Christ's Centrality: The Gospel's Transformative Power

"Now I want to just put Bible on that for you so you feel the force of what I mean this is no small thing we Christians are not a into a tribal religion like we have our little view of things and the Muslims have their little view of things the Hindus have their little view of things the Buddhists and the secularists and New Agers and and everybody has their little view of things and we enjoy ours and they enjoy there's this is totally not the way Christians think this is a line of reality that everybody is on all realities on this line and Jesus is at the center of it exalted at the center and the gospel is at the center of it because the greatest expression of the grace of God of the glory of God for the enjoyment of all these people of all time is the cross of Christ in the gospel Jesus crucified and risen so that's that's the picture I want you to have in your mind everything on this line passed before the gospel before Christ came was designed to lead toward it and prepare for it including everything that was going on in God's mind in eternity and everything after the cross and the resurrection this gospel events at the center everything after it absolutely everything that happens in the universe on this line is made possible by the cross if you view it as something happening for the sake of the glory of God in the people of God for their everlasting joy which is why it exists." [00:07:09]

"God chose us in him in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will to the praise of the glory of His grace with which he has blessed us in the beloved so the beginning of verse 6 it says that election predestination adoption is to something it's going somewhere it's there's a reason there's a purpose why did God do election why did God do predestination why does God do adoption answer to the praise of the glory of His grace to the praise of the glory of His grace so grace I know your version may have to the praise of his glorious grace make it adjectives out out of it that's okay literally it's to the praise of the glory of His grace so grace is what's been praised and what's amazing about grace is that it's the most glorious aspect of God's spillover so grace is the apex the supreme expression of glory and we're praising it so it is for our joy because you don't praise what you don't enjoy if you try to praise that you don't enjoy there's a name for that hypocrisy praise is the overflow of joy in the greatness of God's grace so to the praise of the glory of His grace is why all that was happening why there was election why there was predestination why his adopted sinners into his divine family so that his glorious grace would be enjoyed forever and the joy would spill over in price so that's that's pretty clear I think from verse 4 through 6." [00:10:55]

"God saved us 2nd Timothy 1:9 God saved us and called us to a holy calling not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began we are saved how so by works by things we do to show ourselves worthy no but because of his purpose and grace it's not works it's grace if it were not like grace it'd be by works if it's by works it's not by grace Romans 11 5 but here it's God's own purpose and grace and then he says this off-the-charts thing that hardly anybody ever says this grace that comes to us in our need for justification our need for righteousness our need for forgiveness was given to us in Christ before the universe existed that's amazing it it makes something significant out of you by the way whoa he gave me grace billions of years ago whether were anything called years and he did it specifically in relation to Jesus Christ so confirmation that at the center of reality created reality here flowing on this line of history is Jesus Christ planned from eternity to die and rise again to display grace to a people who've been chosen who are sinners and need grace it's all the plan that's the plan it's the reason for it all Isis is not the reason Ebola is not the reason politics is not the reason that's just child's play it's got to be dealt with that's not the point of the story your the point of the story Christ exalted in his people who are praising the glory of grace is the point of the story." [00:19:47]

"Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus the great Shepherd of the Sheep by the blood of the eternal covenant we'll come back to that by the blood of the eternal covenant equip you with everything good that you may do his will working in us that which is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever so everything you do in life that has any spiritual value at all that pleases God see that near the end of verse 21 everything you do that pleases God is only possible because God is at work in you may he equip you with everything good that you may do his will working in you that which is pleasing in his sight that's how you are able to do things that please God God's working in you that which is pleasing in his sight so everything we do in ministry everything we do in life everything anybody does in life that spiritually pleases God is possible because God Almighty and infinitely holy is at work in us to bring those God pleasing things about but now here's the catch I'm a sinner and even though I'm born of god and the holy spirit inhabits my life there is remaining corruption in me and I do things every day in attitude especially and sometimes inward and sometimes indeed that are displeasing to the Lord and off-putting to a holy God so how in the world can he show up and do anything that would make anything pleasing to him and of course the answer is grace he treats me better than I deserve he comes to me with grace so I'm looking at the phrase through Jesus Christ you see that near the end of verse 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will working in us that which is pleasing in his sight how does he do that for sinners through Jesus Christ he couldn't do that for me apart from Jesus Christ he couldn't do that with me apart from the gospel now how do I know that when he says through Jesus Christ he has in mind the atoning work of Jesus Christ and my answer to that is the connection between verses 20 and 21 verse 20 it says that Jesus shed the blood of the eternal covenant and thus equips us with everything good to do his will working in us that which is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ so that through Jesus Christ at least includes the work of Christ to shed the blood of the eternal covenant what's that what's the blood of the eternal covenant that would be the New Covenant Jesus lifted up the cup the Last Supper and he said this cup is the New Covenant in my blood it's what Hebrews is talking about so I am now securing and validating an eternal covenant for my people and I do it by my blood shedding and what is the new covenant I will take out the heart of stone I will put it in the heart of flesh and I will cause you to walk in my statutes that is I will work in you what is pleasing in my sight which means every single thing that you do and that everyone does that is pleasing to God is only possible because of the center of history Jesus died shed the blood of the eternal covenant through which God the holy one can move into sinners lives and make them do good things pleasing to him without faith it is impossible to please God therefore move them to believe so that's my first text Hebrews 13 20 and 21 showing first that everything we do that's pleasing to God is owing to the gospel owing to the death of Jesus." [00:30:52]

"All the promises of God find their yes in him that is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory all the promises of God find their yes in him which means the entire life of faith is secured by Christ when he purchased by the blood of the eternal covenant the New Covenant in which all the promises flow to all those who are in him and just try to illustrate how unbelievably practical this is for your daily life I hope the way I live the Christian life is by moving from one moment to the next okay so sitting there I know I could have preached in a few minutes before that I'm gonna sing how will I sing how will I sing so that's pleasing to God and how will I preach so that it's pleasing to God and then and then we'll go to lunch and then I'll go to the airport I'll get on a plane that'll step aside somebody and then I'll meet my wife at home and then I just walk from thing to thing in my life and at every moment the the question that's being posed to me is what promise are you trusting God to fulfill now what promise are you trusting God to fulfill now no if you live like that I think that's what living by faith means that is I trust promise that between now and the end of the sermon in 10 minutes or whatever between now and the end of this sermon Grace will show up in fulfillment of a promise to sustain me so that I don't say anything stupid or at least wrong or maybe both or drop dead or blaspheme God or how do I know that won't happen I'm trusting God for a promise so the way we raised our kids tried anyway was that we had a main verse that we sent them off with wherever they went if they went to camp in the summer if they went on a mission trip if they went off to college if it was the first school in the 6th grade and they're getting on the bus and they're nervous whatever if they're graduating and going into ninth grade from 8th grade and and and there's always these we we had verses we had a verse the particulars are our family verse if you ask any of my children what was the dominant send-away verse it would be Isaiah 41:10 fear not for I am with you that's a promise don't go over too fast I am with you be not dismayed I am your God I will strengthen you I will help you I will hold you up with my righteous right hand believe that Carsten believed that Benjamin believed that abraham believed that Callos leave that Barnabas as you go to first grade he will help you he'll be with you I tried to teach my kids that every step of their life was the trusting of God to do something good for them he's gonna show up he's gonna give sustaining grace he made promises to that effect and so you hold on to a promise at every moment and now I'm saying on the basis of 2nd Corinthians 1:20 every one of those promises was bought by the blood of Jesus which means of course that when you're trusting a problem is to trusting Jesus and when you're trusting Jesus you're trusting the crucified Jesus who loved you and gave himself for you and rose triumphing over anything that could cause that promise not to come true this is really big that the that Christ crucified and pouring out the blood of the Covenant to secure the promises of God for us becomes then the center of our life so to be gospel centered cross centered Christ centered means at every moment I'm trusting a promise that he bought 2,000 years ago." [00:37:18]

"Romans 8:32 maybe my favorite verse in the Bible he who did not spare his own son this pause there and and let these words have their proper fact not spare what when you say he didn't spare what was that imply it implies this was hard for God this this cost God he didn't spare and then hear the word his own son not just son but his own son he who did not spare his own son but gave him up and what does that mean to the cross that means torture that means to watch your son be lacerated driven through with nails and spikes thrust through with a sword beard plucked out spit on his face God did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all if he did that the Texas how will he not also with him graciously give us all things you hear the logic there that's called off for Shiori reasoning from the greater to the lesser the greater is will God put forward his son to be treated like that and die and if the answer is yes then the question will he give us all things is a piece of cake that's the art that's the argument that's the nature of the argument if he didn't spare his own son how much more how easy it will be for the omnipotent God to give us everything now that's where I get the idea that everything from the cross on everything flows from the cross Ebola Isis moral collapse because it says all things or which is another verse that says the same thing verse 28 all things work together for good for those who love God Ebola Isis moral collapse all things work together for good for those who love God how can that be these are sinners they don't deserve that how can that be answer the gospel Christ died to do that kind of sovereign manipulation of the universe for the good of his people pause on this for me this is this is heavy so you're saying the all things there really includes evils and death and disease and cultural collapse doesn't look like what it means I mean that's just not good news I don't want that thank you very much Wow why would you even go there well why wouldn't you think it means something else well I'm stuck with the word all first of all but I understand that things have their their limits it's similar to seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you in the context that's what you eat and what you drink and what you wear and of course it raises the question wait a minute do Christians always get what they need to eat and Christians always get what they need to where in what sense does God commit himself in the death of Christ to giving you all things if I were a prosperity preacher I'd probably make much of that you know you know in a worldly way give you all things look at the cars you wanted because you want and health you want and the job you want and is that what it means I think since both the verses that are making the difference for me 8:28 and 8:32 of Romans since they're both there in 8 be good to get our answer from 8 and I do three verses later after 32 it goes like this who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril look at that famine that means not enough food nakedness that means not enough clothes sword that means they cut your head off I did Paul's head came off peril sword what shall separate us from the love of Christ any of those what's Paul's answer no no don't get the answer yet there's another verse coming as it is written we are being killed all day long you might stop at verse 35 and say oh of course those things don't separate us from the love of God because God does not have happen to us God doesn't let us have tribulation distress persecution famine nakedness peril and sword that's why they don't separate us from the love of God because he's sovereign and he bought good things for us and therefore they will happen to Christians and then the next verse says we are being killed all day long like oh this is not potential this is happening and my guess is that verse has been true every day of history for 2,000 years somewhere some Christian is dying for the faith that be my guess can't prove that so we've been killed all day long and then he answers no in not around not instead of in all these things we are more than conquerors that's what I think he means back in 8:32 when he says you did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all will he not with him give us all things meaning I turn all things into super triumph for you what would that be what do you want other verse before I answer that first Corinthians 3 20 21 to 23 go like this so let no one boast in men for all things are yours so there is a gate we got three times now 8:28 8:32 first Corinthians 3:21 all things are yours Paula Paulus Cephas the world life guess thank you note what does it mean death is yours that's in the list of gifts things present things to come all are yours and you are Christ's and Christ is God's so now we got enough verses to really make the problem big we've got 8:28 everything works together for you good we got 832 he bought for you everything and we've got 1st Corinthians 3:23 which says all things are yours and of course we could draw in lots of others like we're heirs with Christ's of the world now the world includes death and Isis and Ebola and moral collapse has God blown it no in all these things we are more than conquerors what does that mean in death you're more than a conqueror in beheading you're more than a conqueror in disease and your wife's disease you're more than a conqueror what's that mean it means this is a picture that helps I don't know if this picture was in Paul's mind but I think the truth of the picture was in his mind so if you defeat these enemies you defeat them and they lie dead at your feet you're a conqueror what would it be to be more than a conqueror at that moment the sword is lying there and famine is lying there and nakedness is lying there and peril and danger and tribulation they're all dead at your feet Conqueror what would more than a conqueror mean more than a would mean they get up and serve you you just leave them dead on the battlefield you felt me and you serving me the rest of my life and they do that's the point of all things that's what he died for that's why I say everything that flows from the cross includes everything and everything is made the servant of God's people we will see some day when history is written and the whole the whole canvas is put before us from eternity to eternity with all the colors and all the billions and billions and billions of details of lives and movements in history all on the canvas that God is painting and and this line of God's people and God's elect and in God's predestination for the joy of the glory of God's grace all that flowing there we will see how all the pieces serve that line serve to make our eternity supremely happy so let me draw things to a close by giving just maybe two or three very practical ways I live this out try to and come in to you what does it mean then to be Christ or gospel cross centered you could go to hell believing the facts of everything I've just said for the last 45 minutes there are people who could hear this sermon and be fascinated by a structure and not believe they'll be changed by any of it just theoretically interesting I hope that doesn't happen so very practically this is the effect I think they have among many to be gospel centered is first to do everything you do in reliance upon blood-bought grace and blood-bought promises so you go out of here you got an afternoon to face some issues gonna make some phone calls gonna cook a meal you're gonna do some homework you gonna read a book you know whatever you're gonna do it and you should be thinking how may I do it in reliance upon I want to walk by faith the Bible says I live by faith in Him who loved me and gave himself for me so I live by faith the next two hours next three hours and the answer is you think he died and secured for me the absolute certainty of the fulfillment of a promise I will hold to a promise and I will move into day believing that promise is gonna come true for me whatever you need and there are hundreds of promises in the Bible that you could hold on to take Isaiah 41:10 for just a starter and use it this afternoon that's implication number one number two and this flows from that is that you do everything you do with a view to displaying displaying showing the all satisfying grace of God that he purchased for you he died so that you a sinner would get better than you deserve so you shouldn't think I'm just not deserving any of this of course you know that's the whole point of grace and so you want to display in your reliance and your obedience out of that reliance I love grace grace is precious to me I want grace to look great in my life I want people to see and taste Grace on my life so when I meet Noel at 6:08 actually the plane probably won't get you know in time but that's when it's supposed to land when I meet my wife one of my prayers and thoughts will be that I'm full of grace toward her I won't have an oh poor me self-pitying I was so sick on this trip I kept blowing my nose it was so embarrassing and and and I was coughing in the first hour and and and then and then yeah me me me me me me me me me pity pity pity I hope I don't go there at all I hope I say how was church this morning get a good rest last night I just Kimmy I want to know you Oh what to bless you show me you I want to be here for you that would be a sweet fulfillment of a promise of grace to radiate grace display grace and the last thing would be to say and it's almost the same is that you want to now exist live so that you show draw attention to the glory of God the glory and value of Christ so I went from reliance upon promises and grace to display the beauty of grace to a treasuring of the one who purchased all the grace Jesus Christ so all that to say he's the center of history and when we grasp that in the biblical proportions we will be enabled in fresh ways to live very practically in our little lives so that he is relied upon and His grace is shown to be great and he's treasured above all things so father I pray for these friends that they would love your word that they wouldn't be among the number who's always trying to defend themselves anyway you don't have to read your Bible because not a duty and instead they would become they would become a kind of person who delights in your holy precious mind-blowing all satisfying word as it reveals Christ to us so Jesus be exalted in this church be salted in the churches that are represented here be exalted in our lives as we trust your promises and rely upon your grace and treasure you above all things I ask this in your great and and Holy Name and because you bought the promises for us." [00:41:40]