanding to take

place.

And we're right now we are about to partake in your in a supper that you have given to us to remember

you.

And lord, we pray that as we're doing this.

That you will use this to grow us into a greater degree of holiness.

In jesus name.

Amen.