Jesus' Last Will & Testament Put in Effect for You
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
People are ashamed of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. The make fun of the idea that his death was a beautiful and a necessary and a powerful sacrfice. taht is was a substitue for you and me sufferingthe wrath of God for our sins.
Actually a legitimate question - you think of the necessity of the shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sins - sacrificial system symbolically representing that wages of sin is real and eternal death - begs for reconciling - actually troughs an sacrificial plumbing system from the Temple in Jerusalem into the Kidron Valley. We are to pause is sin yours and mine, our sinful nature so serious - requires death of completely innocent sacrifice?
Some recently have charged God the Father with divine child-abuse if this is true, why can’t God just say - I’ll forget about isn, justice doesn't need satisfying for you and me personally, and though all fallen from my best plans, you’re alright as you are, and no transformation is needed. We can just keep on going trying to be spiritual, follow some rules, but let’s not stop and contemplate an ultimate sacrifice f the Lord jesus Christ t the centre of history and the turning point of our lives. Let’s not think of his cross as the lever that really lifts not only our sin, but launches us into a whole new way of life everlasting life, life that is from above and will last forever. Well congregation , if the Apostle Paul best explains the how, the process of how atonement is worked for us, the writer to the Hebrews best explains the why, the purpose of Christ’s atonement for you and me. And the announcement that he makes to us is like He's CALLED US TOT HE MOST IMPORTANT READING OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT EVER WRITTEN.
Imagine the wealthiest person in the world is retiring and thinks I better put my affairs in order a little differently now. And re-writes his will, and he names you as his chief heir to his estate. You are to be the stated recipient of a fabulous will that includes millions of dollars, a luxurious apartment, season tickets to the hottest team in town and the Lyric Opera, a villa in Majorca, and a quiver full of the fanciest fly rods. And he actually gives you a copy of this will to hold on too. But actually does not one iota of good to you, doesn’t change your life or your financial situation, nor how you slave away at the Fork Factory, and just live a life of so little purpose and only have time for basest pleasure and grunt work almost slavery Nothing changes until then That person dies. Let’s say it happens, still nothing changes, until when? You show up to the reading of that will, and the stipulations in it are all executed , carried out. Now would you show up?
Well, congregation, this is what the writer of Hebrews is calling you and I to do with Christ’’s death, by faith we are to show up at the execution of Christ’s last will and testament, and we are to come into our inheritance. Those words promises, that inheritance they are no ordinary words, but are official words, they are an oath. Such powerful words part of the new covenant that God establishes with Christ and then Christ shares with us. And this morning, as we come to the Lord’s Supper, we remember that death that sacrifice, the blood that put the new covenant into effect. And by faith you are invited to put your trust a new in this Christ and His oath his covenant his blood. As we read last week, we are to come by faith - to take to ourselves Christ and all His benefits. But here is the strangest thing. The testator, the one who made the will, he has to die for it to come into effect, but Christ seals these words not so much with his death and he’s gone, but by his sacrifice and blood, but he rises again, and as you come to the reading of his last Will and Testament - it is he who is His own executor. And even as I unpack the will and testament bequeathed to you, it is as if \the Risen Christ, Himself speaking these words not written in ink, but written in his blood, and as if He is in the Supper saying as you take hold of these promises, you are sharing in my inheritance in the kingdom of heaven now already!
So come with me, and let’s show up for the reading of this Last Will and Testament by faith in Christ's finished work his death on the Cross, He is risen having won the inheritance and now calls out for you to share in it. Before considering the contents of the Last Will and Testament, Let us consider the Testator, the One who Madet he Will.
I. Who is Christ as Your Testator?
Before considering the contents of the Last Will and Testament, Let us consider the Testator, the One who Madet he Will. I. Who is Christ as Your Testator?
The author o f Hebrews has established that he is the mediator of a new covenant. Old one becoming obsolete, it was a symbolic picture one that pointed to this fuller more real one , and it only had use as it pointed to Christ. SO all the sacrificial system couldn't cleanse people’s consciences, The OT sacrifices, and people’s attempts when they feel guilty to get real religious - flight into faith - punish yourself - think God will be satisfied, - the actual sacrifices the rituals couldn't forgive sins, nor atone or restore, only the atoned and restore as they trusted in the inner spiritual reality of Christ, And the author of Hebrews has been pointing out that just like the Old Covenant had Moses as its mediator, so too the new covenant, the new arrangement with God, Gk word used for an arrangement of relationships , a person puts things in place for how things are going to work stipulations, promises, - like a marriage.
Well just like Moses set the first one up , Jesus Christ job is not just to forgive our sins, and get us to heaven, but to put things in place for you and I to live in a new disposition new arrangement with God.
And do you remember what happened with Moses, he says, I have a last will and testament I have an inheritance for you Israel, but they only get it when Moses what? When he dies. So too the writer of Hebrews says, when Christ dies at the centre of History, all those who trust in Him past present and future, they are too are given the promised land, although its not an earthly strip of real-estate in Palestine, not an earthly inheritance. But it is even more real and it is enjoyed on earth.
The beginning of what gets put into your hands, when you show up and take hold of the last will and testament of jesus is in
Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
Bought out of your death, punishment, hell, redeemed and made right with God, you r first possession right now today is the sending away of the guilt, pollution, the power of your transgressions! Though presence of sin still battled against - you have the definitive answer - ongoing answer that changes who you are with God!
Look at how it was described in
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
Your conscience purified and continuing to be purified. When the old covenant was made, just a bunch of words, until when the people recieved them - simple faith, not reason why God would forgive and accept and transform the, but the means the tool by which they just recieved God’s grace freely, And that was sealed with what in -
Listen to the writer of Hebrews explain it:
For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
This is what he means when he says that the first covenant like any covenant with God is inaugurated in blood, Adama and Eve, given skins, Abraham circumcision, Noah sacrifice promises of grace , Sinai
And then he says, don’t you understand that this what jesus meant when he lifted up this cup - and said it is the New Testament New Covenant in my Blood?
“This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.”
saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.”
All whom \God has called inwardly, put their faith in the Christ, OT and NT - inner meaning of Old Covenant in the reality of the Christ Covenant, and Christ says in my sacrifice in my blood - now this forgiveness, this cleansing , this acceptance with God - now by my death and your faith in it now THE WILL THE TESTAMENT is going into effect. I have given myself, so it will go into effect - take it receive it. Live in the new reality of forgiveness.
But there is a second item on that Last Will and Testament, as you get the forgiveness, enter into a new relationship of acceptance, it is not just your standing with God that changes. That blood received in a real participation in the inheritance that Christ won. .
II. What is your real participation in the inheritance Christ won?
It’s like we walk into a new spiritual promised land already, The kingdom of God with us , in us. How is it possible. moses died and didn’t go into that promised land. But this covenant and this mediator is a better one. Christ, rises again, with t ransom paid, and he continues to mediate for us. he ascended into heaven, as our representative, he died ass our representative, but that’s only half the gospel, He also rose an represents us to the Father now. And He in our human flesh, won the reward of the covenant, perfect obedience, given the gift of the Spirit, given the kingdom in fulness, reign until comes in fulness, Christ as the Son of David, our human king, he is the head of creation in a new way, Heir of the World and Heir of God, - and guess what he says, I want you to live with all the inheritance I just won.
It’s like we walk into a new spiritual promised land already, The kingdom of God with us , in us. How is it possible. moses died and didn’t go into that promsied land. But this covenantand this mediator is a better one. Christ, rises again, with t ransom paid, and he contniues to mediate for us. he ascended into heaven, as our represetnative, he died ass our representative, but that’s only half the gospel, He also rose an represents us to the Father now. And He in our human flesh, won the reward of teh covenent, perfect obediecne, gievn the gift of the Spirit, given the kingdom in fulness, reign until comes in fulness, Christ as the Son of SDavid, our human king, he is the head of creation ina new way, Heir of the World and Heir of God, - and guess waht he says, I want you to live with all the inheritance I just won.
Curiuous words Jesus spoke in
and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom,
Just before he said, this is the new coveant in my blood. He said
And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him.
and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom,
: As the Father has bestowed/assign I testament, … a kingdom on me, so I now bestow a kingdom on you. That word bestow is the same word for testament, covenant , to put down new condition, to put something new in place.
Paul declares that Christ is the heir, and by faith we become co-heirs. Paul says this blood is not just a sign and seal of your forgiveness, but of your what - participation in Christ, you are adopted by God in Him, you have a a full inheritance now already in Him. Death has happened, his blood spilled was inaugurating and giving strength in your life and mine to this new covenant.
Do you undertsand that was the goal of the whole new covenant and therefore for Christ death - not just forgivenss, but look again at
purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
Like you working in the fork factory - just time for basest pleasure, eking by,… dead works , just like ritualistic religion, or flight into faith - earn … dead works But if you’ve got real forgiveness, if you take this real ransom in Christ, your purified for a purpose. To serve, not the word for servant or slave doing a bunch of work to please the master, a debtor’s-ethic. This is the same word for worship, with the blood of Christ covering your every blemish and filling up what is lacking in your every work, you are to come in full confidence in to God’s presence a- your life is now a communion and fellowship with God, like only the priests could have in the OT. Now you are a priest of the living God, not a priest in stuffy temple with ornate gold symbols, quiet separated place. But the temple has become your body, your daily life, and the presence of God kept behind those thick curtains -, Christ tore the curtain, and the presence of God is now what you live in in your home , at work, in the world -
And what is your daily priestly service? Do all your life in new pattern of Christ, equipped with all the peace, the love, strengtyh from the Holy Spirit, given gifts to serve as His church - how did Paul put it, we are not priets doing our worship, service behind close doors. No
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
The Jews in the wilderness had only a future inheritance and actually they lived as grumblers and a lot of unbelief languishing in the wilderness because of it. It that you. It doesn't have to bee if you show up at Christ’s death by faith, and take hold in faith of the new covenant. Then you will have an inheritance that is both future and current/present. And the inheritance the promised land, life int he presence of God is something you are not working in this life, as if you don't have but maybe can earn it. Your inheritance is something you have in part - grace , and something that you work toward. You inheritance is grace now , and glory later, And grace now is already glory begun.
That is the question this morning, do you believe - Christ as your Testator, that he has guaranteed on oath, with his death that he has put into effect this new covenant in your life. That’s what the writer of Hebrews is announcing Christi s the one who could enact this and he does with His blood. Christ has guaranteed the accomplishment of all the promises of the covenant to you, and this morning you take hold of those promises in Him, you live as an heir of grace already, glory breaking through.
says this then is how we go through life.
This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Do you see it, on the Cross, as he gave his life in our place, for the first time the covenant became a last will and testament - he not only remitted yours ins there, but he bequeathed his riches his gifts, his kingdom his new covenant with God with the Holy Spirit - so start to live in God’s presence and by his grace and adopted, and living for his glory. . And that worship that serve isn’t just something you do on your own , as if you individually decide to join worship some Sunday, or com e to the table . No you know you have incorporated into God’s worshiping community, Inwardly called, drawn, equipped, outfitted, resourced, and put into a fellowship to now outwardly live out that grace. So that the purpose of you receiving the atonement is that you are now fit to really worship and serve Him together.
Galatians
If that is the case, in conclusion , you will come to the sacrament in a new way. Biblical word, for these ordinances. Gk word originally means the oath by which Roman soldiers bound themselves to their general. Thus, it is our oath of allegiance whereby we swear fidelity to Jesus, the Captain of our salvation. Just as the Roman soldiers swore that they would never desert their colors in battle, we also hereby solemnly engage to maintain irreconcilable war against all the enemies of Christ without and within, fighting manfully under His banner against sin, the world, and the devil, and this at the peril of our eternal damnation. Thus, whenever we presume to come to Christ’s Table without this war against sin maintained in our conversation, we become guilty of the body and blood of Christ, incur the awful guilt of perjury, and eat and drink our own damnation, “not discerning the Lord’s body” ().
If taht is the case, in conclusion , you will come to the sacrament in a new way. biblcial word, for these ordinances. Gk wrod orignally means
the oath by which Roman soldiers bound themselves to their general. Thus, it is our oath of allegiance whereby we swear fidelity to Jesus, the Captain of our salvation. Just as the Roman soldiers swore that they would never desert their colors in battle, we also hereby solemnly engage to maintain irreconcilable war against all the enemies of Christ without and within, fighting manfully under His banner against sin, the world, and the devil, and this at the peril of our eternal damnation. Thus, whenever we presume to come to Christ’s Table without this war against sin maintained in our conversation, we become guilty of the body and blood of Christ, incur the awful guilt of perjury, and eat and drink our own damnation, “not discerning the Lord’s body” ().
But positively it means, the Christ has sworn an oath sealed in His blood to you that you take hold of here, and back to him. Wedding band often contains less than $100 gold but none the less - say diamonds silver and gold priceless reminding us that true love in priceless. In trades often just a silicon ring - point is the sacramental significance, thing pointed too - Christ says take up these common elements of bread symbolizing my body given to you - participation in my life broken for you, take this wine, participation in my sacrifice that initiates a new covenant in your life
we pledge our allegiance to the Lord Christ. We confront His claim on us. It was at the cost of His body and blood that our redemption was secured.
Here we confess our sins during a time of self-examination. We know we are unworthy. We pray for and receive the assurance of divine forgiveness.
Here we confess our faith in Christ as Savior of our soul and Lord of our daily life. In this significant observance we commit ourselves anew to Jesus. It is a way of acting out the earliest Christian creed: Christos Kurios — Christ is Lord. The Supper becomes a sacramental experience to us.
Hear the Invitation to the Lord’s Table:
Come to this sacred table, not because you must, but because you may;
Come not to testify to your righteousness, but that you sincerely love our Lord Jesus Christ and desire to be His true disciple;
Come not because your goodness gives you a right to come, but because in your frailty and sin you stand in need of heaven’s mercy and help;
Come because you love the Lord a little and want to love Him more;
Come because He loved you and gave Himself for you;
Lift up your hearts, above your cares and fears;
Let this bread and wine be a sign of God’s grace to you and a pledge of your love to the Lord Christ;
Receive the love of God and consecrate your life afresh to Christian obedience and service, to discover and do the will of God in humble faith.
490 Blessed Assurance
490 Blessed Assurance