1689 London Baptist Confession (part 42)

Our great God we come before you this morning Thankful for all that you have done

for us your children.

We are blessed to Be able to call you father and to enter into

your throne room with Confidence confidence not born of anything that we have done but

confidence in What your son the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us?

And father we Thank you for him.

We thank you for Your self -revelation how you have

told us Everything that we need to know pertaining to life and godliness and how we have That

revelation even preserved for us to this day by your power

by your will Lord you have caused it to go forth among the

nations and Really around most of the world and we praise you for that and look forward to the day

when every people group will have the Word of God

in their own language and where literally

The gospel covers the entire map father.

We would look to your word this morning To see what it says about the law about

grace About a variety of issues.

And we would pray for your blessing as we seek to Better grasp

the issues and Lord we pray for your spirit to attend in Jesus name we pray.

Amen.

Well, we've been talking about the law and Talking about I think we closed.

Well, I know we closed because I leave myself a bookmark.

We're talking about Ottness versus isn't this what we ought to do versus what is done?

Also known as morality.

We talked about not being controlled or constrained or Governed

really by the mob.

We don't want to just do what everybody else is doing because that is ultimately no defense.

You know, it doesn't work with you.

It never worked for me with my parents when I said well, you know My mom says why did you do such -and -such and I said because

Roger my brother did it or because you know My friends at school were doing it or whatever that never worked

not really much work for me, but You know in terms of excuse -making.

But that's certainly not going to work with God who knows our hearts Who knows our motives that is

never going to carry any weight?

So back to the 1689 and It says this it says

because this law commonly called moral God was pleased

To give to the people of Israel ceremonial laws containing several typical

ordinances partly of worship prefiguring Christ his graces actions sufferings and

benefits and partly holding forth diverse Instructions of moral duties

all which ceremonial laws being appointed only to the time of Reformation are By Jesus Christ

the true Messiah and only lawgiver who was furnished with power from the father for that end

abrogated and taken away and now I say it reminds me of what someone used to say and

What class was that?

It was a language class and somebody would say as soon as the teacher said something translation, please.

So let's translate that a little bit.

Well first I have to note this that not everyone in the reform community agrees regarding the extent

that the extent to which the Mosaic law that is to say the Old

Testament law has been annulled or abrogated.

With that said traditionally there is a distinction made between the moral law and the ceremonial law and who wants to tell us

what the Difference is between the moral law and the ceremonial law.

Just raise your hands and wax eloquent moral law being what the Ten Commandments, okay?

That's an answer.

Well it is.

The moral law is kind of more Internal in this

sense in that well, let's just say the moral law is still in effect because it reflects

the the moral character of God.

So you know unless the moral character of God changes the moral law of God cannot

change right.

And Since God cannot change his moral law cannot change.

It's always going to be wrong.

Here's a hint to murder somebody.

It's always going to be wrong to steal.

It's always going to be wrong to covet these things are always going to be wrong.

It's always going to be wrong to commit idolatry.

You know from now until whenever and whenever the Lord returns, that's still going to be a sin.

Now the ceremonial law obviously is different.

And as you might be able to tell if you listen the word ceremonial has to do with

ceremonies.

So the ceremonial law is the part of the law that typified.

It's an important word that we're going to discuss some that typified what Christ fulfilled.

In other words the point of the ceremonial law was to point Israel toward their coming Messiah and.

Those laws are no longer applicable now because he's come.

RC says this he says when we look at the moral and ceremonial laws of the Old Testament.

We must ask were these laws based upon the eternal character and nature of God or were these laws?

Legislated by God for a particular Redemptive historical reason.

Were these laws imposed for a particular period of time for a salvific reason.

Now let's talk about typical ordinances when you hear typical ordinances.

What do you think what's that?

Loss.

Okay.

Because when you hear that tip word typical, what do you think

like normal right?

It's typical for example.

Here's one of my favorite laws.

It's illegal to park in front of a fire hydrant.

And I think in most towns that you go to you're gonna find out that that's against the law.

So we would think that's a typical ordinance now.

Is that right?

No, it has nothing to do with typical.

It does not mean ordinary regulations, this is not you know, just an ordinary law.

Typology is.

A word that is used in biblical interpretation.

Hermeneutics.

Anybody want to take a swing and a miss at what typology is.

Charlie Charlie will hit the ball out of the park.

Okay, let's write that down frame it put it up on the wall.

Would you say it again?

No, we can't.

Okay, go ahead.

It it refers to it points to the Messiah prefigures.

Yeah, that's a good word.

It prefigures the Messiah.

It gives you know for anybody who was paying attention.

And during the Old Testament times and many of them weren't as evidenced by the fact that the Messiah comes and they don't know who he

is.

They were clues they were Prefigurements they were

shadows.

They were hints, you know, how many other clues what however you want to frame it?

That's what they were.

They were God's way of telling you.

This is what the Messiah is going to be like so

RC puts it this way when we refer to a type or we refer to a type as a person thing or event that often

has messianic or salvific significance, but is a shadow of the future fulfillment of the

type and.

The fulfillment of the type so the type is the prefigurements right the coming attraction.

This is what to watch for.

The fulfillment of that is called the of course as you were

studying all week.

Your hermeneutical notes the antitype, okay, so you have type.

Antitype type is the preview.

Antitype is the fulfillment.

That's as technical as we're gonna get here.

So what are some examples of types that you can think of?

What would be a type and an antitype?

Yes Gary.

Okay.

So if the type is the high priest in the Old Testament then Who is the

antitype hint what's that?

Okay, Jesus, right, I mean if the type is a type of Christ then the

antitype is Christ so if the type is

Adam the antitype is Jesus.

Why.

Because Adam was the you know first Adam our first

Representative and Jesus is the second Adam or the final Adam and our final representative.

Within the law of Moses many sacrifices offerings and rituals were prescribed by God as the

worship to be given by Israel.

These sacrifices pointed forward in different ways to the sacrifice to the one sacrifice

offered on the cross so all the animals who were slain if they are the type then the antitype

is Jesus.

Let's open our Bibles to Hebrews chapter 10.

Hebrews chapter 10 and

I feel complete liberty of being not constrained by the law.

To wax eloquent and preach an entire sermon on Hebrews 10 today.

Okay, not really but what's that.

Yeah, well, I am constrained somewhat by office etiquette.

You know, we do we have we do have these kind of unwritten rules.

The wink wink nudge nudge.

I'll take you in the back, you know kind of rules.

All right, Hebrews chapter 10 verses 1 to 12 and just listen and as we talk about

type and antitype.

This just flows right out of that for since the law Has but a shadow

of the good things to come instead of the true form of those realities.

It can never by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year.

Make perfect those who draw near otherwise.

Would they not have ceased to be offered since the worshipers having been once cleaned or once been

cleansed.

Would no longer have any consciousness of sins.

But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.

For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Consequently when Christ came into the world, he said Sacrifices and offerings you have not

desired but a body you have prepared for me.

In burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.

Then I said behold I have come to do your will Oh God as it is written of me in the

scroll of the book.

When he said above you have neither desired Nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and

burnt offerings and sin offerings.

These are offered according to the law.

Then he added behold.

I have come to do your will he does away with the first in order to

establish the second and by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the

body of Jesus Christ once for all and Every priest stands daily at his

service.

Offering repeatedly the same sacrifices which can never take away sins.

But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right

hand of God.

So there we see it every year day of Atonement.

The priest gets up and he slaughters all these animals.

Well, did that remove the sins of the people.

No, because the next year they had to do the same thing and it was all pointing all aiming

Towards Jesus and the ultimate sacrifice and what he would do on the cross and he says here that he

takes a body.

Why.

Because he needed a body to bear the sins and also to fulfill the type.

All these bulls and goats that were slaughtered were the type and Jesus body is

The anti type the fulfillment the sacrifice that once for all Satisfies

the payment for sins.

So type anti -type questions

answers.

Multiple answers, okay.

Stunned silence.

No.

Okay.

The MacArthur Study Bible says The Old Testament sacrifices could not remove sin.

But their constant repetition was a constant reminder of that deficiency.

In other words every year.

They acknowledged the failure of these sacrifices.

The promise of the new covenant was that the sin would be removed and God would and Even God would

remember their sins no more.

The Levitical system the priesthood system was not designed by God to remove or forgive sins.

It was preparatory for the coming of Messiah in that it made the people expect expectant.

It revealed the seriousness of their sinful condition in that even temporary covering

required the death of an animal.

It revealed the reality of God's holiness and righteousness by indicating that sin had to be covered and there's no

remission of sin without the shedding of blood.

Finally it revealed the necessity of full and complete forgiveness so that God could have desired fellowship with

his people.

Okay.

Now I like what RC says here he says suppose that the year after Jesus

died on Calvary the Christian community gathered on the Day of Atonement and

sacrificed bulls and goats.

What would that have meant?

About Jesus sacrifice wasn't enough it didn't do the job.

It did it wasn't the once -for -all sacrifice.

It would be just another in the series of Bulls and goats and so why don't we kill animals today?

Because it's done our sins are paid for it's the once -for -all finished

work of Jesus Christ.

So we can see now as we think about Places in a scripture, and we're gonna go there

eventually Galatians.

But you can see why Jesus would be so hard on people who wanted to bring back the Old Testament sister.

I'm sorry Paul would be so hard on people who wanted to bring back the Old Testament system.

Because what are you doing if you do that if you're saying you know I need to submit.

Yes I believe in Jesus, but I need to submit to the Old Testament laws and restrictions

all the ceremonial laws.

Well, what does that mean?

That's close.

What's that?

You're nullifying the cross.

You're nullifying the cross.

RC says once the shadow had been fulfilled by the reality that typological ordinances passed away.

They were not based on the eternal immutable character of God.

After Christ accomplished redemption for his people it was in listen to this and insults.

To Christ and to the father to observe the former ceremonies.

Because you are denying the efficacy of the death of Christ.

You're denying that he did what he actually did.

The Westminster divines and then stolen by our Baptist forefathers here

teach that we are to distinguish between the moral and ceremonial laws similarly.

The dietary restrictions are done away with and what does that mean?

It means that you can eat Ezekiel bread if you want to.

What is that Ezekiel for whatever bread knock yourself out, right?

But you can also I remember when we went to Israel in 2000 we went into

a pizza hut because I think we're a little you know longing for some real American food and.

And guess what we found out.

What's that we found out it was Italian.

Pastor Bob will be in the lounge after church today.

Try the veal.

What do we fight.

What are you supposed we found out.

Yes, Charlie

close.

Very close.

They you can't get Meat on your pizza, right?

So it's like.

You know, I guess you maybe if there was a like a shop next door you could go get meat and then throw it on your pizza, but.

You know, you could have all kinds of veggies on there although I I do have to laugh when because we met in

Japan and there was a like a Shakey's pizza where we go for a bunch of lunch and.

The Japanese have some odd ideas about what should be on a pizza, too.

They would throw corn and you know just different and I'm like who puts corn on pizza.

I'd like the corn pizza, please.

You know, come on.

I mean, they just whatever whatever was in the refrigerator.

They just threw it on top of the pizza.

So Anyway, I digress but the

point is dietary laws are done away with we're not constrained by those things.

We're not kosher.

We don't live by those things.

I mean, you know common sense you can't have fluff with every meal

allegedly, all right, so Moving into onto the back to the

Confession of Faith to them to Israel also.

He gave sundry judicial laws which expired together with the state of that people not obliging any.

Now by virtue of that institution their general equity only being of moral use.

Yeah, okay now that section believe it or not

is Controversial it has to do with judicial laws.

Why would that be controversial?

Can you think of a judicial law in the Old Testament that would be?

Controversial today if we were to try to institute it and I for

an eye.

It'd be controversial.

Execution for homosexuality is an excellent example.

That would be controversial.

In fact is considered outrageous in the countries that do it these days, but that's what the Old Testament said.

What else?

Execution for anything would be outrageous.

My favorite personal.

My favorite personal one is especially if you have young people in your home is execution for rebellion.

You know in your youth so you have a 11 year old who's rebellious.

You just bring them to the town elders and execute them.

Now why would that be controversial these days and by the way, I guess I shouldn't laugh at that.

But I mean, it's kind of a crazy idea at least by our standards today.

Well, it's controversial because there are some people who want to make that the law of the United States.

Well abortion would be against the law, right?

But there are people who want to make the Old Testament judicial laws.

The law of the United States those people are called theonomists.

Theonomists and there are some of them barking around there are

a Fairly sizable group of them that want to make the Old Testament law the law of the land.

R .c. Sproul says this there's a big difference between living as a Christian in 1st century Rome.

Excuse me living as a Christian in the United States today and living as a Jew in Old Testament Israel.

For one we would not enjoy the Internet in Old Testament Israel.

What are some serious?

What are some serious?

Differences, what's the big one when you think of Israel.

When you think of Rome you think of the United States?

What would be the biggest thing separating?

Say the United States Rome from Israel.

Okay, Israel had God dwelling with them.

Which is a good clue to the ultimate answer Charlie.

Right and and that's the point, you know.

There were there were points before they got before they you know clamored and were granted a

king where it was a theocracy the law of God was the

law of the land.

There was no separation between church and state the state was the church and the church was the state so to speak.

The you know most powerful people would be those in religious authority because they were enforcing

God's law.

And when you think about Rome It's the first church a lot of the system

was opposed to Christianity and certainly was.

You know, it was a pagan world with pagan judges who enforced pagan laws on

Christians now that doesn't sound anything like the world we live in today, does it?

Okay, or it's pretty much the same, you know technology has changed, but I mean it's basically the same although today.

You know enshrined in our Constitution are these religious rights that we have and nobody could ever take away from us.

Okay, moving on.

The question is should we try to make the United States a theocracy?

Our confession our statement of faith says that we should not.

The judicial laws were set forth in Israel for the purpose of their redemption and are no longer

applicable since that theocratic states.

Israel has expired.

They're no longer applicable.

Okay enough about theonomy.

Back to the confession of faith the moral law moral law of God.

Doth forever bind all as Well justified persons as

others to the obedience thereof.

In other words.

The moral law can never be broken or should never be broken and that not only in regard of the manner contained in

it But also respect of the authority of God the Creator who gave it.

Neither doth Christ in the gospel any way.

In any in the gospel anyway dissolve but much strength in this obligation.

I think I'm gonna rewrite this thing in modern English.

What it means is that Even Jesus fulfilling the law does not

relieve us of the moral law.

Let's look at Matthew chapter 5 verses 17 and 18.

Okay, so what does that mean in light of the fact that we've been saying the ceremonial laws and

the judicial laws.

No longer applies that what Jesus is talking about.

Okay, was he referring I mean it says here that or she asked

he wasn't referring to Mosaic law.

Well was he or wasn't he or what does he mean?

Okay, so is it possible that the different aspects of the law were fulfilled at different times

and Will be done away with at different times.

I Think we're on to something something there.

Although I would say that we're gonna say the ceremonial law was done away with.

When the temple was destroyed then what was going on between Jesus death and the temple being

destroyed in 70 AD, you know, what what about the ceremonies that were performed there

were they actually efficacious or.

You know were they needful and I think the answer that would be no.

I know the answer that would be no other thoughts Josh.

And then we'll get back to Charlie.

That is correct, well, I mean the people under and well, let's put it this way.

Here's a question if Jesus didn't come which I I can't even wrap my head around

that.

Yeah, if he hadn't come yet, well then how would we know anything about God.

In other words, we would still be estranged right?

We'd still be far off.

There would be.

Yeah, I don't.

I don't think that's right, I think he did everything right right not just the moral aspect of the law but the

whole.

Okay, but but here's the question.

Yes.

He obeyed the the ceremonial laws.

Yes, he obeyed the judicial laws.

So are we still under the ceremonial and judicial laws and if not, why not.

Okay, well, thank you because that's the right answer so why not and Why are we still under the

moral law then?

We're not really under the moral law.

Okay, I have a question for you mark Before Christ.

Was somebody saved by virtue of keeping the moral ceremonial and judicial laws

of Israel.

Good answer right.

And I think it's really key that we stress that I see a hand over here.

It goes back to the function right?

What was the what was the function of the?

The ceremonial law.

Was a type right was the point to the coming Messiah and the

need for a sacrifice an ultimate sacrifice.

To take away the guilt of sin.

What was the point of the judicial law?

Well, I would argue that the point of the judicial law was basically to just run the country and nothing more than that.

So once Israel stopped being a theocracy The the judicial law

was no longer.

I mean what?

Do you suppose for example?

That when David was ruling Israel that people were running up to him saying, you know, so -and -so is vile

violated This judicial law.

Well, they may have.

But would David have had the right to overrule whatever that law was?

He was the monarch he was the king he was the ruler and I think the answer would have been yes.

I mean people could have complained about it and they probably did.

But I doubt that we would.

I mean we don't have evidence of this, but I doubt that we would find that.

Well here here's an easy one.

When David committed adultery, what was the judicial punishment for adultery?

Death, I mean that was the punishment for everything was David put to death.

Why not.

Because he was the king.

They were no longer under the judicial law at that point.

So that's ultimately the right answer, right?

Jesus fulfilled the judicial ceremonial and the moral aspects of the law

those things.

Those things when he fulfills them We are no longer under.

We're no longer under those things.

Well, why because they've been fulfilled on our behalf by by Christ and somebody else.

Yeah, John.

Don't take the mother bird, but take the eggs.

What do you suppose the function of those laws were I?

See a multitude of hands.

I'm going to call on John Christophero who is one of our more astute theologians.

I Would have to agree with my brother John I would identify with his remarks.

Yes, Charlie Needed an FDA a Food and

Drug Administration.

But I mean that you know, but yeah that that would have been the sovereign purpose but you know the the

Go ahead Josh and You know, I think I've we've gone here

before but let's go ahead and go there again, let's go to Ephesians

Chapter 2 and and there's a word here that really gives us a great kind of

Insight into this, you know, you think well, what's the big deal with all these laws?

The big deal as is evidence here in Ephesians chapter 2.

Let me see where I want to start here.

I'll start in verse 13.

But now in Christ Jesus you who are once far off.

That's us Gentiles have been brought near by the blood of Christ for he

himself is our peace.

Who has made us both one he's talking about Jew and Gentile.

How do I know that because I keep reading and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of

hostility by Abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances.

That he might create in himself One new man in place of the two so making peace

and might reconcile us both To God in one body.

He's talking about the church through the cross thereby killing the hostility.

So here's the point these ordinances God calls Israel out

and what does he what does he tell them to do.

You are to be Separate you are to be holy you are not to be like these

other nations.

They've got all their gods and they've got all their little sacrificial systems.

They've got all this stuff going on you people are to be a unique people set apart for my purposes.

And so here's how you're going to live very specific things their neighbors as Josh said looked at them and

thought what?

These are some weird people.

They don't eat shellfish.

They've got their Ezekiel 4 -9 bread or whatever it is for eight.

When it whatever, you know, we don't even like that stuff.

And furthermore, we can't get it at the corner corner grocery store.

There is enmity between them the Philistines.

What was their big thing?

You know, they tried to conquer Israel and without going into the whole thing the the point of

the life of Samson was to save them from being basically absorbed by the Philistines.

Well, how was that happening.

Because they were becoming just like the Philistines worshipping their gods marrying their women,

you know, they were they were.

Taking on their customs and by starting a war you know all these

battles and killing so many Philistines what he did was reestablish what God wanted which was

enmity between Israel and the Philistines.

The point of Israel was never to you know, go along to get along it was to be reliant upon

God.

You know, you want to make a treaty with Egypt bad move?

Why.

Because you're not supposed to make a treaty with Egypt.

You're supposed to rely upon God.

Over and over and over again you are people for me for nobody else he would say

so the law helped separate Israel from all of its

neighbors it was to keep them from Worshipping idols to be

engaged with these other people and to even intermarry with them this was the whole point

was to keep them separate and.

So in Christ what he does is he fulfills the ceremonial and the judicial laws and is it

Paul writes in Ephesians?

He puts aside the enmity.

We're no longer two people we're no longer Jew and Gentile.

We're all people at least in the church.

We're all one people in Christ.

All the stuff that's going on today in in terms of racial reconciliation

Jesus reconciled the races.

He reconciled Jews with everybody else, right?

Not on the basis of skin color but just on the basis of there are two people groups in the world the Jews and everybody

else the Gentiles and Now we are all one in the church.

Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial the moral

and The judicial laws did all three and why are the moral laws still?

For us today.

Because they're still binding because they reflect the character and nature of God, it's still wrong.

You know kill somebody obviously to murder somebody anyway.

It's wrong to steal.

It's wrong to do all these things.

Why?

Because they reflect upon the character of God.

We are his children.

We are to be like God even.

As I was thinking about I was reading somebody expanding about

Ephesians chapter 5.

We are to be imitators of God, right?

Well, what does that mean?

We're to be little icons little reflections of him.

So in this case, he says, you know, if God wouldn't say something Don't you say it.

Don't be coarse.

Don't be profane.

Don't you know involve yourself in course jesting and all these things.

Well, why not?

Because that's not the character of God.

Don't be somebody who insults other people don't do all these kind of things.

Why because it's not a reflection of who God is and In the bigger sense the

the moral laws are the same.

So, let me get back to just what RC says and we'll We'll close with this.

Jesus does not Release us from all the obligations the law his duty as the second Adam.

Right, we talked about Adam being a type and then ultimately Jesus being the fulfillment as the second

Adam.

He's the anti type was to obey the law for us in every respect.

And in that sense, he fulfilled the law.

The moral law of the Old Testament was not destroyed by the work of Jesus, but it's still binding even upon those who are

justified.

That's why our confession of faith says but all these other laws don't apply to us.

I mean, you know again You you could say well, I don't want to eat shellfish and I'm not talking about

Charlie I.

I personally don't care for shellfish.

I don't have a moral aversion to them.

Just like I don't have a moral aversion to Twinkies as opposed to Ezekiel Four nine bread or whatever it is

for a turn.

I should look it up and bring in a couple loaves.

You know, what what was Peter's vision Rise eat and kill and why was that so different

because that's not how they lived, right?

So this was shocking.

There was a big change that happened when Jesus fulfilled the law things changed the old

Was done away with the new had come thoughts or questions as we close and

That's an excellent point and we're gonna we're gonna get to that because he does a better job of explaining it.

But what pastor Bob said is important, you know, we hear things like, you know.

We're bound to the law and all of a sudden we think okay I got to get it on the works treadmill and make sure I'm doing things rightly.

But we also have the Holy Spirit in us who enables us to obey in other words We do need to obey the moral law of God,

but it's not like we're left to our own devices to do it, right?

We have the Holy Spirit at work in us to conform us the image and you know I mean even if we were to go on could because

Matthew 5 17 and 18 is in you know, the Sermon on the Mount and It's there where

Jesus says, you know, you've heard it said.

But I say to you.

You know, if you even look at a woman with lust in your heart, well, what's he doing?

He's establishing the fact that our external obedience our works enos is Never going to be

enough because it's always a matter of the heart.

It's obedience from the heart.

God was never pleased as we read in Hebrews by sacrifices by the outward working

and always depended upon The heart and faith knowing that we were going to sin,

right when we see the Explication of the law Jesus really expounding it and

explaining what it really means.

Well, if we're if we're even going to try to live to just obey the moral law.

Well, guess what if that's our goal we're gonna fail.

Well, why?

You know thou shalt not murder.

You've heard it said that thou shalt not murder and I say to you if you get angry with your brother.

You're guilty of murder.

I won't ask for a showing of hands of who's been angry with somebody in the last You know year or two because I think

most of the people I don't know.

Maybe I'm just speaking of my own guilty self.

But I think most of us could say that at some point we've been angry about something that maybe we ought not to

have been quite so angry about and That's the point.

The the standard is always beyond our grasp, right we never get there.

But we don't have to get there.

Jesus got there.

He perfectly obeyed in our place and that's the whole point of the gospel, isn't it?

Anybody who tells you the point of the gospel is?

Try harder be a better person.

I read this all the time.

You know, I'm just trying to be a better person.

That's how I know I'm getting to heaven.

It's never gonna work.

Because better is not good enough.

Perfect is the standard and Jesus is perfect.

He's the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

We need to close Father thank you for your word.

Thank you for the sureness of it even if some things are difficult for us to understand even as we think about things like

Shadows and types and anti types and fulfillments and sometimes these things aren't entirely

clear to us.

Here's what we know.

We know that you sent your son the Lord Jesus Christ Fully God to become

holy man.

He lived a perfect life while remaining God never sinned always

obeyed went to the cross even though he never did anything wrong died for sinners and

Then you raised him on the third day to show that his sacrifice Had completely

paid our debts.

That's what we praise you for and that's what we're thankful for.

But there's so much more in scripture.

We want to put the gospel spectacles on as it were and remember Jesus Christ our

perfect sacrifice our substitute our Savior.

And we want to learn and grow in him so that we might be Mature in Christ that we

might better understand and worship him.

We pray these things would be true in Jesus name.

Amen.