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The message you're about to hear was preached at Liberty Baptist
Church in Easton, MA. You can find out more about us
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message from God's Word will be a blessing to you.
First Corinthians chapter #1 As we finish the 1st chapter, a lot
more to go, but we're finishing the 1st chapter here this
evening. You know, as Warren Weirsby, as
I was just doing some reading this week.
Warren Weirsby, the commentator who said that the church at
Corinth was a defiled church, a divided church, and a disgraced
church. Not exactly a great calling card
for a church, is it? It's a defiled church, a divided
church, and a disgraced church. And as we get here to the end of
chapter #1 Paul's already had to address some issues with them
already, hasn't he? Because of the divisions that
they have among us, That I am of Paul and I am of Apollos and I
am of Cephas and I am of Christ. And that's just the hem of the
garment, if you will, of some of the issues that he is going to
have to deal with this divided, defiled, and disgraced church.
But last week we were ending our message.
And I made a statement that I want to bring back to you to
kind of bring back into your memory banks because we've all
lived a little bit since last Wednesday night.
But to remind you of, because I think it'll help maybe give us
some context here as we finish up these last three verses of
chapter #1 I said this. I said God doesn't call us on a
river of doubt, He calls us on a river of faith and has
completely and totally prepared us for whatever comes our way.
God has not called us to a river of doubt, but He has called us
on a river of faith and has completely and totally prepared
us for whatever comes our way. Well, listen, Paul is already
landing some haymakers here in chapter #1 he's already having
to talk tough to these people who need someone in love to talk
tough to them. But I'll say that as we have
rounded out this chapter, last week and this week as well,
Paul's actually ending with some encouragement.
Remember, you can serve God and that you can be useful to God
and His work and in His ministry.
We saw that last week, and tonight we're going to see why
that's the case. Last week we saw that you can
serve God and that you can do great things for the Lord.
But this evening we're going to see why that is the case.
From three verses here in First Corinthians chapter #1 we're
going to go to some different texts this evening as well.
So your Bibles are going to work out, but it's going to be all
good because it's going to help us understand why we know that
when it comes to the Christian life, when it comes to serving
God, you have everything you need.
When it comes to the Christian life, when it comes to serving
God, you have everything that you need.
And that should encourage even the most hard hearted of
Christians here tonight. Well, let's begin in verse #29
and then we'll read the verses after to the end of the chapter.
It says this, that no flesh should glory in his presence,
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God has made unto
us wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption.
That according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory
in the Lord. And we're really going to focus
quite a bit in verse #30 where it says, But of him are ye in
Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness
and sanctification and redemption.
And really this verse starts with this phrase.
But of him are ye in Jesus Christ.
Now, I hope you've been here at Liberty Baptist Church long
enough that you know that the little words matter, don't they?
That anytime we're going through the word of God, we're not just
looking at the big words. And there's some big words
there, aren't there in that verse.
There's in fact, 4 pretty big words that we're going to look
at in a few moments. But it's every word that's
important. Every word is inspired by God.
Every word is there for a reason.
And that first word, that conjunction that we in verse #30
is the word. But however, it's a transitional
statement. And so it's hard for us to
really focus on verse #30 without knowing what's taking
place here. Why is there a difference?
Why is there this change in thought?
Well, really, it goes back to the previous verse.
It goes back to verse #21 nine, that no flesh should glory in
His presence. And Paul talked about this quite
a bit last week. Remember that we have to have
the right mindset that we don't think too highly of ourselves,
but that we don't think too lowly of ourselves either.
Because remember, we are still sinners saved by grace.
But on the positive side, we're sinners saved by grace.
And so we have something to be excited about and we want to
stay right in the middle of the road.
Why, if we have that right mindset that we cannot glory in
his presence? Because why all honor and glory
and praise goes to Him. And so Paul is saying with that
thought process, he's saying although we cannot glory in his
presence, there is something that I want you to know, but
however, we can't glory in his presence.
But there is something maybe we could put it this way, if you
have the right thought process, Paul says that if you want to
know what to glory in, then you can glory in a relationship with
God that is expressed through Jesus Christ.
You can glory in a relationship with God that is expressed in
Jesus Christ. That that's why it says that.
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus?
Listen, if you want to glory in. Something you can.
Glory in not something someone in Jesus Christ Paul said in
Galatians chapter 6 verse 14 but God forbid that I should glory
saving the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world
is crucified unto me and I under the world.
He says this listen, I have nothing to boast in.
It's all about Christ and it's all about the cross.
Anything good that I have anything right that I have
anything in my life that's worth anything.
I can't boast in it. It's all because of Jesus
Christ. That'll make every Baptist say
Amen right there. Instead, I'll make a few Baptist
say Amen, but that's OK. But it ought to make us all say
Amen, because we have this of the Lord.
And what can we? Boast him after all those things
back in 2021, I, you know that I had my, my surgery had the tumor
in my jaw and one of the things that I want to do before because
I knew I was going to be in the hospital up to two weeks was
actually 10 days, but I thought it was going to be up to two
weeks. I was out of the pulpit for two
months and one of the things I want to do before all of this
took place I want to have a day where I got to do something with
everyone in the family. It's special day for Peyton, a
special day for AJ, a special day for Bethany and Kaylee and
for Diane. Well, for Bethany, she had
actually arranged this herself that we were going to go see the
Boston Red Sox. Now this was in 2021 that's when
Fenway Park was at a 10% capacity because of COVID.
So we went to a 3000 seat sell out at Fenway Park.
There were only about 7 or 8 people in our section.
It was crazy it was unbelievable.
And so we're out there and it felt like a spring training
game, but it was in Fenway Park and it was incredible.
And so other than wearing a mask, but anyway, it was a lot
of fun. And so we were out there in
about the 3rd or 4th inning, someone came up to me and they
said, are you Adam Rivero? Now, listen, someone asked me
that. It's like, you know, or what are
you the cops? I mean, who wants to know,
right? But he worked for the Red Sox
and Bethany had reached out to the Red Sox and had told them,
my father has a tumor. He's going to the hospital.
Do you think maybe, you know, he could go tour the the the
clubhouse or something like that?
And they couldn't do that because of COVID protocol.
And I think honestly, they thought that I had cancer
because she said that a tumor and that and, you know, don't
tell the Red Sox I didn't have cancer, all right.
But they were assuming maybe I was make a wish.
I don't know what they thought, but they brought this really
nice basket to me of all these things.
And by the way, this story's going somewhere, OK.
And so they brought this nice bag with all of this this stuff.
And inside this bag was this ring.
I've never actually brought this out of my house in my life.
For those you can't. Hey, zoom in here, fellas.
All right, This is nice. Yeah.
There you go. This is a 2013 World Series
ring. Get that?
Yeah. Go ahead.
You're close. You're close.
Go up, up, up. There we go.
All right. Good.
But we're never get this televangelism thing down.
I'll tell you. Look at this ring right here.
It's heavy. Now it is a replica, obviously,
but it is huge. Now.
They gave this to me. The Red Sox gave me a replica
2013 or back it out. I could see like I could see my
pimples. All right, thank you.
But thank you and the people at home.
Thank you. But look, I don't wear this
around. Do you know why people would
have so many questions? You, you were.
Did you work for the Red Sox? And my answer would be no.
But they thought I had cancer. You know, of course I didn't
work for the Reds I had. I have.
I can't wear this because I have nothing to boast of.
I didn't work for them. I didn't do anything.
I didn't even sell popcorn. I didn't do.
Anything for the Red Sox. Do you know what it is?
Sat in a box for the last four years until I brought it out
this afternoon because I knew I was going to need it for a
sermon illustration tonight. It's the first use it's ever had
because I have nothing to glory in.
In fact, it would be really, really silly.
For me to go around wearing it and trying to pretend like I had
something to do with this. You know, that's what Paul is
saying here. He's saying what do we have to
Gloria? Well, hey, I'm a pretty good
speaker. Oh, where that where that come
from? Well, you know, I'm, I'm really
good at being able to interact with people and, and helping
them with some of their problems.
Well, where did that come from? I'm really good with my hands
and I can do things around the church or I can do things to be
able to help other people. Well, how did that skill come
about? Preaching, teaching, singing,
ministering, giving, encouraging, pray.
Where did that all come from? Which one of us can hang our
hats on any of those things and said we did it ourselves?
Listen, I don't have my mind because of me.
I don't have my hands because of me, out of my feet because of
me. I don't have my mental acuities
because of me. I don't have my body because of
me. I don't have anything.
Because of me. It's all because of him.
Now if there's any boasting, what is it in?
It's boasting in the Lord. And that's why verse #31 says.
Therefore, according as it is written, he that glorieth let
him glory in the Lord, so it. Says, But of him are ye in
Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us?
And then it says there's four elements that we are made.
But I just want to say very quickly that there's that phrase
there. Look at that second phrase.
Who of God is made unto us? There will be some.
Groups. That would maybe try to give the
impression that it says that Jesus Christ was made unto us,
that Jesus Christ is a created being because it uses that term
that he is made unto us. Now you and I both know that's
not the case. Why?
Because while Jesus Christ is God, God is everlasting thing.
We can go to John chapter one verse one that pretty much
settles it, doesn't it? In the beginning was the word
and the word was with God and the word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
We go to 1st John chapter 1 and we could settle the argument
there as well. That's not what we're talking
about this evening. When it talks about first, Well,
first of all, it says, it says in verse #30 who of God is made
unto us? It doesn't say was made.
It's not talking about the past. It's talking about the present.
I think that's important. Remember, every word means
something. It's not talking about something
that was done in the past. Also, that Greek word that is
there is not talking about creation out of nothing.
That's a different Greek word. That Greek word that is here
reverse to Christ being appointed, designated, or given.
It does not mean that He came out of nothing.
It means that He has been and made unto us these things.
Now imagine if I said something like this.
You know David Ducharme, I know where this is going.
He doesn't. No, David Ducharme has been made
unto us. A trustee in February.
That's true, wasn't it? We had a church vote and he was
made a trustee here at the church.
Now no one would think that he came out of nothing.
In February that he was created just out of in February he was
not. And then he was.
And all of a sudden he was a trustee here at the church.
No, we would know. Oh no, He's been designated
that. That's what it means.
That's what's being said here. And so there are some groups,
perhaps the Jehovah Witnesses who would take that verse or
even in Philippians chapter 2 when it talks about Jesus Christ
being made unto us, that he was created.
No, no, that's not what it's talking about.
That's not what it's talking about at all.
It's talking about the fact that he has been given in these
designations and it wasn't in the past.
It's in the present. In fact, it's the perpetual
present. No matter who or when someone is
reading this, this is what Jesus Christ is to them.
So with that being said, there are four different elements that
are found here as again, you know that I'll say here at
liberty all the time. I love it when the Bible
outlines itself. And so there are four key points
that are here for elements that Jesus Christ has been made in us
and these are things that we can glory in.
Not that we can glory ourselves, but these are things that He is
to us. And the first is this number 1.
He is our wisdom. He is our wisdom.
And this is the capstone of the whole conversation that's taken
place in this chapter, isn't it, that we've been talking about
wisdom and foolishness, how the world thinks wisdom is wisdom,
but the world's wisdom is foolishness.
And the world thinks that Christians are foolish, but the
foolishness of Christ and Christians is really true
wisdom. And it's kind of sounds like
it's some kind of paradox, but we know that the world thinks
it's smart and it's not as smart as it thinks.
And the world thinks Christians don't know what's going on.
But Christians who believe the word of God know more than the
very most educated, quote UN quote, people in this world who
deny Christ. And so here it says that Jesus
Christ has been made unto us wisdom.
When the entire world says show us wisdom.
Listen, he he doesn't just have wisdom, He is wisdom.
Let me make sure that's clear. Jesus Christ doesn't just teach
wisdom. Jesus Christ doesn't just
contain wisdom. He is the very embodiment of
wisdom. You see, He wasn't just a wise
teacher, but he was the living, personal embodiment of God's
redemptive plan. And that's why when the lost
call him just a good teacher, that's not a compliment.
That's a slap in the face of who he is.
He was not simply an educated person.
He was not simply an enlightened person.
He wasn't simply a deep thinker. He wasn't a Mensa candidate.
No, what is he? He is wisdom, the very
embodiment of wisdom and truth. Now listen, we don't have a lot
of wisdom to hang our hats on. Listen, apart from Christ, what
wisdom do we have? Oh, before we got saved, we all
thought we knew a lot, didn't we?
But then we got saved and we started to read the Word of God
and we started to realize, wow, my left was right, my up was
down, my dark was light, my light was dark.
I was completely opposite in everything.
Why? Because once you have the Holy
Spirit inside of you who helps you tap into the wisdom, That's
why the Holy Spirit is our teacher.
He is our guide, and he helps you tap into that wisdom, which
is Jesus Christ. It's wisdom for this world and
it's wisdom beyond this world. Do you realize that they are
they just created a new telescope down far, far into the
reaches of South America. The what I just read a few weeks
ago be able to see farther than just about any telescope that
they have here in the world right now.
And it's also very important because of being the southern
hemisphere is a different angle than what they would get here.
The northern hemisphere. They see different things.
Do you realize that they are spending millions upon millions
upon millions of dollars to be able to see out into space and
listen, I have no problem with that.
I'm not preaching against that, but I'm saying is you and I have
wisdom that goes even beyond that and we didn't get it of
ourselves. It's because He is our wisdom.
Psalm 111, verse 10, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom. A good understanding have all
they that do His commandments, His praise, endureth forever.
When you have the right relationship with God, when you
have the right thought process with God, all of a sudden wisdom
is attainable because we are thinking clearly and we're
thinking the way that God wants us to think.
Isaiah 11, verse 2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest
upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of
counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the
Lord. This is talking about Christ.
So what was Christ doing? Not only was he living wisdom,
but he was the embodiment of wisdom, But he was showing us as
an example the fear of the Lord so that we could attain that
wisdom of which he was say, boy pastor, that's a lot I know, and
that's what he is. John Owen, the commentator, once
said, the wisdom of God shines most gloriously in the person of
Jesus Christ. We're in all treasured, we're in
our treasured all the riches of divine knowledge.
The right perspective of God gives us the right perspective
of wisdom. And this is what Jesus Christ
has made for us. But not only was he made unto us
wisdom, but He is our righteousness.
He is our righteousness. Now the Webster's 1828
dictionary. Now, my wife was speaking at a
church a couple weeks ago, a ladies meeting, and she was
throwing a little shade at me about the Webster's 1828.
But I noticed that she used the Webster's 1828 while she was
speaking too. And so the Webster's 1828, just
to make clear why I use the Webster's 1828 dictionaries
because it so well defines our King James Bible, that's why,
because it was written in the same style in the same time.
And I'm not, I'm just kidding. I mean, she was, she was very
complimentary to me about I think she was complimentary.
But anyway, no, she was. But the idea is we use it for a
reason, because helps us understand the words as they're
written, not necessarily maybe the way that our modern language
has twisted things around because listen, words change all
the time. There's the time when something
was cool was actually a temperature, then something was
cool was, was like, you know, good.
You know, something that's hot, you know, can be many different
things, something that's wicked and, and, and New England could
be good. Don't ask me how that can be so.
So we need to be able to find out what are what are we saying
here when we have this word righteousness.
Well, Webster's 1828 dictionary says this purity of heart,
rectitude of life, conformity of heart and life to the divine
law. Righteousness as used in
Scripture and theology in which it is chiefly used, is nearly
equivalent to holiness, comprehending holy principles
and the affections of the heart and conformity of the life to
the divine law. Now I could probably summarize
it this way it literally. Righteousness is the state of
being right with God. Righteousness is the state of
being right with God. Now, according to that
definition of righteousness, that to be able to be equivalent
to holiness, comprehending holy principles, conforming life to
the divine law, can you and I in and of ourselves do this?
The answer is no. That's why Romans 310 says there
are none righteous, no, not one. First Corinthians 6 verse 9 says
know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of
God? Listen, if we were to live on
our own righteous, our own righteousness, we couldn't be
saved. It would be impossible.
We would spend an eternity in the lake of fire.
Now we're going to start turning our Bibles here.
Go to Romans chapter #8. All right, Romans chapter #8
because I want to show you why Christ is our righteousness.
Romans chapter #8 Look at verse #1 just a few pages away.
It says this. There is therefore now no
condemnation. In my Bible I have underlined
twice the words, no condemnation.
There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who
walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
That is just very, very good news for the child of God, isn't
it? For the law of the Spirit of
life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and
death. For what the law could not do,
and that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in
the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the
flesh, meaning that he bore our sins within his body.
Look at verse four that the righteousness of the law might
be fulfilled in US who walk not after the flesh but after the
Spirit. Now it doesn't say that the
righteousness of the law is fulfilled by us.
It says it's fulfilled in US. Well, how is it fulfilled in US
through Jesus Christ? By what He did.
It's said they're clearly in verse #3 Now drop down to verse
#9 it says this. But you are not in the flesh,
but in the Spirit. If so be that the Spirit of God
dwell in you. Now if any man hath not the
Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead.
The old man, the old nature is dead because of sin, but the
Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Well, how did that happen? Because of Jesus Christ Christ.
Now go to Romans chapter #10 again, just a couple pages over.
I know we're reading a lot of different things tonight, but I
want you to see biblically where we find these concepts.
These are great places to mark in your Bible.
These are great, great place to write quick notes to be able to
look at these issues later because it's so important.
These are not just Bible words that really have no bearing or
no grasp on us. And this is everything.
Jesus Christ has been made our righteousness.
Look at verse 1, chapter 10. Brethren, my heart's design and
prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.
For I bear them record that they have a zeal for God, but not
according to knowledge. For they, being ignorant of
God's righteousness, they're ignorant of God's righteousness
and going about to establish their own righteousness, have
not submitted themselves under the righteousness of God.
So what did the unbelieving Jews do?
They didn't recognize God's righteousness.
They tried to create their own righteousness, and because of
that they were lost. Why?
Because they were looking to the law to save them when the law
was only there to show them that they were condemned.
The law was never able to save a soul.
It was our schoolmaster to be able to show us, to point us to
Jesus Christ. Now look at verse 4.
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone
that believeth. For Moses describeth the
righteousness which is of the law, that the man which doeth
those things shall live by them. If you want to be saved by the
law, you have to live by it for every moment of every second of
every day of your entire life. And there's only been one who's
ever been able to do that, and that was Jesus Christ verse 6.
But the righteous sisters of faith speaketh on this wise say,
not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heaven, that is to
bring Christ down from above, Or who shall ascend into the deep,
that is to bring up Christ again from the dead.
Basically saying this, if you want to find out where this
righteousness of faith is, you don't have to go far, you don't
have to go up into the heavens, you don't have to go down to the
deep, you don't have to look far because you can look at Jesus
Christ. Verse 8 But what sayeth it?
The word is nigh unto thee, even thy mouth, and in thy heart.
That is the Word of Faith as we preach, that if thou shalt
confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in
thine heart, that God hath raised him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth
unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation. So what do we see in both of
these texts? That righteousness cannot be
accomplished by man, righteousness that cannot be
accomplished by anything that we have.
That's why Jesus Christ was made our righteousness.
When it came to the issue of righteousness, Jesus placed His
own righteousness on top of us when we were saved.
Philippians 39 And to be found in him, not having my own
righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through
the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by
faith. 2nd Corinthians 521 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. Jesus Christ was made our
wisdom, He was made our righteousness, and then #3 He
was made our sanctification. He is our sanctification.
And this is another great Bible word that we should not be
intimidated by. The word sanctification, it is
found in the New Testament, is from the Greek word that means
holiness or a separation. Holiness or a separation.
Sanctification is literally this.
It's righteousness, but with a purpose.
So Christ was made our righteousness, but He has set us
aside for a specific task. He has set us aside for a
specific work, and that is what sanctification is.
Just like the vessels were sanctified in the Old Testament,
in the temple, in the Tabernacle.
That meant that if you were going to use those certain
dishes, if you're going to use those certain utensils, if you
use those certain vessels, that the priest couldn't take them
home and use them for a supper club or for a supper party.
No, they couldn't do that. What were they to do?
They were sanctified, they were set apart.
They were to be used in the use for God and His work.
That was it. And when we look at our lives,
listen, we are not our own, That we've been bought with a price
and that we are to be used the way that God desires us to be
used. We've been sanctified, we've
been set apart, we've been given a higher calling, and Jesus
Christ is our sanctification. He was the one who was set
apart, and we are set apart because of what He did for us.
Now we're sanctified in three different ways.
There's three different kinds of sanctification.
I know we're getting a little deep.
We're getting a little bit in the weeds tonight, but this is
good for us to learn. There's three different kinds of
sanctification. There's positional
sanctification. When you got saved, the day you
got saved, you were positionally sanctified, meaning this you
were set free from every sin by the blood of Jesus Christ.
You were, you were immediately seated in heavenly places.
You immediately belong to Jesus Christ.
No longer did you belong to the devil, that now you belong to a
new Father, your Father, the Father in heaven.
There's positional You have a new position in Christ.
Then there's practical sanctification.
This is the ongoing, lifelong process of spiritual growth in
which the Holy Spirit makes the believer increasingly holy in
character and in conduct. First Thessalonians 4 verses 3
through 5 said this. For this is the will of God,
even your sanctification, that you should abstain from
fornication, that every one of you should know how to possess
his vessel, and sanctification and honor not in the lust of
concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God.
So what we're saying is the longer that you are part of this
Christian life, the more you should be set aside for Jesus
Christ. I hope, hope that you are closer
to Jesus Christ now than you were when you first got saved.
I hope that some of the habits that you struggled with when you
first got saved, that they have been set aside and that you're
working on new ones. And, and that you say, well,
pastor, what happens when I, I finally get rid of all my sinful
habits? Right.
OK, you let me know when that happens.
Amen. But listen, that's what it is.
Every day, just trying to be closer to Jesus Christ, a little
bit closer the day before. That's our practical
sanctification. Every day I want to be closer to
him. And at the end of the day, you
say, hey, I didn't do so bad today.
I still didn't do perfect, but I didn't do so bad.
There's some days you say, man, I, I did awful.
What's the matter with me? And we confess it and we try to
get closer to God. There's that practical.
Sanctification. But then there's perfect
sanctification. One day we'll be with Jesus and
we'll be in His presence, and we will have to worry about this
old flesh that we struggle with every day.
We'll be with Him. And when we've been there 10,000
years, right shining as the sun, there'll be no less days to sing
God's praise than when we first begun.
I don't know about you, but heaven gets sweeter all the
time, doesn't it? When you think of those who have
gone before and you think of all the struggles and all the things
that we deal with here, and you think one day I'll just be with
Him and just being His presence will be enough.
So there's three kinds of sanctification.
There's the positional the minute.
You got saved that you belong to Jesus Christ.
Practical that every day I need to become more like Christ and
then perfect. One day I will be in a different
body. This old body will be gone, and
that will be in a new heaven and a new earth.
And that everything will be new and everything will be perfect
because we'll be with our heavenly Father.
What a joy that is. Now these are all vividly shown
in one passage, so turn quickly to 1st John chapter #3 in case
you think I'm picking these terms up out of thin air.
First John chapter 3 shows all three of them together.
Jesus is our sanctification, and you'll see why here from this
text. First John chapter #3 It says
this, Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon
us, that we should be called the sons of God.
Therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew Him not.
The day you got saved, you were positionally sanctified.
What does that mean? You became the sons of God
immediately. Well, you know, if I do enough
good works, then I'll become a son of God.
Well, that sounds like work salvation.
That doesn't sound like what the Bible says.
The day you got saved, you became a child of God.
Verse 2 Beloved, now are we nuts?
Now are we the sons of God? And does not yet appear what we
shall be. But we know that when He shall
appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as he is.
You know which one? That is perfect sanctification,
that one day we'll be with Him, and we will see Him as He is.
And all of a sudden we'll be in a new body.
There'll be no more tears, there'll be no more death,
there'll be no more sorrow, there'll be no more pain.
And on and on it goes, and Amen and Amen, I say to all of that.
But then verse 3 says this. And every man that hath this
hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure.
That's practical sanctification, that as we look forward to what
is in heaven, that it should draw us closer to Him here and
now. You know, they're so earthly,
they're so heavenly minded. They're so they're no earthly
good. No, if we're the right kind of
heavenly minded, the more we think about being with Him, we
ought to draw closer to Him and we ought to be more earthly good
every day. No, no, you see all three of
those right here, and all of it hinges upon this Jesus Christ.
Now, are we the sons of God? It's all about Jesus and He had
been made our sanctification. But then lastly, I also want to
see He's not just our wisdom, He is not just our righteousness.
He's not just our sanctification, but He is also
our redemption. Now, we looked at this quite a
bit on Resurrection Sunday just a few weeks ago.
But to redeem means to buy back or to rescue from captivity.
The Greek word means to ransom, to release upon payment.
Colossians 114, in whom we have redemption through his blood,
even the forgiveness of sins. There's a we see that, that,
that because of the blood of Jesus Christ, we have been
redeemed, that that was the price that was paid for our
redemption, the blood of Christ. And again, without belaboring
this, because I know you've heard this before, but it's why
it's important that the blood is part of the gospel that's not
removed from the gospel message because it was the price that
was paid for us. And I've heard people say, I've,
I've heard people in this church say this before, pastors say
this before, that really there's nothing about the blood that was
that important. And I'd say that there's a lot
of apostles and there's a, there's a lot of writers of
Scripture that would have to say that is not true whatsoever.
That that it's very important that it was shed on our behalf.
And we had to take out a lot of our Bible.
We didn't take a lot of our hymnal if we took out the blood,
and so certainly that would not be the case.
Ephesians 430 and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye
are sealed unto the day of redemption.
So what do we see that the forgiveness of sins.
There's a redemption that's current, but also that there's a
redemption sealed under the day of redemption that is future.
So kind of in the same way as sanctification, there's
something that's going on now with it.
There's something that's going on in the future in redemption.
There's also that past and present and future element to it
all. And Jesus is a part of all of
this. And you know, there's a really
good place that can explain this to us.
And, and I want us to go there. I could use that illustration.
But I think the very best illustration is found for us in
the Bible. And that's Ruth chapter #4 So
turn quickly to Ruth chapter #4 I told you we're going all over
our Bibles tonight. We're taking four big
theological concepts and trying to stuff them in a 40 minute
message. And if I was in Bible college,
someone would tell me, don't do that.
But you know what? None of them are here.
So I'm going to try it. Well, I'm almost done and and
one of the guys who was in Bible called to be here on Sunday and
probably would tell me not to do it.
But anyway, Ruth chapter 4 look at verse one there went.
Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there, and behold, the
kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by, unto whom he said, Ho such
an one turn aside, sit down. He turned aside and sat down.
You'll remember that Boaz is the kinsman Redeemer and that Ruth
is going to be claimed by Boaz. But that's a problem.
There is a closer Redeemer in the line who has first right to
be able to choose Ruth, not only to resume the line but also to
take Ruth as well. And so here Boaz wanting to
marry Ruth, calls this man in and it says, and he took 10 of
men of the elders of the city and said, sit you down here.
And they sat down, and he said to the kinsman Naomi, that has
come out again out of the country of Moab, sell the parcel
land which was our brother Elimelechs.
And I thought to advertise the saying, Buy it before the
inhabitants and before the elders of my people.
If that will redeem it, redeem it.
But if that will not redeem it, then tell me that I may know.
For there is none to redeem it beside thee, for I'm after thee.
And he said I will redeem it. So this closer kinsman said, I
am going to redeem this land. But it's kind of like one of
those infomercials. But wait, there's more, see?
Because he doesn't understand that part of the land deal is
also Ruth. This closer kinsman wants to
land. But look at what it says now in
verse #5 and said, Boaz, what day thou buy us the field of the
hand of Naomi? Thou must buy it also of Ruth,
the MO Bitus, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of
the dead upon the inheritance. And the kinsman said, I cannot
redeem it for myself, lest I mar my own inheritance.
Redeem it now. Redeem thou my right to thyself,
for I cannot redeem it now. I always thought this was
interesting because I, you know, Boaz is a picture of Christ.
And I was wondering and I wondered for some time, who
could be a closer kinsman to Ruth than Christ.
If if we're like Ruth and Boaz is like Christ, well then who is
closer to us? And I believe the answer to
that, going back to a concept we looked at just a few moments ago
with righteousness, that would be the law.
Because the law has been part of our lives since the very
beginning, hasn't it? The law has part of our lives.
We don't do this, don't do that. You can't do this.
You can't do that. So I find it interesting that
when the law has the opportunity to redeem Ruth, if we want to
put it that way, he doesn't say I will not redeem it.
What does he say? I.
What's that word there? Cannot redeem it.
Use the word cannot twice. Again, every word in the Bible
matters. I cannot redeem it.
You know why?
Because the law can't redeem anybody.
The law has been following so long since we were little kids,
but it was never able to redeem us.
It was never able to save us. Only Jesus Christ is able to
save, and that's what Jesus Christ has been made to us.
He's been made our wisdom, He's been made our righteousness,
He's been made our sanctification, and he's been
made our redemption. If we have anything the glory
in, that's what it's in. Remember, that's what this all
came down to. If we have anything to glory in,
it all belongs to Him. If He was any one of those
things for us that God the Father put Him in, in His great
plan to be these things for us. This plan that was not hatched
when Genesis chapter 3 took place.
This plan that was hatched in eternity past, in the infinite
eternity past, the plan was always Jesus Christ.
And that He is not, was, is your wisdom.
He is your righteousness. He is your sanctification, He is
your redemption. And that, my friend, is
everything. That you need.
What more do you want? What more could you need?
Now, I know I've given all of these concepts, and they're not
concepts. I mean, they're truths, but you
know. These concepts of a very fly by
overview. I feel like we've gone over them
at 30,000 feet going 600 miles an hour, but I want to hit the
brakes just for a couple of minutes to give you one thought
and application with that and we'll be done.
You know, when it comes to the Christian.
Life you have. Everything that you need, and
this is important to the Father and it's so important to the
Father that you have everything that you need that Jesus Christ
was made these things for us. So I have to ask you, if it's
important enough that Jesus is these things for us to the
Father, then don't those things have to be important to us as
well? Well, I don't understand, you
know, pastor, preach on holiness around here.
Preach on that a lot. You know, I don't understand
what the big deal is. I mean, I mean, come on, we're,
we're good enough. We're better than most of the
people that are out there. And that may be true.
And if we were running a contest, you might win.
But that's not what this is. No, Jesus Christ has made our
righteousness. And if it was important enough
for God to make him that for us, the Father, to make him that for
us, shouldn't righteousness be important to us?
Wisdom. Where's wisdom found?
Well, it's found in him, and it's recorded in his word.
Shouldn't it be important to us? Sanctification.
I'm set apart for a service. Shouldn't that be important to
us? Redemption that we have
something to live for in the future?
We have a blessed hope, not a hope like boy I hope I make it,
but a assured confidence that we will be with him.
Shouldn't that be important to us?
I I can't imagine the following scenario.
Imagine that you were, you needed a car and someone just
bought you a brand new car. And I'm talking about a new to
you car. I'm talking about a brand new
car and they bought it and they parked it in your driveway.
Could you imagine walking past it every day and not driving it?
Now I know Dave could, but the rest of us could.
The rest Dave. Dave says that doesn't sound
great at all. Actually.
Dave just wants a bus pass and people leave him alone, you
know? But you know, could you imagine?
No, no. But listen, maybe even worse
than that, we're not that. That car, it's ready and it's
able to serve, but you walk past it every day to get back into
your car. Your old car that's leaking oil,
that's held together by flex tape and faith, and you're
driving around in this rickety old thing that's dropping parts
at about every other intersection.
But someone bought you a brand new car free and clear, and it's
in your driveway. We would look at somebody that
would act in that way and we would call them a fool.
Look at the gift that you were given.
Why would you rely on this thing that you have that doesn't work?
This is what this. Whole conversation.
These 3 verses are about the things that we have that we
think work don't really work. That's why we can't boast in
them. There's nothing in them that we
should be boasting of. And anything that is in us that
is good and is right and is just came from our Heavenly Father
through Jesus Christ, so we can boast in him.
But if it was important enough for God the Father to send God
the Son? John 316 And shouldn't these
things be important to us? Not my wisdom, His wisdom, not
my righteousness. His righteousness not set apart
for my own ideas. Set apart for his service, not
redeemed to be free to do whatever I want, but redeemed.
So I have that blessed hope that I'll be with him.
And that my future expectation of him changes the way that I
live now to be closer to him. Yeah, there's four elements.
I mean, we could never, we could never cover them.
Or we could do a series on each one of them. 1012 weeks and we
wouldn't finish it but. I don't know.
That we need to tonight, but we're not going to tonight.
The idea is this, do we have the right appreciation for it that
we should? If it was important enough for
the Heavenly Father to make Jesus Christ those things for
us, then it ought to be important for us.
Thank you for listening to the sermon from the pulpit of
Liberty Baptist Church. If this message was a blessing
to you, or if there's any way we can serve you, please let us
know by contacting us at info@mylibertybaptist.org or you
can visit us this Sunday at 800 Washington St. in Easton, MA.
May the Lord bless you as you grow in His Word.