Thanks for listening to the latest podcast from Him We Proclaim with Pastor John Fonville. In this special series, we'll explore how the gospel speaks to our identity, our calling, and our confidence in Christ. Drawing from passages in Luke, Matthew, Ephesians, 1 Peter, and Jude, Pastor John unpacks themes like grace and vocation. The power of God's Word and the unshakable assurance we have in Christ's favor and goodness. Whether you're struggling with your calling, seeking clarity on your role in the church, or simply needing encouragement.
These messages will remind you of the sufficiency of Christ and the hope we have in the gospel. Stay tuned as we dive into today's message called Assured of God's Favor and Goodness. And here's part two. If you haven't followed the 1662 Book of Common Prayers lectionary through Holy Week, It's an incredible experience. Perhaps this is your first time coming to an Anglican church, and you don't know what the Book of Common Prayer is, right?
But what is a lectionary? It's just... It's just a calendar that you follow to have scripture readings each day.
So you just read the Bible each day. But the 1662 Book of Common Prayers Lectionary provides. Add Holy Week because today is the start of Holy Week. It provides different Angles. From which to see Christ's death for us and for our salvation.
Duh duh oh don't week. is spent focused on the heart of the gospel message, which is the cross of Christ. You just heard the appointed gospel for today, Matthew 27, the first 54 verses. Matthew, in this chapter, he directs our entire focus to the crucifixion. He directs our entire focus to the heart of the gospel.
Which Is this? It is this great and wonderful exchange that Christ has made for us on the cross. What is this exchange that Christ has exchanged his righteousness for our sin?
So that through faith we might Listen, exchange our sin. for his righteousness. This is what the Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 21. It says he made him who knew no sin. To be sent on Our behalf.
What was the purpose? Uh oh that. we might become the righteousness of God. In him.
So many people call this Sunday today Palm Sunday. But the 1662 prayer book doesn't call it Palm Sunday. It calls it the Sunday next before. Easter. The title upon Sunday reflects this widespread practice.
of the pre-Reformation Church. Where before the Protestant Reformation? The churches blessed palms and they distributed them amongst the people. They had processions both outside and inside the church. But Thomas Crittener, during the Reformation, he abolished.
all of these practices in the 1540s. Why did he do this? He did it because for him the focus. shouldn't be placed On Jesus' coming death, and his resurrection. This is so crucial to understand.
So vital because Crantner was trying to get the church to be. gospel Centered, gospel saturated, gospel focused, Christ-centered, cross-focused. He was trying to get the Reformation Church. Brought back to a focus on the centrality and heart of the gospel. And so there's this and this coming of Jesus into Jerusalem.
It's recorded in each of the Gospels for Palm Sunday. But listen carefully. The rest of the New Testament. Makes No reference to it. The significance of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem.
Isn't limited to his fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Yes. Yes, he was ultimately going to the cross. Yes, he was a servant. Yes, he was a humble donkey, right?
But This is what's significant. We're not taught that. Here is entrance into Jerusalem. has particular significance to our salvation. Or the Christian life.
And the rest of the New Testament. Because the focus is. The focus of the gospel is the focus. of scripture is what happened at the End of this holy week. When Jesus was crucified for our sins, when he rose.
Again, tipped new life.
So Has As we begin to enter Holy Week this week, we have to understand that the cross of Christ stands at the center and heart. of the gospel. Why? Because without it, without the cross of Christ, there's no gospel. Without the cross of Christ, there's no assurance of salvation.
And listen, the 1662 lectionary. All of these readings this week focus our faith on what Jesus has accomplished for us and for our salvation. On the cross. It directs us every single day. to the cross of Christ.
It takes us to the heart of the gospel and it provides this solid foundation for assurance. And so, Holy Week. begins with Matthew 27, which we heard this morning. The entire chapter, as you listen closely to it. directed our faith to Christ's crucifixion.
Just Very quickly, look at this chapter. Matthew 27, Matthew, in the first 10 verses, he recounts Judas's betrayal. And he shows us that the whole betrayal was intended to lead to Jesus' crucifixion. That's the whole point. These verses.
11 through 26. He recounts Jesus' appearance before Pilate. Which again, the whole entire account. points us to Jesus. dying on the cross.
Um Like we confess. Each week we say that Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate. Why do we say that? Have you ever thought, why did Jesus have to appear before Pilate? Listen to question 38 in the Heidelberg Catechism.
Why did he suffer under Pontius Pilate as judge? Why do we confess this? Listen to this answer, though innocent. Christ was condemned by an. earthly judge.
Why? So he couldn't deliver us from the severe judgment of God that falls upon all of us. He had to be condemned. And it was a kangaroo court. And I think as you listen to this You can't help.
But to just Feel the offense of the whole thing. Because you could see how unjust the whole thing was. Give us a. Robber, give us a criminal. Crucify this man.
We don't want him. Pilot, why? What does he die? He's innocent. Crucify him.
That's the whole point. It takes us, the gospel narrative. takes us to Christ's crucifixion. points us to to the heart of the gospel for our salvation. Then Matthew verses 27 through 32, Matthew 27.
Matthew recounts the soldiers mocking Jesus. Did you not hear that read this morning? Uh I mean when you heard that. If you're the Son of God, come down and all that. How many of you heard that?
How many of you felt the recoil in your spirit when you heard that. You felt the injustice of it. You felt the mockery of it. And so, if we were there, we would have done what Peter did. Peter whipped out the sword and he said, let's go.
It's just UFC time. It's fight night. Yeah. That's what we have done. Or perhaps Like Mark, be so terrifying that we're willing to flee naked.
Just get away from Jesus. Like Peter, just deny him. I don't know him. And then cuss out a servant girl, say, blankety blank, blank, I said I don't know him. Leave me the blank alone.
Then rooster crows. You feel this. Your spirit. You feel the injustice of it. Then Matthew says after he was mocked, he's crucified, the worst possible forum of execution.
excruciating suffering and pain. But what is Matthew trying to do? He's trying to direct the focus of our hearts to the centrality and heart. of the gospel. Christ's substitutionary, voluntary death for our sins on the cross.
This is why Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15, verse 3, he says that the gospel, that Christ, Messiah, died for our sins according to the scriptures, Paul says that is of faith. First importance. And so the gospel, what's the gospel like? The gospel is like a diamond. Multiple facets by which you turn it.
And it reflects, and it refracts, and the brilliance of the message. in different ways. And this is what happens too often at Holy Week as we enter into Holy Week. in the church. Too often, the brilliance of this message is lost, especially in Holy Week.
Why? Because our focus is misdirected. We begin Holy Week with a misdirected focus. Focus. Amen.
For example, I pointed out to you that the Sunday before Easter is called the Sunday next before Easter in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. It doesn't call it Palm Sunday. There's no mention of Palm Sunday in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. There's no mention of it. There's no celebration of it in the church.
Why? Because Thomas Cranmer, the English reformers, the Protestant reformers with the Reformation, were trying to help God's people enter into Holy Week, not by reenacting the events of Holy Week. You'll see people this week marching with palms and doing processions and all of these pre-Reformation things. You'll see people doing foot washings and Christ has not commanded those things. And so the reformers were trying to get God's people to be pointed back.
Not Listen, not to reenact the events of Holy Week. But to focus on the faith. By accepting with faith and gratitude the good news of Jesus' substitutionary atonement. and the benefits that he has won for us on the cross. That is how we enter into Holy Week.
That's how we begin Holy Week today. Focus with gratitude and faith upon the centrality of the gospel, upon the heart of the gospel, Jesus Christ. crucified for our sins. That is where our focus must be. What else do we have a misdirected focus as we come into Holy Week?
We do it like this by focusing on Jesus' suffering. Justice suffering. You've heard of the Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion of Christ, right? I don't recommend that. First of all, it violates scripture, the second commandment.
But besides that It just over-glorifies the glory-suffering part. Why? Because, you see, Holy Week is often referred to as the Passion of Christ. Which more half Thinking back, remembering the events of the Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday, when Jesus enters into the city of Jerusalem and it culminates in his suffering on the cross. No, listen, wow, Jesus suffered and he suffered greatly.
What is Isaiah? He's a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He suffered greatly. He sweat drops of blood. As he prayed for us through the song that we sang today, your will be done.
He suffered greatly. But listen, the brilliance of the gospel, that diamond that has different reflections and refractions, as We just hold it up light and look at it. The brilliance of that message is lost when we just enter into Holy Week and just. Focus on his suffering. With our focus and misdirected and we miss the brilliance of the good news behind it all and thus forfeit what?
Our assurance of faith.
So How are we to understand the brilliance of the gospel message? How are we to direct our focus as we enter into a holy week today? What's their focus? tomorrow, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, coming here on Good Friday, Saturday, and then Sunday. Easter Sunday.
What should be our focus? How do we understand the brilliance of this gospel message? I just have to. Two ways today for you. Here's the first.
First, as we enter into Holy Week, We direct our focus like this. We have to understand that Jesus was not a victim. was a victor. That's our focus of our faith this week. Not just this week, but every day of our life.
By focusing just on Jesus' suffering, our misdirected focus can cause us to listen. Maybe you've done this. Feel sorry for Jesus because of his suffering. Listen to me very, very carefully. If you don't get anything else, listen to this.
Never Feel Sorry for Jesus. Don't do that. You can also feel guilty. Because you think, man, it's our fault. It's my fault.
And you just get this, well it's me, it's my fault. My fault. Oh Jesus and suffering. Christ died for our sins. That is what the scriptures say.
Paul says it. That's the first importance. He died for our sins. But we must not feel guilty because it's our fault or some variation of that sentiment. First of all, the gospel is not meant to make you feel guilty, it's meant to take it.
But second. Sentimentalism would have us neglect Jesus and regard him with pity. And that's a serious mistake. Jesus, listen, was not. A victim.
He was the victor. Listen to the Apostle Paul in Colossians chapter 2, verses 13 through 15. Having forgiven us all our transgressions, that means the ones you committed yesterday, this morning, coming to church. Last week, the week before, in the future, all of them. Having forgiven us all our transgressions.
Having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us. which was hostile to us. And he has taken it out of the way. How? having nailed it to to the cross.
When he had, and listen, the victor disarmed the rulers and authorities, he made a public display of them. Listen. having triumphed over them. Through him. His cross was not a passive victim receiving.
Punishment. It was a triumph of victory. where he Listen, he, by the cross, Satan was dethroned. And we were set free forever. from his dominion.
Paul says, Our debt has been forever canceled. Having been nailed to the cross, our debt was so big it was more than every credit card debt put together in this country. A billion times over debt. He painted it all. and canceled the whole thing.
Sin, Satan, and death no longer reign over us. We're not victims anymore either. What John says in the book of 1 John is: I will come back to it after Easter, I promise. We're going to go through it again and finish it. But John tells us that The evil one cannot Cannot cannot Touch you.
He has no power. He's no equal to Christ. Yes, he's a powerful being. Yes, he tempts. Yes, he is this roaring lion, but he's got a chain with no teeth.
He can't touch you. Jesus orchestrated his suffering and his death, and he did it because it is what he agreed with the Father from all eternity that he would do. John chapter 17, verses 4 through 5, I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. You see? And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
I can't even explain that to you. It just is what it is. John chapter 10, verse 18. Jesus says, no one has taken my life from me. Do you hear that?
No one has taken my life from me. No one. Listen, this is But I lay it down of my own initiative. The mystery and Wonder of the gospel. Are you kidding me?
I have authority to lay it down. And I have authority to take it up again. Rise from the dead. This commandment I received. From my father.
Listen to John chapter 18, verses 3 to 6. Verses three to six and ask yourself this question as you listen, who's in control of the situation? Who's in control of the situation? Judas then having received the Roman Yeah. That that is six.
hundred trained killing soldiers. Yeah. comes to Jesus with six Hundred cases. killing Roman soldiers. With officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees this.
Massive mob coming to get one man. As it came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Verse 4.
So Jesus knowing all things that were coming upon him. Isn't that amazing? He knew Th that whole mob was coming. with weapons.
So, knowing that all things were coming upon him. He went forth. No. And he said to them, What did he say? Whom do you seek?
They answered him, Jesus the Nazarene. And he said to them in Greek, Ego amy. I am He. He said two words. Two words.
With the breath of his mouth He spoke at Echo A B. And Judas also, who was betraying him, was standing with them.
So when he said to them, Egg away me. I and he, they drew back. and fell to the ground. The whole mob. How did you How did God create the world?
With the breath of his mouth, he spoke. You don't think God speaking his words has power? He said two words in over six 100 killers. Fell down. Who's in control of the situation?
So when he said to them, I am he, they fell and they turned back and fell to the ground.
So then we must first understand that Jesus was not A victim, he was a victor. That's your focus this week. Don't feel sorry for Jesus. He was a victor. He had authority to do this and he did it.
Why? Now here's the question. Why did he exercise that kind of authority to lay himself down to an angry mob and be mocked and crucified, as you heard? Why? Here's your second focus.
We have to understand that Jesus' death on the cross is his love for us. Matthew 27, that you heard, is an account of divine love. For you. That's why you don't feel sorry. Pretty.
It is the most incredible historical time and place demonstration on this earth of the triune God's love for you. That's what humbles you. Because you're going, this is not fair. This is wrong. Yes it is, and God did it for you.
Because he loves you. Jesus' suffering culminates in his death on the cross. His death on the cross, all of his suffering, the passion of Christ. Is the display in history, time, and space of the triune God's everlasting love. For you.
It was voluntary. He wasn't a victim. He laid his life down. It was substitutionary. It was for you.
It was in your place. It was victorious. He crushed the serpent's head. He has canceled all the debt against us. He has forgiven all your transgressions.
Why? He did it all because of love. His whole life of passion, of suffering. Which began at the moment He was conceived. His suffering began.
The whole entire thing. was a display of God's love for you. How do we know this? Listen to the Apostle John, 1 John chapter 3, verse 16. We know love by Yeah.
What is this? Listen, that he laid down his life. for us. You see that? He laid it down.
Nobody took it from him. This is exactly what Jesus taught John and his disciples in John 15, verse 13, when he told them, greater love has no one than this, that one will lay down his life for his friends. Listen to John in 1 John chapter 3, verses 8 through 10. God is love. God is love.
Therefore, listen, because God is love, by this the love of God was manifested in us.
Okay, if God doesn't love, how does he manifest that love to us? That God the Father has sent His own. Only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through him. And this is love, not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Then there's the most quoted Bible verse in scripture, John 3.16.
We see it at NFL football games behind the goalpost, right? They'll hold up the big sign. It's John 3.16 right there. What have Thomas Cramp nurse comfortable in words? For God.
So what? Loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him. should not perish, but have everlasting life. The Apostle Paul, he says this in the book of Romans, chapter 5, verse 8. God the Father demonstrates his own love toward us.
How? And that while we were yet sinners, Christ Messiah. died for us. Matthew 27, Matthew is telling us Messiah died for us. That is the demonstration of God's love for you.
The cross of Christ is God's love, the triangle of God's love. on display for centers in history.
So listen, when you're tempted to doubt God's love for you, and we are. We go through hard things. We have to face heartache things all the time. Disappointments and discouragements, and things that just break our heart and wound us and knock us down. Challenges through life, trials and weaknesses, and sufferings, and all sorts of things that we have to face and go through.
And God's providence, it becomes so hard for us at times because it seems like every why we ask that question, why? Jesus asked that question, why in Matthew 27? My God, my God. Why? Why have you forsaken me?
I know you felt forsaken before. And Jesus' death on the cross, his cry of deliction, his cry of dereliction on the cross becomes our comfort in our pain. He enters into our suffering with us. And he destroys it. And so, when we're tempted to doubt God's love for us, when our assurance is weak, we have to focus our faith.
Fully upon the cross of Christ, and just look there to find God's love from me. when nothing else in life at the moment makes sense. The cross of Christ says to you, I love you. And this is the mount that I'm willing to go to show you that love. I'll give you my son.
And so it's here that we find the love of God for sinners in the historical fact. Of Christ crucified. He's not a victim, he's the victor. And he is the one who loves us.
So as we enter into Holy Week, Let's not enter beginning today with a misdirected focus. Don't Enter it. Renacting the events of Holy Week. You don't have to do that. Don't watch the Passion of Christ.
It's not gonna do you any good. You don't have to enter Holy Week feeling.
Sorry for Jesus. You don't have to enter feeling guilty because it's my fault. Enter Holy Week with. faith. focused upon the good news of Jesus' death on the cross for my sins.
and the benefits that he's won for me. Enter Holy Week with gratitude for the most explosive thought possible to a first-century Jew that Messiah died. No Jew in the first century would have ever confessed that. That was the stumbling block to a Jew that Paul talks about. But it wasn't that just the Messiah died, He died for our sins.
And that's the first importance because Paul says that is according to the scriptures, according to the Old Testament. Enter Holy Week with your faith focused on the perfect display of God's love for you and the sending of his Son to die in your place as a propitiation for your sins. And this is love, not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins. Jerry Bridges, commenting on this verse, he says this, God's love is not vague. It's not a vague sentiment.
God's love is an active initiative. God is something. He's love.
So he does something. He loves. The epicenter of his act of love is the sending of his son to be the propitiation for our sins. On the cross of Christ, you have God's love and his holiness and justice and wrath all wrapped up in one divine act. The epicenter of his act isn't love.
And that deed of his constituted the ultimate act of love. It overcame the single obstacle we faced. Because the overwhelming obstacle that is God's holiness and resulting in wrath against us for our sin. And this is love, not that we love God, but that He loved us. And therefore, God did not provide.
the propitiation for us out of gratitude for our love to him. We have not loved him. As sinners, we have utterly failed to love him because to love him is to obey him, and none of us have obeyed. God was not compelled by us to send the Son. Sinners are not in a position to bargain with God.
At best, we're just merely in a position to beg. And the one thing which we should beg for, God the Father and God the Son have already provided by their own unilateral action. They acted not as a response to anything we do or say. They acted because God is in love. They took all the initiative.
to provide our propitiation because it was their own will to express their love. in this way in view of God's holiness in our sin. And something Rod Rosenblott. He's right when he says there's always room at the cross for unbelievers. It seems.
But what we ought to be telling people is that there isn't room for Christians too. Christ's death saves even Christians from their sin. You see, the gospel promises amazing grace. to sinners. And so then the most important thing to remember as we enter into Holy Week this week is that the death of Christ was, in fact, a death.
even for Christian failure. Four, it is in the cross of Christ that we're most. Fully assured. of God's favor and goodness. towards us.
Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we Thank you for this. Unfathomable gifts. inexpressible Gift. of your Son, our Savior.
To die upon the cross for our sins. Forgive us for having sentimental guilt or regret or sorrow. and misunderstanding. The great triumph that took place. And the great love for which You love us.
Help us to receive that today, that great gift. And assure us as we take your sacrament of your favor and goodness, your love for us. May our hearts Bit any help. overwhelmed with gratitude and joy. Gratefulness for your gift.
We ask in Jesus' name. Amen. John Fonville sends his thanks for listening today. And before we wrap up, can I tell you about an encouraging book you might want to get soon? It's called Hope and Holiness: How the Gospel Enables and Empowers Sexual Purity.
You're not alone if you've tried to conquer sexual temptations and tried all the methods available only to find yourself feeling defeated again. This book may be just what you're looking for. With his shepherding heart, John shows that the gospel, not practical steps or more self-discipline, is God's provision for the power to live a life of sexual purity. and it's available to every Christian. What I like is the book is available in three convenient ways.
paperback, audiobook, or Kindle. The links are in our podcast descriptions or just search for Hope and Holiness by John Fonville on Amazon to get a copy for you and it's a wonderful book to go through with a small group. Him We Proclaim is a ministry of Paramount Church in Jacksonville, Florida. You can find us at paramountchurch.com. We'll talk again soon.
