Good morning please open your Bibles to 1st Timothy chapter 2 1st Timothy chapter 2 we're going to read verses 1 through 7 again would you please stand with me as we read the holy Word of God let us hear God's Word I exhort therefore that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings, and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior who will have all men to be saved and to come into a knowledge of the truth for there is one God and one mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time. Wherefore I am ordained a preacher and an apostle. I speak the truth in Christ and lie not, a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. Amen. May the Lord add his blessing to the reading of his word.

Oh, righteous God in heaven, our great sovereign, our great creator, our great savior, we come to thee this morning and we are pleading that in thy grace and mercy that would send the power of thy spirit to move in our hearts oh God give light to our hearts Lord where there is weakness grant strength where there is death grant life Oh God fill us that we might know thee this morning and love thee with all our hearts may all that we do here this morning bring glory to the name of our triune God and I pray it in the name of Christ amen please be seated we are considering the glory of Christ the mediator this is part 2 in part 1 of this message we considered that to see Christ glory we must fix our hearts on Paul's inspired words to Timothy. We followed that with an exposition of chapter 2 verses 1 through 7. The Apostle left Timothy in Ephesus to war a good warfare against false teachers in the church to repair the damage done to the church's order Paul wanted evangelistic prayer offered for all kinds of people because God desires to save all kinds of people.

And he has provided a savior for all kinds of people. God wants sinners everywhere to come to the knowledge of this truth there is one God and there is one mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time. Secondly, if we want to see Christ's glory as mediator we must answer three questions one what is a mediator a mediator is a go-between that is a person who goes between two hostile parties to reconcile them number two why do we need a mediator God is holy and we are sinful our sins have left us in a desperate condition number one we are blind and ignorant of God's ways, especially His way of salvation. Number two, we are alienated from God with no acceptable sacrifice for our sins number three we are unwilling and unable to walk in the ways of God thirdly if we want to see Christ glory as mediator we must meditate on God's eternal purpose in which the Father purposed our salvation, the Son accomplished our salvation, he agreed in that glorious purpose to accomplish salvation and the Holy Spirit agreed to apply it to us fourthly if we want to see Christ glory as mediator we must mediate on Christ incarnation the eternal Son of God could only accomplish the Father's purpose of redemption by becoming fully God fully man in one holy person.

Old Testament prophets, priests, and kings were anointed with oil. So God the Father anointed Jesus with the oil of the Spirit. He filled him with his mighty power without measure to accomplish those great offices. And fifthly, if we want to see Christ's glory as a mediator, we must then meditate on Christ as our prophet he executes the office of a prophet in revealing to us by his word and spirit the will of God for our salvation now with that review in mind we continue number six if we would see the glory of Christ the mediator and I trust that that is truly the desire of your heart. If you would see the glory of Christ the mediator, we must meditate on Jesus as our priest.

But what is a priest? As a prophet represents God to men, a priest is a man authorized to represent men to God. Hebrews chapter 5 verse 1 explains that every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God he represents men to God in Israel no acceptable approach to God was possible, nor was there true participation in God's covenant without a priest, because God is infinitely holy, and Human beings are filthy in their sins and rebellions So the high priest was taken from among men ceremonially cleansed of his sin and ordained to represent men to the holy God. A priest's primary function was to offer gifts and sacrifices for sin to God and to intercede for those he represented how then is Christ a priest for us Spurgeon's catechism says Christ executes the office of a priest in his wants offering up himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice and to reconcile us to God and in making continual intercession for us God foretold Christ's priestly office through David the Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek and the epistle to the Hebrews affirms that God fulfilled this in Christ Jesus made a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek and why do we need that priest why do you why do I need that priest we are sinners Our hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.

We are blind, ignorant, and separated from God. Dead in trespasses and sins, defiled and corrupted by iniquity, slaves to our passions and lusts and the devil pursuing the perverse cravings of our flesh and our mind and worthy of God's hatred outrage and fury we would not be welcomed in the Oval Office of the White House if we had just taken a headlong dive into a cesspool Neither are we welcome in heaven after rolling in the dung hill of our sins? We need a priest We need a representative that God accepts and there's only one go-between one authorized priest by which we may enter God's thrice holy presence Jesus our great high priest now there are two parts of christ's priesthood his sacrifice and his intersection now let us consider the first christ's sacrifice in the words of our text Paul speaks of the one mediator who gave himself a ransom for all the word translated ransom means a substitute ransom A substitute is one who takes the place of another. And the various Greek words that are translated redeem and ransom in the New Testament share the common thought of the price for release. Ancient writers used it for the release of prisoners of war slaves and debtors so it means release by payment of a ransom Jesus declared the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many.

To our amazement, these words plainly show us that Jesus is both priest and sacrifice he offered himself Paul had written to the Ephesians that Jesus hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor. Why did Christ our Why did Christ our priest offer himself for our sin? Because God hates sin, all sin, all sin, every sin. How much does God hate our cross. Look at Christ on the cross.

See his bleeding body writhing in agony, pinned by cruel spikes between heaven and earth, as if neither would have him. Look! Look upon the object of God's eternal love in the courts of heaven judged and executed as a criminal in the courts of men all of God's wrath for all the sins of all his people ranked down upon Christ His precious face was beaten beyond recognition and anointed with the stinking spittle of his enemies. A crown of thorns adorned his sacred head, driven in by the ferocious blows of his torturers. His back and his sides and his legs were flayed with whips.

Nails held his hands and feet to the altar of the cross as his sacrifice was lifted up toward heaven A spear pierced his side From which flowed a river of blood and water look at the priest look at the sacrifice look at what God has done in his son look at your sin in the Lamb's broken body That's how much God hates sin. And I have not done it justice. Can you still love your sin gazing at that sight? Can you still love your sin gazing by faith at that sight? But that's not all there is Christ suffering in his soul not simply his body the eternal Son of God knew the intense absolute perfect love of his father through all eternity now in the hands of his enemies he knew the intense absolute perfect hatred of his father the holy harmless and undefiled Son of God was treated as an unclean thing Wave after wave of God's judgment for our sins, his hatred for our depravity, his loathing of sins, pollution, and his outrage against the prideful rebellions crashed down upon Christ's innocent spirit.

On Christ's innocent spirit. Jesus tasted the bitter agonies, the utter abandonment and desolation, the mind-numbing horrors of hell in his soul. Out of the depths of Out of the depths of this unimaginable anguish, the Son of God cried, has thou forsaken me Christ's deity upheld his trembling shuddering humanity so that he did not fail to be pay every bit of our sin debt this is the ransom paid for our pardon and I have not done it justice this is the cost of everlasting life This is what God the Father paid to set his people free. Can you love your enslaving sins? Gazing upon Christ, suffering in body and soul.

Your pride, your idolatry, your taking God's name in vain your violation of the Lord's Day you're dishonoring your parents your murderous heart your lust your pornography your stealing your greed your covetousness your unbelief can you love that sin gazing at the cross of Calvary Look with all your heart at the bloody suffering body of the priest and sacrifice and you will see two things. One, The eternal infinite unchanging perfect hatred of God for sin. And to the eternal infinite unchanging perfect love of God for sinners. Both mingle together as the blood flowed down from his head his hands and his feet Can you walk into God's holy presence as you are and say, forgive me? No.

You need a priest. Come as you are to Jesus the priest. And as you trust him as the sacrifice that God has provided for you he will usher you forever into the presence of the Holy God for whom was this ransom sacrifice paid for whom was it intended for whom did Christ die sinners sinners God's Word is clear at this point he shall save his people from their sins Matthew 1 21 I lay down my life for the sheep John 10 15 even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it Ephesians 5 22 for even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto To give his life a ransom for many mark 10 45 Behold I and the children which God hath given me for as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood He also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. Upon Calvary's cross, Jesus the priest once for all gave himself a ransom for his people Paul calls Christ sacrifice a ransom for all which means all kinds of people all without distinction men women children rich poor healthy sick red yellow brown black white if you will listen to the lyrics of the hymn that heaven sings in awe of God's Lamb we hear it Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof For thou was slain and hath redeemed us to god By thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation Paul used the little word for when he told Timothy that Jesus gave himself a ransom for all This principle of substitution appears in both the Old and the New Testaments.

Isaiah 53 overflows with the imagery and language of substitution. Surely he had borne our griefs and carried our sorrows he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all and this ransom is displayed throughout all the pages of the New Testament God commended his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us and it is celebrated in our ordinance he took bread and gave thanks and break it and gave it unto them saying this is my body which is given for you this cup of the new testament in my blood which is shed for you but do we really understand this do we really get substitution friends jesus the sacrifice Jesus was publicly stripped naked and humiliated. Because of our sins, We should be publicly stripped naked and humiliated, marched up here, stripped and shamed, you, me, because of our sins. Jesus was spat upon and beaten because of our sins. We should be spat upon and beaten.

Jesus was brutally lashed because of our sins we should be brutally lashed and Jesus suffered inexpressible torment in his soul he was nailed to the cross in unspeakable agony his body shaking cramping filled with spasms the pain that would not quit that should be you that should be me oh that should be me In the inexpressible torment in his soul, we should burn in hell in eternal agony of in eternal agony of soul. But Jesus, our high priest, was our substitute. That is the meaning of the substitute ransom for all kinds of people. We should be publicly shamed and he bore it all. That is good news worth living and dying for.

That is good news worth living and dying for. But that's not all. Let us consider for a few moments his intercession. The man Christ Jesus not only offered the great and acceptable sacrifice for his people but he intercedes for us as well as the epistle to the Hebrews so wonderfully demonstrates this man, because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable priesthood, wherefore he is able also to save them to the other most, to the other most, to the other most, all that come unto God by him. He is the priest, he is the door by whom we may enter for all eternity in the presence of Almighty thrice holy God every moment of the believers life the one mediator between God and men intercedes with infinite loving care every day every moment through every scenario through every trial and through every joy he is interceding for us his presence at the right hand of his father is our assurance there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus and who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died yay rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also makes intercession for us this is good news news to live in every day This is the strength of our souls.

Christ's priestly intercession at the Father's right hand is our assurance of finishing the race set before us. We will, by Christ's propitiation, by that perfect sacrifice that satisfied the demands of the law and forever turned away God's damning wrath from us We will finish the race and Jesus's intersection preserves us throughout our lives until we reach heaven and eternity with our thrice holy God. We need a priest, the one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Seventh, if we would see the glory of Christ the mediator, we must meditate on Jesus as our King. He's our prophet, he's our priest, and he's our king.

A king rules over a people or territory. In our wretched sinful condition, we are unwilling and unable to walk in the ways of God so Spurgeon's catechism says Christ executes the office of a King in subduing us to himself in ruling and defending us and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies praise the Lord as with Christ as prophet and priest God foretold Christ's kingship Zechariah announced rejoice greatly Oh daughter of Zion shout Oh daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee he is just and having salvation lowly in riding upon an ass and upon a cult the coal of an ass the foal of an ass as God unfolded his eternal purpose of love in history he affirmed that prophecy in Christ Matthew's Gospel tells us that as Jesus entered Jerusalem in the week of his death, all this was done that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophet saying, Tell ye the daughter of Zion behold thy King cometh he cometh unto thee friends as wild asses colts you and I need a king. Jesus Christ is that promised king. A king is a sovereign. He brings authority, rule, and order to his kingdom.

Sinful human beings despise authority and rule. They want their own way, and they will not bow willingly to the king of heaven how then is Christ the mediator a king for us there's never been a king like this king the kings of the earth send their citizens out to die for them The king of our kingdom died for us. The king of heaven died for us. The kings of the earth take the riches from the people. The king of God's kingdom gives us all his wealth and riches.

My friends, Jesus the King conquers and converts his people by grace, sending his spirit to convince their hearts of their sin. By this he deals a death blow to their self-centered wills and to Satan's death grip upon them. He gives them a new heart and makes them new creatures. Scripture calls this the new birth, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed upon upon us listen to the word abundantly abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior this new birth manifests itself in us in repentance and faith him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and Savior for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins When sinners repent and believe on Christ, he gives them a new legal status, which the Scriptures call justification. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?

That is a glorious throwing down of the gauntlet. Who throws it down? The living God before the universe. Who can lay anything against the children of God? And they're silent because the answer is obvious no one because of Christ Christ the king we are justified it is God that justifieth us not only this but Christ the King gives his blood-bought people a new spirit.

I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you forever, forever, even the Spirit of truth. The king poured out his spirit on the day of Pentecost and his people have enjoyed the spirits power ever since Paul said to the Ephesians in whom also after that he believed he was sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise furthermore Christ the King sanctifies the souls of his people. Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through jesus christ to whom be glory forever and ever amen Paul prayed for the Thessalonians and the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another and toward all men even as we do toward you to the end he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God Christ the mediator saves sanctifies and preserves us he saves us as prophet telling us the way to heaven he saves us as priest by offering the only acceptable sacrifice for sin and intercedes for us until our race is completed and he saves us as the king who grants us life rules us in grace and carries us forward until we glory in eternity with him well how may we see the glory of Christ the mediator how may we see the glory by meditation that's a biblical answer what is meditation I've been saying it throughout the message.

It is the holy practice of seriously thinking and applying God's truth to yourself to do this well number one get alone with God number two take some portion of God's truth from Scripture or a Christ exalting book and number three think deeply on that truth Reflect on that truth until it affects your soul. Until it affects your soul, till it brings you to joy, or till it brings you to sorrow over your sin, till it brings you to praise Almighty God for loving you before the foundation of the world and sending His only begotten son to rescue you from your sins and number four make time to do this every day if possible every day a warning that will be one of the most difficult things you will ever attempt, but it is worth every moment of it. Why don't you remember the sermons that you hear? Because you don't go home and meditate on what God spoke to you. I have done it and I know everyone else here has done so meditation is what helps to burn God's truth into our souls but by faith in Christ through the grace of God in harmony with Scripture and in the power of the Holy Spirit meditation will bear real fruit and work real fruit and work transformation in your soul so Paul said that God wants all kinds of people to come to the to the knowledge of this truth there is one God and one mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus do you do you believe that do you believe that truth I pray that you do and I pray that it fills your heart with overflowing joy if you do not I pray that you will and for those who know the mediator and long to see his glory here in this world I leave us with John Owen for the last word he said so it is only as we behold the glory of Christ by faith here in this world, that our hearts will be drawn more and more to Christ, and to the full enjoyment of the sight of his glory hereafter it is by beholding the glory of Christ by faith that we are spiritually edified and built up in this world for as we behold his glory the life and power of faith grow stronger and stronger it is by faith that we grow to love Christ May we by faith in this world behold his glory.

Amen. Father in heaven, seal these truths to our hearts for the good of all those who hear and for the everlasting glory of thy name amen