1. Many do not understand the function of the Law and the relation of the believer to the Law in the face of Christ.----2. The woman caught in adultery came to Christ- But she did not bring herself to Christ. She did not choose or decide her way to Christ.----3. She was caught in the very act-doing-plying her own business-trade of sinning. God caused her to be caught in the very act. God is He who brought her to Christ.----4. She had learned from the Father. You cannot come to Christ unless God teaches you. Where did God find you-

1- People can't just come and begin to say they chose or decided their way into Christ or salvation-that is a false gospel testimony.--2- We have to understand that the sinner in Adam was under a decree of condemnation that could not be removed by the hands or works of mere man.--3- And so, we see this gospel testimony played out with the Jews, the people of Mordechai and Esther and how they came under the decree of the one Haman-the enemy of the Jews.--4- The decree sought to destroy them and, in this drama, God taught on the doctrine of union, representation-substitution, to say this is how salvation works.--5- The salvation of the Jews happened over the gallows that had been prepared to hang Mordecai, but they ended up in the destruction of Haman.--6- But Mordechai was not spared of the Gallows-you have to hear the teaching to understand this point-because it is a gospel argument and a lesson on types and shadows.--7- Queen Esther had prepared a banquet of wine-over which she was going to make known her petitions to the king.--8- And her petitions were the petitions of Christ to the Father about His own death and resurrection and the salvation of His people. The resurrection of Christ is too important gospel testimony to be Easter egg hunting around it.--9- The matter of the condemnation of the Jews was settled over the banquet of wine and the gallows and the wrath of the king was pacified-satisfied.--10- The satisfaction of God's wrath happened only on the cross of Christ and nowhere else. A preacher or believer who conditions the removal of the decree that destroys to the sinner does not know or believe the gospel. That and more.

1- We cannot understand the exhortations of the book of Hebrews if we do not understand the gospel and the other arguments that have been put forth about Christ by the Holy Spirit.----2- The writer opened by exposing to us the honor, dignity and excellency of Christ-as the one who is the Son of God who created and upholds all things.----3- This same Son is He who is now seated having accomplished the purging of our sins. The sitting of Christ as the High Priest means a secure salvation. A Christ who is seated is the faithful gospel declaration.----4- The sitting of Christ on the right-hand side of Majesty means all power and authority belongs to Him-therefore no one can spoil the work that He did.----5- The exhortations therefore are not assuming or implying that salvation can be lost. The exhortations in the book of Hebrews are based on the exposition of the reality of who Christ is and what He accomplished in salvation.----6- The exhortations are to renew, strength, prod -poke, nudge- His people to live in the strength of the knowledge of Christ's accomplishments.----7- And just in case someone has some useless knowledge about angels. Holy angels cannot help you to get saved. They can't use their savings to add to your piggy bank of righteousness. Your piggy bank of righteousness cannot last you a - a day in God's presence-then you have to be shipped to Hell with no return address. WHY- Because what God requires for salvation is perfection.--8- That and more-

Today's gospel installment- 02-17-2019--Hebrews 1 vs 1 to 4-The Son the Final of God's speech----1.-Jesus Christ is the Son by whom and in whom God has made His final speech.----2.-The appearance of Christ means the complete and final revelation of what God intended to communicate to men about Himself and salvation.----3.-The cannon of God's speech is complete and it is all found in Christ.----4.-The men and women who come and claim that God told them stuff that is not in the cannon of Christ are making up stuff. They are speaking from their own lying visions. God deals with them and their followers in Jeremiah 14.----5.-Christ is eminently qualified to be Savior because of His polished resume-Curriculum vitae. He is the Son-who is heir of all things that He created-upholds all things by the word of His power. He -the Son is the brightness of the glory of God and is the exact image of His person. That tells you that salvation was accomplished by One who is God.----6.-And a salvation that was accomplished by one who is of such dignity and honor cannot be lost. It is complete and perfect-hence the Son after He had finished the purification of sins-sat down.----7.-Jesus did not sit down because He had a back or was tired. No, He sat down because as the faithful and able High Priest had made an end to the purification of sin. The gospel then is a declaration of the truth that Christ is seated because He paid for all the sins of His people. There is nothing to add to that-but to rest-to enter into His rest by faith alone.----8.-That and more-

Sermon Title- Introduction to the book of Hebrews----1- The book of John is -finished- but the testimony of Christ is obviously never exhausted.--2- Started introducing the book of Hebrews-which has a lot of themes to expound about Christ and salvation and the relation of all things to Christ-who is the High Priestly Son of God.--3- The community being addressed by the writer had a wide range of issues -pressures- that they were facing.--4- Ultimately- the pressures were causing them to flirt with abandoning Christianity to go back to Judaism-to the very Law that many claim to do-which we know none does the Law.--5- Secondly, the commitment of some had waxed cold and had stopped gathering with the other believers-sounds like today-with some who still have access to good gospel churches-but for one reason or another do not show up.--6- The writer exhorts them back to Christ with a complex series and patterns of exposition and exhortation.--7- The writer expounds to them the superiority of Christ, the sufficiency of Christ, the passing away of all things shadowing Christ-the The Law as temporary and Christ occupying a permanent and eternal position.--8- Christ is the bringer of all great and better things-a great High Priest-a great salvation-a greater and perfect tabernacle-a great-heavenly country. This Jesus is better-better promises-better covenant, a better hope by which we have access to God.--9- Conclusion- Jesus is all, complete, sufficient, better and greater than all things-but is unseen-Trust God's testimony of Him. He has entered into that heavenly place to appear for us. That and more to be expounded more as the teaching unfolds.

1- God has no mercy on those who try to establish their own conditions of entry-establish their own righteousness.--2- No one can just up and go see the king in his inner court without being invited-called and wearing the right clothes and having the golden scepter extended to them. And that to say-no sinner just up and decides to come to Christ without God causing it.--3- The Jews-Mordechai's people, Queen Esther's people had come under the decree that destroyed-the decree that condemned because of the instigation of the one Haman.--4- The Jews were set free because they found for themselves a mediator and representative before king Ahasuerus, Queen Esther-this one who pleased the king.--5- Queen Esther made petitions before the king and the petitions were granted her and those were what guaranteed the salvation of the Jews from the decree that destroyed.--6- Salvation happens only by the work of the mediator of the people-because of their petitions and the work that they accomplished.--7- This is a glorious gospel message with too many wonderful nuggets to glean.

Sermon Title- 1- A sad conversation 2- Things concerning Jesus 3- Slow of heart to believe, 4- He restrained their eyes, 5- He opened their eyes----A- Christ cannot be known by the natural men, that is, the unconverted man.----B- To know Christ is at the discretion of God-it is only to them for whom it is granted.----C- The teaching that people can just come and claim to know Jesus is not true, even though popular.----D- The scriptures teach that it is impossible for sinners in their fallen state to recognize-know who Christ is-to receive Him through the power and resources of their own senses or will or decision making.----E- Christ is only known to the sinner by the revelation of God to the sinner.

1- John 18-8 -NKJV---8 Jesus answered, -I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,- If Christ has been apprehended then what should happen- Let these go their way. Let these that were given to me by my Father to be set free. Let all these that are in Me-go their way.--2- Because Christ cannot be apprehended to be put to death and not command for His people to be set free. The Christ willingly submitted to death, but there was a condition attached to His dying-that if the Law sought His death-then these-the elect should go their way-and that means to remove the condemnation on them-to set them free.--3- So, a gospel that says a sinner does anything for them to be set free is not true. The command of Christ is what set us free. The death of Christ-standing in our place is what caused our being set free. Christ was taken in our place and that is the only way that Jesus can say-let these be set free-let them to go their way.--4- The elect were justified by the death of Christ. The death of Christ met all the conditions for them to be set free.--5- Barabbas was not looking for Christ. Barabbas was condemned to die as a murderer, thief and insurrectionist. And yet, Barabbas found a mediator between him and death. God gave him Christ to stand for him as his substitute and surety. Christ the good Shepherd is of the sheep not Pilate is He who set Barabbas free-the scandal of substitution and imputation.--6- And Barabbas represents the testimony of every sinner who has been saved of Christ. We are saved by grace and grace alone, because none was looking for Jesus.

1- Jesus said to him -Peter-, -He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean- and you are clean, but not all of you.- All the elect are completely clean on account of the word of Christ. No one can make themselves clean before God. To be clean is a declaration of the judge and the high priest on account of His -Jesus'- own work.--2- 6 Jesus said to him -Thomas-, -I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.- This is an exclusive and dogmatic statement by Jesus to say no one can wiggle their way into salvation. If anyone does not have the imputed righteousness of Christ alone they cannot come to the Father. There is no way to cheat it. --3- -These things I command you, that you love one another.- Jesus is the true vine that produces fruit in those that are grafted into His life. God the Father is He who works in the Vineyard to dress and to produce fruit in all those that He gave to Christ. Christ would have His people to love one another. This is a chief concern of Christ for His people because He kept repeating it. --4- -He -The Holy Spirit- will glorify Me -Christ-, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.- The Holy Spirit was given to testify of Christ-the glory of Christ-the work of Christ in salvation. Many claim to have the Holy Spirit who hold to false gospel testimonies. But the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth-He testifies only of the Truth. Be careful of how you hear and what you think you have believed as the truth.--5- -I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.- Salvation is a finished work of Christ. There is no sinner who finish

1. This is a wonderful gospel message--2. Many do not understand what God has proposed as the only way to approach Him in peace.--3. There are many formulas of salvation that have been formulated in many churches and pulpits-but they lead to death if they are not what God has commanded.--4. The testimony of Esther spells out the way to meet the king without meeting death.--5. King Ahasuerus could not be approached anyhow. One needed to be called by the king and the king had to extend the golden scepter to the one called if they were not to die.--6. There is no sinner who comes to God by their own volition-will-deciding. That formula of salvation is false and needs to be repented of.--7. A sinner only comes to Christ at the calling of God. And this calling is by God and is by grace alone. That and more.