The Urgency of the Father's..

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com. That's cornerstonerbc.com. John chapter nine from verse one. As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth, and his disciples asked him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?

Jesus answered, it was not that this man sinned or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with mud and said to him, go, wash in the pool of Silom, which means scent.

So he went and he washed and came back seeing. Amen. Our Lord said that heaven and earth will pass away, but his words will never pass away. Let's come before our Lord in a word of prayer. But we thank you.

Thank you from our hearts for giving us an opportunity once again, extending our days to be here in this place with open Bibles to receive your word, trusting, trusting by faith that you are among us by your Holy Spirit to teach our souls what we need to hear. evening to you. We commit this word to you. We ask that you would give us attentive hearts. Lord, and I pray that everything I speak from this pulpit will only be consistent and only true and that which corresponds to the truth in your word.

Give us ears to hear, give us hearts to receive. I ask this in the name of our Saviour, your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen. Well, about four weeks ago, we began our time, began our meditation, our consideration in the ninth chapter of the fourth Gospel, the Gospel according to John. And we know that this, although we haven't unpacked the sign yet, it's a six, it's a narrative that speaks to the sixth sign that is recorded for us by the apostle John in the gospel that bears his name.

And we haven't unpacked the sign yet. We're not there yet, but we all know what that sign is. It is our Lord and our savior, Jesus Christ. He confronts a man who was born blind in the streets of Jerusalem. Now, the reason why we haven't unpacked the sign yet is because there's so much in the first verses before the miracle, before the sign, that I feel that we need to take our time to examine and to learn.

There's just so much. It's just so packed that we can learn about our God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. And so once again, this evening, we will meditate together on the verses that are just shy of the sign. So we'll be meditating on verse four and verse five together. But by God's grace, next week, we will look at the sign itself.

What do we have before us? Well, we have a blind man, and he's placed in the pathway there in Jerusalem, and Jesus walks by, and his eyes make contact with this blind man, and disciples realize that Jesus is looking at him, and they have a question. Actually, they have a theological dilemma. If you remember a few weeks ago, they have a question on their mind, and that question they ask to Jesus is this. Rabbi, who sinned?

See, their question was looking at where the blame could be placed for this man's blindness. His demise, his disability must have come as judgment from God himself upon the sin, the individual sin or particular sin that is committed. But the theological dilemma they had was not that that it was sin or the blindness was due to sin. It was rather, who's to blame? Because they've already settled in their mind.

That blindness of this blind man who was born blind must have been recompense for sin. But they're asking whose sin is it? Is it this man's sin or is it his parents' sin? Rabbi, whose sin? This man or his parents that he was born blind?

Only two possibilities, that's it. Only two possibilities they give our Lord and our Savior. It's either this blind is man, the man is either responsible for the blindness that has come as judgment from God or his parents, one way or another, it must be sin. And Jesus gives them a third option. One that they had not yet considered.

They were fundamentally wrong in their thinking, weren't they? Their conclusion was out of whack. So Jesus corrects them and says it wasn't for judgment that this man was born blind, but rather in Christ's words, but that the works of blood might be displayed in him. This man was born blind. This man that is before you is blind from birth so that the hand of God, the almighty hand of God will be displayed in him because one day the son of God will walk down the street there in Jerusalem.

and this man will have an encounter with the light of the world and the glory of God will be put on display through this blind man. That's why he was born blind, is what Jesus is saying. It's not for judgment, it is for the glory of God, that's why. But one must commend the disciples for the premise that they were working from. Even though the conclusion was erroneous, the premise was not.

They had come to know enough about Yahweh, enough about God. They had come to know enough about the world they're in, and they've experienced the creation of God, to know that nothing happens out of happenstance or coincidence. There's a reason for absolutely everything. That's etched in their mind, and this is why they say these things. They know that this man is born blind.

It's not just a coincidence. There must be a reason, and if you look at their premise, the reason is found in God. That reason is connected to God as far as these disciples are concerned. It must be. It must be connected to the decree of God.

However, the problem of the disciples was their thinking was narrowed down to think that the reason was the decree of his judgment, when in fact the reason for this man being blind was the decree for his glory. But either way, the disciples had come to know that nothing escapes the complete sovereign control of Yahweh. Nothing. God is sovereign over everything. Now that was Jesus's view all along.

This is about six months out or less, probably between six and maybe four or three months out from the time he'll be crucified, handed over to evil men to hang him on the cross. Jesus has been ministering in person in the incarnation for around three years already. And Jesus's view has always been through his speech, through his teaching and his conduct, that his heavenly father is sovereign over all things. He's completely sovereign over everything. That's what makes what he says in verse four very, very interesting.

Now, I don't want to jump the gun here. I've just made a massive statement. I've said that Jesus in his ministry and his teaching has taught over and again that God is sovereign. We get that teaching from our Lord first and foremost. Of course, we find it all the way through the Old Testament, but it is evident in the teaching of our Lord also.

So I have to prove it, don't I? I can begin, really, by going to the text that is before us here in John chapter nine, as I hope I did a little a few weeks ago, and it pertains to the first part of Jesus' response, or his answer to the disciples' question, Rabbi, who'd sinned, the parents, or this man, and then Jesus says, it was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. The reason this man was born blind You could even go further, the very reason for his very existence was the glory of God, was that the works of God would be made known in him, that the mighty hand, the fingerprint of God, the power of God, the glory of God will be seen in this man being born blind. All the events that have taken place up until now in this blind man's life None of it has been a coincidence, 20, 30, 40 years of life up until now. Everything in his life that brought him to the moment where he'll have an encounter with the Son of God was under the absolute sovereignty and decree of God.

That's why he was long born blind, and that's why he even was born in the first place. It's for the glory of God, and God was over it all. The hand, the sovereign hand of God is completely over it. All that it transpired to this day. A Sabbath day that could not be distinguished from any other Sabbath day apart from this On this day, God predestined from eternity past that this man would have an encounter with the light of the world, and he would receive his sight for the very first time, both spiritually and as we read the text.

Sorry, physically, and as we read the text. Spiritually also, as our father was speaking to us earlier on, out of Deuteronomy chapter 15. Jesus believed. Jesus taught in the complete sovereignty of God. But I gotta give you more evidence than just here in chapter nine.

I may be preaching to the choir, and I hope I am, that this will be good for our soul, I hope. Frankly, it's not hard to support how it was that Jesus taught that he believed in the sovereignty of God. His teaching is replete through the gospel, through the gospels. Let me give you a few examples. Jesus taught that God is sovereign over all his creatures.

Let me bring a passage, Matthew 10, 29, 30, a passage you can probably all come to know. You know the passage that says, are not two sparrows bought for a penny? That not one falls apart from the father? Jesus is saying, two sparrows for a penny, what is a penny? But not one falls to the ground apart from the father.

He'll go on to say in that passage, that every one of your heirs, brothers and sisters, all your heirs, and the little that I have too, have been numbered by him. Sovereign over his creatures. Jesus taught that he's sovereign over the weather. Matthew again, chapter five. For he, he says, the Father makes the sun shine on the good and the evil.

He makes the sun. Jesus is putting the control of these things in the hands of the Father. Then he goes on to say, and he sends the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. Sovereign over the weather and the weather patterns. Sovereign over rulers and powers and authority.

Do you remember when Jesus stood before Pilate, when they handed him over to be crucified? You remember the engagement that we have in the gospel according to John? Very interesting. Listen to what is written. It says, so Pilate said to him, you will not speak to me.

You remember Jesus will remain silent. And then the arrogance of Pilate. You will not speak to me. Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you? How does our Lord respond?

Jesus answered him, you would have no authority over me at all, at all, unless it had been given you from above. God is sovereign over all rulers, over all authorities, over all dominions, over all powers. He stands sovereign over them all. And Jesus says, you're the governor and you think you have power? If my heavenly father had not given you the power, you could not say a thing.

You have no authority. All authority belongs to him. He is sovereign over everything. Jesus taught God is sovereign. The Father is sovereign over sickness and disability.

We don't have to go any further than John chapter nine, that this man was born disabled, born blind for this reason. God created this man blind for this reason, that God would have his glory manifested through him. Jesus taught that God is sovereign over physical life and death. I can hit two birds with one stone if we just go to John chapter 11. You remember when the news came to Jesus that Lazarus, the one he loved was ill, was sick, and that sickness Jesus knew would lead to a physical death, although not a final death, Jesus says.

Jesus says then, he says, My apologies. He says that that death will not lead unto death. But this man was made sick so that God would be glorified through his son. Through his son. And then, when Jesus does come, and you have Lazarus in the grave for four days, dead, God is sovereign over life.

Because Jesus says, Lazarus, come forth. And the power of God brings him to life. Jesus taught, Jesus displayed, Jesus manifested that the sovereignty of God is over all things, over physical life and over physical death. But he also showed and taught that God is sovereign over spiritual life. Also, you know what I'm talking about, the elect.

The elect. Because in John 6, verse 37, Jesus says, all that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. All that the Father gives to me will come to me. There is a people that are chosen by God are people that are chosen by God before the foundation of the world, and these are the people that Jesus says, the Father will give to me, and all who will come to me, I will by no way cast out. So we ask the question, Jesus, who is it that will come to you?

And a few verses later, we're told who it is. He says, no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them. and I will raise him up on the last day. God is even sovereign over the salvation of the elect. That's not in your hands or mine.

You've come to trust in Jesus. You've embraced him by faith. The sovereign hand of God was over that. It wasn't simply your decision. He drew you unto the Son.

Jesus even taught that God is completely sovereign incarnate life and his incarnate work. Luke 22, 22 speaking of the time that Judas will betray him to the disciples, he says these words, for the son of man goes, speaking about his betrayal, as it has been determined. This is not a coincidence. This is written in the decree of God that this will take place. Jesus knows it and Jesus teaches it.

From the beginning, every moment, from the beginning of his ministry to the end of his incarnate ministry was under sovereign decree of God, and Jesus knew it. That's why when his mother came to him, you remember back in John chapter two at the wedding feast in Cana, when his mother came to him and said, son, there's no crying, what did Jesus say to his mother, you remember? Woman, what does this have with me? My hour has not yet come. My hour has not.

Whose calendar is he working off? It's a divine calendar of his father. My hour has not yet come, he says. The hour to begin his incarnate work is determined by the Father, and the hour to bring it to completion is also determined by the Father. And in between, how many times, beloved, have we, through our engagement in the gospel, according to John, heard over and over again that the Levites, the Levite officers in the temple, or the Jews, had tried to arrest Christ, had tried to kill Christ, had tried to stone Christ, Yet over and again we've heard, but they couldn't, why?

Because his hour had not yet come. But then we're told in John chapter 12, verse 23, we're told, and Jesus answered them, this is coming towards the end of his earthly ministry, just before the Upper Room discourse. The hour has come. The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. The hour hadn't come, the hour hadn't come, the hour hadn't come.

Now Jesus says, the hour has come. I'm working according to a divine calendar. Everything I do and say is according to the complete sovereign control of my father. And now the hour has come, he says in verse 23 of chapter 20 of chapter 12. And then in verse 33, he says, now is the judgment of the world.

Now will the ruler of this world be cast out. The timing is under God's control. Jesus taught that creation, life, death, the weather, absolutely everything bar nothing is under the complete sovereign control of God. I can give you more examples, but I think the point is made. Jesus did believe and Jesus did teach that God is completely sovereign over everything.

But then we read these words in John chapter nine, verse four. Jesus says, we must work the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. Can you hear the urgency in his words? We have a work to do, and that work needs to be done in the day.

Because when the night comes, No work can be done. Jesus, are you saying, are you saying that there's a possibility even that if the night come and there's still some work yet to be done, that if God had decreed that work to be done, that it wouldn't get done? Is that what Jesus is saying? We've just demonstrated that Jesus believes and taught in the complete sovereign control of God, that nothing happens apart of his will. No one can stay his hand.

No one can thwart his will. And yet here we see a sense of urgency from the son of God to get the work done before it's too late. Why the urgency? Why the urgency if God is sovereign over all things? Why is Jesus telling his disciples to be urgent to get this work done before the night comes and then it is too late?

Is it even possible, beloved brothers and sisters, as I ask you this question, is it even possible that God's work is left undone? Is it even possible that a scenario can exist where one could look back and see the sovereign decree of God is left undone because time is out, because the day is over and the night has come? Is that even a possibility? In other words, is the work of God contingent upon any man's work, whether it is the son of man or man himself. Because if you realize the words of Jesus, he's not putting himself only in that category.

He says, because we must work. You see those words? We must work. Not I must work. We must work while it's day.

Is that what our Lord is saying? If the day folds over, then will the will of God be thwarted? There's a really important lesson for us here. in these words I believe. And it comes from the lips of our Lord.

Now I'm convinced no one, absolutely no one was more aware and more convinced and more certain of the total complete sovereignty of God over all things. He has absolute perfect knowledge and yet he did not hide behind the sovereignty of God over all things when it came down to his part to be played in the incarnation. He did his part with the utmost faithfulness. He did his part with the utmost urgency, and he's telling his disciples to do so also, even though he knows the plan of God cannot be thwarted. And yet he says there's an urgency to do our part.

Beloved, he's our example in this. Jesus is our example. in this. Now you might say, but wait a minute, how could Jesus be our example when Jesus is God? Amen.

He is the son of God. He's perfectly flawless in his obedience to the father. He was absolutely faithful in everything. The plan of redemption that God had from eternity past would be completely fulfilled in his son. And there was no possibility of failure.

There was no possibility that he'll fail. Absolutely. Amen. I agree. And when he's hung on that cross and he proclaimed it is finished, the work was done.

It was finished and there was not a single thing that Jesus needed to do more than he had done. If it was impossible for Christ to fail, you'd say, how is Jesus our example in this? How is Jesus our example if he more than anyone else knew and understood the surpassing wisdom of God? He more than anyone else knew and understood the unfathomable knowledge of God, the unbreakable power of God. If he, like no one else, understood the precise, faultless timing of God, that puts a Swiss watch to shame.

If he knew all these things, and he knew all things were predetermined by the Father, who is sovereign over all things, not a rogue molecule in the universe, is what Jesus believed, including the very day that he will now heal a man who's been born blind in the streets of Jerusalem. If Jesus knew all these things, And yet, and yet, despite knowing with perfect knowledge of the sovereignty of God, he dealt with his part with the utmost seriousness and urgency. Then I can tell you how much more is that truth relevant for you and I, beloved, who walk by faith and not by sight. Jesus was saying we must work diligently and faithfully and to accomplish the Father's work before it's too late, knowing too well that God's will will be accomplished. How much more urgency should you and I be working towards the work of God when we don't have his divine calendar like Jesus does?

Jesus knew his divine calendar. He had the knowledge as the son of God. This is why he says to his mother, my time has not yet come. And this is why in chapter 12, he says, my time has come. You and I don't know if we can live or if we will live another day.

We don't know what tomorrow will bring. How much urgency, more urgency should you and I be concerned with doing the will and the work that God has for us, and at the same time know that He is sovereign over all things. You see, this sort of discussion can be a little uncomfortable for us reformed folk, because there are difficult concepts to handle here. Beloved, it's always difficult when we're thinking about the sovereignty of God and our responsibility to do what God has commanded us to do. The sovereignty of God and human responsibility is how you may have heard it spoken or taught.

But I'm here to say, if we, as the children of God, if we who have come to know Christ and been united to him by faith, if we are not careful, beloved, we may hide behind our theology, hide behind our understanding of the sovereignty of God, in some way justify a form of laziness, in some way justify a lack of zeal, in some way we might justify our own failures. We might not say it like that, we might not agree to it, but if our hearts are left cold, then we may do that and we'll adopt a she'll be right attitude because the urgency is gone and we think to ourselves that the will of God will be accomplished with or without me. What a danger, what a dangerous place to be. And this is really clear. It's clear for us when we think about the doctrine of election.

We can defend it, we can argue it strongly, we can bring text from scripture, and we can support our arguments quite well, then none of the elect will be lost. Our Father's told us that this evening. And amen to that. If you think for a moment that Jesus is saying, that we, as his people, ought to look from the eyes of the viewpoint, from the sovereignty of God, and live our lives in light of that, then we have another thing coming. Brothers and sisters, we ought not rest.

We ought not rest in the fact that God is sovereign over all things and know that he will save the elect and not a single person will be lost. If that means that we are lazy in our action, if we are lazy in obeying his command, if we are lazy in proclaiming that gospel, which is the means for which he saves people. We are not to rest in that. Jesus himself did not rest in that. He knew the sovereignty of his father over all things.

Yet he tells the disciples, we must do the work of the one who sent me while it's day. Because the night is coming. And when the night comes, it's too late. The end is approaching. One thing for certain, beloved, When the night comes, it is too late.

And I believe Jesus is saying here, I believe Jesus is saying here that there is a possibility that the opportunities that present themselves in your life and in mine, that if we don't act upon them, if we rather lean towards laziness or lethargy, We don't show urgency in those opportunities, that those opportunities may be lost forever. That those opportunities may be lost forever. And that's on you, and that's on me, and God remains sovereign, and his decree untouched. Hold that together, because that is what Jesus is saying. We don't take the backward step.

We don't take the backward step and say, she'll be right, but rather, Lord, give me the heart to be zealously doing the will of my God through Christ Jesus. And let me do it in the day, because the night is coming, and when the night comes, it's too late. Jesus believed this. He said, we must work the works of Him who sent me while it's day. Night is coming when no work, when no one can work.

Now, I believe when Jesus speaks about the night, He speaks about His death. In particular, His death that is coming, the death that He will die on the cross and He ascended to the right hand of the Father where He will be glorified and no longer personally on the earth to do the Father's work in person. Because as he says in verse five, he says, as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. So clearly the incarnate ministry of our Savior is in you here. Now, this is not to say that when he ascends to the right hand of the Father, there will be no light in the world and no right light remains.

The Bible is clear, his disciples, not only the 12, all the followers of Christ, all those who are united in our Lord Jesus Christ, they become the light of the world. But he is saying that in human history, there was a special time where the manifest glory of God, the true glory of God, the exact imprint of the image of God, the one who is the son of God, the light of the world, came and stepped onto the ground that he created as a man like you and I, and the shining light, the radiant glory of God never shone so brightly on the earth as when his son walked this planet. That's the light Jesus speaks of. That's what he means when he says, as long as I'm in the world, I am the light of the world. His presence, his teaching, his signs, his grace, his wisdom, his power, love personified.

The light pervades the darkness as never before as when the light of the world was walking among men. And that's what the very sign here in this chapter speaks to. That light shines into darkness, and when it does, it brings sight. Without Him, there is no spiritual light, only spiritual darkness. Because the light of God shines in the face of Jesus Christ.

And there's a sense of urgency for many who are before our Lord right now, is there not? I mean, you think about the Jewish religious leaders. Almost every day when Jesus was there in Jerusalem, they're all confronted with this light. Almost every day they were confronted with his teaching, with his miracles. And what was their response?

To push away, to push away, to push away, to try to snuff out that light. They could not, but they tried on many occasions, but remember his hour had not yet come. And so over and over they were exposed to this light, to the truth of God, through the son of God, but they would have nothing to do with it. They kept pushing and rejecting and trying to kill our Lord. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

In a sense, When Jesus ascended into heaven, in a sense, the sun set upon these Jewish religious leaders. In fact, if we come towards the end of our narrative, Jesus says something incredible. He says, for judgment I came into the world that those who do not see may see. and those who see may become blind. Listen to those words again.

For judgment I came into the world that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind. The Jewish religious leaders of the day thought they could see. They thought they had eyes. They relied on their understanding. They relied on the Torah.

They relied on the temple. They relied on themselves being the privileged people of God, thinking when Messiah comes, surely we can identify him. Surely we will know him. But that wasn't the case, was it? But it's interesting that Jesus says, for judgment I came into the world.

We have to understand that properly because Jesus is not saying that he came, his purpose, his primary purpose in the advent was for judgment. We've already read in John chapter three, for God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him, John 3, 17. But beloved, you think about it, by virtue of his brilliant light, by virtue of his teaching, by virtue of his proclamation of truth, by virtue of him standing and saying, I am the light of the world, by virtue of him telling those around him that there is no way to the Father, there's no salvation apart from me, by virtue of all these things, the abundant light of our Lord and our Savior, and those who continually rejected Jesus, they're rejecting salvation, and they are condemned, uri. He came to save, to seek and save that which was lost, but the light being rejected by those who prefer the darkness, they have condemned themselves already. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

As I said earlier, the Labyrinth, through the physical presence of light, which is Christ himself is now out of this world. But in a sense, Christ's light still shines after his ascension, doesn't it? It is true that the unique work, the unique light that is Christ and the unique work that God had given his son to accomplish is a work that only Jesus could accomplish. And when he declared it is finished, we know that he accomplished all that is required for God's plan of redemption to save the elect, to save those who were chosen before eternity past to be in Christ. We know that for sure.

But in a sense, the work of the father given to the son is yet also being done after his ascension. this is why it's interesting that the the the author the inspired author of of two books of the bible luke himself you know luke luke the gospel of luke is volume one and and and and acts the book of acts is volume two this is why he says these very interesting words right at the beginning the first verse in fact of the book of acts he he writes In the first book, speaking about the gospel of Luke, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach. That's very interesting. He says, in the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach. And those of you who are familiar with the gospel according to Luke, according to Luke, you will know that that gospel ends how?

How does the gospel end? It ends with the ascension of Christ to the right hand of the Father. And here, under inspiration of the Spirit, Luke is saying in the book of Acts, he says that, O Theophilus, I've given you my first volume that speaks of his birth to his resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father, and that is what Jesus began to do. Began to do. Hold on, didn't Jesus cry out, it is finished, when he hung on the cross?

How is it that this is the work that Jesus began to do? Yes, it is true that he did cry out, it is finished. And it's true, he accomplished the will of the Father perfectly in the incarnate life of the Son of God. And it's true, the unique work that is required for salvation has been completely finished, accomplished, fulfilled. of the work of the Father through the Son, to bring about the fullness, or we should say the fruition of that work continues, but how?

How, beloved? Through His disciples, through those who have come to trust in Him, through His people, that's how. Luke tells us that the work continues beyond the ascension. So it's clear that the light of the world still shines through his followers, the Christians. This is why Jesus himself tells us in Matthew chapter five, you are the light of the world.

A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Jesus spoke about the works of the Father, that there is an urgency that he and the disciples here in chapter nine do the work of the Father in the day before the night comes. But here we're told that Jesus says that you are my disciples and you will be my light. You will reflect the light of the glory of Christ as his disciples, and you will be engaged in good works, the works that will bring glory to the Father.

Or as the Apostle Paul puts it in Ephesians 2, a couple of verses we've probably all come to know quite well. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing, it is a gift of God. Not a result of works that no one may boast, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for what? created in Christ Jesus for what? For good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them, saved by grace to do good works, works that the Father will indeed be glorified in.

And don't miss that the apostle says, good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Again, the sovereignty of God is seen. Even the good works that you've been called to walk in are predetermined by the decree of God. So in a sense, In a sense, we are the light of Christ reflecting in a very, very, very dark world. But it also means that the good work that we're told that we should walk in them are not work that you and I choose on our own.

We don't create our own path and walk in it. Because if there are good works that have been preordained by the Father for us means that He has given us a work to do. So the question that we ask is this, how do I know what is the work that the Father has given me to do? What is the will of the Father for my life? You know, that's an age-old great question that many, many Christians have asked.

Actually, many Christians will sit down and ask that question. How do I know the will of God? Well, let me tell you up front, it's not mystical. It is not mystical. pursuing work that ends in defiling the name of God rather than bringing him glory when you go down the path of mysticism.

We don't believe in that. Beloved brothers and sisters, we shouldn't pray like the pagans pray. Lord, tell me your will, show it to me, give me a sign, give me a dream, give me something that I would know your will. I'm gonna put my life on hold until you show me clearly in one way or another. I want a sign, I want a coincidence, I want something to pop up in front of me to tell me which way to go.

That's not how we find the will of God for our lives. It's not through mysticism. I said before that Jesus is our example. Jesus is our example. We ought to follow his lead in everything and how to accomplish the will of the Father is no exception.

That was his purpose, was it not? Wasn't Jesus' purpose in the incarnation to do the will of the Father? And do we know he accomplished it? Not only did he declare it on the cross, but in the high priestly prayer in John 17, it says, I glorify you on earth, speaking to the Father, having accomplished the work that you gave to me. So Jesus is saying to the father, you have given me a work and I have accomplished all the work that you have given to me.

So Jesus knew the work the father had given him and he had accomplished that work perfectly faultlessly without any error, perfectly. And then he's able to say to the father, I've done all that you've required of me. I have done the works that you have required of me. Therefore, Jesus knows. Jesus knows how it is that you and I can know the will of the Father for our lives, how you and I can know what work the Father has given us to do.

Jesus knows. And we're told in John 12, verse 49, for I have not spoken on my own authority, this is Jesus speaking, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment, what to say, and what to speak. And I know that this commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the father has told me. Jesus didn't live his life haphazardly over and over again.

And I hope you've taken note as we worked our way through the first eight chapters of the gospel according to John. Jesus over and again says, I have come not to do my will, but the will of him who sent me. Over and again, he says, I only do that which pleases the father. Over and again, he tells us, I do that which I have seen from the father. I only do what I've seen, I only speak what he has told me.

That's it, I only do what my father has called me to do. And the principle is this, that in the incarnation, Our Lord taught us that he was taught by God. That the work he is to do, that the will of God will be accomplished because God had shown him, had taught him what needs to be done. That's what Jesus is saying. My father has spoken and I have obeyed is what Jesus is saying.

He knew exactly what was necessary because God revealed it to his son. God revealed it to his son. The works of the Father that you and I are to do is not mystical, because the same God speaks. I've said it from this pulpit on many occasions. The God of the universe, He continues to speak.

But how does He continue to speak? You know the passage in Hebrews chapter one where we're told in times past in many ways and in diverse ways that God spoke from the prophets. And he did so in different ways, through visions and dreams and prophecies and so forth. But in the last days he's spoken son, in his son, son language. God has spoken fully and finally in the last days through his son, the incarnate word of God.

He's spoken through his son. Beloved, God has spoken through his son, and we have the word of his son. We have the word of his son here inscripturated for us in scripture, the word of God. How do I know the will of God? How do I know the work of God that I ought to live or to do?

How do I know how to live according to the will of God? Well, read his word. Read his word. Don't do as I said, like the pagans do. Ask God for a sign, ask him for a vision, ask him for a dream.

We just found out in Hebrews chapter one, those times are gone. Now he speaks fully and finally in his son and what his son has revealed to us in his word. You see, that's what the pagans do. They're looking for all these mysticisms. And in essence, what they're saying simply is this, tell me the future.

Just tell them, show me the future that I may walk in the future. The pagans do it by going to tarot card readers and mystics and those who read tea leaves. That's how they do it. And we can do the same thing, but sanctify it somehow by saying, Lord, you just show me the future so I can walk in it. But God says, no.

I have given you my inerrant, infallible, God-breathed word, and it is sufficient. Do you believe it's sufficient? Do you believe God has spoken? Do you believe God has given us all that is required for life and Godliness in His Word and through His Son and by the power of His Holy Spirit? And if that's the case, then we need to commit, beloved, ourselves to read it, to study it, to meditate upon it, to learn, to learn what is the work that God has for my life by, by, by, by the word of God.

What do we find in the word of God? Well, I can spend the rest of the week speaking to you about the precepts and the commands and what the word of God tells us, but it says, seek ye first the kingdom of God. And it has specific ways that you can do that, specific ways how you can live your lives for the glory of God and accomplish the work that God has preordained for you to do. Fathers, he says, lay down your lives for your wives. Christ laid down his life for the church.

Train your children in instruction of the Lord. Wives, love your husband. Submit to your husbands as unto the Lord. Children, obey your parents. Don't despise authority.

For this is pleasing in the eyes of God. Pursue love. Love your neighbor. And love your enemy. Forgive those who have offended you.

Forgive those who are indebted against you. Did we not hear that today in Deuteronomy chapter 15? The will of God, the heart of God is that we forgive even those who are indebted to us. Pray for those who persecute you. Don't repay evil with evil.

Put to death the deeds of the flesh and live by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Why is it that I continue to fall in the same sin over and over and over again? Seek so many different types of counsel when the answer is in the word of God. Put to death the deeds of the flesh and live by the spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. It is in here.

It is in here. And obey these things with a sense of urgency. These are the good works that God has prepared for you to walk in them. This is the will of God for your life and it's found in his inherent word. Talking about all of the work that the Father has called us to do, how can we go beyond the Great Commission?

It's in Matthew 28 when Jesus, before he ascended to the right hand of the Father, you remember what he said to his disciples. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of his Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I've commanded you and behold, I am with you always till the end of the age. You want to do the work of God? Do you have the zeal to do the works of the Father before the night comes while it's day? Do you have that?

Proclaim the gospel. Share the good news. Share the good news of what Christ has done in your life. Share what you've been convinced of by the power of the Spirit of God who invaded your life when you were in darkness and now made to see the light. Not only in the streets, but with your family, with your friends, whoever the Lord places in front of you, pray that he gives you courage to share with them the only light unto salvation.

If you're convinced that there is no other way to be saved, then brothers and sisters, why are we holding back? Why? Why is there no sense of urgency? I speak to you and I speak to me. How many times have I come across situations where I know I should speak but because I don't have time or because I'm a coward, I don't say the things I need to say.

Lord, forgive me. Give us a sense of urgency to know that this world is a dying world. Outside there is darkness and there is no light apart from the one who calls himself the light of the world. There is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ. Let's not keep that as the best kept secret.

It's made to be proclaimed from the rooftops. There's no salvation in anyone else. There's none. People out there, when their hearts stop beating and their lungs stop pumping, if they don't know Christ, they will suffer in hell for all eternity. But brother, Jesus says, and the Lord says that the elect will be saved.

None will be lost. That's true. But Jesus also says, you don't know who the elect are. I use people like you. I use people like me to go out there and proclaim the good news, not that he needs us, he will save the elect, but what a glory it is to partake in the work of the kingdom.

Don't ever, don't ever, don't ever say he will save the elect, they're okay, and not do your part. Jesus himself did his part, and he did it with a sense of urgency. We must do the work of the father, of him who sent me, and we must do it in the day because the night is coming, and when the night comes, no one will. There is no work done. Great commission.

It's given to the disciples, and by extension, it's given to all those who are followers of Jesus Christ, and that includes you and me, beloved. And here's the warning. Everything I've spoken, all the do's that I have said that we must do, are scriptural. They're commanded in scripture. But here's the thing, our God is not a superficial God.

If we think for a moment he is looking upon the things that we do, the performance of our hand, and he somehow finds pleasure in that inherently, then we don't know who he is because our God is a God who looks at the intention and the motivation and the very heart. not the simply the outworkings, what you can see and what I can see. When Samuel went to elect or to choose the next king of Israel after Saul was cast out by God, you remember, he saw the first of David's sons and you thought, this is the guy, big, strong, wide shoulders, strapping hands, it's gotta be this guy. And God's, no, you can't anoint this guy. It's not him.

You look at the outside, but I look at the inside. Beloved, you get this wrong and you get everything wrong. How many lives, how many churches, how many ministries, how many so-called Christian organizations have been completely and utterly destroyed because they get this one detailed wrong? They may have the numbers, they may be increasing in numbers, but who's ever said that if a ministry grows in numbers, if people are interested, if they have well renowned, who said that that is equal to success in God's eyes? What is it that the Lord requires, beloved?

They may name the name of God and of Christ, but if they don't shine the light of Christ, They dishonor the Father who Jesus glorified. They remain in darkness. And it all comes down to this one essential detail, or as Jesus says, one work. Because although I have very briefly given you several practical examples of the work that God requires of us that are scriptural, to be evident this work and this fruit ought to be manifest in your life, to evidence the work of God in your life. Although I've given you those, Scripture sums it up to just one, just one.

The Abbey Bibles, let's open up to John chapter six, verse 28. John chapter six, verse 28. Remember the story, Jesus fed the 5,000 the day before. They're now on the other side of the Sea of Tiberias. In the synagogue, they're at Capernaum and they're engaging with Jesus.

They followed him for the wrong reasons. They want to fill their bellies and not their souls. And then Jesus said to him, then they said to him, that's they, they're the crowd. What must we do to be doing the works of God? That's the topic, isn't it?

The works of God. That's what we're talking about here. Well, what is it that is the works of God? And then Jesus says, then they said to him, what must we do to be doing the works of God? And Jesus answered them, this is the work of God.

In other words, this is what God approves, that you believe in him who he has sent. Believe in Christ. Have a heart that is grounded in Him. Have affection for Him. Your pursuits, your endeavors, your work must be all rooted in faith, in trust, in belief, in Jesus Christ.

Everything we do, beloved as Christians, must be from faith to faith. Everything. Faith working through love. You want to be doing the work of God, Jesus says. You want to know, and they said, what are the works?

What are the very things that we need to do that God would approve of us, that God will bring glory to God? What is it, Jesus, that you want us to do to bring glory to God? And he says, believe in me. Believe in his son. All summed up in believing in Jesus Christ, his son.

You see, it's so easy to think big thoughts. Think big, big thoughts in relation to ministry, big thoughts in relation to Christian pursuits, big thoughts in relation to how you're going to spend the rest of your life doing big things for the glory of God. And in the midst of all that neglect, what is most important is a genuine, intimate faith relationship with Jesus Christ. Everything is rooted in that. Anything you do apart from faith is what?

Sin. Romans 14 last verse. Everything is rooted in faith in Jesus Christ. Your work will be defiling, blaspheming work, if you don't do with your eyes fixed upon the author and the perfecter of your faith, if your heart is not rooted in him and in him alone, if your life is not one that is typified and stands for trusting in Jesus for all things, then everything you or I do without looking to Christ, without believing upon him, is work that God will not accept. That's the example that our Lord showed us.

Because of his great love for the Father, his great zeal to do the Father's will, the commandments of the Father were not burdensome at all, were they? But they were satisfying the soul of our Lord. He even said that it is his food to do the will of the Father. Even if it meant to die under the wrath, of his father. He was willing to do it.

One example. Beloved, your personal relationship with the Lord, rooted in faith, is far more important, far more valuable than anything you can. unless your eyes are fixed upon Him, unless you're savoring and feeding upon Him, unless you have faith in Him, faith to find joy in Him, faith to find hope in Him, faith to find security in Him, faith to find rest in Him, unless you are trusting in Christ and walking by faith, you are not able to please God. You cannot engage in the work of the Father. So often we can have these grand dreams to do things for the kingdom when we should be rather concentrating our energies on trusting and loving Christ.

That's what's most important. To believe. To trust. To walk in faith. Brothers and sisters, question your hearts as I question mine.

Am I doing what I do in faith and in love for my Lord? Faith working through love? Is everything I do rooted with my heart engaged in faith, trusting in my Lord and my Saviour, Jesus Christ? Or do I have other motivations? Where are my thoughts rooted?

Where are my actions rooted? What are my relationships rooted in? my responsibilities, my work, my studies, my ministry, my evangelism. Is it rooted in Christ? Am I walking by faith?

Because that's the only thing that God accepts. What you do through faith. Take your eyes off Christ, give all your money to Paul. That's not good work. And that's not a work that God had preordained for you to do if you take your eyes off Christ.

Sell your home and give it to Paul. And if you're not doing it by faith, that's not a preordained work that God has called you to do. You're on the streets and preach the gospel all day and all night, but you're not doing it in faith in Jesus Christ. That's not a work that God approves of. If you love your wife and your model husband, that's not a work that God approves of, unless it's rooted in faith.

Wives, if you submit to your husband's every word, but you don't do it in faith and joy, because of your love for Christ, that's not a work that God approves of. If it's not rooted in faith and in love, faith working through love, it is not Christian, it is not true religion. It is not true religion. It's of the devil. Brothers and sisters, doing these things are good only if we fix our eyes upon Him.

Having those plans to bring for the kingdom, having a heart that seeks the lost, having desire to be the best husband before the Lord or the best wife, according to Scripture, they're wonderful things, but beloved brothers and sisters, they cannot be done if you neglect your relationship with Jesus Christ. Let me close with this. I have a bookmark in my Bible and it's quite old, it's faded now, but it's a reminder to my sinful soul. Because it's easy to be engaged in ministry and it's easy for me to take the pursuits and the business and the things that must be done and then take or neglect, I should say, what is of most importance, which is my relationship with Jesus Christ. Far more important than any of you, far more important than my wife or my children, far more important than anything in this world is my relationship with Jesus Christ.

The health of my relationship with the Lord is indicative of how faithful I can serve you, how faithful a husband I can be, how faithful a father I can be, how faithful a gospel proclaimer I can be. It's determined by my relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. This bookmark is old and it's tattered and it's among many and I don't always come across it, but I did today. And so let me tell you what I wrote many years ago in this bookmark. To remind my soul, the Lord cares for you so much more than your calling.

He's concerned for your soul far more than he's concerned for your service. He is a God who cares for your soul far more than your calling. Don't think for a moment that if you've come to trust in Jesus and you've been united in him, don't think that he has brought you into his life, into his eternal life, simply because he can use your efforts, your money, your skills, your aptitudes, your experiences. He can do it with or without you. He's done it because he loves you.

Because he loves you. He's got a concern for you. And his love for you is from eternity past. That is why you know him. That's why he's revealed his light to your soul, because he loves you.

And your eyes have been opened to see him in all his glory. And our response ought to be one through faith of love, faith working through love, embracing him. And that ought to be the most important and the most valuable thing in our lives. Beyond what we can do, beyond all that, all that is meaningless unless the root, unless the foundation is right, and that is a foundation of faith in Jesus Christ. And the question we need to ask ourselves is this, do we love Him?

Are we living our lives in faith in the Son of God? Because you test your soul, I test my soul. And only then are we able to see and understand the will of God for our lives and walk in his light. Trust in Jesus, beloved, and the good work will follow.