Title: By Jesus Christ
Text: Various
Date: April 25, 2010
Place: Sovereign Grace Baptist Church, Princeton, New Jersey
The title of our message today is "By Jesus Christ." If you wonder why I preach the Lord Jesus Christ, I hope after this message you will at least have some understanding of why.
I. EVERYTHING WAS MADE BY JESUS CHRIST.
Ephesians 3:9: And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:…
What are some things we enjoy? We like breathing--the air was created by Jesus Christ. We like the sky, the stars and the moon--they were created by Jesus Christ. We like the ocean--created by Jesus Christ. We like drinking water--created of God Jesus Christ. Every toy, every car, every boat, every computer, everything is put together by the things that Jesus Christ made.
John 1:3: All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Surely this morning, just for the sake that everything you enjoy was made by him, you will listen to what I am saying in his behalf to you for a few minutes.
II. GRACE AND TRUTH CAME BY JESUS CHRIST
John 1:17: For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
The LORD Jesus Christ is Grace and Truth, he brought the gospel but HE IS THE GOSPEL, he is the glory of the Father.
John 1:14: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
There is no grace in the law of God. And you need grace to know the truth in the law.
Illustration: When the children of Israel beheld Mt. Sinai quaking with fire, terror seized their hearts and they cried out for Moses to mediate. Then later as they journeyed, though they had the law, we find they were not fearful at all. It was not the mere letter of the law which caused them to cry out to Moses for a mediator, it was the presence of the Lawgiver.
When the commandment comes by Jesus Christ into the heart, then sin becomes alive and is a discerner even to the thoughts and intents of the heart. Then the sinner casts himself upon the mercy of God, then comes the good news, "Fear not, I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine."
III. GRACE REIGNS OVER SIN AND DEATH BY JESUS CHRIST
Romans 5:21: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Every man is under the reigning power of one of two things: sin unto death or grace unto eternal life. Each one reigns because of someone else.
By Adam's sin--sin reigns unto death over all men whom he represented. By Jesus Christ the Righteous--grace reigns unto eternal life over all men whom he represented.
By Jesus Christ--Grace reigns through righteousness--that is, through the satisfaction of God's holy justice. All for whom he lived and died, shall be born of Christ in regeneration--righteousness demands it. All for whom he lived and died shall be brought under the reigning, power of grace--righteousness demands it. All for whom he lived and died shall have life eternal--righteousness demands it.
Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
IV. PEACE IS BY JESUS CHRIST.
Acts 10:36: The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
My gospel is the good news of reconciliation unto God by Jesus Christ.
You who hear me who do not believe on the Son of God are at war with God. You will meet God. God will win. You don't like coming here to hear about God because it reminds you that you are on a collision course with God. You are like the troubled sea every time you are reminded of God--because you are at war with God.
My gospel is this: there is peace with God--one way--by faith in Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:18: [Paul says of himself and the other believers] And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19: To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20: Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21: For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Romans 5: 1: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Isn't it an amazing thought that there is peace with God by simply believing on Christ Jesus his Son. You can stop trying to be your own wisdom and rest in the hands of Christ Jesus to be your Wisdom with God. You can stop trying to justify your sin and stop trying to make yourself presentable to God and trust Christ to present you to God faultless and complete. When you cease all your labor, you will find great peace for your soul. All because of who Christ is and what he has accomplished.
Isa 32:17: And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever….54:13: And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children….55:12: For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Review: Everything was made by Jesus Christ;The gospel is by Jesus Christ; Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ; Peace with God is by Jesus Christ.
V. THE GRACE OF GOD IS GIVEN BY JESUS CHRIST.
1 Corinthians 1:4: I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
What does that include?
I Corinthians 1: 5: That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; 6: Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 7: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 8: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here is the best part--his grace is absolutely free. It is the grace of God GIVEN you BY JESUS CHRIST. All the work is done, all the grace you need has been purchased by Christ for you to have freely--it is finished! "But I'm such a sinner, I so empty of knowledge and gifts and so weak and base"--This supply of grace is never-ending.
John 1:16: And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
VI. THE SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES OF EVERY BELIEVER ARE ACCEPTABLE TO GOD BY JESUS CHRIST.
1 Peter 2:5: Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
· If you are spiritually alive he has made you alive
· If you are a living stone in his spiritual house--his church--it is because you are built up by him, placed right in place by him.
· If you are a part of this holy priesthood so you can offer the calves of your lips, yield your members and the substance he has loaned you unto his service it because he has made you a holy priest unto God.
· If you are acceptable to the holy God it is because it must be holy to be accepted of God and by Jesus Christ you who believe are as holy as God's own Son.
"Well, I better try to muster up something to do, to sacrifice." No, it comes as natural as apples on apple tree. Here is why?
VII. BELIEVERS ARE FILLED WITH THE FRUITS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BY JESUS CHRIST.
Philippians 1:11: Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
You plant a Seed in the soil--He is the Incorruptible Seed imparted in regeneration. You get fruit from branches--Christ is the vine and we are the branches. Just like the branches connected to the grape vine don't have to strain to produce grapes, neither do God's people--they are filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Review: Everything was made by Jesus Christ;The gospel is by Jesus Christ; Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ; Peace with God is by Jesus Christ. The grace of God is given by Jesus Christ; spiritual sacrifices of believers are acceptable to God by Jesus Christ; believers are filled with fruits of righteousness by Jesus Christ;
VIII. GOD'S JUDGMENT IS BY JESUS CHRIST
Romans 2:16: In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
No matter how you may think you have polished up so that all your closest companions think you are good. You have sinful secrets that you think only you know, but God knows them. Secret thoughts, words, and actions, yes, God knows the true motives of your heart.
The standard of righteousness will be the Righteous GodMan, Jesus Christ. The words Jesus Christ has preached will judge you. Jesus Christ himself will judge you.
But here is the good news--for those who are found trusting in Christ Jesus, he says, "your sins and iniquities I will remember no more." What sins?
Psalm 2:12: Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
"Somebody might say,"--and, how I pray somebody would say--"preacher my heart is overflowing, I have to have Christ Jesus. Oh, thank you, for telling me about Jesus Christ." I'll say this, "Don't thank me, thank him."
IX. EVERY TRUE PREACHER OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST IS GIVEN BY JESUS CHRIST.
Galatians 1:1: Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)
Ephesians 4: 8: Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 11: And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12: For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
"Oh, preacher, I didn't expect to come in here today and find myself rejoicing for the first time in Christ! How did all this come about?"
X. BECAUSE GOD THE FATHER BLESSED YOU WITH ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS, WHEN HE CHOSE YOU AND PREDESTINATED YOU UNTO THE ADOPTION OF CHILDREN BY JESUS CHRIST.
Ephesians 1: 3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6: To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
AMEN!