Greeting
Let me invite you to Paul’s letter to the Philippians chapter 2 verses 1-11.
Dear Congregation: We are in sermon series on the great doctrines of the Bible. First, we began with the doctrine of the word of God. Then we looked at God’s character and nature. Then we examined God’s decree and learned that God has purposed and planned everything We then learned that God carries out or executes his decree in two ways, in creation and in providence. We then learned that God made a covenant of works with Adam. We also learned that God made a promise of grace. Then we looked at who this seed of the woman is last week and saw that Jesus Christ is fully man and fully God in one person. We finished by looking at Christ Jesus as the only mediator between God and man.
Now we pick up where we left off last week and come to the doctrine of Christ’s work as mediator. We should also ask why does it matter to us? Firstly, the work of Christ is Biblical. Not only is it in the Bible, it is one of the most important doctrines in the entire Bible. Another reason is there are many gaps in modern American preaching today. There is a great shallowness and disregard of parts of Christ’s work. Some preach Christ’s death which is good and right but not Christ’s keeping of the law for our righteousness. Others are preoccupied with the future timing of event’s regarding Christ’s return, yet preach very little, if at all on what Christ is doing right now in his intercession for the church.
How does Christ accomplish his work?
Christ accomplishes His Work of Redemption In His States of Humiliation and Exaltation. Let’s look at verse 8:
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Phil. 2:8
To understand what the Apostle Paul means by this you remember the context of His writing from Prison to the church of Philippi. He has utmost concern for the unity of the church at Philipi, which is why he says in verse 27 to only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ. So he instructs them to have humility of mind like Christ.
Let’s look at Verse 8: “And being found in human form, he humbled himself.” Christ took on human form by coming down from heaven in the virgin birth. Theologians categorize Christ’s work into two states, his humiliation and exaltation. What do I mean by “states”? I mean his state with respect to the law. He came out of heaven and lived under the law in his humiliation. His humiliation is everything from conception, to his life of living under the law, to death on the cross and burial. Christ was sent by the Father into the world, in a human body that was prepared for him, to do the Father’s will.
Someone who is a convicted criminal in jail is in a state of incarceration. That’s their state. Well Christ in his humiliation came to live under the law. How so? Look verse 8 again, “by becoming obedient”. Did you catch that? This is vitally important to understanding Christ’s work, in his humiliation. It was one of willing obedience to the Father in His keeping the whole law, called active obedience.
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law…”
Galatians 4:4
In other words, Christ was sent to keep the law for you, vicariously, as a substitute.
“His earthly course of obedience was not for himself, but for our righteousness.”
Pastor Joel Beeke
Imagine you’re in a court room and the judge says you’re guilty because you did not keep the law. Then a good citizen comes in and says to the judge, I have kept the law for him. Similarly Christ’s active obedience keeping the law for you. Every single time Jesus was obeying God’s commands, every single day of his life, he was obeying the Father in our place, as our covenant head. It was also obedience to the Father’s will because of the requirements of the covenant of grace.
“19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
Romans 5:19.
The second Adam, Jesus Christ, was required to keep the law according to the covenant of grace. One theologian put it like this:
“Just as Adam’s disobedience in the original covenant of works determined the status of mankind before God, so Christ’ obedience in the covenant of grace determined the status of those in him, to their justification and life.”
Pastor Joel Beeke
Why does this matter?
So Why does this matter? Because you broke the law in Adam and you are still law breakers. You need someone to keep the law in your place. Christ did that for you and his keeping of the law in his state of humiliation, and it is credited to you when you believe in him by faith. So the judge looks at Christ’s keeping of the law and credits it to you. Do you believe in Christ’s work of keeping the law in your place, during his whole life? You fell in Adam because Adam did not keep God’s law. You need the law keeping of the second Adam to be righteous before God.
Also, in Christ’s state of humiliation, he paid the penalty of breaking the law, which was death. Look at Verse 8 “…by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross…” Christ was obedient to the father’s will even to death on the cross. This was why the Son was sent according to the eternal covenant of redemption. Christ was sent to die on the cross as a substitute. Christ was still obedient when the soldiers under Pilate’s command “scourged” Christ, giving him a severe flogging. He was obedient when bits of metal and bone were imbed in the leather throngs; and the flesh of Christ was shredded. Christ was obedient to the Father when the soldiers nailed Jesus’s hands and feet to the cross. At each swing of the hammer. Bang, bang, as the nails pierced further and further into his flesh, he was obedient. And when he was lifted up, unto his very last breath, he entrusted his spirit to the father, and bowed his head, and gave up his spirit, he was obedient. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21).
This is the passive obedience of Christ.
The judge accepts the terms of the good citizen who kept the law, but still justice is not satisfied. Crimes were still committed. To pay the penalty, the good citizen must die instead of the ones who committed the crimes and broke the law. Similarly, Christ’s passive obedience was his sufferings and paying the penalty of the law for us on the cross. He was obedient to the point of death on the cross. Make no mistake, Christ was not offered to the devil as an atonement. He was offered for our sake to appease the wrath of God out of love. One commentor put it like this:
“Outside of the first garden, the burning sword of divine wrath was unsheathed; outside of the latter garden, the sword of divine wrath struck down Christ for our salvation.”
It was one work of obedience. Both active and passive. His active obedience in keeping the law for you vicariously. When he was baptized he was baptized for you, to fulfill all righteousness. When he was tempted by the Devil, he kept God’s law and did not sin for you. His passive obedience of paying the penalty of death for you. You do not have to go to some dark place and have your sins purged. He already purged them all. He did it. He did it all. And it’s all to Him I owe. Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain, but he washed it white as snow. You must completely, wholly, solely, depend upon Christ’s work of obedience. Dear unbeliever, believe upon Christ and his complete work of obedience. That’s Christ’s state of humiliation. Now consider Christ’s state of exaltation.
Now, let’s look at Verse 9:
“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name…”
Since Christ was obedient in his humiliation, even to death on the cross, God has exalted him. The state of exaltation is everything from his resurrection, ascension, intercession, return, final judgement, consummation of the new heavens and new earth. To summarize I wanted you to understand the two states of Christ work in his humiliation and exaltation. Now we will look at how he carries out his work as prophet, priest, and king in these two states, beginning with his prophetic office.
1. Christ as Prophet
Chris’t work is the work of Redemption, that he executes as mediator in his office of Prophet in his states of humiliation and exaltation. Turn to Hebrews 1:1-2:
“Long ago at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken by his Son.”
Heb. 1:1-2
When prophets received anointing from God, they spoke the word of God. Christ was the greater prophet, greater than all the OT prophets, because he was the fulfillment of them all. What does Christ do in his prophetic office? Christ’s prophetic office consists in the revelation of God’s will to man and the illuminating of the heart and mind to embrace the word of God. While he was on earth, he revealed God’s will to man as a prophet. In his humiliation he revealed the revelation of God’s will to man through proclaiming the good news. How so?
Turn to Luke 4:18-20:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor… He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Luke 4:18-20
Jesus said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”
Luke 4:43
There’s a sense in which we as believers are prophets in the lower case because we have a duty to speak God’s word. We don’t hold Christ’s office of prophet, but you have the indwelling of the holy Spirit that anoints us to know God’s word and speak it to others boldly. We speak the truth in love, we are to grow up into Christ from whom the whole body when each part is working properly makes the body grow (Eph. 4:15-16). Have family worship. Read the Bible to your wife and children.
Christ also anoints the church with elders who can teach and preach God’s word. Elders have the gift of teaching and must be able to teach as a qualification. With Christ’s help in his prophetic office, this is what I do on the Lord’s day in preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ for the salvation of the lost and that his church would grow in full maturity. There’s three things I want us to do in the ministry of the word, Teach the story of scripture. Teach the doctrine. Preach the gospel. Exaltation as Prophet. In his exaltation Christ carries out still carries out his prophetic office. He sent His Holy Spirit to illuminate our hearts and minds so we can understand God’s word. Since the fall man is spiritually blind to God and unable to understand spiritual truth.
Turn to Luke 24:44-45. Remember after Christ’s resurrection, Jesus opened their minds, or illuminated to them the scripture.
“44Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,”
Luke 24:44-45
That is what Jesus still does today for us by the Holy Spirit. He opens our mind to the Bible by his Spirit in his prophetic office. Without Christ’s prophetic office, we will still be blind and ignorant of the truth.
I remember one time, I had not read the bible in quite some time, really not seriously since I was a boy. On one night I opened up the Bible with a highlighter and became to read it at length. After several nights and prayer, the Holy Spirit began to open up my eyes to verses I learned as a boy and never knew what they meant. And I said of course! That’s what this means. That was illumination.
What you should do?
Read your bible every day and pray for illumination. Have a bible reading plan. Read the whole Bible in the year because a whole bible makes a whole Christian. Read some of the New and some of the Old each day for a balance diet. If you don’t have a bible, let me know I’d love to give you a bible. Get a translation you can understand. I preach from the English standard version. Get a good study bible with comments. The Reformation study bible is a good one. Don’t divorce the Bible from the Spirit. People say God told me to do this, well if it is against God’s word, God didn’t tell them to do it. If someone tells you they went into the woods and heard an audible voice from God to do this run! Pray for illumination the night before Lord’s day worship while you prepare our soul to worship the triune God. Don’t stay up all night and fill your mind with the things of the world. Come to hear the word preached every Lord’s Day. Come to Sunday school. Come to worship service. If you don’t understand something take a mental note or write it down, then come and ask me what was meant. May Christ through his prophetic office, reveal himself through his word and illuminate our hearts and minds by his spirit.
2. Chist as Priest
Why do we need Christ as priest? “If Christ were a revealing prophet, a conquering king but not a merciful priest to bring forgiveness and grace then there would be no gospel for sinners, but only the revealing of God’s justice and execution of His wrath.” In his humiliation Christ came to make a sacrifice of himself as high priest.
Turn to Hebrews 9:11-12:
11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come…he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.”
Hebrews 9:11-12
What do priests do? They make sacrifices for sins. Jesus as high priest sacrificed himself. The OT high priests would make sacrifices for the sins of Israel with bulls and goats. But, when Christ appeared, as the true high priest, he offered not bulls and goats, but his own blood and offered up himself as the priest and the sacrifice on the cross. Why? Because the blood of goats and bulls couldn’t take away our sins.
13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify[f] for the purification of the flesh,14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our[g] conscience from dead works to serve the living God.1
Hebrews 9:13-14
Why blood? Because without the shedding of blood there’s no forgiveness of sin. The life is in the blood. The Father accepted his perfect sacrifice according to the New Covenant of Christ’s blood. He dies so you receive eternal life.
Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance…”
Hebrews 9:11-15
Christ’s mediates the New covenant as high priest. He met the requirement of the new covenant. The shedding of His blood. One commentator wrote: “Christ’s sacrifice involved the shedding of blood of the New Covenant. Just as the Mosaic covenant was not inaugurated without blood, so the new covenant takes effect only at Christ’s death.
Dear believer, now Christ mediates the new covenant so all the benefits and promises of it are guaranteed to you because he performed the work of the covenant given to him by the father. The promises and blessings of the covenant are yours because Christ effected them by his blood. You’re not under the covenant of works in Adam any longer, under the curse of sin. In Christ’s exaltation as high priest, he intercedes.
Turn to Hebrews 7:25:
“25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”
Hebrews 7:25
What is Christ’s work of intercession? “Christ makes intercession, by appearing in our nature continually before the Father in heaven, in the merit of his obedience and sacrifice on earth, declaring his will to have it applied to all believers…” To intercede is to intervene on someone’s behalf and make an appeal.mChrist pleads before God the merit and virtue of his atoning work as the only ground of the sinners for whom he dies. As the Son of God on the throne, the efficacy of his plea depends upon the infinite value of his obedience throughout his entire life, his once and for all sacrifice, the oath of promise the father made in the eternal covenant, and his eternal Sonship.And on these merits, he intercedes forever because he will never die. Christ has a perfect priesthood because he has the power of an indestructible life. Christ always lives to intercedes for the church. He will never die again, like the OT priests.mThis high priest always lives to administer the New Covenant blessings of eternal life. So you can never ever lose your salvation because the great high priest always lives to make intercession for you.
“33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”
Romans 8:33-34
Many of you may be going through difficult times. Whether it’s with bodily ailments, cancer, or something else, go to the throne of grace in your time of need and find mercy. Christ is interceding as great high priest. We often think of Christ in terms of his past work on the cross and that’s good, but we forget that he is interceding for us right now as high priest and he can sympathize with you in all your weakness and temptations. Christ was priest, be priests in our home who pray for your families, children, and grandchildren. We pray on behalf of others in intercessory prayer. “A family without prayer is like a house without a roof. It is uncovered and exposed.”Maybe you have unbelieving children and grandchildren don’t give up, keep intercessory prayer for their souls. Plead the throne of grace where the great high priest intercedes.
3. Christ as King
It is the work of Redemption that he executes as mediator in his office of King in his states of humiliation and exaltation. People love stories and tails about Kings. Unbelievers just don’t like the story of the true King. Jesus Christ. What’s that story?
The Lord is often described in the Bible as King. He has a kingdom. He rules, reigns, and has dominion. Christ rules God’s people and fights for them. He rules the whole universe. Jonathan Edwards said,
“God the Father had committed the whole affair of redemption…that he should not only purchase it as priest but actually bring it about as king, and that he should do this as God-man.”
In his humiliation as king, Jesus came into the world as King of the Jews.
“ …wise men from the east came to Jerusalem,2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? “
Matthew 2:1-2.
Jesus rode into Jerusalem as a king on a donkey.
‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”
Matthew 21:4-5
Christ prayed to the Father.
Father’ the hour is come, glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee; as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him”
John 17:1-2
Christ’s kingly power is over all flesh and particular to the salvation of those the Father gave him. As king, Jesus could have called twelve legions of his father’s angels. As King, Jesus said my kingdom is not of this world. Jesus was mocked as King.
“The soldiers said, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
Luke 23:37
Jesus was crucified as King.
“And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”
Matthew 27:37
Why does this matter for you right now dear church?
Because you have real spiritual enemies that King Jesus conquered. How does he do it? His humiliation. He exchanges the crown of heaven for the crown of thorns. How does this king save his bride from the dragon? He dies instead of her. King Jesus gives himself up for her, for you. He humbles himself to the point of death, even death on the cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and given him the name above all names.
In his kingly exaltation, Jesus rose from the dead. God raised Christ and seated him “far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come” (Eph. 1:21). Christ conquered Satan, bound him, and plundered his goods (Mark 3:27). We tend to think of Christ’s rule as future in his return. But Christ is ruling right now.
“The Lord said to my Lord sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool under your feet.”
Psalm 110
We do not think often enough of his present reign as the Lord of heaven and earth. Christ is ruling his inaugurated kingdom right now, he just hasn’t consummated it fully yet. Abraham Kuyper said, “there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: ‘Mine!’” This is our message of the King. Hear ye, hear ye, the king of kings rules and reigns. He calls all men to repent and believe His gospel of the kingdom.
Dear unbelieving friend. Pay homage to him. Lay down your arms. Bow the knee to Him and confess your allegiance. To enter this kingdom, you must be born again. King Jesus bends our hearts and wills in love to yield ourselves to him. King Jesus writes his laws on our hearts. King Jesus is head of the church. Christ is not done with the church. King Jesus can use this congregation to reach this lost community surrounding us. How?
The Gospel
Share the gospel. Invite people to come and hear the word. Pray for revival. God can convert the whole zip code in a moment. Jesus is on the throne. Many of you have given a lot to this church. Many of you are serving and doing so much for the kingdom. Thank you. It is a blessing to be part of a church that has faithful servants of the King. Find a place to serve the King and His church. You can be a prayer warrior. You can be an encourager and send cards and letters. You can serve on the visitation team, you can serve in the children’s ministry, you can serve as a greeter, serve in hospitality in helping with our fellowship meals, Are you handy? Serve on the building and grounds ministry. We are going to be looking deacons in the future, and more ministries to come. Jesus is King and head of the church but he is also king all the governments and kings of the earth. The government is not king Christ is. Jesus crushes kings that don’t submit to him. He causes nations to rise and fall. When wars, famines, and disaster strikes a nation, it comes from the throne of the king working to save his church and execute the “wrath of the Lamb” upon the wicked.
“Now therefore, O Kings, be wise; be warned O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Psalm 2:10-12
No nation is independent from this King. Every knee will bow. We had the 4th of July in Celebration of the nation’s independence. With that came religious freedom from Britain’s theocratic government. We are thankful for the heritage of this nations history insofar as the gospel was able to spread through two great awakenings and mighty movements of God. Yet, despite how God has blessed this nation in many ways, we must be careful to never idolize America and remember we are citizens of heaven. We should never forget that in America we are not free to worship however we want. No nation of the world is free to worship any God. You must worship the King of all God calls all men to repent of their sins, God calls on nations to repent of their sins. God calls on this nation to turn from her sins, great sins such as abortion, homosexuality, transgenerism, and all sins that are that is celebrated in the streets in the name of pride, that are judgment upon this nation. Pride comes before the fall. Repent or perish. Kiss the Son lest he be angry. Pray that this nation would repent of her wickedness and worship the only true God, the King of kings. There is only one King of the United States of America. And his name is Jesus Christ.
A few years ago all that we hear was justice, justice, justice in the streets of America. Just wait dear friend. Vengeance is mine saith the Lord. King Jesus is coming soon. He is coming to destroy all who oppose him and his church. And he’s not coming on a donkey this time. He’s coming on a white horse with all the armies of heaven.
“11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.”
Revelation 19:11-16.
This king conquers all his enemies. And the last enemy is death. King Jesus is going to raise you from the dead and bring you into his eternal kingdom. King Jesus will end all suffering and death. King Jesus rules a kingdom that will never end that the church will enjoy forever. The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and his Christ, and he…shall…reign…forever…and…ever (Rev. 11:15).
King of kings and Lord of lords.
And He shall reign for ever and ever
For ever and ever (King of kings)
And ever and ever (and Lord of lords)
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
Conclusion
It is the work of Redemption that he executes as mediator in his offices of prophet, priest, and King in his states of humiliation and exaltation.
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to…the…glory…of…God…the…Father.”
Amen
Benediction
20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.
Ephesians 3:20-21