Gambling on God
John - Crucifixion of Jesus • Sermon • Submitted
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Do you feel like a hypocrite? At times you just don’t feel like a good Christian. You have sinned. Yet, you try and live like a righteous person as you are called. But, you keep failing. When this happens do you feel like a hypocrite? Maybe you feel like shouldn’t even be talking to people about your faith. Maybe others are calling you a hypocrite? What do you do with this?How should you feel?
Intro
Intro
Intro
Intro
“Because I said so . . .”
Parents and children this is a common trend
When I say this to my daughter I often feel like a hypocrite. I promised I would never respond this way. I would not do what my parents did or said.
This is not how God works
God expects us to trust in him
Do you ever feel like you know you are supposed to trust him, yet you don’t?
Deep down inside we feel like a hypocrite. This is self imposed
God does not operate this way.
There is no guilt associated with God when it comes to one who is an Christian and who is a child of God
Drama
Drama
Our problem is we are often so consumed by our feelings that we forget the fact that God has saved us and adopted us
We begin to disbelieve or not trust what God has promised
But, I believe we can see clearly from Scripture that God is faithful and his word is true
Drama
Drama
Soldiers Gambling on Jesus garments
Calvin says:
Commentary on the Gospel according to John Chapter 19
There were four soldiers who parted among themselves all his garments, except the coat, which, being without seam, could not be divided, and therefore they cast lots on it.
So for this reason they decided to “cast lots” on this last garment
War trophies
John tells us it is to: Fulfill Scripture
they divide my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.
Psalm 22
How do we connect this Psalm passage written by David and attribute it to Christ in this passage?
David here is struggling with God seemingly abandoning him
But you, O Lord, do not be far off!
O you my help, come quickly to my aid!
Psalm 22
He is seeking relief from his enemies
Verse 18 is a metaphor for David losing everything to his enemies
This Psalm should not be restricted to David and should be seen as a direct reference to Christ
This Psalm should not be restricted to David and should be seen as a direct reference to Christ
I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
“or Gentiles” - can only refer to the ministry and work of Christ
What is foreshadowed in David is fulfilled in Christ
Doctrine
Doctrine
Providence of God
Providence of God
The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition Chapter V. of Providence
GOD, the great Creator of all things, doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things,b from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge,e and the free and immutable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.g
All things - “from the greatest to the least”
God worked in David the circumstances and the desire to write these words of
God, in his providence, because of his infallible foreknowledge allowed David’s spirit to feel so forsaken that he wrote down these words that pointed to Christ at his death.
God’s Word is Truth
God’s Word is Truth
The Westminster Confession of Faith: Edinburgh Edition Chapter I. Of the Holy Scripture
IV. The authority of the holy scripture, for which it ought to be believed and obeyed, dependeth not upon the testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God, (who is truth itself,) the author thereof: and therefore it is to be received, because it is the word of God.
There is consistency between the OT and the NT
Jesus in his High Priestly prayer :
Jesus knew that God’s word was consistent and was to be fulfilled in Christ
Jesus knew that God’s word was consistent and was to be fulfilled in Christ
While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
John 17
Jesus knew that God’s word is truth and that it sanctified
Jesus knew that God’s word is truth and that it sanctified
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
John 17:17
God’s Word is truth!
App: Many of us still treat it as debatable.
Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:
He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
Clothed with Righteousness of Christ
Clothed with Righteousness of Christ
Jesus had to be stripped of these earthly garments in order to show us what he has accomplished for us
He emptied himself
who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
Symbolizes the emptying of himself to have the righteousness of God placed upon him at the resurrection - the old had to be stripped away
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Cor
Christ was stripped of all thing in order to prepare him to receive the righteousness of God
We should view sin as filthy garments - Here Jesus has the sin that was placed upon him - our sin - removed and gambled over
We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
Is 64:6
In the book of Revelation we see the biblical theme of garments change from sin to righteousness
Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.
The Child of God will be clothed in white - righteousness of Jesus Christ
The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.
The significance here is that Jesus has had the sin placed upon him removed at this moment to be as the federal head the one who fulfills the requirement and pays the price for our sins.
Doxology
Doxology
We need to rest secure in our salvation no matter how we feel and what turmoil takes place within us
We need to rest secure in our salvation no matter how we feel and what turmoil takes place within us
We should praise God for his faithfulness to his covenant promises
His word is true
The promises fulfilled in Christ are evident of future promises
We should praise God that he prepared the way of righteousness through faith in Christ for us
That Christ justifies us by imputing righteousness to us
We should live life in light of this very promise
We need to learn to trust in this
Christ righteousness has already been imputed to us and has justified us
We need to rest secure in the fact that God has our life all figured out
Christ’s righteousness will fully be imputed to us in our glorification
Once we rest on God’s promises and have faith in those we can begin to live outside of this feeling of hypocrisy.
App: How?
Seek to live as if we have the righteousness of Christ within us
Seek to live as if we have the righteousness of Christ within us
But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.)
Seek to treat our brothers and sisters as if they too are clothed in white
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
Have compassion on those still left in filthy rags and share the gospel with them
Illus: Story for the good Samaritan Luke 10:25-37
Is NOT a story about social justice or even a model for the church to care for others
It takes place shortly after Jesus is rejected by a Samaritan village
Jesus talks about the cost of following him and then about cities who reject Jesus
Jesus whole point is about being a neighbor and loving those who reject them.
The Disciples job was to spread the good news and make disciples
It wasn’t about mercy ministries and taking care of the physical needs of others
It WAS about following Jesus, and even when people reject you or call you a hypocrite and a liar to go back to them and keep giving them the care they need - the gospel of Jesus Christ. To have compassion on their filthiness and lostness. To have a burning desire that they know Christ like you know Christ.
Do you feel like a hypocrite? At times you just don’t feel like a good Christian. You have sinned. Yet, you try and live like a righteous person as you are called. But, you keep failing. When this happens do you feel like a hypocrite? Maybe you feel like shouldn’t even be talking to people about your faith. Maybe others are calling you a hypocrite? What do you do with this?How should you feel?