1 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:08,160 If you have your Bible with you, you can open the Matthew chapter 2 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:14,200 3, continuing our sermon series in the Gospel of Matthew titled 3 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:17,960 The King and this Kingdom. We had started last week, a 4 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:21,680 little subsection of this we're calling the King's preparation. 5 00:00:22,080 --> 00:00:24,200 So we're going to see a little bit more this morning about the 6 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:29,200 King's preparation. All right, we came to Matthew 7 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:32,439 chapter 3 last week. But as we mentioned some last 8 00:00:32,439 --> 00:00:36,200 week, when you come to Matthew 3, the spotlight widens just a 9 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:40,360 little bit. The years of silence give way to 10 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:44,920 public revelation, and we begin to see some things about Christ 11 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:48,320 here publicly. And so John the Baptist, as we 12 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:50,280 saw last week, appears in the wilderness. 13 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:52,440 He's preparing the way of the Lord. 14 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:54,440 He's calling Israel to repentance. 15 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,960 He's pointing forward to one who is greater than himself. 16 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:03,600 And so the king is no longer hidden, but he has not yet begun 17 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:06,480 to preach. He's not yet healed anyone. 18 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:10,120 He's not confronted the powers of darkness in any way that 19 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:12,680 we've seen before. The king acts publicly. 20 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:18,520 Matthew shows us something far more foundational, and he's he's 21 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:21,280 revealing something for us. And that is that the king is 22 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:24,480 being prepared. He's being commissioned, he's 23 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:26,720 being confirmed for his ministry. 24 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:30,960 And so in this passage, Jesus steps forward, but he steps 25 00:01:30,960 --> 00:01:33,080 forward not in a way that he's going to claim a throne 26 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:35,920 immediately. He's stepping forward to submit 27 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:39,360 to baptism. He's he's not stepping forward 28 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:44,320 to display power immediately. He's stepping forward to fulfill 29 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:46,640 righteousness as he will explain. 30 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:51,800 And so as he does, heaven itself responds to this moment. 31 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:56,720 The Spirit descends, the Father speaks, the identity and mission 32 00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:02,800 of Jesus are publicly declared before his ministry ever gets 33 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,840 underway. And so this moment at the Jordan 34 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:08,880 is, it's not incidental, all right? 35 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:12,120 It's, it's not happening by accidents or anything like that. 36 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:15,040 This, this moment at the Jordan is essential. 37 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:21,160 It's, it's very important. It tells us who Jesus is, it 38 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:24,960 tells us how he will carry out his mission, and it tells us 39 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:27,160 from where His authority is coming from. 40 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:32,200 So it prepares us for what immediately follows in chapter 41 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:36,160 4, which will be a time of testing and temptation and 42 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:41,040 opposition in the wilderness. And so with that in mind, if 43 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:43,640 you're able, would you please stand as we read and hear the 44 00:02:43,640 --> 00:02:49,520 word of the Lord from Matthew 3 verses 13 through 17, Matthew 45 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:54,160 313 through 17. Then Jesus came from Galilee to 46 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:57,320 the Jordan to John to be baptized by him. 47 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:01,520 John would have prevented him, saying, I need to be baptized by 48 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:06,160 you and do you come to me. But Jesus answered him, let it 49 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:10,120 be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all 50 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:13,960 righteousness. Then he consented, and when 51 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:17,520 Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and 52 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:21,080 behold, the heavens were open to him, and he saw the Spirit of 53 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:25,000 God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him. 54 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:30,400 And behold, a voice from heaven said, This is my beloved son, 55 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:35,320 with whom I am well pleased. This is the word of the Lord. 56 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,680 Thanks be to God, let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you 57 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:43,720 for the for this day that you grant us each week, the Lord's 58 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:47,800 Day, a time to come and together with the Saints for worship. 59 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:51,120 Lord, as we sing and as we pray and as we hear your word 60 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:55,560 preached, as we fellowship before and after God, we know 61 00:03:55,560 --> 00:04:01,360 that you are working in US. You're working through US, and 62 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:06,080 the the most powerful moments of the whole thing is when we open 63 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:10,440 up your word to read it and to hear you speak to us directly 64 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:13,200 from it. And so, Father, we thank you for 65 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:17,440 the gift of the Word of God and that you have spoken and 66 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:22,840 revealed yourself to us. We find all that is necessary 67 00:04:22,840 --> 00:04:28,040 for salvation and a life of godliness written here. 68 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:31,280 And so, Lord, as we read these words today, would you conform 69 00:04:31,280 --> 00:04:34,560 us more and more into the image of Christ your Son? 70 00:04:35,280 --> 00:04:38,800 Would you convict us of sin? Would you help us to see where 71 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:42,920 we lack dependence? Would you open our eyes and help 72 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:47,160 us to understand your Word? Father, we're asking that you be 73 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:51,040 with us in power by your Spirit today as we proclaim your word. 74 00:04:51,840 --> 00:04:54,080 And Lord, we are dependent upon that. 75 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:57,160 So in the name of Christ, we ask, Amen. 76 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:09,160 Amen may be seated. So if if you're honest, all 77 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:12,840 right, look at you're Christian, so hopefully you are all right. 78 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:19,320 But if you're honest, many of us would confess to being wired to 79 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:23,280 look for approval after something has been accomplished. 80 00:05:23,280 --> 00:05:27,520 All right, you, you help around the house, men, you do some 81 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:30,120 dishes, you sweep some floors, something to that effect. 82 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:33,120 And you immediately want it to be known to your wife that you 83 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:38,240 helped, right? We look for approval after 84 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,240 something has been accomplished. Often times we expect some sort 85 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:46,200 of an affirmation once the work is done, once the results are 86 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:50,680 visible and it can clearly be seen that success can be 87 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:53,040 measured, right? We, we look for approval in 88 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:56,520 those settings. Well, that's often how the world 89 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:59,160 works, all right. That's, that's often how we 90 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:03,120 think about things in the world. And if we're not careful, we'll 91 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:06,880 take that lens of the world and apply it to our relationship 92 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:10,880 with the Lord, and we'll begin to think that God works this way 93 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:12,920 as well. All right. 94 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:18,960 But here at the Jordan, what happens is, is that thinking is 95 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:22,440 turned completely on its head. All right. 96 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:26,480 Jesus has not yet preached a sermon, He's not yet performed a 97 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:30,640 miracle, He's not yet confronted Satan, healed the sick, or gone 98 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:32,600 to the cross. So we'll see all those things 99 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:35,840 throughout this gospel, but he hasn't done those things yet. 100 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:42,760 And yet before any of that happens, heaven opens to the 101 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:47,240 Lord, the Spirit descends, the Father speaks words of approval 102 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:51,040 and delights. And what Matthew wants us to see 103 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:55,680 is that the public ministry of Jesus is grounded not in self 104 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:59,240 assertion, right? And it's it's not that Christ 105 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:02,440 shows up on the same and begins to assert himself. 106 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,200 It's, it's not even granted through some sort of public 107 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:12,040 achievements, but it's granted in obedience, divine 108 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:14,560 empowerments and divine approval. 109 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:19,480 And so the moment that we see here in the text is not about 110 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:21,680 Jesus becoming something he was not. 111 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:26,280 It's about the Father publicly declaring to the world who he is 112 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:29,520 and commissioning him for the work that he sent him to do. 113 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:32,120 It's the commissioning of Christ. 114 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:35,640 And that brings us to the heart of the passage and to what I 115 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:38,920 think might be the main point of the sermon today, which is this. 116 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:46,240 The the Father affirms and the Spirit anoints the Son as the 117 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,800 King who fulfills all righteousness. 118 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:52,600 The Father affirms and the Spirit anoints the Son as the 119 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:55,600 king who fulfills all righteousness. 120 00:07:56,440 --> 00:08:00,840 Now, Matthew's going to show us this truth in three clear 121 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:02,960 movements. First, we're going to see the 122 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:07,000 king submitting willingly, obediently, to fulfill all 123 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:09,720 righteousness. Second, we'll see the King 124 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:14,240 anointed as the Spirit descends upon him for ministry. 125 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:19,560 And 3rd, we will hear the King affirmed as the Father declares 126 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:24,160 his pleasure in his beloved Son. Now this is not only a 127 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:28,440 revelation of who Jesus is, but it's a reminder of how God 128 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:31,200 works. That's where it's going to be 129 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:33,840 important for us. That's where the text presses 130 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:36,400 home. Kind of an implication or 131 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:39,720 application for us today. God works through humble 132 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:42,559 obedience. He works through spirit given 133 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:44,960 power. He works through integrity or 134 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:49,560 sorry, an identity grounded in divine approval, right? 135 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:52,280 So let's walk through the scene carefully. 136 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:55,000 Let's learn what God is showing us about his King and about life 137 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:59,960 lived under his king #1 the King submits to fulfill all 138 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:02,800 righteousness. Look again at verses 13 and 15. 139 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:06,440 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be 140 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:09,800 baptized by him. Then John, sorry, John would 141 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:12,800 have prevented him saying, I need to be baptized by you and 142 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:15,760 do you come to me. But Jesus answered him, let it 143 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:19,480 be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all 144 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:23,200 righteousness. Then John consented, All right, 145 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:26,880 so Matthew tells us right out of the gate, Jesus came from 146 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:31,080 Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him. 147 00:09:31,680 --> 00:09:35,320 Now that simple sentence is loaded with a lot of meaning. 148 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:38,120 Jesus doesn't stumble into the moment. 149 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:41,280 It's not accidental. As I said earlier, it's not even 150 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:44,440 impulsive. He, he comes intentionally. 151 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:48,960 He, he comes traveling a considerable distance to present 152 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:54,240 himself for baptism, right? And immediately we get the 153 00:09:54,240 --> 00:10:01,040 tension of the scene. John sees him and John objects. 154 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:07,320 He knows enough to know that something is off, right? 155 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:11,400 John has been calling centers, centers to repentance. 156 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:14,680 He has been warning Pharisees and Sadducees. 157 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:18,560 He has spoken of one who's coming after him who is mightier 158 00:10:18,560 --> 00:10:22,440 than he, one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. 159 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:27,960 And now that one that he's been the forerunner for, that one is 160 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:31,120 now standing in front of him asking to be baptized. 161 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:35,160 So you can feel the tension, right? 162 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:38,520 John's protest is theologically sound. 163 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:43,080 I need to be baptized by you. And do you come to me for 164 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:45,160 baptism? Right. 165 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:47,720 In other words, this is backwards. 166 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:51,560 I need you to baptize me in the Spirit. 167 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:54,440 You're the one that I've been pointing forward to. 168 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:59,040 Why are you coming to me now? If baptism is a sign of 169 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:02,720 repentance, then John should be the one in the water, not Jesus. 170 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:05,840 And, and John is right as far as it goes. 171 00:11:06,560 --> 00:11:10,640 Jesus has no sin to confess. He, he has no repentance to 172 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:12,920 perform. He has he, He does not come to 173 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:15,720 John because he lacks righteousness. 174 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:20,800 He's the Son of God. He's fully God, fully man, 175 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:25,080 right? He comes precisely because he is 176 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:28,640 committed to fulfilling righteousness. 177 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:33,400 And so Jesus responds, Let it be so now. 178 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:37,760 For thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. 179 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:43,480 Now that word fitting matters. This is not optional. 180 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:47,000 This is not symbolic theater, right? 181 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:50,240 This is what obedience requires. Here. 182 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:54,400 Righteousness does not mean moral improvement as we might 183 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:58,680 think. Righteousness here means perfect 184 00:11:58,680 --> 00:12:03,000 conformity to the will of the Lord, right? 185 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:06,040 He's conforming himself to the Father's will. 186 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:10,320 Don't miss this, right? Jesus submits the baptism, not 187 00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:13,320 because he needs cleansing, but because the Father has ordained 188 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,280 his path. The Father is directing him. 189 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:21,120 He identifies publicly with sinners in the water in order to 190 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:26,240 stand in their place, right? This is the first clear act of 191 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:32,040 what theologians often call Christ active obedience, right? 192 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:37,680 Jesus is not only righteous by nature, he is righteous by 193 00:12:37,680 --> 00:12:41,040 actions. And he does that which is right. 194 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:44,480 And think about it. He's obeying where Adam has 195 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:48,280 failed, right? He, he's listening to the 196 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:49,560 Father. He's obeying the Father. 197 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:53,640 He submits where Israel rebelled in the Old Testament. 198 00:12:54,120 --> 00:12:57,840 He he steps into the waters where sinners stand because he 199 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:02,080 has come to bear their burden. Remember Matthew chapter 1, 200 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:04,160 Jesus. He shall call his name Jesus, 201 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:08,840 for he will save his people from their sins, right? 202 00:13:09,560 --> 00:13:12,000 John Calvin explains it this way, said Christ had not come to 203 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:15,160 baptism because he needed cleansing, but because he 204 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:18,880 willingly numbered himself among sinners in order to bear their 205 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:22,200 sins. This is why Jesus comes. 206 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:24,640 That's exactly what's happening here. 207 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:28,240 The King begins his public ministry by standing shoulder to 208 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:32,320 shoulder with those he has come to redeem, right? 209 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:37,280 Jesus does not bear sin judicially at this baptism, 210 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:40,480 right? He he does so substitutionally 211 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:45,200 and finally at the cross. But his baptism is the beginning 212 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:49,440 of that sin bearing mission. It's not the completion of it, 213 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:56,240 and we should not miss how countercultural this is in this 214 00:13:56,240 --> 00:14:00,720 time, even for our time, right? Kings do not normally begin 215 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:07,000 their reign this way. They ascend Thrones, there's a 216 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:10,880 lot of pageantry. They assert authority, they 217 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:16,480 demand loyalty from the people. This King, our King, our Lord, 218 00:14:16,680 --> 00:14:22,320 he bows first, right? He submits himself to the 219 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:25,360 Father, He obeys the Father. He fulfills righteousness 220 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:31,600 quietly, humbly, deliberately, right? 221 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:33,320 There's no voice from heaven yet. 222 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:35,320 There's no spirit descending like a dove yet. 223 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:37,680 There's no public affirmation yet. 224 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:43,240 At this moment, all Jesus has is the Father's will and his own 225 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:48,000 obedience. And that's enough, right? 226 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:51,360 That alone should speak powerfully to you and I today. 227 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:58,080 All right, the Lord commands obedience. 228 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:01,400 John 15. If you love me, you will obey my 229 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:05,560 commandments. But how often do we want clarity 230 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:09,920 before obedience? What's obedience going to cost 231 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:13,760 me? What's obedience going to do to 232 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:17,720 my reputation? What benefit is there in 233 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:20,600 obedience? Because the desires of my own 234 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:22,920 heart seem pretty pleasant at the moment. 235 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:27,000 All right. We often want clarity before 236 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:29,280 obedience. We want affirmation before we 237 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:32,840 will submit. We want to know how things are 238 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:36,040 going to turn out before we step forward in faith. 239 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:41,040 But Jesus shows us another way. He shows us the gospel way. 240 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:45,880 He shows us the righteous way. He obeys, first trusting the 241 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:51,040 Father completely. Now for believers in here, this 242 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:58,520 challenges us to ask a question. Are we willing to obey God 243 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:02,920 simply because it is fitting to do so? 244 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:10,680 So if you head nods, Amen. Are we willing to obey God 245 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:15,400 because it is fitting to do so? What about when obedience is 246 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:19,160 misunderstood? What about when obedience 247 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:27,280 humbles you, crushes you? What about when obedience costs 248 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:32,200 you a reputation or comforts? And for those who are tempted to 249 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:37,880 see obedience as burdensome or unnecessary, this passage 250 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:42,560 reminds us that our salvation rests on the perfect obedience 251 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:47,720 of our Savior. Christ did not merely die for 252 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,440 you, brothers and sisters. He lived for you. 253 00:16:51,480 --> 00:16:54,360 He fulfilled all righteousness on your behalf. 254 00:16:56,880 --> 00:16:58,960 But the story doesn't stop at submission. 255 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:02,680 Because as soon as Jesus comes up from the water, heaven 256 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:06,079 responds. Obedience gives way to 257 00:17:06,079 --> 00:17:09,240 empowerments. Submission is followed by 258 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:12,760 anointing, and that brings us to the next movement in the text, 259 00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:16,200 where we see not only a submissive king, but an anointed 260 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:19,480 king. Point #2 The king is anointed by 261 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:23,760 the Spirit for ministry. Verse 16, Right? 262 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:26,880 So Matthew now moves us from the waters of submission to the 263 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:29,960 scene of divine action, and he writes this. 264 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:33,640 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the 265 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:38,840 water, and behold, the heavens were open to him, and he saw the 266 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:44,360 Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him. 267 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:51,920 Again, this timing matters. When Jesus comes up from the 268 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:57,400 water after obedience, then heaven opens to him. 269 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:00,920 Now this is not accidental sequencing. 270 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:05,000 Matthew wants us to see that the path of submission is followed 271 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:10,320 by divine commissioning, right? That the opening of the heavens 272 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:14,080 is biblical shorthand for revelation and divine 273 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:17,760 initiative. This is not Jesus grasping at 274 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:20,840 authority. This is heaven acting 275 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:24,960 decisively. God is making clear what is 276 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:31,640 happening here is his work done his way according to his plan. 277 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:35,160 Amen. And then the Spirit descends. 278 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:39,440 The Spirit comes like a dove. What that means is it doesn't 279 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:41,800 come violently, it doesn't come chaotically. 280 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:45,160 It doesn't come in any other way like that. 281 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:51,840 It comes gently and visibly. The language is careful. 282 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:56,680 Matthew doesn't say that the Spirit was a dove, as we might 283 00:18:56,680 --> 00:19:02,840 often misunderstand, but that it descended on Christ like a dove. 284 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:06,920 The image here communicates peace. 285 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:11,640 It communicates purity. It communicates divine presence. 286 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:17,560 If you're familiar with the Old Testament, it also calls to mind 287 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:19,560 earlier moments in redemptive history. 288 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:25,000 If you think back to creation, Genesis chapter 1, we see there 289 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:29,840 that the Spirit hovered over the waters before creation. 290 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:34,800 If you think about the flood, and after the flood waters begin 291 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:42,400 to subside, the dove comes to Noah and signals a new 292 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:46,760 beginning. Now here again, a new chapter is 293 00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:49,920 beginning. It's God's saving work through 294 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:55,400 Christ the King. But we must be clear about what 295 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:58,640 this annoying anointing is and what it is not. 296 00:20:02,120 --> 00:20:08,840 This is not the moment when Jesus becomes divine, all right. 297 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:12,600 He's always been the eternal Son of God. 298 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:17,400 He's always shared divinity with the Father and the Spirit. 299 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:22,360 This also is not the first time the Spirit has been active in 300 00:20:22,360 --> 00:20:27,440 his life. All right from conception, where 301 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:32,000 he was conceived by the Spirit, Jesus has lived in perfect 302 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:37,200 fellowship with the Spirit. So what is happening here? 303 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:43,960 Well, this is a public anointing for public ministry, right? 304 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:47,880 In the Old Testament, kings and prophets and priests were 305 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:51,440 anointed with oil to signify define us appointments. 306 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:55,560 I hear the true and final anointed. 1 The Messiah receives 307 00:20:55,560 --> 00:21:00,640 not oil, but the Spirit himself. This is the fulfillment of 308 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:03,920 promises that we find in Isaiah chapter 42. 309 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:10,880 Behold my servants, whom I behold my chosen, and whom my 310 00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:15,080 soul delights. I have put my Spirit upon him. 311 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:24,280 So Jesus is being commissioned as the Spirit anointed King, and 312 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:27,880 we shouldn't miss the the, the, the profound humility of this 313 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:31,440 moment. Jesus is fully divine. 314 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:34,680 And though he's fully divine, Jesus chooses to carry out his 315 00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:38,240 ministry in dependence upon the Spirit of God. 316 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:43,200 He does not bypass human weakness by divine prerogative. 317 00:21:44,360 --> 00:21:47,840 He does not minister independently of the Spirit. 318 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:51,840 He submits himself to the Father's will and relies upon 319 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:57,040 the Spirit's power. Again, Calvin is helpful. 320 00:21:57,040 --> 00:21:59,680 He explains this. He says Christ did not lack 321 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:02,840 power in himself, but willingly carried out his ministry. 322 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:06,960 Independence upon the Spirit, teaching us that God's work is 323 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:17,840 accomplished by God's power. So everything that flows well 324 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:22,400 before we get there, we want to understand that this insight is 325 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:28,520 deeply pastoral. Jesus models us for us what 326 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:34,200 faithful obedience looks like. It's not self-reliance, it's God 327 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:35,680 dependence. All right. 328 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:39,240 He's dependent upon the Father. And so everything that follows 329 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:42,840 in Jesus's ministry from this point, his teaching, his 330 00:22:42,840 --> 00:22:46,120 miracles, his compassion, his endurance and suffering, and so 331 00:22:46,120 --> 00:22:49,760 many other things, those things are carried out in the power of 332 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:54,360 the Spirit of God, all right, Even his temptation in the 333 00:22:54,360 --> 00:22:59,240 wilderness, which we'll look at next week, all right, He will be 334 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:04,200 faced as one who is full of the Holy Spirit. 335 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:10,680 Again, the application is encouraging and humbling for us. 336 00:23:13,120 --> 00:23:16,160 Maybe you find yourself engaged in ministry. 337 00:23:18,360 --> 00:23:19,920 Maybe you find yourself in leadership. 338 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:26,640 Maybe you're married, Maybe you're parents, you're a church 339 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:30,000 member. All right, some other form of 340 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:32,560 faithful living going on in your life, right? 341 00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:38,320 This passage reminds us that God's work must be done in God's 342 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:44,400 strength, that it must be spirit empowered work that we engage 343 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:47,640 in. It must be dependent upon the 344 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:53,120 Spirit of God in every way, in everything that he calls us to. 345 00:23:56,560 --> 00:23:58,040 Why? Why is that important? 346 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:06,720 You say, Well, I'm I'm zealous. A zeal without dependence leads 347 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:12,680 to burnout, right? You will flame out if your zeal 348 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:17,960 is not tethered to dependence upon Christ and the Spirit of 349 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:23,560 God. Maybe you have a lot of skills. 350 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:25,400 The Lord has gifted you in many ways. 351 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:33,040 Well, skill without dependence on the Spirit leads to pride. 352 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:40,400 We become like King Uzziah, gifted in many, many ways, yet 353 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:45,200 we begin to convince ourselves that this work belongs to us, 354 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:49,520 but become prideful, and so we crash. 355 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:58,720 Any sort of spiritual activity, any good works without prayer 356 00:24:59,920 --> 00:25:04,800 will lead to emptiness. It must be dependent upon the 357 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:10,480 Spirit of God through prayer, that we don't find ourselves 358 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:14,720 empty as we labor and toil and keep our hand to the plow, 359 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:19,320 right? And maybe you're a weary 360 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:24,480 believer, You're tired. If you're a weary believer, this 361 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:26,920 is really good news for you, right? 362 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:30,520 The same Spirit who anointed Christ, we're told Ephesians, 363 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:35,360 one now indwells his people. We're not called to obedience in 364 00:25:35,360 --> 00:25:38,280 our own strength. No, we're called the faithful 365 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:44,880 dependence upon the Spirit of God who freely gives, right. 366 00:25:45,360 --> 00:25:49,400 As we work faithfully, as we commit ourselves to be faithful 367 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:54,040 men and women and boys and girls of the Lord, we can trust that 368 00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:58,840 the Spirit helps us freely. He's a comforter. 369 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:04,760 He's a helper. But Matthew isn't finished yet, 370 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:08,240 right? There's an as extraordinary as 371 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:12,360 the Spirit's descension is, it's not the climax of the scene by 372 00:26:12,360 --> 00:26:14,720 any means. Heaven has opened, but now 373 00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:18,920 heaven will speak, right? And that, that brings us to this 374 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:23,560 final, most probably the most intimate moment of this passage, 375 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:26,640 where the king is not only anointed, but he's affirmed. 376 00:26:28,200 --> 00:26:31,880 The king is affirmed by the Father as his beloved Son. 377 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:36,960 Point #3 So Matthew now brings us to the climax of the scene. 378 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:42,480 After the King submits in the spirit the sins, we hear the 379 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:45,320 Father speak. And what does he say? 380 00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:48,400 He says and behold, Or Matthew writes and behold, a voice from 381 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:55,840 heaven said, This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased. 382 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:02,000 I want you to understand Jesus didn't get some private 383 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:06,960 impression. There wasn't some inward feeling 384 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:10,360 here. This is an audible public 385 00:27:10,360 --> 00:27:15,160 decoration from heaven itself. God the Father speaks, and when 386 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:19,160 God speaks here, he tells us exactly how we are to understand 387 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:21,840 everything that has just taken place. 388 00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:26,320 So we must notice, what does the Father say? 389 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:29,640 Well, first he begins with the declaration. 390 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:37,360 This is my Son. He's not merely A servant. 391 00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:40,760 He's not merely a prophet, a priest, or a king. 392 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:47,080 He doesn't come as those who have come before him. 393 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:55,200 This is the Son, the unique, eternal Son of God. 394 00:27:57,720 --> 00:27:59,600 And the language here, this is my son. 395 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:03,120 It echoes Psalm 2, which is a great royal Psalm, but it's 396 00:28:03,120 --> 00:28:07,440 Messianic in its purpose. We read, there you are my son. 397 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:13,480 Today I have begotten you. So Matthew wants us to see that 398 00:28:13,480 --> 00:28:19,400 Jesus is not assuming kingship. He's being declared as the 399 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:25,000 rightful king. Then the Father adds, he says, 400 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:32,800 this is my son, my beloved son. This is the language of deep 401 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:39,480 affection and delight. The word beloved does not merely 402 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:45,960 describe relationship, it it expresses pleasure and love. 403 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:52,400 I I can't love my sons with a perfect love, but I, I do see 404 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:59,640 them as my beloved sons. I'm pleased by them and I love 405 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:04,720 them ferociously. This is not reluctant approval. 406 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:11,520 This is joyful affirmation from the father to his son for the 407 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:16,320 public to hear. And then the father goes 408 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:20,960 further, with whom I am well pleased. 409 00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:25,800 Just a side note, Dad's in the room today. 410 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:34,600 How often do you tell your kids I love you and I'm pleased with 411 00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:41,800 you or I'm proud of you? However often it is, it isn't 412 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:46,320 often enough. Say it often. 413 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:50,280 Our children need to hear this from their Father often. 414 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:58,040 But the phrase with whom I'm well pleased is doing enormous 415 00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:02,840 theological work. Again, it draws us to Isaiah 42, 416 00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:07,040 which I read earlier. Behold my Servant, whom I uphold 417 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:10,160 my chosen, and whom my soul delights. 418 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:16,200 In one sentence the Father unites sonship and servanthood. 419 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:19,400 He brings them together in one sentence. 420 00:30:19,400 --> 00:30:22,400 In one sentence He's showing us kingship and suffering, 421 00:30:22,920 --> 00:30:25,880 authority and obedience, and he's bringing them together and 422 00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:29,520 he's saying, this is my son, my beloved son, with whom I'm well 423 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:35,520 pleased. But again, don't miss the timing 424 00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:40,360 of the statement. Jesus has not yet preached He. 425 00:30:40,360 --> 00:30:43,840 He's not yet healed. He's not yet confronted Satan or 426 00:30:43,840 --> 00:30:48,760 endured the cross. Yet the Father is already well 427 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:54,360 pleased with his Son. This tells us something 428 00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:57,200 essential about Jesus, and it's really again, it's deeply 429 00:30:57,200 --> 00:31:02,120 pastoral for you and me. The Father's approval rests upon 430 00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:07,880 the Son before public success, visible fruit, or costly 431 00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:11,240 suffering. The Father's approval rests upon 432 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:15,640 the Son before those things. The pleasure of God is grounded 433 00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:20,240 in who Jesus is and in His perfect obedience, not in 434 00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:27,080 measurable outcomes. John Calvin again commenting on 435 00:31:27,080 --> 00:31:28,480 this passage. He notes this. 436 00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:30,960 Don't miss it. The Father's declaration was 437 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:37,120 given not because Christ needed assurance, but so that we might 438 00:31:37,120 --> 00:31:42,760 know with certainty who Christ is and how firmly God delights 439 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:49,000 in His Son. You understand this voice from 440 00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:52,120 heaven is not for Jesus insecurity. 441 00:31:54,520 --> 00:31:57,440 He's sure of who he is. He's sure of what the Father has 442 00:31:57,440 --> 00:31:59,720 called him to do. He's walking obediently. 443 00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:03,920 It's not for his insecurity, it's for our confidence that 444 00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:08,080 Christ is the Messiah and he's the Savior. 445 00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:10,520 He's the Lord, He's God's anointed king. 446 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:15,200 This is where the gospel begins. The Gospel of Mark Matthew 447 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:21,240 begins to press in on us. So many people live under this 448 00:32:21,240 --> 00:32:25,840 quiet burden of needing approval, needing to prove 449 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:30,000 themselves to others, to God, to people around them, even to 450 00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:34,000 themselves. And it's a burden that cannot be 451 00:32:34,080 --> 00:32:37,360 cast off. But approval is chased through 452 00:32:37,520 --> 00:32:38,920 performance. It's chased through 453 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:41,320 productivity. How productive can I be? 454 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:43,200 How many things can I get my hands? 455 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:46,840 And how many people can I make sure see my work right? 456 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:49,840 It's it's tied to visible success. 457 00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:55,160 But here at the Jordan with Christ, we are shown a different 458 00:32:55,240 --> 00:33:00,360 order. Identity precedes activity. 459 00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:06,560 Approval precedes suffering. Sonship precedes service. 460 00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:18,000 And for believers, this is profoundly comforting because if 461 00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:21,360 we are united to Christ by faith, then the Father's 462 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:27,320 pleasure in the Son becomes the ground for your acceptance. 463 00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:34,480 As Romans 8 says, we no longer cry out in fear. 464 00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:37,040 We don't have to cower in fear of God. 465 00:33:37,040 --> 00:33:43,680 We cry ABBA Father. He's our Father because of the 466 00:33:43,680 --> 00:33:47,880 work of Christ, because of the work of the Spirit in us to 467 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:51,360 regenerate us and give us new life and a right spirit with 468 00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:55,600 God, a desire for righteousness. Still at war with the flesh, 469 00:33:55,960 --> 00:34:01,440 absolutely. But walking set free in our 470 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:06,400 minds to walk in the Spirit of God freely. 471 00:34:08,400 --> 00:34:11,080 And we can think because we're at war with the flesh, that 472 00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:16,560 anytime our flesh wins and we commit sins, that the Father 473 00:34:16,719 --> 00:34:20,520 disapproves of us, that he's casting us out, that we are now 474 00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:25,080 condemned. You have to understand, it's the 475 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:30,600 most freeing thing you can understand that the approval we 476 00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:34,080 receive, the reconciliation we have with God is not tethered to 477 00:34:34,120 --> 00:34:41,080 our obedience, but to Christ. He obeyed perfectly. 478 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:46,239 And so if you're united to Christ by faith, then the 479 00:34:46,239 --> 00:34:50,280 pleasure that the Father shows and the Son becomes your ground 480 00:34:50,719 --> 00:34:54,239 for acceptance. You're not accepted because your 481 00:34:54,239 --> 00:34:58,880 obedience is perfect, Brothers and sisters, you're accepted 482 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:01,600 because Christ obedience is perfect. 483 00:35:04,480 --> 00:35:10,320 And again, for those Christians among us, myself, at times you 484 00:35:10,320 --> 00:35:11,720 feel like you're in the wilderness. 485 00:35:12,440 --> 00:35:16,240 You're thirsty and hungry. You you're weary, you're 486 00:35:16,240 --> 00:35:19,080 discouraged. You're tempted to believe that 487 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:21,960 God is only pleased with you when you are doing well. 488 00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:31,240 This passage presses gently but firmly to correct that lie. 489 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:38,280 The Christian life has lived from God's approval in Christ, 490 00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:46,400 not for God's approval. And so Matthew is preparing us 491 00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:52,320 for what comes next, because the very next scene will take this 492 00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:56,920 affirmed Son into the wilderness to be tempted and tried. 493 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:02,600 The voice of the Father will be followed by the voice of the 494 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:06,680 tempter. And when Satan questions Jesus's 495 00:36:06,680 --> 00:36:13,520 identity, if you are the Son of God, Jesus will stand firm, 496 00:36:14,040 --> 00:36:17,600 anchored, and what He is what has already been declared about 497 00:36:17,600 --> 00:36:21,320 him. And this is where the scene 498 00:36:21,320 --> 00:36:25,400 leaves us. The King has submitted in 499 00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:28,280 obedience. The King has been anointed by 500 00:36:28,280 --> 00:36:30,400 the Spirit. The King has been affirmed by 501 00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:34,120 the Father. He's ready to face the 502 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:36,280 wilderness. He's ready to begin his public 503 00:36:36,280 --> 00:36:39,000 ministry. He's ready to go to the cross 504 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:41,280 and endure the suffering and shame of it. 505 00:36:41,520 --> 00:36:46,280 He's ready to suffer death for us and to be raised to life. 506 00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:53,400 He's ready not because he lacks weakness. 507 00:36:55,560 --> 00:36:57,080 We're going to see Christ suffer. 508 00:36:59,560 --> 00:37:02,680 He's ready because he rests securely in the Father's will 509 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:08,080 and in the Father's pleasure. And it's from that place of 510 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:13,400 divine approval that he will now go forward into the wilderness. 511 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:20,000 And so as we step back from the waters of the Jordan, we step 512 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:23,760 away from the scene just a little bit, we can see the 513 00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:27,880 picture that Matthew has been carefully painting for us. 514 00:37:30,080 --> 00:37:33,120 We we've seen the king. Well, first we saw his 515 00:37:33,120 --> 00:37:37,320 miraculous birthright. We've seen the ways in which God 516 00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:42,120 worked to bring him into the world, but also to protect him 517 00:37:42,720 --> 00:37:44,200 from those who would seek to harm him. 518 00:37:44,200 --> 00:37:48,560 And now we have seen the King submits, not because he lacked 519 00:37:48,560 --> 00:37:51,560 righteousness, but because he came to fulfill it. 520 00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:55,200 We've seen the King anointed not because he lacked power, but 521 00:37:55,200 --> 00:37:59,360 because he would carry out his mission, independence upon the 522 00:37:59,360 --> 00:38:01,720 spirits. And we have heard the King 523 00:38:01,880 --> 00:38:05,400 affirmed by the Father, not after success or sacrifice, 524 00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:10,160 those things are coming, but before them as the beloved Son 525 00:38:10,160 --> 00:38:12,800 in whom the Father is well pleased. 526 00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:17,920 And all of this presses home this great truth of the passage. 527 00:38:17,920 --> 00:38:21,400 The Father affirms and the Spirit anoints the Son as the 528 00:38:21,400 --> 00:38:25,040 King who fulfills all righteousness. 529 00:38:27,880 --> 00:38:34,160 Now this moment is not merely a beautiful Trinitarian scene when 530 00:38:34,160 --> 00:38:36,600 we see all the members of the Godhead at work. 531 00:38:36,600 --> 00:38:42,800 It is a public confirmation of Jesus identity and mission. 532 00:38:44,520 --> 00:38:48,240 The King is ready, the path is set. 533 00:38:48,720 --> 00:38:51,680 The work of redemption is about to unfold in the rest of the 534 00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:54,160 gospel. And now the question is 535 00:38:54,160 --> 00:39:02,600 unavoidable for you and I. What will you do with this king? 536 00:39:05,040 --> 00:39:11,840 What will you do with this king? For believers, this passage 537 00:39:11,840 --> 00:39:15,480 calls us back to the pattern of the Christian life. 538 00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:21,920 We're tempted again to reverse the order, to seek affirmation 539 00:39:21,920 --> 00:39:25,680 before obedience, to seek power before submission, and to seek 540 00:39:25,680 --> 00:39:32,800 clarity before faithfulness. But Christ shows us the better 541 00:39:32,800 --> 00:39:36,880 way. He shows us that the life, that 542 00:39:36,880 --> 00:39:40,240 the life that honors God, is marked by humble obedience, 543 00:39:41,440 --> 00:39:46,640 dependent trust, and a rest in God's approval through Christ. 544 00:39:50,240 --> 00:39:55,800 So believing brother or sister, let me ask you plainly, are you 545 00:39:55,800 --> 00:39:58,360 obeying God where he has already clearly spoken? 546 00:40:01,320 --> 00:40:05,840 Not, not where it's easy, not where it's celebrated the most 547 00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:10,560 and the platform builds. Are you serving God where it is 548 00:40:10,560 --> 00:40:15,400 costly? Where it's quiet and often 549 00:40:15,400 --> 00:40:22,000 unseen. I I don't want you to wait for a 550 00:40:22,000 --> 00:40:24,080 sign from heaven before you obey. 551 00:40:24,440 --> 00:40:26,320 God has spoken. There's your sign. 552 00:40:28,280 --> 00:40:31,600 Christ obeyed first, and heaven responded. 553 00:40:34,880 --> 00:40:39,240 And for those of you who are not in Christ, you're unbelievers, 554 00:40:39,640 --> 00:40:44,960 whether young or old, this passage presses a more urgent 555 00:40:45,560 --> 00:40:50,560 call on you. The same Jesus who stands in the 556 00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:54,000 waters today will one day stand as judge. 557 00:40:57,080 --> 00:40:59,640 The King who is submitting himself now to the Father's will 558 00:40:59,640 --> 00:41:05,080 will one day return in glory. And the righteousness that he 559 00:41:05,080 --> 00:41:12,680 fulfilled is the righteousness that you do not have, but you 560 00:41:12,680 --> 00:41:18,320 desperately need it. And the good news is this. 561 00:41:19,480 --> 00:41:23,200 The King who fulfilled all righteousness did so for 562 00:41:23,200 --> 00:41:26,800 sinners. He did so for those who were 563 00:41:26,800 --> 00:41:31,280 once far off. He lived the life you could not 564 00:41:31,280 --> 00:41:33,480 live. He went to the cross that you 565 00:41:33,680 --> 00:41:37,320 deserved. And He now calls you not to fix 566 00:41:37,320 --> 00:41:41,080 yourself. He calls you to repent of your 567 00:41:41,080 --> 00:41:45,720 sins, to believe that Christ is Lord, to confess it with your 568 00:41:45,720 --> 00:41:48,480 mouth, and to bow to him as King. 569 00:41:51,640 --> 00:41:56,840 And so I urge you, do not delay, Do not harden your heart. 570 00:41:57,960 --> 00:42:02,840 God has spoken clearly about His Son, and so to reject Him is not 571 00:42:02,840 --> 00:42:07,880 neutrality any longer. For you it's rebellion. 572 00:42:12,880 --> 00:42:16,520 You understand that today all of us, believers, unbelievers, we 573 00:42:16,520 --> 00:42:18,600 must hear the voice of the Father. 574 00:42:19,280 --> 00:42:21,960 We must look to the obedience of His Son. 575 00:42:22,520 --> 00:42:26,760 We must trust in the work that He has done, and we must respond 576 00:42:26,760 --> 00:42:30,960 with repentance and faith and joyful obedience. 577 00:42:32,480 --> 00:42:35,320 The King has been revealed to us. 578 00:42:35,320 --> 00:42:41,200 Now the question is no longer who he is, but whether we will 579 00:42:41,200 --> 00:42:45,040 obey him. Would you bow with me in prayer? 580 00:42:46,760 --> 00:42:50,920 Heavenly Father, we thank you greatly, deeply for your word. 581 00:42:52,360 --> 00:43:03,000 We thank you for what we see of Christ here, His obedience, His 582 00:43:03,000 --> 00:43:09,160 submission, His anointing, His affirm, His affirmation. 583 00:43:11,000 --> 00:43:15,400 God, you are clearly revealing in this passage who your Son is. 584 00:43:17,480 --> 00:43:22,440 We see that He's the Savior of all who will call upon His name, 585 00:43:23,320 --> 00:43:26,240 of all who will submit themselves to His rule. 586 00:43:29,360 --> 00:43:34,800 And so, Father, I ask 1st for my fellow believers, the church 587 00:43:34,800 --> 00:43:43,000 here, would you help us to obey Christ? 588 00:43:44,800 --> 00:43:48,720 Would you help us to joyfully submit our lives to him? 589 00:43:50,600 --> 00:43:53,480 Would you help us to look into every area of our life, whether 590 00:43:53,480 --> 00:43:58,800 it's again as a churchman, a father, a husband, a wife, a 591 00:43:58,800 --> 00:44:03,600 mother, whether it's as an employee, whether it's as a a 592 00:44:03,600 --> 00:44:06,720 citizen? What if it says a friend, 593 00:44:07,480 --> 00:44:09,200 whatever it may be? Would you help us to look into 594 00:44:09,200 --> 00:44:18,000 every area of our lives and to be honest in our evaluation of 595 00:44:18,000 --> 00:44:25,120 those areas as we ask the question, Am I submitting myself 596 00:44:25,120 --> 00:44:32,880 fully to the Lord? Is he Lord of my thoughts? 597 00:44:33,920 --> 00:44:36,800 Is he Lord of my words? Is he Lord of my actions? 598 00:44:38,440 --> 00:44:41,400 Is he Lord of my heart and my mind and my soul and all my 599 00:44:41,400 --> 00:44:47,440 strength? And Lord, where we find fault, 600 00:44:47,440 --> 00:44:52,800 will we find that we have come up short of righteousness? 601 00:44:54,440 --> 00:44:57,960 Would you help us to be quick to repent and depend upon the Lord 602 00:45:02,000 --> 00:45:04,040 and the Father? Would you fill each of us with 603 00:45:04,040 --> 00:45:11,840 your Spirit that we might walk by faith, that we might walk in 604 00:45:11,840 --> 00:45:15,760 the Spirit each day, that we might put to death the deeds of 605 00:45:15,760 --> 00:45:25,240 the flesh, that we might glorify Your great name and to do and do 606 00:45:25,240 --> 00:45:32,160 good to those around us? Father, I pray for any 607 00:45:32,160 --> 00:45:36,280 unbelievers in here again, whether they're young or old. 608 00:45:38,160 --> 00:45:41,080 I ask the Father that you would open their eyes, open their 609 00:45:41,080 --> 00:45:51,320 heart to see Christ, to see their need for a Saviour, to see 610 00:45:51,320 --> 00:45:55,480 that they're guilty of sin, they're guilty of rebellion to a 611 00:45:55,480 --> 00:46:00,520 holy, just, perfect, loving, gracious, merciful God. 612 00:46:02,720 --> 00:46:06,800 And would you help them repent and to have faith? 613 00:46:06,920 --> 00:46:09,120 Would you grant them faith in Christ? 614 00:46:10,960 --> 00:46:14,840 Would you call them to yourself and let nothing hinder them from 615 00:46:14,840 --> 00:46:18,640 coming to you? Would you reconcile them, Father 616 00:46:18,640 --> 00:46:23,800 by Christ, by his work, by his life and death and resurrection? 617 00:46:23,800 --> 00:46:27,160 Would you reconcile them by washing them with the Spirit, 618 00:46:28,040 --> 00:46:35,680 granting them new life so that they might walk with Christ? 619 00:46:41,030 --> 00:46:43,750 I'm going to give you a moment now there in your seat to spend 620 00:46:43,830 --> 00:46:48,990 a moment in prayer, reflect on the message, the sermon, the 621 00:46:48,990 --> 00:46:55,710 text, and to respond in faith and repentance and obedience 622 00:46:55,710 --> 00:47:52,640 this morning. Heavenly Father, we thank you 623 00:47:52,640 --> 00:47:58,320 for the fullness of your mercy and your grace and your truth 624 00:47:59,120 --> 00:48:02,680 and your glory that we have received in Christ Jesus. 625 00:48:05,560 --> 00:48:10,520 And though the text today was short, it declares so much about 626 00:48:10,520 --> 00:48:14,440 who Christ is and what he has come to do. 627 00:48:15,680 --> 00:48:19,840 And it's an example to us for our own obedience. 628 00:48:22,320 --> 00:48:24,520 And so would you kill any pride in US? 629 00:48:26,160 --> 00:48:28,040 Would you? Would you kill any desire to be 630 00:48:28,040 --> 00:48:30,200 seen by others that we might have? 631 00:48:30,200 --> 00:48:35,520 Would you kill this idea that we have to work for your approval? 632 00:48:37,360 --> 00:48:42,360 God help us to see that we work from your approval, that you 633 00:48:42,360 --> 00:48:47,560 have approved your Son. This work is good, it's 634 00:48:47,560 --> 00:48:53,080 complete, it's finished, and on the cross he took our 635 00:48:53,080 --> 00:49:00,560 unrighteousness upon himself so that he might give to us his own 636 00:49:00,560 --> 00:49:06,880 righteousness to make us coheirs with Himself, to reconcile us to 637 00:49:06,880 --> 00:49:13,680 the Father, to God. We stand in that redemption. 638 00:49:17,880 --> 00:49:22,360 God help us to realize that as we live for you. 639 00:49:23,120 --> 00:49:24,520 It's in the name of Christ I pray. 640 00:49:25,000 --> 00:49:26,600 Amen. Amen.