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Very often on the evening of the Lord's Supper we depart from our Study, but the reality is that it just so happens in our study. We are at a text that is quite consistent and harmonious with Celebration Lord's Supper.
So turn with me again to John chapter 10. John chapter 10 we will continue on in our Study our series based upon manuscript p45 this evening looking at verses 17 and 18. John chapter 10 verses 17 and 18 where we read.
For this reason the father loves me because I lay down my life in order that I may take it up. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to give it and I have authority to take it up again this commandment.
I received from my father. Now you can see in these words the consistency that exists in Jesus's Teaching and our celebration of the Lord's Supper this evening. Because we have here a divine truth that I hope you are very familiar with.
And in fact, I hope that it is a divine truth that you will so familiarize yourself with. That's the next time you have opportunity and I realize some of you're gonna go. Well, I don't know that I'll ever have that kind of opportunity, but if you're not prepared for it.
Maybe that's why you'll never have it. But the next time you have the opportunity To speak to a Muslim person that you will keep in your mind. The truth that is laid out here in verses 17 through 18 now, why do I say that?
Well, because one of the most important truths that you could communicate to a Muslim person is the voluntary nature the self-giving nature of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. For the vast majority of them, especially those who were raised in a foreign country.
Those who have not been around a strong Christian witness for the vast majority of them they truly are confused as to how not only could we worship Jesus because they've never read the New Testament and they believe that Jesus was a prophet and all they know of Jesus is he acted like a prophet and spoke like a prophet but they truly stumble Over the issue of the crucifixion now part of it is because there is one verse in the Quran if you're really interested.
It's surah 4 157. There's one verse in the Quran that denies the crucifixion. 40 Arabic words That say that Jesus was not crucified and that when Christians say that he was it's mere conjecture on their part.
But of a certainty he was not killed. Now exactly what that verse is supposed to mean not even the Muslims really know but One verse and all the Quran there are other verses in the Quran that in their natural language We refer to the death of Jesus and so it's very strange and it just sort of exists on its own and there's no commentary on it for hundreds of years and It's it's somewhat of a mystery as to where in the world that came from but it's there.
And so the Muslim that be believes that the Quran is the Word of God believes Jesus was not crucified but What they really struggle with. I had a friend who did some missionary work in Africa and in a deep jungle context Far away from what you would consider to be civilization or the internet or even any type of regular electrical service he had the opportunity of speaking to a kindly Muslim man and The Muslim man said to him.
Well, you must explain to me. I have I have never had a Christian explained to me How you can believe? that God Would allow such a beloved prophet as Jesus to die in such a horrible manner. Because you see from their perspective the way in which a person dies Reflects God's favor or disfavor upon them and so to this gentleman's thinking our belief in The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was insulting because it would be a terrible human humiliating death and Therefore all he could understand is that for some reason Christians while they exalt Jesus at the same time want to insult Jesus.
To say that he could have died in such an ignoble in horrific fashion. So what do you say to someone like that? What kind of response do you give it is vitally important? To be able to express with clarity and in fact, I would just highly suggest the memorization of this text.
Not just not just the words, but where it is so you could show someone you could you could say to to someone well Let me give you a Bible. Let me give you a New Testament. Let me send you one in and read what Jesus said.
Because when you can communicate the truth To such a person that Jesus gave himself Voluntarily that he gave himself Purposefully that no one took his life from him that he lays that life down of his own Accord that he has the authority to lay it down.
He has the authority to take it up again. That changes everything. Because now this is a purposeful act. Obviously Jesus does it not to in some way Separate himself from God or to be rebuked by God or cursed by God in the way that they would understand those words.
But there must be some other reason why he's doing it and that opens wide the door to your being able to explain how Jesus becomes the sin bearer for his people and So I would highly recommend the memorization of these words.
Let's look at them and consider once again in their context. What was said this morning? Well, Jesus has sheep who are not of this fold. This is the Gentile mission. This is the bringing together of Jews and Gentiles in one if you want to see Paul's very deep Explication of this the breaking down of the dividing wall and and all the rest of that then you can of course look at the book of Ephesians for a full Explication of that but he is bringing together the sheep into this one fold.
He will gather them together. They will hear his voice and they'll become one flock with one shepherd. But the very next sentence the very next words Lay out for us. How can this happen? How can there be this one flock of people that have peace with God?
Well something must take place and That is the Good Shepherd Must lay down his life for the sheep. But notice the interesting insertion at the beginning of verse 17 for this reason the father loves me.
Because I lay down my life in order that I may take it up again now. Don't misunderstand that the statement is not being made. Well, there's never been a state of Love between the father and the son until the triune God Decreed the decree of Salvation and each took their roles and oh now because the son takes this role The father will love him that would be a obviously gross misreading of the text.
There is however a special expression of Love between the father and the son in light of The willingness of the son to give himself in behalf of the sheep. There is a special expression The father loves me because I lay down my life my soul in order that I may take it up and So there is the necessity of laying it down, but then notice in order that I may take it up.
When we consider the biblical testimony to this issue of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We know we are told specifically That the father raised Jesus from the dead. But we also know that it was the power of the Spirit of God That conquered death and raised Jesus from the dead and yet here Very clearly Jesus says he has authority to take up this life.
And so what do you have? Well, if you don't understand the doctrine of the Trinity if you consider that some fourth century theological innovation not based upon the text of Scripture itself. You don't have anything that makes any sense but if you have a high view of Scripture if you believe it is given by God and if you believe that Truths that are based upon the proper handling of all of the text of Scripture to get together remain divine truths.
Then what we have is just one of the many evidences of the doctrine of the Trinity. In the fact that just as in creation you have the Father Son and Spirit involved in that Here in the great work of redemption in the very resurrection of the Son of God.
You have the Father the Son and the Spirit involved in that great act of resurrection the very act of course that defeats the power of death and the power of sin and so here you have a special statement and again, I I know I've said this before but it strikes me and so I want to and if it doesn't strike you then.
Maybe it's just something about me, but I am always a little bit taken aback. When the scriptures open up for us personal elements of the relationship that exists between the members of the Trinity. I Have for example preached a number of times here on Philippians chapter 2.
And I've talked about how in that chapter there is a drawing back of the veil and we are we are given a glimpse back into eternity and into Inter-trinitarian relationship between the Father and the Son in that text and and what a tremendous privilege it is.
For we as sinful creatures to be given a revelation to be able to look into something like that. Well here we likewise Have I think a tremendous Privilege when Jesus says for this reason the Father loves me there is a special expression of love between the Father and the Son in light of the tremendous Condescension that is seen in what the Son did I Mean when you consider and the Lord's Supper helps us to remember this this is why it's so Good that we are that this text at the same time when you consider the majesty and the power of the Son of God who he was in eternity and Then to veil that majesty to veil that power to to allow himself to be treated.
The way he was treated by those Roman soldiers. Think about it. Think about every time one of those Roman soldiers Took his fist to hit our Lord in the face to whip his back. Who created that hand. Who was who was giving the life to innervate those nerves and those muscles.
That soldier didn't know that soldier was insensible. But Jesus well knew. This was the Creator who is being beaten and spat upon and mocked. What kind of restraint is demonstrated in Jesus enduring that kind of treatment at the hands of his own creation at the hands of those that he could call out of existence.
By the mere exercise of his will. It's amazing. Such restraint such condescension such humiliation. That's what Philippians 2 is about and I think that's why it is said for this reason the Father loves me.
There is a special expression of Love and of course it is then the spirit that makes the reality of that event come alive in our heart and So when you look at what the Son has done it makes sense. That there is one name in which we suffer there is one name that we proclaim Because of what our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has done and So I Give my life.
It's not taken from me. I Give it in order that I might receive it again that I may take it back. Well doesn't that doesn't that in some way diminish The reality of the giving that Jesus knows with absolute certainty What the outcomes gonna be gonna be.
I've had I've seen many an atheist for example make that argument. How is it anything really major if God really knows what the ends gonna be what does it really matter? But when you think about the fact That the Son has entered into this physical realm.
He has entered into time and space and it is Necessary it was necessary that he'd be born of a woman. It was be necessary he'd be a true human being he couldn't just simply pop in in some type of a body and Provide a sacrifice and then pop back out again.
This was not some type of a game. It was not a video simulation. Instead there needed to be a true Offering there was a true life lived. There is a true life given there is true suffering that took place.
But there is something else that I want to make sure you understand. Especially if you maybe you made a note and said, you know what Lord? I I would like to be able to be one that would be used to To express the self giving of the Sun to a Muslim person.
I I'd like to be used in that way. There's something else. You need to remember. There's something else. You need to remember and That is in that self giving of Jesus Christ. In the Muslim mind. There is no need for sacrifice there is no need for atonement.
God can simply forgive and so there needs to be thought upon our our our part as to the biblical foundations of the necessity of atonement. The idea that God can simply wink at sin. That should be something that we can give a response to.
We can point to the Old Testament sacrificial system we can point to its its prophecy. Toward the fulfillment in Jesus Christ. I think that is something that most of us should be able to do and hopefully our study through The Old Testament law not all that long ago might be able to put to help us in that way.
But when they listen to what we say about Christ self giving we need to emphasize. Yes. He did this in and of himself. But he did this in complete Union and harmony with the father it was the father's intention.
It was the son's intention. This wasn't an accident. This wasn't an accident. This was the intention of both the father and the son. Because from their perspective it seems like such a tragedy. It seems like such a mistake.
No, this was the Intention I lay down my life and or that I may take it up again. The death absolutely necessary the resurrection. Likewise necessary. Why because of the intimate nature of what Christian salvation is.
Remember that more than 10 times in the first 13 verses of the book of Ephesians. When it's describing God's work of salvation. It uses the phrase in him in Christ in the Beloved more than 10 times. It is union with Christ.
You see the Muslim person cannot begin to comprehend that. To them that's impossible. Why. Because Allah would never condescend to that level personal union. Joining and elect people to himself. That has that's that shows far too much willingness on God's part.
To condescend and enter into relationship and to be honest with you it likewise seems to Make man far too important. Remember Muslims don't believe were made in the image of God. There is no image of God and so When you think about what Christ has done It's so easy for you and I especially if you've grown up in the church.
You've been in the church for a number of years. We sort of develop this language in this way of thinking and we can just sort of make a little reference to something and the Whole truth of the Atonement comes to mind when you're speaking to others all that background information isn't there and It may be frustrating to you as you speak to others because it is missing you have to provide it.
You can't speak Christian ease and Understand the non Christian think that the Christian is going to non-christian is going to understand what you're saying. You have to be able to express these things with clarity and so verse 17 Expression of the love of the Father to the Son because of this tremendous Condescension Humiliation I lay down my life in order that I may take it up.
No one takes it from me. I'm certain the Roman soldiers thought differently. I'm certain the Jews as they stood mocking at the foot of the cross thought differently. If you want an instance where what the world saw and what we see through the eyes of God's revelation.
And faith are different. Look at the cross. No one takes it from me and again, this is one of the reasons. Why if you go off to the local university and there are good men at the local university. But even the good men at the local university will tell you that they are in the small minority when it comes to a Christian worldview if you go to local university and you take a history religions class and When they look at something like this and go Oh see see here's John and John comes much much later and Jesus is in control.
No one takes my life for me, but you look at Mark and all and Jesus is in such such agony. And he doesn't know what's happening. And you see Mark and then you've got development through Matthew and to Luke and to John and it's it's all these changes.
And that's what you're gonna be told. That's why I think about a year ago this past summer I did that series On the deity of Christ in Mark and I mentioned along the way in that. That if you look carefully and with an open heart and mind at what Mark says Jesus is just as confident and just as assured of not only his messianic purpose.
But his redemptive giving of his life in Mark as he is in John. There's just not as much discussion of it because you have a different audience and a different purpose in the writing of the gospel. But that's what you're gonna run into and you all know I try to warn you and I am so thankful that once in a while somebody comes up and they They went off and took one of those university classes.
And what do they say? You were right. That's exactly what they hit me with and you were prepared. Well, that's what we want to have happen. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own Accord.
No one takes it from me. I freely give this. I am reminded once again of the parallels to the Carmen Christian Philippians 2 5 through 11 and Remember what is said there? He made himself of no reputation.
Not he was made. But the form of the original language was he made himself of no reputation. He emptied himself. Literally, it's never used literally in New Testament that way but this is something that Jesus does it's voluntary and the same way his not only was his incarnation voluntary, but his self-giving is absolutely Voluntary he says I have authority to give it and I have authority to take it up again.
This commandment I received from my father and you might go well. First you have the assertion. I have the authority to do this. But then it seems to be weakened by saying this commandment. I received from my father.
I mean couldn't a Sassanian and Aryan someone who who denies the deity of Christ couldn't they say? Oh see, you know this he may have this authority, but it's only a derivative authority. That's the type of argumentation they use but once again I've Got a real deep insight for you here it's gonna be it's gonna amaze some of you that have sort of started to wander a little bit here, but John chapter 10.
It comes after John chapter 5. Bet you'd never noticed that before had you yeah, and what do we learn in John chapter 5? Not only the perfect unity and harmony of the Father and the Son. But there Jesus emphasizes the fact he's not some renegade deity out doing his own thing.
There is perfect harmony with the Father what he sees the Father doing he's doing he is giving us the words of the Father. He has been sent by the Father. There is not any means of distracting and distracting from the worship of one God.
Disconnecting the Father and the Son. There is a deep concern because the Gospel of John has such high words about Jesus to emphasize the Unity that exists between the Father and the Son. So when Jesus says I have the authority to do this I have the authority to do that, but I am NOT Exercising that authority as some renegade out here doing my own thing.
You need to understand the Father has sent me and I am doing what is consistent With the mission that he has assigned to me. Now when the world looked at the cross. Did they see? Authority being expressed there.
No. No, they saw weakness when the world looks at what we do here. Well Let's be honest the world doesn't care what we're doing here in the sense that. Most of the time. The world doesn't understand what we believe.
Sadly most of the time the world thinks that we're doing the same thing that Rome is doing when we are not we are not Representing the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This is a commemoration of a once-for-all event.
But when the world looks at our beliefs when the world looks at Eating some bread. Drinking the fruit of the vine and if if a true skeptic were to sit in the back and watch. There's solemnity. It's a solemn time.
There's time taken to consider our lives to reflect upon the meaning of the bread the broken body. The cup the shed blood the life that has been given so that I might have life. And from the world's perspective.
Aren't there a million more important things that we could be doing more enjoyable things. And yet here we sit and the world considers this this prophet from Galilee Runs afoul of the Roman authorities gets himself crucified.
This strange cultic religion grows up afterwards because maybe the disciples steal the body away or they start a rumor or The Jewish leaders were just incompetent to keep it from happening or all the many different theories that have been developed over the years.
And what an amazing thing at 2 ,000 years later in another language in another culture was with the with the rise of technology here these people sit. And some of these people they're they're highly educated.
They're involved in computer engineering and and other kinds of engineering and all these different backgrounds and yet here they sit and they commemorate this death. How odd? They don't understand. Because they do not recognize What Jesus did that no one took his life from him he laid it down of his own accord.
And if he had that kind of authority if he had that kind of power if what happened upon the cross was voluntary and Then what happened three days later in that empty tomb? Was a demonstration of divine power.
Well if they don't understand that they'll never understand why it is we're gathered here this evening. But you and I should understand. You and I should keep very clearly in our hearts and our minds what we're doing this evening.
And why we are doing it this evening? No one takes it from me. From the world's perspective it looked like that's what was happening. He looked weak helpless. Incapable of stopping the schemes and the hatred of his enemies.
But what the world saw. Wasn't what was seen from heaven. What was seen from heaven was completely different. What amazement might have must have been upon the minds of the angelic host. At the treatment of the Son of God.
Did they expect any moment to receive a command from on high? To swoop down and to save him and to wipe out humanity. Maybe they did. I don't know but what they saw was tremendous restraint a Tremendous restraint that expressed Redemptive love.
The very redemptive love that not only will we commemorate this evening. But the redemptive love that is so great so tremendous that you and I Will not be able to exhaust eternity in the expression of our thankfulness for it.
Consider that this evening as we partake of the Lord's Supper and remember Jesus's words. No one takes it from me. I lay down my life of my own accord. Why? Because of his great love. For you and I Was expressed in that action.
Yes the desire for the glorification of the triune God. But within that amazingly amazingly a tremendous love set upon unworthy people that he might even two millennia after that event. Bring you and I to this place this evening.
Bring about our redemption to bring about our Conformance the image of Jesus Christ. What an amazing thing to consider as we partake of the Lord's Supper this evening. Let's pray together indeed our gracious Heavenly Father as we consider once again the great condescension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
And as we Commemorate that great condescension in this supper that you have given to us. We would ask That during this time the great love that he expressed the great condescension that was his. The great privilege that is ours to be the recipients unworthily of this grace Will be pressed upon our hearts in such a way Lord that if If there be any amongst us Who are struggling With secret sins If there be any amongst us who this evening feel defeated because of the experience in their life Lord that you would reveal to them what's truly important and reveal to them the great power That exists in the gospel the power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead Lord.
We ask that you would cause us to be a repentant people this evening. That we would look deeply into our hearts, and if we are holding on to rebellion Lord break that heart may we not Simply experience this time as something that we do once a month.
May these few moments be filled with true reflection and thanksgiving For what you have done for us. We pray these things in Christ's name amen.