WEBVTT 00:00:04.269 --> 00:00:08.189 Let's take our Bibles now and open up to 1st 00:00:08.189 --> 00:00:14.029 Timothy chapter 2. I have in the bulletin there 00:00:14.029 --> 00:00:18.230 just verse 5. I'm actually going to read verses 00:00:18.230 --> 00:00:23.750 1 through 7. Just as a reminder of what we've 00:00:23.750 --> 00:00:26.050 been doing, or perhaps this may be your first 00:00:26.050 --> 00:00:29.510 time with us, in these fourth Sunday evening 00:00:29.510 --> 00:00:32.310 worship services this year we have been looking 00:00:32.310 --> 00:00:36.289 at key doctrine. from Scripture, things that 00:00:36.289 --> 00:00:39.289 we believe to be true that are very essential. 00:00:40.130 --> 00:00:42.630 And so far this year, we have looked at creation, 00:00:43.810 --> 00:00:46.950 we have looked at the fall into sin, we've looked 00:00:46.950 --> 00:00:50.570 at God's providence, we have studied the Trinity, 00:00:50.969 --> 00:00:54.509 and we have looked at God's Word. Tonight, though, 00:00:54.630 --> 00:00:59.530 we look at the mediation of the God man. We look 00:00:59.530 --> 00:01:04.209 at Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And so having 00:01:04.209 --> 00:01:10.049 heard that bit of an intro, let's read. 1 Timothy 00:01:10.049 --> 00:01:19.150 2, 1 through 7. First of all, then, I urge that 00:01:19.150 --> 00:01:23.269 supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings 00:01:23.269 --> 00:01:27.329 be made for all people, for kings and all who 00:01:27.329 --> 00:01:31.739 are in high places. that we may lead a peaceful 00:01:31.739 --> 00:01:36.120 and quiet life, godly and dignified in every 00:01:36.120 --> 00:01:40.159 way. This is good. And it is pleasing in the 00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:43.799 sight of God, our Savior, who desires all people 00:01:43.799 --> 00:01:47.299 to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the 00:01:47.299 --> 00:01:52.140 truth, for there is one God and there is one 00:01:52.140 --> 00:01:56.340 mediator between God and men, the man, Christ 00:01:56.340 --> 00:02:00.430 Jesus. who gave himself as a ransom for all, 00:02:00.730 --> 00:02:03.769 which is the testimony given at the proper time. 00:02:04.189 --> 00:02:08.210 For this, I was appointed a preacher and an apostle. 00:02:08.270 --> 00:02:11.469 I am telling the truth. I'm not lying. A teacher 00:02:11.469 --> 00:02:16.870 of the Gentiles in faith and truth. This is God's 00:02:16.870 --> 00:02:20.069 word. Let us pray. The Holy Spirit would grant 00:02:20.069 --> 00:02:23.650 us help in understanding. Lord, we do praise 00:02:23.650 --> 00:02:26.860 you and we thank you for your word. that is a 00:02:26.860 --> 00:02:29.560 lamp to our feet and a light to our path. We 00:02:29.560 --> 00:02:31.879 thank you for a word that is living and active 00:02:31.879 --> 00:02:34.500 and sharper than a two -edged sword, and we thank 00:02:34.500 --> 00:02:37.360 you for this word. But certainly, we need your 00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:41.159 help. We need to understand this. And so, Lord, 00:02:41.639 --> 00:02:43.780 would you open up our hearts and our minds to 00:02:43.780 --> 00:02:46.800 hear from you tonight? We pray in Christ's name. 00:02:47.080 --> 00:02:57.770 Amen. Do any of you Have you or do you currently 00:02:57.770 --> 00:03:03.650 engage in debates? Anybody in school, maybe you 00:03:03.650 --> 00:03:07.469 were in debate club, I'll put my hand down. I 00:03:07.469 --> 00:03:10.189 wasn't, nobody ever invited me to do such a thing, 00:03:10.210 --> 00:03:13.530 which is probably a good thing. But when you 00:03:13.530 --> 00:03:17.509 are in a debate, you have to give, you should 00:03:17.509 --> 00:03:21.530 give logical arguments, right? And sometimes 00:03:21.530 --> 00:03:24.270 logical arguments, they have a name to them. 00:03:24.490 --> 00:03:26.710 And this might be a big word and not a word that 00:03:26.710 --> 00:03:30.189 you use every day, but the word syllogism. If 00:03:30.189 --> 00:03:32.550 I say syllogism, do you understand what I'm talking 00:03:32.550 --> 00:03:37.990 about? Blank stares. All right. So within a syllogism, 00:03:38.009 --> 00:03:40.789 typically you have three parts. You can have 00:03:40.789 --> 00:03:44.830 more, but usually it's three. You have a claim, 00:03:45.409 --> 00:03:49.689 a premise, and a conclusion. Claim, premise, 00:03:50.110 --> 00:03:53.449 conclusion. where the claim is supported by the 00:03:53.449 --> 00:03:56.949 premise and leads to a conclusion. Here's a famous 00:03:56.949 --> 00:04:01.389 example of a syllogism. All men are mortal, that's 00:04:01.389 --> 00:04:05.270 your claim, all men are mortal. Premise, Socrates 00:04:05.270 --> 00:04:09.469 was a man. Conclusion, therefore Socrates was 00:04:09.469 --> 00:04:12.849 mortal. I don't know why Socrates is always used 00:04:12.849 --> 00:04:15.590 in this, because it could work for any man except 00:04:15.590 --> 00:04:19.959 for Jesus. But you see how that works. A syllogism 00:04:19.959 --> 00:04:24.160 expresses truth, usually. Sometimes it expresses 00:04:24.160 --> 00:04:27.500 opinion. Sometimes it expresses humor. Here's 00:04:27.500 --> 00:04:30.800 one I came up with. Old Presbyterian churches 00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:34.459 are the best. That's my claim. Old Presbyterian 00:04:34.459 --> 00:04:37.660 churches are the best. Fairview is the oldest 00:04:37.660 --> 00:04:41.319 Presbyterian church in Greenville County. That's 00:04:41.319 --> 00:04:44.560 your premise. The conclusion, Fairview is the 00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:47.610 best. Presbyterian Church in the county. And 00:04:47.610 --> 00:04:50.589 I believe that to be a true statement. But why 00:04:50.589 --> 00:04:52.990 am I telling you about syllogisms? You didn't 00:04:52.990 --> 00:04:57.569 sign up for an evening of logic and debate, did 00:04:57.569 --> 00:05:01.310 you? The reason I'm presenting this to you is 00:05:01.310 --> 00:05:04.870 because as we look at First Timothy chapter two, 00:05:05.170 --> 00:05:09.069 specifically verses four through six, we see 00:05:09.069 --> 00:05:12.189 something a little bit like if you squint a little 00:05:12.189 --> 00:05:15.480 bit. You see something like a syllogism that 00:05:15.480 --> 00:05:18.120 is here. I'm not saying it's Paul's intent. I'm 00:05:18.120 --> 00:05:20.620 not saying it's foolproof. But listen to it put 00:05:20.620 --> 00:05:24.819 this way, the claim, there is one God who desires 00:05:24.819 --> 00:05:29.519 all people to be saved. The premise, there is 00:05:29.519 --> 00:05:34.500 one mediator between God and men, Jesus. The 00:05:34.500 --> 00:05:38.040 conclusion, therefore, Christ gave himself as 00:05:38.040 --> 00:05:41.639 a ransom for all. What I want you to see tonight. 00:05:41.870 --> 00:05:46.009 is that Christ is your mediator, and he's the 00:05:46.009 --> 00:05:53.589 only one who could do it. So, let's look at the 00:05:53.589 --> 00:05:56.129 claim, the premise, and the conclusion of this. 00:05:57.250 --> 00:06:01.850 Claim. There is one God desiring salvation for 00:06:01.850 --> 00:06:07.350 all people. Now, for foreign Presbyterians, Calvinists, 00:06:07.769 --> 00:06:14.050 we see verse four, And we're not entirely sure 00:06:14.050 --> 00:06:16.189 what to do with this at times. We immediately 00:06:16.189 --> 00:06:20.870 have this question, what does the word all mean 00:06:20.870 --> 00:06:24.230 here in verse four? And I would love to entertain 00:06:24.230 --> 00:06:27.850 your thoughts on this. But there's something 00:06:27.850 --> 00:06:33.350 that it is not referring to. The word all cannot 00:06:33.350 --> 00:06:38.370 refer to all people throughout all of time. It 00:06:38.370 --> 00:06:41.399 cannot. And the reason for this is not just because 00:06:41.399 --> 00:06:44.540 we're not universalists, but because Paul speaks 00:06:44.540 --> 00:06:46.720 elsewhere, and the scriptures speak elsewhere, 00:06:47.160 --> 00:06:51.759 of what's called definite atonement, that God 00:06:51.759 --> 00:06:55.560 the Father gave to God the Son people to save, 00:06:55.740 --> 00:06:59.800 and that not everybody believes the gospel message. 00:07:00.040 --> 00:07:03.620 This is a hard truth, but it's a biblical one. 00:07:05.019 --> 00:07:08.199 For instance, If we were to go to Romans chapter 00:07:08.199 --> 00:07:14.819 10, verse 16, you would see what I'm talking 00:07:14.819 --> 00:07:17.920 about, that not everyone believes the gospel 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:23.240 message. Just this one verse here, Romans 10, 00:07:23.300 --> 00:07:30.519 16. But they have not all obeyed the gospel, 00:07:30.620 --> 00:07:33.660 for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what 00:07:33.660 --> 00:07:37.160 he has heard from us? And you can see surrounding 00:07:37.160 --> 00:07:39.339 that verse, there are other places that tell 00:07:39.339 --> 00:07:42.800 us those who are saved are those who call upon 00:07:42.800 --> 00:07:47.420 the Lord in faith. But the sad reality is that 00:07:47.420 --> 00:07:51.319 not everyone does. And so when Paul uses the 00:07:51.319 --> 00:07:54.600 word all here in verse four of First Timothy 00:07:54.600 --> 00:07:58.079 chapter two, he's not talking about universalism. 00:07:58.620 --> 00:08:01.759 So something else must be going on. For further 00:08:01.759 --> 00:08:03.819 evidence of this, we don't even really have to 00:08:03.819 --> 00:08:06.699 leave the book of First Timothy. Go back up into 00:08:06.699 --> 00:08:10.720 1st Timothy, just the end there of chapter one, 00:08:10.959 --> 00:08:16.259 and you see these two men named Hymenaeus and 00:08:16.259 --> 00:08:19.879 Alexander. And the text says here that Hymenaeus 00:08:19.879 --> 00:08:24.160 and Alexander have shipwrecked their faith. And 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:27.579 it says that Paul says, I have handed them over 00:08:27.579 --> 00:08:30.319 to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. 00:08:30.490 --> 00:08:34.429 So truly, people do reject the gospel. So once 00:08:34.429 --> 00:08:37.309 again, I don't think that that word all refers 00:08:37.309 --> 00:08:40.549 to all people throughout all of time. And so 00:08:40.549 --> 00:08:43.610 that may lead us to ask, is there something wrong 00:08:43.610 --> 00:08:48.529 with Jesus' atoning work? No, of course not. 00:08:49.529 --> 00:08:52.210 Hymenaeus and Alexander in the text, they're 00:08:52.210 --> 00:08:54.490 the ones at fault. There's nothing wrong with 00:08:54.490 --> 00:08:58.799 Paul or with Jesus' mediation. the problem is 00:08:58.799 --> 00:09:00.919 those who reject it. Friends, the problem is 00:09:00.919 --> 00:09:03.460 our sin. And so again, there's something else 00:09:03.460 --> 00:09:05.820 going on here. And I think it could be kind of 00:09:05.820 --> 00:09:09.000 a combination of what I'm about to say. The reason 00:09:09.000 --> 00:09:12.639 that I believe that Paul says, can say, that 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:16.340 God desires all people to be saved and yet doesn't 00:09:16.340 --> 00:09:19.039 here indicate all people, is this is referring 00:09:19.039 --> 00:09:24.570 to God's desire to execute the decrees election 00:09:24.570 --> 00:09:28.950 and reprobate reprobation but even as God does 00:09:28.950 --> 00:09:32.389 that and desires to execute those decrees he 00:09:32.389 --> 00:09:35.690 does not take delight in the reprobation for 00:09:35.690 --> 00:09:39.529 evidence of this we can see Ezekiel chapter 33 00:09:39.529 --> 00:09:47.990 verse 11 that reads say to them as I live declares 00:09:47.990 --> 00:09:52.029 the Lord of God I have no pleasure in the death 00:09:52.029 --> 00:09:55.330 of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his 00:09:55.330 --> 00:09:58.730 way and live. Turn back, turn back from your 00:09:58.730 --> 00:10:03.710 evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel? 00:10:03.830 --> 00:10:06.610 God does not take delight in that, but it is 00:10:06.610 --> 00:10:09.730 part of his sovereign decree. There's also could 00:10:09.730 --> 00:10:12.509 be something else going on within this verse 00:10:12.509 --> 00:10:15.519 and this word all. is that Paul is referring 00:10:15.519 --> 00:10:19.620 to all types of people, meaning that God doesn't 00:10:19.620 --> 00:10:23.240 just choose from one nation or another. For we 00:10:23.240 --> 00:10:26.740 remember what Paul has said, there is now neither 00:10:26.740 --> 00:10:32.039 Jew nor Gentile, right? And so what this is getting 00:10:32.039 --> 00:10:35.220 at is that the gospel message that salvation 00:10:35.220 --> 00:10:39.840 is to go out to all people, to all nations and 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:44.549 tribes and tongues. And so the key here is to 00:10:44.549 --> 00:10:51.049 see that our God is one of mercy and love and 00:10:51.049 --> 00:10:54.289 grace. For no matter what we do with the all 00:10:54.289 --> 00:10:56.610 word, we do still see in the verse that it's 00:10:56.610 --> 00:11:01.309 God's desire to save, right? And friends, this 00:11:01.309 --> 00:11:03.929 ought to be our desire as well, shouldn't it? 00:11:05.250 --> 00:11:08.250 This is God's desire. It ought to be our desire 00:11:08.250 --> 00:11:11.970 as well for others to know the one true God. 00:11:12.539 --> 00:11:15.500 Christianity is one that is exclusive and that 00:11:15.500 --> 00:11:18.519 there is only one way to God and it's through 00:11:18.519 --> 00:11:21.700 Jesus Christ. He says so. I'm the way, the truth, 00:11:21.700 --> 00:11:23.960 and the life. No one comes to the Father but 00:11:23.960 --> 00:11:28.279 through me. So that's exclusive. But we don't 00:11:28.279 --> 00:11:30.820 know who the elect are, do we? And so we are 00:11:30.820 --> 00:11:35.039 to take the gospel everywhere. We saw that within 00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:38.519 our sermon series in First Thessalonians. about 00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:41.019 how Paul commends their faith, that their faith 00:11:41.019 --> 00:11:43.679 is going everywhere. Friends, that should be 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:49.139 us. Taking our faith everywhere we go, whether 00:11:49.139 --> 00:11:53.440 it's to work, whether it's to the kids' soccer 00:11:53.440 --> 00:11:57.899 game, whether it's to the gym or to the library 00:11:57.899 --> 00:12:01.100 or to the bank, let us take our faith everywhere 00:12:01.100 --> 00:12:05.840 we go and share the gospel. because people need 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:10.059 to know who the one true God is. And as Paul 00:12:10.059 --> 00:12:14.179 makes this claim here about the one true God, 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:17.200 the oneness of God, we remember key texts that 00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:20.100 tell us that God is one. Deuteronomy chapter 00:12:20.100 --> 00:12:23.759 six. Rejoice, O Israel, the Lord our God, the 00:12:23.759 --> 00:12:26.480 Lord is one. Or perhaps you remember the one 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:29.759 from Exodus 15, the song the Israelites sing. 00:12:30.019 --> 00:12:34.440 Who is like you among the gods, O Lord? The answer 00:12:34.440 --> 00:12:39.320 is quite obvious. No one is like our God. No 00:12:39.320 --> 00:12:43.200 one. There is only one God and he is a God of 00:12:43.200 --> 00:12:47.659 mercy and he is the God who gives the mediator. 00:12:47.960 --> 00:12:50.620 And so let's look at the premise, the mediator. 00:12:50.960 --> 00:12:53.279 I mentioned Exodus just a second ago. This is 00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:56.100 a good place for us to understand the mediator 00:12:56.100 --> 00:13:00.820 because Moses was the mediator between God and 00:13:00.820 --> 00:13:03.029 between Israel. Now, you might say, well, what 00:13:03.029 --> 00:13:07.230 is a mediator? Well, if you've ever helped people 00:13:07.230 --> 00:13:10.830 who were kind of at odds, you know what a mediator 00:13:10.830 --> 00:13:13.929 is because you've served in that role. A mediator 00:13:13.929 --> 00:13:16.970 is one who stands in the gap between persons 00:13:16.970 --> 00:13:21.009 or groups of people who need help in reconciliation, 00:13:21.490 --> 00:13:25.639 who need help in peace. Moses did this. Moses 00:13:25.639 --> 00:13:29.559 was Israel's representative to God. Moses interceded 00:13:29.559 --> 00:13:33.580 for the people. Moses received the law for the 00:13:33.580 --> 00:13:37.659 Israelites. But Moses is not the one true mediator, 00:13:37.799 --> 00:13:41.179 is he? He's not because Hebrews chapter three 00:13:41.179 --> 00:13:45.379 says that Jesus is far superior. Listen to this 00:13:45.379 --> 00:13:50.440 from Hebrews three, five, and six. Now Moses 00:13:50.440 --> 00:13:54.240 was faithful in all God's house as a servant. 00:13:54.570 --> 00:13:57.610 to testify to the things that were to be spoken 00:13:57.610 --> 00:14:01.990 later. But Christ is faithful over God's house 00:14:01.990 --> 00:14:08.929 as a son. Moses' work as we read it, what it 00:14:08.929 --> 00:14:12.250 really does for us is it points ahead to Jesus' 00:14:12.529 --> 00:14:16.169 work. Moses' ministry was not Jesus' ministry 00:14:16.169 --> 00:14:18.750 because the point of that verse there in Hebrews 00:14:18.750 --> 00:14:22.870 is that Christ is faithful as a son. Listen to 00:14:22.870 --> 00:14:27.370 this quote. from a commentator who says, Moses 00:14:27.370 --> 00:14:31.610 represented Israel before God, but he was not 00:14:31.610 --> 00:14:35.950 God. Jesus, on the other hand, is the mediator 00:14:35.950 --> 00:14:40.009 in whom God and man are perfectly united, for 00:14:40.009 --> 00:14:45.549 Jesus possesses both a divine nature and a true 00:14:45.549 --> 00:14:49.549 human nature. It is said often and it is true 00:14:49.549 --> 00:14:55.500 that Jesus is fully God, and fully man. Jesus 00:14:55.500 --> 00:15:02.039 has two natures. Church history tidbit for you. 00:15:02.460 --> 00:15:08.120 Take yourself back to 451, the Council of Chalcedon. 00:15:08.740 --> 00:15:11.700 If you're ever over in Istanbul, you need to 00:15:11.700 --> 00:15:15.259 cross over to the Asian side. You can take the 00:15:15.259 --> 00:15:18.740 ferry or you can get across the bridge, but you 00:15:18.740 --> 00:15:22.399 can stand in the location believed to be where 00:15:22.679 --> 00:15:26.740 Church fathers gathered for the Council of Chalcedon 00:15:26.740 --> 00:15:29.600 and what they were wrestling with at Chalcedon 00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:33.220 was the two natures of Jesus. How do we understand 00:15:33.220 --> 00:15:38.320 Jesus? How do we reconcile divinity and humanity? 00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:41.500 And so they produced the Chalcedonian definition 00:15:41.500 --> 00:15:45.100 listen to this therefore following the Holy Fathers 00:15:45.100 --> 00:15:48.740 we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge 00:15:48.740 --> 00:15:53.860 one and the same son Lord Jesus Christ, at once 00:15:53.860 --> 00:15:57.500 complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, 00:15:58.019 --> 00:16:02.539 truly God and truly man, consisting also of a 00:16:02.539 --> 00:16:06.840 reasonable soul and body. And with that divine 00:16:06.840 --> 00:16:09.960 nature, and with that human nature, Christ is 00:16:09.960 --> 00:16:13.000 the only one who could be the mediator between 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:20.049 us fallen people and between holy God. Anselm 00:16:20.049 --> 00:16:23.509 of Canterbury said, salvation could not have 00:16:23.509 --> 00:16:27.350 been done unless man paid what was owing to God 00:16:27.350 --> 00:16:31.190 for sin, but the debt was too great, that while 00:16:31.190 --> 00:16:36.269 man alone owed it, only God could pay it. So 00:16:36.269 --> 00:16:41.149 that the same person must be both man and God. 00:16:41.929 --> 00:16:44.250 Not to give you too many quotes, but R .C. Sproul 00:16:44.250 --> 00:16:46.759 has a wonderful one here when he says, The fact 00:16:46.759 --> 00:16:50.639 is that only one man qualifies to be the mediator. 00:16:51.179 --> 00:16:54.240 No one but Christ has the necessary qualifications 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:57.639 to effect reconciliation between God and man. 00:16:58.259 --> 00:17:02.440 Missing from all other religions is an atonement 00:17:02.440 --> 00:17:05.779 that satisfies the justice of God. They have 00:17:05.779 --> 00:17:13.490 only men. Christianity alone has a God man. To 00:17:13.490 --> 00:17:17.410 take it back then to logic, our syllogism for 00:17:17.410 --> 00:17:21.609 tonight, this is the premise that Jesus is the 00:17:21.609 --> 00:17:24.930 one mediator between God and man because he's 00:17:24.930 --> 00:17:29.230 the only one with both natures. Jesus, as you 00:17:29.230 --> 00:17:31.390 know, as you read the scriptures, you know that 00:17:31.390 --> 00:17:34.630 Jesus has that human nature. The scriptures tell 00:17:34.630 --> 00:17:39.490 us that Jesus grew in stature, that Jesus grew 00:17:39.490 --> 00:17:43.650 in knowledge. We know that Jesus was hungry at 00:17:43.650 --> 00:17:47.109 times. We know that Jesus got thirsty just like 00:17:47.109 --> 00:17:51.470 we do out in the heat. We know that Jesus experienced 00:17:51.470 --> 00:17:54.910 pain and the pain on the cross, the agony of 00:17:54.910 --> 00:17:58.769 that. We know that Jesus experienced sorrow. 00:17:58.890 --> 00:18:02.089 You remember how he wept over Lazarus, right? 00:18:02.470 --> 00:18:05.130 And so all of these examples and so many more 00:18:05.130 --> 00:18:10.460 show us that Jesus truly had a fully human Nature 00:18:10.460 --> 00:18:14.940 and that he then identifies with us in every 00:18:14.940 --> 00:18:20.400 single way Yet without sin listen to this from 00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:28.380 Hebrews 415 For we do not have a high priest 00:18:28.380 --> 00:18:31.619 who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses 00:18:31.619 --> 00:18:36.140 But one who in every respect has been tempted 00:18:36.140 --> 00:18:42.299 as we are yet without Friends, I hope that it 00:18:42.299 --> 00:18:45.539 is great comfort, encouragement to know that 00:18:45.539 --> 00:18:48.299 when you go through something terribly difficult, 00:18:49.619 --> 00:18:53.700 especially as you battle sin, that Jesus knows 00:18:53.700 --> 00:18:57.380 what you're going through, that Jesus can identify 00:18:57.380 --> 00:19:00.700 you have a high priest who knows what you're 00:19:00.700 --> 00:19:04.720 going through. And so you can lean on him and 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:08.519 you can trust him and you can take that sin to 00:19:08.519 --> 00:19:11.720 him and plead God's forgiveness and know that 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:15.720 Christ has come to make atonement for your sin. 00:19:17.480 --> 00:19:21.980 But not only is he got a human nature, he also 00:19:21.980 --> 00:19:25.920 is the divine son. Jesus has perfect communion 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:29.619 with the Father and with the Spirit. What Jesus 00:19:29.619 --> 00:19:33.920 did, he did as sent by the Father and under the 00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:38.569 anointing of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, as you know, 00:19:38.690 --> 00:19:42.470 is the word incarnate. Jesus is the one that 00:19:42.470 --> 00:19:45.890 we need. But typically when we think of mediation, 00:19:45.970 --> 00:19:48.710 maybe we think of being inside a room. There's 00:19:48.710 --> 00:19:51.650 a big board table there, there's people sitting 00:19:51.650 --> 00:19:54.289 around it, and there's a form that needs to be 00:19:54.289 --> 00:19:57.630 signed and drafted up. Friends, Jesus does a 00:19:57.630 --> 00:20:00.369 lot more than sign a piece of paper. Jesus gives 00:20:00.369 --> 00:20:05.339 his life. Jesus laid down his life for you. Let's 00:20:05.339 --> 00:20:07.920 look at the conclusion then, the ransom from 00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:11.759 chapter two, verse six. Jesus who gave himself 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:17.539 as a ransom for all. Christ, as you know, laid 00:20:17.539 --> 00:20:21.420 down his life so that you would have eternal 00:20:21.420 --> 00:20:25.859 life with him. And he's the only way for mediation 00:20:25.859 --> 00:20:29.900 to come between God and sinful man because Jesus 00:20:29.900 --> 00:20:36.220 is holy man. Christ did this for us. thinking 00:20:36.220 --> 00:20:40.359 about that term ransom there, I'm reminded, and 00:20:40.359 --> 00:20:43.359 perhaps you are too, of a wonderful, somewhat 00:20:43.359 --> 00:20:47.299 contemporary hymn called How Deep the Fathers 00:20:47.299 --> 00:20:50.019 Love for Us. And if I was half a singer, I'd 00:20:50.019 --> 00:20:53.500 sing it for you. But the problem is, I've never 00:20:53.500 --> 00:20:57.200 gotten through that song without tearing up a 00:20:57.200 --> 00:21:01.880 little bit. I'm gonna read you a verse from this 00:21:01.880 --> 00:21:05.089 song. And hopefully the waterworks don't come. 00:21:06.029 --> 00:21:11.730 I will not boast in anything. No gifts, no power, 00:21:11.950 --> 00:21:16.009 no wisdom. But I will boast in Jesus Christ, 00:21:16.369 --> 00:21:20.309 his death and resurrection. Why should I gain 00:21:20.309 --> 00:21:23.789 from his reward? I cannot give an answer. But 00:21:23.789 --> 00:21:27.910 this I know with all my heart. His wounds have 00:21:27.910 --> 00:21:32.710 paid my ransom. Friends, do you know that tonight? 00:21:33.109 --> 00:21:35.869 Do you know that Jesus has paid your ransom? 00:21:36.289 --> 00:21:39.210 That he went to the cross to lay his life down 00:21:39.210 --> 00:21:42.069 for you? Do not leave this sanctuary without 00:21:42.069 --> 00:21:47.869 knowing this wonderful truth. But also let's 00:21:47.869 --> 00:21:50.410 think, what do we do with this now? We know that 00:21:50.410 --> 00:21:52.450 he has paid our ransom. What do we do with it? 00:21:52.470 --> 00:21:54.269 Well, there's a lot we could say here, but I'll 00:21:54.269 --> 00:21:58.119 keep it brief. Go back to the beginning of our 00:21:58.119 --> 00:22:00.759 text in chapter 2 there, 1st Timothy 2. Look 00:22:00.759 --> 00:22:03.299 at verses 1 and 2, and I'll read this again for 00:22:03.299 --> 00:22:27.759 us. You see that word all again in two different 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:31.960 locations. What are we to do with this ransom? 00:22:32.660 --> 00:22:35.500 According to Paul here, we are to pray. And we 00:22:35.500 --> 00:22:39.059 are to pray for all people and for their salvation. 00:22:39.180 --> 00:22:41.160 Now you might say, well, how do I pray for all 00:22:41.160 --> 00:22:44.039 people? Well, again, what we said just a few 00:22:44.039 --> 00:22:47.420 minutes ago, this may be referring to types of 00:22:47.420 --> 00:22:50.319 people. And I think that that is evidenced by 00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:54.670 verse two. as Paul tells Timothy to pray for 00:22:54.670 --> 00:22:59.609 kings in those in high positions. Why? Why should 00:22:59.609 --> 00:23:02.309 we pray for those in high positions? Why pray 00:23:02.309 --> 00:23:04.829 for leaders? Why pray for kings or presidents, 00:23:05.670 --> 00:23:10.069 mayors and governors? Why? Because it's their 00:23:10.069 --> 00:23:13.329 leadership that ought to protect the rights of 00:23:13.329 --> 00:23:16.549 people to worship, ought to protect the rights 00:23:16.549 --> 00:23:19.769 of people to spread the gospel. ought to lead 00:23:19.769 --> 00:23:22.549 to people living quiet and peaceful lives with 00:23:22.549 --> 00:23:25.670 one another and so yes we should pray for all 00:23:25.670 --> 00:23:28.410 people and especially for those in positions 00:23:28.410 --> 00:23:31.789 of leadership but not only ours remember we are 00:23:31.789 --> 00:23:34.170 to take our faith we're to take the gospel to 00:23:34.170 --> 00:23:36.930 the ends of the earth and so we pray not just 00:23:36.930 --> 00:23:39.369 for our leaders but we must pray for leaders 00:23:39.369 --> 00:23:43.029 across the world especially those who lead in 00:23:43.029 --> 00:23:47.670 tyranny those who lead in ungodly ways. We ought 00:23:47.670 --> 00:23:51.630 to pray that the Lord would move in their hearts 00:23:51.630 --> 00:23:54.630 to loosen the grip and to allow people to hear 00:23:54.630 --> 00:24:00.490 the gospel and to know that Jesus is their mediator. 00:24:01.650 --> 00:24:06.509 That's who we should pray for. But secondly and 00:24:06.509 --> 00:24:10.910 finally, by way of application, know this church 00:24:10.910 --> 00:24:15.779 family. Jesus does not cease to be our mediator. 00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:19.680 We think, of course, and rightly, that Jesus, 00:24:19.859 --> 00:24:23.460 on the cross, he said it, it is finished, right? 00:24:23.480 --> 00:24:26.759 He atoned for our sins, but Jesus doesn't quit 00:24:26.759 --> 00:24:30.759 being our mediator. Because what is Jesus doing 00:24:30.759 --> 00:24:37.240 right now? Jesus is praying. The book of Hebrews 00:24:37.240 --> 00:24:41.839 says that Jesus lives to intercede. so friends 00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:46.660 please know that tonight Jesus continues he lives 00:24:46.660 --> 00:24:52.779 on to be your mediator. Thanks be to God. Let's 00:24:52.779 --> 00:24:53.039 pray.