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Christmas Series: The One Who Brings Us To God, 4

Delight in Grace / Grace Bible Church / Rich Powell
The Truth Network Radio
December 26, 2024 10:00 am

Christmas Series: The One Who Brings Us To God, 4

Delight in Grace / Grace Bible Church / Rich Powell

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December 26, 2024 10:00 am

As an illustration of the corrupting power of sin, let us consider a pitcher of pure, refreshing water. If we were to add even the slightest bit of sewage to that container, none of us would have any interest in drinking it. The entire pitcher is completely contaminated. Sin completely contaminates and corrupts our human nature. In the Old Testament, the sacrificial system became a picture, a foreshadowing of the only one who could cleanse us from that corrupting force wrapped around our souls. In that sacrificial system, animals were killed and their blood spilled out onto the altar, year after year. But Jesus would pay our debt once for all then sat down at the right hand of the Father, the ultimate and final sacrifice complete. This series from the beginning of the letter to the Hebrews unpacks all that Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection mean for us.

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Welcome to Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. As an illustration of the corrupting power of sin, let us consider a pitcher of pure refreshing water. If we were to add even the slightest bit of sewage to that container, none of us would have any interest in drinking it.

The entire pitcher is completely contaminated. Sin completely contaminates and corrupts our human nature. In the Old Testament, the sacrificial system became a picture or a foreshadowing of the only one who could cleanse us from that corrupting force that wraps itself around our souls. In that sacrificial system, animals were killed and their blood spilled out onto the altar year after year after year. But Jesus would pay our debt once for all.

Then He would sit down at the right hand of the Father, the ultimate and final sacrifice complete. This series from the beginning of the letter of Hebrews unpacks all that Christ's sacrifice and resurrection mean for us. You're listening to part four of a message that was first preached on December 8, 2024 titled, The One Who Brings Us to God. It was preached at Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem.

To hear the entire message and other messages from Pastor Rich, visit www.delightingrace.com. Make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. John 1-12, that as many as believed in Him, but as many as received Him who believed in His name, to them He gave what? The right to become children of God.

The right to become children of God. And John says later on, behold, it's like saying, look, look at this, look at the love the Father has lavished on us that we should become children of God. It's like John is saying, wow. And we should also think of it in terms of wow.

See, this is what Christmas is for. Having received His righteousness through surrendered trust, there is an expected glory. And the word inherit that he uses in verse 24.

To inherit salvation, it means to gain possession of. In other words, the promise becomes realized. The promise becomes realized.

It's no longer a promise, it's actual, it's fact, we're experiencing it. No longer need for hope and faith. And you see how this should inform us in our day to day experience with all the brokenness and corruption that's not only in ourselves, but that surrounds us.

What kind of hope does this give us? Romans 8, 18. I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Or that could be translated revealed in us. Did you know that God has promised us glory? You say, Rich, that sounds blasphemous. I thought glory was only a God thing. It is if we are in Christ. It is only a God thing. But if we are in Christ and Christ is glorious, then there is a glory that's waiting for us. Not because we become gods. That's false doctrine.

So don't go there. We don't become gods. We can't, you don't become a god because God is infinite. And no created being can become a god.

It's not possible. It's a contradiction in terms. But we become like him. We become like him. We receive a glory that he has for us. 2 Corinthians 4, 17. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. This expected glory that we have in Christ. And what is this glory of which I speak? Here it is.

Write down this definition. This is our glory. This is what's waiting for us. Our glory will be to fully enjoy the perfections of God without the presence of any corrupting agent. Our glory will be to enjoy the perfections of God without the presence of any corrupting agent. Consider Revelation 21, 27. The Lord has given us a glimpse of this. Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Those who have surrendered in trust to Jesus Christ. That's why it's called the Lamb's Book of Life. He was that sacrificial lamb who took the blow of God's judgment in your place.

Do you trust him? You cannot redeem yourself. It's not possible, not even close. And then consider Revelation 22, 3. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. It's a beautiful, beautiful hope that is ours.

Let's live in that hope. Let's remember the big picture. Let's not let our circumstances allow us to become fixated on the hurt of the right here and right now.

We don't deny that hurt, but it doesn't define us. Søren Kierkegaard was an 18th century Danish theologian, and I love what he said in this statement. God creates out of nothing. Wonderful, you say, yes to be sure, but he does what is still more wonderful. He makes saints out of sinners. So as I said at the beginning, in verse 3, two statements that describe this one that we celebrate. He upholds the universe by the word of his power, and he makes purification for sin. Which do you think was harder for him?

Exactly which one do you think is a more awesome work? We can be in awe of the one who upholds the universe by the word of his power. But you know what's really impressive? That same one came to us and he made purification for sins, and he makes saints out of sinners. What do I mean by saints?

A set apart one. Remember we talked about the holiness of God? And if you are in Christ and you have his righteousness in Christ, you are set apart. You are a holy one because you are in Christ. That's the biblical use of the word saint or holy one. So you don't have to perform two miracles to achieve, all right? You clear on that? Get this, we are made holy in order to commune with and enjoy the holy one. That's why.

His most awesome work was done through the frailty of his son. Let's remember that. Let's celebrate. Let's not forget that.

Let's keep that right on the front of our minds. Because that is not only something we just celebrate at Christmas time, it is a truth that defines us all the time. It's who we are.

It's who he is. And that's why we do this. It's why we do care groups. So that we can walk with each other in a God-ward direction. It's why we speak truth into each other's lives lovingly. It's why we are a culture of grace. Because every one of us is on a journey. We're on a path.

None of us has arrived yet. Now, that's from our perspective, right? Because you remember the Lord's perspective of you? In God's eyes, you are glorified.

C.S. Lewis put it well. If I were to see Gay Mize as she is going to be, as God sees her, and as she is going to be forever in eternity, if I were to see her like that right now, I'd be tempted to fall down in front of her and worship her. Not that she's a God, but she is absolutely beautiful and perfect. This is what God does. This is why he sent us his son. He, his son, is the one who brings us to God. Let's ponder that. Let's ponder that, and let's let that truth and that reality be that which leads us and guides us step by step, day by day, because there's nothing else like that.

So let's, with our lives, celebrate that reality. Would you stand with me, please? Father, we stand in awe and we bow in wonder and humility at your greatness, at your unfailing goodness, at your holiness, at your mercy, your love, that you would go this far to draw us to you. We are in wonder this morning, Father, and may we not lose that wonder. And Father, I pray that that wonder would make us a beautiful church. Father, I also pray that if there's anyone here this morning that does not know you, that your Holy Spirit would be drawing them to yourself through the power of this word, Father. Through the beauty of this truth, may it be your goodness that leads them to repentance, to surrender their self-sufficiency and their self-redemption and their self-preeminence, and surrender themselves to you, the preeminent one, the sovereign one, the one who made us and the one who loves us. Thank you, Father, that it is our joy to know you and to walk with you, so that may that be our delight now and as we leave this place throughout this next week. We pray in Jesus' name, Amen. Thanks for joining us here at Delight in Grace. You've been listening to Rich Powell, the lead pastor at Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. The Delight in Grace mission is to help you know that God designed you to realize your highest good and your deepest satisfaction in Him, the one who is infinitely good. We hope you'll join us again on Weekdays at 10 a.m.
Whisper: medium.en / 2024-12-26 12:15:48 / 2024-12-26 12:20:09 / 4

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