Our Common Confession

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So please open your Bibles with me this morning to the epistle of 1 Timothy. 1
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Timothy chapter 3, one verse of Scripture, verse 16.
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Verse 16. I'd like to speak to you, I wrote down and it's been written down, great is the mystery, but I'd like to retitle this,
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The Hymn of Common Confession. The Hymn of Common Confession. Hear the word of the living
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God. I'm reading from the NASB translation this morning.
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And the Holy Scripture says this, through the Apostle Paul, by common confession, by common confession, great is the mystery of godliness.
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He who was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated in the spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
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Praise God. Let's pray. Our Father and our God, we praise you and we thank you for meeting with us.
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And it's all about your unspeakable gift unto us, unto us, the child that is born unto us, to redeem sinners, the great mediator between you and men, the man
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Christ Jesus, who bridged that great gulf between a holy
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God and sinful sinners, vile sinners. Oh, we thank you for the
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Son of God, that great gift you've given to redeem sinners like us this morning.
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We thank you for the Scriptures. As the Apostle Paul says, it is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom
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I am foremost of all. Lord, if the Apostle Paul says that, where does that place us?
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We're vile sinners. But we thank you for your redemption, that you came and your
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Son came, Emmanuel, God among us. Oh, Lord, I pray this morning that you would give us ears to hear, eyes to see, and a heart to perceive the one great truth, the living truth, through the written truth, and that is
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Jesus Christ the Lord, none other. May he have the preeminence here this morning and all over this world wherever the
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Gospels preached, that we would all see the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
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Oh, God, our prayer is that he alone would be lifted up and praised, and that we may behold him, not a preacher, not a mere mortal man, but the
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Lamb of God that was born incarnate, lived a perfect sinless life, crucified, buried, resurrected, and ascended on high, and glorified at your right hand, oh,
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God. Lord, we just ask that you would just open our eyes,
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Lord, and open our hearts to see him, to see Jesus. Oh, that we would see
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Jesus. And we ask this in Jesus' name, for your honor and glory, amen and amen.
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One of the great gifts and good gifts this time of the year, and I would say it's a common grace in our society and our world, is that we have the great opportunity and the privilege to hear
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Christmas carols sung and played in many of the market stores and market places.
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And the gospel is really proclaimed in many respects. I don't know about you, but my heart leaps for joy when
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I'm hearing Hark the Herald Angels Sing, or Silent Night, or Old Holy Night. And it's a wonderful thing just to hear this as we celebrate
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Christ at this time of year. What a great blessing and a great heritage that this is, especially to those of us who know and love the
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Lord Jesus Christ with our hearts and understand the great meaning of the wonderful words of life and which are part of this great music.
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In the old English dictionary, the definition of a carol, you know, my wife and I was talking about this, the differences between a
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Christmas carol and a Christmas hymn. There is a difference, but the carol is a slight difference.
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It means a song or a hymn of gladness. That's the old English dictionary.
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It's a song, a hymn of gladness. It doesn't have to be just about Christmas, right?
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It could be about any glad, joyous thing. And of course, there's nothing more joyous and more glad than the great truth, the old, old story of Jesus Christ.
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I love the old hymn that says, Oh, tell me the old, old story of unthings seen above, Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.
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Tell me the story of Jesus, writes Fanny Crosby. Write on my heart every word.
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Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that ever was heard. Tell how the angels in chorus sang as they welcomed
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His birth. Glory to God in the highest. Peace and good tidings to earth. Fasting alone in the desert.
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Tell all of the days that are past. For our sins He was tempted, yet He's triumphant at last.
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Tell of the years of His labor. Tell of the sorrow He bore. He was despised and reflected, homeless, rejected and poor.
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Tell of the cross where they nailed Him. Listen to this. Tell of the cross where they nailed
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Him, writhing His anguish and pain. Tell of the grave where they laid Him. Tell how
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He liveth again. Love in the story so tender, clearer than I ever,
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I see. Lord, may I always remember, love paid the ransom for me. And the chorus goes, tell me the old, old story.
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Tell me the story of Jesus. Write on my heart every word. Tell the story most precious, sweetest ever was heard.
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That's Fanny Crosby. That's a great hymn. But we're talking about carols, right? Well, nothing is more joyous and glorious than hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ and of His birth and burial and resurrection and His soon coming.
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How Jesus came into the world to save sinners like us. The Word was made flesh, dwelt among us.
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And when we look back at the wonderful hymns and the carols, the Christmas carols in which we sing about Jesus as a part of our heritage, we find them clear and rich statements of gospel truth.
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There are so many of them. But let me give you just a little example of some more, as I've already mentioned,
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Fanny Crosby, which is not necessarily a Christmas hymn. That was just kind of a heartwarmer, in a sense, to hear about Jesus.
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But the great Advent carol, which is written by Charles Wesley in the 18th century, "...come
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thou long expected Jesus born to set your people free. From our sins and fears release us
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Christ in whom our rest shall be." And then he says, "...is born thy people to deliver, born a child yet a king, born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious kingdom bring."
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So solid is that theology out of the scriptures in which Charles Wesley wrote.
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There's another great Christmas carol by Emily Elliott.
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She was actually the niece of the Elliott that wrote Just As I Am. She was kin to her, maybe she influenced her, but I would like to say, personally think of that.
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But she wrote this wonderful hymn. And by the way, we're going to be playing it today and singing it when we partake in communion.
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"...thou didst leave thy throne." And I would like to say more about that hymn.
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There's much more to be said about it. But she specifically wrote this hymn, this Christmas carol to teach children about the birth of Jesus.
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That's the reason why she wrote it. And it says this, "...thou didst leave thy throne and thy kingly crown when thou camest to earth for me.
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But in Bethlehem's home was there found no room for thy holy nativity.
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Heaven's arches rang when the angels sang proclaiming the royal decree. But of lowly birth didst thou come to earth in great humility.
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The foxes found rest and the birds found their nest in the shade of the forest tree.
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But thy couch was the sod, O thou
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Son of God, in the deserts of Galilee. Thou camest, O Lord, with the living word that should have set thy people free.
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But with mocking scorn and crown of thorn they bore thee to Calvary."
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You know, that wonderful hymn of Christmas carol, again, to teach children about the birth of Jesus in the gospel.
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A shorter one, I don't want to go into all the stanzas because of our time this morning, but James Montgomery in the 19th century wrote a hymn, come and worship, come and worship
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Christ the newborn King. With lines like this, sinners brought to true repentance, doomed for guilt to endless pains, justice now revolts the sentence, mercy calls you, break your chains.
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What a great, triumphant song. And that's the power of the gospel, is it not?
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That there's a sharp, living, active, two -edged sword that the
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Word of God brings, and it is to our hearts. These are just a few examples of the many, many thousands and thousands of great hymns and carols that speak about the glorious gospel truth.
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So singing has always been a part of worship of God's people, hasn't it? And singing will continue even as it does now in heaven, as they sing the praises of God forever and ever.
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If we're not worshiping God, as Edward says, and if you're not praising God here and living with God now, how can you even think of doing it forever and eternity if we're not worshiping the
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Lord Jesus here in our hearts and lives? Great thought. Ephesians 5,
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Colossians 3, Apostle Paul actually commands us to speak to ourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.
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This is what the Word of God says, making melody in our hearts to the Lord, to God, to the
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Lord. So it's our worship and our singing to the Lord. This is an integral part of worship, isn't it?
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Even the Old Testament saints had a hymnal, a praise book, didn't they not? It was called the
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Book of Psalms, and we have it with us today that's preserved. It's a comprehensive 150 chapters of great worship and praise to God and speaks of the prophecies of Jesus Christ.
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And if you study the New Testament, the epistles carefully, you actually will see hymns appearing. For example, even in Romans 8, verses 31 through 39, which was actually a hymn that was sung in the early church as believers sung as a security of their salvation.
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Romans chapter 11, verses 33 to 36, was thought to be sung from the early church, these great verses of Scripture.
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So actually we're just looking at the Apostle Paul wrote these words down and through great suffering in which we take so much for granted that the
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Word of God came in much blood and suffering, did it not? And the Holy Spirit was breathing upon him and they just basically took those words and sung it to the
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Lord. Well, this is actually a majestic doxologies that was sung.
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There are many who believe that the first chapter of Ephesians, that great chapter, verses 3 through 14, that speaks actually of the doctrine of election, that God chose
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His people from before the foundation of the world and chose them to love
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Him and pick them out and mark them out. That's what basically predestination says, God marks them out.
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He did that before the foundation of the world and it's even said that that great portion of Scripture was sung, was sung in the early church.
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There's many others, many others. Colossians chapter 1, verses 15 through 17 and Philippians chapter 2, 6 through 11.
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I'll be reading these later, but think of them as I read them. They were actually thought to be sung in the early church that speaks of the humility and the incarnation, the exaltation of Jesus Christ.
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And here in our text, 1 Timothy 3 .16 is thought to be a great hymn sung by the early church as well.
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It's considered a hymn of common confession, a hymn of praise, 1
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Timothy 3 .16, a hymn of common confession. It's a hymn of common confession because if you notice, if you look at the text, whatever translation that you have, the translators have said that this verse, and especially this one particular verse, is a part, and if you look in your
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Bible, it's like in poetic format. Because they recognize that this verse takes a different character, a different character than the regular flow of the text.
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So it is indented and put in poetic lines. So one statement of each line, and I like to think of it like this, that line upon line, precept upon precept, notice how the hymn goes.
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He was revealed in the flesh. He was vindicated in the spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory, a great and glorious truth that is sung poetically.
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And I want you to think of this, there's only six verbs in each line, six verbs in each line, and the indicators, in other words, that's a good indicator that this was very likely a hymn of praise for the early church.
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Now the gospel is being sung. And that's what we're singing. We're singing the gospel.
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And I don't believe there's anything else more glorious in this thing than the gospel. Luther said it was important that we preach the gospel to ourself every day because we are so apt to forget it every day.
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And I think singing the gospel goes right along with that. Paul gives us, by the way, this introduction to this common confession in the early church.
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Look at me, look with me to verse 15, verse 15. And he says this, but in case
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I am delayed, I write so that you would know how one ought to conduct himself or to behave himself in the household of God.
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Isn't it amazing? I'll stop right there for a second comment that Paul the apostle is concerned how people conduct themselves and behave in God's house.
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I think that's important. Each and every one of God's children, children of God, because that's what we are, need to know how to behave.
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And we teach our children the same thing. You need to behave and conduct yourself with reverence, fear, and reverence before the
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Lord and the household of God. And then he says this, which is the church, the living of the living
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God, the pillar and the support of the truth. Now, I want you to see this.
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Paul speaks of the church of the living God here. But actually, if you read the original
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Greek translation, it has it as this, the living God's church. The living
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God's church. Now, I love that. And I want to tell you why I love it. And not because of me personally, but that is a wonderful translation because the living
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God's church puts the emphasis more on God than the church. Even though the church is important, but God of the church is even more important.
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Because it's the nature of God. If you say the church of the living God, the church takes priority.
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But if you translate it the way the original Greek does, the living God's church,
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God takes the priority. You see that? The emphasis becomes solely on the person of the living
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God. God himself, who is the owner of the church through Jesus Christ.
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It is the living God's church. Isn't that a great thought? This church belongs to God.
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And according to Acts 20, 28, Jesus purchased the church, the people of God with his precious blood.
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Because Jesus is the head of the church and he purchased them with his own precious blood. So verse 15 actually introduces to us his church, the living
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God's church. Not a dead institution, not a lifeless building or a structure, but the living organism, the people of God purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ.
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The household of God, the pillar and the support of the truth. And what would you say the truth is? Jesus himself, his life, his ministry, all that he did, from his birth to his death, all the way to his glorification.
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But also everything that is between the pages of the covers of your Bible, from Genesis to Revelation is known as the truth.
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Praise God. The living God's church, the truth that is substantial, that is centered in the one person of Jesus Christ.
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Then verse 16 comes, by a common confession, great is the mystery of godliness.
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And the other translations, you may have the translation, but I like the translation as well, without controversy.
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It really means the same thing. Common confession without controversy. But without controversy basically means not subject to debate.
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There's no debate about this. That's what he's saying. There's no argument to this issue. It's beyond dispute.
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It is in concrete. It's upon the rock. And it is the unanimous conviction of the living
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God's church. By common confession. By common confession we believers say and believe the truth.
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We believe that truth and it's by common confession that we are in accord with that truth in unification.
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In unity. Truth in unity. And then he goes to verse 16, meaning by common confession, great is the mystery of godliness.
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Now I want you to think about this word mystery. It's a great word. Paul the apostle uses it a great deal in his epistles.
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In Romans 16, 25 -26 he says, Now to him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past.
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In verse 26, But now is manifested, that means revealed, by the scriptures of the prophets according to the commandment of the eternal
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God has been made known to all nations leading to obedience of the faith.
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See it leads to obedience of the faith. But the important thing is the mystery that was kept secret long ages past.
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It's been manifested. It's been revealed now. And what is he saying? How has it been revealed? Well, Colossians 1 chapter 1 verse 26 and 27 answers that question.
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He says this, That is the mystery, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations but has now been manifested, revealed to his saints, to God's people, and to whom
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God willed, God willed it, to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the
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Gentiles, which is, which is what? Christ in you, the hope of glory.
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Christ in you, the hope of glory. That's the mystery that's revealed to us that Jesus is here to dwell in his people.
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Great is the mystery of godliness. Godliness. Now, I want you to think about this. Commentator J .N.
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Darby said this, and I thought it was a good quote and I've got it here for you. But it has a lot of great insight for us in the opening statement of the
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Apostle Paul here. He says this, This is often quoted and interpreted as if it spoke of the mystery of the
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Godhead or the mystery of Christ's person. It is the mystery of godliness.
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Godliness. Or the secret, he says, by which all real godliness is produced.
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The divine spring of all that can be called piety in man, godliness springs from the knowledge of the incarnation, the death and resurrection, and the ascension of the
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Lord Jesus Christ. And then he says this, This is how God is known.
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This is how God is known. And from abiding in this flows godliness.
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Godliness. This godly living. And Paul says this is a great mystery.
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It's a great mystery. Common confession. Great is the mystery of godliness. Spurgeon says of this text,
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Observe, quote, That the comprehensive summary of the gospel there is contained in six little sentences, which run with such regularity and measure in the original
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Greek, that some have supposed them to be an ancient hymn, and it is possible that they may have been used as such in the early church.
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That's what Spurgeon says. Now, look at the first line. The first line says this, And this is the gospel, beloved.
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This is the gospel of Jesus Christ. He says in the first line,
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He who was revealed in the flesh. He who was revealed in the flesh.
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That's a seal of, because it's the word of God and this was sung. He who refers to Jesus Christ.
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Christ. God in the flesh. He was God in the flesh. So here our great confession is all true
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Christians born again affirm and believe that we believe that Jesus Christ is
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God in flesh. That's why we celebrate Christmas. Not because of Frosty the
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Snowman. Not because of Santa Claus comes to town. Not because of all the commercialism that's thrown in our faces and even coming together with warm fuzzy feelings.
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It's all about the Son of God that was come manifest in the flesh. That's the celebration.
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That's the gospel. God incarnate. The very essence of the incarnation that God, the
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Son, the second person of the Trinity added to His deity, humanity. That is a great mystery as well.
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And was thus manifested in the flesh. John 1 .1 says this, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
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Word was God. Verse 2, He was in the beginning with God. And the
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Bible says in verse 14, And John, and the whole and the Word became flesh and dwelt, tabernacled among us.
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And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
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John the Apostle continues all the way through the whole gospel. His gospel as an evangelist as he was an apostle.
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He summarizes all about the deity of Jesus Christ. Notice that in the gospel of John.
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It's all about God, Jesus being God. And God being in flesh.
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The deity of Jesus Christ all the way through His gospel. Testifying to that. Jesus Christ is
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Lord. Jesus Christ is Lord. That's the confession of the church. Peter said it.
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When Jesus asked him, Whom do you say that I am? And then basically before that He said,
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Whose men say I am? They said some Elijah, some of the prophets. And then who do you say that I am? And Peter says,
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Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus said, Flesh and blood did not reveal that to you, but my
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Father in heaven revealed that to you. That's the confession of the church. That's the confession.
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And notice in 1 John 2 .23 it says this,
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And the same apostle writes another letter. Actually he wrote 1 John 1.
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And I'm sorry, The 1st John and 2nd John and 3rd John. But here in 1 John 2 .23,
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He said, Whoever denies that the Son does not have the Father, Denies the Son does not have the
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Father, The one who confesses the Son has the Father also. In 1 John 4 .2 He says,
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By this you know the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God.
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Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. Now that's important.
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That's important. Colossians 1 .15 -18 which I said was probably sung as well.
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He, Jesus Christ, speaking of Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God. The firstborn of all creation for by Him, All things were created,
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Both in heavens and on earth, Invisible and invisible, Thrones, dominions and rulers, authorities.
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All things, I love the way He emphasizes, All things have been created through Him and for Him.
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He is before all things and in Him all things consist. In other words, All things actually hold together because of Jesus Christ.
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He is also head of the body, the church. And He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.
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So that He Himself will come to have first place. That means preeminence in everything.
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And I'm so thankful we got that on our little sign down there. Over there. That Jesus Christ is to have preeminence in all things.
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Because this is the church of Jesus Christ. It's His people. It's not a structure.
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It's not again an institution. It's the people of God. You are part of that church. As Wesley sung it and we sung it this morning.
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Hark the herald angels sing. Christ by highest heaven, Adored Christ the everlasting
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Lord. He's the everlasting Lord. Amen. Veiled in flesh, the
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Godhead see. Hail the incarnate deity. Right out of Scripture.
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Right out of Scripture. Well, so the living God's church, The living God's church affirms and believes.
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He who is God, revealed in the flesh, Was not created, not made, But rather He was manifest.
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He was revealed. He was made visible. Jesus Christ, the second person of the
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Trinity. In flesh. In human form. God. God appears in human flesh.
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Philippians 2, 6 -8. Who although He existed in the form of God, The form of God did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped.
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But He emptied Himself, Taking the form of a bond slave, And being made in the likeness of men.
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Being found in the appearance of a man. He humbled Himself and became obedient.
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He became obedient to the point of death. Even the death on a cross. The cross.
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Which is foolishness to the world that's perishing. But to us that are saved, it is what? The power of God unto salvation.
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No wonder the church has lost its power. We've gotten away from preaching of the cross of Jesus Christ.
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Because there is the power of God. 1 John 1 and 2 says this.
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He's talking about being an eyewitness. That John the Apostle and other apostles were eyewitness of Jesus Himself.
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Was from the beginning. He that was from the beginning. What we have heard. What we have seen.
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With our eyes. We have looked at and touched with our own hands.
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Concerning the word of life. And the life was manifested. Manifested.
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Hear that. And we have seen and testified and proclaimed to you the eternal life.
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Which was with the Father. And was manifested to us. Hallelujah. What that is.
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That He. Whose God was revealed in the flesh. He was revealed in the flesh.
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The second line goes like this. He was vindicated. He was vindicated in the
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Spirit. Or justified in the Spirit. Some translation says justified. But it means vindication. Vindication.
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In the Spirit. What does that mean? Well basically indicating the declaration of Christ's perfect righteousness.
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His righteousness was perfect because why? Because He's the righteous one. He is the righteous one.
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He's spotless Son of God. He's sinless. He was sinless. The Lord Jesus who knew no sin.
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Was made sin for us. 2 Corinthians 5 21. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf.
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So that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Isn't that glorious? You know that's the heart of the gospel.
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It's actually summarized and expressed in 15 Greek words. The doctrine of imputation.
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The doctrine of substitution. Is all explained right there. In one single verse. The gospel of Jesus Christ is in that one verse.
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The substitutionary death of Jesus. The imputation of Jesus. That He takes our sins and He gives us
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His righteousness. Isn't that glorious? Jesus Christ was vindicated.
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Vindicated. What does the word vindicated mean? Romans 1 4 gives us that definition.
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The Apostle Paul says this. That Jesus who was declared the
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Son of God. He's declared the Son of God with power. By the resurrection from the dead.
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He was vindicated according to the spirit of holiness. Jesus Christ our Lord. Pastor John MacArthur says this in his commentary.
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He says quote. The resurrection clearly declared that Jesus was deity. The expression of God Himself in human form.
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While He was eternally the Son in anticipation of His incarnation. It was when
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He entered the world in incarnation. That He was declared to all the world as the
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Son of God. And took on the role of submission to the Father. End quote. So Jesus Christ was vindicated in the spirit.
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The spirit. The spirit of God vindicated Him. The Holy Spirit vindicated Him. Justified Him.
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Now He didn't justify Him like we need justification. Okay. He was talking about vindication.
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And it means in His perfect, sinless, spotless life. His revelation in the flesh.
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At the end of His life point. Once as He died. Then the time to render vindication.
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Think of this. A wicked man who planned. Wicked people who. Wicked men who planned His death.
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It was already foreordained of God. But God let them kill and murder
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Jesus. In His sovereignty. Because it was for the scriptures to be fulfilled.
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In the sovereignty of God. Wicked men planned to kill Him. And they did. And they thought that they would triumph.
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Triumph over His death. And they gathered together at Calvary. Mocked Him. And Jesus died.
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But oh beloved aren't you glad. Men did not have the last word there. God had the last word.
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Because God raised Him from the dead. The spirit raised Him from the dead. And He raised Himself from the dead.
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So the Trinity was all in together. In raising Christ from the dead. Justified in the spirit.
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Being raised from the dead. That's what it means. Go with me to Acts chapter 2 real quick. Let me read just a few verses here.
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My time is short here this morning. Because we have communion. But I want to read these verses. Because it's the Apostle Peter.
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That stood up on the day of Pentecost. After we were all filled with the Holy Ghost. And in Acts chapter 2.
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In the coming of the Spirit of God. And God filled these believers with His Spirit. That they may be enabled to go into all
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Judea and Samaria. And Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria. And other most parts of the earth. To preach the Gospel.
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Gave them power for service. And notice what He says in verse 22. He stands up and He preaches under the power of the
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Spirit of God. This is a different Peter now. That we read in the Gospels. Now He's transformed. He's renewed.
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He's brought back. He's restored. Jesus restores Him. Brings Him back. And now
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He's preaching the Gospel. And listen to what happens. Men of Israel He says. Listen to these words. Automatically He says.
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Jesus of Nazareth. That's His message. Isn't that our message? Jesus of Nazareth.
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As brother Keith mentioned this morning from Luke 4. A man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs.
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Which God performed through Him. And you're missed just as you yourselves know. This man delivered over by the predetermined plan.
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Listen to that. Predetermined plan in the foreknowledge of God. It was already planned in God's mind.
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It's already there. You nailed to a cross. They were still responsible. You nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put them to death.
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But. Oh don't you love them transitional words. But God raised
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Him up again. That's the way He was vindicated. Putting an end to the agony of death.
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Since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. For David says of Him.
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And now He goes to David. And quote. He's actually doing pure expository preaching here.
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Under the Spirit's power. And He's going to the Word of God. Letting the Word interpret the Word. And then
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Peter is saying. David. I saw the Lord always in my presence. For He is at my right hand.
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So that I would not be shaken. Therefore my heart was glad. And my tongue exulted. Moreover my flesh also will live in hope.
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Because you will not abandon my soul to Hades. Nor allow your Holy One to undergo decay.
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You have made known to me the ways of life. And you will make me full of gladness with your presence.
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And you notice what He says. Brethren may I confidently say to you. In regarding to the patriarch David. That he both died and was buried in his tomb with us to this day.
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And so because he was a prophet. And knew that God had sworn to him.
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With an oath to the seat. One of his descendants on his throne. And then he looked ahead.
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And he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ. That he was neither abandoned to Hades.
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Nor did his flesh suffer decay. This Jesus. Notice how many times he speaks of the resurrection.
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This Jesus God raised up again. To which we are all witnesses. He is risen.
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And therefore have been exalted to the right hand of God. Having received from the Father the promise of the
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Holy Spirit. He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. For it was not
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David who ascended into heaven. But he himself says. The Lord said to my
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Lord sit at my right hand. Until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. Notice the focus of Peter's message.
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Jesus Christ. Him crucified. Him resurrected. Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain.
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That God has made him both Lord and Christ. Amen. This Jesus whom you crucified. And now when they heard this.
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Now listen to this. Now have you been in a church service. And then you get the response like this. The same thing after John the
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Baptist preached. What shall we do? The power of the Spirit of God was so powerful. What are we going to do?
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And when they heard this they were pierced to the heart. And said to Peter and the rest of the apostles.
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Brethren what shall we do? He gives them the answer. Peter said to them repent. Repent. And each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
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For the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children.
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And for all who are afar off. Speaking of the Gentiles. As many as the
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Lord our God will call to Himself. Isn't it glorious? Jesus Christ is that message.
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And He was vindicated in the Spirit. Perfect Son of God. Jesus said this of Himself in Revelation 1 .18.
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I am He that liveth and was dead. Behold I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of hell and death.
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God raised Jesus from the dead. Now He is declared to be the Son of God with power. According to the Spirit of holiness.
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Look at the next line with me. Back to 1 Timothy 3 .16. The next line goes in this common confession.
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Seen by angels. Seen by angels. Now this is great. What does this refer to?
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Well. The Word of God is full. Of what angels have witnessed.
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Throughout the ages and history. That God has created them to. Not only are they created to worship
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God. But they are also messengers of God. Angels have a great interest in the events that surround actually the incarnation.
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The crucifixion. The resurrection. The ascension. The intercession. The coronation of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1
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Peter. We looked into this as we have been going through the book of 1 Peter. But 1 Peter 1 .12 says.
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Peter says things that angels desire to look into. Desire to look into.
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And the angels in Luke 1 .26 -38. Announce this. They actually announce
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Christ's birth. And herald His coming. Actually there was a whole army of angels that praised
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God. When they revealed it to the shepherds. As brother Ben read this morning. We also see angels in Matthew 4 .11.
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That angels came to minister to Jesus after His temptation. Came to strengthen Him. In Luke 22 .43.
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We see again angels during His agony in the garden of Gethsemane. When Jesus was pouring out His life.
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His blood. His sweat became drops of blood. And angels came to minister to Him there.
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All through His hardships of prayer and intercession.
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Angels come to minister to Him. I like this. One of my favorites. Jesus Christ our
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Lord even told Peter right before He was going to be crucified. He said don't you know that I have more than 12 legions of angels.
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To call to my side. He actually could have escaped
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Calvary's cross. And He says there's 12. There's actually 12 legions of angels waiting right now.
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At my side. At my beckon. At my command. And all I have to do. Jesus all He had to do was summon them.
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12. Listen to this. That's approximately. If you do the math. Approximately 72 ,000 angels.
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72 ,000 angels. Jesus said the Father would have given
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Him more. Actually the text says more than 72 ,000 angels.
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Because one legion is basically 6 ,000 according to the Roman soldiers. Of that time period.
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And if you multiply 6 ,000 to the number by 12. It becomes 72 ,000.
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Jesus said I got more than 72 ,000 to come to my beckon call. Now what would be the combined strength.
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In this number of angels. Have you ever thought of that? Isaiah 37, 36 says this.
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A single angel destroyed. Annihilated. 185 ,000 men.
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That is a huge army of men. One angel wiped them out. And Jesus says
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I got more than 72 ,000 angels waiting. So if you take a single angel.
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That had that kind of power. And Jesus is actually the one that created them.
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Hallelujah. How much combined strength would there be.
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12 legions of angels. Jesus could have easily called them.
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But he went all the way to Calvary to take our sins. And the sins of the world.
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Oh he had temptation by temptation to bypass the cross. But he went a little further.
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He went a little further. Beloved he went a little further. All the way to Calvary's cross.
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I can't help but think about the angels power here folks. It's just enormous. Because one angel has that much power.
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To destroy 185 ,000 men in one night. That would mean that the combined strength of a legion of 6 ,000 angels.
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And more would be enough to destroy. Actually listen to this. I did the math on this. 1 ,110 ,000 men.
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10 million men. That's a power. When Jesus said all power and authority is given unto me.
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He meant every bit of it. He just has to speak the word. Wow. Angels are mentioned in connection with his resurrection.
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Matthew 28, 1 -10. John 20, 11 -14.
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The angels were there at his birth. The angels were there during his life. The angels were there during his resurrection.
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And in ascension to heaven in Acts 1, 9 -11. Angels will accompany Jesus when he comes back in his glorious return.
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He says great power and with all the holy angels. 2 Thessalonians 4.
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And you read through the book of Revelation of the great day of almighty God. The day of the Lord. When angels will accompany him and escort him.
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But more angels even witnessed the giving of the law on Mount Sinai. There are holy beings created for the service of God.
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Spurgeon said this. The Godhead was seen in Christ by angels. As they had never seen it before.
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They had beheld the attribute of justice. They had seen the attribute of power. They had marked the attribute of wisdom.
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And seen his prerogative of sovereignty. But never had angels seen love. And condescension.
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And tenderness and pity. And God as they saw in these things. And the person in the life of Jesus Christ.
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End quote. That's powerful isn't it? They witnessed and they desired to look into these things.
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Look at the fourth line in 1 Timothy 3, 16. The fourth statement says this. By common confession, he's proclaimed among the nations.
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In other words, he's preached among the Gentiles. Now I want you to think about this. Somebody said.
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And some people feel that it was Francis of Sicia that said this. Preach the gospel without words. That's really not correct.
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Because the scripture says you cannot preach the gospel unless you have words. You have to have the preaching of the gospel with words.
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Words we are speaking and communicating with one another. There has to be the preaching of the gospel.
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And people say, why preaching? Because God chose the foolishness of preaching. That was
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God's method. And it still is God's method today. And I'm so thankful for it.
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And I'm so grateful that God has. In my nothingness that God called me to be a servant of the
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Lord Jesus Christ. And to proclaim the gospel. And it just brings fear and trembling to me as I'm ministering to you.
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Because this message is so great. And Jesus Christ is as glorious as I can present
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Him to you. He's even more glorious. Folks, we think in our little minds. Oh, how great
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God is. And how great Jesus is. He's far greater than you can even imagine. Oh, through His death and His burial and His incarnation.
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And His resurrection. And how great He is. But His glorious resurrection from the dead. He revealed
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Himself alive in the flesh. Physically to those who believe in Him. And now to those who believe.
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What do we do? We tell people about Jesus. Spurgeon said it.
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He said, if you say that you're a Christian, you're an imposter.
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Or you're a missionary. One of the two. But every born again
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Christian is a true missionary. Amen. The evidence for the resurrection was so overwhelming.
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That people believed the gospel. They preached the gospel with great power and great grace. According to Acts 2.
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And in Mark 16, 15. Jesus commanded, that told His disciples to go into all the world.
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And preach the gospel to who? Every creature. All of creation. Verse 20.
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He who has believed and has been baptized. That's going along with the commandment of Jesus. Shall be saved.
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And he who disbelieves will be condemned. And the gospel actually says, they went out and preached everywhere.
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Everywhere they went. Think of this. The early apostolic church literally turned the world upside down for Jesus Christ.
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The Lord worked with them with signs and wonders. Following Acts chapter 2. We see Peter getting up and preaching.
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As I mentioned in red. After the 120 was filled with the Holy Spirit and power.
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And gave the ability to serve the Lord. Preaches the gospel, the crucifixion, the resurrection. All of who
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Jesus Christ is. 3000 souls believed. And were added to the church.
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Acts chapter 4. The church expands with the gospel. The resurrected Christ throughout the book of Acts. The resurrection is being preached.
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Affirming the sacrifice. The substitutionary sacrifice. That Jesus Christ was the Lamb of God. And it was all vindicated through His resurrection.
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He was accepted by God the Father on behalf of sinners. Romans 10, 5 -11.
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Listen to this. Where Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness. Which is based on the law.
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Shall live by that righteousness. But the righteousness based on faith.
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Speaks as follows. Do not say in your heart. Who will ascend into heaven. That is to bring Christ down.
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Or who will descend into the abyss. That is to bring Christ up from the dead. But what does it say?
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I love Paul, don't you? He says, what does the scripture say? What does the prophet say? What does the word of the
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Lord say? Amen. What does it say? The word is near you.
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In your mouth. And in your heart. That is the word of faith. Which we are preaching.
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If you confess with your mouth. There is confession. With your mouth. Jesus Christ as Lord.
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And believe in your heart. The believing in your heart. That God raised Him from the dead. You will be saved.
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And for with the heart. A person believes unto righteousness. Resulting in righteousness. And with the mouth.
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Confession is made. Resulting in salvation. For the scripture says. Again he quotes the scriptures.
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Whoever believes in Him. Will not be put to shame. In other words. Will not be disappointed. God disappoints nobody.
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And for there is no distinction. Between Jew and Greek. For the same Lord is Lord of all. Abounding in riches.
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For all who call on Him. And that calling is in repentance folks. That is what He is calling. It is just not in prayer.
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Which is part of it. But it is repenting as well. And then
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He says. For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord. Will be saved. He quotes from Joel. And Joel basically is.
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Will be delivered. That word saved. Means delivered. Delivered.
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The salvation. Through Jesus Christ is able. To save to the uttermost.
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Amen. Luke 2. Through 10. But the angel said to Him. Do not be afraid. For behold
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I bring you good news. Of great joy. Which will be for all people. Ben read that this morning. Hallelujah. 2
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Peter 3 .9. The Lord is not slow about His promises. Some count slowness. But is patient toward you.
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Not willing for any to perish. But that all should come to repentance. Mark 1.
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14 -15. Now after John had been taken into custody. Jesus came into Galilee. Preaching the gospel.
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What did Jesus preach? He said this. The time is fulfilled. The kingdom of God is at hand.
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In other words it's come near. It's near. And He says two words. Repent. And believe in the gospel.
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That's it. Right there folks. That's our message. We are to. We are command. God commands men everywhere to repent.
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Acts 17. 30 -31. Paul preaching. Therefore having overlooked times of ignorance. God is now declaring and commanding.
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That men and all people everywhere should repent. Why? Why? Verse 31.
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This is why. Look at verse 31. Gives us that answer. Because God.
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He has fixed a day. In which He will judge the world. And righteousness. Through man.
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Through Jesus Christ. Whom He has appointed. And having furnished proof. All by men.
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By raising them from the dead. Hallelujah. Common confession goes on to say. We have already looked at.
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He was revealed in the flesh. He was vindicated in the spirit. Seen by angels. Proclaimed among the nations. The fifth and final one is.
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That the hymn concludes. He's taken up in glory. He's taken up in glory. This is the climax of the incarnation.
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The substitutionary death. The resurrection. The evangelization of the lost.
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Salvation through Jesus Christ. Now glorification. Glorification. Jesus has received back up glory.
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From whence He came. And back to glory with the Father. He shared before the world even began.
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Before He created this world. He shared that glory with the Father. How do we know this? Well you read it all through scripture.
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But Jesus is praying in John 17 5. As He prays. Now Father glorify me together with Yourself.
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With the glory which I had with You. Before the world was. Before the world was.
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You see that? And you got these cults out here. That deny the deity of Jesus Christ.
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And claim to be in the kingdom of God. You know folks. God's not mocked is
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He? God's not mocked. Jesus accepted gladly and willingly. The path of the death of the cross.
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Bearing the sins. The ones He died for. He accepted this path to glory. Knowing that by it
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He would be exalted. On high by the Father. Hebrews 12 1. Looking unto Jesus.
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Fixing our eyes on Jesus. The author and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before Him.
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He endured the cross. Despising the shame. Sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. There's the exaltation.
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Philippians 2 9. For this reason. For this reason. God highly exalted Him. Jesus Christ.
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Bestowed on Him the name which is above. Every name. That at the name of Jesus. Every knee will bow. To those on heaven.
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And heaven and on earth. And under the earth. And that every tongue will confess. That Jesus Christ is Lord. To the glory of God.
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The Father. Jesus Christ is exalted on high. He's received up in glory.
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Luke 24 51. While He was blessing them. Before He went up to. He parted from them.
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And He was carried up into heaven. Isn't it a wonderful thing to think that. The last thing Jesus was doing on the earth.
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He was blessing them. Blessing them. Hebrews 1 3. And He is the radiance of His glory.
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The exact representation of His nature. He upholds all things by the word of His power. When He made purification of sins.
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And He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. Now don't take that so light.
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Let's put a seal right there. That Jesus sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high.
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I've been reading a book by John Owen. The commentary on the epistle of Hebrews.
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He's a great Puritan. Great Puritan theologian. This is what he said about this text. When it says that He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high.
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Owen says this. Two things are intended. One. The security of Christ.
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For all His adversaries. And all sufferings for the future. Two. His majesty and glory.
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Inexpressible. Inexpressible. In keen expressive. And then
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He says this. How little can our weak understanding apprehend of His majesty.
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By the words sat down. A contrast is drawn between Christ and Aaron.
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Aaron stood with all humility and holy reverence.
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Ministering before the Lord. When he entered into the most holy place on the day of atonement.
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After he had offered the sacrifice of expiation. He did not sit down between the chairmen.
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But worshiping at the footstool of the Lord. He departed. And then
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Owen says this. But. It is not so sayeth the apostle with Christ. After His one offering.
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He entered into heaven. Itself. Into the real glorious presence of God.
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Not to minister in humility. But to a participation. Of the throne.
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Of majesty. And glory. You get that.
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Jesus went right into the very presence of God. Sat down at the right hand.
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The power of authority. As the old song says to Him. By Philip Bliss.
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Lifted up was He to die. It is finished was His cry. Now in heaven exalted high. Hallelujah.
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What a Savior. Oh beloved can I say this in conclusion. As we are about to participate.
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In communion. And remember the sufferings of Jesus. At the cross. That He bore the wrath of God.
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Just not the physical sufferings. But the spiritual sufferings. Of taking our sin. Your sin.
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My sin. Is not this what Christmas. The Christmas message is all about. Is the cross.
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Of the Lord Jesus Christ. And in this hymn of common confession. We have these six glorious lines.
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That sweeps from the incarnation. All the way to glorification. All the way from the first advent.
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Of His coming. To His glory. And His exaltation. And one day His second advent.
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He is coming back. He is coming back. This is God in human flesh. His life confirms it.
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His sinless perfection confirms it. He is God. His substitutionary death confirms it. His glorious resurrection confirms it.
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The spirit of God confirms it. God the Father confirms it. The Father affirmed it in His holiness. He raised
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Him from the dead. The spirits of the angels worshipping Him confirms it. The preaching of the apostles confirms it.
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The preached word. He is risen from the dead. The faith of believers confirms it.
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Because through Christ. We have the absolute trust. And the power. Of the living
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God. God of the living church. And Jesus Christ is now. Right now. Seated at the right hand of God.
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Making intercession. For all saints. By the will of God. Remember that through your hard times.
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That Jesus is making intercession for you. He is praying for you. And His final glorious coronation.
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And His exaltation. He affirms it as well. This beloved is our confession. This is our common confession.
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Of the living God's church. The pillar. The support of truth. That the mystery of godliness.
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And great is that mystery. That refers to great truths of salvation. Righteousness of Christ. That produces a fruit.
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Through obedience. Of holiness in our lives. That means. The fruit of the spirit.
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Love. Joy. Peace. Goodness. Long suffering. All that. The spirit of God. Produces within us.
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And we live it out. As 1 Timothy 15 says. It is a trustworthy statement.
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That is deserving of full acceptance. That Jesus Christ came. Listen to that.
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This is why He came. He came into the world. To save.
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Sinners. And Paul says. For whom I am chief. I am the foremost. The apostle
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Paul himself. Thought of himself as the chiefest. And the foremost. Worst sinner.
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Where does that put you and me? Where does that put me? I don't know. That turns the searchlight on this heart.
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Our sin is. Ever before us. As David said. Aren't you glad. That Jesus Christ. Washes it away.
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Cleanses us. Luke 19 10. For the Son of Man has come. To seek and save that which is lost.
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That was His mission. He came to seek and save the lost. Matthew 1 21. She shall bear a son.
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And you shall call His name Jesus. For He will save His people. From their sins. It will happen.
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Perseverance. Is one of the great marks. Of those who are truly believed. Let me conclude with this.
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Hebrews. Chapter 7. Verse 25. Therefore He. Jesus Christ. Is able.
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He's able. To save. Forever. Those. Who draw.
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Near to God. Through Him. Since He always lives. To make intercession for them. Hebrews 2 9.
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But we do see Him. We see Him. Who has made. Who was made. For a little while.
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Lower than the angels. Lower than the angels. Namely Jesus. The cause of suffering of death.
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Crowned with glory. And honor. So that by the grace of God. He might taste death.
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Taste death for everyone. Isn't that the Christmas message?
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Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Jesus Christ born to die. The shadow of the cross was.
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Looming about Him. That was His mission. The Lamb of God.
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That takes away the sin of the world. Because of Jesus is obedient. To the point of death. He highly exalted
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Him. The Father highly exalted Him. And by His redemptive work. Jesus Christ now fulfilled all that was required.
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For the supreme representative of mankind. The death of Jesus Christ. The glory to come.
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Can only be applied. And it's ability to produce a desired. Intended result.
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Oh that through repentance and faith. Folks. Those are twin gifts from God. And we ask in humility.
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We go before God and humble ourselves. We humble ourselves. For that saving grace.
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The forgiveness of sins. And doesn't the scripture say. It says rejoice.
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With trembling. We rejoice. But we tremble. Where's the fear of the
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Lord today? Where is it? May God help us.
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May it begin with us. May it begin with us. Praise God. Let's pray. Father.
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Our God. We thank You for this great word. That the second person of the
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Trinity. Before this world was made. Was made flesh. This is beyond our comprehension.
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And He came to die. And take our sin. He didn't have to.
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Lord. You didn't have to send Him. But You did. We're not deserving of this great gift.
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And help us keep that. Perspective Lord. Because we actually. All we are deserving of.
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Is justice and wrath. Because of our sin. And Father.
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I would say from my heart. Thank You so much. For this great confession. That's in this wonderful verse.
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1 Timothy 3 .16. That it belongs to Your church. To those that You have purchased with Your blood.
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We thank You for this. We thank You for the unspeakable gift. Jesus Christ. Your one and only Son. That You did so love the world.
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That You gave. And You gave. And whoever believes. Whoever believes may not perish.
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But have everlasting life. You have given everlasting life in Jesus. Lord we thank
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You. And we rejoice. Help us to rejoice. Help us to adore You. Help us to worship
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You. Great and glorious wonders. All that's found in this great treasure. Jesus Christ our
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Lord. The pearl of great price. We have that pearl. All these wonderful glories in Jesus.
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And those things that angels even desire to look into. Father now I pray that You will continue to bless us.
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I pray as we worship You. Embrace in faith remembering Your sufferings.