WEBVTT 00:00:01.929 --> 00:00:04.929 All right, we continue our sermon series, What's 00:00:04.929 --> 00:00:08.390 in a Name? Jesus, Our Advocate. And so, like 00:00:08.390 --> 00:00:10.470 I said in the beginning of service, I want to 00:00:10.470 --> 00:00:13.169 ask, when you think of the word advocate or advocacy, 00:00:13.470 --> 00:00:19.789 what comes to mind? Yes, Randy. A defense attorney. 00:00:20.010 --> 00:00:22.949 All right, that's actually in my sermon. Very 00:00:22.949 --> 00:00:26.070 good. Yeah, right here. A guardian. Absolutely. 00:00:26.469 --> 00:00:28.969 Right? Not the baseball team. We don't like them, 00:00:29.030 --> 00:00:32.179 but the guardian nonetheless. Absolutely. Others. 00:00:33.560 --> 00:00:36.679 Someone who speaks. You guys are just all up 00:00:36.679 --> 00:00:39.679 in my sermon. I appreciate that. Anyone else? 00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:43.520 Someone from the balcony. A go -between. Okay. 00:00:43.740 --> 00:00:48.640 Very good. Someone who walks beside you. Thank 00:00:48.640 --> 00:00:50.640 you, new member Doug Coy. Thank you for that. 00:00:50.700 --> 00:01:01.920 That's great. Anyone else? An advocate. An agent 00:01:01.920 --> 00:01:05.060 or an agency, absolutely. We actually saw one 00:01:05.060 --> 00:01:10.739 on stage last week. No, it wasn't me. No, it 00:01:10.739 --> 00:01:14.939 wasn't. It was Cheyenne, right? We had 5 '2", 00:01:14.939 --> 00:01:18.200 right? Wonderful advocate in Cheyenne because 00:01:18.200 --> 00:01:21.040 what she is doing, what the mentors are doing, 00:01:21.219 --> 00:01:24.519 what the entire ministry of TMC, Teen Mother 00:01:24.519 --> 00:01:28.040 Choices, is doing is advocating for those teen 00:01:28.040 --> 00:01:31.909 moms. You heard her. In the update that she gave, 00:01:32.010 --> 00:01:35.450 helping her navigate a daycare that was trying 00:01:35.450 --> 00:01:38.790 to take advantage of a young girl. Advocating, 00:01:38.810 --> 00:01:41.650 giving her, didn't do all the work, but helped 00:01:41.650 --> 00:01:44.510 her along the way. And we know that we know that 00:01:44.510 --> 00:01:47.650 we know if Cheyenne got unleashed on that daycare 00:01:47.650 --> 00:01:49.769 center, that that would have been figured out 00:01:49.769 --> 00:01:52.989 as well, right? And so that, Colin, can I get 00:01:52.989 --> 00:01:57.049 an amen? Amen, very good. They did not want that 00:01:57.049 --> 00:02:00.390 mess. But understand what you heard. You heard 00:02:00.390 --> 00:02:03.010 someone that was working outside of herself, 00:02:03.329 --> 00:02:06.670 working outside of what she thought even years 00:02:06.670 --> 00:02:09.289 ago she'd be doing, advocating for those that 00:02:09.289 --> 00:02:12.729 need advocacy. And whether we know it or not, 00:02:12.770 --> 00:02:15.789 that that is the call of every believer, because 00:02:15.789 --> 00:02:19.550 that is a role and a distinctive that Jesus has. 00:02:19.629 --> 00:02:22.990 And not only Jesus will get there. But Jesus 00:02:22.990 --> 00:02:25.669 as advocate, we're going to be in 1 John, so 00:02:25.669 --> 00:02:27.449 this a little later in the New Testament toward 00:02:27.449 --> 00:02:30.389 the end, and then John 14. But before we dive 00:02:30.389 --> 00:02:34.610 into God's word, a couple things about the advocator's 00:02:34.610 --> 00:02:38.710 role. So Jesus' role as the advocate. The first, 00:02:38.849 --> 00:02:42.169 he is an advocate as a defender. So we already 00:02:42.169 --> 00:02:44.789 heard that, defense attorney, that he is a defender. 00:02:44.870 --> 00:02:47.990 What does that mean? In ancient times, the advocate 00:02:47.990 --> 00:02:51.310 in Greek, parakletos, right, that's going to 00:02:51.310 --> 00:02:54.530 come back, was someone who stood beside another 00:02:54.530 --> 00:02:58.689 to defend, to counsel, or to intercede. Isn't 00:02:58.689 --> 00:03:01.729 that funny? Jesus is our defense, Jesus is our 00:03:01.729 --> 00:03:06.430 wise counsel, and Jesus is our intercessor. So 00:03:06.430 --> 00:03:08.710 everything you guys said, that is part of Jesus' 00:03:08.949 --> 00:03:13.389 role in our life, that Jesus defends on your 00:03:13.389 --> 00:03:18.080 behalf. Now that is really, really exciting. 00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:22.000 And that should be really, really convicting. 00:03:22.740 --> 00:03:26.819 Because really the question then is begged, what 00:03:26.819 --> 00:03:30.099 do you need defense for in your life? I think 00:03:30.099 --> 00:03:33.780 the answer is everything. That when we sin, when 00:03:33.780 --> 00:03:36.900 we mess up, when we fall short, right, God isn't 00:03:36.900 --> 00:03:40.180 saying it's okay. No, he's defending first in 00:03:40.180 --> 00:03:42.319 us, trying to figure out why we do that, finding 00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:46.780 out where the root of that sin nature is. And 00:03:46.780 --> 00:03:49.340 then those in Christ, his righteousness covers 00:03:49.340 --> 00:03:51.860 over us to the Father. We'll get to that in a 00:03:51.860 --> 00:03:54.699 second. The Old Testament often depicts advocacy 00:03:54.699 --> 00:03:58.740 in a legal sense. Job longed for an advocate 00:03:58.740 --> 00:04:03.659 in Job 16, 19. Proverbs 31, 8 and 9 calls God's 00:04:03.659 --> 00:04:07.750 people to defend the rights of the needy. That 00:04:07.750 --> 00:04:10.610 Jesus makes it very clear that our role should 00:04:10.610 --> 00:04:14.270 be to come to the aid of those who need it. The 00:04:14.270 --> 00:04:18.990 least of these. So my first challenge for you 00:04:18.990 --> 00:04:20.829 this morning, right in the beginning, who are 00:04:20.829 --> 00:04:23.810 the least of these in your community? And how 00:04:23.810 --> 00:04:26.350 are you seeing them? How are you uplifting them? 00:04:26.509 --> 00:04:29.910 How are you meeting their needs? If you want 00:04:29.910 --> 00:04:32.769 to know how to do that more, read Matthew 25. 00:04:32.889 --> 00:04:36.310 Read the entire book of James. It'll take you 00:04:36.310 --> 00:04:40.009 20 minutes at best. James very much depicts how 00:04:40.009 --> 00:04:42.769 we should be the defender because Jesus is our 00:04:42.769 --> 00:04:45.709 defender. Jesus, not only defender, but also 00:04:45.709 --> 00:04:48.910 mediator. The high priest in the Old Testament 00:04:48.910 --> 00:04:51.730 served as mediators between God and his people, 00:04:52.009 --> 00:04:55.009 Leviticus 16. The Belgian Confession, Article 00:04:55.009 --> 00:04:59.870 26, declares, we have no access to God except 00:04:59.870 --> 00:05:03.829 through the one and only mediator and advocate, 00:05:03.990 --> 00:05:07.769 Jesus Christ, the righteous. I want you to remember 00:05:07.769 --> 00:05:10.149 those two words, the righteous, because that 00:05:10.149 --> 00:05:14.089 plays a big part at the end. Unlike earthly advocates 00:05:14.089 --> 00:05:17.629 who will fail us, Jesus is both our mediator 00:05:17.629 --> 00:05:21.470 and the atoning sacrifice for sin. So he is the 00:05:21.470 --> 00:05:24.970 mediator, the defender that went to the mat to 00:05:24.970 --> 00:05:29.189 prove who he was in our life. No other world 00:05:29.189 --> 00:05:34.490 religion, no other worshipped deity can say that 00:05:34.490 --> 00:05:37.449 piece. That's what makes Jesus, in my opinion, 00:05:37.589 --> 00:05:40.370 and biblically stand alone from anything else. 00:05:41.389 --> 00:05:44.310 Whether world religion, foreign power, domestic 00:05:44.310 --> 00:05:47.639 power, authority, it doesn't matter. Because 00:05:47.639 --> 00:05:50.779 nowhere else in all of the world and all of creation 00:05:50.779 --> 00:05:54.360 where every knee will bow and every tongue will 00:05:54.360 --> 00:05:57.879 confess that Jesus Christ is Lord because he's 00:05:57.879 --> 00:06:01.899 doubled down on all of these things. So I know 00:06:01.899 --> 00:06:05.459 that sounds very legalistic. Sometimes at times 00:06:05.459 --> 00:06:08.139 as a pastor I get called in to be a mediator, 00:06:08.180 --> 00:06:10.540 whether it's between two groups of people, or 00:06:10.540 --> 00:06:13.399 a husband and a wife, or a father and a son, 00:06:13.540 --> 00:06:16.000 or an elder and an elder, or an elder and a deacon. 00:06:16.060 --> 00:06:20.540 Part of my job is to be a mediator. There's a 00:06:20.540 --> 00:06:23.259 part of me that really enjoys it, because it's 00:06:23.259 --> 00:06:25.600 watching two people work through the road of 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:28.319 reconciliation, but if we were all doing our 00:06:28.319 --> 00:06:33.170 part, I wouldn't be needed in that job. Because 00:06:33.170 --> 00:06:35.970 we would all be able to get there, one and another, 00:06:36.149 --> 00:06:38.470 but we know that that doesn't happen. We know 00:06:38.470 --> 00:06:40.730 that pride gets in the way. Wanting that pound 00:06:40.730 --> 00:06:43.069 of flesh gets in the way. And so sitting with 00:06:43.069 --> 00:06:46.029 someone is just something we will not do. To 00:06:46.029 --> 00:06:48.449 that I say, check your heart and your relationship 00:06:48.449 --> 00:06:51.670 with Jesus. Because he is also the advocate as 00:06:51.670 --> 00:06:55.459 comforter. The Greek word parakletos also means 00:06:55.459 --> 00:07:00.040 helper and comforter, as we see in John 14. Now, 00:07:00.100 --> 00:07:02.639 I just, because I'm a visual person, when you 00:07:02.639 --> 00:07:04.500 think of the word comforter, what do you think 00:07:04.500 --> 00:07:08.220 of? Let's all say it together. A blanket or a 00:07:08.220 --> 00:07:11.060 comforter, right? That you can just wrap yourself 00:07:11.060 --> 00:07:15.300 up in it. That's a very cozy place to be. It 00:07:15.300 --> 00:07:18.980 should bring you a lot of comfort. This word 00:07:18.980 --> 00:07:21.100 is used not only for Jesus, but like I said, 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:24.279 somebody else. The Holy Spirit. That the Holy 00:07:24.279 --> 00:07:26.620 Spirit is called in the latter parts of John, 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:29.939 the paracletos, the advocate. Whom Jesus sends 00:07:29.939 --> 00:07:35.319 as another advocate to guide and sanctify us. 00:07:35.379 --> 00:07:38.879 I think that's so amazing. That Jesus has in 00:07:38.879 --> 00:07:42.300 the plan, God, Father, Son, Spirit. Jesus says, 00:07:42.379 --> 00:07:45.720 I must go up so the comforter, the paracletos, 00:07:45.720 --> 00:07:50.560 can come down and guide you in truth. That the 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:53.120 reason we've grown in our faith, we've started 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:56.420 faith, is the sanctification of the Holy Spirit. 00:07:57.939 --> 00:08:01.279 The Holy Spirit is our comforter today. He is 00:08:01.279 --> 00:08:04.860 our advocate today. Jesus, in his early ministry, 00:08:04.939 --> 00:08:07.720 could only be physically present in one place 00:08:07.720 --> 00:08:12.399 at a time. Fully God, fully man. And what we 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:15.420 see is through the work of the Holy Spirit, he 00:08:15.420 --> 00:08:18.439 is with all believers, always and everywhere. 00:08:19.349 --> 00:08:22.949 The visual representations of faith in our life 00:08:22.949 --> 00:08:27.069 is because of the Holy Spirit. That the Holy 00:08:27.069 --> 00:08:29.610 Spirit is in you. The Holy Spirit is one of the 00:08:29.610 --> 00:08:34.190 most misunderstood aspects of the Christian faith. 00:08:34.370 --> 00:08:37.250 But wait, we're going to get through a really 00:08:37.250 --> 00:08:39.929 cool sermon series after Easter in the minor 00:08:39.929 --> 00:08:43.330 prophet Zephaniah, right? 75 % of you just think 00:08:43.330 --> 00:08:45.649 I made up that word. No, it's in there. Or that 00:08:45.649 --> 00:08:47.210 person, minor prophet. We're going to do that. 00:08:47.690 --> 00:08:49.190 We're going to go into the Summer of Psalms, 00:08:49.210 --> 00:08:51.769 and then we're going to start our epic sermon 00:08:51.769 --> 00:08:54.590 series in the book of Acts, Earth, Wind, and 00:08:54.590 --> 00:08:57.529 Fire, the start of the church. And guess how 00:08:57.529 --> 00:09:03.029 the church starts? What? You can't just repeat 00:09:03.029 --> 00:09:06.389 what I just said, Al. How does the church start? 00:09:06.570 --> 00:09:10.389 It starts with a big visit from the Holy Spirit. 00:09:10.490 --> 00:09:12.269 Well, good. Seven of you are excited about it. 00:09:12.309 --> 00:09:14.789 That's awesome. Heidelberg Catechism, question 00:09:14.789 --> 00:09:17.990 answer 53, teaches this about the Holy Spirit. 00:09:18.090 --> 00:09:20.950 It teaches us, what do we believe concerning 00:09:20.950 --> 00:09:24.250 the Holy Spirit? First, he is together with the 00:09:24.250 --> 00:09:27.529 Father and the Son, true and eternal God. Second, 00:09:27.990 --> 00:09:32.210 he has given me personally so that by true faith, 00:09:32.389 --> 00:09:35.710 which is a knowledge and a conviction, he makes 00:09:35.710 --> 00:09:40.009 me share in Christ and all his blessings, comforts 00:09:40.009 --> 00:09:44.500 me, remains with me forever. The Holy Spirit's 00:09:44.500 --> 00:09:49.759 presence means you are never, ever alone. When 00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:51.639 Jesus says, and I will be with you always to 00:09:51.639 --> 00:09:54.740 the very end of the age, that is the presence 00:09:54.740 --> 00:09:58.519 of the Holy Spirit. So in those corners of life 00:09:58.519 --> 00:10:01.100 when the bank account is running dry and you 00:10:01.100 --> 00:10:04.159 seem like you have no hope, the Holy Spirit is 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:06.809 there. Now, the Holy Spirit is not going to make 00:10:06.809 --> 00:10:09.470 it rain with cash just to make you feel better, 00:10:09.570 --> 00:10:12.149 but he's going to remind you and give you perspective 00:10:12.149 --> 00:10:15.870 that you are a part of something bigger, that 00:10:15.870 --> 00:10:20.269 God loves you and his presence never leaves you. 00:10:20.940 --> 00:10:24.100 So that is Jesus, and that is the role of the 00:10:24.100 --> 00:10:27.840 advocate. But as we dive into 1 John 2, this 00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:31.220 is going to flesh out for us what Jesus as our 00:10:31.220 --> 00:10:34.419 advocate actually means. So 1 John 2, 1 through 00:10:34.419 --> 00:10:37.139 6, says this. My little children, I am writing 00:10:37.139 --> 00:10:39.980 these things to you so that you may not sin. 00:10:40.659 --> 00:10:43.779 But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with 00:10:43.779 --> 00:10:47.120 the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. He is 00:10:47.120 --> 00:10:50.179 the propitiation of our sins, and not for ours 00:10:50.179 --> 00:10:53.320 only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 00:10:53.580 --> 00:10:57.379 And we know that we have come to know him if 00:10:57.379 --> 00:11:00.440 we keep his commandments. Whoever says, I know 00:11:00.440 --> 00:11:03.039 him, but does not keep his commandments is a 00:11:03.039 --> 00:11:06.899 liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever 00:11:06.899 --> 00:11:11.220 keeps his word, in him truly the love of God 00:11:11.220 --> 00:11:15.580 is perfected. By this we may know that we are 00:11:15.580 --> 00:11:18.889 in him. Whoever says he abides in him ought to 00:11:18.889 --> 00:11:24.669 walk in the same way in which he walked. Now, 00:11:24.690 --> 00:11:27.450 if your body's tensing up because you just had 00:11:27.450 --> 00:11:30.549 insta -conviction, you're in good company. There 00:11:30.549 --> 00:11:34.169 is no way to really read that. Claire, can you 00:11:34.169 --> 00:11:36.950 go to the second slide of that? There is no way 00:11:36.950 --> 00:11:40.149 to read this section. Whoever says I know him 00:11:40.149 --> 00:11:43.730 but does not keep his commandments is a liar. 00:11:45.129 --> 00:11:49.590 So we are a church of liars. We are a church 00:11:49.590 --> 00:11:53.149 of broken people. We are a church that we see 00:11:53.149 --> 00:11:55.409 the light, yet we want to step into the darkness. 00:11:55.549 --> 00:11:58.210 Where other parts of 1 John says, if we do that, 00:11:58.309 --> 00:12:02.309 the light does then not know us. Walk in the 00:12:02.309 --> 00:12:06.909 light as he is in the light. It makes total sense 00:12:06.909 --> 00:12:11.090 why we need an advocate. Because Jesus pleads 00:12:11.090 --> 00:12:14.860 for us before the Father. Randy brought up a 00:12:14.860 --> 00:12:17.399 defense attorney, and that is really where the 00:12:17.399 --> 00:12:21.179 conversation goes. It goes to a courtroom setting. 00:12:22.120 --> 00:12:24.620 Jesus stands before the Father on our behalf. 00:12:25.659 --> 00:12:29.019 Unlike a human lawyer who argues based on merit, 00:12:29.360 --> 00:12:34.279 Jesus' advocacy is based on his own perfect righteousness 00:12:34.279 --> 00:12:37.220 and atoning work. You've heard me say it before, 00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:39.100 I'll say it again. This is the gospel according 00:12:39.100 --> 00:12:42.940 to Jim, and this is something that I really... 00:12:43.200 --> 00:12:46.179 came to believe, but also just was the comfort 00:12:46.179 --> 00:12:50.600 for me when we lost my sister years ago. That 00:12:50.600 --> 00:12:53.600 I saw my sister up there in glory, Jesus coming 00:12:53.600 --> 00:12:55.799 around her, putting his arm around her and says, 00:12:55.860 --> 00:12:59.379 Dad, she's with me and is ushered into glory. 00:12:59.879 --> 00:13:04.120 That is Jesus as our advocate. Heart of Her Catechism 00:13:04.120 --> 00:13:06.860 question answer 60 affirms that though we are 00:13:06.860 --> 00:13:10.820 sinners, God grants and credits me the perfect 00:13:10.820 --> 00:13:14.220 satisfaction. righteousness, and holiness of 00:13:14.220 --> 00:13:21.379 Christ as if I never sinned. Time out. But I 00:13:21.379 --> 00:13:25.659 do sin. But you sin. But we sin. But when we 00:13:25.659 --> 00:13:29.279 get up there, if we get up there and throw our 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:31.740 badge on and go, I've made it because I've done 00:13:31.740 --> 00:13:34.320 all these things. I've taught in Lighthouse. 00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:37.960 I served on council. I gave money. I helped this 00:13:37.960 --> 00:13:42.539 and that. The father's going to say, I never 00:13:42.539 --> 00:13:46.460 knew you. Until Jesus is a part of the discussion 00:13:46.460 --> 00:13:49.460 and you have submitted your life to the king, 00:13:49.639 --> 00:13:53.100 after that, his righteousness covers you and 00:13:53.100 --> 00:13:59.460 God looks at you and sees his son. Because Jesus' 00:13:59.620 --> 00:14:04.299 advocacy is rooted in his atoning work. It's 00:14:04.299 --> 00:14:07.419 about Christ's work on the cross because our 00:14:07.419 --> 00:14:13.159 work on a cross means absolutely nothing. I've 00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:15.120 said it before, I'll keep saying it. If I died 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:18.399 on the cross for your sins, nothing would be 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:21.840 accomplished. But Jesus' death on the cross for 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:25.059 you and for me, his righteousness, his propitiation 00:14:25.059 --> 00:14:29.649 of our sins. was taken on him on the cross. Not 00:14:29.649 --> 00:14:32.409 just our sins, but the sins of the whole world. 00:14:32.950 --> 00:14:36.330 Jesus is not only our defense, but the very reason 00:14:36.330 --> 00:14:40.509 we are declared righteous. That's why I get so 00:14:40.509 --> 00:14:42.970 frustrated when people just go through the season 00:14:42.970 --> 00:14:45.870 of Lent and then try to not eat meat on Fridays, 00:14:46.070 --> 00:14:49.629 or they give something up, or whatever. That 00:14:49.629 --> 00:14:51.690 we need to take the season of Lent to really 00:14:51.690 --> 00:14:54.929 ponder the work of the cross, because the work 00:14:54.929 --> 00:14:59.139 of the cross means everything for you and for 00:14:59.139 --> 00:15:04.220 me and for the church. Without the cross, there 00:15:04.220 --> 00:15:07.019 is no church. Without the cross, there is no 00:15:07.019 --> 00:15:10.139 salvation. Without the cross, there is no resurrection, 00:15:10.299 --> 00:15:15.220 and therefore we have no hope. So Jesus is advocating 00:15:15.220 --> 00:15:18.659 for us, and he advocates for those who walk in 00:15:18.659 --> 00:15:22.120 obedience. 1 John 2, 6 says, Whoever says he 00:15:22.120 --> 00:15:25.600 abides in him ought to walk in the same way in 00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:30.309 which he walked. And this hit me like square 00:15:30.309 --> 00:15:32.710 in the face. And I'm just going to read it how 00:15:32.710 --> 00:15:37.309 I wrote it on Wednesday. His advocacy is not 00:15:37.309 --> 00:15:42.509 an excuse to continue to sin or to continue in 00:15:42.509 --> 00:15:49.350 sin, but is a call of holiness. So I could ask 00:15:49.350 --> 00:15:52.289 the question, how many of you were holy this 00:15:52.289 --> 00:15:54.879 week? And we might get some answers, we might 00:15:54.879 --> 00:15:56.399 get someone chuckled, we might get someone leave. 00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:02.200 But God's, Christ's advocacy for us is a call 00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:07.659 to holiness. And holiness according to the word 00:16:07.659 --> 00:16:10.980 of God. Not holiness according to your interpretation 00:16:10.980 --> 00:16:15.740 of it. That Jesus tells us how to live holy lives. 00:16:15.879 --> 00:16:19.500 Jesus tells us how we are to walk out what it 00:16:19.500 --> 00:16:24.500 means to be a Christ follower. The Heidelberg 00:16:24.500 --> 00:16:26.840 Catechism question and answer 86 states that 00:16:26.840 --> 00:16:30.240 because Christ has redeemed us, we are called 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:35.820 to live in gratitude. Let's sit on that one for 00:16:35.820 --> 00:16:38.539 a second. That we are called to live thankful 00:16:38.539 --> 00:16:42.720 lives. We are called to live lives of gratitude. 00:16:43.620 --> 00:16:46.720 Where it's not the I have to, but the I get to. 00:16:46.759 --> 00:16:49.000 I've done that and we'll do that again at some 00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:52.240 point. Ah, it's Sunday, I have to go to church. 00:16:53.719 --> 00:16:56.419 Oh, my word, it's Communion Sunday. We have to 00:16:56.419 --> 00:16:58.840 be here 15 minutes after we normally get out. 00:16:59.500 --> 00:17:04.140 I had to sit through two sermons last week. No, 00:17:04.180 --> 00:17:08.019 you get to. And here's the thing. Length of service, 00:17:08.220 --> 00:17:11.019 a lot of you like to tell me about it and complain 00:17:11.019 --> 00:17:13.880 about it. Please understand, it goes in one ear, 00:17:13.980 --> 00:17:15.640 I pray for you, and then it goes out the other. 00:17:16.920 --> 00:17:19.849 Because I think we do a pretty good job. Because 00:17:19.849 --> 00:17:22.109 you know that if you double down on it, I'm going 00:17:22.109 --> 00:17:24.509 to double down and go, so we can't give Jesus 00:17:24.509 --> 00:17:27.430 90 minutes, huh? And then I get to run away. 00:17:28.289 --> 00:17:30.410 And I would never do that to you, to your face. 00:17:30.589 --> 00:17:35.509 But understand that our have -tos get to be I 00:17:35.509 --> 00:17:41.109 get -tos. I have to do my one Sunday that I signed 00:17:41.109 --> 00:17:44.589 up for nursery. I guarantee you it will be a 00:17:44.589 --> 00:17:47.049 better experience if you take the have -to out 00:17:47.049 --> 00:17:51.230 and go to I get -to. Because that changes things. 00:17:52.089 --> 00:17:54.970 Elders, deacons, I have to come to a meeting 00:17:54.970 --> 00:17:56.930 we now have because we don't have a congregational 00:17:56.930 --> 00:17:59.869 meeting tomorrow. That's right, none of you but 00:17:59.869 --> 00:18:01.789 Mark had Houston in the championship game anyway, 00:18:01.910 --> 00:18:06.369 so it doesn't matter. Understand that it's a 00:18:06.369 --> 00:18:10.230 perspective shift. Jesus' advocacy for our lives 00:18:10.230 --> 00:18:13.250 means he doubled down and said, I am the be -all, 00:18:13.329 --> 00:18:16.170 end -all. There is nothing... In your life, better 00:18:16.170 --> 00:18:19.329 than me. We buy into that. Our perspective should 00:18:19.329 --> 00:18:23.150 shift. Because not only is he advocating for 00:18:23.150 --> 00:18:26.289 us to the Father, he is advocating for us today. 00:18:26.890 --> 00:18:28.710 So this is where we're going to jump to John 00:18:28.710 --> 00:18:33.930 14. John 14, 16 and 17 says this. I will ask 00:18:33.930 --> 00:18:36.789 the Father and he will give you another helper 00:18:36.789 --> 00:18:42.309 to be with you forever. Even the spirit of truth. 00:18:42.970 --> 00:18:45.650 Whom the world cannot receive because it neither 00:18:45.650 --> 00:18:49.750 sees him nor knows him. You know him for he dwells 00:18:49.750 --> 00:18:54.650 with you and will be in you. Leave that up. There's 00:18:54.650 --> 00:18:58.450 a paradox here, friends. That if we are in Christ, 00:18:58.549 --> 00:19:01.630 then we get to see the work of the Holy Spirit 00:19:01.630 --> 00:19:04.650 in your life, in my life, in the life of the 00:19:04.650 --> 00:19:09.089 church, in the life of Christian community. Who 00:19:09.089 --> 00:19:13.059 doesn't see it? The worldly powers, the worldly 00:19:13.059 --> 00:19:19.500 authorities. A non -believer cannot claim the 00:19:19.500 --> 00:19:22.200 work of the Holy Spirit because a non -believer 00:19:22.200 --> 00:19:25.279 is denying the power of the Holy Spirit, which 00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:29.279 we find out, right, is that kind of sin of sins, 00:19:29.380 --> 00:19:32.160 if you will, is the denial of the Holy Spirit. 00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:35.519 A believer that says or puts forth the words 00:19:35.519 --> 00:19:38.579 from their mouth that they deny the work of the 00:19:38.579 --> 00:19:44.099 Holy Spirit. That's a problem. Denying the work 00:19:44.099 --> 00:19:47.180 of the Holy Spirit means you deny the power of 00:19:47.180 --> 00:19:50.119 the Lord, which means you are at odds with the 00:19:50.119 --> 00:19:55.839 word of God, the word of life. And to all of 00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:58.900 my analytics, to all of my ones that like to 00:19:58.900 --> 00:20:03.799 analyze and need C equals MC Jesus in your life, 00:20:04.019 --> 00:20:09.369 this is where faith plays the biggest role. Though 00:20:09.369 --> 00:20:11.930 we may not get to figure out all of the mysteries 00:20:11.930 --> 00:20:14.690 and all of the things that God's word tells us, 00:20:14.710 --> 00:20:17.910 we take it on faith. It's called the sovereignty 00:20:17.910 --> 00:20:24.150 of God. You either walk in it or you don't. You 00:20:24.150 --> 00:20:26.430 can't say, oh, God is sovereign until something 00:20:26.430 --> 00:20:29.710 bad happens and now God's not anymore. It doesn't 00:20:29.710 --> 00:20:32.089 work that way. God has been sovereign. God is 00:20:32.089 --> 00:20:34.549 sovereign. God will be sovereign. And how does 00:20:34.549 --> 00:20:37.930 he show us that sovereignty? By giving us new 00:20:37.930 --> 00:20:40.210 life in him because of the death and resurrection 00:20:40.210 --> 00:20:42.890 of his son, Jesus Christ. The sending of the 00:20:42.890 --> 00:20:47.369 Holy Spirit, our advocate, our paracletos. Jesus' 00:20:47.490 --> 00:20:51.329 advocacy does not end with his earthly ministry. 00:20:51.549 --> 00:20:54.549 He continues to intercede for us at the Father's 00:20:54.549 --> 00:20:57.849 right hand. We get from Romans chapter 8. He 00:20:57.849 --> 00:21:00.329 has sent his Holy Spirit as our advocate on earth. 00:21:00.630 --> 00:21:03.029 So what does it mean that Jesus is advocating 00:21:03.029 --> 00:21:07.259 for you and for me in heaven? That even now, 00:21:07.319 --> 00:21:11.059 Jesus pleads for his people. He gives us assurances. 00:21:11.099 --> 00:21:15.279 When Satan accuses us, Jesus defends us, Revelation 00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:19.859 chapter 12. Jesus' ongoing work in the heavenly 00:21:19.859 --> 00:21:23.640 courtroom, picture this. Think of a courtroom 00:21:23.640 --> 00:21:28.259 scene. Satan is the accuser, Revelation 12 .10, 00:21:28.380 --> 00:21:31.640 bringing up our sins before God as God allows. 00:21:32.519 --> 00:21:35.319 Jesus is our defense attorney advocating on our 00:21:35.319 --> 00:21:39.789 behalf. But here's the thing. His argument is 00:21:39.789 --> 00:21:43.569 not over how good Jim was. Or, you know what, 00:21:43.650 --> 00:21:46.869 if we just do a pros -cons list of Jim's life, 00:21:47.029 --> 00:21:49.670 that the pros outweigh the cons by like two. 00:21:49.910 --> 00:21:51.890 So, you know what, it's just a numbers game. 00:21:52.430 --> 00:21:55.509 That is not what Jesus is defending. His argument 00:21:55.509 --> 00:21:58.269 is not on our own goodness, but on his finished 00:21:58.269 --> 00:22:04.609 work on the cross. John 1, 2 says this. If anyone 00:22:04.609 --> 00:22:07.670 does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, 00:22:07.829 --> 00:22:11.029 Jesus Christ. And here it is, the righteous. 00:22:12.750 --> 00:22:16.309 I love you. You tolerate me. We can't say that 00:22:16.309 --> 00:22:20.589 about each other. I can't look at you and say, 00:22:20.769 --> 00:22:24.289 insert person here, the righteous. Jesus, the 00:22:24.289 --> 00:22:27.349 righteous, is the only one that gets that headship. 00:22:27.369 --> 00:22:32.980 Why? Because we submit to that. He doesn't share 00:22:32.980 --> 00:22:36.819 his righteousness with us to erase all the bad. 00:22:37.160 --> 00:22:41.380 His righteousness is draped over us. And that 00:22:41.380 --> 00:22:44.180 is what the Father sees. Jesus does not ignore 00:22:44.180 --> 00:22:47.980 our sin. He acknowledges it. But then he presents 00:22:47.980 --> 00:22:51.019 his righteousness in place of our guilt. Our 00:22:51.019 --> 00:22:53.160 good friend, the Canons of Dort, helps us understand 00:22:53.160 --> 00:22:56.680 and head to Article 8, affirms this truth. Christ's 00:22:56.680 --> 00:23:00.579 death was of such great value and worth. because 00:23:00.579 --> 00:23:04.019 the person who submitted to it was not only truly 00:23:04.019 --> 00:23:08.660 human, but perfectly holy, but also the only 00:23:08.660 --> 00:23:11.960 begotten Son of God. We already talked about 00:23:11.960 --> 00:23:15.500 that one. This means that his advocacy cannot 00:23:15.500 --> 00:23:19.839 fail. It is based on his divine nature and perfect 00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:24.900 sacrifice. So if all that work is going on in 00:23:24.900 --> 00:23:28.500 heaven for you and for me to be set apart when 00:23:28.500 --> 00:23:32.319 we get up there, whenever that is, our only comfort 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:36.519 in life and in death, then it begs the question 00:23:36.519 --> 00:23:43.759 from Romans 8, who is to condemn? Spoiler alert, 00:23:43.839 --> 00:23:47.789 it's not us. Unfortunately, we do a good job 00:23:47.789 --> 00:23:50.529 of condemning one another, not usually in public. 00:23:50.630 --> 00:23:54.349 It's usually private or on the internet. But 00:23:54.349 --> 00:23:57.990 who is to condemn? Jesus Christ is the one who 00:23:57.990 --> 00:24:01.349 died. More than that, who was raised, who is 00:24:01.349 --> 00:24:04.630 at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding 00:24:04.630 --> 00:24:08.309 for us. This should give us deep reassurance 00:24:08.309 --> 00:24:12.710 and comfort of faith. That when we have faith 00:24:12.710 --> 00:24:17.099 in Christ, when we feel unworthy, Jesus pleads 00:24:17.099 --> 00:24:21.119 our case. When we struggle with sin, Jesus intercedes 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:26.099 for our sanctification. And maybe you need to 00:24:26.099 --> 00:24:27.900 hear this today, but when you feel abandoned, 00:24:28.099 --> 00:24:31.579 Jesus is always the Father, ensuring that we 00:24:31.579 --> 00:24:38.599 are never forgotten. And unlike every power of 00:24:38.599 --> 00:24:43.670 the world, throughout history, Up to today, continuing 00:24:43.670 --> 00:24:45.809 to tomorrow and forever until we're all called 00:24:45.809 --> 00:24:47.970 home, or the new heavens and new earth as Evan 00:24:47.970 --> 00:24:51.930 brought up, Jesus' advocacy is not temporary. 00:24:53.289 --> 00:24:58.029 Everything on this earth is temporary, but Jesus' 00:24:58.250 --> 00:25:03.230 advocacy. It is eternal. It is ongoing. So while 00:25:03.230 --> 00:25:05.950 Jesus is advocating in heaven on our behalf, 00:25:06.130 --> 00:25:10.230 the Holy Spirit advocates on earth. The Spirit 00:25:10.230 --> 00:25:15.960 works in us. to convict us of sin, to guide us 00:25:15.960 --> 00:25:23.599 into truth, and to seal us in Christ. So how 00:25:23.599 --> 00:25:28.759 do we respond? We walk out as assured as we can 00:25:28.759 --> 00:25:32.240 in who Jesus is. And friend, I know that's not 00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:35.940 easy. I know there's going to be days of doubt 00:25:35.940 --> 00:25:39.759 and questions. But just like Kara and I try to 00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:43.099 do for our boys, even on those days when they 00:25:43.099 --> 00:25:44.980 don't say they love us back when we drop them 00:25:44.980 --> 00:25:48.220 off at school, we know they do, and they know 00:25:48.220 --> 00:25:51.440 we do. Even when they drive us crazy and they've 00:25:51.440 --> 00:25:54.059 done at least 30 laps around the house, because 00:25:54.059 --> 00:25:55.859 that is a corporal punishment we have at the 00:25:55.859 --> 00:25:59.579 Holland Donor House, I yell out to them I love 00:25:59.579 --> 00:26:01.980 them every time they go around the front door 00:26:01.980 --> 00:26:05.000 and I'm sitting with my feet up. Just kidding, 00:26:05.019 --> 00:26:07.140 I don't do that. Carrie does. But we say we love 00:26:07.140 --> 00:26:10.160 them and understand because I'm out there running 00:26:10.160 --> 00:26:15.839 too. So not only does he love us, but he sees 00:26:15.839 --> 00:26:20.759 us. He does not abandon us. He continues to intercede 00:26:20.759 --> 00:26:26.140 for us and sanctify us. Friend, we burn our hand 00:26:26.140 --> 00:26:30.730 on that hot stove of sin daily. That whole conviction 00:26:30.730 --> 00:26:33.390 thing, that whole annoying voice in your head 00:26:33.390 --> 00:26:35.829 when you get, don't go there. That's going to 00:26:35.829 --> 00:26:37.589 hurt. That's going to hurt. It may sound like 00:26:37.589 --> 00:26:40.349 a parent. Guess what it is? It's Jesus advocating. 00:26:40.490 --> 00:26:44.269 It's the Holy Spirit sanctifying us, calling 00:26:44.269 --> 00:26:50.569 us to trust in his advocacy and to live in, half 00:26:50.569 --> 00:26:52.509 of you hate this word, but it's what we need 00:26:52.509 --> 00:26:56.910 to do. We need to live in obedience. So what 00:26:56.910 --> 00:26:59.309 does that obedience look like in your life? What 00:26:59.309 --> 00:27:03.630 does that look like in my life? What trip -ups, 00:27:03.670 --> 00:27:06.230 what stumbling blocks do we have that we need 00:27:06.230 --> 00:27:10.630 to seek ways, not only around them, but to obliterate 00:27:10.630 --> 00:27:13.329 them, to give us new eyes and a new head, to 00:27:13.329 --> 00:27:17.009 see how we can work through those sins, those 00:27:17.009 --> 00:27:23.150 temptations, before we fall? Resting in his advocacy 00:27:23.150 --> 00:27:27.099 is the... One of the greatest things we can do 00:27:27.099 --> 00:27:29.700 to have assurance of faith, to know that we're 00:27:29.700 --> 00:27:33.019 on the right path. But pastor, there are days 00:27:33.019 --> 00:27:35.319 I don't feel like it because of this, that, and 00:27:35.319 --> 00:27:37.980 the other thing. Guess what? Those things are 00:27:37.980 --> 00:27:41.259 all temporary. Finances, political power, struggles, 00:27:41.660 --> 00:27:44.500 even your job, your role in your family, all 00:27:44.500 --> 00:27:48.980 of those are temporary. Jesus' advocacy and his 00:27:48.980 --> 00:27:54.119 love for you is continual, is constant, is forever. 00:27:55.559 --> 00:27:58.740 So where do we go from here? For our head, for 00:27:58.740 --> 00:28:03.819 our knowledge. Know the advocate. Do you see 00:28:03.819 --> 00:28:06.779 Jesus as actively advocating for you before the 00:28:06.779 --> 00:28:11.720 Father? And what is he advocating for? Confess 00:28:11.720 --> 00:28:15.200 your sins, for he is faithful and just, will 00:28:15.200 --> 00:28:17.700 forgive you your sins and cleanse you from all 00:28:17.700 --> 00:28:20.559 unrighteousness. David cries out, create in me 00:28:20.559 --> 00:28:23.339 a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit 00:28:23.339 --> 00:28:26.400 within me. Cast me not away from my transgressions, 00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:31.740 but uphold me by your loving spirit. Do you see 00:28:31.740 --> 00:28:34.779 Jesus actively advocating for you before the 00:28:34.779 --> 00:28:37.759 Father? So know the advocate, for the heart rests 00:28:37.759 --> 00:28:41.759 in his advocacy. Are you living in the assurance 00:28:41.759 --> 00:28:46.460 of Christ's ongoing intercession? And friends, 00:28:46.460 --> 00:28:52.200 stop giving him reasons to do it. So many times 00:28:52.200 --> 00:28:54.940 we can live a Christian life of, yeah, I got 00:28:54.940 --> 00:28:56.960 it all out on Sunday. I got the juice. I got 00:28:56.960 --> 00:28:59.500 the bread. I'm good. But, oh, Friday's coming. 00:29:00.140 --> 00:29:03.740 That can't be the mature believer's way of life. 00:29:04.490 --> 00:29:07.349 That is cheap grace in trying to take advantage 00:29:07.349 --> 00:29:10.890 of Jesus' advocacy. We cannot be a church that 00:29:10.890 --> 00:29:13.930 does that. We cannot be a people that does that. 00:29:15.470 --> 00:29:18.529 So how do we do this tangibly? We need to, for 00:29:18.529 --> 00:29:22.569 our hands, live as a witness. Just as Jesus in 00:29:22.569 --> 00:29:24.630 the Spirit advocated for us, we are called to 00:29:24.630 --> 00:29:27.950 advocate for others, to speak truth, to defend 00:29:27.950 --> 00:29:32.119 the weak, to share the gospel. So that final 00:29:32.119 --> 00:29:35.000 reflection, who in your life needs to hear about 00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:41.940 the hope of Jesus, our advocate? So I'm going 00:29:41.940 --> 00:29:44.079 to pause for a minute as we go into Holy Week 00:29:44.079 --> 00:29:48.019 next week. It's a sacred week for the life of 00:29:48.019 --> 00:29:52.880 the church. One thing I want you to know is all 00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:55.880 that goes on through next week, understand this 00:29:55.880 --> 00:30:01.500 truth. Jesus is not a distant Savior. He is active, 00:30:01.740 --> 00:30:05.599 present, and the constant advocate for us before 00:30:05.599 --> 00:30:09.319 the Father. As we go into the despair of next 00:30:09.319 --> 00:30:13.599 week, as we walk through the gates of Jerusalem, 00:30:13.819 --> 00:30:17.680 as we sit at the table in the upper room, as 00:30:17.680 --> 00:30:21.880 we see the darkness of that Good Friday, the 00:30:21.880 --> 00:30:27.240 death on the cross in the tomb, know three things. 00:30:28.359 --> 00:30:30.920 That Jesus comforts us through the Holy Spirit. 00:30:31.299 --> 00:30:35.059 He pleads for us in heaven. And he secures our 00:30:35.059 --> 00:30:38.220 salvation, not just for today, but for eternity. 00:30:38.660 --> 00:30:43.039 And that's why we throw a giant celebration called 00:30:43.039 --> 00:30:44.779 Resurrection Sunday or Easter.