Horton Haven Labor Day Retreat-14 the Immensity of Our Redemption — William MacDonald

Dear John and Mary Lou Phelan tonight, you know, it's wonderful to find people with convictions nowadays. Sometimes I think the only Sure place to find conviction is in the dictionary but they had convictions and they had convictions concerning New Testament principles and For a year they broke bread together just the two of them in their living room and God honored that.

And Al Green and an obscure Bible teacher came down here in 1951 and they pitched a tent and. Just about this time just about this time of year the Labor Day weekend I think it was the blessing started soul started saying things and the assembly was planted in Nashville and Horton Haven is really an outbreak of that because two people.

Were committed to the Lord to the principle of his word. Which one if they were tribute to John and Mary Lou tonight. It's also great to be here with so many famous people. Haven't met you all yet, but Hope to do so.

The Church Purchased by Christ's Blood

Turn in your Bible, please to Acts chapter 20 and verse 28. Acts chapter 20 and verse 28. And when I first read this verse you'll find a little connection between the verse and what I'm going to be saying at first.

You've heard about preachers who read a text and then depart from it forever. Well, it's going to seem like that to you, but we'll come back to it. Acts 20 and Verse 28 therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock.

Among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. The shepherd the Church of God. Which he purchased With his own blood. I know you're so used to that verse that didn't even produce a rise in your soul.

That never told my life. Yeah, we really entered into what that verse of Scripture saying would blow our socks off. Nothing in the history of the universe can compare with what happens at the cross of Calvary Thousands years ago.

It was all compressed in just a few hours and yet it was so awesome. That if someone said it towers over all the wrecks of time. It really does. More books have been published about that day and what happened on it than any other day in history.

Think of all the hymns that have been written. Think of all the poems that have been written. Think of all the art that it had that as its Subject think of all the sermons without numbers that have dwelt on that subject.

It's commemorated still worldwide whenever Christians take the bread and the wine in fond and loving remembrance of the Savior and Every time we see a cross. We're reminded of what happened on that day.

We see a cross and we remember that on that original cross the dearest and best for a world of lost sinners. The record of those hours is told in very simple unemotional words. Yet the story never rose.

The Uniqueness and Marvel of Jesus' Death

It was the day when the Lord Jesus died when the Lord and glory died. His death was a unique death. It was unique as to the person involved. It was unique as to the purpose for which he died. It's unique as to the persons for whom he died and no one no human being in his wildest Imagination could have ever conceived the story so grand so marvelous so wonderful.

So far-reaching in time. Brilliant offers. Authors have written marvelous stories down through the years a documented unexpected and Unlikely story. I tell you nothing can ever touch the saga. Very wonderful.

You know when we come to grips With what really happened there on that hill outside the city of Jerusalem. We're faced with some tremendous tremendous issues. There are conclusions to be drawn there are decisions to be made.

Calvary Demands Total Commitment

If I really face the reality of Calvary. My dear friend it has to be everything that is not the type of Christianity you see around. But I'm going to tell you the type of Christianity to define in the New Testament Scriptures.

When you really face Calvary what happened there? There's no room for neutrality. For Christians to be keep it lukewarm. About the person and work of the Lord Jesus is an insult to his majesty. And it was not without reason that the Lord Jesus said because you're neither hot nor cold.

Really the logic people for whom Christ died cannot Deny his valid claim on their lives or succumb to a ho-hum Christianity. That in itself is a contradiction in terms isn't it a ho-hum Christianity.

Those words don't fit together. Like saying you went out to Hawaii on business those who face the reality of Calvary can no longer live for selfish pleasure. Our redemption demands. What do you think would happen if believers really came into the reality if they grasp the wonder of the cross and Realize more fully what was really happening there?

I Tell you they would become overwhelmed by the dimensions of their redemption and they would become compulsive Worshippers, they would go around and talk about the Lord to anyone who would be willing to listen Day after day.

This is what would happen. They would be unashamedly Enthusiastic about the one who called him out of darkness into his marvelous light. Worldly ambitions would perish As they gave themselves without reserve to Christ and to his.

I Said to a young man a friend of mine out there in the West Coast recently Jeff. If people really believe the truth What happened at Calvary what would happen? He said to me the world would be a fan.

An Unevangelized world is testimony for the fact that the church has lost the wonder the church has lost the wonder. The world takes it all rather matter of factly as you know. The death of the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary doesn't impact us the way it should.

In fact, we may be so conceited That we might think it was a jolly good thing. But maybe it was the proper thing after all but vain. But you know every once in a while a shaft of light does Break through the darkness on some man or woman some young man a woman where a believer Stands before the cross and prays.

Oh make me understand help me to take it in. But it meant to be the holy to bear away my sin. And God hears that prayer in heaven and he looks down on that Dear person and that person's life is never the same again.

Never the same again. He goes forth and people think he's lost his mind. He has but he found the mind of Christ. They think he's beside himself. But he is he is for God. They think he's out of step, but they don't realize he's marching to the drumbeat of a different.

As the significance of what happened at Calvary dawns upon him he stands there before the cross. And he says I've seen the vision and for self I cannot live. Life is worse than all. People like that can never be satisfied again with a bland Christian life.

They Determined that they will never lower themselves again to the chill of their environment. Which incidentally friends is a very easy thing to do to lower yourself to the chill Your environment. They realize that the Christianity that they see around them today is not the Christianity of the Bible.

New drive take hold of them and it consumes their waking Hours. They don't want anything to come between their soul and total commitment To the Lord Jesus Christ. What is it that has made these people so different?

Four Truths Revealed by the Cross

Well, I'd like to suggest you four things. Four things first of all They've seen who Jesus really is. Secondly. They've seen what he did for them. Certainly they've had a tremendous revelation of who we are the ones for whom the Savior died.

And finally they think of the tremendous blessings that have flowed have flowed to us from the cross. Tells me we want to we want to consider these life-changing truths this evening. Who the Lord Jesus is?

What he did the people for whom he did it and the blessings that have flowed to us as a result of that. Who the Lord Jesus is. Leave him out and I tell you there's no meaning to life at all life. It's a sick joke without Jesus.

He's the hub of Industry the fountain of satisfaction and he's the embodiment of reality the simple fact of life. Who is he? He's unique. The virgin born son of Mary he was unique from the very outset.

Others are born to live. Usually when a baby is born into the world of great joy. When he was born into the world that King was troubled and all the people of Jerusalem were troubled with to. Throughout his life people were either for him or against him.

There was no middle ground. He's unique, but he's more than that. He's true, man. He's true, man. He was human. He grew hungry Thirsty and Eerie to his contemporaries. He seemed quite normal in physical appearance.

He was one of us in his 20s. He was a carpenter in Nazareth and His 30s the early 30s, he was an itinerant teacher going around Preaching teaching and healing and no one had any reason to doubt his true humanity.

But he was more than that he was sinless man. He was sinless man. There was something that distinguished his humanity from all others. That is that it was Sinless look just think of it. It was once a man who walked the streets of this earth.

It was absolutely free from sin. Hard to take in never an evil thought never a Bad motive or a sinful act in that wonderful life tempted from without he was never tempted from within. It's not possible for him to sin he said I always do those things that please my father well that's.

He always did those things that pleased his father that left no room. I'm intrigued by the fact that even people who didn't particularly claim to be his friend had to acknowledge that he was without sin.

Pilate said I can't find any fault in him. Pilate's wife said have thou nothing to do with this just person. Herod said I don't see that there's anything worthy of death in him. The dying thief said this man has done nothing.

This Judas himself. In fact that he had betrayed. Yeah, Lord Jesus is unique. He's truly human and he's sinlessly human, but that's not all we never can comprehend a Fraction of the magnitude of the meaning of Calvary until we remember.

Jesus Christ as God Incarnate

Yes, that one that one hang in the middle cross dear friends. It's God incurring God in a body. But I'd say I identified him as the mighty God and God the Father had dressed his son As God thy so no God forever ever.

John says the word became flesh dwelt among us. The word was you thought with God and the word became flesh and dwelt among us that could only refer to the Lord Jesus. And the Lord Jesus himself insisted that everyone should honor him as they honor the father, which means that he's gone.

He's equal with God in every respect. Over 100 scriptures leave no room for argument. Jesus Christ is In him both all the fullness of the Godhead Father. You know, John Wesley really caught the wonder of the incarnation when he wrote our God contracted to expand Incomprehensibly made man.

Our God contracted to expand incomprehensibly Made man. And William Dillings who was a tanner and a musical amateur by trade. He wrote come see your God extended in the straw. Another poet now unknown said low within a manger lies He built the starry.

And yet another anonymous author penned these words low Hold on the cradle the dew drops are falling. Low lies his head with the beast of the soul. Angels adore him in slumber recalling Baker and monarch.

Savior, I like that British Him writer who wrote down from his glory ever living story my God and Savior came and Jesus my God and Savior came. Their friends the young Jew of Nazareth was the ancient of days.

It was God the Son who wore that carpenters apron amid all the sawdust of that shop in Nazareth. It was God the Son who got down that day with his disciples and washed their feet. I Asked him that I have a way of asking questions.

I asked that other young friend recently. How would you like it if if the Lord Jesus God the Son got down and washed your feet? He said I wouldn't like it. What he meant was something it should be the other way around.

Something improper. Exactly. It was a son of God who created optic nerves for that man in John chapter 9 who was blind from birth. No one but. Stand up in that boat on the Sea of Galilee and say. You know Only God could raise a Lazarus after he had been dead and in the tomb before.

I don't think we can comprehend The meaning of Calvary until we see the one hung. There is the one who stretches out the heavens lays the foundations of the earth and forms the spirit of man within. We tend to make our God in our own image and in our likeness.

I've said that to his people in the Old Testament. You thought that I was all together as you are we tend to make him in our own image and after our own likeness. But he's moving. That's who he is. Think of what he did For us and I want to tell you dear friends if we stop to think tonight of what he really did for us.

The God-Man Who Died for Us

You'll be just crushed with sensory overload. The death of God incarnate on the cross of Calvary. It's enough to stagger the imagination. We have been died for. If we had just been died for by another person that would be that would be the cause for endless gratitude.

The one who gave himself for us on the cross of Calvary the second person of the Trinity. It's a prize. It's surprising that we aren't more astonished. Does the Bible really say that God incarnate died for us?

You'll want to look at it again just for a minute we're back to our verse we started with Acts 20 28. Does therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock. Among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd the church of God which he purchased with his own blood.

The antecedent of he is God now. I know that Garvey when he translated the scriptures. He changed it slightly. He said which he purchased with the blood of his own. But if all the all the other versions of the Bible translated just this way God.

Which he God purchased with his own blood, you know, I believe that works when you think of something like that. Civil is that the only person about. No, it's amazing. It's amazing when you look at other scriptures.

Colossians chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1 we're not going to read the chapter, but just let me refer to it briefly. The spirit dwells in this chapter at considerable length on the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ.

First of all, he's the image of the invisible God the firstborn over all creation. Verse 15. He's the creator of all things. Verse 16. He's the one who is before all things and by whom all things consist.

Verse 17. The difference in that same context. After giving the glowing description of the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 14 in whom we have redemption the forgiveness in whom whom and. Then if you go to Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 3.

Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 3. This is really startling friends. We're so familiar with these verses. We realize what they're saying. Verse 3 who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and Upholding all things by the word of his power.

Different that just tells one thing. They're talking about the deity of the Lord Jesus Who being the brightness of his glory the express image of his person? Meaning was like God God Upholding all things by the word of his birth.

This is the next part of it when he Who Express image of his person. The upholder of all things by the word of his power when he had by himself first our sins sat down the right hand I. And of course you have it again in Philippians.

It's marvelous how the scriptures open up in this subject when you take a second look at them. Philippians chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2 verse 5 let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus notice through being in the form of God.

What does that mean God? That's a statement of the absolute deity of the Lord Jesus Christ thought it not robbery to be equal with God he was equal with God and. In that same context after giving this description of the total deity of the Lord Jesus Christ Paul writes in verse 8 Being found an appearance of the man.

He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death difference in some religions. Men and women died for their God, but I never heard of another religion where their God died. They never really I don't think we ever really come to grips with healthy.

So we stand before the cross. Gaze on the Lord Jesus Christ there and realize that in God. Of course it raises questions. I know they're in your mind already. Say what? God is God is spirit and spirit doesn't have flesh and blood and.

We read that God purchased the church with his blood. Spirit doesn't have flesh and blood. No, but the incarnation solved that problem where God came down and veiled his Godhead in a body of flesh. Aside he threw his most divine array and veiled his Godhead in a garb of flesh and in that garb.

This is one good thing. But somebody will say to me Brother McDonald, but in the incarnation. The Lord Jesus made himself subject to death. That's why he took on a human body so that as many might die for you and me.

Jesus was made a little lower than the angels for the sufferings of death. He by the grace of God might taste death for every. The Lord Jesus is not God minus something. He's God plus something. That's something Isaac Watts.

I love that man's writings. He realized that the one who died for him was none other than that. Then Christ is God. He said forbid it Lord that I should both save in the death of Christ my all the vain things that time.

Try like that Charles Wesley he faced this fact this problem. God is immortal. How can one who's immortal become subject to death? Real the immortal died. Who can explore his strange design? Vain the firstborn.

But mystery didn't deter Charles Wesley because he went on to say Dear friend you see it all the time. Amazing. How can it be? Oh my God, you know we can sing it and not gasp. We can sing it and not. Well, there's another question arises.

If Jesus is God and God incarnate died for us. Who ran the universe when his body was three days and three nights in the grave? No problem at all dear friend. Only Jesus body went to the grave. He didn't go to the grave moment the Lord Jesus died.

The day thou shalt be with me in. At one moment he's running all things. Here on earth as a man as the God-man here on earth. I'm all in heaven and there's no interlude. It really isn't a problem. It really isn't a problem.

There was no interval during which he was not in complete Control. You know the amazing fact that the supreme being gave himself for us is nothing less than astounding and I want to tell you that the most brilliant efforts to describe it including my efforts tonight I know better than a sucker.

That's how marvelous it really is. It strains the brain. To realize that what happened at Calvary was not homicide. That's where one man kills another man. It was not genocide. That's where men try to wipe out an ethnic cultural national group.

Your friends the death of the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary was theist I the murder of God you have taken. Peter said. And by cruel hands have crucified and Slave Spurgeon said. Who would have thought of the just ruler dying for the unjust rebel.

There's no teaching. This is no teaching of human mythology. The son of God Loved me and gave himself for me. And yet he said we can say that and either gasp or weep. So we can say it and neither gasp or weep.

We reel off similar verses with little or no emotion. We preach this truth so blandly and mannerly or factly that it doesn't bring our listeners to their knees. God help us. And much of the preaching that goes on today in the shadow Of Calvary.

We're guilty of what someone called the curse of a dry-eyed Christianity. Constantly we need to come back to the awesome reality that the one who died on the cross of Calvary is Jesus God incarnate. I Think FW Pitt said it well when he wrote those memorable lines.

The nature of the universe as Man for man was made a curse. The claims of law that he had made unto the uttermost. He paid his holy fingers. Made the bow which grew the thorns that crowned his brow. The nails that pierced his hands were mined in secret places.

He made the forest whence there sprung the tree of which his body hung. Died upon cross of wood. That made the hill which is good. The sky that darkened or his head by him above the earth was spread. The Sun that hid from him its face by his decree was poised in space.

The spear that spilled his precious blood is tempered and the fires of God Raven which his form was laid with union rocks his hands had made. The throne on which he now appears was his from everlasting years and a new glory crowned his brow.

I'm going to tell you dear friends the marvel of The death of the one who threw the father's galaxy Into space it's just Just strained the brain. That's all I can say. But it's true. Just the thing. It's true.

The People for Whom Christ Died

Just the thing. You know, that isn't the whole story. The third thing is the people for who he died. And I think we'll just wait till tomorrow morning and think about that but tonight Before you go to bed just think about this think of the marvel of the death of the Christ of God Upon the cross of Calvary think of men taking him and Putting him to death and all the time they're doing it.

They're very nice. Depending on him for every minute. Their lives were depended upon the breath that they took were depended upon. Yet he submitted to death and was all for you. And for me wonderful wonderful Different.

A Prayer for Deeper Appreciation of Calvary

I hope that as a result our little conference if nothing else happens this It will go away with a deeper appreciation of what happened to Calvary. You kind of think well, he died as a man, you know, we kind of soften the blow.

But you can't divide the person of the Lord Jesus like that. You can't say well it was just his man he died. He's the God man. You can't separate those parts of it. It was Jesus. God incarnate died on Calvary.

Father forgive us for so often reading the scriptures and Reciting verses and their wonder doesn't explode on us. We say so glibly the Son of God loved me and gave himself to me. We really don't realize what we're saying.

We really don't realize what we're saying. Lord, we would pray that prayer to that. Oh make me understand it. Help me to take it in. But it meant to be the Holy One. To bear away our sin. Help us to remember who you are.

Not that you're just someone like ourselves. If you're the one to whom we owe every breath that we take. Right these two deeply upon our hearts we pray in the Savior's name.