Let's take our Bibles now and open up to 1st
Timothy chapter 2. I have in the bulletin there
just verse 5. I'm actually going to read verses
1 through 7. Just as a reminder of what we've
been doing, or perhaps this may be your first
time with us, in these fourth Sunday evening
worship services this year we have been looking
at key doctrine. from Scripture, things that
we believe to be true that are very essential.
And so far this year, we have looked at creation,
we have looked at the fall into sin, we've looked
at God's providence, we have studied the Trinity,
and we have looked at God's Word. Tonight, though,
we look at the mediation of the God man. We look
at Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And so having
heard that bit of an intro, let's read. 1 Timothy
2, 1 through 7. First of all, then, I urge that
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings
be made for all people, for kings and all who
are in high places. that we may lead a peaceful
and quiet life, godly and dignified in every
way. This is good. And it is pleasing in the
sight of God, our Savior, who desires all people
to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the
truth, for there is one God and there is one
mediator between God and men, the man, Christ
Jesus. who gave himself as a ransom for all,
which is the testimony given at the proper time.
For this, I was appointed a preacher and an apostle.
I am telling the truth. I'm not lying. A teacher
of the Gentiles in faith and truth. This is God's
word. Let us pray. The Holy Spirit would grant
us help in understanding. Lord, we do praise
you and we thank you for your word. that is a
lamp to our feet and a light to our path. We
thank you for a word that is living and active
and sharper than a two -edged sword, and we thank
you for this word. But certainly, we need your
help. We need to understand this. And so, Lord,
would you open up our hearts and our minds to
hear from you tonight? We pray in Christ's name.
Amen. Do any of you Have you or do you currently
engage in debates? Anybody in school, maybe you
were in debate club, I'll put my hand down. I
wasn't, nobody ever invited me to do such a thing,
which is probably a good thing. But when you
are in a debate, you have to give, you should
give logical arguments, right? And sometimes
logical arguments, they have a name to them.
And this might be a big word and not a word that
you use every day, but the word syllogism. If
I say syllogism, do you understand what I'm talking
about? Blank stares. All right. So within a syllogism,
typically you have three parts. You can have
more, but usually it's three. You have a claim,
a premise, and a conclusion. Claim, premise,
conclusion. where the claim is supported by the
premise and leads to a conclusion. Here's a famous
example of a syllogism. All men are mortal, that's
your claim, all men are mortal. Premise, Socrates
was a man. Conclusion, therefore Socrates was
mortal. I don't know why Socrates is always used
in this, because it could work for any man except
for Jesus. But you see how that works. A syllogism
expresses truth, usually. Sometimes it expresses
opinion. Sometimes it expresses humor. Here's
one I came up with. Old Presbyterian churches
are the best. That's my claim. Old Presbyterian
churches are the best. Fairview is the oldest
Presbyterian church in Greenville County. That's
your premise. The conclusion, Fairview is the
best. Presbyterian Church in the county. And
I believe that to be a true statement. But why
am I telling you about syllogisms? You didn't
sign up for an evening of logic and debate, did
you? The reason I'm presenting this to you is
because as we look at First Timothy chapter two,
specifically verses four through six, we see
something a little bit like if you squint a little
bit. You see something like a syllogism that
is here. I'm not saying it's Paul's intent. I'm
not saying it's foolproof. But listen to it put
this way, the claim, there is one God who desires
all people to be saved. The premise, there is
one mediator between God and men, Jesus. The
conclusion, therefore, Christ gave himself as
a ransom for all. What I want you to see tonight.
is that Christ is your mediator, and he's the
only one who could do it. So, let's look at the
claim, the premise, and the conclusion of this.
Claim. There is one God desiring salvation for
all people. Now, for foreign Presbyterians, Calvinists,
we see verse four, And we're not entirely sure
what to do with this at times. We immediately
have this question, what does the word all mean
here in verse four? And I would love to entertain
your thoughts on this. But there's something
that it is not referring to. The word all cannot
refer to all people throughout all of time. It
cannot. And the reason for this is not just because
we're not universalists, but because Paul speaks
elsewhere, and the scriptures speak elsewhere,
of what's called definite atonement, that God
the Father gave to God the Son people to save,
and that not everybody believes the gospel message.
This is a hard truth, but it's a biblical one.
For instance, If we were to go to Romans chapter
10, verse 16, you would see what I'm talking
about, that not everyone believes the gospel
message. Just this one verse here, Romans 10,
16. But they have not all obeyed the gospel,
for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what
he has heard from us? And you can see surrounding
that verse, there are other places that tell
us those who are saved are those who call upon
the Lord in faith. But the sad reality is that
not everyone does. And so when Paul uses the
word all here in verse four of First Timothy
chapter two, he's not talking about universalism.
So something else must be going on. For further
evidence of this, we don't even really have to
leave the book of First Timothy. Go back up into
1st Timothy, just the end there of chapter one,
and you see these two men named Hymenaeus and
Alexander. And the text says here that Hymenaeus
and Alexander have shipwrecked their faith. And
it says that Paul says, I have handed them over
to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
So truly, people do reject the gospel. So once
again, I don't think that that word all refers
to all people throughout all of time. And so
that may lead us to ask, is there something wrong
with Jesus' atoning work? No, of course not.
Hymenaeus and Alexander in the text, they're
the ones at fault. There's nothing wrong with
Paul or with Jesus' mediation. the problem is
those who reject it. Friends, the problem is
our sin. And so again, there's something else
going on here. And I think it could be kind of
a combination of what I'm about to say. The reason
that I believe that Paul says, can say, that
God desires all people to be saved and yet doesn't
here indicate all people, is this is referring
to God's desire to execute the decrees election
and reprobate reprobation but even as God does
that and desires to execute those decrees he
does not take delight in the reprobation for
evidence of this we can see Ezekiel chapter 33
verse 11 that reads say to them as I live declares
the Lord of God I have no pleasure in the death
of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his
way and live. Turn back, turn back from your
evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?
God does not take delight in that, but it is
part of his sovereign decree. There's also could
be something else going on within this verse
and this word all. is that Paul is referring
to all types of people, meaning that God doesn't
just choose from one nation or another. For we
remember what Paul has said, there is now neither
Jew nor Gentile, right? And so what this is getting
at is that the gospel message that salvation
is to go out to all people, to all nations and
tribes and tongues. And so the key here is to
see that our God is one of mercy and love and
grace. For no matter what we do with the all
word, we do still see in the verse that it's
God's desire to save, right? And friends, this
ought to be our desire as well, shouldn't it?
This is God's desire. It ought to be our desire
as well for others to know the one true God.
Christianity is one that is exclusive and that
there is only one way to God and it's through
Jesus Christ. He says so. I'm the way, the truth,
and the life. No one comes to the Father but
through me. So that's exclusive. But we don't
know who the elect are, do we? And so we are
to take the gospel everywhere. We saw that within
our sermon series in First Thessalonians. about
how Paul commends their faith, that their faith
is going everywhere. Friends, that should be
us. Taking our faith everywhere we go, whether
it's to work, whether it's to the kids' soccer
game, whether it's to the gym or to the library
or to the bank, let us take our faith everywhere
we go and share the gospel. because people need
to know who the one true God is. And as Paul
makes this claim here about the one true God,
the oneness of God, we remember key texts that
tell us that God is one. Deuteronomy chapter
six. Rejoice, O Israel, the Lord our God, the
Lord is one. Or perhaps you remember the one
from Exodus 15, the song the Israelites sing.
Who is like you among the gods, O Lord? The answer
is quite obvious. No one is like our God. No
one. There is only one God and he is a God of
mercy and he is the God who gives the mediator.
And so let's look at the premise, the mediator.
I mentioned Exodus just a second ago. This is
a good place for us to understand the mediator
because Moses was the mediator between God and
between Israel. Now, you might say, well, what
is a mediator? Well, if you've ever helped people
who were kind of at odds, you know what a mediator
is because you've served in that role. A mediator
is one who stands in the gap between persons
or groups of people who need help in reconciliation,
who need help in peace. Moses did this. Moses
was Israel's representative to God. Moses interceded
for the people. Moses received the law for the
Israelites. But Moses is not the one true mediator,
is he? He's not because Hebrews chapter three
says that Jesus is far superior. Listen to this
from Hebrews three, five, and six. Now Moses
was faithful in all God's house as a servant.
to testify to the things that were to be spoken
later. But Christ is faithful over God's house
as a son. Moses' work as we read it, what it
really does for us is it points ahead to Jesus'
work. Moses' ministry was not Jesus' ministry
because the point of that verse there in Hebrews
is that Christ is faithful as a son. Listen to
this quote. from a commentator who says, Moses
represented Israel before God, but he was not
God. Jesus, on the other hand, is the mediator
in whom God and man are perfectly united, for
Jesus possesses both a divine nature and a true
human nature. It is said often and it is true
that Jesus is fully God, and fully man. Jesus
has two natures. Church history tidbit for you.
Take yourself back to 451, the Council of Chalcedon.
If you're ever over in Istanbul, you need to
cross over to the Asian side. You can take the
ferry or you can get across the bridge, but you
can stand in the location believed to be where
Church fathers gathered for the Council of Chalcedon
and what they were wrestling with at Chalcedon
was the two natures of Jesus. How do we understand
Jesus? How do we reconcile divinity and humanity?
And so they produced the Chalcedonian definition
listen to this therefore following the Holy Fathers
we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge
one and the same son Lord Jesus Christ, at once
complete in Godhead and complete in manhood,
truly God and truly man, consisting also of a
reasonable soul and body. And with that divine
nature, and with that human nature, Christ is
the only one who could be the mediator between
us fallen people and between holy God. Anselm
of Canterbury said, salvation could not have
been done unless man paid what was owing to God
for sin, but the debt was too great, that while
man alone owed it, only God could pay it. So
that the same person must be both man and God.
Not to give you too many quotes, but R .C. Sproul
has a wonderful one here when he says, The fact
is that only one man qualifies to be the mediator.
No one but Christ has the necessary qualifications
to effect reconciliation between God and man.
Missing from all other religions is an atonement
that satisfies the justice of God. They have
only men. Christianity alone has a God man. To
take it back then to logic, our syllogism for
tonight, this is the premise that Jesus is the
one mediator between God and man because he's
the only one with both natures. Jesus, as you
know, as you read the scriptures, you know that
Jesus has that human nature. The scriptures tell
us that Jesus grew in stature, that Jesus grew
in knowledge. We know that Jesus was hungry at
times. We know that Jesus got thirsty just like
we do out in the heat. We know that Jesus experienced
pain and the pain on the cross, the agony of
that. We know that Jesus experienced sorrow.
You remember how he wept over Lazarus, right?
And so all of these examples and so many more
show us that Jesus truly had a fully human Nature
and that he then identifies with us in every
single way Yet without sin listen to this from
Hebrews 415 For we do not have a high priest
who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses
But one who in every respect has been tempted
as we are yet without Friends, I hope that it
is great comfort, encouragement to know that
when you go through something terribly difficult,
especially as you battle sin, that Jesus knows
what you're going through, that Jesus can identify
you have a high priest who knows what you're
going through. And so you can lean on him and
you can trust him and you can take that sin to
him and plead God's forgiveness and know that
Christ has come to make atonement for your sin.
But not only is he got a human nature, he also
is the divine son. Jesus has perfect communion
with the Father and with the Spirit. What Jesus
did, he did as sent by the Father and under the
anointing of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, as you know,
is the word incarnate. Jesus is the one that
we need. But typically when we think of mediation,
maybe we think of being inside a room. There's
a big board table there, there's people sitting
around it, and there's a form that needs to be
signed and drafted up. Friends, Jesus does a
lot more than sign a piece of paper. Jesus gives
his life. Jesus laid down his life for you. Let's
look at the conclusion then, the ransom from
chapter two, verse six. Jesus who gave himself
as a ransom for all. Christ, as you know, laid
down his life so that you would have eternal
life with him. And he's the only way for mediation
to come between God and sinful man because Jesus
is holy man. Christ did this for us. thinking
about that term ransom there, I'm reminded, and
perhaps you are too, of a wonderful, somewhat
contemporary hymn called How Deep the Fathers
Love for Us. And if I was half a singer, I'd
sing it for you. But the problem is, I've never
gotten through that song without tearing up a
little bit. I'm gonna read you a verse from this
song. And hopefully the waterworks don't come.
I will not boast in anything. No gifts, no power,
no wisdom. But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
his death and resurrection. Why should I gain
from his reward? I cannot give an answer. But
this I know with all my heart. His wounds have
paid my ransom. Friends, do you know that tonight?
Do you know that Jesus has paid your ransom?
That he went to the cross to lay his life down
for you? Do not leave this sanctuary without
knowing this wonderful truth. But also let's
think, what do we do with this now? We know that
he has paid our ransom. What do we do with it?
Well, there's a lot we could say here, but I'll
keep it brief. Go back to the beginning of our
text in chapter 2 there, 1st Timothy 2. Look
at verses 1 and 2, and I'll read this again for
us. You see that word all again in two different
locations. What are we to do with this ransom?
According to Paul here, we are to pray. And we
are to pray for all people and for their salvation.
Now you might say, well, how do I pray for all
people? Well, again, what we said just a few
minutes ago, this may be referring to types of
people. And I think that that is evidenced by
verse two. as Paul tells Timothy to pray for
kings in those in high positions. Why? Why should
we pray for those in high positions? Why pray
for leaders? Why pray for kings or presidents,
mayors and governors? Why? Because it's their
leadership that ought to protect the rights of
people to worship, ought to protect the rights
of people to spread the gospel. ought to lead
to people living quiet and peaceful lives with
one another and so yes we should pray for all
people and especially for those in positions
of leadership but not only ours remember we are
to take our faith we're to take the gospel to
the ends of the earth and so we pray not just
for our leaders but we must pray for leaders
across the world especially those who lead in
tyranny those who lead in ungodly ways. We ought
to pray that the Lord would move in their hearts
to loosen the grip and to allow people to hear
the gospel and to know that Jesus is their mediator.
That's who we should pray for. But secondly and
finally, by way of application, know this church
family. Jesus does not cease to be our mediator.
We think, of course, and rightly, that Jesus,
on the cross, he said it, it is finished, right?
He atoned for our sins, but Jesus doesn't quit
being our mediator. Because what is Jesus doing
right now? Jesus is praying. The book of Hebrews
says that Jesus lives to intercede. so friends
please know that tonight Jesus continues he lives
on to be your mediator. Thanks be to God. Let's
pray.