Advent 2021: Christ's Wonderful Person

CHRIST'S WONDERFUL PERSON: John 1:1-5

December 5, 2021 • Brandon Allen

CHRIST'S WONDERFUL TENDERNESS: Matthew 11:28-30

December 12, 2021 • Brett Baggett • Matthew 11:28–30

DOCTRINE Christ tenderly gives rest to the tired and burdened who trust in Him as their Priest, submit to Him as their King, and listen to Him as their Prophet. I. CHRIST TENDERLY GIVES REST TO WEARY AND TIRED SOULS (v. 28) Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Christ promises rest to those who are weary and tired of trying and failing to justify themselves. Look at Christ living without sin! If you look to Him in faith, His sinlessness will be credited to your account. Look at Christ perfectly upholding the Law! If you look to Him in faith, His Law keeping righteousness will cover you like a robe. Remember the words of the Father to Christ at His baptism, “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.” If you are untied to Christ by faith, well then the righteousness of Jesus that lead to His Father proclaiming such sweet words of acceptance and love are also yours, because you are clothed in that same righteousness! You can rest in His perfect law-keeping life. II. CHRIST TENDERLY GIVES REST TO BURDENED AND CRUSHED SOULS (v. 28) Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Christ promises rest to those who are burdened and crushed by the weight of their sins. Isaiah 53:4-5 “4 Surely he has BORNE our griefs and CARRIED our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” III. CHRIST TENDERLY GIVES REST TO THOSE WHO TRUST HIM AS THEIR PRIEST (v. 28a) Matthew 11:28a “Come to me… Jesus is a tender and loving priest to those who come to Him by faith. IV. CHRIST TENDERLY GIVES REST TO THOSE WHO SUBMIT TO HIM AS THEIR KING (v. 29a) Matthew 11:29a “Take my yoke upon you…” Jesus is a tender and loving King to those who humbly take His yoke upon them. V. CHRIST TENDERLY GIVES REST TO THOSE WHO LISTEN TO HIM AS THEIR PROPHET (v. 29-30) Matthew 11:29-30 “29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Jesus is a tender and loving Prophet to those who listen and learn from Him. CONCLUDING EXHORTATIONS I) Today! Cast your deadly doing down and rest in Christ’s righteousness. II) Right now! Cast your sin-burdens onto Christ —the lightest to the heaviest—and rest in the forgiveness bought by His bloody cross. III) Everyday! Cast His yoke upon your neck anew and live as His happy slaves for His glory, others’ good, and your own gladness. IV) Everyday! Cast all your anxieties and worries on Him and rest in His providence, believer. V) Everyday! Cast your soul on Christ for rest, yet labor for His glory now—there is a rest laid up for you in heaven.

CHRIST'S WONDERFUL LOVE: John 13:1

December 19, 2021 • Brett Baggett • John 13:1

DOCTRINE Christ endured the horrors of the cross out of love. I. CHRIST’S HORRIFIC DEATH ON THE CROSS WAS LONG PROMISED AND FORESHADOWED (v. 1a) John 13:1a “Now before the Feast of the Passover…” II. CHRIST ENDURED THE HORRORS OF THE CROSS WILLINGLY (v. 1b) John 13:1b “http://...when Jesus knew that his hour had come...” John 2:4 “And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” John 7:30 “So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.” John 8:20 “These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.” John 12:23-24 “23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” John 12:27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.” III. CHRIST ENDURED THE HORRORS OF THE CROSS FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM (v. 1c) John 13:1c “http://...to depart out of this world to the Father...” Hebrews 12:2 “for the joy that was set before him [Christ] endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Philippians 2:6-11 “6 Though he was in the form of God, [Jesus] did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” IV. CHRIST ENDURED THE HORRORS OF THE CROSS OUT OF LOVE FOR HIS OWN (v. 1d) John 13:1d “http://...having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” In Ephesians 3:18-19 “[Paul prays that the Ephesians] may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” APPLICATION: what does this mean for us today? I) It is not your love for Christ that makes you secure; it is His love that makes safe. II) If you ever wonder if Christ loves you, look to the cross. III) If Christ loves you now, He will love you to the end. Romans 8:35-39 “35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long;     we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” EXHORTATION: what must we therefore do? I) Sinner, you who are still outside of Christ, come burn your sins away at the fire of Christ’s love. Jesus says in John 6:37 “Whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” II) Weary Saints, you who are in Christ by faith, come warm your hearts at the fire of Christ’s love. III) Worried Saints, come melt your worries and anxieties at the fire of Christ’s love. IV) Beloved Saints, go and love others the same way Christ has loved you. John 13:33 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

CHRIST'S WONDERFUL HUMILITY: John 1:14

December 26, 2021 • Brett Baggett • John 1:14

DOCTRINE Christ willingly humbled Himself in taking upon Himself human flesh, and all that comes with it, which He did in order to both save His people and glorify God. I. CHRIST, WHO IS THE ETERNAL SON OF GOD, TOOK UPON HIMSELF FLESH, BECOMING A HUMAN BEING LIKE YOU (v. 14a) John 1:14a “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.“ II. CHRIST LEFT HIS ETERNAL HOME, THE PRESENCE OF HIS FATHER’S IMMEDIATE GLORY, TO DWELL AMONG YOU (John 17:5) John‬ 17:5 “Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” III. CHRIST LEFT HIS ETERNAL HOME, THE PRESENCE OF HIS FATHER’S IMMEDIATE LOVE, TO DWELL AMONG YOU (John 1:18) John‬ ‭1:18‬ “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side (in the Father’s bosom), he has made him known.” IV. CHRIST LEFT HIS ETERNAL HOME, THE PRESENCE OF HIS FATHER’S IMMEDIATE DELIGHT, TO DWELL AMONG YOU (Proverbs 8:30; Psalm 16:11) Proverbs‬ ‭8:30‬ “I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always.” Psalm 16:11 “In Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” V. CHRIST TOOK UPON HIMSELF FLESH, WHICH LEAD TO MUCH SADNESS FOR HIM (Isaiah 53:5) Isaiah writes of him in 53:3 “A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” VI. CHRIST TOOK UPON HIMSELF FLESH, EVEN SUBJECTING HIMSELF TO HOMELESSNESS (Matthew 8:20) Matthew 8:20, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” VII. CHRIST TOOK UPON HIMSELF FLESH, EVEN OPENING HIMSELF UP TO TERRIBLE TEMPTATIONS TO SIN BY THE DEVIL HIMSELF (Matthew 4:1) Matthew 4:1, “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” VIII. CHRIST TOOK UPON HIMSELF FLESH, ALLOWING HIMSELF TO BE PERSECUTED AND HATED BY MEN WHOM HE HAD CREATED (John 15:25) John 15:25 “They hated me without a cause.” IX. CHRIST TOOK UPON HIMSELF FLESH, AND SUFFERED IN EVERY WAY THAT WE DO (Isaiah 53:5) I) Christ suffered internally, in His heart (I) His family at one point it seems thought He was crazy and tried to bring Him home. (II) His friend Lazarus died and He wept. (III) He also wept when considering the stubbornness of Jerusalem in refusing to repent and believe. (IV) His own people, the Jews, rejected Him. Even at His trial they wanted the murdering Barrabus instead of Him. (V) His friends slept when He had asked them to pray in His hour of great need. (VI) His friends abandoned Him rather than be arrested with Him. (VII) One of His best friends denied that he knew Him. II) Christ suffered externally, in His body (I) He was beaten with rods. (II) He was spit upon. (III) He was pierced in His head by a crown of thorns. (IV) His flesh was ripped apart as He was scourged. (V) Massive nails were driven through the most sensitive nerve endings in His entire body as He was crucified. Isaiah 53:5 “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities.” X. CHRIST TOOK UPON HIMSELF FLESH, AND HAD HIS FATHER’S LOVING FACE HIDDEN FROM HIM ON THE CROSS (Matthew 27:46) Matthew 27:46 “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” XI. CHRIST TOOK UPON HIMSELF FLESH, AND DRANK THE CUP OF GOD’S WRATH FOR SIN (Matthew 26:39) Matthew 26:39 “And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.’” XII. CHRIST TOOK UPON HIMSELF FLESH, AND EXPERIENCED DEATH (John 19:33-34) John 19:33-34 “When they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.” APPLICATION I) See how great His love is for His people. II) See how evil your sin is, that only the utter humiliation of the Son of God, and even His being crushed on the cross, could pay with our sin debt. III) Go to Christ, who humbled Himself to save sinners like you and me; go now before it is too late. IV) Learn from Christ’s example to part with whatever you must in order to glorify God. V) See how humble we should be if we would be like Christ.

CHRIST'S WONDERFUL WORTH: Revelation 5

January 2, 2022 • Brett Baggett • Revelation 5

DOCTRINE Jesus Christ is infinitely worthy, therefore all saints, all angels, indeed all creation will ascribe glory and praise to Him. I. CHRIST IS WORTHY TO BE WORSHIPPED BECAUSE HE IS THE CONQUERING LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH (vv. 1-5) Revelation 5:1-5 “1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” I) Christ is the only One worthy to see and accomplish the will of God in history, to save His people and defeat His enemies. History is in Christ’s hands. II) Christ is the conquering Lion who will accomplish God’s will in history. III) Christ is the conquering root of David who established a never-ending Kingdom. II. CHRIST IS WORTHY TO BE WORSHIPPED BECAUSE HE IS THE RESURRECTED LAMB, PERFECT IN POWER AND KNOWLEDGE, WHO SENDS THE HOLY SPIRIT (v. 6) Revelation 5:6 “And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.” I) Christ is the resurrected Lamb, standing in heaven with His crucifixion scars still visible. II) Christ is depicted as having seven horns, which shows His perfect power. III) Christ is depicted as having seven eyes, which shows His perfect knowledge. IV) The Holy Spirit is depicted as being seven spirits, which shows His perfect suitableness to accomplish His task. III. CHRIST IS WORTHY TO BE WORSHIPPED BECAUSE HE IS THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN TO RANSOM PEOPLE FOR GOD (vv. 7-10) Revelation 5:7-10 “7 And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. 8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are you to take the scroll     and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God     from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,     and they shall reign on the earth.’” I) Christ Jesus was slain as a Lamb in order to buy people for God. II) Christ Jesus was slain as a Lamb in order to buy people for God from every tribe, language, people, and nation. III) Christ Jesus was slain as a Lamb in order to buy people for God from every tribe, language, people, and nation, in order to make them a kingdom. IV) Christ Jesus was slain as a Lamb in order to buy people for God from every tribe, language, people, and nation, in order to make them a kingdom and priests to our God. V) Christ Jesus was slain as a Lamb in order to buy people for God from every tribe, language, people, and nation, in order to make them a kingdom and priests to our God, so that we will reign on the earth. IV. CHRIST IS WORTHY TO BE WORSHIPPED BECAUSE THOUGH HE WAS HUMILIATED IN HIS INCARNATION, HE IS NOW EXALTED IN HIS GLORIFICATION (vv. 7-10) Revelation 5:11-14 “11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,12 saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!’” What a perfect summary of how to praise Christ. Learn from these angels what you should ascribe to Christ if you want to properly worship Him: I) Power (authority over heaven and earth) . II) Wealth (ownership of everything). III) Wisdom (always knowing what to say and do). IV) Might (strength to accomplish His will). V) Honor (value above all). VI) Glory (weightiness and magnificence). VII) Blessing (praise). V. CHRIST IS WORTHY TO BE WORSHIPPED FOR ALL THESE THINGS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, AND HE WILL BE GLORIFIED BY EVERY CREATED BEING (vv. 13-14) Revelation 5:13-14 “13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!’ 14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.” Christ will be glorified in your salvation or He will be glorified in your damnation. Trust in this conquering Lion-Lamb now. Praise Him now. Labor for His glory now.